Dancing with God

I received this email from a friend {who I'm sure thinks that all I send in emails are silly stories and dirty cartoons!} and thought to myself what a lovely analogy! I don't remember seeing or hearing this before, but it makes perfect sense to me. I hope that your day is filled with joy and that you rejoice in your relationship with your Savior and the influence that He has in your life.
Dancing With God

When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing. When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.

My eyes drew back to the word guidance. When I saw "G": I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i". "God, "u" and "i" dance." God, you, and I dance. As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life. Once again, I became willing to let God lead. My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies are upon you on this day and everyday. May you abide in God, as God abides in you. Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of your life.


And I Hope You Dance Through 2009!

Memorial Day 2009

A special thanks to my brothers, Wayne, Keith, and Tom-and to all those other Veterans out there for their service to our country and their unwavering commitment to ensuring the FREEDOM's that we enjoy as a Nation. I Love you guys! We have a wide array of Nat'l Guard, Coast Guard, Army, Air Force, Merchant Marine and Navy family members.

To all of you: Memorials are for that reason, to share the depth of feelings, by remembering those who fought, who lost their lives, and those carrying into the future the honor of their gift to us.

Full Circle

[After spending the last few days with Tom, Leanne & Garth and their two lovely children, I have such an appreciation for family and the knowledge of a life after this. Watching Leanne attend to her Mother's every need and listening to the sweet words of love an encouragement that she whispered was heart-rending. We all shared stories, laughs about funny things Margie said or did, and tears. Leanne reminded me and others, that her Mother was the one who stepped in to take care of me when my Mother was ill and how much she and Tommy wanted to raise me after her death. Much later, I did spend some months with them when I was in Junior High. I love and appreciate the great love between Margie and Tom - they have been together 59 years - and Margie always said she felt blessed and was so thankful to be able to "spend her life with the love of her life"! They grew up together, made a life together, and grew old together - never regretting a piece of that life. We will miss her.]

I started this entry back in September of last year and couldn't remember why I didn't post it - but when I tried to post it today, I noticed that there were some comments on it...so it must be my 'oldtimers' kicking in. I posted and undid it for some reason. But with it being Memorial Day weekend, I thought it would be nice to re-enter it into the blog with the thoughts and love that we have for our family and friends whose physical attributes we do not see, but whose spirits we feel daily.

I really do wish that holidays were not messed with! Memorial Day should be on a set date - where people have the day off from work, and families can gather at the cemetaries to remember and tell stories of their loved ones. There seems to be no tradition to this particular day - other than people figuring it is a 4-day weekend to take off for their first trip of the season. I remember as a young child, the preparation to find and cut flowers to arrange into baskets to take to the gravesites. If we didn't have what we needed from our yards, we would pick up a bunch of peonies or iris, along with filler like bridal wreath, forsythia, lilacs, etc. from stops along the road. Memorial day was a wonderful day to visit with relatives you hadn't seen {sometimes, since the last year}, go to a family members home for a BBQ, and spend the day just getting re-acquainted with family. It was an excellent time to hear stories of those relatives who had died that we might not have known. It involved a game of having the kids do rubbings on the headstones to ensure that the information on them was correct and taken home to be put into the pages of the family history. I remember people actually dressed up to go to the cemetaries - it was their way of showing respect for those who were gone.

Prayer, Blessings, Gratitude, Appriciation

A most thankful post-Mother's Day gift from Gary and Heather - Gary had a PET scan last week and after meeting with the doctor's yesterday it was determined that they consider him in remission!! He will only have to get blood drawn every 2 weeks for now and the scans done about every 3 months. This is such a relief, and we are so thankful that our Heavenly Father has shown His love and mercy to our family through this time. Thanks to all of you who have prayed, worried, and donated any time, monies, dinners and babysitting. Gary looks better and better each time we see him - his hair is growing back, he's putting on weight, and he is slowly gaining strength and stamina. He has started traveling on his route for work and is excited to be able to see all of his customers and thank them in person for their support. Heather is finally able to take a breath without wondering when the next shoe will drop, and Taylor and Wes are.....well, PERFECT! Thanks again to everyone. You don't appreciate friends and family quite as much until something like this happens, and you depend on the strength of the group to help you get through.

M.D. Recap

My Mother's Day began with going up to hear DiAnne and Glen speak in their Sacrament Mtg. - I think it is cruel and unusual punishment to make a Mother speak on her holiday, and from the whisperings in the crowd sitting around me, alot {and I mean many!} Mother's dislike this day more than any other. They feel they are being summed up and compared to all the great ladies in History...they feel inadequate, overworked and underappreciated; but mostly sad. They are sad because of the way they feel, or because of guilt over the feelings they carry for not showing love and appreciation enough for their own Mother's. I swear to you this is not made up!

Luckily, DiAnne and Glen, along with a young woman in their ward, spoke about the memories they do have of the wonderful women in their lives. DiAnne presented a picture of Mother, and then told of the many attributes that she had - her talent for playing the piano by ear; her beautiful singing voice; her ability to create/mend/rebuild any piece of clothing she had at hand; her selflessness; her patience; the unbearable sorrow she went through when her oldest son was shot down during WWII, and not knowing whether he was dead or alive; the years she suffered in pain with cancer before she died; and the unwavering LOVE she had for her family. She spoke about how when Mother died, DiAnne was only 13 years old - a very tumultous and unsettling time for a teenager. She was to take over the chores Mother had done and help care for the little sister {me}. I can't imagine how hard it must have been. She did a beautiful job of describing this time, and then thanked all Mother's who have been an influence in her life. Then Glen got up and talked on the importance of women and spoke of the Mother's in his life that taught and guided him - from his Great grandmother to his own Mother and then DiAnne, the Mother of his children. I was really glad that I attended today, and would like them both to know what a GREAT job they did, and how much I appreciate their love and examples.

I got back home in time to gather up all my fixin's for the POTLUCK at the PARK, with my family. We met at the local city park, ate, visited, opened gifts, and played alot! The little kids never seem to want to take the time to eat - so I'm sure that by the time they were tucked away in their car seats to go home, they were tired and hungry. I've posted some pix of them and their various activites - Thanks to all of them for making me a very proud Mom. I love them, and am assured that even through trials that they see, they will always know they are loved and appreciated for WHO they are.

Mother's Day 2009

{These are photos of my lovely and beautiful Mother and myself. I never knew her, because she died from Cancer shortly after this third photo}.

Mother's Day for many is a glorious day when they think fondly of their Mother's and Grandmother's; where children anxiously await giving the gifts that they have made in school to their Mom's, and can't wait to see the joy on their Mom's face as they open up the package; where memories are exchanged of the sleepless nights and tiring days of tending to infants and small children; of pacing the floor when a child is sick, or is not home when they should be; of listening to every siren, and opening door, wondering if their teenager is OK; where horror stories are told of adventures that Mother's would rather not like to hear about, or are very glad they didn't know about until NOW! For some, it's a day of sadness where the loss of a child or Mother is remembered with heartache; where a Mother is remembered only in spite because they neglected or abused their child; where the potential for becoming a Mother is just out of reach because of one reason or another. Be mindful of all Mother's, for it is through them that kindness and patience become more perfected. It is because of them that generations of new babies are brought forth. It is a noble calling, and one that we should all be appreciative of.

"The best way to have Heaven in your home.............is to have someone from your home in Heaven."

However your Mother's Day is spent, try to be forgiving of faults, and celebrate it with LOVE!

Just in time for Mother's Day!

25 REASONS I OWE MY MOTHER

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
" Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!”

The Owl, the Bee and Me!

You remember the experience with the owl - the wisdom thing - the spirit waiting at the gate of the Milky Way? Well here is a continuation, and now Heidi wants to check things out in her Wicca manual to see what the latest experience indicates. I was walking with DiAnne the other day, and picked up a dead bumble bee to take home to show Weston, since he is a HUGE fan of The Bee Movie. DiAnne was freaking out saying it would sting me; I said "It's DEAD!' I carried it for about a mile and a half in the palm of my hand and put it into a styrofoam cup to take home. However, being the absent-minded senior that I am, I forgot it. When I stopped by today to see if they still had it, DiAnne informed me it had 'come to life' and was moving around in the cup so she moved it out to the garage. How does something dead do that?! Anyway, short story - it was thrown away before I got there this morning, so Glen promised me he would save me the next one he finds. I told them it was 'no big deal, and I could find my own' but he was insistant. The thing is....I would've really like to have the resurrected one! The Owl, the Bee, and me. Is there something there? Maybe it's nature's way of telling me I need to get myself and my life in sync with the metaphysical {The branch of philosophy that examines the nature of reality, including the relationship between mind and matter, substance and attribute, fact and value}. Heavy preponderance for my Mother's Day weekend.

Giver of Wisdom

A few years ago, there was a beautiful white owl that hung out below Bluff Road and looked like a GHOST as it flew through the sky. I was never lucky enough to have my camera with me when I noticed him. But imagine my surprise when I came home after a lovely afternoon of Communing with nature; you'll feel reborn {horoscope for me on Friday} and found this owl perched on our back porch for a few hours on Friday. Heidi was able to snap some shots of it, just before it took flight around sunset. We didn't dare open the door or make too much noise, or use the flash. And we had to take the pictures through the blinds. I believe she got a few good ones though. It was about 13 inches tall or so. So cool. Because she is superstitious and super-sensitive to the metaphysical, she looked up the symbolic meaning of an owl and got these:

The Owl is the bringer of wisdom. The all-seeing owl possesses supernatural qualities and is often associated with intuition, clairvoyance and clairaudience.

The Owl’s energy is at its peak in the very heart of darkness, when we are plunged into blindness and disorientation. He penetrates the darkness of the blackest night, seeing and hearing that which others cannot.

A magical creature of the forest enigmatic and powerful. If the owl is calling you, you are aware of the owl being present in your life, dreaming or waking. You are being called upon to open your eyes, ears and mind to the truth of a situation. To listen to the wisdom deep in your heart and soul. That still small voice is trying to reach you in some way - To assist you or help you in a current challenge you may be facing.

Tap into the power of the Owl by calling on your own intuition, listen to your own wisdom for there is something you need to see or hear. As the owl is so strongly associated with the night time, his wisdom may come to you while you slumber. So take the time to be aware of your dreams or make a special effort to remember and write down any important dreams you have.

The Owl is a messenger that can bring clarity and illumination.

(Don't let this one freak you out SUE {sioux}!)

Among the Northwestern Native American people, the belief is that the owl speaks out the names of individuals that will soon die. To the Sioux, a giant owl called Hin-Han protects the entrance to the Milky Way. The souls of the dead need to pass through it to encounter the spirit land. If an individual does not pass the inspection of Hin-Han, due to lack of the right tattoo, he or she will be thrown into a bottomless pit. The Southwestern Pima Indians viewed the owl as a symbol of the souls of the dead. A feather was given to dying individuals to help them into the next world.

The owl has not returned; I'm still trying to decipher what the meaning of it is? According to Heidi's explanation, am I supposed to be gaining more wisdom? Or am I to ready myself to meet the great Hin-Han that is to greet me at the entrance of the Milky Way. And do I need to get a tattoo? I've told my kids you can't get into Heaven with a tattoo! Whatever....I guess it indicates that I need to become wiser in some manner. I will research that and return and report. Luckily, this owl didn't leave one single feather or POOP. And he actually sat there for a few hours! Most remarks I received were that it was 'good Karma' and so cool. So I guess Vicky's and my question is: WHOO? WHOO? WHOO? is he here to inspire?

Happy Birthday, Craig!

I wanted to wish my cute nephew a Happy Birthday - I tried to do a Wordle but it doesn't seem to want to cooperate with me, so I will just write down some of the attributes that those close to him gave to me: Dedicated, Patient, Stoic, Funny, Handsome, Reserved, Dog Lover, Hard Worker, Mischevious, Observant, Dry-Witted, Family Man, Outdoorsman, and 47!! You're getting up there! Hope you have an enjoyable, albeit WET birthday.