The White Stocking

Several years ago the bishop of our ward gave every family in our small town a small white Christmas stocking. He challenged us to gather as a family and privately decide on an individual basis what our gift to the Savior would be for the coming year. Our gift would be written on scraps of paper, and then folded and placed inside of the white stocking for safe keeping. During the holiday season, this stocking would be kept on the Christmas tree as a reminder of what we had pledged to do in the coming months. After that it was to be placed in an area where it could be seen often to help us remember what we've pledged.

Our family took this challenge to heart and each year on Christmas Eve, we gather as a family to retrieve our personal pledge from the white stocking. Silently we reflect on how well we came through on whatever our gift to the Savior was that year. Then after some thought, we decide what next year's gift will be.

As you may have guessed, these gifts are not of a material nature. They are gifts of the heart and mind, promises of self-improvement. Most in our clan select Christ-like attributes---the choice is up to each individual.

Wouldn't it be a remarkable thing if each year at Christmas-time, the entire world population would take a few moments to reflect on a gift to the Savior? Instead of focusing on the materialistic trends we see this time of year, simple gifts of the heart would be rendered.

This time of year I think of the shepherds who were the first to see the Christ-child after his humble birth. The gifts they brought were simple in comparison with those that were later given by the wise men, and yet I'm certain they were treasured most by our Elder Brother. They were gifts of humility, kindness, and love. Faith, hope, and charity were at the heart of these oblations. These are the character traits our Savior longs for each one of us to embrace and share.

So this Christmas season, as we bustle about preparing for this sacred time of year, let us reflect on how best we can celebrate the birth of our Lord. I think most of us will find that the most joy will come from sharing the simple gifts that were given long ago in a humble stable where the Prince of Peace was born.

Crazy Month!

Wow, I can't believe how crazy this month has been so far. All kinds of adventures. Some good, some not so good. But here we are at the end of May and we're all still standing. Somewhat. ;) To illustrate my point, I'll share a few pictures that will reveal why I have not spent much time blogging lately. (I will repent soon.)


I've spent quite a bit of time this month playing with my cute little granddaughter. She and her parents recently moved, an adventure we all enjoyed--possibly me more than anyone else. My job was to keep Aari entertained. ;)

We played at the park, played with sidewalk chalk, and even enjoyed exploring the amazing qualities of dirt.

Here Aari is posing with her mommy and daddy in our backyard.

The move was a great success---the weather, not so much. This is the kind of weather we've been enduring all month in Bear Lake. I took this shot just a couple of weeks ago.

Son # 1 (Kris) finished up a round of schooling this past month. The cool drum ceremony pictured above was a fun way of ending the year.

Son # 2 (Derek) received his official diploma after he and Kristen moved. They are now adjusting to their new home, and Derek to his new job. We went down one weekend to see them after they were settled and had a great time.

Here Aari is playing with her daddy and grandpa in the new living room of their home. (The furniture arrived the following week.)

Son # 3 (Devin) found himself engaged this past month to a beautiful young woman named Emily. We are tickled to add her to the fold. (You did well, Devy John!!!) So now we're preparing for 3 weddings this summer, two of which take place next month. (My sister, and a nephew are getting married in June. Devin and Emily will tie the knot in August.)

And since my youngest sister is getting married, my mother has decided to move to Bear Lake, so we've been scrambling ever since to pull things together for her. She wants her own place, and we found her a cute apartment in nearby Montpelier. We're looking forward to having her closer to us now.

So this past month we've seen a lot of fun changes, and some that were not fun at all. In the middle of all of the joyous events, close friends have suffered serious illnesses, their loved ones have endured painful procedures, extended family members are facing heart-wrenching trials, and one friend's son passed away unexpectedly. These are truly the times that try men's and women's souls. And yet, there is always hope for a better day. As such, I look forward to June, knowing both good and bad adventures await. And isn't that why we're in mortal mode? ;)

A Four Letter Word

There are several four-letter words in the English vocabulary. Some of those are considered inappropriate. ;) The four-letter word I'm thinking of today is on the other end of the spectrum: HOPE.

A couple of years ago, we did a fun craft at girls camp and we each made a handy tote bag, utilizing inspiring quotes, bright ribbon, and paints. My bag proudly shares this saying: "With hope, each of us can live a life with peace, faith, and love."

It can be difficult to cling to hope when challenges descend, especially when some trials extend through several years. Those are the moments when we sometimes wonder if our prayers are being heard. What I've been learning lately is that our prayers are always heard, but they are often answered in ways we don't envision. And always, our Father, who sees the entire picture, helps us through, despite our fearing doubts.

Recently we've witnessed some miraculous events in our family. Without divulging details, may it suffice to say that a couple of the challenges have been heart-wrenching. There were days when we wondered if we would survive. And yet we did, sometimes by taking life one day at a time.

When walking a darkened path, it is scary to take a leap of faith. To hope for brighter days when
there is no apparent light. And yet it is during these murky moments when we can prove our mettle. And as the scriptures state, it is often after the trial of our faith that we gain the answers we seek.

So today I am grateful for the knowledge that even when all seems lost, we are not alone. I am overwhelmed by the tender mercies that are extended daily from heaven, especially when we're drowning in dark despair. Though the path ahead may often seem unclear, guidance, comfort, and the peace of heaven can be ours when we use hope as our shield against life's storms.

Oh, The Saints Marched Right On In!

Okay, I'll confess . . . not only did I watch last night's Superbowl game, but I've become a huge Saints fan the past few years. So if you are acquainted with what happened during last night's game, you'll know that it was a great moment for anyone who loves the New Orleans' Saints. (For those who didn't see that game, the Saints won against the highly favored Colts team, 31—17.)

For years I had never been much into football. Then my youngest son insisted on participating in this sport all through middle school and high school. He was the shortest center our high school team had ever featured in that position, and earned a couple of awards for his efforts. (His nickname was Mighty Mouse.) I spent most of his games covering my eyes whenever he went up against players who were twice his size. I'll never forget the freshman game when someone tapped me on the shoulder and told me to watch the game. I had closed my eyes because my son was up against a huge giant of a kid, someone who weighed around 300 pounds and stood at well over 6 feet tall. My son weighed 120 pounds if he was lucky and was about 5' 3” at the time. You can understand my dismay. Devin was going against this guy on offense and defense. As a result, I brandished my purse a great deal and threatened to swing it while marching out into the fray.

When people kept insisting that I pay attention to what was taking place during that game, I looked out onto the field, and saw that my son had hold of the giant's leg. The guy was literally dragging my son along as he hurried toward the goalposts with the football. Devin refused to let go. When the rest of the team saw how hard Devin was trying to hold onto that huge receiver, they ran after both players and helped Devin bring the guy down, preventing him from scoring another touchdown.

I felt like I was watching a similar struggle last night. The Colts came out, anticipating an easy win. And they quickly made the first few points---the score was 10 to 0. My husband, who is an avid Colts fan, was ecstatic and told me to not feel bad when my team lost. When I informed him that a certain lady hadn't sung yet, he just grinned.

Then suddenly, the Saints came alive, and they played their hearts out. They ran plays that caught the Colts totally off-guard. And they won!!! I'm still grinning. ;)

I should explain. I spent two weeks in New Orleans when my husband was sent there on a special assignment for his company. We arrived nearly a year after Katrina had wreaked havoc and what I saw has forever touched my heart. Not only did I fall head over heels in love with the area, which is gorgeous, but I came to have a healthy respect for the residents who were determined to rebuild. I saw boundless courage and raw optimism. I witnessed firsthand some of the heartbreaking damage that had occurred in that area, and the outpouring of civic pride as strangers helped each other out as best they could.

The Saints football team helped a great deal with the effort to rebuild. And their success has meant the world to people who have lost so much. So yes, I cheered for them all night long, impressed with their tenacity despite the odds. Their win is a win for their city, a place of triumph and endurance where the historical theme of joie de vivre (joy of living) is inherent in their ability to survive challenging trials. I suspect there is a lesson in there somewhere for all of us.

Hope Floats

It does, you know. No matter how hard it is held under, hope will always float to the top. I suspect the reason for that is, hope is lighter than the opposite which is gloomy despair, or painful discouragement.

Not long ago I attended an auxiliary training for our stake. There I experienced both ends of the spectrum. We were introduced to next year's YW theme, taken from Joshua 1:9. This new favorite scripture of mine says the following:

"Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee, whithersoever thou goest."

To me, this scripture speaks of peace of heart and mind. It says in essence, that no matter what the days ahead may bring, we are not alone and things will be okay. True, we have to live up to our part of the deal--obeying the commandments is a solid guarantee that we will have the help of heaven to survive our challenges. It doesn't mean that there won't be any trials, for that is how we learn, grow, and prove ourselves while in mortal mode. What it does mean is that we shouldn't go around wringing our hands in fear. The Lord is with us, no matter where we are, or what we're facing.

So as I sat basking in the glowing warmth of the inspired scripture above, someone tried to pop my proverbial balloon. That night someone stressed that we need to be honest with our YW and tell them that the days ahead will be horrible. "These girls need to know what they will be facing, so they can be strong enough to do so. They need to know that things will keep getting worse and worse and that they need to be prepared."

Wow. Where did that come from? I'll admit, we live during a difficult time. Has it ever been otherwise? Has there ever been a time when there weren't challenges? Has the adversary ever crawled into a hole and left people alone for any amount of extended time? Nope.

I'm sure during both World Wars and the Great Depression, people weren't always dancing in the street for joy. Nor were they when the world's population waded through the dreary times known as the Dark Ages. So on and so forth.

In today's world, we enjoy more blessings than in any previous age. The number of temples now in operation should be reason enough to keep us rejoicing for a very long time. Despite the news stories that fill TV screens and computer screens alike, good things are happening in the world.

While I do plan to help our YW prepare for the challenges that lie ahead, I refuse to convince them that their future will "inhale" and it will be filled with terrible things. I've survived enough of those kind of trials to know that despite the very darkest day ever, there will be other days when the sun will shine brightly and hearts will fill with peace. It is my own opinion that we need to instill calming faith, not despairing fear inside the hearts of our vulnerable youth. Yes, there are a lot of trials currently taking place in the world, but dwelling on the negative things isn't what I think our Father in heaven would like for us to do.

During these turbulent latter days, we need to be a positive light in an ever-darkening world. Our balloons of hope need to be visible, dancing in the sunlight of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Stairway to Heaven

A few years ago I was facing an extremely challenging time. I had been diagnosed with a serious health condition (lupus). The same week I received that lovely news, several people from our valley left this mortal realm compliments of a car accident. Among those who died instantly was one of my Mia Maids (I was serving as the 1st counselor in the YW presidency of our ward at that time.) I knew everyone who had lost loved ones in that accident---my heart felt shredded.

My plate was extremely full. So full, I wondered how in the world I was going to survive. I was overwhelmed by the news that I was dealing with a chronic illness on top of the Type 1 diabetes that I was already enduring. And I was heartbroken over those who had been taken in that accident.

The only One who understood what I was feeling was my Father in heaven. I spent countless hours hitting my knees, begging for guidance. That may be why I was given the following dream:

I was struggling up a steep staircase and every step was painful and slow. I knew I needed to keep going, but it was so difficult, I was tempted to remain where I was. Then my eyes were opened and I could see the battle that was actually taking place around me. A dark force had wrapped itself around my feet and legs, trying to keep me in place, attempting to discourage me from continuing forward. The staircase I was trying to climb was golden and above me hovered an angelic force for good. They couldn't help me climb the staircase---that was up to me, but they could stifle the negative influence at my feet, giving me the freedom to continue forward if I chose to do so.

In the dream, I shrugged off the negative force with the help of heaven, and continued on my way.

Now I know most dreams are silly nonsense, but I also believe once in a while you can receive dreams that contain a message when the need is great. The message of that dream has stayed with me through the years and during challenging moments, I strive hard to live up to what I learned from that experience.

In an interesting "coincidence," the morning after I experienced the dream I just shared, I went into town to pick up a prescription at the local drugstore. As I waited for the pharmacist to fill that prescription, I walked around the store, gazing at the books that were available. I rounded a corner and spotted a picture that was identical to what I had seen in the dream. It showed someone climbing a golden staircase toward heaven and it contained an inspiring quote. I bought that picture, purchased a frame to hold it, and hung it above my computer at home. It still hangs in that place of honor, a reminder of what is possible when we push past the dark thoughts that haunt us all on occasion.

We live in a challenging time. I can't think of anyone who isn't experiencing a difficult trial. And yet, there are good things happening all around us. The world still possesses beauty and wonder, and all things are still possible, if we'll only continue forward, trusting in God's help to see us through.

Hope Springs Eternal

Alexander Pope truly hit things on the head when he penned the infamous words I quoted above. It goes a little something like this:

Hope springs eternal in the human breast;
Man never Is, but always To be blest:
The soul, uneasy and confin'd from home,
Rests and expatiates in a life to come.

-Alexander Pope,
An Essay on Man, Epistle I, 1733

Incidentally, I looked up "expatiates" and it means to wander without limits. Food for thought. =) So in other words, we cling to hope in this life, doing the best that we can, and someday, we'll get to catch up on little things like rest, relaxation, and travel in the next realm. =D That's something to hope for, to my way of thinking.

As you can possibly tell, I've been thinking about hope lately. It must be important, considering how many times it's mentioned in the scriptures. I believe that hope is crucial to surviving mortal mode, and all of the adventures that go along with it.

We've been experiencing a few adventures in our neck of the woods lately. Some are incredible blessings, like the sealing that took place between a nephew and his wife on Saturday. Several of us gathered for this event at the Logan Temple and it was a wonderful day. Tim and Heidi were glowing with happiness, as this picture depicts:

It was truly the highlight of our week. And after witnessing the eternal union of this wonderful couple, we then traversed across town to the famed Bluebird Restaurant for a delicious bite of lunch. We ate, we visited, we took lots of pictures.

It was a fun day, and one we'll remember fondly for a very long time---even if we had to drive back to Bear Lake in yet another winter storm. ;) We returned home safely to the 2-3 feet of snow that blankets our front yard. Despite the white fluffy stuff, we have hope that someday spring will make an arrival. The Gurney's Seed Catalog showed up at our house over the weekend, so I know winter will eventually depart and I can play in the dirt. =)

Tomorrow I will be singing at a funeral. My sister's m-i-l passed away and it is a time of sorrow for this family. Still, there is hope. This good woman is no longer suffering from the physical ailment that caused such misery in her life. And family bonds are eternal bonds. This should give us all the hope in the world when a loved one moves on past mortal bounds. There will be tears and tugs at the heart, but in time, that will be replaced by a calming peace we call the Comforter. That precious gift helps us to survive stormy moments in our lives. It is a gift of loving hope.

Recently I faced quite an obstacle. I serve as the YW president in our ward, and the famed New Beginnings program is on the horizon. As a presidency, we had decided that it would be wonderful to show a DVD containing all of the pictures we had taken of our YW during this past year, complete with accompanying music. We planned for it to be a goodly portion of our program, something we hoped would be entertaining, and inspiring. The only downside: one of us needed to put the thing together.

I volunteered for this task. I had received a new external DVD burner for Christmas this last December, and I had high hopes that I would be able to figure out how to run it, and the new programs that came with it. As time progressed, I discovered that the manual that came with this DVD burner wasn't much help, nor was the online "help" site. It repeated everything that I found in the five page manual, which pretty much shared how to turn on the machine and plug it into my computer. Ahhh.

Now if you have been faithfully reading this blog, you may recall that I suffered a little head injury this past summer at girls' camp. A heavy metal pipe bonked me on top of the head. I suffered a bit from this adventure, and I still seem to have a few glitches, as my children would be the first to point out. Like the time over Thanksgiving when I asked one of my sons to retrieve some potatoes from our pantry downstairs. I handed him a bag and said:

"Would you please bring up some Yakima potatoes?"

I thought I had made perfect sense. In my mind I had said Yukon. It wasn't until my children roared with laughter (thank heavens my cute granddaughter was too little to point fingers and make fun) that I realized my mistake. Sigh . . . and yes, "Yakima" has become a family saying whenever someone in the family slips up in some way. "Was that a Yakima moment?" tends to be asked. Did I mention, "sigh . . ."? ;)

Time passed and I figured all was well. I've been playing several computer games that make one think, like puzzles, word games, hidden object adventures, etc. determined to help my poor brain heal. Then the other night as I attended a town meeting, I messed up again. This time I butchered someone's name. I've known this lady for years, and I completely botched her name. Once again, people were rolling off their chairs laughing hysterically. It was another "Yakima" adventure.

Despite all of that, I still had hope that I would be able to figure out my new DVD burner and complicated programs. And after a week of pulling out my hair, I finally experienced success. I was able to put together a DVD of the YW pictures, and I even figured out how to make a copy of this same DVD for all of our YW, since I'm certain it will be a treasure for them to cherish. ;)

I'm sharing this experience because I think it represents how we can cling to hope during these crazy latter-days. First, we have to be grateful for all that we've been blessed with, even items like snow. Because of all of this snow, we'll have plenty of water during the warmer spring and summer months. Stuff like that.

Next, we have to persevere, despite "Yakima" moments. We push on, doing the best that we can, trusting that we'll have the help of heaven after we've done our part.

And after we've endured a bit of testing and stretching, then we'll see the end result if we don't give up, whether it's a temple sealing, mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner, or an inspiring DVD for New Beginnings that is our goal. =)

Hope does spring eternal within our souls, though we may not realize it when trials descend and all seems lost. The key again is to never give up.

Thomas Edison is one of my heroes---for this very reason. The man never gave up. When he was growing up, his teachers thought he was slow. He finally dropped out of school and his mother taught him at home. He finished his own education by reading constantly and performing experiments in the basement of his home. He never did attend college. This didn't stop him from inventing numerous devices that we still use to this day, like a durable incandescent light bulb, and the phonograph. He invented the phonograph despite the fact that he was partially deaf. What a guy! People like Tom inspire me to hang in there, despite my little Yakima glitches. ;)

So my message today is simply this, despite the challenges of our time, allow hope to spring eternal. I suspect when it's all said and done, items like that will be what really matters.

Battling Mists of Darkness

Recently, as my husband and I traveled through a nearby canyon, we came upon a scene that was not only picturesque, but deeply symbolic in our LDS culture. I think most of us ponder the significance of Lehi's Dream and how it applies to our lives. I find that I'm always on the lookout for "tall and spacious buildings" (pride of the world), "iron rods" (scriptures, including inspired talks and counsel from our current priesthood leaders), and the "tree of life," (the love of God.)

This past weekend, we came across mists of darkness. It was a combination of a series of storms colliding with a crisp fall morning. The result was breathtaking---which meant that my husband patiently pulled over and gave me the opportunity to take several shots. ;) As I snapped the final image, I was struck with the symbolism of what we were seeing.

We all face challenging moments during our lives. These adventures can be the result of poor choices, temptations that lie in our path, or heartbreaking trials that descend without warning. Regardless of how these mists arrive, fearing doubt can keep us from continuing with our journey. The way ahead seems uncertain, the path unsure. At times, we may be tempted to remain where we are, or to wander off into the mist as we succumb to what the adversary would have us believe---that we are lost, there is no hope for a brighter future.

How do we press on under such conditions? How do we find our way? Returning to Lehi's Dream, the answer is clear. We must cling to the iron rod, even when the mists of darkness arrive in our lives, clouding our path with uncertainty. Despite the darkness that inspires fear, we hang onto hope. As Moroni tells us in the 12th chapter of Ether:

"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world . . . which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men . . ." (Ether 12:4)

Hope is an anchor that can steady our souls when challenging times descend. With hope, we can rise above all things. In his final words, Moroni explains:

"And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me . . . How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope? And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ . . ." (Moroni 7:33, 40-41).

Only the adversary would have us believe otherwise. Only he would have us give up and let go of the very things that will bring us the peace of heart that we seek.

In my own life, I have faced a myriad of misty times. Health challenges (I've been a Type 1 diabetic for a little over 26 years, plus I deal with a form of rheumatoid arthritis on an almost daily basis); heartbreaking loss (the suicide death of my father 25 years ago, plus the more recent passing of a brother-in-law, not to mention other loved ones we have lost along the way); and those "little trials" that plague us all on a too frequent basis: financial difficulties, stress, worry over loved ones, neighbors, and friends, ie: life in general. I could probably dedicate an entire blog to items that plunge us into misty darkness. I won't. =) I will say this---on my darkest days, the things that help me cling to hope are items we've been counseled to do repeatedly: read the scriptures, pray, fast, & attend the temple. It also helps to realize that the Atonement of our Savior, covers far more than any of us ever fully realize. Our Elder Brother suffered every pain, every sorrow any one of us would ever experience. (See Alma 7:11)


I can testify that if we will anchor ourselves in place, even when the darkest mists descend upon us without mercy, we can survive. It is up to us to allow the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to filter into our lives. This light will dispel the dark mists, making the way clear for us so we can continue on with our journey. It will never be an easy thing---it was never intended to be. But I believe with all of my heart that it is definitely worth every step we make as we continue forward toward the tree of life, knowing we're never as alone as we sometimes think we are. Our Elder Brother patiently waits for us to turn to Him. With His help, all things are possible.

Return to the Neighborhood