I Have Qwuoschons

This was my daughter’s letter to Santa one year: 

Dear Santa

For chrismas I want spechel things.  I want:  bitty baby.  Bitty baby car seat.  Bitty baby stroller.  Potty train baby.  Chrismas party with my friend.  Jump ropes.  That’s all. 

Love,

Rosetta

PS. If heavenly father visits you Tell him I have qwuoschons.

About those questions.   I marvel that she had questions to ask.  Because that is how you get answers.  I hope she has lots of questions and she keeps asking and asking.  And if Santa can help, she’s enlisted him too. 

These words are on the front of her notebook:  

Consiter the lileys of the filld.  

I gather from these two literary masterpieces, the following:

"I have questions and I trust Jesus.  He will take care of me." 

 

That is my conclusion too.  I do not know all things, but I do know I have received guidance from Heaven when I lacked direction, understanding when confused, and peace when troubled.  I have questions and I trust Jesus.

"I'm Grateful! How Are You?"

Tonight I found a great solution to a family challenge that has bothered me for several years.  It was rather simple. Why didn't I find a solution several years ago? Hmmmm...... I think I know.  I was so focused on how I thought it should be and how everyone was supposed to fix it, that I wasn't open to solutions or ideas. There was a gift in that problem and I refused it.  Betsy in The Hiding Place was grateful for the fleas.  Well, I could have been grateful for this family challenge and found a solution.  But I didn't.  Until tonight.

Which brings me to two conversations with people I admire.  One was this month and the other about 10 years ago.  

“I am grateful," my son said a couple of weeks ago.  “And why is that?” I asked.  He replied, “Oh, I have a good family, lots of good books, a good place to live, good friends.”  I was surprised  by the happy simplicity. 

Ten years ago I had a conversation with a dear friend.  I asked her how she was doing, and she responded, “I’m grateful.  How are you?”  I was stunned.  And I wanted to be grateful too.

What stole my gratitude?  Was it some feeling of entitlement that the world owes me something?  Do I think I deserve better cooperation? Happier relationships?  More possessions?  More free time? I've read there is an Indian tribe for which the word thank you does not exist.  Am I the same if I refuse to acknowledge the good and express gratitude?

When I'm grateful for each family member's efforts and acknowledge the good, it changes my heart and reality itself.  That is a miracle! 

When Christ healed the 10 lepers, one returned to give thanks. Maybe more than physical healing took place in that simple act of gratitude. Being grateful is not just a nice attribute for nice people who have blessings. It is for the emotionally empty, difficult marriages and rebellious children. It is for those of us with challenging health problems, financial reversal and overwhelming obstacles. It is for everyone who wishes to acknowledge God’s wisdom and goodness, and acknowledge the good in others. It is for all who want healing. 

       So when someone asks, “How are you?” Consider, “I’m grateful, and how are you?”

In His Hands

Some time ago, my son Jacob lay on a hospital bed at Primary Children’s Hospital.  He had severe pain in his abdomen and the doctors determined that his appendix needed to be removed.  The expression that moment on my son’s face was very childlike even at seventeen and seemed to me to be pleading, “What am I doing here?  What is happening to me?  Why am I going through this?  Will I be okay?”   

I’ll never forget what the resident nurse of the emergency floor who was in charge of all that takes place there said and did at that moment to put his anxious feelings to rest.  She patted his arm and said with clarity, conviction, and compassion:  “You are in good hands.  We will take good care of you.” 

I’ve had similar thoughts on difficult challenges: “What am I doing here?  What is happening to me?  Why am I going through this?  Will I be okay?”   What about the health problems?  The relationship challenges?  Addictions?   Employment?   Finances?     

One difficult day several years ago, I prayed early on a Monday morning, “I just need to be held.   Please, hold me, just hold me.”   I went on with my day forgetting my plea.  Later that night, our family gathered for prayer and my oldest daughter walked over to me, put her arms around me to give me a hug and then she just stayed there with her arms around me and held me.  In a flash my morning prayer came to my mind and I had the distinct feeling that God was aware of me and answering my prayer.  He hears me and notices me and I matter to Him.

I feel a loving God say to me.  “You are in good hands.  I will take care of you.”    That understanding is one of the most comforting, encouraging, and motivating thoughts I have ever had.  The most loving, perfect, powerful Being in all creation, worlds without end, tells me that you and I are in His Hands.  And it is going to be okay.

On Being Found...

Lost.  Forlorn.  Forgotten. 

This week, my son attended a football game and heard a small boy cry out, “Mommy, Mommy, where are you?  I can’t find you!”  Then he collapsed on his knees and began to pray.  

Some days I have felt like that, "Heavenly Father, are you really there?  I can't find you!"

I’m exhausted.

My child won’t listen and I’m concerned.

I can't find clean clothing.

I can't console the baby.

I'm so tired.

I don't know why I can't sleep.
It seems as though the mess will never end.
There isn't enough money to cover all the needs.

There isn't any milk in the frig.

That bedroom will never be clean.

...

I drop to my knees.

The thoughts come...

"You are a beloved daughter."

"Your children are beloved."

"Love them."

"Read a storybook to them."

"Learn and Listen."

"I will not forsake you."

From Matthew 27:46: "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

He knows what it feels like.  And he will never forsake me.   Never.

On Prayers... at Home

   There are prayers from this holy, sometimes noisy, often cluttered place.  Prayer to 
   the perfect being from our imperfect abode.  When I hear their prayers and they 
   hear mine, I see into their hearts and together we acknowledge that we 
   desperately need God’s help, wisdom, love and power. 

Some prayers… that have been offered in my home in the early years:

“Help me find my way home from kindergarten today.”

“Help me find my three year old. He’s lost.”

“Help us stop fighting.”

“Bless us to have peace in our home.”

“Help us find another piano.

“Help us find some more plates and cups that won’t break so fast.”

“Help me find a bookshelf for my books that we can afford.”

“Help her do well on her test today.”

“Bless our garden to grow.”

“Help us know how to get the staple out of her tongue.”

We are all witnesses here to many answers to prayer.  Finding the lost child.  The staple fell out.  The piano was found at the surplus store.  The perfect bookshelf was two dollars.  The kind man at the restaurant supply place said, “Take all the plates, you can have them, I would just like to clear them out.”

And then there was the cat.  One child asked for a pet cat.  The answer was no.  So this child kept praying.  Tiger, a striped cat, showed up one day at the back door. Somebody fed him milk and we now had a pet cat.  For good.

The Lord said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:”  (Matthew 7:7)

And as Elder Faust said, “There is no quota of how many needs we wish to pray for in each prayer. We do not need to go through secretaries or make an appointment to reach the throne of grace. He is reachable at any time and any place.”  (Ensign, May 2002 p.5)

  

   The best thing I can do for my children is to teach them to look to God for answers.
   I won’t always be there and I won’t always have the right answer, but God will. 

Home - Gifts for Mom

I love gifts!  Presents!  Occasions to celebrate!  There is an old tradition that certain gifts correspond to the year you are married.  For instance the first anniversary is paper, the second is cotton, the third is leather and of course there are the more well known ones, such as the 25^th which is silver and the 50^th being gold.

Wouldn’t it be great to have an established gift list for the number of each child?  This is what I would choose:

Baby Number One:  The Pacifier.

The one with the clip that you attach to the baby’s clothing.  If you’ve used it, you know why.

Baby Number Two:  CD

Lullabies are at the top of the list.  While you are feeding Child One, Child Two is listening to lullabies or other favorite stories and music.

Baby Number Three:  Peanut Butter

A year supply.  Self explanatory.

Baby Number Four:  Washable Art Supplies. 

Washable markers, paint, crayons – the whole nine yards.

Baby Number Five:  Toaster Waffles

A year supply.  Child one is now old enough to put them in the toaster and feed the family breakfast.

Baby Number Six:  Car Kit (sunscreen, combs and a water bottle.)

You comb hair and apply sunscreen before exiting the car.  They are somewhat captive and you will increase your chances for success.

Baby Number Seven:  Shoes

An extra but secret pair for every child.  You hide these and bring out when needed.  Self explanatory.

Baby Number Eight:  Journal

At this point you don’t have time for this, but do it anyway.  You don’t want to miss recording these days, and the truth is, you want this journal with Baby Number One.  These are days to never be forgotten.  The ups, the downs, the teaching, the listening, the struggles and the joys of certain moments can teach you far beyond any earthly educational accomplishments or degrees. The daily discovery and developing relationship with each precious child that God has sent you is a priceless journey to be cherished forever.  So while they are eating peanut butter sandwiches – write in that journal!

In the Beginning God Created...

In the Beginning God Created…

Duct tape bow ties.  A paper bug box – with paper insects to go inside and a live potato bug.  A traveling museum (with dead snake skin and really good dirt among many insects and other living or once living things.)  A homemade library.  A tinfoil tea set (it holds water.)  Shoe box traveling float contest.  Yarn dolls. Twisty tie animals.  A dozen homemade cardboard box doll houses.  A Christ craft center.  This is a partial list of things my nine year old daughter has been making.  Non stop. Tape, scissors, little bits of paper, string, fabric, cardboard, glue - evidence of creation everywhere.

In Genesis we learn God created the earth and it was good.  So what does creation look like in a Holy Home?  I believe we participate in His Creation when we invite children to our home.  I believe we have the privilege to create daily, the conditions, environment, and opportunities that encourage our children to learn of God and to make this world a better place.  And we can encourage and find joy in the creativity of our children - whether it is a grand piano or a grand mess!