Conflict

Resolving a heart of conflict.  I hate conflict yet I now understand that I have been in the box.  I have needed to justify to stay in the box.  I have my favorite boxes.  The idea that I might escape the box, be free to have love as my motive, to see people as people is so liberating and filled with hope.  I just finished The Anatomy of Peace from the Arbinger Institute.  I have enjoyed at other times Leadership and Self-Deception and The Peacegiver.  I love the truths that I recognize in these books and I love learning from stories.  I highly recommend any of these books and hope you too will see the good.

Nauvoo, again!

 We love church history.  We love learning of the faith, fortitude, endurance, cheerfulness, and courage of those early members of the church that gave everything to enjoy the gospel blessings.

Doodle, quite the poser

 First stop, Mark and Jen's (thank you for bed and breakfast) then Winter quarters.

 Then we arrived in Nauvoo and jumped into all our favorite activities - wagon ride, carriage ride, ox cart ride,

 Tall One had surgery 5 days before we left.  It was hard for him to stand for very long so we had him sit with Grandma so she wouldn't be lonely.

 Blacksmith, wheel wright shop where we got our prairie diamond rings (bent nail).

 print shop, tin shop, gun shop,  as well as many of the homes,

 We played pioneer games and pastimes.

 She loved playing house in the log cabin wearing her costume.

stick pulls were Ike's favorite.  We also enjoyed the country fair especially the puppet show and the tug o war.

 We watched the Nauvoo Pageant every night that they performed.  We loved it, the message, the spirit of it, and the energy and enthusiasm and testimony.  Then early one morning we did the 3 mile trek.  It was a lot drier this year, which was best for our smaller family.  Tall One was the main puller, sooo glad he was willing and able.

 He wore his five finger shoes that make his feet look like gorilla feet.  This picture above is a present left by one of the cows. . . makes it all more authentic.

 Along the way we read pioneer stories, most of them being of the handcart pioneers.  We did find this very large snake skin.  So grateful that we never found a snake.

Teaching gentleman art to the boys.

 . . or just letting them get a taste of what some of our heroes did that rescued the Martin and Willie handcart companies.

The thorns on the trees were massive but there is my love, my protector

 Another important trail job came when we entered the thick woods.  Ike was put in charge of swinging a stick to get the spider webs out of our way.  He is now an expert in web removal.

 This is all that was left of the big pond we had to wade through last year.  It was pretty green (the scenery but also the mud.).

 Pausing for a view of the Mississippi river.

 Which eventually led to finding a place to play in the Mississippi river.

 The stone bridge.  Thoughts of Joseph and Emma's romantic spot to steal a kiss out of the snow.

 A trip to Carthage is always special.  Even today, a week later, Doodle was sharing some of her feelings of sadness that she felt at Carthage jail.  We discussed the feelings of appreciation for the prophet Joseph Smith, his willingness to be completely obedient to God and be instrumental in the restoration of the gospel in these days.  Because of him we have the fullness of the gospel, true joy.

 Doodle always adds a few interesting views on my camera.

 Back to the Mississippi and sunsets.

 Sweethearts down by the river enjoying the sunset, just like Emma and Joseph.  My sweet parents.  Thank you for your example and willingness to serve a mission.  Thank you for hosting us and making this experience possible.  Thank you for being great grandparents and loving each of us.

 Brothers, supporting each other, willingly (because we have to ...) becoming all they are meant to be and appreciating one another.

On our way home we visited our dear friends in Missouri.  The Richardson's have gathered 25 children and are now creating a family ranch and raising a great family.  To read more of this great family get their book, The Gathering by Annie Laurie and Brian Richardson

 Beautiful place to be.  The bushes on the side were wild blackberries.  They treated us to blackberry cobbler as well as dinner, breakfast, lunch, and a place to stay.  It is amazing what you can do when you feel it just needs to happen.  36 under one roof and they welcomed us too.

 We had some car trouble on our way home.  It actually died on the freeway a couple of times while we were out of cell phone service but luckily there are not dead spots with prayer.  We prayed our way home and arrived safe and well.  Once we got the car cleaned out and tried to start it again, it was completely dead, locked up and required the dealer picking it up to be able to repair it.  The other half of that amazing story is the tow and repair only cost $150.  We are counting our blessings and recognizing the Lord's hand in each moment.

 I highly recommend experiencing Nauvoo. We began reading aloud the Work and the Glory in preparation for our trip.  The stories were familiar and the book came alive before us.  We are continuing our reading as there are 9 volumes but is has become the time we all look forward to and will keep working our way through them.  We also reviewed a few of our own ancestor stories and visited their homes.  A rich heritage gives us courage to do hard things, stay true to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and grow in gratitude and understanding of the joy that comes when we are obedient, work hard, and love lots.

Papa's Wife

Warm and delightful.  Old fashion words for a very sweet book.  I love feel good books.  This book speaks of love, faith, devotion, and trust.  Mama is strong but supportive.  Her faith carries her through everything.  She considers it an honor to be married to a minister.  She does her part well and honors his part too.  Everything doesn't always go her way but with her simple faith she trusts God and knows it will all work out.

Life was made up of joy and sorrow--balanced measures of each--so that you appreciated the joy more because of the dark hours. Like dark strands woven with the threads of gold in a fine tapestry, but to which, at the time of weaving, you were too close to understand its values.

Just David

Just David

By  Eleanor H. Porter

What a sweet beautiful book.   Young David has been taught by his father in a small home in the mountains.  He has lovingly taught his son those things that are most important to him..  The father’s health fails and the boy is left alone in the world, invited to stay with a farmer.   Misunderstood but with a pure heart he touches the lives of those around him.

Some favorite quotes:

Teachings of his father,

“Out in the great world there are men and women and children waiting for you.  You’ve a beautiful work to do; and one can’t do one’s work on a mountain-top.”

We all have our work to do.  We have been given a purpose, a mission.  We are properly prepared and prepare our children in the safety of home and family.  Home is to be a safe haven, a place to learn, to make mistakes, to grow strong.  We teach them the good, the right, the beautiful and then comes the time when we need to send them out into the world

“it is a beautiful world, David; never forget that.  And if sometime you are tempted to think it is not a beautiful world, just remember that you yourself can make it beautiful if you will.”

When we go out into the world sometimes it is hard to remember that it is beautiful.  Often times we feel alone.  We don't always get to have things go the way we want. . . but we can make it beautiful if we will.  We have been given power through faith in Jesus Christ.  With that power we can know that he is able to direct our lives, have all things work for our good, use plain and simple things (me) to accomplish great things.  

“The father had determined to make a wonderful artist of his son, and he was known to have said that he believed—as do so many others—that the first dozen years of a child’s life are the making of the man, and that if he could have the boy to himself that long he would risk the rest.”

Childhood is a sacred stewardship given to parents.  We are to guard childhood so that our children are allowed to learn and grow.  So that they can have a firm foundation on which to build.  As sheltered as David’s life was, he was prepared to be led by his heart, to live fully, to touch lives of men, women, and children.  He was an instrument in the orchestra of life and when we do our part we add to the music, when we don’t we are in discord.  When we teach our children of good, of true, of beauty and love they are better able to see these things in the world and to make it beautiful.

some extra cute kids for the week

Julie's kids came to stay while she and her hubby had a get-away.  I got 4 of the 5 and we had such a good time.  Each of the kids had a cousin to play with and I got to have the baby.

They sifted through the gravel, found the pretty ones and set up shop.  We played and played in the back yard.  They were great help in harvesting the garden.  (Anyone local?  We have extra zucchini and cucumbers all ready! come and get them.)  They gathered eggs and usually dropped some on the way in.  Despite that I let them do an egg toss.

We went to the river and played in the water catching bugs, throwing rocks and building things with logs.  They also built most of a go-cart, chopped wood, rode bikes, played in the water/sprinklers and did dishes together.

The trampoline got a lot of use also.  

This week I also got to read a book by a dear friend of mine.  She always makes me wonder  if there is more I could/should be doing with my life.  She lives by the spirit and courageously moves forward as she feels compelled by God.  I have known her for nearly 14 years and kept in touch through many moves.  

I highly recommend her book.  She shares her experiences in gathering her family from around the world.  She has adopted 19 children.  Her book is all about the journey of adopting these great kids but it is also about listening to the whisperings of the spirit, following those promptings through whatever Satan may throw at you, recognizing the tender mercies along the way, and rejoicing and glorifying God all along the way.

Annie Laurie was my surprise in Nauvoo.  My dad met a few of her children doing baptisms in the temple.  As he told me about their family I knew it was my friend.  I found her at her booth on the street promoting her book.  Seeing her again was a tender mercy as she now lives in Missouri and I had no idea how to get a hold of her.  She has had some amazing adventures in between our visits and I am so grateful to be able to read about them and to get a glimpse into her heart.  It is pure and full of love.  Her life is a testimony of her love for God and all his children.  

Her link is on my side bar but unfortunately when you are busy raising 25 children you don't update on the internet much.  Please buy her book and enjoy her story.  Let it inspire you to seek out your own purpose and mission in life and then have the courage and determination to truly receive the call and go forward.

A few quotes from her:

Either I believed in God's mighty power and trusted that he truly was involved in my life, or I didn't.

I started pleading for the strength to joy in his plan, in his timing, and in his understanding of what we all needed.

It is easy to be obedient to a whispering that has a happy ending.  But it is refining to be obedient to a whispering that seems to make no sense at all.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.  It certainly even helped me make the most of this week with extra children, helped me to want to open my heart to others and to give more.