Pearls & Perfection Pending

Insurance is really lame.  I mean, it's awesome when you face a crisis, but most of the time it just really, really sucks.  Especially if you are self-employed.  We were notified that our premium would be going up (yet again) in January, and that our benefits would, of course, be going down.  On a random, yet inspired stroke of circumstance, a friend recommended a program to us that replaces an insurance plan and allows people to help cover healthcare costs together.  The mission of this group is to support Christ's teaching to "...bear...one another's burdens..." in a literal sense.  I liked that idea.   Mosiah taught the same principle to the people in the Americas nearly 200 years before Paul taught it to the Galatians .  " And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people...

Living the Gospel Joyful by Dieter F. Uchtdorf I have set a goal to read and reflect on the 39 addresses given at the general conference sessions of the Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints between now and Christmas.  So, here goes #1. Elder Uchtdorf talks about the women who have influenced him most in his life.  His wife, he says, "...has been the strength in [their] home during both good times and bad.  She brings sunshine into the lives of all who know her." I don't know if David could say any of those things about me.  I feel like I have really turned into more of a burden than a blessing to him.  I constantly feel anxious and am frequently in pain.  I have a strong desire to figure out how to cope better with my physical and mental turmoil.  I was to be a ray of sunshine, not a gloomy cloud. I love the idea that "God knows something we don't."  I've always thought that, especially when it comes to obeying commandments that ...

I found this tender song a few weeks ago, which I have become obsessed with.  I love the melody line in the chorus, but more, I love the message that we all need each other to make any sense of the world around us.  What would an orchestra of only tubas or cellos be like?  Life is difficult and chaotic most of the time, like (at least in my experience) many musical ensemble rehersals are.  Growing up, I always participated in piano and choirs, and dabbled a little bit with flute and violin.  Most of my choir directors were fabulous.  Mr. Wenz, one of my favorite choir directors led us win the state choir competition every year I sang in his choir, Symphonic, and we knew he meant business.   He demanded excellence, and we gave it to him...most of the time. I still think of the quote he had posted on the door often: But, we were still high school students, and getting the dozens of us to get and remain on the same page was no small task, I a...

A little while ago, I wrote about the need we all have to reorganize our lives from time to time.  It seems so overwhelming, but it is just the way life works.  The grass grows wild, and we have to cut it to restore the order now and again.  Since then, I have been trying to take my own advice and tackle one thing at a time that will make life more manageable, rather than feeling like everything is growing out of control around me.  Here are some of our projects as of late: Family Home Evening This has always seemed like a daunting undertaking with a little one.  While his attention span is actually fairly good for a person of his size, trying to actually teach him anything important seemed difficult to do.  I really like the talk Elder Bednar gave about this: More Diligent & Concerned at Home .  He relates how ridiculous his family scripture study or prayer looked in his home when he had young children: "As our sons were growing up, our fa...

I remember sitting at a zone conference on my mission one day.  It was hot.  There was a bug crawling across the floor.  We were behind in our monthly goals just like a lot of other companionships.  Everyone needed a little inspiration.  Or maybe just some cold Pepsi. My mission president started talking about his landscaping back home.  I was lost for while, but then he taught a simple principle that I have always remembered.  He talked about how we always have to cut the grass.  Regardless of the amount of care we provide for our flowers, or the number of hours we spend weeding, we will still always have to cut the grass.  When our grass is healthy and growing fast, we have to cut it even more often. The only time we don't have to cut our grass is when it is dead. In our lives, we have grass to cut regardless of our circumstances.  We get everything organized, we set goals, our houses are clean, and we think we are good to ...

Have you ever noticed that some days (or some people) just suck?  They suck the life and energy and joy out of you.  And you are left standing in the middle of the room, still in your PJs at noon, not knowing where to go, or what to do, because you are so overwhelmed by starting anything.  So naturally, you decide that the only thing you can do is eat M&Ms...or ice cream (whichever is closer), and watch episodes of Castle...or Bones...or Once Upon A Time...or all three, one after the other. I, of course, have never felt this way.  Especially not today.

This little boy: is growing up far too fast.  He's getting too big.  I have never felt time pull so intensely, or rush by me with such force before now.  It's a strange phenomenon to be in the middle of a million seemingly endless routines: wake up, warm the milk, change the diaper, work, check the emails, fold the laundry, sweep up the Cheerios, teach the students, change the diaper, sweep up the Craisins, prepare for the students, do the dishes, sweep up the broken crackers, warm the milk, go to bed, start over... Yet, these little tasks blur together like the world around you when you're on a fast fair ride.  Time marches on at an alarmingly rapid pace, never listening when I shout for it to wait for me to catch up. Life's an Hourglass Hourglass Mindy Gledhill © 2010 Blue Morph Music (BMI) Little boy, when you speak I can't help but kiss your cheeks I love the way you grab my hands And tell me all about your plans Rocket high, come...