Unconventional Homemakers

Today, I'd like to talk about a few people who I see as "makers of righteous homes" in places and situations that we might not think of first when we hear the word "homemaker."

In no particular order:

The first person I think of when I think of someone who saw herself as a maker of a righteous home is my kindergarten teacher.  If I'm being really honest, I'll admit that, as a kindergartner, I resented her, because I resented all the rules of school in general--especially the rules about staying in my seat, being quiet while the teacher spoke, and having to raise my hand to speak myself.  It was a lot to adjust to...but with the love and steady hand of a patient teacher, and time to mature, I'd say I made it out of Grade-K all right.  

Only looking back could I recognize what this woman did to make our classroom a safe, beautiful daytime "home" to "grow-up" in.  My teacher, never married, but not by choice.  Years later, when I had kids of my own, I started a correspondence with her, because I was curious about her as a person and about myself at the age of 5.  I came to realize that she never meant to be a teacher all her life...her ultimate aspiration was to be a Mother...but never having that opportunity did not cause her to throw in the towel on making a righteous home for students she treated as her own children and for her own mother, now in her 90's for whom she cares all on her own.  I hope this woman knows what an amazing homemaker she has been all these years, even though her own home has been absent of little voices...I hope she knows.  I try to tell her all the time.

Another person I think of is the mother of one of my best childhood friends.  She was also a neighbor.  My parents let me play with this little friend all of the time.  We even had many a sleep-over at her house.  I learned a lot of things over at my friend's house.  We were doing things that kids these days will probably only ever dream of.  We had such freedom.  Even more so at my friend's house.  I noticed things while at her house.  I noticed that things were different in her family than in mine.  First of all, her parents smoked, so after every sleepover, I hated the smell of my hair and my pillow and sleeping bag.  I noticed that they ate fast-food a lot. (Lucky!  Ha ha.)  And they ate on disposable plates.  The list of differences in our families goes on and on...however probably the biggest difference was that, although I never felt in danger myself, I knew there was trouble in that household, in the form of the dad.  As a young person, I wasn't quite clear what the trouble was exactly, I just knew it was darker than anything I'd ever seen, and that he was often grouchy or passed out on the couch.  But I loved my friend dearly, and we made some of the best memories together of my young life.  I love her to this day.

Despite the store-bought meals and cigarettes (and swear words) there was one person in the home who was definitely holding the place together, and that was my friend's Mother.  No matter what was happening in the house, I always felt that the mother was trying her best to hold things together, working so hard on night shifts, trying to parent the best she could, etc. Trying to hold her kids to a higher standard.

Years passed.  I was back home for Thanksgiving.  I had gone for a walk and noticed someone slip in the back door of my friend's house.  I decided to go over there on Thanksgiving night and see if my friend was home.  In the time that had passed, the father had died.  That was all that I knew.  When I knocked on the door, I was welcomed warmly in to a very different house...a much brighter, livelier, happier home.  It was full of relatives eating and laughing, and loving one another.  I thought I had stepped into my own version of "It's a Wonderful Life."  At some point, probably when the father was out of the picture, Mom and the rest of the family started to finally thrive...kids went to college and higher ed.  Mom quit smoking and remodeled the house.  The family itself was alive and vibrant.  There was an amazing energy that actually energized me for days.  And this story makes me cry when I tell it, because the difference was night and day.  But in this house too, there is the story of a mother and children who deep-down inside were homemakers...and they finally prevailed.

Another person I'll tell you about is a relative of mine who I've never met.  Through a twist of fate, or destiny, he became the much-beloved husband of my great-grandmother.  When they married, my grandmother was already born through a previous marriage, however, my great-grandmother was able to bear a son with her new husband.  One day, my grandmother returned from school, so excited to share her good grades with her parents that she ran inside and neglected to securely close the door behind her.  As a result, her toddler-aged brother wandered from the house and drowned.  My grandmother was heart-broken at her mistake and the consequence it caused.  I can only guess that her parents were even more-so, however, my grandmother would always tell the story that her step-father never blamed her for the loss of his only son.  He never treated her differently or like a step-child.  He was only her daughter, whom he loved as his own.  Did this man make a home?  Did he see himself as a homemaker?  I hope so, because that is what he did when he accepted my grandmother and loved her despite enduring an irreversible loss.

No one in these stories was LDS...They're just good people, doing the best they can in their situations...living the light they know...moving toward the life they want...and doing what is necessary to be the makers of righteous homes...no matter how long it took or hard it was for those dreams to be realized. Making the hard choices.

Not all homes look exactly the same.  Not all families follow the same path.  Sometimes the homemaker has to be a young son who comes day after day to school without a lunch, so that  younger sibling can eat.  Or maybe the maker of a righteous home has to be a teenage girl who blows the whistle on parents who need treatment.  Sometimes, the maker of a righteous home is simply a child who chooses to keep a commandment or remind their family to hold family prayer, or a Mother who does her best to keep clean socks on her children's feet even if it means matching a million loads of unmatchable socks...or having the patience to help children learn to do the same.

In this world, there is a great need for people who are willing to see themselves as "makers of righteous homes," and to do so without apology.

As Bonnie D. Oscarson has taught, "All of us--women, men, youth, and children, single or married--can work at being homemakers...What a difference it would make in the world if all people would see themselves as makers of righteous homes."

I see people all the time on social media, specifically Dads that I know, filling the role of homemaker--those who are proud to spend time with and support their families.  I want them to know that they are being righteous homemakers too, and that I appreciate and respect the work they are doing.

  

How will I elevate the term "homemaker"?  I will elevate the term homemaker by actively and consistently calling attention to the positive things I see people do all around me to preserve their families and to be makers of righteous homes, even in less-than ideal situations. 

What will you do to elevate the term or role of homemaker in the world??

Lara @ Overstuffed Life | Heidi @ One Creative Mommy | Jessica @ Jessica Poe

Jill @ LDS Scripture Literacy | Montserrat @ Cranial Hiccups

Mandy @ A Bliss Complete | Jocelyn @ We Talk of Christ | Jen @ Moss Moments

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HE'S A (Book of Mormon) LEGO MANIAC!

The Tree of Life

When I stumbled upon the blog of our next guest in The Forum, I just about fell out of my chair...This guy has illustrated 20 scenes from the Book of Mormon...using Legos!  I immediately asked him for an interview.  Read on to see what he says about the experience and about gaining and sharing a testimony of The Book of Mormon:

NOTE:  If any of these depictions pique your interest in The Book of Mormon, 

you can read it here.

Nathan...what's with the Lego infatuation?

Haha, You'd be surprised how often I actually hear this.  Like many other kids, I grew up with Lego--but while other children seem to grow out of it eventually, I never quite did.  


I think perhaps one of the greatest reasons for this is simply that I can express myself in unique ways through Lego, and there aren't many other mediums that seem to work just right for me.  I want to create art, and Lego is much easier for me to work with than, say, paint or clay.  And, of course, it's just fun!    

Mormon Abridges the Plates

What gave you the idea to recreate Book of Mormon scenes using Legos?  And how do you decide which scenes to do?  

Another factor that has kept me interested in Lego is the worldwide community of thousands of other adult Lego fans.  It's a blast to talk and compare ideas with them, and to have an audience for the things I build.  It was through this community that I discovered other people recreating scenes from the Bible in Lego, and I thought it was really cool to see the scriptures portrayed that way.  But to my knowledge, no one had done anything with the Book of Mormon.  Well, I thought,why not me?  With the ability for it to be seen all around the world, I considered this a choice opportunity to share my testimony and reach a lot of people.  But even without such an audience, I was just excited by the thought of using art to express my feelings about the Book of Mormon.

Suffer the Children

Back then--I was sixteen at the time--I was only familiar enough with a few stories to illustrate them very well in Lego.  So I actually just went through the Book of Mormon, page by page, scanning chapter headings and building what sounded interesting.  I got about twenty scenes out of this, which is all that have been done so far.  

"Oh Ye Fair Ones"

But as you and I both know very well, there are many more than just twenty worthy scenes in the Book of Mormon... and I intended to go back more thoroughly and build what I had missed.  Yet by the time I had published "Oh Ye Fair Ones," from Mormon, preparation was in full gear for my mission, and I was happy to put my various projects on the back burner for a while to go where the Lord needed me most.  

I had done my Lego missionary work--now I got to finally put on the badge!  Of the many things I gained from that experience, there came a more abiding testimony of the truth of the Book of Mormon, and a more extensive knowledge of its contents.  Though I still have to admit... I can't count how many times on my mission (and since!) that, while reading the scriptures, I thought, Gee, this would look awesome in Lego!  So, I suppose to answer your question in just a few words, scripture study is what leads me to the decision of which scenes to build. 

With that said, I'm happy to announce that there are still many more scenes in the works.  I can't put an estimate on how soon the world will see them, or how often, but I am at least planning Samuel the Lamanite for the coming Holiday season.  It's gonna be awesome!

Which scenes were the most fun to do?

Oh, man.  Good memories coming back!

Ammon at Sebus

The Book of Alma was a blast to go through; it provided two of my favorite scenes.  Anything with Captain Moroni is going to be awesome.  I can't say whether he's my favorite character in the scriptures (we all need different heroes for different times, right?), but he's definitely in my top five.  My first depiction of him was in "The Title of Liberty," a simple scene with Moroni posed atop a rock, waving his newly created banner.  That one stayed put together for a while, because I really loved how it turned out.  My first foray into Alma, "Ammon at Sebus," was the perfect scene to do in Lego, as it fit the toy so well (what would you expect with a figure whose arms snap off?).  Before it was retired, that scene made its way into a Relief Society centerpiece.

The Mists of Darkness

"The Mists of Darkness," from 3rd Nephi, was also a fun build.  That, along with "The Tree of Life" and "Murder at the Judgment Seat" were for me perhaps the most visually pleasing of the series.  "The Great and Spacious Building" offered me the greatest challenge of all: figuring out how to pack something so massive into such a small space, yet still keeping some sense of its grand scale.  I enjoyed working with its architectural details, too.   

The Scalping of Zerahemna

How do people react to them? Have you received any interesting feedback? 

I've had generally positive feedback, both from members of the Church and those of other faiths.  On occasion, I have had people actually comment on the scriptural background of my creations, and I've had some really nice conversations with them.  Normally, it's someone that has read the Book of Mormon at some point, and even though they didn't go and get baptized, or anything, they had favorable things to say about the book.  I always appreciate that. 

Murder at the Judgment Seat

Another neat thing happened while I was publishing these little scenes: all of a sudden, I wasn't alone anymore in the Lego community.  There always had been members of the Church here and there, and I had even gotten to talk to them previous to this.  But I never knew they were LDS.  They hadn't known I was LDS, either.  Yet now, whenever I'd post a new scene, there was always someone else who would express their excitement over seeing something so meaningful to them appear in our community discussions.  A few even offered to help with the project in various ways, like giving story and building suggestions or selling me relevant pieces from their own Lego collections.  That really meant a lot to me.  From my perspective, it seemed like members of the Church were just coming out of the woodwork, and that was a great feeling.  I gained some wonderful friendships because of that.

Indeed, the feedback I receive from members of the Church tends to be very excited.  We as Latter-day Saints are a people who love to see our faith anywhere it appears in the world, and I can't count how many emails and blog comments I've received asking for permission to use my pictures in Sunday School lessons, Family Home Evenings, and seminary classes.  I love seeing my fellow Saints get excited about this stuff, because my little creations are, in essence, my testimony to the world. 

What do you do with them when you're finished?

Well, Lego ain't cheap, but the beautiful thing about it is I can reuse it.  Everything I build gets taken apart again after I've published the photos, so I have the pieces I need for the next scene.

What is your testimony of the Book of Mormon?  How did you get it? 

My testimony has been a lifelong effort, but perhaps the most pivotal moment happened in high school.  I grew up in the Church, and throughout my childhood I was blessed to learn the scriptures at home.  I gained a lot of important knowledge as a kid, which would lay a strong foundation for the rest of my life.  But for me, that was just what we did, and that's as far as my understanding really stretched at that point.  We went to church on Sunday.  I went to Scouts, Young Men's, seminary.  I served in my Aaronic Priesthood quorums.  I knew these were all good things to do, but the way I looked at the world, my testimony was based more on facts than on the Spirit.  I knew things, but hadn't asked God to confirm them for me.  God hadn't told me the Gospel was true; I reasoned that it was true.  It made sense to me logically.  And that was a decent enough place to start; but it would never be enough.

Things got pretty hard during my sophomore year of high school.  It wasn't so much that bad things were happening; I was just in a new environment at school, which came with new friends and new activities.  I discovered that the world was a much bigger place than I was used to, and in all my efforts to fit in, I got a bit overwhelmed.  I didn't know who I was, exactly, or where I belonged.  In so many words, there was a hole in my life that I didn't know how to fill, and I wasn't happy.  As well as I knew the "facts" of the Gospel, there was no comfort in them for me.

Every year, my seminary would challenge all the students to read the Book of Mormon in the month of March.  That year in high school was my first accepting the challenge, but mostly because everyone else was doing it--after all, my whole purpose in life was to fit in.  

Going to high school in Utah, most of my classmates were also members of the Church, and it was the coolest thing to be sitting in class during March and see so many of them reading the Book of Mormon at their desks.  School felt different that month; the Spirit was there, though at that time I didn't recognize that good feeling as the Spirit.  For me, it was more of a "strength in numbers" type of thing.

And yet, I did notice some other changes.  For one thing, there was that good feeling at school.  Over the course of the month, I found myself trying less and less to fit in, and more and more to just be a good, kind person.  Little things that had once so troubled me lost their effect.  I was doing better in school.  I wasn't so stressed out all the time.  The world just seemed like a more beautiful place.  And yet, the only thing I was doing differently than before was reading my scriptures every day.  My situation didn't change--I did.

The Prayer of Enos

On a Saturday evening near the end of that month, after spending my whole day trying to catch up with the reading, I reached the end of Mormon and felt a powerful urge to pray.  I had never felt (or at least recognized) such a prompting before, and I wasn't really sure what I should pray about.  But I felt a powerful sense of gratitude for my life, and for the world around me, and for the story I had just read about Mormon and the decline and fall of the Nephite nation.  So I figured I'd pray about those things, and just thank God for them.  Yet as I was praying, I continued to feel things... and I finally found myself asking whether the Book of Mormon was true. 

I had read the Book of Mormon before, but never prayed about it, and didn't know what to expect when I did pray.  To be honest, I think I was hoping for a concourse of angels, or the voice of God Himself whispering in my ear, or something like that.  Remember, the Gospel made sense to me logically, and for me, those were the logical ways for prayers to be answered.  Feeling didn't make sense to me, even though it was that very thing that had driven me to pray in the first place.  I just didn't understand how I was supposed to get a clear answer in silence.

But that's the wonderful thing about the Spirit: it's not logical.  It's not bound by mortal reason.  I didn't hear a voice, or see angels, but I would not know the truth more surely even if I had experienced those things.  There came into my heart and mind a strong sense of peace--peace where there had once only been restlessness--and a sustaining hope.  I couldn't remember a time I had felt so much love and happiness.  I couldn't remember the last time I'd been so sure of anything as I was at this moment.  Relying on facts--a "scientific method" of the Gospel, if you will--none of this would have made any sense to me at all.  But now I understood!

God is mindful of each and every one of us.  He heard the prayer of a struggling fifteen-year-old and filled the hole I had been trying so very desperately to fill.  Because of the Book of Mormon, I not only know who my Savior is--I know why He came to Earth and atoned for me.  I know what He wants me to do, and who He wants me to be.  And no matter how crazy the world gets, or how busy my life seems to be, I am living a life of peace every single day, and I carry that peace and that hope with me everywhere I go.  It's what we're promised in Ether 12:4:

Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

This is the life.  And I am grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who has blessed me with it.

What advice do you have for others on sharing their faith in the Book of Mormon?

It sounds so simple, but prayer is such an effective tool in sharing one's faith in the Book of Mormon.  If you want opportunities, ask God for them!  And then you do your part, because He'll certainly do His.  Go about doing good.  Look for ways you can serve others, and miracles will happen.  Just jump in, and don't worry about what you'll say; God knows what everyone needs to hear and when.  Trust the Spirit.

I have also learned that getting creative works, too; it's not always a Gospel conversation that opens hearts and minds.  Our Heavenly Father has blessed each of us with unique talents, and He wants us to use them!  We can bear testimony through our hobbies and interests--in my case, with Lego.  

Yet it's not hard to start a Gospel conversation, either.  If someone asks me how my weekend went, I like to mention that I went to church, and if it feels right, maybe even share what the Sunday School lesson was about, or how much I enjoyed someone's talk.  We owe everything we have to God.  So, when you think about it, everything we have testifies of Him.  Any conversation, any situation, can become an opportunity to bear witness of God's blessings.  

And, if you want to share the Book of Mormon, use it!  When my friends experience trials, I like to share Book of Mormon verses with them that have brought me comfort, and it has never hurt.  Actually, while my friends haven't necessarily rushed to get baptized, or anything, more than once they have let me know how much those passages meant to them, and that strengthens my faith.  

For further study on this topic, Chapter Five of Preach My Gospel is full of great ideas for using the Book of Mormon; I would definitely recommend it.  

When do you think the first stop-motion-animation Lego B of M film will be coming out??

Haha, Now there's an idea!  I have attempted stop-motion animation in the past, but I must confess I do not have the patience or skill for it.  I do know some people, though; I'll pitch the idea to them.  :)

Anything else you'd like to share?

I'd just like to thank you for taking interest in my work and giving this interview.  When we share our testimonies, our testimonies grow, and I have felt that as I have taken the time to answer your questions.  If anyone else has any questions, I'd be happy to answer as best I can.  And, while I'm here, I might as well let any YSA readers know I'm single, a returned-missionary, a musician, and I work out.  ;-)    

Nathan Cunningham

You can see more of the work of Nathan Cunningham at Galleria di Cunningham and Glass Half Full.  Thank you, Nathan, for sharing your time, talent, and testimony with us!

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Service Boot Camp: The Write Stuff

My son discovered conversation hearts last night.  He received them as a "prize" for a special accomplishment.  He immediately started playing this funny game with them.  He'd come up to me and read the heart, then I had to do whatever it said (like "XOXO" or "Hug me").  Then, he'd give ME the candy as payment.  Pretty sweet deal for me, eh?

So, if you've been reading my blog for any length of time, hopefully you've picked up on the fact  that I LOVE LETTERS!  I love sincere expressions in all forms, but hand-written letters are a true treasure to me.

My scrapbooks are peppered with letters that I have received from family, friends, teachers, and coaches over the years.  I pulled some of them out this morning.  It was such a joy to re-read them after all of this time.  I think that the written word can change the world.  I know that I've had my world changed many times over by words that someone has lovingly written to me during a time of need.

That is why next month (February 2011), 

I am hosting a Letter-Writing Service Boot Camp.  

All that you need to do to join in is WRITE ONE LETTER to someone who has made a positive influence on you in your life and thank them for it!  That's it...super easy!  You can also write a letter of encouragement, or whatever you can think of.  Will you join me?  Who knows...perhaps there'll be some "candy hearts" in it for you as well!

Just for fun, here are a few letters that I read this morning:

The Original Service Boot Camp

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Deans Mother Goose Book of Rhymes - 1977 Edition

Growing up, my sister and I shared the attic bedroom.  In many ways it was a world all our own.  It was a magical place with desks built into the walls and a bookshelf that ran the length of the stairwell creating sort of a balcony effect.  This shelf housed hundreds of well-loved books.  Our favorite books were always changing, but there is one that I consider one of my all-time favorites:  Deans Mother Goose Book of Rhymes, 1977 Edition...and I still have it.

My grandparents, who lived just down the street from us growing up, gave the book to us, and I believe that she bought one for each of my sisters as well.  Here is the inscription:

Now, I'm not sure how much added value my 3-year-old scribbles bring to this copy of the book, but I looked online, and a new copy of this book is selling for $499.00!!!  I'm thinking that my book is now worth anywhere from $50-$199, as that is what used copies of this exact edition are selling for on Amazon and Ebay.  Note to self...hang onto the good ones!  I'd never dream of selling this though!  Obviously, the sentimental value is just too great!

As you can see, the artwork in this book is amazing!  That is what I remember most as a child--getting completely lost in the rich, romantic, warm illustrations.  Even the ragged characters' clothing, texture, and depth is just beautiful.  Each page is a masterpiece in and of itself!

I guess I always thought it would be so neat if people still dressed this way.  Just look at the detail on the clothing!  And many of the rhymes are just no longer repeated in the home, let alone in print!

This picture of the cat in a dress used to fascinate me!  I remember inspecting the hole made by the coal and thinking, "Oh, dear, she's in trouble now!!"

I liked this page a lot for obvious reasons...

There seemed to be a lot of kissing, and being sweet on, and marrying going on between boys and girls and men and women in the illustrations.  The idea of romance, playing house, getting married, having children, being a mother, and carrying for children was portrayed in a beautiful way.  I love how the children are portrayed so realistically.  Many of the pages show them getting into normal childhood mischief, yet their innocence and wonder remains in tact.

Now that I look back, I can fairly easily recognize that this strong sense of family--parents who are in love, a mother who is present in the home, and siblings playing together--which was very strongly represented in this book is THE reason why I loved this book so well, and why it stood out from all of the rest as a treasure.

Now as I compare this book to similar books of nursery rhymes that are available to our kids, I appreciate this version even more.  The nursery rhymes are sweet, straight-forward, and timeless.  In my kids' rendition, for instance, the author has switched "What little girls are made of" to make it read that they are made of snakes, and snails and puppy dog tails.  Why mess with a perfectly good nursery rhyme, I ask you?  I'm so glad to have this for my kids to enjoy!

PS - Don't you think that the little girl pictured in my last post looks like a character straight out of this book??

PPS - I am linking up to Chocolate On My Cranium's Wordfull Wednesday.  Check it out and join in if you'd like!

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President Thomas S. Monson Quotes

The world would sure be a dreadful, lonely place without thoughtful, considerate friends.

One such friend of mine was kind enough that when she heard me admiring a set of quotes from President Monson that she had given to someone for Christmas, she used her own precious time to secretly make me a set of my own.  And here it is!

There are 30 quotes here, neatly compiled, laminated, and kept together by this ring.  Of course, she used my favorite color to mount the quotes too, and it fits so nicely in my new planner, so I can always have the wisdom of President Monson on-hand.

I know what you're thinking.  You want one for yourself.

Well, here is the list of 30 quotes from President Monson that she used 
for you to print off.

And here is a list of a LOT MORE quotes from President Monson, so you can pick and choose.  Enjoy!  And thank you to my friend Gantrie for being so sweet and thoughtful!

Don't forget to enter for the giveaway from Heaven on Earth Arts...
I will announce the winner on Monday!

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Seeing Ourselves In The Nativity Story

These beautiful ornaments arrived in the mail today.  They are made by Cedar View Christian Gifts and I won them on the Secrets of Mom blog.


The simple beauty of these ornaments really moved me, and had special meaning for me and the journey that I have been on in the last year to follow Christ.  


As I look at them, I realize that we can each find ourselves in the sweet and simple story of Christ's birth.  As Mary, we can deliver our hearts and lives up to Him.  As Joseph, we must quietly serve and bravely follow His words, even when they go against social customs or contradict our human understanding.  As shepherds, we must watch, believe, and follow His chosen messengers.  As wisemen, we must seek Him, learn of him, and go the distance to worship Him.  We must also be willing to lay our very best gifts at His feet, for He is the source of those same gifts!


I think these ornaments are going to stay out on display far into the new year.  Thank you, Heather for sending them my way!

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The Postal Worker Who Kept Christmas

Meet Becky.

Becky is the woman who runs this post office.

I actually drive past another post office in my hometown of Lewisburg and go two extra miles to another town to go to "Becky's Post Office", because Becky is that kind of a person.  She is patient.  She is kind.  She is sweet to children.  She is helpful and knowledgeable about her job.  She has suckers for the children.  She smiles.  She laughs.  She looks up zip codes, and even helps you pack up your stuff, if you need it.

Becky is a superstar in my book.

Becky is Christlike.

Whatever she is being paid by the USPS, I am sure that it is not enough for the services that she actually provides to her customers.

I went there today with my kids to mail our Christmas gifts to family.  I went there knowing full-well that today is the day that the USPS receives the most packages of the year.

I thought, "This will be the test.  If Becky is cheerful and helpful and patient today, on the busiest of days for a postal worker, then she has real integrity."  And you know what?  

She was awesome, true Becky through and through, just what we've come to expect from her and from the other workers at this particular post office.

My favorite thing about going to Becky to mail stuff is that without fail I leave there feeling happier, warmer, more peaceful, and of more worth as a person, just for being in her presence.  Thank goodness there are people like Becky in the world.

Thank goodness for people like Becky, who keep Christmas in their hearts all year long.

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Music to Calm the Savage Beast & Giveaway

Continuing with my Christmas gift idea theme this week with a list of what I consider the best music to have at home.  My incorporation of beautiful music into my family-life is in part inspired by the sentiment given by Quinten L. Cook in the October 2010 General Conference when he said that "We need to introduce into our homes content that is 'virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy."

It's also because my children are extremely high-energy.  I LOVE it!  We have a lot of fun together.  But it can also make for a very loud life at home, plus all of the hardwood in our house causes quite the echo!  So, in order to calm their little hearts and to welcome the Spirit, I like to keep some soft, soothing music handy.  We play the music while we paint, while we cook, or when we just need to take it down a notch.  It's a great alternative to TV viewing.

Here are some of my favorite CDs that might make great Christmas gifts too:

Jewel Lullaby

I have been a Jewel fan for some time, but I recently discovered her Lullaby after hearing it at a friend's house.  It is a wonderful collection.  I love the Circle Song, because the message is so sweet and simple.  I put the Youtube link above for you to enjoy.  Go ahead click on it if you haven't already.  The might be other tracks that you enjoy more, but I like the words to this one.

Tchaikovsky at Tea Time

My grandma gave me this CD many years ago.  It's a good one for "quiet time". Currently it's stuck in my car CD player, because one of my kids broke a CD and a piece of it fell on top of my Tea Time CD, and I have no idea how to get it out.  Luckily, this was the CD that got stuck in there, and not something totally obnoxious!

Raymond Briggs' The Snowman

Ok, so this is actually a video, but it doesn't really count as "TV" in my mind, because it is so pleasant and beautiful to watch and listen to.  There is no dialog.  I don't know where the music came from or if it was written for this story, but it is amazing.  It is the perfect soundtrack for an afternoon nap on the couch cuddling up with your kids.  It's only 28 minutes long.  I bought it last year at Walmart.  Best $5 I've spent in a long time.

Nearer: A New Collection of Favorite Hymns

This is a collection of classic hymns that have been redone with an updated sound.  My kids actually really like it.  It's a nice collection of music for every day, because it sounds more current, but still has the same beautiful message.  Very uplifting.

Disney's Fantasia

This is the soundtrack for Disney's Fantasia.  We actually own this video on VHS.  My mom passed it on to us last year.  Apparently Disney experimented with interpreting classical music with animation and it was a huge flop when it was released, but it has been a huge hit with my children.  Recently, we heard one of the songs on our Tea Time CD that is in Fantasia and my daughter went nuts telling me what the song was "about".  It's neat to know that my kids are familiar with classical music at such a young age...of course they don't know the names, but they recognize the music, and that's a good sign to me.

Enya - And Winter Came

Enya is another artist that I have really appreciated in the past.  I don't have this CD, but I want it!  I've listened to a few of the music samples online, and as always, her music brings to mind some lovely, peaceful images, and really calms the troubled heart.  This CD is sort of a holiday CD, so would be a nice early season gift to give...or get for your own home.


And here's one that you could win...





Sabbath Morning by The Jenny Phillips Choir


I don't have this one either, but my friend Tami who sings on this CD is giving one away to one lucky reader on Friday, so scoot on over there and enter!

Ok, that's my list for today.  (I'd love to hear what music you keep handy!)

I hope that you will take the time to slow down and listen for the beautiful music in your daily lives...your children laughing or asking for (another) glass of milk, the wind blowing, the leaves falling.  See beauty in the small things...it's there!


An Update...from my Mom on my use of the "savage beast" reference.  I knew that I wasn't getting it quite right, but didn't feel like looking it up.  Didn't know however that it was originally to soothe the savage breast:

Music has charms to soothe the savage breast

Meaning

Literal meaning. That literal meaning may be misinterpreted somewhat as this phrase is commonly misreported as 'music has (or occasionally 'hath') charms to soothe the savage beast'. In fact, at the time of writing (Nov 2006) there are twice as many hist for the incorrect version of the phrase as for the correct one.

Origin

The phrase was coined by William Congreve, in The mourning bride, 1697:

Musick has Charms to sooth a savage Breast,
To soften Rocks, or bend a knotted Oak.
I've read, that things inanimate have mov'd,
And, as with living Souls, have been inform'd,
By Magick Numbers and persuasive Sound.
What then am I? Am I more senseless grown
Than Trees, or Flint? O force of constant Woe!
'Tis not in Harmony to calm my Griefs.
Anselmo sleeps, and is at Peace; last Night
The silent Tomb receiv'd the good Old King;
He and his Sorrows now are safely lodg'd
Within its cold, but hospitable Bosom.
Why am not I at Peace?

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Christmas Gift Ideas - Educational Toys

We're in the middle of birthday season at our house.

And since Christmas is coming, I thought I'd highlight some of my favorite gifts that my 4, 3, and 2-year-olds have received (or will receive) this year.

Most of them came from CSN Stores.

I did a review for them because I was interested in checking out their educational toys back when I was doing my Life Lessons Preschool series, and I was so pleased with how quickly the stuff I ordered arrived!  The first item arrived the very next day!  (And the others followed soon after that.)  What, do they have little elves working for them or something? I was impressed, because I have sure never received that kind of prompt service from Amazon.

So without further ado, here are some toys that are kid tested and Me-approved:

Plan Toys - Preschool Block Puzzle

My soon-to-be 5 -year-old Guy doesn't know it yet, but he is getting this next month for his birthday, and I already know that it's perfect for him.  This toy is simple, colorful, challenging, and smart.  As you can see there are many ways to fit the blocks into the puzzle, but you might not realize that the dots on the base indicate to the child how many blocks should fit in the remaining space.  It's neat.  Can't wait to give it to my son for his birthday.

Melissa & Doug - See and Spell

This is another toy that is waiting to make an appearance.  I think that my 3-year-old Scarlett will find this little number waiting for her under the Christmas tree this year.  I was initially wondering if the letters would be so small that they caused a choking hazard, but I was pleased to see that they actually a great size.

Plan Toys - Preschool Punch and Drop

We gave this one to Autumn (my 2-year-old) yesterday for her birthday.  I knew that I had to get this toy because every time we see this toy, my kids have go nuts over it...all of them do (even though we've had plastic versions around for a long time!)  It's well-made, intuitive, makes a nice sound, and because it's wood, it just feels good when you use it.  Great, simple, active toy!

Kid O - Exploring Fractions

This one is being saved for a rainy (or snowy) day.  I was torn between getting this one or another puzzle, but figured this one taught more concepts:

LeapFrog Fridge Animal Set

CSN actually has a car set, but my parents gave the animal one to Autumn for her birthday.  This is another toy that my kids go nuts for at other people's houses, so I knew she'd be thrilled with it...and she was.  She danced around with this thing for a long time yesterday.  I took a 4-minute video, but due to a downloading snafu, I lost half of the photos that I took on her Birthday...boohoo. 

Guidecraft - Housekeeping Stand

Autumn's Grandma and Grandpa gave her a broom set for her birthday, and she loves it.  They bought their set locally at The Purple Platypus.  It was a simple broom, hand broom, and matching dustpan, but what a great gift idea!  Now my little helpers can really help and not have to fumble around with an adult-sized broom.

Plus it went really well with the little apron that I gave her that I found at a local Mennonite fabric shop:

So there you have it!  A few of my favorite toys for tots.

I hope it gets you thinking about gifts, because Christmas is coming, my friends!

But first, I need to go carve pumpkins with my kids! :)

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