Greetings from the Other Side of the Hard Parts

 

Since the announcement of the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple in April of 2020 (and for months before the announcement actually), my family and I have been on quite the journey.

In the last 5 years, I have been serving with all my heart as Communication Director for the Pittsburgh North Stake. Through all of this, I came to understand that the Lord sees to every detail of the building of His temples, and I have grown and changed in so many ways under His tutelage.

I have worked closely with many awesome people in our town, and I've been humbled to work side-by-side with amazing people from every faith and organization in my area. 

I developed photography as a personal hobby and have taken thousands of photos of the temple, its construction from start to completion, special visitors, and my favorite, landscape photos that include the temple.  It has been amazing for my soul to watch how the temple has blessed our family.  I am in awe of all of it.

During that time, I have not blogged. 

As technology moved away from blogging, and as my son became a very controversial online presence with literally millions of followers, I just focused on sharing my testimony in my own life and on my personal social media circles. That has fed my need as a journalist to express myself and fostered many close relationships with people of all walks of life, for which I am so grateful.

As of right now, I am just recovering my blog, as my previous domain name (www.wetalkofchrist.com) got scooped up by someone else (probably when my payment method expired, and I didn't notice).  

Because of trolls online who want to "beef" with my son and what he stands for, I and my blog have been periodically attacked, which at first I found deeply hurtful and unfair. And since the content of this blog and the memories of my kids when they were younger and the lessons that I taught them are so well-documented on this blog, I am protective of it. Given this, I am contemplating just what to do with my blog.

I realized when my blog was unexplainably down for a while, that I rely on this site as a reference for recipes, thoughts, and lessons I have shared. I found it annoying when I couldn't easily access it. And periodically, I still receive very kind emails from people thanking me for certain posts.

So, that is the update. I am still here.  Still in the faith. STRONGER THAN EVER....despite difficult challenges that are just part of mortality, challenges that have seasoned me and brought me depth and wisdom that comes when children become teens and teenagers become adults.

Since it relates to this blog, I will share one more thought.

This blog was founded on one scripture: 2 Nephi 25:26, which says:

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

As I have watched my children move from that innocent, pre-baptism season of life, to the season of accountability and of trial and error, this scripture, that always guided my efforts as a parent became even more vital to me.

And I realized that I didn't fully understand it when they were little.  

When my children were small and incapable of committing sin, I focused mainly on the joy that talking of and preaching about Christ with them brought me.  And the last bit of this scripture, frankly, didn't seem to match the rest of this joyful passage.

But when my kids started making their own choices, I finally understood that the last lines "that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins," was not out of place at all. It was not mistakenly "tacked on" to the end of the passage...it WAS the point.

The point of decades (now) that my husband and I spent "talking of Christ" with our children was so that when the time came, we could have faith that our children are in God's hands now and that they would KNOW to what source they CAN look for a remission of their sins.

I am so grateful for this understanding that has taken me about a decade of difficult experiences to truly grasp. But my faith in Christ has grown, not waned.  

And through it, my new Mom-mantra has become: 

"I raise them. Jesus Saves them."

I don't try to do His job, because that would be very frustrating and frankly impossible. But I can keep doing my job and increase my faith by remaining calm and waiting and watching as His great plan for all of HIS children unfolds over time.

I trust that the Creator of us all, has the ability to bring ALL of His Children Home...in His time.

I am grateful for every woman, sister, and friend I have made over the decade of blogging that I did here. 

Thank you for supporting me with your comments and friendship and helping me grown spiritually as well.

XO, and Merry Christmas, Friends!

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Beat the Virus!

 I got my second dose of the Covid vaccine the other week.  There is something to gratifying in knowing that fasting, prayers, God's grace, and the relentless work of scientists brought us this much closer to overcoming this worldwide pandemic.  I am beyond grateful to be a recipient of this great blessing!  I continue to pray for further advancement against this virus! 

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A Cousin Baptism

 

So, my husband's nephew Henry got baptized last Saturday and were actually able to make the trip to Toledo, Ohio to be there!

It was a really sweet baptism, and felt almost normal (plus masks!)  But the spirit was there, and I always love spending time with my sister-in-law Renae, who is sweet, gentle, and funny, and always kind.

And look at our kids!  They've grown so much.  It was just a really nice weekend away.  We drove all the way there and back with me reading a book aloud to everyone (that one of my blog friends recommended, actually!)

I am grateful for sweet experiences like watching an 8 year old get baptized.  It lightens my heavy days.

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Autumn's First Talk in Church

 

Isn't it amazing that our Church it taught by the membership?  And that by invitation, regular members are asked to deliver messages called "talks" to the entire congregation on Sunday  mornings??

I mean, it really does amaze me.  We can be taught by the young and the old, the new members and the long-timers, the learned and wise, and everything in between.

This past Sunday, my daughter Autumn (age 12) was given the chance to speak in Sacrament meeting for the first time.

I was really impressed by how composed she was, and she wrote her own thoughts, her entire talk by herself.  Now, she's kind of a quieter girl.  Because of this her composure while delivering her talk impressed me even more.

I am so grateful I was able to watch my girl shine brightly as she testified of her faith in Jesus Christ and the blessings of making righteous choices.  I hope she will always have the glow that I saw on her today:

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Something Unimaginable

I told my kids in the fall to expect this year to unfold exactly the opposite of last year (mostly at-home learning, then go back 5 days in the spring) and so far it has. It's funny how through it all our children have never stopped growing. I heard Elder Uchtdorf say this today: "...even though this pandemic is not what we wanted or expected, God has prepared His children and His Church for this time.

We will endure this, yes. But we will do more than simply grit our teeth, hold on, and wait for things to return to the old normal. We will move forward, and we will be better as a result.

In a way, we are seeds. And for seeds to reach their potential, they must be buried before they can sprout. It is my witness that though at times we may feel buried by the trials of life or surrounded by emotional darkness, the love of God and the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ will bring something unimaginable to spring forth." Something unimaginable is springing forth. I see it in my kids, in the closeness of my neighbors, in myself too, I suppose. The pandemic didn't come as a surprise to God and he has and is providing ways for us to come through it new and better versions of ourselves. But like seeds sometimes we have to be buried by trials in order to grow. God Will Do Something Unimaginable 

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We finally bought the lumber

There's a boy who lives down the street from us, in a different neighborhood, actually down a country road.  He looks to be about 10 years old.  He sits out on nice days at a small "tv table" with a handmade sign that reads "lumber for sale".

I went to pick Scarlett up from school the other evening, and when I returned he was still sitting out hoping for a sale.  I said, "Next time I pass him, I'm going to buy some lumber."  Instead of waiting until "next time" I decided to turn the car around and buy the "lumber" now.

I asked the boy how much he was selling his "lumber" for.  He promptly quoted me a price of $59 for a pile of about ten pieces of crudely chopped wood like the two shown above.  

Scarlett and I had to contain our shock and then giggles.  Then I looked at the small axe that had clearly been his weapon of choice against the unsuspecting tree, and I figured he probably did put $59 worth of blood, sweat, and tears in to his work.

I asked him what $3.00 would get me.  He gave me these two pieces of wood, and then he said, "I'm glad you came along, I wasn't having a very good day..."

For some reason that just hit me.  We had done the right thing.  We turned around when we felt we should, and bought this boy's lumber.  And now these are my two favorite pieces of lumber in the world.

 

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Fed by the Missionaries

 

For the better part of the last year, we've taken to signing up to provide meals for the missionaries on a weekly basis.  Frankly, it's easier for me just to sign up for the same day each week than to have it sneak up on me irregularly.

But we normally have six elders to feed, and when Thursday rolls around it's a bit of an all-afternoon affair getting dinner ready for our elders AND my own family...and then transporting the dinner/dessert to them and at the time they need it!

It always gets done, but I'm usually breaking a bit of a sweat to do it, and today, my feet were killing me due to a three-mile walk I had gone on earlier in the day.

I decided to text the missionaries and ask them to meet me in the parking lot of the complex, so I wouldn't have to carry the food up the steps to their apartment as it would have taken me multiple trips.

When I pulled into their parking lot, I saw them all standing there, their faces beaming with bright, hopeful, happy-to-see-food smiles, and it just warmed my heart so much.

As I pulled away, I just felt so much love for them and gratitude for their sacrifice.  The worries that caused me to embark on my early morning walk, were momentarily washed away by the spirit that washed over me for that brief moment.

I might feed the missionaries, but doing so feeds me.

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The Ingredients of a Testimony

 

We went to church today, and we actually got to sing the hymns together as a congregation for the first time in a year!  It was a sweet surprise, but today I want to talk about a different sweet thing that happened during our season of at-home church.

The sweet thing was that we got to hear my girls' testimonies quite often and it filled our home with the Holy Ghost.

I recently stumbled on the testimony that my daughter Autumn gave one Sunday as she had written notes to help her say it the way she wanted to.  Here it is:

"Testimonies are like baking cookies.  We practice baking them for our whole lives until they are perfect.

We start our testimonies by gathering all of the ingredients, like going to church and getting baptized.  Then we start mixing the ingredients together, which is like reading scriptures daily and learning in church every Sunday.  And then we put it in the oven and your testimony rises and gets stronger, because you are obeying the commandments and getting personal revelation.  When you are ready, you will have a spiritual and a strong testimony.

And when they are done cooling, you can share them with your friends, so they can have the same experience that you had.  But if you put the wrong ingredients in your cookies, they won't turn out as the cookies you wanted to make...

I know that as we do the right things and be like our Heavenly Father, we will have a strong testimony of Jesus Christ, and we can live with God again.  I say these things, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

I was really touched by the testimony of our resident baker.  I know that the Lord sent us to earth to learn spiritual lessons in a physical world. Autumn's testimony is just one example of that!

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Temple Blessings During a Pandemic

 

One way that the power of the temple has impacted me over the last year is through the example of my 11, now 12-year old daughter. She became eligible to attend the temple for the first time in January 2020. I have never seen one so young prepare so diligently to answer the soul-searching questions she would be asked in her temple recommend interview--questions such as "Do have faith in God and in his son Jesus Christ," and "Do you strive to be honest in all that you do?" Shortly after she attained a temple recommend, temples around the world closed to help stop the spread of COVID-19. A year has passed now, and she is still patiently waiting to enter the temple for the first time. Although this blessing has been slightly delayed for her, I know that choosing each day to live a Godly life and to follow Christ in anticipation of entering the temple has been an even greater blessing for her at this time. I am so grateful for her example, and I am grateful for the power of purity and peace that comes as we grow closer to Christ through temple attendance. "Although our access to the temple right now is limited, it doesn’t change the impact that the temple can have on us in our lives. Through our covenants and ordinances, we have access to the power of godliness in our lives—no matter our circumstances." - Dale G. Renlund

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Our Trip to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History

The kids and I took a trip to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History on Monday.  We've had a Carnegie pass for like a year now, but this was our first time visiting this particular museum, and boy am I glad that we did!

We were totally blown away by their dinosaur collection (and their gems and minerals collection which I'll post about later)!

Apparently, this museum is ranked in the top 5 Natural History museums in the U.S. and has the largest collection of Jurassic dinosaurs in the world (!) as well as the first T-Rex specimen.

It was great to get out and discover this treasure for ourselves. I'll post pictures for you to enjoy too.

So here's something quirky about me.  It's hard for me to believe in dinosaurs.  More specifically, the idea of dinosaurs has always unsettled me.  And I wasn't really interested enough in them to actually learn about them, so they just kind of remained a theory to me...a fantastical myth.  It doesn't help that every time we watch shows about dinos, scientists say "at least that's what we *think*" they did or looked like, etc! And since dinosaurs don't exist in our living world, there was no way for me to easily find proof for myself.

I told my friend this one day recently as we were hanging out together.  She reacted as you might expect a very logical and scientific person to react.  Sprinkle in a look of disgust at my attempt to be vulnerable with her and you'll have a pretty good picture of the exchange.  (Good times.)

But as I thought about it, I think my denial of dinosaurs (or at least my disinterest in them) is a lot like people's denial of God.  Sometimes the idea of God is so big, so other-worldly, that its too hard for our mortal minds to wrap around.  So, we're tempted to just let God remain an unexplored myth. 

I'm grateful that God is real to me.  I am grateful that there is proof of God all around us and that I've been willing to explore God in my life.  

Let us not shy away from having a relationship with Him because he seems too big, too perfect, too in the past, or for lack of *easily* attainable evidence.  He is worth the search.  And unlike the dinosaurs, He is alive and willing to reveal himself to us.

I'm happy to report that after encountering the largest collection of Jurassic dinosaurs in the WORLD, I am finally on the dinosaur band-wagon! :) Haha!

Some of us just need more proof than others.  And that's ok too, whether we're talking about God or gigantic reptiles.

If you get a chance to visit this showcase of God's creations, I recommend it!

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Line Upon Line

For all the difficult parts of motherhood right now, I get great blessings from my oldest daughter who sends me texts like this one. Our relationship and her trust in me brings me joy.

As background, when Scarlett was in 4th grade she tried to follow in her brother's footsteps by testing in to the gifted program at school. She saw what cool projects they did and wanted to be included, but she was turned away. This was the first of many times I've watched Scarlett handle disappointments with grace, and I think it's those disappointments that have built her character and made her more dependent on her Heavenly Father. Although she didn't make it into the academically gifted program that day, I consider Scarlett to be spiritually gifted. She has taken the gifts she was born with and focused on increasing them over time until they are truly strengths.  She shines. 

Scarlett is in 8th grade now, and unlike most of her classmates, she doesn't have a smartphone yet. We've held off. And she's been mostly ok with that. Watching her brother has made all of my girls want to hold off on getting a smartphone.  But for Christmas, I did get her a Gabb Wireless phone, which makes it possible for her to more easily text me now. But it was still a surprise to get a text from her as she is normally home 3 days a week and in school 2 due to Coronavirus.

I'm just so happy that her teachers saw her potential and suggested that she take honors science next year. And it was sweet that she had to ask me if I thought she could/should do it! It just kind of brings the story full-circle for me. No matter how smart or "gifted" you are, hard work, humble effort, and a good attitude just pays off in the long run. I'm so happy for my girl! And for her faithful example in my life.

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All Together Now

 

Whenever it's time to change the drawing/phrase on my kitchen chalkboard, my kids all jump at the chance to be the one to create something for the board.

This one was created by my 8 year old Honor at the beginning of January, and I just thought it was an appropriate reminder for all of us during the politically charged day/week/season.

Ultimately, we're all in this together.  WE have so many challenges to face, and we will certainly only beat the terrible things in our lives, when we do it together.

I wanted to also take a moment to thank those of you who have reached out to me and offered words of support, encouragement, and advice in my parenting woes.

I definitely needed that.  I needed to not feel alone.  And you, dear long-time readers, have done that for me, and I appreciate it.

We're all in this together.

In church this week, someone quoted the scripture that has always been the theme of this blog: 2 Nephi 25:26:

And we ^atalk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we ^bprophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our ^cchildren may know to what source they may look for a ^dremission of their sins.

...and I was reminded how much that scripture has meant to me and guided my parenting in the past.  And I silently pondered to myself, "Do I really believe in this scripture?  Am I still willing to let this scripture be my guiding light as a Mom?  Because I've done the talking of Christ and the prophesying of Christ part for my kids, but am I ready to focus on the part where I just stand back and point them to Christ as the One who can help them with the remission of their sins part?"  Because that's the part of parenting that I'm now at....the part where I let my past last 15 years of teaching speak for itself and I stand back and let them rely on Christ for the rest.

Anyway, I think I have enough faith, and you guys have helped me to be braver and lean a little/lot more on His merits this week.  And I thank you.  We're all in this together.

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Standing by the witnesses we have already received

I was just perusing the February 2020 Ensign and these dates struck me.  

It was three years after the First Vision until Joseph Smith had another heavenly visitor.  Three years for him to stand alone with his testimony before getting another visit. 

Then it was four years after that until he could actually aquire the plates, and ten whole years from the first vision until the publication of the Book of Mormon and the organization of the Church.  

What strikes me is that we often have to stand by our testimonies holding on to the witness we have been given, standing in the face of doubts and opposition before further witnesses come or before anything physical comes of our faith. 

Are we willing to stand by the witnesses we already have today as we wait for more assurances to come in our personal lives? 

Joseph Smith continues to be a humble example to me. 

Also I love the Palmyra Temple and the experiences I have had there!

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we're all in this together

I think of Laman and Lemuel as representative of "The Natural Man" and Nephi and Sam as the Spiritual Man or Woman who has tamed their inner self-centeredness. Guys, we've got both "characters" living inside each one of us. And as I'm learning, painfully so, we've got both living in our families as logically follows. We are all struggling to make our Spirit dominant over our natural tendencies as human beings to harden our hearts against things that are meant for our good. My daughter wrote this note to me this morning, and it was a good reminder that we truly are "all in this together". Our individual families and our entire human family. We are on the journey of a lifetime to return to our heavenly home. Lehi's family is a great example to me in the struggle that is raising a family! I hope to do my best and to remember that this is a team effort!  We want everyone to return and to return with honor. And we want to show love, regardless.

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Careful vs. Casual by Becky Craven

Becky Craven's talk from General Conference was one of those talks that just speaks profound truth in such a simple and straightforward way that it sticks with you well after Conference is over.

And you can almost hear nothing else.  "Careful vs. Casual" says it all.  All that I hope for them.  Yes, I want them to be brave and courageous, but when it comes to making choices about living the gospel, I want them to do so carefully.  Not timidly, but with great care.

I need to go listen to her talk about five million more times right now, but I just wanted to share this image that I created to hang on my wall.

While talking with my good friend Melissa during our General Conference Book Club, I just felt inspired to make sure that the walls of my home were working for me in getting the messages that I want into my children's heads and heart!

So, after listening to this talk again, I latched on to this quick phrase she used: "As covenant people, we are not meant to blend in with the world." 

This is just another way of saying, 'you were born to stand out', which is what I expect my children to do, perhaps, in these last days, even among their church peers.  They need to get comfortable with this and learn to love this, even though it will sometimes be hard.  They will never be alone when they're on the covenant path.

I'm having this image printed in poster size.  If you're interested in accessing it, shoot me an email, and I'll send you the link for printing it in poster size. (Printing was $6 and free shipping!)

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Eye of Faith by Elder Andersen

So, life has been rough for me the last two years with my oldest son being diagnosed with oppositional defiance disorder.  We're trying to work with him and love him, and keep him safe while simultaneously still creating a loving home for all of our other children to enjoy.

It's been rough.  I'm not going to sugar-coat it.  And I'm only sharing, because I think maybe it would help other people to know even in seemingly "perfect homes" there are trials, very difficult, depressing, overwhelming trials that we just don't see coming and can't always prepare for.

But I have faith, and I have realized more and more recently that the Lord is giving me a gift through my son, allowing him his agency and ME my agency to choose to grow through the process and to develop spiritual gifts that I have not previously focused on.

We pray for Guy every day.  It is a roller coaster ride, every day.

But just know that I continue to do my best over here in my personal life, and if you don't hear lots of joyous updates from me, that's because, I'm just in the thick of it.  Just doing my best, just like all of you!

One thing that sometimes happens when your world is rocked is you start to fall out of routines.  The changes that Come Follow Me brought were good HOWEVER, for me, they knocked me out of other good routines that I have previously loved and relied up0n.  So I'm working on bringing those routines back....such as actively studying General Conference with my children.

Studying General Conference has always brought me such strength, and I feel we're in a good place whenever the words of the prophet are taught in my home.

So this morning, we started by discussing Elder Neil L. Andersen's talk "The Eye of Faith".

I had studied it the night before and knew my children would enjoy the imagery of eyes & seeing with spiritual eyes to understand the words of the prophets.

They also love any reason to wear glasses, so I printed off these free glasses coloring pages and we colored and assembled them together this morning while we discussed how spiritual things are understood...with an eye of faith.

I used a slightly scary example that if I asked my older daughter to run out and get my youngest son Coy out of the road...if she delayed action and instead demanded to know why instead of just trusting me that I needed her to act immediately, there could be dire consequences for our family.  

However, if we act with an eye of faith, we obey quickly, and trust that even if we don't understand right now, answers and understanding will come in due time, we will enjoy a much happier outcome.

The same is true for us as we follow the prophet (or as Elder Andersen uses as an example in his talk...as we uphold and live the truths of the Family Proclamation), we can really only do so successfully through an eye of faith.

I loved this quote/promise from his talk:

"Prior to being the President of the Church, President Russell M. Nelson said: "Prophets see ahead.  They see the harrowing dangers the adversary has placed or will yet place in our path. Prophets also foresee the grand possibilities and privileges awaiting those who listen with the intent to obey." (I love that!)  Let's teach our children to listen to General Conference "with the intent to obey"!  Happiness will follow!

I also like this one:

"Should we really be surprised when the Lord's prophets declare His will and, for some, questions remain?  Of course, some reject the voice of the prophets immediately, but others prayerfully ponder their honest questions--questions that will be settled with patience and an eye of faith...One purpose of prophets is to help us in resolving sincere questions."

Twice in the talk, Elder Andersen gives us five keys to obtaining spiritual/absolute truth:

"The scriptures, our prayers, our own experiences, modern prophets, and the gift of the Holy Ghost bring us the spiritual perspective of truth necessary for our journey here on earth."

I am seeking that spiritual perspective to make it through my current challenges as a mother, and I wish it for all of you as well.

May we all find it as we seek with an eye of faith!

Thank you, Kate at Picklebums!  I've used this printable before and my kids have really enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your talents.  

And anyone looking to start General Conference prep, check out my General Conference Ideas Page for some inspiration.

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