for my testimony

I've been putting up Christmas decorations all morning. As I've been working, I've been thinking about what makes this time of year feel so special. I've decided that for me, it is because I am more focused on Jesus Christ. From the songs I have playing on repeat as I cook dinner, to the nativities I have scattered around my living room, to the plans I am making with my family this month to serve and give and love, everything is centered around Jesus Christ and His miraculous birth. I know that because He came to earth as a little baby and grew to a man who suffered and died for me, I can be forgiven when I make a mistake. I don't ever need to feel alone because He is there and He has felt what I feel. He knows me, He loves me, and He wants to bless me. Because of Jesus Christ, my life is possible--this wonderful, happy, difficult life that stretches me and teaches me and brings me so much joy. I am grateful for Him, and I look forward to celebrating His birth this month.

And in case you are feeling a little tense with Christmas preparations, here's a nice little thought from Elder Christofferson: "I think it's appropriate this time of year to just think about that baby in the manger. Don't be too overwhelmed or occupied with what is to come; just think about that little baby. Take a quiet, peaceful moment to ponder the beginning of His life--the culmination of heavenly prophecy but the earthly beginning for Him. Take time to relax, to be at peace, and see this child in your mind. Do not be too concerned or overwhelmed with what is coming in His life or in yours. Instead, take a peaceful moment to contemplate perhaps the most serene moment in the history of the world--when all of heaven rejoiced with the message 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men."

Welcome, Christmas!

for the #LightTheWorld Christmas campaign

Yesterday, I sat down to make a list of things to do with my family this Christmas season, but after just a few ideas I was feeling stumped. I have learned that having the Christmas spirit in our home takes planning and some work on my part, but I wasn't sure what to do about it this year. And then I remembered the #LightTheWorld Christmas campaign on mormon.org. What is the #LightTheWorld campaign? As it says on the website, "No season of the year shines as bright as Christmas--and the brightest light is Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. Once again we celebrate His birth by making Christmastime a season of service. Join us this year as we learn His teachings and follow His example to #LightTheWorld."

I was immediately filled with gratitude for this program. Every day from December 1 until Christmas, there is a scripture, a short video, and a few activities to do as a family that will guarantee that the Christmas spirit is alive and well in your home. I printed off the calendar and copied down one activity to do each day, which I'll put into our nativity advent calendar. Most of the activities won't take more than a few minutes to complete, but I am very much looking forward to spending a little bit of time each day with my family, celebrating Christmas by following the example of Jesus Christ.

There's more info on my sidebar, if you'd like to check it out!

for words of wisdom

Everyday my mom sends a scripture or quote to her posterity via email. I love seeing them pop up in my inbox. Usually it is something that I need to hear that day. I loved this quote from Elder Nelson that she sent this morning. I feel a heavy weight on my shoulders in my responsibilities at church right now, so it was nice to be reminded that if I follow Jesus Christ, I will be able to accomplish the impossible. I am thankful that my mom started sending these daily emails a couple of years ago. I feel like they help bind my family together, even though we are scattered across the country.

for kids who like each other

I heard laughter coming from the living room as I was in the kitchen working on dinner. After a long day of fasting, my kids were waiting to go to Nana's house to eat. They could have been grumpy with one another but they weren't. They were having fun together. I am thankful for kids who genuinely like each other. I love that Mabel will come home from a stake dance and stay up late telling Oliver all about it, and that Elliot wants to sleep in Stella's room any night that's not a school night. They will have each other much longer than they will have me and Mike, and so I am grateful for their friendship.

for a regional conference

Today we joined with members of our church from all over the southwest in a regional conference broadcast. I am thankful for instruction from our church leaders. It blesses my life and helps me know how to be a better wife, mother, neighbor, and daughter.

My favorite thing that I heard today came from Elder Wakolo. He said that we need to act in doctrine and principle over personality, and that we can't be casual in our obedience to the doctrine. It is easy to let our natural tendencies determine our actions, but those tendencies don't always align with the doctrine. One of the reasons we are here on this earth is to overcome natural tendencies that lead us away from our Father in Heaven. Keeping our devotion from becoming casual helps us keep those tendencies in check. I am thankful for this reminder.

for the temple + happy weekend

Earlier this year, our stake president challenged us to attend the temple often enough that it felt like a sacrifice. I had been trying to attend once a week, but his encouragement helped me to step it up a bit and be sure to not miss. I am lucky that I only live a few minutes from the Mesa Temple, and I am grateful for the time I spend there each week. This morning while I was there, I felt peace about something that has been troubling me, and inspiration on how to move forward in my assignment at church. I know inspiration and peace can come anywhere, but I think they come more easily in the temple. Through my regular attendance, I have learned more about our Savior and gained a greater appreciation for His role in our Heavenly Father's plan. Attending frequently has given me better perspective and an increased desire to be a better wife and mother. I am thankful for the counsel I received to attend more often.

Another plug for this month of gratitude: President Monson said in 2001, "Think to thank. In these three words you have the finest capsule course for a happy marriage, the formula for enduring friendships, and a pattern for personal happiness." We all want to be happier, I think. Gratitude is a sure way to find that happiness.

I took Mabel and Oliver to see Borns perform last night (on a school night even! but we couldn't pass up a free concert and Electric Love is my guilty pleasure), so I am hoping for a nap later today. And maybe a batch of healthy cookies. I'm looking at this recipe. And then maybe dinner out with Mike. Ok, lofty goals for a Friday afternoon, but I think it's doable!

I hope you have a good weekend!

for forgiveness

You know when you are angry with someone and you don't want to be angry, but it's like there's a heavy, hot stone inside you of you that is weighing you down and burning you up inside? But then all of a sudden the stone is gone and you feel free and light and full of love? It's like a switch gets flipped and all of those angry and hurt feelings vanish. That is what forgiveness feels like to me.

I am grateful for forgiveness- for the forgiveness of my family and neighbors, but mostly for the forgiveness offered by our Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ. I will fall short much of the time. We all will. Heavenly Father knew this, and so He gave us a way to overcome our shortcomings through the atonement of Jesus Christ. I am grateful that I can repent and try again and again and again. There is joy at the end of all of that, and I am grateful for it.

for the opportunity to serve

Welcome, November!

It is my favorite month of the whole year. Not only because the weather here in Arizona changes overnight from hot to perfect (our air conditioner didn't turn on once today!), but because Thanksgiving falls in November, and there is nothing better to brighten spirits and bring joy than focusing on gratitude.

I know I hardly ever blog anymore, but I didn't want this month to pass without doing my traditional daily gratitude posts. I look forward to it every year! I hope you'll follow along and think about what you are grateful for each day, too.

I spent the afternoon and evening working in our local soup kitchen with a group of teenagers. Our ward's youth are invited to help there a few times a year and today was one of those days. I wish you could have felt the energy in that kitchen! It was buzzing with work and kindness and so many smiles. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve with the youth and to serve good people in our town who need a helping hand. 

President Gordon B. Hinckley said, "The happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others." I have a testimony of this!

happy weekend

It's still too hot out, but my friend, Jill, and I went hiking this week anyway. Is it beautiful here? I don't know. Ask me again when it's not 97 degrees outside. We had a good hike, despite the heat. I like hiking with Jill because she is fun to talk to, but also because she keeps us moving at a fast pace. Sometimes I'm jogging to catch up to her and it feels really good.

We are heading in to our October break this weekend. I can't think of anything better than a week off of school right now! My kids have been working so hard, but they are beat and we all need to catch up on some sleep.

Do you quilt? When Mike and I were in Boston last week, I went quilt fabric shopping with my sister-in-law and her mom. They are highly experienced quilters and I was hoping some of their talent would rub off on me. I bought a little fabric and have been piecing some squares this week, but I must not be precise enough because they are turning out a little wonky. I'll keep at it, and read up on it a little bit, but I'll gladly take any advice you have to give!

One of my favorite quotes from the conference talks I listened to on my runs this week was from Elder Joni L. Koch's talk, Apart, but Still One. He said, "We have no right to portray anybody, including from our Church circle, as a badly finished product! Rather, our words about our fellow beings should reflect our belief in Jesus Christ and His Atonement and that, in Him and through Him, we can always change for the better!" Working on that ...

I hope you have a happy weekend.

to change the world

Life seems particularly tragic right now, doesn't it? As I was settling down to sleep last night, thinking about what happened in Las Vegas and elsewhere, the words of Sister Oscarson's talk from Saturday morning's conference session were ringing in my ear and bringing me comfort.

She said, "An aspect of service for all of us who have watched news of recent events and felt helpless to know what to do ... might actually be right before us. The Savior taught, 'For whosoever will save his life will lose it: and whosever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.' President Thomas S. Monson said of this scripture, 'I believe the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives.'"

Sister Oscarson continued, "It is sometimes easy to miss some of the greatest opportunities to serve others because we are distracted or because we are looking for ambitious ways to change the world and we don't see that some of the most significant needs we can meet are within our own families, among our friends, in our wards, and in our communities. We are touched when we see the suffering and great needs of those halfway around the world but we may fail to see there is a person who needs our friendship sitting next to us in class."

And then she related the story of a woman in the 1990s who, with her daughter, rounded up quilts and drove a truck full of them from London to Kosovo. On her way home, the woman had a distinct impression that said, "What you have done is a very good thing. Now go home, walk across the street, and serve your neighbor."

Sister Oscarson said, "What good does it do to save the world if we neglect the needs of those closest to us?"

And then this, "Changing the world begins with strengthening your own family."

"As you strive to become more like the Savior Jesus Christ and live your covenants, you will continue to be blessed with desires to relieve suffering and help the who are less fortunate. Remember that some of the greatest needs may be those right in front of you. Begin your service in your own homes, with your own families. These are the relationships that can be eternal."

I guess it can all be summed up in that wonderful quote from Mother Teresa--"What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family."

I can't change what happened in Las Vegas, and I can't help rebuild Puerto Rico, but I can love my family more. I can be a better neighbor. I can be more generous in my fast offerings.

You can watch Sister Oscarson's entire talk here.

Sharon Eubank for President

Last Saturday was Women's Conference. Did you watch? Oh, it was good. I found myself feverishly writing notes, especially during Sister Sharon Eubank's talk. She was so fresh and bold and inspiring! I thought I'd share my favorite things she said:

"Each of us needs to be better at articulating the reasons for our faith. Use your voice and your power to articulate what you know and feel. Tell why you believe and what it feels like and if you ever doubted and how you got through it and what Jesus Christ means to you."

"Innovation and creation are spiritual gifts. When we keep our covenants it may make us different from others and our culture and society, but it gives us access to inspiration so we can think of different solutions and different approaches and different applications. We aren't always going to fit in with the world, but being different in positive ways can be a lifeline to other people who are struggling."

"There is an energy that comes from happiness and optimism that doesn't just bless us. It builds everyone around us."

"I appeal to each of you to put yourself in a place where you can feel the generous love God has for you. You cannot put yourself beyond the reach of that love. And when you love Him, you will repent and keep His commandments. And when you keep His commandments, He can use you in His work. His work and glory is the exaltation and eternal life of women and men."

You can watch her entire talk (so good!) here.

a new school year and a new theme

School starts today! I sent everyone off this morning and now the house is quiet. I wasn't quite ready for summer to end, so I feel a little bit glum here all alone. My kids get along well together and I think they are so fun to be around, so I'll miss having them home. Our house was an especially happy one this summer.

Stella and Oliver are off to 4th and 7th grades. They attend the same school, a sort of magnet school in our district with a more rigorous curriculum. Mabel is a sophomore in high school, in the International Baccalaureate program. Her schedule looks so hard this year, but she is a bright girl and I know she'll do all right! And then sweet Elliot is in 2nd grade at our neighborhood elementary.

I like to pick a theme each school year. It gives us something to think about as we start a new year. With Mabel's intense load, and Oliver starting junior high, and Stella at a new, more difficult school, I was afraid we would get loaded down with work. I want to make sure that we always put God first, so I chose a scripture from Matthew that says, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

My hope is that our family will put prayer, scripture study, service, and family time ahead of school and homework and anything else. I have seen that in my own life, when I have put a greater priority on my spiritual wellbeing, everything else falls into place.

Here's to a new year!

charity vs pride

I was studying for my lesson yesterday and came across a talk by President Uchtdorf called "In Praise of Those Who Save." He is referring to those who work to save their marriages and families. I am grateful to have a strong marriage with Mike and a happy family life with our children, but I still found lots of things in his talk that were very helpful.

First, President Uchtdorf says that "strong marriage and family relationships ... require constant, intentional work. The doctrine of eternal families must inspire us to dedicate our best efforts to saving and enriching our marriages and families."

And "no matter how flat your relationship may be at the present, if you keep adding pebbles of kindness, compassion, listening, sacrifice, understanding, and selflessness, eventually a mighty pyramid will begin to grow."

So there is always hope! But adding those pebbles is not easy. It requires us to seek charity. President Uchtdorf says. "Whatever problems your family is facing, whatever you must do to solve them, the beginning and the end of the solution is charity, the pure love of Christ. Without this love, even seemingly perfect families struggle. With it, even families with great challenges succeed."

But sometimes charity is really hard to summon, right? Especially when we are in the middle of an argument. Because "the great enemy of charity is pride. Pride is one of the biggest reasons marriages and families struggle. Pride is short-tempered, unkind, and envious. Pride exaggerates its own strength and ignores the virtues of others. Pride is selfish and easily provoked. Pride assumes evil intent where there is none and hides its own weaknesses behind clever excuses. Pride is cynical, pessimistic, angry, and impatient. Indeed, if charity is the pure love of Christ, then pride is the defining characteristic of Satan. Pride my be a common human failing. But it is not part of our spiritual heritage."

When I read that last paragraph, I realized that when Mike and I have a hard day together, it is almost always because of pride. When we are able to overcome a difficulty together, it is because one of us offered the other charity. So here's to charity! And to offering the people who mean the most to us the best of us.


Have a good week! My kids are scrubbing the basement clean of the filth of summer today. :) I'm not particularly looking forward to the start of the school year, but I am looking forward to having a clean house again.

happy weekend

Yesterday we had a whopper of a monsoon. It is so amazing to have the temperature drop 30 degrees in a few minutes as the rain (and hail) start pouring out of the sky. It's just about the only time you see kids playing in the street in the summer. It is a welcome change, even with the humidity it brings.

I told myself this week that I didn't have to do anything. That I was just going to enjoy our last week of summer and relax. I did do a lot of that, but I also got busy cleaning out cupboards and junk drawers and my entire sewing room. I'm not sure what came over me. It was the most energy I've had all summer. Maybe because I gave myself permission to relax? Who knows, but I sure love walking by my sewing room and seeing it spic and span.

I'm teaching the Young Women on Sunday. The lesson is on why family is important. I don't usually look forward to my turn to teach, but I am excited to get into this topic with them. This whole month is full of really great lesson topics, actually. I am grateful to belong to a church that believes in and teaches these things to our youth.

Well, Oliver will be happy to know that because of the rain yesterday, the grass was too soggy to mow this morning. He had no idea I was going to wake him up early to work on it. We'll have to do that tomorrow, I guess. :) We need to get back in to the habit of waking up early, anyway. 5:00 wake up calls are coming soon!

Have a happy weekend.

happy weekend

It's our first week of summer vacation. Hooray! We have big plans to clean out backpacks, get doughnuts, and load up on books at the library. And then go swimming. Because summer in Arizona equals swimming.

Also, it's 7:45 am and Elliot has already told me that there's nothing to do. Ha! Guess what, Elliot? Summer is about being bored, so get used to it. :)

Mike got the kids involved in planning our summer trip. They had lots of fun looking at all of the options together and then voting for Family Home Evening. Still not sure what we'll end up doing, but I am looking forward to it all the same!

Here's a quick neat video about my surfboard shaper brother, Matt.

And here's a little longer video made from one of my favorite General Conference talks about hearing the music of the gospel.

Have a great weekend!

doctrine vs application

I teach the 14-16 year old girls in my congregation (Mabel included). Just the other day, I sat down to plan our Sunday lessons for the summer and we will be learning about some potentially difficult things-- things like the importance of keeping the law of chastity, temple marriage, and preparing for motherhood. While the world is screaming to these girls that these things are not important, it is my job to tell them otherwise. Sometimes that feels difficult.

I was really glad when my sister steered me toward an article on RubyGirl.org that talked about doctrine versus application. The gist is, if we want our children to learn truth - eternal truth, we must teach them doctrine, not application. For example, if we want our children to keep the law of chastity (a principle), we need to teach them that their body is a temple because it houses their spirit (the doctrine). They need to know the "why" behind the principle, not just how to apply it in their life (in this example, an application could be wearing modest clothing or not watching suggestive media).

The author, Rochelle Tallmadge, says this about doctrine: "Doctrine is truth. But not just any truth. Eternal Truth. Doctrine is things as they WERE, things as they ARE, and things as they really will BE. It doesn't change. Some things are true on this earth, but they aren't TRUTH. ... Doctrine doesn't tell you what to do. It just IS."

About principles, she says, "A principle is the category that falls under doctrine. Many principles peel off of the same doctrine. There aren't that many doctrines, actually. But there are more principles. Like, Keep the Sabbath Day Holy, Pray, Word of Wisdom, Law of Chastity. Those tell us what to do, generally. Those can change. For instance, the Word of Wisdom looked very different for the children of Israel than it does for you and me. Even the Law of Chastity might look different, given the time."

And then, applications. Rochelle says, "After principles come applications. These are the specific ways you live the gospel and practice principles. You may wear a dress that covers your knee, whereas I might have a skirt that stops just above it. You may watch tv on Sunday night, but your best friend does not. Applications are very, very personal. It's up to us to follow the Spirit and make our own choices. And we get in trouble in the church when we try to teach the applications instead of doctrines. That's how the Pharisees and the Sadducees missed the fact that The Messiah was standing right in front of them. They were focused on the applications (and misapplications) of the Law of Moses, not the whole purpose of it: Jesus Christ."

Oh, it's so good. The article is not very long, and I encourage you to read it for yourself. And then talk about it with your children. :) I am grateful for this little refresher course on how to teach children and youth. I want my children to stay true to the doctrine of Jesus Christ more than anything, so I better make sure that they know it, and not just the application of it.

the main thing

I must not have learned this lesson yet, because I keep coming across things that remind me to focus on what is most important in my life and to not worry so much about the rest. I seem to go through waves of feeling like I can handle my load and feeling like it's going to swallow me up. Lately, I have been feeling overwhelmed and swallowed. In the quiet hours of my Sunday morning yesterday, I sought comfort and inspiration from the keynote address at last week's Women's Conference at BYU. The keynote speech, by Sister Sharon Eubank, was wonderful. But it was in the brief message by President Kevin J. Worthen, President of BYU, given before Sister Eubank spoke that I found what I needed to hear.

He said, "I know life well enough to know that for all of you sooner or later and for most of us multiple times, there are struggles in life. We live in some very challenging times. There is turmoil, lack of civility, our values are under attack and then you add to that the complexities of our own individual lives. And we can feel that we are at war because in one sense, we are at war. In such times I am reminded of advice that was received by Major General Robert Scales . . . in Vietnam . . . his platoon sergeant said, 'Men, in combat, the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. Otherwise you die.' We can get ourselves caught up in lots of different causes and worries and concerns and in those situations, when everything seems to be swirling around us, what we need to keep in mind is the main thing. What is that main thing? Alma 7:7 records it this way: 'For Behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they all--for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer liveth and cometh among his people.'

"That is the main thing. The gospel of Jesus Christ--the good news that as a result of Christ, we can have hope no matter what the situation, we can have help even when we think we are helpless. There is no problem He cannot help us solve as a result of His great sacrifice for us. . . In those moments when life seems to be completely complex and out of control and we have no hope at all, if we will think about Jesus, we will be blessed."

So this week I am going to try to keep the main thing the main thing. I am going to try to let the less important things slide away out of my vision, and keep my eyes fixed on Jesus Christ. I will repeat to myself the words "faith and family" when I am feeling overwhelmed. Because my faith and my family are what keep me anchored. When they are my focus, the rest doesn't feel quite so overwhelming or important.


photo from Mabel's incredible Millennial Choir and Orchestra concert last weekend

small and simple ways

A few years ago I felt like I needed to improve my everyday practices of faith--things like reading my scriptures, saying my prayers, and attending the temple. I felt like I needed to obtain good habits in those areas so that I would be prepared for more challenging days ahead. It was a prompting that I couldn't shake, and so I started reading my scriptures everyday. I started reading them with my children. I made a better effort at my prayers, and I attended the temple much more regularly.

Because of this prompting, when Elder L. Whitney Clayton said the following in his talk during General Conference, my spirit recognized it as truth: "When we decide to do 'whatsoever [God] saith unto' us, we earnestly commit to align our everyday behavior with God's will. Such simple acts of faith as studying the scriptures daily, fasting regularly, and praying with real intent deepen our well of spiritual capacity to meet the demands of mortality. Over time, simple habits of belief lead to miraculous results. They transform our faith from a seedling into a dynamic power for good in our lives. Then, when challenges come our way, our rootedness in Christ provides steadfastness for our souls. God shores up our weaknesses, increases our joys, and causes 'all things [to] work together for [our] good.'"

I loved Elder Clayton's talk, Whatsoever He Saith unto You, Do It, and wanted to share my favorite bits here for this week's conference report.

In speaking about simple, daily acts of faith, Elder Clayton said, "I have observed that those who are deliberate about doing the 'small and simple things'--obeying in seemingly little ways--are blessed with faith and strength that go far beyond the actual acts of obedience themselves and, in fact, may seem totally unrelated to them. It may seem hard to draw a connection between the basic daily acts of obedience and solutions to the big, complicated problems we face. But they are related. In my experience, getting the little daily habits of faith right is the single best way to fortify ourselves against the troubles of life, whatever they may be. Small acts of faith, even when they seem insignificant or entirely disconnected from the specific problems that vex us, bless us in all we do."

It reminds me of some of my favorite counsel from the Book of Mormon. The book of Alma, chapter 37 tells of the compass, or Liahona, that was given to the prophet Lehi and his people. This compass showed them the way to go as they traveled through the wilderness, but it only worked if they were living righteously and had faith in God. Verse 40 says, "And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day."

It continues, "Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey; Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because of their transgressions. For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land."

And then my favorite part: "And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise."

I know that it is through those small, simple acts that miracles can occur in my own life. I don't want to be lost in the wilderness, hungry and thirsty for direction. I want to find that land of promise, and I believe that I can if I read my scriptures and say my prayers and do all of the other little things that are asked of me.

Elder Clayton said, "Every day, consciously or otherwise, we all choose 'whom [we] will serve.' We demonstrate our determination to serve the Lord by faithfully engaging in daily acts of devotion. The Lord promises to direct our paths, but for Him to do that, we have to walk, trusting that He knows the way because He is 'the way.'"

We have to walk. I want to walk. And I know that when I do--when I engage in those daily acts of devotion--I am showing Him that I am willing to follow Him.

I think I'll always be grateful for that prompting I received a few years ago to be more solid in my gospel habits. I have been through some challenging days since then, but my faith has been strong and my challenges not as daunting as they otherwise might have been. I am not perfect in my devotion. Some days I don't feel like reading my scriptures or saying my prayers. Some days feel too busy to fit these things in, but when I put them first and do them anyway, it's like my days are lengthened and I have time to accomplish all that is required of me. I can see that when my effort is stronger, my life is happier.

You can listen to, watch, or read all of Elder Clayton's talk here.

weights + scriptures

When Mike brought home a humongous weight bench (that takes up almost our entire Arizona room and can be seen from the front door!) a few years ago, I thought he was nuts. But now it's part of my favorite morning routine.

Two mornings a week, in between the time that I send my big kids and my little kids to school, I lift weights and read my scriptures. Mike and I use the StrongLifts 5x5 app. I love that it is simple (just five sets of five reps for three exercises). The app keeps track of how much weight I am supposed to lift and counts down my rest time in between sets. I love that I don't have to think about it, and in between my sets, I can step into the kitchen and think about my scriptures instead.

Combining my scripture study with my weight training gives me time to focus and think about what I am reading. It forces me to slow down. I feel like I get more out of my reading, and lifting weights (something I thought I would hate) makes me feel stronger, have better posture, and feel more confident.

I look forward to these mornings almost more than any others.

Easter, finally

Do you ever go back to bed after you've sent your kids off to school? Sometimes it is so tempting! I was babysitting nieces and nephews last week and I feel like I am still catching up on sleep. But rather than nap this morning, I feel the pull to write here for a minute.

Easter fell right in the middle of my eight day babysitting stint, so here I am, more than a week later, finally thinking about it. I try to keep Easter as religious as possible at our house. We don't do Easter baskets, or presents, and we hardly ever dye eggs. This year, because things were hectic with all of those extra kids, we didn't even do an egg hunt. I don't think anyone missed it. And I definitely didn't miss having all of that candy around the house. Our one non-religious tradition comes from Mike's childhood. He hides a chocolate bunny for everyone to find on Easter morning.

The rest of the day was spent worshipping at church as a family and with Mike's parents at Sunday dinner. My nieces and nephews went to their grandma's house that day, so it was a nice, quiet break for me.

I love Easter with the hope and rebirth that comes with it. I know that because Jesus Christ lived and died and lived again, so can I. And so can my family. Because He atoned for my sins, I can try again and again, as often as it takes for me to become more like Him. These things bring me peace in a world that is so lacking in peace, and I am grateful for a religion that helps me to know them.

I hope your Easter was a happy one.