Gratitude for yet another Sabbath Day!

Today I was blessed to give a lesson in church on Charity.
It was simply amazing and as always, I think often that I get more out of the lessons than those I teach. I loved this story about what a touchstone is and how it works!

“The touchstone of compassion is a measure of our discipleship; it is a measure of our love for God and for one another.”

The two great commandments are the Lord’s touchstone for our discipleship.

In ancient times, one test of the purity of gold was performed with a smooth, black, siliceous stone called a touchstone. When rubbed across the touchstone, the gold produced a streak or mark on its surface. The goldsmith matched this mark to a color on his chart of graded colors. The mark was redder as the amount of copper or alloy increased or yellower as the percentage of gold increased. This process showed quite accurately the purity of the gold.

The touchstone method of testing the purity of gold was quick and was satisfactory for most practical purposes. But the goldsmith who still questioned the purity completed a more accurate test by using a process that involved fire.

I suggest to you that the Lord has prepared a touchstone for you and me, an outward measurement of inward discipleship that marks our faithfulness and will survive the fires yet to come.
It made me ... with my efforts, that I will be strong enough to survive the hard times yet ahead of me. Being made equal to anything that the Lord needs me to do!

On one occasion while Jesus was teaching the people, a certain lawyer approached him and posed this question: “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus, the master teacher, replied to the man, who obviously was well-versed in the law, with a counter-question, “What is written in the law? how readest thou?”

The man replied with resolute summary the two great commandments: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”

With approval Christ responded, “This do, and thou shalt live” (Luke 10:25–28).

The Savior taught us to love everyone, including those who may be difficult to love.

As if excusing himself for asking such a simple question of the Master, the lawyer sought to justify himself by further inquiring, “And who is my neighbour?” (Luke 10:29).Of course one of the greatest parables was this one...Parable of the Good Samaritan...(Luke 10:30–35).

I love the words to one of my favorite hymns!

Savior, may I learn to love thee,

Walk the path that thou hast shown,

Pause to help and lift another,

Finding strength beyond my own. …

Who am I to judge another

When I walk imperfectly?

In the quiet heart is hidden

Sorrow that the eye can’t see. …

I would be my brother’s keeper;

I would learn the healer’s art.

To the wounded and the weary

I would show a gentle heart.

I would be my brother’s keeper—

Lord, I would follow thee.

(Hymns, 1985, no. 220.)

Charity is the pure love of Christ and will not fail.  Loving others is “a more excellent way.”

This was a sweet story of someone that truly understands what Charity really means!

As a young man, Brother Vern Crowley said he learned something of the crucial lesson the Prophet Joseph had taught the early Saints in Nauvoo when he told them to “love others, even our enemies as well as friends.” This is a good lesson for each of us.

After his father became ill, Vern Crowley took responsibility for running the family wrecking yard although he was only fifteen years of age. Some customers occasionally took unfair advantage of the young man, and parts were disappearing from the lot overnight. Vern was angry and vowed to catch someone and make an example of him. Vengeance would be his.

Just after his father had started to recover from his illness, Vern was making his rounds of the yard one night at closing time. It was nearly dark. In a distant corner of the property, he caught sight of someone carrying a large piece of machinery toward the back fence. He ran like a champion athlete and caught the young thief. His first thought was to take out his frustrations with his fists and then drag the boy to the front office and call the police. His heart was full of anger and vengeance. He had caught his thief, and he intended to get his just dues.

Out of nowhere, Vern’s father came along, put his weak and infirm hand on his son’s shoulder, and said, “I see you’re a bit upset, Vern. Can I handle this?” He then walked over to the young would-be thief and put his arm around his shoulder, looked him in the eye for a moment, and said, “Son, tell me, why are you doing this? Why were you trying to steal that transmission?” Then Mr. Crowley started walking toward the office with his arm around the boy, asking questions about the young man’s car problems as they walked. By the time they had arrived at the office, the father said, “Well, I think your clutch is gone and that’s causing your problem.”

In the meantime, Vern was fuming. “Who cares about his clutch?” he thought. “Let’s call the police and get this over with.” But his father just kept talking. “Vern, get him a clutch. Get him a throwout bearing, too. And get him a pressure plate. That should take care of it.” The father handed all of the parts to the young man who had attempted robbery and said, “Take these. And here’s the transmission, too. You don’t have to steal, young man. Just ask for it. There’s a way out of every problem. People are willing to help.”

Brother Vern Crowley said he learned an everlasting lesson in love that day. The young man came back to the lot often. Voluntarily, month by month, he paid for all of the parts Vic Crowley had given him, including the transmission. During those visits, he asked Vern why his dad was the way he was and why he did what he did. Vern told him something of their Latter-day Saint beliefs and how much his father loved the Lord and loved people. Eventually the would-be thief was baptized. Vern later said, “It’s hard now to describe the feelings I had and what I went through in that experience. I, too, was young. I had caught my crook. I was going to extract the utmost penalty. But my father taught me a different way.”

A different way? A better way? A higher way? A more excellent way? 

… Charity encompasses all other godly virtues. It distinguishes both the beginning and the end of the plan of salvation. When all else fails, charity—Christ’s love—will not fail. It is the greatest of all divine attributes.

Out of the abundance of his heart, Jesus spoke to the poor, the downtrodden, the widows, the little children; to farmers and fishermen, and those who tended goats and sheep; to strangers and foreigners, the rich, the politically powerful, as well as the unfriendly Pharisees and scribes. He ministered to the poor, the hungry, the deprived, the sick. He blessed the lame, the blind, the deaf, and other people with physical disabilities. He drove out the demons and evil spirits that had caused mental or emotional illness. He purified those who were burdened with sin. He taught lessons of love and repeatedly demonstrated unselfish service to others. All were recipients of his love.

what a great reminder today...the perfect one I needed!
Hope you guys had a great Sabbath too!

Good Night dear friends!

Power of a Friend!

My laptop is still broke and we just got back from our trip to see our sweet grandchildren. I will write about it soon.
I love this quote...
A dear friend or a good family member ...is all it takes to make you happy and want to yet another day with them!
Those are the type of friend we need to be to others!

Good Night dear friends!

Tough, tough day!

Today started out early when I went to a friend's house for an Estate Sale. I have been to Estate Sales before...only one or two. But never to an Estate Sales of a dear friend, it was tough to watch everyone just go through their things...as if they were just junk! I caught myself wanting to buy it all... so that  their stuff didn't go to strangers but by someone who knew and loved them.

After that I went to my friend's funeral. It was truly a celebration of her life and to hear from her children and grandchildren through a song...was inspiring and touching to say the least.
Here are some of the notes that I took as her children talked, so many of us left the funeral...inspired and wanting to be a better person. That is the life of an amazing person!

First her 3 daughters spoke they said...
...Our Mother had a life of abuse but she broke the cycle and created her home to be a Safe Haven for them. And she also raised a family of children who loved the Lord and knew how to keep covenants to the Lord.
...She was determined to go to college and graduate, she was the first in her family.
...She became an attorney and was one who was adamant on protecting children.
...She taught us to always focus on finding the good in people.
...She was all about service to others!
...She shared with us her love and testimony of the Savior, which was evident in her everyday life.
...She made us who we are...because of her love.
...She was the greatest example to us!

Her son who spoke near the end said that he had a dream over a year ago...where his Mother died. He woke up crying and said it really shook him to the core... to think that anything would happen to his Mom. So he decided to write down 10 Principles and Lessons that his Mom taught him. 
1.HOW TO WRITE...He said when other kids got in trouble they probably got put in time out or got spanked. But in their case, his Mother made them write a paper about whatever it was that they did. He said he remember well writing a 3 page letter on Honesty...but couldn't remember what he did :) He said that his Mom said "it was their OPPORTUNITY " to learn from the mistake they made. And why they shouldn't do it again!
2. RESPECT, CHARITY, GRATITUDE and SERVICE...she made us write Thank You notes for everything and to everyone. Teaching us how important every type of service was.
3. HOW TO COOK... she always took the opportunity to let us cook with her. Dinner time was valuable to her.
4.WHAT CONVERSION REALLY MEANS..she shared how she became to know about the church and what that meant to her. She always told us how grateful she was for the knowlege that she recieved. She also shared her testimony of Forever Families with them.
5.HOW TO SET A TABLE... Mom was particular about how to do that, and through that I learned alot about how important it is to pay attention to detail. Plus, that crossed over to details about being OBEDIENT.
6. HOW TO ARGUE...she was stubborn, but that made her an effective Attorney. It has benefited many children throughout her life.
7. HOW TO TREAT YOUR SPOUSE...because of the hard life she had lived as a child, she was determined not to ever marry. But when she met and fell in love with my Dad, she said it was her greatest gift. She always told us how blessed she was... to be married to him. Their love for each other was a great example to us! In her wedding band Dad had it engraved with the words "You are the perfect one for me "
8. HOW TO FORGIVE..You would have to know the life my Mother before.. to truly understand how teaching us to forgive was such a big deal. But to talk about her life isn't appropriate here... but let me tell you, she taught us all how to overcome things and to forgive not matter what.
9. CHARITY...it was evident in everything she did. She always taught us to serve and give to Others. She taught us by example! She was a Christlike Example to us and others.
10. ALWAYS AND FOREVER... It was a children's book she always read to us, about a Mother's love. And she always ended all of our conversations or her letters or cards to us by saying she loved us always and forever. This principle taught us that she knew we could be a Forever Family if we live a righteous and obedient life. My Mother knew there was life after this, she bore that testimony to us always.
And because of her and my Dad, I know she will ALWAYS AND FOREVER, be my MOM!

One of the hymns we love to hear is... I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES because the words are a testament of our chance to live again too!

"To all who have lost loved ones, we would turn Job’s question to an answer: If a man die, he shall live again. We know, for we have the light of revealed truth. “I am the resurrection, and the life,” spoke the Master. “He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” ²⁰

Through tears and trials, through fears and sorrows, through the heartache and loneliness of losing loved ones, there is assurance that life is everlasting. Our Lord and Savior is the living witness that such is so.

With all my heart and the fervency of my soul, I lift up my voice in testimony as a special witness and declare that God does live. Jesus is His Son, the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh. He is our Redeemer; He is our Mediator with the Father. He it was who died on the cross to atone for our sins. He became the firstfruits of the Resurrection. Because He died, all shall live again. “Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: ‘I know that my Redeemer lives!’” ²¹ May the whole world know it and live by that knowledge..."  ~Thomas S. Monson

I left this sweet friend's funeral with a determination to
... write more letters to my children so that always know that I love them and what I hope for them
... to take more photos with them ( so that we have memories saved together )
...to send more gifts to my chidren and grandchildren ( so that they will have something as a reminder of how much I love them ) a tangable gift of my love!
...to be more forgiving
...to look more for the good in others
...and to tell Jeff and my kids and grandkids more often...just how much I love them!
...and to be a better Mother,Grandmother, Wife, Sister and Friend!

So you can imagine now why my day was so tough. I haven't really accomplised anything and everything makes me cry. It hits too close to home for me, and it makes life seem even more precious.

Good night dear friends! I truly love and appreciate each of you!

St. Nicholas, what a great example!

It is a glorious thing to have old St. Nicholas in our hearts and in our homes today, whether he enters the latter through the open door or creeps down the chimney on Christmas Eve. To bring happiness to others without seeking personal honor or praise by publishing it is a most commendable virtue. . . .

Good old St. Nicholas has long since gone the way of all mortals, but the joy he experienced in doing kindly deeds is now shared by millions who are learning that true happiness comes only by making others happy—the practical application of the Savior’s doctrine of losing one’s life to gain it. In short, the Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit, that makes our hearts glow in brotherly love and friendship and prompts us to kind deeds of service. ~ David O. McKay
Good Night dear friends!

Why?

This was a great article.
Thought it was a good reminder for us all!
Good night dear friends!

Follow God’s example and say ‘no’ to your kids — sometimest

As you read this — no matter where you live — this scene is available in a store near you.

A child looks up at Mom or Dad and asks for something they want, but almost most certainly doesn’t need. If the answer is “no,” the child often asks again in a different tone and rhythm.

Like a composer, they add another instrument each time they ask. Sometimes, the begging and pleading and become so loud it’s like a symphony heard across the store, or worse, the ZIP code.

We’ve all been there. We were the child, the parent or the stranger in line behind them.

The theme appears everywhere: The kid who wants a sleepover. The movie your son wants to watch that he’s just not ready for. The school dance where your daughter wants to make an appearance, but with a boy you’d like to actually disappear.

Contrary to what our children might believe, we don’t say “no” because we delight in their distress. We say “no” because it’s the best answer. But do we say “no” often enough?

Here’s another scene unfolding somewhere near you, but much more reverently.

A mother prays for the son who raged and barged out of the house two years ago that she hasn’t seen since. Mom just wants him home, and she prays that God will say “yes” and deliver him to her doorstep.

Three streets over, a woman is also asking God for a child. She’s been trying to get pregnant for years and fears the window is quickly closing. She asks every single day, but the answer has not changed. Like a child in the store, she’s also crying. But her tears come not from disappointment — they spring from grief.

Across town a teenage boy is likewise on his knees. He’s pleading and bargaining with his Heavenly Father that his earthly father will come home from yet another trip to the hospital. Dad has been battling cancer and more than anything, his son wants him to attend his high school graduation, his wedding and to be back at the hospital in a happier wing — labor and delivery — to one day meet a grandchild.

Every day we call out to God — our father — and ask him for things we both want and need. In his own time, he has a way of meeting those needs, and, occasionally, even our wants.

But he often says “no.”

Every day our children come to us and ask for things they both want and need. Sometimes we believe that to show love, or to end the asking, or to end the tantrum, we must say “yes.” But if we believe that there is a heavenly pattern to parenting, shouldn’t we say “no” more often?

Next time you’re the awkward stranger watching one of these dramatic family moments play out next to the candy bar rack, glance in the cart and see what you find. There are exceptions, of course, but you usually see exactly what the child needs. Bread, milk, eggs, perhaps new socks and maybe an item or two they want.

It might be their favorite cereal, a new coloring book, or that bag of chips Mom doesn’t normally buy.

If you believe in God, if you believe he is our literal Father in heaven, the next time you’re faced with the decision of getting something your child wants but does not necessarily need, try saying “no.”

No matter how badly they think they need it, consider all you know about their life that they have not yet learned. Consider that you’re taking care of their needs and helping them grow through the “no.”

Say it with love. Say it with compassion and patience. But say it.

God loves us. But sometimes, despite our deepest desires, he says “no” because he sees more than the here and now — he sees what’s best for us over an eternity.

Likewise, we love our children. But sometimes, despite their deepest desires, we should say “no” because we see more than the here and now — we see what’s best for them along their earthly journey in our care.

Don’t be afraid to say “no.” If it’s good for God, it’s good for us.

I found the article HERE:

Get well flowers!

Today I stayed home from church because I still don't have much energy. It is one of the hardest days for me, I love Sundays normally but now that the kids are gone, it gets a bit lonely around here. Tonight right after dinner, my girlfriend and her two kids came over to give me some Get Well Flowers. They are so cute. Ever since my own kids were little, I have loved getting the sweet flowers that they would pick for me, no matter what they were ( sometimes even weeds ). Just looking at them always made me feel loved and better.
I am grateful for a friend who is teaching her kids by example to love and serve others. I am blessed to have the opportunity to teach her kids and others...in my church calling in the Primary. They truly do teach us so much about life.

This is one of the sweethearts that brought me flowers tonight with her brother. She got so excited last Sunday, when we both came to church matching! How fun!

Happy Father's Day! 2014

We got a new printer and I haven't learned how to scan on it yet, but glad that the kids have a few photos of their Dad! I have said this more than one time, but Jeff is absolutely a Better Dad and Poppa than I could have ever dreamed of!  He loves his kids and grand kids so much. What I am grateful for is his example to them. He not only teaches them but shows them by how he lives. He is a Dad that anyone would be proud to have. How blessed we are to have him in our lives!  We love you Jeff, Happy Father's Day!

Jeff never misses an  opportunity to have fun with his kids!

Daddy's first little girl! Ok, big girl Amy Marie!

Happy Father's Day to Brad! Can't believe my boy is now a Dad but he is doing an incredible job. Kai is blessed to have you. Love ya!

Happy Father's Day to John,
John has his job cut out with him with 3 little red heads ( well now 2 red heads and a strawberry blonde ), but he is so patient and good with them. How blessed their lives will be to have such a great Dad! Happy Father's Day John!


To the man who keeps us all together!

Our family is growing fast. Love you Jeff, Dad and Poppa!

Bullying should never be allowed

I watched this News Anchor stand up on the air to her online Bully!
This was an amazing. It is a  News Update that everyone should watch, listen and learn from!
You can watch  it  HERE:

Making a Difference, no matter what!

What an incredible example of Making a Difference No Matter What!

Woman behind 'An Ordinary Hero' inspires students across the state!

 

                                

  

One woman stood in the face of extreme danger to fight for what she believed in — a world of equality.

“It's a very moving film. It told a piece of the civil rights story that a lot of us hadn't heard. And it was made by a local filmmaker.”

Diena Simmons

Just a few months ago, proud Southerner Joan Trumpauer Mulholland returned to her alma mater, Tougaloo College in Jackson, Miss., a historically all-black school.
Mulholland and her son, Lehi resident and filmmaker Loki Mulholland, were on location filming a documentary titled "An Ordinary Hero," which features the life and heroism of one ordinary woman who risked everything to stand up for what she believed in: equality.
Now, Joan and Loki are traveling throughout Utah, sharing the story of one woman's journey of courage.
Recently, the Mulhollands attended a Sept. 10 screening and reception of their February-release documentary at Brigham Young University. There was a 30-minute screening of the film, followed by a question-and-answer panel with Joan and Loki.
Diena Simmons, station manager for KBYU-TV, said there were several reasons this film came to BYU.
"It's a very moving film. It told a piece of the civil rights story that a lot of us hadn't heard. And it was made by a local filmmaker."
Simmons said the station, which will air "An Ordinary Hero" on Sept. 15 at 9 p.m. and again on Sept. 23 at 8 p.m., likes to encourage the art and storytelling of all local filmmakers.
"(Loki) made a beautiful film about something that is universally important. Something that's just as important as it was 50 years ago."
And it was with an air of reverence that a nearly full house viewed the inspiring events that defined Joan's early life.
The year was 1960, and the civil rights movement was generating steam. But for 19-year-old Joan, the decision to join the fight for equal rights was made years before.
As a 10-year-old girl in Sunday School, Joan memorized Bible verses that taught her a golden rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Another factor was an internalization of the Declaration of Independence, which Joan was required to memorize in school.
"'We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights,'" she quoted. "You take that literally. As a Christian or as an American, you are an absolute hypocrite if you are empowering segregation."
Joan said this realization came to her in grade school. That, combined with a desire as a Southerner to make her beloved South the best it could be, Joan decided to give her all to make a change.
"I'll join the group, because it really takes a group to make a change," she said.
While attending Duke University in Durham, N.C., Joan became involved in early sit-in protests. She later dropped out of Duke to dedicate her time more fully to the movement.
After participating in the first Freedom Ride in 1961, Joan joined her friends in Mississippi and continued the Freedom Rides. The group was later arrested, landing Joan two months in prison.
Joan later enrolled at Tougaloo College and became the first white woman accepted at an all-black college.
During the infamous sit-in at the Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C., in 1963, she and other activists endured the taunting of the crowd, which swelled in intensity and began dumping ice cream and other condiments onto the protesters.
Joan recalls in the documentary that she didn't think she and her friends would make it out of that demonstration alive. Yet, she remained strong.

One woman stood in the face of extreme danger to fight for what she believed in — a world of equality.

“It's a very moving film. It told a piece of the civil rights story that a lot of us hadn't heard. And it was made by a local filmmaker.”

Diena Simmons

"I was not terrified," Joan said. "I might have been cautious; I might have been super-aware of my surroundings. But if you give way to fear, if you let fear move you, you destroy your ability to do what you need to do in the situation. The worst thing they could do was kill you, and we believed there was something better to come."
Joan remained an active supporter of the civil rights movement until the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964.
When she is in her hometown of Washington, D.C., Joan visits Arlington National Cemetery and the grave of fellow civil rights activist Medgar Evers, who was the first field officer of the NAACP. She also makes other occasional visits — like when Barack Obama was elected president in 2008.
Joan explained in the film that the Ku Klux Klan had a list of the people most dangerous to the civil rights cause. Once a dangerous person was killed, their face was crossed out, she said.
"Medgar's face was X-ed out, but mine never was," Joan said in the documentary.
While this film has inspired countless viewers, perhaps no one has been more affected by its story than Joan's son, who wrote and directed the film.
"It's pretty cool when your mom has a mug shot," Loki said. "She was on the Klan's most wanted list. She was dangerous. That's cool."
But it's the example that Joan set that has left the greatest impression on Loki.
"I have two daughters. The example of this woman — a young lady who chose to follow her heart and not take the route of Miley Cyrus — we need those examples."
In the end, both mother and son agree, it's all about making a stand — no matter who you are.
"Most importantly, (this film) shows that ordinary people can do something. That you don't need a civil rights movement to make things happen, you just need the courage of your conviction," Loki told the Deseret News after the screening. "You just need to say, 'It's going to be me. I'm going to do something. That's where it starts.'"
Joan said it's important to understand that real people can make a difference — not just icons like Dr. Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks.
"Now us old folks are getting a little weak in the knees and maybe in the brain, so it's time for you young folks to step forward and carry it on," Joan told the students in attendance at the panel.
The final comment of the panel was from a mother and her young daughter. The mother thanked Joan for her courage and her example.
In response, Joan looked at the girl.
"Now you've got to go out and make a difference in the world. OK? Promise?"
She promised.

I found the story HERE:

The Example of a Child

Lynn is out enjoying a family reunion for the next few days, so she has asked me (Krystal, her daughter-in-law) to fill in while she is away. She is always so good at finding such inspirational quotes and stories, I hope I can come up with something you will like for the next few days. Please bear with me.
As many of you know, Brad and I have a little boy named Kai. Kai is a sweetheart, but the older, and more mobile he gets, the more he turns into a wiggly, energetic little guy. Going anywhere that we have to sit still for more than 10 minutes is such a struggle...especially church. There have been so many Sundays that I have seriously wondered why we even bother coming. I don't hear the lessons, we spends half of the time in the hall chasing Kai, and I spend all of the time frustrated. Why do we put ourselves through this madness?
A couple of weeks ago at church, as I was trying to coerce Kai into sitting still by bribing him with pretzels and milk, Kai all of sudden stopped what he was doing, sat down, and folded his arms. I looked up to see that the closing prayer was being said. I was shocked. I had no clue he was even paying attention! I wasn't even paying attention! In that moment, Kai taught me more about parenting than any book I have read or article I have studied.
I am sure many of you are already through this stage in your life, and could have told me this lesson ages ago, but seeing my 15-month-old son know that it was time to pray, and fold his arms in reverence hit me like a ton of bricks. He learns by example (and thankfully there are so many other examples than my own to help teach him), and he teaches me by example.
I'm grateful to have the opportunity to muddle through this whole parenting thing with Brad, and that I have such an awesome, if not rambunctious, little guy to teach me what life is all about.

"Parents must lead by example. Don't use the cliche; do as I say and not as I do. We are our children's first and most important role models." Lee Haney

"I think that the only way to teach is by example, as children will more easily follow what they see you do than what you tell them to do." Gloria Estefan

"If you as parents cut corners, your children will too. If you lie, they will too. If you spend all your money on yourselves and tithe no portion of it for charities, colleges, churches, synagogues, and civic causes, your children won't either. And if parents snicker at racial and gender jokes, another generation will pass on the poison adults still have not had the courage to snuff out." Marian Wright Edelman

"Learning is a result of listening, which in turn leads to even better listening and attentiveness to the other person. In other words, to learn from the child, we must have empathy, and empathy grows as we learn." Alice Miller

Kid's project to help Oklahoma tornado victims!

 I have always been impressed on how Jason F. Wright, writes and when you read his books, how you often want to go out and make a difference in the world. Well, obviously Jason and his wife have taught that same principle of giving ...to their kids. Look at the idea they came up with!

Kids launch toy crane, stuffed animal project for Oklahoma tornado victims

---

June 11, 2013

My children have always enjoyed playing the toy crane machines that guard the entrances of grocery stores, malls, restaurants and arcades. Kason Wright, my 9-year-old son, has such a high success rate that the folks who service these machines coordinate their restocking schedule with his allowance day.
We often joke that if dropping out of elementary school and turning pro were an option, he'd hold a press conference, hire an agent and line up sponsorship deals.
My wife reminds me the kids come by their toy crane prowess honestly. I've been playing the toy crane since the toys were slathered in lead paint and the cost was just a nickel. Even now as an old-timer on the toy-crane circuit I'll often stop to play when I'm on my own. "Never let the skills go rusty," I tell myself.
One night last week, I listened as the boys giggle-chatted in the backseat about their embarrassment of stuffed-animals riches after a particularly successful stop at our local Walmart in Woodstock, Va. Kason and his 6-year-old brother, Koleson, had just won three times on our way out of the store.
Then, before we'd even left the shopping center parking lot, Kason asked the kind of question parents live for. "Dad, what if we sent all our toy crane prizes to the kids in Oklahoma who lost their stuffed animals in the tornado?"
I stopped the car and looked over my shoulder. "Really?"
"Well, we've got lots and some of those kids probably lost all of their stuffed animals."
It was yet another reminder that my children's goodness surpasses mine in almost every imaginable way.
By the time we pulled in to the driveway, Kason and Koleson had decided that their friends might also want to send their own toy crane prizes and other stuffed animals. They dubbed it The Toy Crane Project and made plans for a website to invite others to join their mission.
Later that night my wife and two daughters returned home and I listened as the boys laid out their idea. There's nothing quite like hearing your 6-year-old son describe with pure giddiness his plans to build a website with pictures, video and "infostructions."
Over the next few days, the boys began telling people about their project and started sorting through their own stash of stuffed animals. Meanwhile, longtime family friend Eric Farnsworth helped with graphics, Aaron Lee compiled a highlight reel for YouTube and Stephen Funk donated both expertise and Web space for the site.
Before details had even been announced, good pals Stuart Freakley and his young daughter, Anna, were on our porch donating the very first collection of stuffed animals. Kason and Koleson got their older sisters excited about the project, too, and organized piles of stuffed critters began appearing on the floor.
Thanks to our good friends at the Shenandoah County Chamber of Commerce, we soon had a drop-off location for local donations and a mailing address for others who might wish to help from a distance. Anyone who knows her - or the spirit of the chamber - wasn't surprised that Jenna French, executive director, couldn't say "Yes!" fast enough.
Just like that, in less than a week, the desire to do good went from a dream hatched in the backseat of our car to plush reality.
Hours before the website and video went live, I asked Kason what he hoped the Toy Crane Project would accomplish. "I want to help make the kids in Oklahoma happy and feel loved and cared for."
"I think you just might do that," I answered.
If you'd like to join the project, please send your new or very gently used toy crane prizes or other stuffed animals to the Shenandoah County Chamber of Commerce, Attention Toy Crane Project, 103 S. Main Street, Woodstock, VA 22664. Please include your name and return address.
Donations will be sorted and delivered to Oklahoma in stages throughout the summer. If volume surpasses the need, donations will be stored until opportunity arises in other areas. If we've learned anything this year, it's that we do not control the when and where of disaster, we only control the response.
So, whether you're a fan of toy cranes or not, whether you're a child or an adult, whether you live in Virginia, Utah or points in between, you are invited to join the childlike dream of two boys with a simple plan. With your help, we can "make the kids in Oklahoma happy and feel loved and cared for." Read more of Jason's work  here:

Great Lesson!

Today in church one of the lessons in church was about "Spiritual Nourishment", the young Mother who taught it, did a wonderful job and I knew immediately that I needed to take notes or ask for her notes after class so I could share it with you.
Here is how she started out the class...

How important is food?
Food contains nutrients that our body needs to function, to grow, become stronger, gives us energy, builds up our immune system to help us fight illness.
To help us identify what our bodies need we have a food pyramid.  This pyramid outlines the different food groups that our body needs and how much of each food group.  So it is with the gospel.  We can have a “Spiritual Pyramid” that can give us a guide as to our daily needs for nourishment to our souls.  This pyramid would be built as such –
1)      Be a teacher
2)      Be an example
3)      Be a testifier
4)      Be diligent

 “We know that our physical bodies require certain nutrients to sustain life and to maintain physical and mental health. If we are deprived of those nutrients, our physical and mental vitality are impaired and we have a condition called malnutrition. Malnutrition produces such symptoms as reduced mental functions, digestive disorders, loss of physical strength, and impairment of vision. Good nutrition is especially important for children, whose growing bodies are easily impaired if they lack the nutrients necessary for normal growth.
Our spirits also require nourishment. Just as there is food for the body, there is food for the spirit. The consequences of spiritual malnutrition are just as hurtful to our spiritual lives as physical malnutrition is to our physical bodies. Symptoms of spiritual malnutrition include reduced ability to digest spiritual food, reduced spiritual strength, and impairment of spiritual vision.” ~ Dallan H. Oaks

I loved how she connected spiritual malnutrition to physical malnutrition. I think with our physical bodies, we would never let it go that far... but how about the spiritual needs we have? I loved this story that she told also...

Dr. Gustov Eckstein, one of the world’s renowned ornithologists, worked in the same laboratory for over twenty-five years. He bred and crossbred species of birds. He kept meticulous records on the varieties and hybrids of birds in his laboratory. Each day when he would enter his laboratory he would go down two or three stairs to the stereo. He would put on classical music and turn the volume up very loud. Then he would go about his work. The birds would sing along with the classical music. At the end of the day, about 5:30 P.M., he would turn off the stereo and leave for home.

After twenty-five years he had to hire a new custodian. After Dr. Eckstein left the laboratory, the new custodian thought the place should be aired out, so he opened all the windows.

The next morning when Dr. Eckstein went into his laboratory he saw the open windows and noted that every bird had flown out during the night. He was devastated, his life’s work ruined. By sort of habit or instinct, he went to the stereo and turned the classical music up very loud. Then he went and sat down on the steps, put his head in his hands, and wept.

The strains of music carried out through the open windows, through the trees, and down the streets. In a few moments Dr. Eckstein heard a fluttering of wings. He looked up and saw that the birds were beginning to come back into the laboratory through the open windows.

Dr. Eckstein said, “And every bird came back!”

The point was that our children and those that we teach will come back to the the truths that they have been taught eventually, if we actually taught them. In the lesson she mentioned that our example was a bigger teacher than our words will ever be.
What a great lesson and one that really touched my heart and reminded me to not let my spirituality suffer, just because I don't stop and take the time to do what I am suppose to do. When I am full spiritually, then I see the world through different eyes and I am more grateful for all my blessing!
Good night dear friends!

Happy Easter!

 I loved this video of the true meaning of Easter, you can find it here:
I feel grateful for the knowledge that on that Easter morn, after Christ's Death that Mary Magdalene found the tomb empty. Because He has risen, and lives again... so will we!
Hope you had a wonderful Easter!
Good night dear friends!
"One of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even if sometimes we may feel that we are"  ~Jeffrey R. Holland

Truly making a difference!

 I read this article the other day about this small town Doctor, who still makes house calls. As I read the article found here:
I was impressed with what this sweet Doctor, and for what he was doing for the people who are his patients in this small town of Georgia.
In my quest for Doctors throughout my life and the life of my kids...I still think it is ok to uphold some of the things (standards) that this dear Doctor does every day. I understand the world has gotten bigger and more complex... but some things should always be there, when you work with people. I will highlight a few of them in this article. I know that many of you would almost laugh when you think of ever finding a Doctor who is like Dr. McMahan. Still there have been a handful of Doctors that we have found like that... and how they have blessed our lives...has been amazing. So I am grateful for their compassion and concern (real concern) for me and my family!
 
He is there to be the best Doctor for these people, money doesn't drive him. Personal connections do make all the difference!
Imagine this: You are a young doctor who has recently graduated from medical school. An excellent student, you could choose to practice almost anywhere—including Atlanta, where your advising professor has connections. Instead, you set up shop in a small southern town, much like the one you grew up in. It's the kind of place where the neighbors all know each other, where families have lived for generations and still attend the same church. It's also a place where a young doctor is unlikely to get rich.
He listens and looks them in the eye!

  I notice that with each patient, McMahan listens intently and looks them in the eye when he talks. He acknowledges later that the eye contact is deliberate. "That's the No. 1 complaint I hear about other doctors," he says. "Patients say, 'He never looks at me! He's always on the computer.' So I always look up. I put my hand on their shoulder." He shrugs. "Sometimes compassion is even more important than a prescription."
  He uses the experiences that he has had to go through in his life, to support and understand each patient!
Such personal attentiveness does take effort, McMahan admits—especially given that computerized medical records have become ever more complicated, with dozens of menus that a physician must click through during each visit. But he's sympathetic to patients who feel as if they're being ignored. When McMahan's then 24-year-old son was diagnosed with a rare cancer in 2008, the family sought treatment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York, and the process deepened his perspective. "When you carry some of the battle scars that your patients carry, you meet them at their level," he says.

He goes the extra mile!
Besides running his private practice, the doctor spends one morning each week making the rounds at the local nursing homes, checking medications and visiting with patients he knows. He also treats patients at the local detention center, a mixed-use facility in Ocilla that houses immigrations and customs detainees, along with federal inmates.

He is trying to teach them to over come certain habits that are damaging their health...that is a hard sale!
Starting out, McMahan provided mostly acute care, what he describes as "lumps, bumps, rashes, colds, sore throats." These days, though, he's more likely to see patients with multiple chronic diseases: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease. Most are overweight, and many smoke. (In Ocilla, smoking is still permitted on the grounds of the local hospital—a policy McMahan has been trying to change.)

As the doctor to a high-risk population, McMahan spends much of his time trying to convince his patients to eat better and to exercise: unpopular prescriptions in the rural South. "It's like the Pogo cartoon," he says ruefully. " 'We have met the enemy, and the enemy is us.' "
  As a doctor, McMahan says, he can sometimes feel powerless in the face of people's habits. "We're a bunch of hardheaded southerners," McMahan acknowledges. "But we're talking about societal issues now. Is health care a privilege or a right, and who pays for it? And how much do you get when there's a limited resource?"

Since starting out, he adds, cutbacks by insurance companies have eaten away at the modest profit margin he once relied on. "For many family doctors, it's nearly impossible to make a living now," he says. "You have to make enough to pay the light bill, and to pay your employees—while still trying to be compassionate and not overcharge patients. That's why so many physicians these days are selling their practices."

For a moment, McMahan seems glum, but then he shrugs the mood off.
He is doing what seems like the impossible but he likes what he does and knows that is what he is suppose to do!
"The truth is, this is what I want to do," he says, as we walk out into the warm night air. "I like being a family doctor. I believe all Americans deserve a physician that they can rely on. That's one thing I'd like to publicize: You can get good care in a small town. And I'm doing what I can to keep it that way.

What a great article, and what a great concept!
Good night dear friends!
 
"A physician is obligated to consider more than a diseased organ, more even than the whole man - he must view the man in his world."  ~Harvey Cushing

 A Short History of Medicine
2000 B.C. - "Here, eat this root."
1000 B.C. - "That root is heathen, say this prayer."
1850 A.D. - "That prayer is superstition, drink this potion."
1940 A.D. - "That potion is snake oil, swallow this pill."
1985 A.D. - "That pill is ineffective, take this antibiotic."
2000 A.D. - "That antibiotic is artificial. Here, eat this root."
~Author Unknown

Everyone needs to know what love feels like!

  Another incredibly inspiring story from Jason Wright...you can read more from him here:

Wright Words: Legacy of Phoenix boy inspires second annual ‘Errands for Ethan’ day

Ethan Ellsworth of Phoenix died in March 2011 due to complications from an undiagnosed arteriovenous malformation in his brain. To remember him, his family and friends have invited others to do random acts of kindness called "Errands for Ethan" on the anniversary of his death.

Kim Ellsworth

 

Ethan William Ellsworth of Phoenix may have been born with a malformation of veins in his brain, but his heart couldn’t have been more perfect.

Ethan William Ellsworth of Phoenix may have been born with a malformation of veins in his brain, but his heart couldn’t have been more perfect. Ethan’s condition — arteriovenous malformation — was undetected until his brain suddenly hemorrhaged one night, sending the otherwise healthy and happy 7½-year-old boy to the hospital for diagnosis and emergency surgery.
The crisis triggered several days of intense family faith, prayer and soul searching. When the doctors reported that nothing could be done to repair the damage, his parents made the most difficult decision of their lives — to remove their young hero from life support.
On March 26, 2011, they said a sacred goodbye.
For some families, the date might have marked the end of something wonderful and the beginning of the long, dark days of navigating the grey fog of grief. But for the Ellsworth family, the date sparked the beginning of a new opportunity to spread Ethan’s spirit of service.
Ethan’s parents, Marcus and Kim Ellsworth, have long believed in the immeasurable value of serving others and have raised their children in a culture of kindness. But it’s not simply what they believe — it is who they are.
Even still, Ethan’s death deepened that understanding. They quickly learned that while their beautiful son might not have been healed in this life, through serving others the family could collectively experience tremendous healing of a different kind.
In March 2012 as the one-year anniversary approached, the Ellsworth family pondered ways to remember their son and sibling and mark the tender date in a meaningful way. A friend suggested they perform random acts of kindness in his honor and invite the community to participate.
They chose to call it "Errands for Ethan" and hoped a handful of people might join their effort. With less than week to go before the anniversary, they used social media and their network of friends to spread the word. The Ellsworth’s were confident a few would join the cause.
They couldn’t have been more wrong.
By March 26, a Facebook event created to mark the big day boasted more than just a few. Twenty thousand people RSVP’d and committed to performing thousands of random acts of kindness in Ethan’s memory. Some were so moved by the idea, they shared their service experiences on a website at errandsforethan.org designed for the special day.
In 2013, the family has their sights set even higher.
With just three weeks to go and buzz building for the second annual "Errands for Ethan" day, I asked Kim Ellsworth to share the greatest lesson her son left behind. I wondered, "Is it really just about random acts of kindness?"
“Yes, it is about helping others,” she said. “But it's also the sense of forgetting yourself for others. We know the more we serve and give, the less we worry about ourselves.”
Kim added that more than anything, Ethan would want each of us to know how much Father in heaven loves us. “Our Father knows us and wants us to be happy. If these little acts of kindness can help in any way, Ethan would want to share that.”
“But,” she continued, “these errands are not for him, they are for others to feel loved. Because everyone needs to know what love feels like.”
Truer and more beautiful words have never been spoken: “Everyone needs to know what love feels like.”

Perhaps most impressive about "Errands for Ethan" is the family’s humble belief that they’re not extraordinary or any more special than any other family that’s lost a child. Kim describes themselves as just ordinary people with an ordinary child who suddenly left this life.
What makes their ordinary experience extraordinary, she believes, is the outpouring of love and comfort. “We want others to feel loved as much as we did in those days, weeks and months right after losing our son.”
And what better way to make others feel loved than to serve them?
With March 26 and "Errands for Ethan" day approaching, the Ellsworth’s invite everyone to perform an act of kindness in his memory, or in the memory of your own loved ones. And when March 27 arrives, perhaps our random acts of service will gather into a tidal wave that doesn’t care what the calendar says.
Because everyone needs to know what love feels like.
For more information about "Errands for Ethan," visit errandsforethan.org or click here to RSVP for the "Errands for Ethan" Facebook event.