Purifying

Years ago, in church, someone told a story that I have not forgotten. The woman said that she asked her mom what she thought about as she was doing the dishes and laundry, and all of those other mind-numbing chores we do all day. Her mother said that she liked to just think about the things of God.

Woah. What do I think about?
Kyle has a soccer game Saturday and he has been wearing his soccer shirt two days already this week. How dirty is it? Do I need to bring treats? I really need to cut his hair. What am I going to make for dinner? Will the kids ever learn to shut the door? I've gotta get the laundry done. What am I going to make for dinner? I wonder what the weather's going to be like tomorrow. I need to water the garden. I sure hope the plants grow. I love listening to those two laugh. I really really hope the baby sleeps well tonight. What do I feel like cooking tonight? Rob's gone, maybe omelets again etc. etc. etc.

How do we purify our souls? I like this idea so much because it isn't just happening during moments of quietness or prayer. Heavens knows there are not a lot of those moments for a stay-at-home mom. It is while kids were running in and out. While work is getting done. Although those moments of meditation and prayer are essential, just as important are the snapshots into our mind throughout the day. Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, the founder of Buddhism, said, "What we think, we become."

If spend my time thinking of stuff I need to do, naturally, I become busy. If I spend my time... even the washing dishes and laundry time... thinking of purity and love, I become purity and love.

A quote I came across

"For to teach, encourage, cheer up, console, amuse, stimulate or advise a husband or children or friends, you have to be something yourself. And how to be something yourself? Only by working hard and with gumption at something you love and care for and think is important.

So if you want your children to be musicians, then work at music yourself, seriously and with all your intelligence. If you want them to be scholars, study hard yourself. If you want them to be honest, be honest yourself. And so it goes.

And that is why I would say to the worn and hectored mothers who longed to write and could find not a minute for it: If you would shut your door against the children for an hour a day and say: "Mother is working on her five-act tragedy in blank verse!" you would be surprised how they would respect you. They would probably all become playwrights."

from Brenda Uelands book If You Want to Write: A book about Art, Independence, and Spirit, in the chapter called, "Why women who do too much housework should neglect it for their writing."

This is applicable for more than just mothers. I remember learning about a study that showed that one person's decision to lose weight impacted people's weight loss 2 levels away... in other words, friends of the friend of the person who lost weight. So as we "become" something ourselves... we will affect not only us, but each other. Val's efforts to BECOME will increase my efforts. And vice versa.

Happiness

For what seemed like a year, I struggled with finding enjoyment in motherhood. I of course loved my kids, but wasn't necessarily thrilled about being around them all the time. Sad, huh.

But then, something changed. I think the change had something to do with not being pregnant. And prayer. This last month I have loved being a stay at home mom. Even today, after being up two nights with a croupy baby and husband out-of-town, I have loved the time I've gotten to spend with them. We dyed easter eggs with a neighbor and had a fantastic time. I love how Bekah loves to laugh... even the baby lights up when she does. I love how when Kyle gets excited he will do a funny dance. I love that the baby grins when you look at him and smile, even when he's feeling lousy. I'm laughing again, just listening to them talk to each other. Even now, Bekah just came out of bed to tell me, "I think I need to drink some liquids because my voice is gone." Mmm, what you need is to stop talking and go to sleep. She cracks me up.

What a good life we lead. A quiet but great life. Spring is the perfect time to celebrate Easter. The whole earth is celebrating new life with me.

Our favorite Easter tradition

Every year, we do the twelve days of easter. We open a sparkly blue egg carton, and inside are 12 easter eggs with 12 special objects (and a scripture to go with) that remind us of Christ's final hours.

For example: egg number one has a tiny sacrament cup with the scripture: "And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, "If it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt." Matthew 26:39. Might you think of this as you drink from your sacrament cup each week?

Day 2 has 3 dimes, "then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priest and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver." Matthew 26:14-15. This fulfilled the prophecy in Zechariah 11:12-14 that Jesus would be sold for 30 pieces of silver.

Anyway, this continues for 12 days. My kids love it... and it's helped us somehow connect the idea of easter eggs with the Savior. If anyone wants a copy of the 12 days, let me know.

Mom, this one's for you!

The video doesn't do his double chin nearly the justice it deserves.

They say things come in threes...

1. Friday night, garage door broke.
2. Sunday, garbage disposal leaking
3. ... ?

ps, it didn't upset me when the garage door broke, because I HAVE a garage! I'm still so thankful about that, especially every time it snows... which was this week.

Outside extravaganza

So much to tell! I have started planting. I've always grown something. First flowers in Michigan. Then tomatoes and basil in our little townhome. Now I planted FROM SEEDS (mind you, never done that before) peas, lettuce, and tomorrow carrots and spinach. Also planted onions, and more to come. (The picture is of some of my seeds soaking).

In the past I have just added a little potting soil and planted my tomatoes. This year, I do not think that I will ever produce enough food to compensate for how much I have spent on gardening. Ah well, if nothing else, it is a wonderful excuse to get me outside, where I would much rather be. But I will still be ticked if nothing grows. Good news, my chives are perennial and came back all on their own (along with raspberries and strawberries). I love plants that do that! It gives me such joy to think that I am going to reap what I didn't even have to sow this year.

And while I am outside, I should also mention how we spent Saturday. Pretty exciting. We bought a big swingset! Bekah was disappointed that it did not have monkey bars (we couldn't find any non-wooden ones with monkey bars that weren't humongous), but it does come with a fort and climbing wall, so I think that has compensated. Rob and I spent all day Saturday building it, and he finished it in the dark after the kids had gone to bed. The kids were fantastic while we built the thing, especially at helping take care of the baby. We should have put on sunscreen, especially Rob, but are glad to have finished it. The kids were up early, already dressed in their Sunday best, begging to go and play for just a little bit. Now they can play on that while I play in my garden. Extra Vitamin D for everyone!