New Month, New Theme Time

I am still sick with a sinus infection that has really laid me out flat, but am hopefully on the mend now that I am on antibiotics. But with the beginning of a new month I wanted to post the new scripture theme I will be testing on my kids, which is about reverence. There is a poster of a chapel I drew and the scriptures are on the back of snowflakes. As with previous study themes, there are enough snowflakes to read one per day of the month and I will be letting the kids place them on the chapel poster, which reads, "I can be as reverent as a snowflake!" Maybe using snowflakes in August is just wishful thinking on my part, but when I proposed the idea of using "quiet as a mouse" my mom said it would then look like the chapel had a mouse infestation. I was never able to get that gross comment out of my head, so snowflakes it is! Here is what the chapel looks like:
The snowflakes I made and then saved from this fun website (you may recall I blogged about it several months back). I actually made six different ones to use.
Note: I woke up in the wee morning hours after posting this with the thought that it would be so cute to do it as a mobile! Love it when I have new ways to make scripture study fun and creative for my kids to enjoy.

Each of the scriptures of the day this month will be about reverence, too. Here is the first one: Hebrews 12:9

I Love Truman Madsen

Yes, I do! I have to admit I just love his work and his wonderful insights. During this convalescent time I have been re-listening to his audio series "Jesus of Nazareth" and was reminded of his commentary on the parable of the mustard seed. I transcribed it for you to enjoy as well.

"Still in or near Jerusalem there are trees growing, most prominently olive trees, but there are also mustard trees. One can take the pod of a mustard tree and press it before his fingers into his palm, and when he has done so the seeds will be in the middle of the palm. And their size is about the same as if he had taken a pepper shaker and now had pepper in his hand. They are tiny diminutive seeds-- not the smallest, but among the smallest in the world. What does one do with seeds? He plants them. Jesus said, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed ye can say unto yonder mountain, ‘Remove,’ and it will remove.” As a child I thought the lesson is that if you have just that little itsy bitsy faith you can move mountains. That is not the message. The message is that if you have growing faith it will have such power--growing, dynamic, increasing faith. And in this instance the tiny mustard seed, if it is planted in good soil by a pure stream will grow to a tree. Not simply a flower or a bush, but a tree large enough that the birds can come build their nests and dwell or abide. What is the meaning of the birds and the nests? We have a glimpse from modern revelation. He was really saying that the living tree (that is the person) that is to bring forth precious fruit can, once it grows to its full measure, have communion with the angels. He was saying that it is the privilege of the Saints to have communion with the “general assembly” (so called, Paul’s phrase) and with the Church of the First Born. It is saying that we live in the presence of heavenly beings. That’s the deeper meaning of the elementary parable of the mustard seed. Is there more? I can bear witness there is always more."

Scripture of the Day: Genesis 2:16

Out of Commission

I am sick and can hardly think straight, so please excuse my lack of posting. Hopefully I will be back to the land of the living in a day or two.

My First Book Review

"Rebecca Irvine's book, "Adventures with the Word of God," made me wish my grown children were babies again. What a wonderful tool to keep the spirit of the lord in our homes and to keep the lines of communication opened. The fun and creative activities are simple, powerful and just right for use in incorporating important memorable lessons into our busy lives."

Donna M. Brown

Year of Miracles #14

Last Saturday we were out to my sweet mother-in-law's house and in her backyard, poking up from various patches of ground, were a ton of yellow onions. Now, you may recall that last April (the day before my father-in-law, John, passed away) I posted about the beautiful green onions he had grown. Apparently shortly before he died he had planted yellow onions in about five different places in the backyard, all outside the "typical" garden area. And somehow--despite all the 110+ degree weather we have been having this summer--despite not being watered regularly--despite not being tended--a whole bunch of delicious onions grew. I dug up a grocery sack full of them with the help of Sweetie Peach and then chopped them up for the freezer. It yielded two gallon-size freezer bags full. And as I have thought about these onions, I have decided that they are kind of symbolic of the many good things John has left behind him that are still blessing his family and friends. We miss him and are grateful for the many ways his life blessed ours.

Scripture of the Day: D&C 88:86

Kid Conversation

Conversation with my girls in the car yesterday:

Kitty: "Mom, were we brainwashed when we were born?"

Me: "No. Heavenly Father made our spirits forget everything so this life would be a test, but that's not what's called brainwashing."

Sweetie Peach: "How did Heavenly Father make us forget?"

Me: "I don't know, but that's a trick I'd like to learn."

Kitty: "Me too! Then I could make Daddy forget to put the walnuts in the brownies."

Sweetie Peach: "I would make Daddy forget to put the chocolate chips in the cookies."

Kitty: "I would make Daddy forget to go to work."

Sweetie Peach: "Yeah, then he would stay home and PLAY with us all day!"

Scripture of the Day: 2 Nephi 1:7

What to do?

So what's my washing machine doing sitting on the back porch?
Especially when there is all this laundry is piling up in the house? {this is only about half of it, too!}

Yes, my washing machine is broken again! This is the second time this year alone. And earlier this year I went an entire MONTH without a working dryer. My husband has ordered the part for the washing machine and will get it fixed on Saturday, but the piles are growing too big. Here is the debate in my head: drive 18 miles (round trip) to my parents' house to spend 3 to 4 hours doing laundry (their washing machine takes 50 minutes per load-yuck!) -- OR -- drive 4 miles round trip and spend about $10 to use the laundromat? This would only take 1 hour of my time and I could bring the clothes home to dry in my own dryer. I am having a hard time deciding.
What do you think?

Scripture of the Day: James 2:12