I've been thinking how after each one of my kids I felt stretched. Isn't it amazing how, when we feel like we are already doing all we can and then we go and do something like, say add another kid, start a new job,or take on a new calling we are able to adapt? Stretch a little more than we thought possible and make it all work.
Yesterday while getting things ready for family home evening, I came across this activity: Give each person a pebble and a piece of candy. Instruct each person to place the pebble in a shoe and the candy in his or her mouth. Take everyone on a short walk. After the walk, ask about their experience on the walk. Explain that sometimes we focus on the small hardships (pebbles) that are part of life and forget the good things (candies) that are all around us.
We didn't do this but it got me thinking. This truly is one of my coping mechanisms. Sometimes when all I have to do just seems overwhelming I have to take a moment, step back and focus on the good. The pure and simple joys.
Like the thrill of going out and picking something from our garden, that we have grown, and eating it for dinner.
Like how good a home grown tomato tastes (even if my kids disagree).
My daughter was reading Frog and Toad to me the other day. Toad was sad for he had never gotten a letter. So... frog went and wrote him a letter. Of course, he gave it to snail to deliver so they had to wait four days for it to arrive. Yeah, I may have a tall mountain of junk mail each week but at least there is something there each day for my kids to bring in on their way home from school.
Some weeks I wonder if it really is worth the time to go through ads and coupons. I took the time to add up all the savings from last week's shopping trip. I saved nine dollars. That's nine extra dollars I could spend on something fun; maybe a treat.
On Labor Day we got tickets to the Brigham City Temple open house. We made the 2 hour drive up there to find out that so many people had just showed up that there was a three hour wait. For a variety of reasons we decided that we weren't going to wait and discouragingly headed home. We were frustrated that others didn't follow the system set up making it so that those who did couldn't tour the temple as planned. As we drove home, I realized we had past seven temples in that two hour drive. How lucky are we?. We live close enough to a temple that my girls can go do baptisms for the dead before heading to school. They are also building two new temples less than 20 minutes away. We are blessed.
While it may be nice for a day or two, I know if I didn't have my kids, and all that is associated with them, my life would be pretty lonely.
This is a good reminder for me, thank you! And I cannot wait to live closer to a temple again, I sure hope. It truly was a blessing I took for granted in Provo.
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