Light The World Honoring the Sabbath

My mom is the best example.  For the last 18 days she has consequently blogged of her experiences following the #lighttheworld project as seen here https://www.mormon.org/?cid=HP_FR_25-11-2016_dMIS_fmorg_xLIDyL1-A_ 

I haven't been reading her blog every day, so I had to play catch-up, this Sabbath morning. 

John leaves for a church meeting at 6 am, so we are awake early.  After he leaves I spend the time emailing my weekly letter to our missionary son, and briefly see what my long-distance family is doing.  We aren't in the habit of phone calls (we have an awesome brother-in-law who chats daily with his parents & siblings. DAILY!  I admire that), or visiting as often as I wish. 

Geography is a challenge if face-to-face communication is your love language preference.  Skpye is ok, but feels like an appointment, a little stiff.  Maybe it is the hugging I miss with the contact.  I crave the physical reassurance and communication of love through touch. 

A once-a-week check in with our spiritual selves, an assessment of our spiritual well-being and health makes sense.  I believe the Old Testament teaching that the Lord made it a holy day.  He sanctified it.  Our "keeping the sabbath day holy" is up to us, how we interpret that.  It will still be a holy day, with or without us.  The old Blue Laws that enforced store closures and alcohol sales on Sunday am have slowly been dismissed.  It has turned into a big shopping day, chore day, networking day, and even a work day for many.  And I will say right here, I am thankful for the emergency workers, doctors, nurses, police and firemen and their sacrifice to work all week.)

I have a memory of attempting to persuade my dad that my doing the dishes was breaking the Sabbath.  He pointed me back to "Honor they father and thy mother..." and there may have been some ox in the mud references.  I did the dishes.

Over the years I have tried different things, including no sewing, no painting, no school homework, no fun novel reading (just scriptures), no tv, newspapers, no facebook, no friends, no restaurants, and probably too long of indulgent napping.  The exceptions have been specific, for example, watching the First Presidency Christmas Devotional live the first Sunday of December ever year, or supporting family reunion restaurant gathering for non-member family (I would do anything for Great Grandma Billie).

It has been more productive to think of the yes-we-can-do instead of the no-don't-even-think-about-it restrictions for the day.

Do go to a worship service of choice.
Do spend time with family and learning about ancestors.
Do support good friends in achievements.
Do celebrate holidays!
Do community service.
Do rest from the craziness of all the other day responsibilities and burdens.
Do find time to pray and ponder life.
Do spend time remembering and renewing commitments and promises.
Do simplify and lessen the burdens of others. (Sometimes that means paper plates and less elaborate meals!)

I like to think of the Sabbath as a day to get back in touch with what God wants me to do.  I try to plan what my priorities should be for the week, to seek counsel on troubles and concerns, to brainstorm for solutions.  It is a good day to ask Heavenly Father for help.  Loving the Sabbath leaves me with a feeling of love, peace, joy, gratitude, and kind, swelling and warm feelings.  And that touch of grace makes my week flow better.

I Know This Is True

I have a habit of mis-hearing lyrics.  They can be funny, or a running commentary of what is going on in my head.  As I drove along in the car, my phone synced Bluetoothed, a song I don't remember ever hearing, but one of Brother-in-law Bob's favorites from 2008: Cloud Cult, "Love You All" (click on the play icon).

I couldn't make out the words, sounded like "Baked Potato" or "West Viriginia" and "Family Reunion..."  Couldn't hear anything clearly, until the end, when it is so clear.  With tears streaming down my cheeks I played it again. And again, and again.  And I can never unhear the words, now that I know. Tried to call John, texted him and told him to go listen to the song.

He did, and cried, too.  And found out more about the musician and what prompted him to write this song.  And John started, or at least sent me the beginnings of a poem he is working on.  Art as therapy, art as a way to express all the strong emotions of losing a child.

It made my day, was perfectly what I needed to hear and feel and remember and know.


From the about section on Cloud Cult's website:  "In the year 2002, shortly after the unexpected death of his two year old son Kaidin, Minowa wrote over a hundred songs to deal with the loss....Since that album, Cloud Cult's music has been strongly inspired by the loss of Kaidin and the "big picture" issues of life:  "who are we, why are we here, where did we come from, where do we go". Minowa seems in constant pursuit of the light at the end of the tunnel."

The Celebration!

Thanks to Emma & Dean for music and flashing DJ lights for celebration dance!  Dean was great at choosing songs that were popular when my parents got married, throwing in music for the younger cousins, making sure there were enough slow songs for aunts & uncle couples to dance to...An hour was just right.

Stewart carried down rolling chairs for Mom & Dad to sit on, but they stayed in the middle of the dancing, spinning each other.

 

Then they blew out 50 candles in JohnB's amazing two-pan black bottom cake!

There is still a month and a half until the actual wedding date anniversary, but this summer was the only time we could gather almost all of us (before YW camps, Scout camps, band camps...).  Dad insisted that if you would have come to his funeral last spring (close call) please come to his reunion celebration while he is still alive.

I am thankful for parents who love each other and have worked hard to have a good marriage.  And thankful for siblings who have found good spouses and their beautiful children so easy for me to love!  It was a good reunion.

Email me or make a note in comments for details on how we did food for 56 for 4 days.

Did I mention the lake? Bear Lake

Sam with cousins.

Nephew Jack "fishing" after our adventure finding a place to pee.

Successfully getting nephew Evan to take a nap so his parents could jet ski.

Suzanna on deck overlooking lake & rainbow after storm.

We had a great family reunion 7 years ago at Virginia Beach.  My parents rented a home right on the beach, and it was wonderful being able to play in the water.

The Bear Lake cabin was further from the water, but close enough.  The cabin was AMAZING, huge, many slides, almost enough rooms for all of us.  Could have used a few more bathrooms, more eating space.  Everyone was good about taking off shoes before coming in, and keeping food only on tiled kitchen, dinning area, and decks.  The kids never got tired of the slides! 

Thank you, Mom & Dad, and Happy 50th Anniversary!

Family Group Photos: shoulders vs cluster

We tried to practice "clustering" heads for group photos...

This line up is okay (in order of age) but tv in background bad...

Better away from tv.  Outside would have been nice, but this was late at night, after parents were asleep.

Try angling that...

Or breakout sub-groups...my brothers, oldest to youngest!

And get people laughing!  Best Laura laugh, ever, hearing her talk about being in the middle, no matter what group.

How many tries to get this big group shot? Everyone here except Hermana Hannah on mission and our Maxwell.  (photo credit this group shot: Jen Babcock).

Favorite Moments from the Weekend

 

Sister Lu from PA on left and her family were here last week.  Fun to see them!

We picked up Maxwell to come to Thanksgiving with us at Smith's mansion gathering home.

Mom & Dad trying to stay warm in the sunshine.

Cousin Charlene trying pickled okra for the first time.

Our love for reading comes from reading parents!

Happy Max helping to chop onions/celery for shrimp cocktail.

Roxie in the kitchen.

Sam looming over cousins.

Roxie interviewing Grandma Jane, asking about her childhood and writing answers in her journal.  Smith's dog is affectionate and likes to be in the middle of things.

Niece Alice wearing Metallica and identical twins nieces in Dr. Who t-shirts.

Testimony of Fiddler on the Roof...

Families matter.  Letting go of our children as they leave home and create their own family units is emotionally tough.  We lose control as they make independent choices.  We hurt and rejoice as we watch them survive their life experiences.  We pray harder, pleading for help.  Tevye is right up there high on the list of characters I admire for his honest prayers.

Friday night my visiting teacher gave us two tickets for a high school production of "Fiddler on the Roof."  Three youth from our ward were in the cast.  One of the amazing things they did was stage it with REAL children--so the high school students were the adults, and then having younger children also singing and in the group scenes--making it visually powerful that we were talking about families...Loved it.  I bawled during "Sunrise, Sunset" and "Do you love me?"  After 25 years...that is us, this next spring.  What a great story of prayer and family and even the absurdity of not talking to a child who disobeys you...We laughed and clapped and were very impressed with the talent that brought this story to life.

Saturday we met family on the windy-chilly day to witness the sealing of our two new nieces from Ethiopia to my brother and his wife! (I should have worn boots and a heavier coat!  Brrrr!)

 

It was windy and cold!  Fun to see outfits from Emma+Dean's wedding reception that still fit!  Evelyn's dress was one of my favorite thrifted finds!

Mezgeb and Rosie are officially a part of our extended forever family.

This was my favorite picture of Lu+Bob.  Temples make happy couples...

Sam took this one from the warmth inside the visitor's center.  LIGHTS are up next week for Christmas!  Nieces play flute recital December 7th.  We are also hoping to go down December 26th evening for a family history work session/sealing with our Provo children in town.

If you stand back far enough, you can see the big picture...

Never before seen photo, pixelated for a quilt pattern.

Thanks to sister Luanna, for sending the sweet photo from many years ago, our trip to Statue of Liberty when she was a young teenager living with us one summer...

Happy Body Day DAD!

I am thankful this morning for my daddy, his goodness, his service, his example, his teachings, his smiles and eyebrow wiggles.

I've been making birthday crowns for gifts--hard to mail, but this is an example.

Hats off to you!

Great Year for Orange

Orange you glad?

Blogger friend, Victoria, reminded me that I haven't mentioned color-of-the-year TANGO ORANGE and in her comment linked to another blog with great pictures! Thanks, long-distance friend!

Fire Eater King Herod preforming at Iggie's on St. Thomas (pictures from Dad's camera).

Group Shots

I filled up my entire camera card with 325 pictures on this trip!

This couple are from the same county where I live! Snowbirds, spending all winter in St. Thomas, lucky!

A Few Favorite Things

One morning we saw an educational schooner while walking with Mom & Dad. Didn't get a picture, but the crew on board gave us a brochure--seriously interesting opportunity for high school/college children. Fun to read their blog and see the difference between being a "traveller" and a "tourist."

We met a woman photographer who has a blog (Mom, what is her site?) who lives on this destination wedding island with her husband & family.

Coral I gathered but DID NOT take home.

My favorite/scariest thing?

Check out the great ORANGE on information docents at Lu's race. Madras plaid with orange is traditional St. Thomas pattern!

(I did buy this dress from thrift store--Hazel wore it around my house all day yesterday.)

Papaya from Mom & Dad's landlord's yard. Wonderful, smooth & rich taste.

Pissaro's Birthplace. Rubble Fill building method, crazy brick and coral and everything cemented with molasses/sand/lime.