saw this and heard this and love it

stories of Charity

A lot of famous sayings come from the Bible.  I think one of the most famous has everything to do with CHARITY.  When God asked Cain where his brother Abel was, Cain replied "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4:9).   The answer is of course yes, we are all our brothers and sisters - mankind's keeper.

A question asked of Jesus by a certain lawyer, when reminded of the commandment to love thy neighbor as thyself,  was "And who is my neighbor?".  Jesus went on to illustrate the point by telling the story of the Good Samaritan. (Luke 10)  We are all each other's neighbors.  The Good Samaritan is another phrase we hear often, even in the news.  When someone tries to help someone that they don't know the news reports refer to them as a Good Samaritan.

Article entitled" Jamie Foxx shares hug with father of
driver he rescued".  I remember this news story and interview
with the two men.  Actor Jamie Fox pulled a driver from a burning car,
and the father of the young man was tearfully grateful.

I've been thinking a lot about these stories this month.  I've been asking myself if I sometimes choose not to help (in much less serious circumstances) because "that's not my responsibility".  Or am I too afraid to get involved in other people's lives.  And with the division that is going on in our country right now, would someone with an "Impeach Trump" bumper sticker stop to help someone with a "MAGA" hat, and vice versa?

 Actually, I think they would.  I think these famous sayings are part of our psyche whether we are believers or not.  I think most people are inherently good.

So, Charity certainly is a loaded word.  It refers to so many different things.
One of my favorite admonitions, if you will, comes from Gordon B. Hinckley (one of our church leaders, presidents and prophets):

"Reach out in love to those who need our strength.  There are many among us who lie alone in pain.  Medicine helps, but kind words can bring to pass miracles.
Many there are who walk in frightening circumstances, fearful and unable to cope.  Each of us can and must be anxiously engaged."

starry starry nights

I am rocking my to-do-list this summer!  Most importantly my Mom and I are getting so much done - mainly catching up on her dr. appointments so far, but she sure is happy about it, and I am enjoying the time with her.

At night I have been scrapbooking.  I am on the year 2017 and just did the Yosemite pictures.  I also just made a "nighttime playlist" for the fun of it.  Both of these things has reminded me of how sweet it is to be awake in the middle of the night or wee small hours of the morning when camping.  When I camp, I don't sleep very well and I usually get up at least once to use the bathroom.  At that time I am able to see a sky full of stars, or the sun just starting to rise.  I usually sit in my camping chair for a few minutes looking at it and enjoying the silence before I go back in the tent and try to get a few more hours, or minutes, of sleep.

Here is one of the songs on my nighttime playlist.  It is beautiful and even more special as it is a tribute to Vincent Van Gogh.  One of his most famous paintings, which my kids all love, is

 "The Starry Night".

2 of the 3 Musketeers

The Pineda part of our summer is ending tomorrow, as they are leaving.  Its been a wonderful, crazy visit. It has been especially fun watching Bear and Avonlea interact.  They think each other is super fun and have only brought each other to tears a couple of times.  I can't wait to see all three of the musketeers together someday - these two and Hillary's son Elijah who is the same age.

Last thursday Reggie and I took the 4 grandkids that are here to the park and then for McDonald's sundaes.  It was a lot of fun.

For the next few weeks there is plenty to do around here and then our Dobbins part of the summer will start, as we have several visits planned with them.  Life is good!

mysteries #2

Since Isla and I had an outing together I promised Addy one as well.  But then I changed my mind and decided to do a "Scooby Doo" mystery for her at home.  I told her I had made an activity for us to do together and put all the supplies in a brown paper bag, but now I can't find it anywhere.  So she looked around.  When we were ready to give up and just put another movie on, she found a note from the Scooby Doo gang inside the movie cover.  It told Addy that someone had stolen the bag and that she should ask her family for clues.  She did - one of us had seen a guy with a black patch over his eye walk past our house.  One of us had seen a black cloth on the porch with pirate skulls on it.  And one of us noticed a bunch of dry grass strewn across the yard.  So Addy followed these clues and eventually found a pirate treasure chest buried in dry grass.  She opened it up and found the brown bag - which was a cookie mix!  Addy was able to make the cookies all by herself.  It was a fun activity!

mysteries

One thing that has made this summer so wonderful so far is the Pineda family coming to stay.  Julia and the kids have been here since late May and Lester has come for a weekend so far.  We have one more week together.

Addy climbed on my lap during a Scooby Doo movie day and told me who she thought the bad guy was.  She proceeded to tell me how she loves mysteries.  Isla feels the same way - Scooby Doo is one show/set of movies that they always agree on.

Yesterday Isla and I had some time together - just the two of us - to go and get a surprise for the family.  We came back with about 10 Scooby Doo DVDs and more fun books from the library.  Even if we don't have time to watch them all, it will go on the books as a fun, Scooby Doo summer (not to mention a beach and ice cream, water balloon fight and sandlot-smores summer).

and ps, speaking of movies - last night we all watched Hairspray together.  That is a movie that all my kids can agree on (again, we are missing Samantha, Hillary and family.)  During one part the kids BELTED out the song together.  It was pretty funny.

Charity

It is often said that charity is "the pure love of Christ" which is a description given to us in the bible.  In fact, 1st Corinthians says quite a lot about charity.  Here are some excerpts.

chapter 8:1 - knowledge puffeth up but charity edifieth

chapter 13:4 - sufferers long, is kind, not envious, vaunteth not itself, not puffed up

chapter 13:8 - never faileth

The bible dictionary says that charity is the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love.  The one thing that comes to my mind in this description is parenting.  During infancy a baby needs you for absolutely everything and you feel like he/she is still, physically a part of you.  It is an indescribable bond.  And though, as the child gets older and is asserting his/her independence, and conflict comes into the relationship, I think that initial bond is still there and carries you through.

 I also think that the love for your spouse is different than that of a child, but could also be called the strongest kind of love.  The kids grow and leave but by that time you and your spouse have endured blood sweat and tears together, and if you've chosen to stay together and love each other through all of that, it is absolutely the strongest kind of love.    

But then what about being on the other side of parental love - feeling that bond from a child's point of view.  It takes a lot of years, but eventually you start to become aware of all that your parents have done for you and sacrificed for you. The love a child has for a parent can certainly be put in that "strongest kind of love" category.

And then things branch out - other family members, friends, etc.  If charity is love then you feel that for so many people - even strangers and human kind as a whole.

In contemplating all of these descriptions of charity, or thoughts of what the application of charity should be, I think the best way to describe charity is to say what it is not: charity is not something that is deserved.  If you are charitable you do things with no thoughts of whether the person deserves your actions or kindness or generosity.

And that gives me a whole lot more to think about!

Christmas activities and a BIG SURPRISE!

For June I am going to watch at least one Christmas movie while I scrapbook.  As for the Christmas in May activity I am behind.  What I meant to do, and what I am now going to do this month is make another Christmas stocking! (I picked out this material yesterday - it's so cute!)

That's right, GRANDBABY #8 IS ON THE WAY! Due this November, courtesy of Mariah and Ross.  Avonlea doesn't know it yet, but she is going to, eventually anyway, love having a BABY SISTER!

We are so excited!

partying

I feel like I've had a full summer already and this is only my official, first day off.  This last weekend has been about one party/get together after another.

Mariah and Julia hosted a baby shower on Saturday.  Mariah has been planning and working on details about if for weeks and Julia came in time to do lots of baking, etc.  (And Ross was extremely helpful in cleaning and taking care of Avonlea).  So I figured I didn't need to do anything but attend.  Then I started thinking about this month's theme of charity and of all the birthday parties we threw as young parents.  No matter how prepared you are there is never enough time to get everything done - especially when you've got little ones under-foot - and especially when you want to have specific decorations, games, favors, etc. In some ways it seems so unimportant, but these were family parties and a way for our family and friends to be together.  I remember my sister coming from Clovis (4 hours away) to help set things up the night before the parties.  Then she moved to Texas, but we were blessed with a new friend, Penny, who helped with our birthday parties from Julia on down through Samantha.  I remember when she and her daughter Katie were moving back to Utah, around the time we were having Luke - I either thought to myself, or said out loud to her, "but how are we going to throw any parties without you?"

And then the weddings.  Again, my sister flew in a couple days before and worked as hard as I did.  Other family members and good good friends did the flowers, helped with the food, ironed table cloths, brought in equipment for music and a photo both, did/helped with the decorations, etc. etc.  I am still amazed and teary-eyed about it all.

So, I helped with the shower this weekend, which was especially easy because we really like this couple, the Nugents, and enjoy having them in our home.

After the shower I helped with dinner for the next wave of the girls' friends who were coming over.  Then, unfortunately I crashed and burned.  I wanted to see these people - kids my kids grew up with who now have babies of their own - but I am sorry to say that I was "out".

On Sunday we had some of my family over and met my niece's boyfriend.  It was a beautiful day and we took a walk by the cliffs and reminisced about my brother and I running all over that area when we were young.

this area is an official flying site for
hang/para-gliders!  Ironically we didn't
see any today.

Now it's Monday morning - my first official day off from school.  As I reflect on the subject of charity I know that I have certainly been a recipient of it and I hope to even more-so, pay it forward.

no summer school for me

After many years of doing summer school I am taking the summer off.  I feel such an urgency to spend time with my Mom and help her get her affairs in order.  She is doing great, but I know it weighs on her mind when things are not as organized as she wants them to be.

There are also last minute, finishing up things I need to do for Luke's childhood, before his "adulting" starts this fall.  For example, we opted for him to not drive yet because we did not want to pay for expensive teen-age auto insurance.  But it's time (heaven help me!).  Teaching our kids how to drive is my #1 least favorite part of parenting.  But it's time!

And, last of all, I happened upon an 80% off sale in Michael's scrapbooking department!  Scrapbooking is going to be my summer-fun activity after every productive day, I hope.  So here is to the beginnings of a great summer!

Christmas in June and the last day of school

The theme I've chosen for June is "Charity", which I will post about later.  Right now, however,  my mind is all about the last day of school. The word Charity might have something to do with this school year, but I keep thinking more about the word service, and how the saying that you love the ones you serve has certainly come true for me.

I can't go into a lot of detail about my job this year.  I think I mentioned that I went from being with little, mostly non-verbal, special needs children to teenage, very verbal special needs children.  I can't help but reflect on what a great team of people I have been a part of in helping these kids.

 I am thinking a lot of how the kids' behavior and outlook on life has improved over the year.  I am thinking on how we all get so excited when the kids have a good day or do something wonderful or start to feel more a part of the rest of the school.  I am thinking about how my job description sounds unconventional but the little details are so important - like having a rousing game of UNO or  going to science to watch the kids disect a frog, or playing 4 square or wall ball at my age, or talking about favorite music and movies (again, at my age, Luke keeping me relevant in this department has been so important).

And cookies.  Making cookies for the class has become one of my identities - what they might remember the most about me.  Each one of us adults got an end-of-the-year card signed by the kids.  One wrote on mine "thanks for all the food and the positivity".  The "positivity" comment made me quite teary-eyed.  So for this last day of school I made cookie mixes for anyone who wants one so they can make a batch at home this summer.

I had time to decorate the bags during school yesterday and one of the kids asked what I was doing.  I told him I was making a surprise.  He went on to try to guess what it was.  It was such a simple but fun exchange.  At the beginning of the year I never imagined that things would end on such a happy and sweet note.

finishing off May

I mentioned at the beginning of May that it was going to be all about Luke.  Things have finally calmed down.  But I still need to finish it off with a couple more things.

I can't forget to blog about that all american event - high school prom.  He went with a friend and they went with a group.  I got to take pictures before they left:

a seminary graduate!

Luke mentioned that graduating from seminary might have been as challenging as graduating from high school.  But he did it; this year was especially hard, fitting it in, and we are grateful to his teacher, Nancy Hunt, for her patience and support and helping Luke navigate through the online system.

For the three years before this year Luke's teacher was Carolyn Lagerloff.  She was wonderful and made a lasting impression on the kids.  Besides the fact that she was at the church and ready for seminary before 6 am everyday, she was so generous, having breakfast items waiting that they could eat there or take to school; she put her personal testimony and love for the kids into every lesson which they noticed and appreciated.

She was at the ceremony tonight and I just had to get a picture.  I'm so grateful for people who have been willing to love these kids and step in to help raise them.

I also wanted to mention one last detail about the party and seminary graduation.  Our stake president was diagnosed with a stage 4 cancer this last January.  He has been in the hospital quite a bit undergoing chemotherapy.  So when he and his wife were at the graduation party for the 3 boys I was shocked and so touched.  I actually didn't recognize him because he has lost so much weight, but he has a distinct voice and recognized him through that.  He was also at the seminary graduation.  He is supposed to be avoiding germs at all costs, so he was careful not to shake hands or receive hugs, but he offered "elbow bumps" instead.  I am just amazed that he would be there.  Like I said, the love and support this month has been wonderful.

p.s. - 42 days later, on July 14th, President Garfield passed away.  I am so honored that he would spend some of his last, precious days serving the church and especially showing his love for the youth.  Luke has been working on thank you cards and has one sitting here for President Garfield.  I have been having trouble locating his address.  So now this will go in Luke's box of special momentos of his childhood.  And in our memory will go the love and service of a life well lived.

A Grad. party for Nua

Saturday we headed over to our good friends the Lualemagas for a graduation party for their son Nua. I am happy to say that, in looking at Luke's scrapbooks I've made over the years, their are dozens of pictures of Nua and Luke, along with Andrew, William, Ethan, etc.  I hope to embarrass them good and proper by making an album for facebook.

While there we saw some the Lualemagas' nieces and nephew whom we haven't seen in years - Priscilla, Rachael, Chris and Jessie.  They are of course grown now and started families' of their own.  But when they were teenagers they lived with the Lualemaga's for a little while and grew up with my girls.  I was so touched that they were just as happy to see us as we were to see them and talk about old times together.  (Again, one of them asked me if I still bake.  I love that they remember that!)  Julia was disappointed that she missed them; even though she is here right now she had to stay home from the party with her sick baby.  But when she heard they were there she got on the phone and face-timed them at the party.  I LOVED hearing the conversation; I loved hearing their laughter and memories - like when Rachel plucked Julia's eye brows for the first time.  I loved hearing them say " I love you and miss you!" to each other.

It has been such a special week.  It has been so full of sweet moments, of feelings that some things have gone and are going right, and love from family and friends. I had to write about it because these kinds of memories are what carry me through.

Here's a few pictures of Luke and Nua throughout the years.

love and support

Friday night we had a graduation party for Luke, Ethan and Andrew.  These 3 boys have been together since infancy, growing up in the church together and graduating from the same high school.  The decision was to just invite the whole congregation and more - anyone who knew these boys in the past or present, including family members and any friends they wanted to invite.  The planning of it and responsibilities were divided among the 3 families.  I got off easy, as Reggie agreed to do the main dish; he and his brother Matt barbecued teriyaki chicken and pork roast, and made pots and pots of rice.

We did the party at the church.  The tables and decor were set up in the multi purpose room and the gym was open with a volleyball court, basketball, and general running around for the little ones.  We estimated that about 200 people came.  It was such a varied group - people from church - young and old, families, singles, former teachers of these boys and new acquaintances; family members; kids from the high school, who really got into playing volleyball and basketball;  all ate their fill of the bbq and cupcakes Jade had made, and we sent some home with anyone who wanted leftovers, along with the cutest graduation-Reeses favors made by Nancy Hunt.

One thing I will treasure forever is the fact that some of the kids of the same age, who spent part of their childhood growing up at church together but since moved away, came to the party as well.  They and their moms just happened to be in the gym at the same time and someone suggested we take pictures.  I love it so much!  There are a few more kids that could have been included in this graduating group but have moved across the country and so were not there.

One family, the Hisermans, were there which especially made me happy - I haven't seen them for years.  We talked about old times, and how we got together quite often for game playing, etc.  And then William paid me the ultimate compliment, proving that he remembers all this too.  He said "Nancy, didn't you make any cookies?"  And then we reminisced about always having cookies for our get-to-gethers.

 I am so grateful to have all of these people in our lives.  It was so wonderful to have so many people come and show their love and support for these boys.  I hope I remember this forever.  More importantly, I hope Luke remembers this forever.