The lesson had it's silly moments but we also had a good discussion about recognizing the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
I had been to the St. Lawrence Thrift Store and came across a chair that I really wanted! It was a great chair priced at $45. I only had a check, which they don't take. I drove back home and scrounged up all the money I could. A huge chunk of it was loose change. As I got back into the van in the garage a coin wiggled loose and rolled out onto the driveway. I peeked at what it was (if it was a quarter it would be worth stopping for~!) It was a penny laying in the rain by the garbage can. "Eh" I thought, "just a penny." However, the thought crossed my mind, "You are going to need that penny." I ignored it went on my way. In the parking lot of the thrift store I decided to organize the money before plopping it on the counter. I couldn't believe my eyes as I counted exactly $44.99!!! I was a PENNY short. I knew I should have listened to the thought! I searched the car for a stray penny anywhere but there wasn't one. Now, the gal at the counter probably would have let me have the chair for $44.99 but I knew it was my own fault for not listening. I drove back home to get the penny out of the rain. This time a new thought came to me, "I need you to listen. This time it wasn't a big deal, but I need you to recognize promptings."
Not long after...
I was at home working but I had all these nagging thoughts going on in my head. I needed to get a committee called for the November RS mid-week mtg, I had RS birthday favors to deliver, I still had to go VT for the month, there were a couple of ailing families in the ward that needed a cheer up, what was I going to make for dinner, you mom's know the routine. I had a chronic cough that had left me with a dull head ache for days and I didn't feel like doing anything or thinking about ANY of it. I went out to the car cause it was the only quiet place. I poured my overwhelming feelings out to Heavenly Father in prayer. After I finished I thought, "Get to doing woman! These aren't even really problems!"
I decided to deliver the Halloween cookies I had set aside for the sisters I visit teach. But I felt that I should take one of the plates to a different sister in the ward. She is on her third bout with Shingles. I followed that little nudge and took the cookies to her. She was a mess. The shingles were the least of her problems. She has two grown children who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness. It broke my heart to listen to her talk. I related the situation to the RS president and she said that whenever she talks to this sister she says everything is fine. But the day I stopped by she was ready to talk to someone and I am so thankful I could be that person, and that this time I had LISTENED.
On Sunday as I was getting ready I had a thought to call the RS teacher and make she was ready and ask if she needed anything. It wasn't my month to conduct but I acted on the thought. She wasn't home so I left a message (I know I sound like a doofus on machines!) "Hi Sis. Barney, this is Abby, I was just touching base with you before Relief Society today to see if you need anything for your lesson..." She called me back, "I wasn't planning on teaching! I got released last week and was told I didn't need to teach anymore." I couldn't get a hold of the president so me and this lady put our heads together as to what to do. She agreed to teach one more time. I was so thankful for her. By the time the President called me back the crisis had been diverted and I had nothing major to report, other than after today, we were short a teacher! The councilor that was conducting was all ears as this teacher related our conversation at the start of the lesson. She said to me afterwards, "I should have called the teacher, I didn't even think of it." Who knows, maybe she has left one too many penny's lying in the rain;)
Another time the RS Pres and I went out on a birthday visit. There was a name on our rolls of someone we had never met. The address didn't exist On our way home I said to the President, "While we are out and about, we should visit somebody." She said, "Who?" I thought and said, "How about that new girl that just moved in." We pulled up to her house and knocked on the door. There were Birthday balloons everywhere. I asked, "Who's birthday is it?" She said, "Mine!" The president said, "Hold on one sec." She ran to the car and got the gift and presented it. How cool was that?
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| Our Family at the Brigham City Temple Dedication September 2012. One of these shots later appeared on our Christmas Card, with the caption: "Joy to the World the Lord is Come!" |
I think I have post traumatic stress from being the sole Ward Activities Director. All the lugging back and forth to the church.The thought of trying to turn that huge cold cultural hall into a Christmas atmosphere while my babies ran around me brought back a flood of overwhelming feelings. Then the thought came, "Have it here." Yes! At home. Where I am most comfortable. Why spend five hours at the church decorating only to have it taken down hours later. I could put my efforts into my home and have it stay up all season for my family to enjoy.
Some people thought I was bringing more stress on myself by having it here but it was great! I delegated the food to the sisters I visit teach. They quickly and effortlessly became my committee and I was SO thankful to have forged strong friendships with them. I asked another to give our lesson. She stayed sitting on the couch downstairs to give it as we all sat around the Christmas tree. It was lovely.
For our gift to the sisters each one received a baggie (that the pres had decorated so cute since I don't do that) with a candy bar and scripture marking pencil. Here is the little story I shared with the sisters at our Scripture Feast:
When I was a kid my dad took us to a golf tournament at Cascade Springs. He let us each choose a candybar out of the vending machine. This was such a treat!!! We were not a family of means. This means it was a rarity to enjoy a luxury such as buying from a vending machine. I chose a Butterfinger, My favorite. I wanted to enjoy that Butterfinger and the rarity of having it as long as I could. I started to take the smallest bites possible. I nibbled on that Butterfinger all day long. When I was finally finished my dad asked, "You made that last all day?" But then I realized something, because I had take such tiny bites, I had never even tasted the Butterfinger!
This story came to me as I was brainstorming for our Scripture Feast because the scriptures are the same way. We can nibble at them to the point where we can finish them without gleaning a single thing. To really enjoy the scriptures, we need to FEAST upon them. That is what the saying on the bag read: "To enjoy the scriptures you must feast upon them rather than nibble on them." During the evening different ways were shared in which sisters feast upon the scriptures.
I am thankful for Julie Beck's advice, "Stop going to the idea people, Turn off your computers and get on your knees." Amen sistah, I love that!
I was impressed that Katrina seemed to have learned this lesson all on her own. At YW in Excellence she got up to tell about her project. I always find out along with everyone else what it is at YW in Excellence. She said she had finished the BofM just the night before. She shared a couple of scriptures that stood out to her and why. It was neat to feel the spirit come into the room as testimony of pure doctrine was borne. I probably shouldn't have, but I felt proud.
And lastly, I'll end this post with another thrift store miracle. I think the Lord must really approve of thrift stores ;) I even ran into the missionaries there that I had fed just the week before. I was checking out the new Thrift store that opened up in town. It was just so-so and the smell in the bathroom (which of course Callie HAD to use) made my eyes water and I dry heaved for an hour afterwards. Anyway, there was an upstairs with peeling floor tiles and fluorescent lighting. Graham noted, "The floor is broken, but the ceiling isn't!" I came across a nice pink robe. I like robes. It was $2. I really like $2 pink robes. Then in the kids section we SCORED on some spankin new shoes for Graham for a buck and a half. He is convinced they are Indiana Jones shoes and who am I to argue? Lastly, there was nice Christmas dress for Callie for $2. It is your typical dark velvet on the top, plaid taffeta on the bottom. Nothing to write home about (even though I am) but like I mentioned, $2. Well, after trying to get that bathroom smell out of my nose once I got home I threw my new purchases in the wash (minus the shoes...they are LEATHER) When I took the clothes out to put in the dryer I was shocked to see that the robe had been dyed baby blue! The dark velvet on the dress must have done it. It wasn't a spotty dye job or anything. It's like I had purchased Rit Dye. It didn't matter to me what color the robe was but it took me aback anyway.
Well, for our ward Christmas Breakfast Matt and I were asked to portray Mary and Joseph on stage during the Nativity narration. I felt a bit silly with us being QUITE a bit older than we should have been but obliged. The boys were shepherds, The girls angels, and Mallerie was literally the shining star (does that surprise anyone by now?) Can I tell you that blue robe was EXACTLY what I needed that morning as I rounded up costumes for us to wear? You can call it a coincidence, but I don't believe in those. I think they are ALL Tender Mercy's from a loving Heavenly Father.
Merry Christmas as we celebrate a new babe born in a manger. Our KING!
