Faith and Technology

So, I talked to a college student today.  She was surveying bloggers who blog about their faith.  She asked some interesting questions.  A little about our faith, but mostly about why I blog about my faith, how I feel about faith and the media and my thoughts on faith and technology.

She did ask if our church was involved in technology.  I laughed.  You know, we're all over the internet.  Pretty much all members are familiar with lds.org, but there's also mormon.org, which is a great site for learning more about our faith.  And we have our own Internet Radio and YouTube channels.  Have you checked them out lately?  There are some GREAT videos on there, terrific for lessons, FHE, sharing the gospel, or just enjoying.  And then there's LinkedIn and Facebook.  I belong to a number of LDS LinkedIn groups, and Facebook has pages for the church, the Ensign, the New Era, the Friend, Seminary, Institute, the Newsroom, Deseret Book--and those are just the official pages.

And after our conversation, it got me to thinking.  I've never really thought about how blogging or the internet have affected my faith.  I first began participating in an online LDS community back in the 90's when I lived in California.  There was an e-mail group for LDS Young Women leaders.  I got a lot of great ideas there.  Then, when I moved to New Mexico and was feeling displaced and lonely, living in a hotel with two kids in school, two preschoolers and no friends, I signed on to a yahoo group called LDSmoms.  And I met women from all over the world, and I learned how much more we have in common than just the gospel.  11 years later, I'm still there, with some dear friends.  Some of those friends I've been blessed to meet in person and some I have not yet.  But they've been a wonderful listening ear and a support.  I've learned a lot and I've learned to see past exteriors.

I definitely think blogging has strengthened my faith.  When I first began blogging (on my other blog), I really didn't share much about my faith.  Since my blog was primarily for my business, I avoided getting into controversial topics, but over time, the blog transformed and I began blogging more about my beliefs and incorporating them into my blog posts.  Not in an in-your-face proselytizing kind of way, but just letting my religion show.  And I don't think it has cost me any readers.

I think that blogging has actually strengthened my faith and given me opportunities to think about what I believe and express it in words.  When you have to put it out there for the world, you really tend to think more about what you're saying.  And then I made the big leap and signed on to Modern Molly Mormon, so now my religion really is showing on the internet.

How about you?  Do you blog?  Do you blog about faith?  Do you just follow blogs about faith?  How has having internet access and sites like this--or all those church sites up at the top--changed your faith?  Has it been good? bad? a mixed bag?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

An Incredible Edible . . .

Time for another little blast from the past today.  I've been surfing the archives and this sounded just too yummy not to share again.  Or maybe it's just because I haven't eaten breakfast yet.  But either way, Cinco de Mayo is next week and just in case you're idea impaired. . . .


If you live in Utah or have visited Utah in the past eight years, and have been outside the house in UTAH; you have probably been the beneficiary of Steve & Tricia Stanley, who started the first Cafe Rio restaurant in 1997 in St. George, Utah. (Really!? In St. George, who would have guessed?) (Also, their website is really fun to visit if you get a chance, and has all kinds of really fun and interesting information)

And they are certainly STILL a HUGE hit today here in Utah and copy cat recipes are becoming famous across the blogosphere, trying to create their renowned salads. Over the years I've received many recipes that seem to approximate the REAL thing at our local CAFE RIO restaurants. But just recently I discovered a cooking blog who has THE BEST Cafe Rio recipes of all, and believe me I've tried more than a few.  In fact, take a minute right now to go on over to Favorite Family Recipes and see all their yummy offerings.

My family has gathered together a few times in the last couple months and assembled these DELICIOUS salads using these recipes. With a little searching and preparation of ingredients, one can make a REALLY close approximation to the real thing.

They were voted by my extended family the number one requested item for our get together recently to celebrate Mother's Day. 

Yum! 

Can you smell the fresh cilantro? 

Or maybe it's those delicious fresh limes, hmmmm . . . it's making me hungry again just posting these photos.

Our assignment was to bring the creamy cilantro salad dressing (which seriously is to die for if you haven't ever tried it!) and also the cilantro lime rice. The ingredients for the dressing are pretty easy and you should probably have most of them on hand.


One tip on the dressing; if you don't want to mess with the fresh tomatillos, buy Salsa Verde which is made from tomatillos and substitute 6 heaping tablespoons for the fresh tomatillos and the jalapenos.


We always use brown rice to make the Cilantro Lime Rice. Don't think you can take a shortcut and skip making the rice - it's super easy and is DELICIOUS! You just add a little freshly squeezed lime, a bit of sugar and just chopped cilantro (smells so good!) It totally makes the rice!

Here we are finishing up the final ingredients and assembling the masterpieces.

Ahhh! Dig in - they're the best!

Hints & Tips: be sure to buy the cute little foil pans (on the baking aisle) to assemble and serve the salads in. We have tried the tortillas you cook yourself from Costco, and also the regular already cooked tortillas. Both are great, just brown in a frying pan with a little Olive oil Pam and a sprinkle of grated cheddar/Monterrey jack cheese on top. Then place in the foil pans while hot and toasty. Also, you can buy the traditional Cafe Rio mini tortilla strips that are so popular at Smith's in the produce section with the croutons. Or check any large well stocked grocery and hope you can find them because they really add a lot also.

This Latter Day Mom, just trying to "Endure to the End" one day at a time. You can follow these antics and more at Alpine Klein Bunch.

He is not here, for He is Risen.

"I testify that Jesus Christ is the literal, living Son of our literal, living God. This Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer who, under the guidance of the Father, was the Creator of heaven and earth and all things that in them are. I bear witness that He was born of a virgin mother, that in His lifetime He performed mighty miracles observed by legions of His disciples and by His enemies as well. I testify that He had power over death because He was divine but that He willingly subjected Himself to death for our sake because for a period of time He was also mortal. I declare that in His willing submission to death He took upon Himself the sins of the world, paying an infinite price for every sorrow and sickness, every heartache and unhappiness from Adam to the end of the world. In doing so He conquered both the grave physically and hell spiritually and set the human family free. I bear witness that He was literally resurrected from the tomb and, after ascending to His Father, to complete the process of that Resurrection, He appeared, repeatedly, to hundreds of disciples in the Old World and in the New. I know He is the Holy One of Israel, the Messiah who will one day come again in final glory, to reign on earth as Lord of lords and King of kings."

--Jeffrey R. Holland, The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent, Ensign, Nov. 2007, 42

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

--John 3:16

Easter Messages For You!

Happy Easter, my sisters!  I've been doodling around a bit today and created a couple of Easter wordles to share with you.  The only problem is I haven't yet figured out how to do downloads on Blogspot.  So, if you would like to have these to print and to share, please hop on over to my other blog, Improving On the Silence, where you can download them as printable JPG files.  They print as 5 x 7's.

Happy Easter!!

Sleep Matters

Today we're having a little blast from the past.  The Modern Molly Mormon Archives are stuffed full of wonderful articles, so periodically I'll be reposting a few.  Since I'm a chronic insomniac, I thought this article was particularly timely.

You may have heard the saying, "Sleep is for the weak". Tough talk. This used to be my unspoken mantra, and I will have to admit that I was even a little proud of my ability to go for extended periods (like, years), on very little sleep yet still remain functional. At least I thought I was functional. Anyone around me may have been forced to differ if asked. I was frequently whiny, depressed, klutzy, irritable and vague. And I was becoming increasingly unhealthy.

Now I talk about this as if it is in the past, but the truth is that I will always be a sleep deprivation junkie-in recovery. Almost every single night, I have an inner struggle with myself over getting enough sleep and staying up to do something else. The shift is that I now realize that staying up just isn't worth it. I have discovered that I lose at least 3 hours of productivity for every 1 hour I stay up too late the night before. It's not a good trade-off.

We are counseled by our leaders, our doctors and our mothers over and over again, to get enough sleep. President Hinckley recommended going to bed at 10pm and waking up at 6am. While we don't all have the luxury of sleeping during prescribed hours, we can all make sleep a top priority and get as much of it as possible. On the topic of how much sleep one should get, Church Welfare services states,

The question as to what is adequate for any individual has received a good deal of thought and study. The eighty-eighth section of the Doctrine and Covenants tells us that we should go to bed early so that we may arise feeling refreshed. It also cautions us not to sleep more than is needful (see D&C 88:124).

A California Human Population Study reported that people who had 7 to 8 hours of sleep were healthier than those who slept 6 hours or less and those who slept 9 hours or more. Houston, Texas aerospace studies found that most people require 7 to 8 hours of sleep in any 24-hour period of time. We know that newborn babies require up to 22 hours of sleep daily. Between the ages of one and four about 12 hours of sleep are necessary, and between ages four and twelve about 10 hours are required. Teenagers need from 8 to 10 hours, and on the average, adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep to maintain good health.

Apparently the time of day one sleeps is not important as long as it is consistent and adequate for one’s needs. Where possible, adherence to the “early to bed and early to rise” lifestyle suggested in the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C 88:124) would satisfy daily sleep needs.

As women, sleep is often the first thing to be sacrificed in times of stress. Well, no make that exercise, but sleep is a close second. Think about it. Most of us don't stop eating when we are very busy, we don't go for long periods of time without showering or brushing our teeth, but we often think nothing of adopting burning the candles at both ends as a way of life. And it's a big mistake.
Chronic sleep deprivation puts us at high risk for depression, it impairs judgment, slows response time, hinders the body's ability to heal itself and suppresses the immune system drastically. Nobody can afford to take these risks, least of all people with others dependent on them. Sleep deprivation, as we know, also decreases one's tolerance and patience levels, which can be disasterous for someone trying to deal with a newborn, or a toddler, or a pre-teen, or a teenager....or a husband, or traffic, or a boss, or co-workers..or life!

Sleep deprivation can actually shorten your life. Consider this, scientists discovered that rats who were prevented from sleeping for 2-3 weeks died. Scientist and Dr.s have discovered that chronic sleep deprivation is associated with a whole host of dangerous health conditions, one of the most common being insulin resistance which is a precursor for diabetes, a condition becoming more of an epidemic in this country all the time. Lack of sleep interferes with one's ability to metabolize sugars, but it also suppresses hormones which tell us that we are full, leading to overeating and weight gain. No fair eh? When we are tired we are also more likely to reach for comfort foods, and fast food and we know that this affects the entire family adversely.
If you are looking to make an improvement in your health, start with sleep. It is the foundation for everything else. If you are tired, how likely are you to stick to an exercise routine? And we just talked about how lack of sleep can wreak havoc with your commitment to healthy eating.


Now to be realistic, most of us have already heard all this. We all know sleep is important, but how do we actually make it happen?

1.Make a commitment to your bedtime. Tell your spouse, tell your friends, talk about it on your blog, post it on facebook. Set the DVR and put the kids to bed earlier if necessary. I have told my husband to slam my laptop shut on my typing fingers when necessary. He hasn't dared to yet. Wimp. The point is that like with any other lifestyle change, we cannot leave our bedtime to chance. We have to plan for it, and commit to it, and involving others in that commitment is likely to make us a lot more successful in sticking to it.

2. Get sleepy. Listen, I have 4 kids. Three of them were terrible, awful, horrible, no good sleepers. I have spent much of the last 10 years chronically sleep deprived. Now that my youngest is almost 5, I still rarely log a full night of zzz's. I know that many of you probably feel sleepy all the time. I also know that when you have spent an entire day being mauled and whined at by kids, you are desperate by nightfall for alone time, perhaps even more then for sleep. And alone time is crucial. But it doesn't have to be a media fix. Take your alone time in a warm bubble-bath. Due the phenomenon of cooling water and pruney fingers, we are far less likely to lose track of time in the tub then we are in front of a screen. Read a book in bed instead of watching TV. You are far more likely to get refreshing sleep when you far asleep reading a book then in front of a flickering screen.

3. Make your bedroom your haven. I am a big fan of this one, and I'm sure you have heard it before, but it is so true. When your bedroom is clean, uncluttered and serene, you will feel more relaxed falling asleep and more invigorated when you wake up. I find that it's true even for my kids. They just don't sleep well when their rooms are a mess. Mom's room often becomes a dumping ground but the opposite needs to be true. If you can keep no other space in the house clean, uncluttered and beautiful, make a commitment to your bedroom. Not only will you feel more restful there, you are more likely to want to go there earlier in the evening and stay there longer. It does not have to be fancy, just comfortable and uncluttered. Use aromatherapy, lavender is a favourite for relaxation. Clear the table next to your bed for just the essentials, put something pretty there to look at when you first wake up.


4. The usual suspects: get enough exercise and try to get some fresh air every day, make sure your room isn't too warm, don't bring work to bed with you or read/watch anything stressful or stimulating before bedtime. Don't exercise later in the evening, don't eat too much at night, steer clear of caffeine. You have heard them all before, time and time again. That's because they are true and effective.


5. Pray for help. Seriously. He wants you to succeed in life. Our Father who created our bodies, knows what they need to function properly, and He knows how important sleep is for your spirituality, too. Pray for help in being disciplined in your sleep habits, and if you are a mom to little ones, you may want to pray for more opportunities for restful sleep. But then be sure to take those opportunities when they are given to you! (Even though it really is so tempting to use that downtime for other things. )


6. Set your clock. Not your alarm clock mind you. If you are getting sufficient sleep, you probably won't need one. I am talking about your body clock. With chronic sleep deprivation and keeping weird hours, many of us have confused our bodies. Try to get sunlight as soon after you wake up as possible. Open your blinds and make the room as bright as possible. Even artificial light will help with this. It may take some time to help your body adjust to new, more wholesome hours.

7. Journal. Log your zzz-hours in a note book or calendar each day and write a few words about how you feel. If you are making sleep a priority, you will see an encouraging pattern emerge. If you aren't, you may realize how worth it may be to start.


8. Seek professional help. If you are doing all of these things and are still suffering from chronic insomnia, it is probably time to see a Dr. Not being able to sleep can signal underlying health issues and many people have benefited from sleep studies or just talking to their Dr. about their lifestyle.

Years ago, I spoke to a friend of mine, who like me, was in the stage of life of caring for several little ones, but was far more productive then I was in the mornings. I commented that I "just wasn't a morning person". To which she replied, "you would be, if you went to bed early enough".

Time and time again, her words have been proven true. I am so much more effective and efficient in the early morning hours when I have had enough sleep, then I am when I try to stay up too late to get things done. I'm not the fastest study and it has taken me some time, but I am slowly starting to truly understand that instead of being for the weak, sleep is indeed, for the wise.
Here's to greeting the day feeling great!

PS: My testimony of sleep was strengthened this morning, when I discovered that this article, which I had worked on for several days, had disappeared overnight. Poof! Love it when that happens. I had to recreate it, verbatim from memory, in a very short period of time. If I hadn't gone to bed at a reasonable time last night, I can assure you, this would have been impossible. Since I did, here is a reasonable facsimile, (although bear in mind that it was absolutely brilliant before ;)
Images courtesy:

www.potterybarn.com,W
readersdigest.com

Kirsty is a lifelong member of the church from South Africa, living in Ohio with her husband and four children. Visit her at her personal blog, Momedy.

Learning to Trust

"This life is an experience in profound trust--trust in Jesus Christ, trust in His teachings, trust in our capacity as led by the Holy Spirit to obey those teachings for happiness now and for a purposeful, supremely happy eternal existence. To trust means to obey willingly without knowing the end from the beginning (see Prov. 3:5-7). To produce fruit, your trust in the Lord must be more powerful and enduring than your confidence in your own personal feelings and experience.

"To exercise faith is to trust that the Lord knows what He is doing with you and that He can accomplish it for your eternal good even though you cannot understand how He can possibly do it. We are like infants in our understanding of eternal matters and their impact on us here in mortality. Yet at times we act as if we knew it all. When you pass through trials for His purposes, as you trust Him, exercise faith in Him, He will help you.

That support will generally come step by step, a portion at a time. While you are passing through each phase, the pain and difficulty that comes from being enlarged will continue. If all matters were immediately resolved at your first petition, you could not grow. Your Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son love you perfectly. They would not require you to experience a moment more of difficulty than is absolutely needed for your personal benefit or for that of those you love." 

- Richard G. Scott

I found this quote on my computer today.  I don't remember when I downloaded it or why.  But it seems fitting. I've never been good at trusting, at least not trusting in the Lord.  I was kind of raised with a do-it-yourself mentality, and somehow that extended to believing the Lord was willing to bless me with what I need.  After all, I'm just me and nobody special that I should warrant special blessings from the Lord.  It's taken me a lot of years and some hard experiences to realize that I'm not a nobody special to the Lord--and it's still something that I have to remind myself.

How about you?  How do you do with trusting in the Lord?  Or are you/were you a DIY'er like me?

Joy In the Journey

I've been thinking a lot about faith and trust lately.

I've certainly  needed to exercise it.

Life is such a roller coaster and I have never been keen on surprises.
I've also been a perfectionist and it took me many years to realize how self-destructive perfectionism is.  Being a perfectionist has kept me from achieving many of my goals and now I'm playing catch-up.
I tell people now that I am a recovering perfectionist (sounds like it needs a 12-step program, doesn't it?).  I have had to work very hard to let go of the need to have everything just right.  I have learned that good enough really is, sometimes, good enough.  It's something I have to contstantly remind myself .  I am a champion second-guesser.

I have learned that I can't control everything in my life and I definitely can't control the outcome of every situation.  And I am learning, step by step, that it is ok to move forward not knowing not only the outcome, but how I'm going to get to that outcome.  As I do that, I am finding that my goals are moving within my grasp.  I am finding the joy in finally really working and making progress to realize dreams and goals I have left unfulfilled and unaccomplished for too many years.

I have photographed many roads over the years.  Apparently, it's one of the subjects I am drawn to, though I've never really thought about it before now.

Occasionally, I will find one of those long, straight roads that seems to go on forever, but most of the roads I photograph look like this.  You can see up the road a little way and then it curves and you can't see beyond that.  And I look at them and wonder, what's up there?  What will I find?  What will I see?

And I've realized that the road of life is very much like my road images.  Sometimes it seems like you can see forever down that road, and then it goes so far that you can't see it anymore.  But it's straight and it's smooth and when you are looking so far down the road it seems to be free of bumps and dips and twists and turns.  It looks so easy and peaceful, even though my logical mind tells me that may not be the case.
But sometimes, the road bends and it is only a few steps before what comes next is beyond our view.  And the road isn't so smooth.  There are many bumps and dips and twists and turns and we can't just fly down the road for fear of flying off when we hit one of those bumps.

Interestingly enough, I find that the roads that twist and turn call to me much more than the seemingly straight and smooth one I can see so far on.

We have to take our journey on faith.  Our steps are not random, nor should they be.  I know there is a plan and we have a guide and He knows the road and we need to trust Him and trust ourselves.  This is not something I have been good at, and so I've been given many opportunities to learn how to trust our Heavenly Father over the past couple of years.  And I am learning.  When I have enough faith and patience, every time I am blessed with what I need when I truly need it and not just when I want it or think I need it.  I am learning over and over that Heavenly Father really does know what we need better than we know ourselves.

 And not only do we need to have courage and move forward, but we need to enjoy the journey.  We need to look not only forward to where we are going, but we need to be sure we are enjoying the scenery along the way.  My adventurous children will be the first to tell you that bumpy roads are fun--and they are when you relax and recognize that that the bumps and the dips are part of the road and part of the journey.

May you find the faith you need to continue to the journey and the faith you need to find the joy along the way.

By the way, you can find this poster in my Art Store if it inspires you, too.

Thought-Provoking Thursday

I've been thinking about adding a few features to the blog, so I'm throwing out a new one for you today.

I'd really like to see more discussion here; I really hate it when my inbox echoes.  I know there are sisters out there who have opinions, who have questions, who have things they'd like to talk about--and it doesn't always work to chat with someone in the hall on Sunday.

So, I'm going to try and start a new feature.  I think we'll call it "Thought-Provoking Thursday."  I'll start this week looking for some feedback from conference.  And I'll welcome sisters who want to suggest topics for this column (you can e-mail me at marielesliephoto@gmail.com if you want to talk to me about it), I'll welcome sisters who'd like to guest post this column on occasion.  I'm also looking for guest posters on just about any topic that interests you and you think might interest your sisters--just drop me an e-mail.  Really.

So, conference was a couple of weeks ago.  By now, most of us who have the internet have had a chance to review at least a conference talk or two.  I didn't watch all of conference, but I've been working my way through the sessions that I didn't see (I love my DVR) and there were some pretty amazing messages.  We certainly have heard some chatter online and some feedback about some of the "bigger" topics, like marriage and service, among others.

President Uchtdorf's talk "Waiting on the Road to Damascus" was one that made me stop and think.  I'd like to think I'm pretty good at providing service, but in reality, I know that I'm much better at it when it's convenient for me or when I'm "in the mood."  And as far sharing the gospel, I'm really not as good at that as I could or should be.  I'm definitely media savvy, and I have the opportunity, so I've been pondering a lot on why it is that I don't share more and thinking about what I need to do to make some changes in my life.

What stood out to you at conference?  What talk really made you think?  Was there something said that has prompted a change in your life?  Was there something said that caused you to say "what?!"  Did you hear something really unexpected and you're still trying to process it?  I'd love to hear from you.

And if you think this is the dumbest idea you've heard all week -- I'd still like to hear from you.

Changing The World

I've been hunting for a job for a while and on one of the job applications I was asked to explain how I've changed the world.

My first thought, of course, is that I am one person and cannot change the whole world, but after thinking for a while, I realize I have changed the world.  My very presence here changes the world in ways I cannot necessarily define.  The whole world may not know it, but if I had never been here the world would be a different place, just as it would be a different place if you had never been here.  Each person who is or ever has been on this planet changes it in some way, so the real question is, "are you changing the world for good or for bad?"

I gave some serious thought into the ways my being here changes the world.  I don't want to simply passively change the world, but hope I am seeking to do all that I can to actively change the world and make it a better place both now and for generations to come.  I hope when I am gone, that those who remain will believe that I have changed the world for good.

So, how am I changing the world?

I change the world by providing comfort to grieving families in creating for them beautiful and priceless memories of the children who left them too soon.   I change the world by comforting those in need of comfort,  by being a listening ear for those who need to be listened to and by providing a shoulder to lean on and a hand up for those who need them.

I change the world by helping young women (and young men) to recognize they are as beautiful and amazing on the outside as they are on the inside and helping to develop their self-confidence.  I change the world by helping young people to discover and develop skills and talents and the confidence to share those talents with the world.  I change the world by bringing into it children who are growing into creative,  intelligent and interesting human beings who will have the opportunity to change the world in their lifetimes in ways that I cannot even begin to imagine.

I change the world by developing the virtues of truth, honesty, integrity, compassion and love, by incorporating those principles into my life and by modeling them for and teaching them to the people with whom I come in contact.

I change the world by seeking and creating joy and then seeking to spread that joy to those around me.

I am changing the world every day by doing my best to develop the talents and I have been given and in finding ways to use those talents to bless the lives of others.  I am changing the world by being a person of integrity.

How are you changing the world?

This post is adapted from one I wrote for my personal blog Improving on the Silence a few months ago.

The Day We Get Ready for Sunday

"Saturday is a special day, 

it's the day we get ready for Sunday.

We clean the house, and we shop at the store, 

so we won't have to work until Monday.

We brush our clothes and we shine our shoes 

and we call it our get-the-work-done day.

Then we trim our nails, and we shampoo our hair, 

so we can be ready for Sunday."

 Primary Children's Songbook, p.196

I woke up with the song running through my head this morning.  Maybe because it's Saturday morning and I have a long to-do list today.  I think that's what happens when I don't have specific Saturday plans.

I remember this song from Primary as a kid--boy, those Primary songs stick with you, don't they?  It definitely wasn't one of my favorites.  Even back then I didn't like the idea that Saturday was a day to work all day.  No school, mom and dad are home, shouldn't we doing fun things like going to the zoo or the beach or playing with our friends?

I am always trying to get my kids to get their weekly chores done before Saturday morning.  I try to have all my stuff done before Saturday, too.  I don't like to spend every Saturday working in the house.  Hubby's off work and I don't like spending Saturdays with a long to-do list.  I like to be outdoors, go hiking, go exploring--and I really don't like grocery shopping on Saturdays.  It's too crowded.  Everyone else on the planet--or at least in Colorado--seems to be in my grocery store on Saturdays.

But it is Saturday and there are still chores to be done.  I like working on Sunday even less than Saturday, though my Sundays aren't exactly a model of "Sunday" behavior.  I don't wear my Sunday clothes all day, I don't spend all day doing genealogy or reading the scriptures or writing missionaries.  We do make them different.  I try to work with my teenage daughters on Personal Progress on Sunday mornings (we have late church this year), I try to make less labor-intensive meals (though my family is still big on "Sunday dinners" so it has to be something special), I try to avoid the laundry room like it's been quarantined, we don't watch TV at all before church, unless there's a need to check on the morning weather report, we don't play computer and video games and we don't do chores or go to the store or other activities like that.  I encourage my girls (ok, it's a house rule) to take their showers on Saturday night.  That's really a matter of self-preservation.  I'm a morning shower person and I want to be sure I get hot water.  When everyone showers in the morning, I either have to get up way too early or I get the cold shower.

I do spend some of my Sundays writing and reading, going over young women lessons (I don't normally teach, but I like to be familiar with the lesson so I can contribute if needed, or if I need to sub at the last minute) and writing in my journal.  I'm big on the journal, but that's for another post.

But this is really not a post about Sunday; it's about getting ready for Sunday, so it can be a day of rest (leadership meetings, regular church meetings and youth meetings aside).

Back to Saturday.

Thankfully, no one is playing sports right now--other than church volleyball--so our Saturdays are not taken up with games and practices.  In the fall, #3 will be in marching band, and that will make a dent in our "free" time.  I rarely work on Saturdays since I'm not photographing a lot weddings at the moment, but that could always change.  We're getting ready to plant a garden and fruit trees, but the sun sets late here ( I LOVE Colorado summers) and hubby gets home from work early, so we try and work in the yard in the evenings, but there will definitely be some Saturdays in the yard--but at least we'll be outside and I don't mind that so much.  Besides, I'm excited to have a garden and fruit trees again.

I try and spread the "getting ready for Sunday" activities throughout my week, especially laundry and cleaning and grocery shopping--did I mention I don't like grocery shopping on Saturday?

Do you spend Saturday doing chores and laundry and shopping so you "can be ready for Sunday?"  Or do you have some method of getting it all done during the week so Saturday can be a family day?  How does it work at your house--or does it?  Do you have any great ideas to share or do you need some help?

Let's talk.

Have We Done Any Good in the World Today?

I’ve been waiting for the transcripts of conference to be published.  I heard different ideas and quotes that caught my attention during conference, but I am always hesitant to write about them until I’ve read the transcripts to make sure that I heard what I thought I heard.

Today I thought I would share a couple of messages that caught my attention.  This really was going to be more of an overview, but once I started writing, I realized it needed to go in another direction, so I guess this will be part of a series about thoughts on conference.

One thing I have learned is that sometimes the things that stick with me, the ideas that pop into my head, may not actually be quotes from our leaders or even something they specifically said.  Sometimes just listening to conference or reading the talks (I tend to get more from the reading than the watching—it’s just how my brain works) sparks an idea that that doesn’t seem to be related at all to what they were talking about (I believe that’s why it’s called personal revelation).

The conference subject that really called to me today was service.  There were many talks of service—service in our homes, service in the church, service in the community.  Clearly, with all the craziness happening today, the world truly has need of willing men (and women—maybe even more so women) to step up and be a force for good.  This doesn’t mean we need to do huge, amazing impressive things like starting charities or finding a cure for cancer.  There are opportunities all around us.  

As M. Russell Ballard said, “The love the Savior described is an active love. It is not manifested through large and heroic deeds but rather through simple acts of kindness and service. . . . Great things are wrought through simple and small things. Like the small flecks of gold that accumulate over time into a large treasure, our small and simple acts of kindness and service will accumulate into a life filled with love for Heavenly Father, devotion to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a sense of peace and joy each time we reach out to one another.”

I was amazed at how many talks had an underlying theme of serving and service.  I have always thought of us as a service-oriented people, but apparently it’s time for us to step up our game.

I do some service, both in the community and in the church.  I will admit that sometimes when I get the call to serve, I do not always respond with the joyful heart I should have. Sometimes I hesitate, hoping someone else will step up or I talk myself out of it, occasionally with a legitimate excuse, but more often not. I know I need to do better, because I have never regretted answering the call to serve.

What did you hear from conference?  And how do you feel about service?   What do you think?  Are there ways in which we are lacking in our service?  Are there things we can do better?  What are some ways that you are serving or that you would like to serve?  I’d really love to hear from all of you and hear your thoughts.

Change--Or Letting Go of My Inner Control Freak

Change seems to be about the only constant in my life these days.  Every time I turn around there's something new for me to get used to.

In the past year, I've changed homes, I've changed states, I've changed wards, I've changed callings.  I've even begun changing careers.  About the only thing I haven't changed is my hair color--and that might have to change soon since I think they discontinued my favorite shade.

I don't mind change, I think.  Change is good, right?  Change for the sake of change--not so much.  I'm not big on surprises, though.  I tend to be a bit of a control freak (yeah, I know. Understatement.)  so I'd like to pick the changes, but somehow it rarely works that way.  I get to pick a few changes--like my hair color, but I have definitely learned that it's not always my agenda here with the changes.

Change really is good.  It's not a good things to get too entrenched in our comfort zones.  We don't grow much in that cozy place.

I have definitely had some opportunities for growth here--and as much as I hate to admit, I have learned a lot and become better for it.

So, what have I learned?

Well, first I've learned to have more faith and to trust that the Lord knows way more than I do and knows what I need better than I do (I'm pretty sure it has something to do with that big picture thing).

When my husband left for Colorado, I believed everyone who told me my adorable house would sell in no time and we'd be enjoying the summer in Colorado.  After all, I'd done all the right things to get it ready to sell and we knew this job and this move was right.  We did enjoy summer in Colorado--but it was the summer of 2010, not the summer of 2009.  Yep, it took a full 12 months (almost to the day) to sell our house.  A whole year of quasi-single parenthood, of waiting and hoping and praying and whining (quietly, but yes, it was whining) and being humbled before we ended up in the house, in the neighborhood, in the ward, where the Lord needed us.

And, as I look back with that glorious 20-20 hindsight, I can see how my faith in the Lord has grown and how all of these changes have helped to prepare me for the constant stream of changes that have come along since.

The other thing I have learned is the "the Lord will provide" is not just a platitude.  He really does.

Each time over the past two years when I have exercised patience (no small stretch here--no one has ever accused me of having an abundance of patience) and faith, the things we have really needed in our lives have come along when we really needed them--and when we were ready to receive them with gratitude.  Learning to recognize this has made me a mellower person and I am learning to not waste my time with worry when I could be doing better and more productive things.

And finally, I have learned that gratitude is truly a blessing.  When I remember to look for the silver lining and express gratitude for it, the silver lining becomes more than just a lining.

And I am learning to enjoy change and even look forward to it--which is a good thing because those changes just keep coming.
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So, what changes have you embraced in the past--and what have they taught you?

Molly meets the 21st Century

What does it mean to be an LDS Woman in the 21^st Century?  I’ve been thinking about this question for a while now, especially since Jia and I started talking about my taking over this blog.

I feel a great deal of responsibility here.  I really do want this blog to be the place where we come to strengthen and be strengthened by one another.  A place where we can talk about all the things that go along with being a Modern Molly.  I know I can’t do it all myself.  There was a time in my life when I would have felt it was my responsibility and felt compelled to be all things to all people.  But I am older and wiser (at least a little—on both counts) and I am a recovering perfectionist, so I know better than to go there.

But life is definitely not what it was when our mothers were our age.  The world was a different place then.  Many mothers, maybe even most mothers didn’t work outside the home—I’m not entirely sure as my mother has worked pretty much as long as I can remember—and now it is more the rule than the exception to be a working mother (yes, I know that all mothers work and that being at home all day can be much, MUCH harder than being out in the world with other grown-ups and all that stuff, so let’s not go there, ok?).

The church has changed in many ways, too, at least socially.  The doctrine is still the same.  We haven’t had any huge, earth-shattering revelations in the last 25 years, but policies and programs have changed.  We don’t go to Relief Society on weekday mornings any more.  We only go to church once each Sunday (unless you’re in Young Women and then there are presidency meetings and ward council and firesides, so you LIVE at church on Sunday).  We have access to wonderful resource and research materials online.  I’m pretty sure the internet was almost non-existent when my mother was my age.  We’ve been through Home, Family & Personal Enrichment, then Enrichment and now it’s Relief Society meetings again.

The world has also changed.  There are social issues that our mothers (or maybe our grandmothers) would never have dreamed of.  I could spend all day on that, but you all already know what they are and you’re dealing with them—or not—in your own way.  I don’t want this to be political.  Let’s just say I’m tired of everyone being hateful and mean to everyone who doesn’t share their views.  Sheesh.

So, back to being 21^st Century LDS Women (you’ll find I am easily distracted), I found this great quote by Sheri L. Dew from the October 1999 General Conference:

To the world, my grandma was ordinary. But to me, she represents the unsung heroines of [the 20^th] century who lived up to their premortal promises and left a foundation of faith upon which we may build. Grandma wasn’t perfect, but she was a woman of God. Now it is for you and for me to carry forward the banner into the next century. We are not women of the world. We are women of God. And women of God will be among the greatest heroines of the 21st century. As President Joseph F. Smith proclaimed, it is not for us “to be led by the women of the world; it is for [us] to lead … the women of the world, in everything that is praise-worthy” (Teachings,184).

So, how are we coping with life and religion in the 21^st century?  What brings you joy?  What makes you crazy?  What pushes your buttons?  What challenges you?  Tell me.  Let’s talk about it, because I’m pretty sure whatever it is, you’re not the only one.

Oh, and conference is this weekend.  Let’s talk about that, too.  Tell us what message resonates with you from the many good ones we’re going to hear this weekend.