Soul Carving

  "This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it." - Ralph Waldo Emerson I am a contradiction. Spontaneous and thoughtful. Energetic, yet reserved. Dreamy, though realistic. Bubbly, but at the same time, grounded. I'm sure most of you have felt the same way at times. It makes for some interesting inner dialogue. And it's not about good vs. evil - I'm not referring to the light and dark in each of us. Just the simple quirks of personality which make our lives interesting, though sometimes irritating. You see, I'm not philosiphizing over moral issues so much as attempting to choose the best of the many good things that are at my fingertips. In this information age, the vast opportunities we have can be both a blessing and a curse. Friday is open. Should I take the kids to that new indoor playground to let them release some of that pent-up winter energy? Or maybe we could spend the day inside building a pillow fort? Oh...

       Free concerts are music to my ears - even more so when they are designed with families in mind! I was lucky enough to discover one such concert advertised on BYU's website last year. Even though admission was free, online registration was still required. I scored 7 tickets for the whole family (no ticket required for baby!) to enjoy a Saturday morning of Jazz music.        The concert hall was crowded with families. We encourage respectful and quiet attention from our children during performances like this, but it was a big stress-reliever, knowing that should any of the little ones grow restless, we'd have a more sympathetic audience this time! Usher's handed out booster seats so we each had a comfortable view of the band. And one added bonus which I love about attending BYU performances, was the opening prayer. I love that it helps my children recognize the source of all our blessings in...