Soul Carving

How to Live  through a pandemic With the closure of many schools and workplaces, I see a lot of posts about the difficulty of being with our kids and family more than usual lately. I totally get it (I'm a homeschooling mom of eight -- believe me, I get it!). So what I say is not meant to shame anyone or heap more guilt upon weary souls. But I want to state very clearly my beliefs on this matter -- even if I have trouble practicing what I preach at times.  When our patience is wearing thin and we find ourselves pining for a return to normalcy, remember this: God gave you these children. He didn't give them to the school teacher, or the district administrator, the childcare expert, or the pediatrician. They are your divine charge for "wise purposes, which purposes are known unto the Lord." (1 Ne. 19:3). So instead of fretting over our supposed inadequacies, or complaining about the sacrifices involved, why not turn to the Lord to learn a bit more...

Since I last posted: We've discovered we're going to have another little one join our family. I've spent 2 months enduring grueling morning sickness and effectively hiding from the world until emerging relieved and thankful at the start of my second trimester. I've taken part in a world-wide conference where I obtained inspiration on how to find happiness and fulfill my own, unique destiny. (As a result of the conference, I've also discovered a latent super-power which I'm learning to hone!) I've started a Women's Scripture Study group in my community which meets weekly to discuss truths learned from God's word. My sweetheart and I have celebrated 16 years of marriage. We've driven nearly 3,400 miles across seven states to visit family.  I've published another article at A Voice of Gladness detailing my personal experiences learning about God's grace.  I've also done about 100 loads of laundry, ch...