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...

   The birth of my eighth child is now less than a month away. My body is swollen and at times aches from the precious load it bears. More and more frequently I find myself pausing duirng the day to catch my breath, both literally as well as figuratively.  Ascending the stairs -- pause -- gently massage my belly as I slowly and loudly exhale, like blowing out the candles on a birthday cake.   Hearing the sudden spurts of joyful laughter from my 2 year old as Daddy or an older sibling tickles and plays with her -- pause -- focus in on this one moment and savor it.  The atmosphere of our home feels pungent now, ripe with wonder and anticipation.    Many things are different this time around. We opted not to have an ultrasound this time. That alone has heightened our anticipation tenfold! It's our first time using a midwife instead of an obstetric group. She comes to me, making prenatal visits in my own home. What a perfect fit -- no need to...

  "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...

        The way I see it, we're all soul-searching. No matter who we are or where we live, at the most basic level, what we are all truly seeking is to be happy. And it is my humble opinion that this quest is not as complicated or challenging as we often make it out to be.         Abraham Lincoln is attributed with the wise words, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." The  concentration camp survivor and  author of "Man's Search for Meaning", Victor Frankl said, "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." And in the classic children's novel "Pollyanna" by Eleanor H.Porter, the reverend Ford is inspired by these words, "When you look for the bad, expecting it, you will get it. When you know you will find the good - you will get that."        I'm not saying th...

          We discovered a wonderful park, hemmed in by the regal mountains on one side  and an inviting creek trail on the other.        It was a beautiful day, filled with so many of the things I love. And it seemed Heaven agreed. Just look at the love note I found waiting for me along the trail. . .      I believe we all receive love notes along our way, though sometimes they're not as easy to spot. But I think I'll keep a sharper lookout from now on. On those days when nothing seems to go as I've planned, I'll open my eyes to the many coincidences that have taken place. A favorite song that comes on the radio at just that moment when I'm feeling I've been stuffed in the car too long. A murmured "thank you" from a grateful child when I thought no one had noti...

"Autumn.  The excitement of it beat in her blood. Every morning she woke with a new confidence and buoyancy she could not explain. In October, any wonderful, unexpected thing might be possible."  Elizabeth George Speare  from, The Witch of Blackbird Pond     You remember that overpowering tingling sensation you had as a child while you stirred restlessly under the covers on Christmas Eve? Or that mixture of excitement and anxiety bubbling inside as you laid out your clothes in preparation for the first day of school? That's the feeling I get when I smell the first hint of Autumn on the breeze.      Every season has its redeeming qualities, I suppose. Winter, when it's not too menacing offers an opportunity of rest for all living, growing things. Yet, when the dreary days drag on, limp and gray, as if the sun can only manage to open one eyelid, I sometimes wonder why we don't spend the season in hibernation as many other creatures choo...

     The morning had not started well. I'd made the mistake of saying good morning to the children and telling them it was time for breakfast. This was met with outbursts of how unfair it was that they never  had any time to play and how I was always  interrupting their games with such trivial things.      Well, excuse me for living.      I felt the anger rising in me. A dozen accusations bubbled in my mind, threatening to spew out in spiteful words from my lips. It was early enough that my husband had not left for work yet. So, biting my tongue and clenching my fists, I burst out the front door and into the morning air in hopes of releasing that pent up frustration.      I walked briskly, determination in each step. I'm so sick of this! How can they be so ungrateful? The list of injustices began to multiply in my mind. But I knew, I had a choice to make. I could continue my tirade and succeed in making this a long...