Flowers In My Pot

Father save me

2010-08-31T17:53:00.000-07:00

John 12:27
"Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour."

That's my favorite scripture lately. Sometimes we all want to quit. Sometimes we all want to give up or escape even for a moment from our lives. But deep down, when I really think about it, I'm glad for where I am. I want to be a mother, a sister, a wife, a friend, a daughter...
I want all the moments that are my life, the good and the hard things. At times my soul is troubled, but what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour... Though at times I wish for relief, my cause, my purpose, my hearts truest desire is to love, to serve, to learn, and to live. Jesus wanted to save us, even though He knew it would be hard. May we follow Him.

Fate

2010-06-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried to live in such a way that you believed that everything that happened to you was some how fate? As if, every bad thing that happened to you was somehow protecting you from something worse, or leading you to something better. I think I used to be pretty good at this. I can remember when my oldest was very young and I had mixed up a fresh pitcher of juice only to spill the entire container on the kitchen floor minutes later. Frustrating...yes, but not impeding of all happiness. As I toweled it up, and then mopped the floor to get all the sticky up, I remember thinking, maybe God was saving us, especially my little toddler, from unseen bacteria or other germs on the floor. Maybe every time you hit every red light as your driving somewhere God is really saving you from that crazy driver who would have hit your car. Maybe every time you loose you keys (even when you always put them in the same place), or your toddler poops his pants right before it's time to go, God is saving you. Maybe every time you can't go because one of your kids is sick or you can't find a sitter, God is trying to teach you something. Maybe every time you try to do something nice for someone you love or who is in need and it ends up a mess, God is taking care of it. Maybe every time you get sick or hurt, God is really helping you. I really believe that God is saving us, teaching us and taking care of us and everyone else, even when everything in life seems frustrating or irritating or never to work out. I don't always understand, but I'm grateful for it.

This week I've been trying to keep that perspective. I find that instead of feeling angry...I can feel grateful, and instead of feeling frustration...I can feel peace.

Rain

2010-05-10T20:41:00.000-07:00

Today I cleaned out the gutters around my house. It's supposed to rain all week. The light outside in stormy weather is something to behold. Tonight it cast an orange-ish glow over my part of the world. It was beautiful. The colors in my yard were vivid and bright, almost like when you wear those amber tinted sunglasses.

While I was making dinner my girly was drawing at the table, waiting for me to come draw butterflies with her. She was getting things ready and said, "Here, I'll move your chair closer to mine, because we love each other."

Everyone was in a good mood today . . . maybe it's the rain . . . maybe because we're just so close to summer.

I'm glad for the rain and the thunder. My plants were thirsty and my soul needs the rumble.

Blooming Berries & Stuff

2010-04-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

My blackberries are in full bloom. In a few weeks they'll be covered with berries. I can't wait! Blackberry bushes are the meanest plants that I know of. They are entirely coated in thorns...the stems, leaves, everything. It's like the plants know how good their berries are and set up this massive defence system. I understand the bush is just taking care of it's own.
My first crop of blackberries was smallish and I wasn't sure what to do with them, but last year I found my favorite cobbler recipe, and I was able to make Blackberry cobbler throughout the winter with my frozen berries. I'm expecting to get a good haul this year. I should have plenty to freeze and share. Yippee!!

Last year I planted three blueberry bushes. They are making berries too, but they are pretty small and won't probably give me more that one recipe of muffins worth this year. I'm hoping they will get really well established this year so maybe, next year, I'll have a bunch of berries.

At Lowe's this weekend I picked up four more plants. I got two raspberry bushes and two seedless grape vines. They were on clearance for $1 each. They look like dead sticks right now, but I really hope they will grow. Sometimes I have planted things that looked like they would never survive and then, to my great pleasure, they did. Whenever I plant seeds, I wonder over the potential life that sleeps within them. Some plants seem so healthy and beautiful and then croak a month later. I think there are many lessons we can learn from growing things. At times we as people, might seem like those dead stick bushes I bought. We still have some life left deep inside and we just need nourishing and time to grow.

I don't have a particular garden spot in my yard. I just plant things where I think they will be happiest and grow. If I find that a plant isn't happy where I planted it, I dig it up and move it somewhere else. I do what I think will work, it doesn't always, but I keep trying. When I first started growing things I lost more plants than I managed to keep alive. Sometimes it was because I tried to force things to grow in places they didn't want to, but other times it just wasn't meant to be. I have learned that not every plant is for me and my gardening. I choose plants that are pretty hardy, don't need to be watered too often, and will come back year after year with very little encouragement. :)

I love spring. It brings me flowers every year.

Pucker Up

2010-04-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I picked up my girly from school and she proclaimed, "Today I kissed-did lots of kids on the playground." I asked her how many, but I think she wasn't counting. She then says, "I tried to kiss T..."
I asked, "Did he run too fast?"
"Yea."
She was sick all week, and yesterday was her first day back. It was probably good they ran...Hahaha. But really, who could resist this face??

I think she had fun playing kiss chase.

Dance

2010-04-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

Two days ago I unleashed my silly self while pumping gas. Someones radio was blaring and I just danced right there in the parking lot. My dark side said, "You're being ridiculous," but my light side laughed and said, "I don't care!" When I got back in my car the lady in front of me smiled. I didn't notice anyone watching me, but I think she may have glimpsed my groove. :)
Last night my little girly was playing near me and suddenly announced, "Ach, I gotta go pee!" She jumped up and then started to shake her hips and wave her arms and said, "I'm gonna dance to the potty." And she did. I laughed at that girl I love, who is my hearts dear friend. Sometimes I am lonely for people and friends, but I am glad for my children who are my friends, and that I can be a friend to myself. My best friend that is myself, tells me to laugh more, love more, and live more.

Run Free

2010-04-08T11:13:00.001-07:00

Lately I've been in a little bit of a tired and gloomy mood, even though I have no great excuses for feeling that way. Actually I can understand my tiredness, but the gloomer has got to go. I got home from picking up kids yesterday and looked at the yard with all it's new green springing up, and I wanted to run free with the spring. Spring whispered in my ear, "Just run around the trees a time or two." My kids had all gone inside, and so I threw my cares to the wind and ran around my front yard. By the time I lapped the second tree I had to laugh at myself.
Today I'm wondering, if joy is really so far away from us when we feel trapped by the gloomer. The simple things keep the gloomer at bay. The easy little things that children have an innate sense of. When my little children feel down or sad, often I try to do something silly to help cheer them up. We tickle, tell funny stories, or play. Maybe I need to unleash my silliness more often.

I'm disturbing

2010-02-23T13:46:00.000-08:00

One day this month, I was in the kitchen working, and I heard Apple tell Redwood, "Hey, let's go disturb Mom." This was followed by giggles. They ran into the kitchen and back out again. I thought it a bit funny that "disturbing Mom" would be a fun idea. A minute later Apple came back in and said in a most complimentary voice, "Mom you're so disturbing." Ash, my oldest, was standing next to me at the time and erupted into laughter. I am grateful for the sound of my children's laughter. It is one of my most precious possessions.

A friend

2009-10-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

This morning I was standing on my porch watching for the school bus that would come to take one of my treasures to school. I was lost in my thoughts in the cool morning when I heard a retching sound. I look up and across the street where I saw my neighbor standing next to her drive way, heaving. Sitting on the trunk of her car was a large bowl and towel. I wondered if I shouldn't walk over to see if I could do anything. Contagious thoughts accosted me. I then noticed that our neighbor next door to her, with whom I knew she was a close friend, started her car and began to pull out. I knew she would pass by my sick neighbor on her way down our street. Just as I expected, she paused at the end of my sick neighbors driveway. My sick neighbor was then leaning on the back of her car with her head down. She slowly stood, picked up her bowl and towel, and walked over to my other neighbors car. I realized then that my well neighbor was likely giving my sick neighbor a ride to the doctor. In that moment, my eyes stung with hot tears. I felt touched by their friendship and caring for one another. Oh, how precious is a good friend. A friend willing to help, willing to care, willing to drive us to the doctors' office when we're not well.

I'm grateful for every friend I've ever had.

True Beauty

2009-10-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

I recently, not on purpose, came across both of these videos. I liked them. So they are here...

I really like Mandisa. I'm not much of a TV watcher, so I never saw her on American Idol, but I like to hear her on the radio when I'm out and about. I thought this song was fun and soo true.

Sleepy Brains

2009-10-23T06:12:00.000-07:00

My watch has an alarm which I set for 8:00am. It does its', "Beep, beep, beep...," thing every morning when I am driving home after dropping my Ash at school. Yesterday morning it was raining, so I had the wipers on, and it was darkish and gray. So I'm driving down the road, when like clockwork my watch starts its' beeping. For whatever reason, my brain said, "What's that? Maybe it's the wipers?" I reached over to turn off the wipers and then remembered it was raining. Then my astounding intuition said, "Maybe it's the headlights?" Come on now, do your headlights have a beeping alarm? I flipped the headlight switch and then suddenly my brain turned on and said, "IT'S YOUR WATCH!" I had to laugh at myself. I hope I'm not setting a new trend for myself. I'm a good driver, really.

Wordfull Wednesday: Names

2009-10-21T16:13:00.000-07:00

My name is Lora. I've never really thought it was very special (Sorry, Mom). My parents just liked the name, and so I got it. It's not that I don't like my name, but it's always just been my name. Lora means something like "laurel wreath." When I was young and fascinated by the meanings of words and names, learning that my name meant a wreath made of laurel, was not very exciting or mysterious. I like mysterious. I like depth. I just did a google and found a meaning I've never seen before under Anglo-Saxon as, "Small sage one." I found it here.
So, that's me, the small, sage, laurel wreath.

To read more Wordfull Wednesday posts by other bloggers out there click here.

Feeling Fall

2009-10-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

The weather today refreshes my soul. Yesterday was beautiful too. I decided to take the week "off". My Persimmon is out of town this week, and I have a cold; the stuffy, coughy, sleepy kind.

Yesterday morning when I went out to drive Ash to school I thought, "Wow, it's beautiful outside." It made me want to write poetry. It's the first day this fall that has provoked that deep feeling within in my soul that makes me feel like singing songs of happiness. It was late this year. Usually I get the feeling in September sometime, and it's mid-October but I'm grateful it came. I smiled at the sky and the sun shining. I smiled at the wind and the trees waving their branches. I smiled at the leaves changing colors. I smiled at the day and thought, that even if some misfortune came my way, it wouldn't seem so bad on a day like today. I love the fall. I love spring too. I think because of feelings of newness, of freshening, of change, of possiblility, and hope that comes with the constancy of the changing seasons. No matter how simmering the summer or chilling the winter, a respite will come again on days like today, when the sun feels warm and the winds swirl around me, making me wish I could fly.

My favorite fall color is red. I also love the yellow, when it's especially bright. Actually, I really like the deep bright oranges too.

Can you see my doves?

2009-10-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

Fall Quilt Festival

2009-10-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

Amy at Park City Girl is hosting a Fall Quilt Festival. Apparently she did one in the spring as well. There are lots of give-a-ways so I thought I'd repost my favorite quilt so far.

This is a wall quilt that I finished last year. I call it Garden At My Window. I machine pieced it and then quilted it by hand. I got the idea from a book called Watercolor Quilts by Pat Maixner Margaret and Donna Slusser. It was the first sewing book that I ever bought, and I even paid full price for it, which if you know me, you know how remarkable that really is. I love watercolor quilts. It's kind of like painting with fabrics. The little squares are each two inches. If you could see up close you could see how uneven my seams are, but I decided once a while back that my quilts are just imperfect on purpose. No matter how hard I try to be perfect at it, I end up having to fudge them here or there. But I still like my quilts imperfections and all! I also like to embroider dove outlines on my watercolor quilts here and there. They just seem to belong there to me. I love flowers and windows and light that comes in them. This quilt combines those elements for me.

Nothing to Say...

2009-09-07T14:05:00.000-07:00

A long time ago I wrote down a quote that goes like this: "Blessed is the man who having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact." (George Eliot)

I've always remember that quote and have tried to implement it into my life skills. Sometimes I succeed, and sometimes, I am as another quote I have in my treasure chest of thoughts: "Beware of the tongue, it is in a wet place and may slip." I find that sometimes even when we feel like we have nothing to say, there are times when we still want to say something. Even when all our somethings might seem like nothings.

I've been digging in the dirt a lot lately. On days my garden gloves are to crusted with mud to wear or in the wash, my nails look less than glamorous. I've been moving little strawberry plants that grow like crazy. I've been planting decorative grasses, pruning trees and blackberry bushes, and moving little bushes so they have more room to grow. And I've been digging up weeds, lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of weeds. One of my top landscaping plans is weed control. I love plants that can mostly take care of themselves once they get established. It's just while they are young that you have to keep the weeds from encroaching so that, given time they can grow and spread and flourish. Weeds are constantly spontaneously reproducing themselves, and I wonder over their determination. But my chosen plants are all good at weed control once they mature. I've stared at grasses and plants so much that when I come in from outside and close my eyes I can still see them.

Oh, how I hope for my children. I hope that they all grow strong enough to prosper and flourish and fight off those determined weeds that might come their way. One more quote comes to mind. . .

"Everything happening great and small is a parable whereby God speaks to us, the art of life, is to get the message." (Malcolm Muggeridge)

My Key to Sanity

2009-08-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

I have thought a lot about why at some points in my life I was better able to cope with life challenges than at other times. My life has been filled with different stresses and hard things, and at each point the challenges that I had at that moment were hard for me to bear. I have seen how God has allowed me experiences to try my faith and to stretch me to my breaking point so that I could learn things I would not have otherwise been willing or able to learn; and so that I could more fully realize and feel my utter dependence upon Him. Recently in my own study I came across this verse in the the Old Testament. It's Proverbs 16:3 "Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established." When I read those words, I almost laughed out loud as I realized that that was my Key to Sanity! For me, if I want to be able to ride the tides of life and not succumb to the pitfalls of misery and depression, I must commit myself to the Lord. When I am committed to God's way, when I study His words every day and pray without ceasing, and seek His will in all my activities MY THOUGHTS ARE ESTABLISHED, and I find that I don't worry as much about things because I'm trusting God, and I don't fear about all my failings or daily challenges because I am exercising my faith that He is helping me and knows I'm giving my all. A long time ago I remember telling a friend, "I can't not read my scriptures everyday. I can't not pray." At that time I felt the surety of my own words, and I am grateful to God to be able to say that I feel that surety still. He has never left me comfortless, and has given me every blessing that I have ever needed.

An Ode to Broccoli

2009-07-22T10:04:00.000-07:00

Ode to Broccoli
So low in calorie
Your florettes I crunch
For dinner and lunch
Though sometimes I dream
While I munch on your green
That just for a bit
I'm eating chocolate

But somehow the flavors
Leave something to savor
And I try not to spit
My broccoli flavored chocolate

Lora L Robertson

Hope Remains

2009-06-18T10:29:00.000-07:00

I'm reading the second book in the Pellinor series by Alison Croggon called The Riddle. I'm really liking this series. They are highly descriptive stories and very epic.
Here's my favorite quote from The Riddle so far...

"While the heart beats, hope remains."

Choosing to Believe

2009-06-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

I'm reading a book called The Naming by Alison Croggon at the moment. I really like it. It's not super fast paced or a quick read really (it's almost 500 pages), but it's more of an epic kind of story like Lord of the Rings or Eragon. I picked it up at the library last week. It's a four book series, and all the books have been published already, so no wondering and waiting for the last book. :)

Bre's blog reminded me of a passage I read in The Naming recently.

When Maerad, the main character, is wondering if any of her choices are really hers, or if she is just a pawn fated into her destiny. She poses this question: "What difference, being a pawn for the Light or a pawn for the Dark?" Her mentor Cadvan answers, "There is a great difference . . . One difference is that for the Dark, certainly, you are a pawn. For the Light, you are a free human being, free to make mistakes, to do wrong, even. You are free to choose, whether or not you believe it." He then says, "It is the difference between commitment and slavery . . . Between working for what you hope for and believe in the depths of your heart, and what someone else forces you to do."

From an old Jewelry Box

2009-06-09T11:05:00.000-07:00

Last week I stopped in for a minute at a little antique shop on Main Street that I like. I've only been there twice now, but the moment I step in I feel like I'm visiting my Great-Grandmother's house, and it always makes me smile. My Great Grandmother lived until I was in my late teens, and all the memories I have of visiting her house are fond ones. I loved the food she made: brownies, tuna sandwiches, dressing at Thanksgiving time and meatloaf. I loved to sit on her front porch swing. I loved playing in her yard with my brothers and sister. I loved walking through her iris garden. I loved playing with her fragile tea set. I loved dust mopping her hard wood floors, and trying on her bonnets and aprons. I loved sleeping over in the guest room, or on the sofa bed with my siblings. I loved that she always keep cans of Hawaiian Fruit punch in her pantry for when we visited. I loved admiring all the different buttons she had collected over the years. I loved the stories she would tell us. She was meticulous, industrious, and resourceful. I loved that she would let my sister and I play with her jewelry box. She had such pretty necklaces, rings, and clip on ear rings. I loved looking at each piece and trying them on.

Anyway, I found some bowls that I needed at the antique shop last week and I noticed some jewelry spread out in a tray in one of the other booths. I was immediately reminded of those timeless days spent playing dress up with my sister. I splurged and picked one of the pairs of earrings that I liked. They are even marked 1950 on the back. They looked just like something she might have had in her jewelry box. They were only $2. Who knows how much they cost back in the fifties, maybe 10 cents. They are a tangible memory.
My only trouble is that I can't quite decide which direction they are supposed to go when you put them on.

Calorie Countdown

2009-05-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

I have always tried to eat healthy, but since I started being a regular exerciser last year and I'm not pregnant and starving 24/7, I figured I needed to reevaluate my diet. I was seeing some weight loss with my exercising, but in recent months I hit a plateau and figured it was probably cause I was eating too much. Bummer . . . Bummer . . . . Bummer . . . . . Bummer.
I've never really tried to calorie count, because well, it's a pain in the bum. So hubby, sent me a link last week to My Fitness Pal, which is a FREE online calorie counter. As far as calorie counting goes it's actually kind of fun. WAIT! Did I say, "fun." I don't know if it's really fun, but it is somewhat enjoyable because it's just so darn easy. Another nice thing about it, is that almost all of the foods I usually eat are already in the database, so I just enter how much I ate of it and TA DA, it totals everything all up. It also takes into account how much exercise you do. So if I run on my elliptical for 40 minutes, I can eat 444 more calories that day, and still loose weight. It gives you a daily calorie goal which it automatically adjusts depending on your personal weight loss goal, BMI, BMR, and daily exercise. I kind of like it. It will also track fiber, cholesterol, protein, sodium, etc. It's been educational. It's nice to know that I have been eating a well rounded diet, but I just rarely limited myself, hence my roundness.
My hardest times are when I am surrounded by an abundance of scrumptious food, but so far I've been able to stay on track. The first week was easier than the second week. I had a headache for two days and for some reason when I don't feel well my ingrained response says, "Why don't you have something to eat and see if that helps." I was feeling pretty tortured those days, and my mood was ahh . . . a bit grouchy. BUT success! I survived and some days are much better. I think my stomach is starting to get used to me eating less because sometimes I get full faster. I can still eat whatever I want, I just have to limit my portion size or balance it with exercise or lower calorie meals during the day. I understand why people hate calorie counting, but I'm hoping the results are worth it. If it was easy, it wouldn't be worth it, right? I still believe the hardest things to do in life are often the greatest. I think I might reward myself with some more incredible lemon cake very soon. :)

"It is not the man who has little, but the man who craves more who is poor."

I've always loved that quote. I used to apply it to debt, finances, and just to help me find contentment in my own place, but I have learned that it can also apply to food. Sometimes I can eat my lovely serving and I don't even feel deprived, until some craving kicks in or I'm feeling tired or sporting a headache or watching someone else eat mouthful after mouthful. I'm in this to WIN and my only competition is myself.

Food Poetry

2009-05-28T12:46:00.000-07:00

I love poetry. It's no secret. For me poetry is saying something in a beautiful or meaningful way that you could state otherwise. Recently I went out for dessert with two of my favorite people, who also happen to be my sister's-in-law. I had determined that I would get a fruit smoothie, because I've been trying to count my calories lately. However, I had never before experienced the luxuriousness of the Cheesecake Factory, and when you walk in they have all their 30 PLUS cakes on display literally shouting, "EAT ME, EAT ME, EAT ME!!!!!!!" The smoothie was $6 which was the same price as a piece of cake, and after reading their food poetry all over their menu, who could resist. Everything on the menu is described in such a beautiful way that your mouth begins to wonder if it's died and gone to food heaven! This is quoted from their menu under the CHOCOLATE TOWER TRUFFLE CAKE: "Layers and Layers of Fudge Cake with Chocolate Truffle Cream and Chocolate Mousse." Did you read that slow enough, or did you skim it quickly? Savor the words people! I opted for two cakes, and they were huge portions. After much deliberation, I got the CHOCOLATE TOWER TRUFFLE CAKE™ and the LEMONCELLO CREAM TORTE. I took home my the truffle cake and cut it into six pieces so that I could share it with my family. The food was like heaven in my mouth! Have you ever tasted something so incredibly good that from the moment it entered your mouth, you were thinking, "OH . . . MY . . . HECK!!! THIS IS INCREDIBLE!!!" Yep, it was really that good. I really wanted to take my fork and go take a bite of every single thing they served just so I could see if it was all that good.
The lemoncello was FABULOUS! It was, "Layers of Vanilla Cake and Lemon Mascarpone Cream Topped with Streusel and Served with Strawberries and Whipped Cream." Ahhhhhhh, the memory!!!
All nice dining places use food poetry. Really, who wants to eat a hamburger, when you could have a 100% beef patty grilled to perfection atop a freshly baked bun, with vine ripened tomatoes, a crispy dill pickle and green leaf lettuce!!

Wordfull Wednesday: Favorite Teacher

2009-05-27T07:15:00.000-07:00

Cocoa's Wordfull Wednesday topic is, "My favorite teacher." I have had many teachers that I have really enjoyed and appreciated, some from school, some from church, and some tucked within life moments. I'm going to pick two, that always stand out in my memory first when I think of teachers.

The first is Mr. Harris. When I was in sixth grade, half way through the year I changed middle schools. I was excited to play in the school band and chose that as my elective. My older sister and I shared a clarinet, since it was the only instrument my family owned. The sixth grade band class was HUGE. There were at least 50 kids in the class. I quickly found out, however, why so many people were in the class, and unfortunately it wasn't because they all loved music. Band class consisted of congregating in the band room, and sitting around visiting with your friends, watching a random movie (not the educational kind), or occasionally trying to learn to play some music. You got an "A" in band just for being in the class. I hated it. I mean I really hated it, because I really wanted to learn. When seventh grade came around, I signed up for band again, and when school started we had a new band teacher, Mr. Harris. The class was huge, but after the first week with our new teacher, the number of students enrolled in band dropped to about seventeen. The new teacher insisted we play our instruments everyday. We were even required to take them home everyday to practice. Our band was small, but dedicated, and we had a year full of learning and progress. I have always been grateful for my teachers who have expected more and encouraged us to achieve more than we thought was possible.

When I was 16 and 17 I had a very nice Sunday school teacher. Every week she would bring us a nice small gift, some were things you could eat, others were decorative boxes or bookmarks. I always looked forward to going to her class because I knew she would have some little trinket for each of us, and I couldn't wait to see what it might be that week. I don't remember any of the lessons she taught, and the reason I kept going to her class was for the new trinket she never failed to bring.
After a while our class got a new teacher, Sister Hodge. She had recently served a mission somewhere in South America. She never brought us gifts or trinkets, but the lessons she taught us . . . I still treasure. I looked forward to going to her class every week and I felt excited to hear the things she would teach us. She taught with the spirit, and shared the love of God and our Savior Jesus with us. I will always be grateful for the lessons I learned from her class. It's not what we hold in our hands, but that which we hold in our hearts, that is dearest.

Preschool Curriculum Giveaway

2009-05-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

Hello out there... There's a great giveaway over on Cocoa's blog this week. If you get a chance and are interested go comment. She's hosting a give a way for a whole year's preschool curriculum. Here's the link....Click here.

Nursing Cover Sheets

2009-05-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

Okay, Here's my first attempt at a simple tutorial...
I love these simple to make Nursing cover sheets for breastfeeding Mom's. You can buy them from all sorts of places like here or here.

I have made quite a few of these. They are SOOOO simple and easy to make, inexpensive, and are a nice gift for a new Mom. The nice thing about nursing sheets is that they are thin and can easily fit into your purse or bag without the bulk for quick cover where ever you are. I used 100% cotton fabrics for the ones I made, but you could use a nice cotton/poly blend. In order to make one you need only 3/4 yard of 45" wide fabric and a piece of plastic canvas with the smallest grid you can find. The canvas I bought was 13 1/2 inches in the longest dimension. You really don't want it shorter than 13 inches or longer than about 16 inches. I found a sheet at Hobby Lobby for 89 cents. I don't know what other people use to make the stiffer window, but this was what I came up with and it works well.
Cut fabric to be 38 inches wide by 26 inches. Also cut a piece that is 2 inches wide and 20 inches long to make the neck strap. Fold over the sides and bottom edges and sew to finish the edges. Cut a strip of the plastic canvas that is at least 1/2 inch wide, I like 5/8 inches wide. Make sure you trim any sharp edges off the canvas strip with your scissors. Center the canvas on the top edge, fold over fabric edge, tuck under canvas, and pin before sewing hem edge.
To make the neck strap fold fabric strip in half lengthwise and press. Open strip and fold outside edges to the center line that you just made when you ironed the strip and then fold together so that outside edges of the strip are now inside and straight stitch the edge shut. Pin strap to the cover sheet on the top edge at the ends of the plastic canvas, try on to ensure proper length of strap. I find a finished strap of about 18 inches to be most comfortable. You can sew both ends of the neck strap in place or you can add a snap, button, or Velcro to one end of the strap if desired.
Good Luck! Hopefully this all made sense! :)

Wordfull Wednesday: Poetry

2009-04-29T08:21:00.000-07:00

Cocoa's Wordfull Wednesday this week is on poetry, so how could I resist...

Here's my poem for the week.

A Field of Faith

Fertile soil

fresh earth

A field of faith

I planted

Seeds so small

I watered

with my tears

I nourished

with my strength

I weeded

with calloused hands

on aching knees

And I waited

ever watchful

for my seedlings

to appear

And I waited

for the Lord

to bless my faith

with life

And then

one day

far within my field

A single sprout

reached it's tiny leaves

up out

of the dark earth

and stretched it's way

up to the light

And oh, what joy

such a seemingly

small thing

created

saturating my soul

with hope

Then all the labor

I had wrought

seemed little

for the gift I got.

Lora L Robertson

Recent Reads

2009-04-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

I haven't been a frequent poster lately, but alas, I have still read.

I read this series by Obert Skye...

Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo
Leven Thumps and the Whispered Secret
Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra

Leven Thumps and the Eyes of Want
Ash totally loved this series. It's a favorite for him. I have to admit that for whatever reason I couldn't quite give myself to the story as I read the first book. It was almost too far fetched for me. I'm not sure why, when I have no trouble believing in magic, dragons, and other fantastical things, but Foo was pushing it a tad for me. I really did enjoy the series though, and look forward to the next book. I'd read them again, and give them five stars. They were engaging and at time thought provoking.

I continued the Fablehaven stories by Brandon Mull...

Fablehaven Rise of the Evening Star

Fablehaven Grip of the Shadow Plague

I really liked these books. The first one of the series I gave my two sense about already here. These stories are fast paced and very gripping, with intensity not unlike Harry Potter books. Ash loved these as well. These are definitely five star stories.

Most recently Ash and I have read the Percy Jackson and the Olympians stories by Rick Riordan including...

The Lightening Thief

The Sea of Monsters

The Titans Curse

The Battle of the Labyrinth

These books are a sure thrill ride -- fast paced, gripping, wise-cracking, and fun. Ash read each book in less than 24 hours. I wasn't that fast, but I thoroughly enjoyed these. They are based on the premise that the ancient Greek gods like Zeus, Hades, etc. all still exist and sometimes have children with mortals, but we just don't know about it. Unless you happen to be one of the kids... I can't wait to read the next book in this series which is coming out in about a week and a half. Yippee!

Finally, I also read Austenland by Shannon Hale. I have really enjoyed Shannon's books. I liked this one, but I don't think I'd read it again. It's an adult fiction book, I guess because the character are all grown up. I'm too much of a sucker for juvenile fiction I think. It's my effort to stay young forever. I would give it four stars.

Wordfull Wednesday: A Funny Moment

2009-04-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

Better late than never...
Cocoa's Wordfull Wednesday this week is on a Funny Moment or Humor.
It was one of those days. . . You know, the kind where you wake up in the morning and wish it was already bedtime. The kind of day when you can't find your keys when it's time to go, even though you make an extra effort to always leave them in the same place. The kind of day when you spend half an hour making a grocery list only to accidentally leave it behind along with all the coupons you dedicatedly cut out the day before. The kind of day when you have everyone bundled up and ready to go only to catch a whiff of the tell tale poopy diaper. The kind of day when you catch every stop light and end up late even though you left early. The kind of day when you're not quite two year old is grabbing everything you pass at the grocery store. . .
It was that kind of day.
I was have one of those days at the grocery store. It was several years ago when Redwood was not quite two. I was tired and so ready to just give up and go home, but I was almost done. We made it to the front of the store with our cart load of groceries with only the produce left to go. I went over to the bakery counter to get some items (actually they were donuts). Hickory and Ash were standing by the cart and I set my wiggly little Redwood down to stand next to me a moment. As I pulled a sack off the roll to put my donuts into, I noticed Redwood make a dash for the wrapping papers and begin pulling them out at top speed! I immediately went over to stop him and started picking up papers while he dashed over to those lovely sacks on the roll and began to pull and pull to his hearts delight! I went to grab the roll to stop him and he immediately ran back to the papers. I had enough. I swooped him up, cleaned up our mess and walked over to Ash and Hickory. Ash was laughing and laughing and said, "Mom, that was like watching a funny movie." His perspective helped to change mine. I had not been to "smiley" that morning, but I couldn't help but think of how often my life is really like a "funny movie". Sometimes I am perpetually living in a funny movie, and I just have to keep reminding myself to laugh instead of cry. I was grateful for Ash's insight into the situation.
My children give me something to laugh and smile about every single day. I am grateful for the gift they are in my life.

Resourcefulness

2009-03-23T14:29:00.000-07:00

I am freakishly frugal, this I know, but someone the other day said don't call yourself cheap, say, "I'm resourceful." I liked that. I am resourceful! My Great grandmother was extremely resourceful as well. I used to love to visit her when I was young. She was born in 1906, I think, and grew up during the depression eras. She lived a long life, and I'm glad I was able to know her. When I was young I had a small velvet pillow that was my nightly companion. My mother made it for me, and I loved it to death . . . literally. I then got a pillow my Great Grandmother had made that was black and velvet and I loved it too. It was heavy for it's size and I often wondered what made it so. It got a small hole once in the seam which I patched, but recently due to much of my children's loving the seam along one side completely came undone. My resourceful Great grandmother had stuffed the pillow with old stockings, hose and pieces of slips. Check out that turquoise! I had to laugh at the discovery. Apple and Redwood had a great time dumping the hose out all over the bed. It's in my mending pile at the moment.

I also know from my mother that she used to make her own pin cushions and stuffed them with hair. Don't get grossed out, it makes great pin cushions, keeps the needles sharp and you always have some DNA handy.

My bag

2009-03-21T08:12:00.000-07:00

Remember how I won a green fat quarter pack from Sew, Mama, Sew?? Well, I wanted to make something cute with some of the fabric I got. I thought about trying to make a cute tutorial, but I wasn't sure if I'd get the bag right the first time I tried, so maybe next time I'll try the tutorial. I had the pink fabric in my stash, but thought it went beautifully with one of the green quarters I got, so here it is...

I made two pockets inside one pink and one green with a small Velcro closure in the center. I also added a little bit of elastic to both ends on the top edge. The bottom is about 8 inches by 5 inches and it's about 8 and a half inches tall. My Apple loves it. At the moment it is full of ponies and play food. :)

Words of Life

2009-03-09T19:54:00.000-07:00

Romans 15:4-5 and 13
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
"Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus;
". . .the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."

What these verses say to me is that the scriptures were written for us . . . for our learning, to grant us hope, and peace in believing. In my efforts of rejuvenate myself, I've been trying to dedicate more time to studying the scriptures. Nothing I have ever done in my life has brought be more comfort, more peace, more joy or more hope than studying the words of God on a daily basis. It is His word that heals my heart, that sustains and strengthens my soul, grants me courage and helps me to feel closer to my Savior, Jesus Christ.

Recent Reads

2009-03-07T08:36:00.000-08:00

Shannon Hale is so swell! I recently read the companion books to The Goose Girl (a special favorite for me). They are titled Enna Burning and River Secrets. I really enjoyed this series, but the first book was my favorite. The second and third books are written from the perspective of other characters in the books, but each book continues to enchant in their respective stories. I would read this series again. I'm excited for the recent reads I've found with main characters that are female. I think Apple will enjoy these books some day. I also read The Book of A Thousand Days, also by Shannon Hale. I really liked this story too. It wasn't what I expected, but still very good. It's about a girl of low caste who becomes a maid to a princess who is banished to a tower for seven years for refusing to marry the terrible man her father wished. It has a happy ending, and the main character is a wonderful example of meekness, humility and goodness.

I also loved a book by Jessica Day George called Dragon Slippers. It was really good, and from a girls perspective. The main character, Creel, is sent, along with her brother, to live with her Aunt's family after her parents die. But her Aunt and Uncle are poor and already have many children. Her Aunt get's the idea to send Creel up to the dragon cave to be captured so that she will have to be rescued by the town knight who will then decide to marry her. However, things work out quite differently. I would read this again, and definitely with Apple when she's older.

Wordfull Wednesday: Children's Books

2009-03-04T11:55:00.000-08:00

This weeks Wordfull Wednesday is on how we learned to read or our favorite children's books. I don't really remember much about learning to read. I remember sitting in a circle with other children in elementary school while taking turns sounding out words in our reading books, but little else. I love picture books, children's stories, and juvenile fiction. The only book I read from the time I was old enough to read and continued to read over the years was my Bible. My Dad bought me a bible from a used book store when I was very young. It had all the words of Jesus highlighted in red type, and had a family history section between the Old and New Testaments which I dutifully recorded the births and deaths of all my hamsters, rabbits and other pets on. I used to keep it under my pillow and every night before I went to sleep I would pull it out and read a verse or two. I don't know what happened to that Bible, but I kind of wish I still had it now. When I got a little older my parents bought me a new paperback set of scriptures, and then an even nicer set when I was fourteen that I still treasure today. While the scriptures aren't technically "children's books" the words of God are for everyone, young, old or in the middle.

I have SO many children's books that I love. Some I love to read to my children, some I love just for their pictures, and some I love for the lessons they teach. I enjoyed the Berenstain Bear book series as a child and my children do as well. One of my personal favorites was Baby Dear by Eloise Wilkins. I love the Junie B. Jones books by Barbara Park. We all love funny stories at my house. Our most recent discovery are the Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems, they are hilarious!

When I was in college I stopped at a sidewalk library book sale on campus and found a children's book that is probably my most special favorite. It's called A Grandmother's Story and was written and illustrated by Glenn Halak. Most pages only have a single line of text, but it carries many messages in the short tale. The opening line is, "There was an old woman who rowed out to sea." The next page says, "Her neighbors all thought she was mad as could be." The book tells the story of a Grandmother who despite what her neighbors thought followed her heart and rowed out to sea until she, "arrived where she knew she must be." When she gets to the rock in the sea where she's going, she waits. She waits in the cold through a great storm that comes and then after the storm her fisherman grandson is drifting on a log in the nearby sea, and she is able to rescue him because she listened. The closing line of the book says, "What a wonder the heart is, how wise it can be, and as strong and as deep as our mother the sea." For me this sweet story is as a parable of life. Sometimes in life we have to do things that other people think are crazy. Sometimes because of challenges and trials in our lives we feel as alone as if we were on a cold granite stone. We have to work hard to do what we feel is right and what our hearts tell us is right. Sometimes even after we do what we feel is right, the storms of life come and beat upon us. But if we are faithful and diligent, miracles will happen in our lives and we will be able to be instruments in the hands of God to help and to heal.

My brother a Dad

2009-03-03T14:12:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I went over to my brother's house to take some pictures of him with his new baby daughter. I was hoping to get some nice pictures so that I could turn one into a Father daughter portrait drawing. I think I got some beauties! I love this one. Actually, I love several, but this is one of my favorites. I get all kinds of warm fuzzies when I look at this picture.

It's a Spring Thing

2009-03-02T14:42:00.000-08:00

I saw a quote recently by an unknown author that said something like, "I loose many troubles while digging in the dirt." While I am not what you might call an avid gardener, or even really a gardener, I do love gardens. I mean I love, love, love, love, LOVE gardens. And I do love digging in the dirt and find that I too loose many troubles there, or at least their presence seems less imposing. The last couple years I have only been working on my flower beds, but last year I had a good blackberry harvest. I'm planting some blueberry bushes this year, and I'm going to get some veggies planted this year as well, if I can be so coordinated. Ha, ha, we shall see . . . .

I also discovered today that I actually won something! I won one of the Green Fat Quarter packs off the Sew, Mama, Sew blog. Yippee for me! I'm lovin' all the wonderful sewing project ideas on that blog. I can't wait to see the pieces. I love green, and red, and pink, and purple, and blue, and white, and yellow, and brown, and . . . okay, I really love all the colors, but green is a living color and I've been sprouting a new small quilt idea in my head lately. . . hummm.

I wrote a new poem last week. It's an ode to Spring. I think I'll call it . . . "Ah, Spring."

Ah, Spring
I feel thee in the breeze,
On stems and branches in my trees.
I see the buds begin to burst,
With tiny leaves for sun they thirst.
I feel the warmth within the air,
Upon my cheeks and in my hair.
I hear the birds sing praises sweet
Of seeds and berries soon they'll eat.
I smell the mingling rain and earth
And, lo, it fills my heart with mirth;
To run with feet bare through the stream,
And feel green wake from frosty dreams.
'Tis winter's end you mark the start,
Ah, Spring, a gift to all thou art!

Lora L Robertson

I'm infinitesimal

2009-02-25T16:11:00.000-08:00

I love to think about what an infinitesimal speck I am sometimes. I like to envision what an infinitesimal speck our planet is. I love to look up at the stars and wonder about other planets and galaxies, and what it would be like to travel at the speed of light. I have always loved space. When I was young being an astronaut was on my list of things to be when I grew up, but so were A LOT of other ideas. I feel in awe of God and his unfathomable greatness. I thought this video was cool. Hopefully I managed to imbed it. I also love the Astronmy picture of the day website. It's VERY educational, and inspiring, and full of beautiful pictures click here to see the NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Archive.

Psalms 19:1 - The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Psalms 147:4-5
4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

A pair of portraits

2009-02-18T14:55:00.000-08:00

These are portraits that I drew of my niece and nephew when they were both about 2 years old.

Wordfull Wednesday: Love for Self

2009-02-18T07:09:00.000-08:00

This weeks Wordfull Wednesday topic is Love for Self......
For me, loving ourselves is really about learning to appreciate ourselves, and recognizing who we really are. One thing I tell myself frequently is, "I'll be grateful to myself later for doing this now." When I look at the laundry pile or the dirty dishes in and around the sink, I say, "If I just do it now, I'll be grateful tomorrow." And I am. I'm grateful when I don't procrastinate, even when I might rather completely avoid whatever task lies before me.
I did a post a little while ago called Love Yourself. This is what I said that day:

Someone once said, "Those who deserve love the least, need it the most."

That little thought came into my head this morning as I was introspecting. If we look to the example Jesus Christ set for us we can see how he applied this principle. He loved without boundaries. He showed us how to love each other with open hearts, with forgiveness, with compassion, and with mercy. It is easy to see how we can apply the statement outwardly of ourselves. But we could also apply the statement inwardly. At times I sometimes feel unworthy of love, but if I let myself, I can see that those are the times that I need love the most. In my guilt laden moments I tend to push love away. If we keep working at it, I think we can love not only others, but also ourselves the way Christ intended, with more open hearts, more forgiveness, more compassion, and more mercy.

I also love this quote that I shared before here.
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us."
--Marianne Williamson

I have found myself pondering that question often of late, "Who am I not to be?" I struggle with "shining." In part, that is one reason I started blogging, because I could share in a sort of safe way, and I wouldn't have to feel like I was in a spot light. I don't like to pretend that I'm good at anything. There are many things I like to do and enjoy, but I wouldn't presume to be great at anything. When I was in my teens, I really wanted to be great at something. There was no time or money for most of my desires, but I felt driven to succeed and accomplish. I realized then one day, after a lesson on talents - that left me feeling discouraged, that even though I wasn't super talented or great at any one thing there were many things that I could do well and that perhaps that was a talent in itself. I felt comforted in that thought. Part of loving ourselves is learning to accept ourselves and not comparing ourselves with others. I believe that we should only compare ourselves with ourselves in our progress, and try to find ways to rejoice in and accept one another's differences. I am a different mother than my sisters, and sister-in-law's and other women in the world, but that doesn't mean I'm a bad mother or they are bad mothers, because we mother in our own ways, and are women in our own ways. God knows us, and put us where we are with purpose. Let us be our best selves.

My Journal, My Friend

2009-02-13T14:46:00.000-08:00

I recently came to the end of my longest journal. It was twice as thick as the one's I'd had before, and it has lasted me a whole EIGHT years. I never thought it would last that long when I bought it. I thought maybe five or six, but never did I think eight. I always have a medley of feelings when I get to the end of one. A little bit of conclusion, wonder, sadness, anticipation and hope. I thought about just doing online journaling or using my computer to journal on, but I just can't bring myself to give up the paper. I just love the touch of paper and the pen in my hand too much to give it up. The paper is smooth and clean and always willing and ready to accept my thoughts, my feelings, my pains, my hopes, and my prayers. It is ever patient, and doesn't frown or reprimand, but in its own way soothes and heals. It encourages with blank lines ready to listen and receive. I have learned many, many, many, many, many, many things from keeping a journal over the years. My journals have been my dearest friends. I will ever be grateful to myself for having kept one all these years.

Bun Blossoms

2009-02-10T11:06:00.000-08:00

Last month a made a couple of new dresses for Apple. One of them is a random patterned fabric with bright purple flowers on it. The other week at church she was squatting by the glass doors making fog on the windows with her breath, and I had to laugh! Right there smack on her buns were the two seems meet are two of the large purple flowers. She let me take her picture when we got home. I guess I should have matched the fabric after all. At least she's young and doesn't care yet if her buns are blooming. I don't think I could get away with that error if she were fourteen.

A hope

2009-02-08T18:25:00.000-08:00

I wish not to write of griefs or pains,
Yet the press of them with me remains.
Be Gone, I say! Let my heart take flight!
Weigh not upon my wings this night!

Though sorrows ever with me stay,
Let hope renew my faith this day.
My prayers to Him will fly and then,
I'll stand, stronger yet, with joy again.

Lora L Robertson

Friends and Flowers

2009-02-05T13:03:00.001-08:00

This is a small wall quilt I did a couple years ago. I really do like to sew, and sometimes I sew a lot and sometimes...not.

Wordfull Wednesday: Affection for Others

2009-02-04T08:51:00.000-08:00

I don't really have time to post today, but I really like blogging with a purpose. And Wordfull Wednesday's are a great opportunity to do so. I shared my testimony at church on Sunday, my thoughts went along with the topic this week, so I thought I'd expound my thoughts here.

Last weekend I had the wondrous privilege of babysitting my newest niece. She's still very tiny, not quite 8 pounds. It was nourishing to my soul just to hold her and listen to her tiny breaths. When my hubby, Simmon, came home, I was cooking in the kitchen while she slept nearby in a bassinet. Simmon walked into the kitchen, stopped abruptly, and then said, "Whoa...baby presence." Then he remarked about how just her presence changed the whole feel of the room. I smiled knowingly and whispered, "Kind of makes you feel reverent." He laughed in agreement. I can not help but feel how precious she is when she is near.

On Sunday, I was sitting in church and my thoughts reflected back to that moment and the whole evening of having my niece there with us. I could not hold back the tidal wave that was my tears. I thought about how easy it was to see and feel the worth of a soul when you hold a small infant in your arms. I felt the same awe and wonder with each of my own children. My thoughts then wandered as I contemplated those deep feelings. I wondered, "What happens to those feelings as people grow into children, adults and become old people?" Then this thought came into my mind... how would it be... if we could feel those deep feelings of wonder and reverence by just being in the presence of one another, of friends, neighbors, people at church, random people at the grocery store... ? We are all children of God, and as such, each and every person in this world is a miraculous and wondrous being. Do we recognize what an awesome thing that is? Sometimes I look at pictures of beautiful places in the world and I feel reverenced by the beauty of God's handiwork. We, each of us, are also God's handiwork. May we learn to feel as God feels toward us. At times in my life when I have sought for charity, the pure love of Christ, I have felt greater love toward everyone around me.

May we feel love.

Doc. and Cov. 18:10 : "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;"

Some Drawing Studies

2009-01-30T09:36:00.000-08:00

I decided to post some of my study drawings. This is my first horse attempt. It is one of the studies from a Lee Hammond book, so is the swan picture below. I used an ebony pencil to draw the horse, but charcoal to do the swan. All my finished portraits that I have done so far have been done in charcoal, which is my preferred medium.

This drawing is one from my teen years. It was done with black ink. I love flowers. Can you tell??

Thankful Thursday

2009-01-29T08:49:00.005-08:00

HA! Look at me! I remembered to do my Thankful Thursday on a Thursday!

Today I am grateful....
-For how pretty the ice looks as it falls out of the trees today. We've had an ice storm this week, and today it's starting to melt.
-For how beautiful the world looks in white. We haven't had any real snow this year, but the ice rain on the ground got pretty thick and then was covered with a thin layer of snow on top.
-That the boys have all taken turns playing with Apple the last few days while we've been stuck at home. I had to use the timer, but hey, they've done it without too much grumbling. I've made them take 30 min turns playing whatever she wanted to play. Redwood grumbles the most about playing Ponyville, but secretly he does like it a little, sometimes, when they've made up some new dance or something else packed with silliness. Hickory played kitchen with Apple, and they cooked lots of play food or made picnics. Ash usually played Legoman's with Apple, which apparently is a new favorite game for her. I'm not sure how it goes, as they invented it, but she loves it and so does Redwood.
-That I finished a portrait this week that I've been working on a long time. I would have finished it a long time ago, but I was distracted by other stuff.
-For work that satisfies. I love the scripture in 2 Nephi 9:51, that says : "Wherefore, do not spend your money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy..." I have thought of those words often in my life. Sometimes I have to evaluate how I spend my time, and if the work that I choose to use up my time with is the kind of work that satisfies. Is it work or effort worthy of my time? Does it help me to become a better me? Does it help me grow? Does it help someone else? Does it help me to draw nearer to my Father in Heaven and my Savior? Does it help me build good memories or nurture my relationship with my family?

Recent Reads

2009-01-28T10:54:00.001-08:00

It's official. Shannon Hale is one of my favorite authors. I just finished The Goose Girl, and have the sequel Enna Burning on hold at the library. I loved The Goose Girl! It gets a GOLD STAR. It's a wonderfully written tale about a princess who tries to live the life expected of her. It's a middle ages era tale. This book had all the elements I love in a story: self-discovery, morals, coming of age, mystery, danger, romance, happy ending...it was all there. I can't wait to read the sequel!

I also recently read the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathon Stroud. The first book was called The Amulet of Samarkand. At first I found this book a little confusing, but by the end I was loving it. Lot's of mystery, conspiracy, and a joking genie/dijin, who is Bartimaeus. Ash liked it, too. I didn't think I'd have the confusion trouble with the second book, The Golem's Eye, but I did. The second book was much less gripping for the entire first half, but got better somewhat and was a necessary part of the story. It was the longest book in the series, but the drive to read it was lost in the boring parts. Ash couldn't make himself read to the end. He got stuck in the dullness, and quit. The third book Ptolemy's Gate, was at least as good as the first. It was probably the best of the three. These books are in a modern London setting, but an alternate reality from our own. Magicians are everywhere and control the government and everything else. Commoner's are highly discriminated against. Magicians also get their power by enslaving beings from "the Other place." Bartimaeus comes from the other place. I did like these books, but I wish the ending was a little happier. It wasn't a bad or very sad ending to the series, and really it was a right ending, it just wasn't all bliss-like. Would I read them again?? I'm not sure. Definitely not the second book, but maybe the others.

Have you seen Nick??

2009-01-27T11:45:00.000-08:00

Nick Vujicic is from Australia. He's a christian motivational speaker. He leads an exemplary life. He was born with no arms and no legs. He's really quite amazing. My hubby, Persimmon, sent me this link a little while ago...

http://www.maniacworld.com/are-you-going-to-finish-strong.html
It's a one minute clip with an inspiring message. Just watch it. Do it NOW.

There are a few YouTube videos of him out there as well. I can't figure out how to embed a video here. I tried, but I'm just not that savvy yet. So here's a link to one that is especially good. Nick bears testimony of Christ and of living life to the fullest in the last half. This clip is about 9 minutes...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtweZxNGk1Y

And here's a link to his website...
http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/

I love to see people who, despite their circumstances rise to the challenge and the greatness that is within them. Nick was born with unique challenges, but really we all are. We can look at Nick and say, "Wow, I'm glad that's not me..." or "That would be sooo hard." BUT, everyone carries burdens visible or not. Everyone has trials, everyone has the opportunity to hide from their life, to become overwhelmed by limitations, to sink or to swim. Joy comes when we find a way to embrace life with all it's challenges, and to live not only for ourselves but for others.

A Memorable Date Disaster

2009-01-26T12:12:00.001-08:00

Heather over at A Goddess in Progress, posted a blog about her Most Memorable High School Date Disaster and invited everyone to share theirs. While I have some memorable disasters from high school, my most disastrous actually happen while I was a Freshman at the University of Oklahoma.

Some friends and I got together to hang out, I think there were six or seven of us. I can't remember now what our original activity was, but after it was over, we felt like doing something else, but didn't know what, then an idea sparked in my brain....

It was late...like midnight-ish, and we should have gone home, but to due to my brilliance we decided to do something else instead.

A few weeks previous to the night in question, I was wandering campus in the late evening with a good friend of mine and her friend from high school who had come to visit. My good friend said she new of this really cool place on campus that we could climb up and catch a great view of the city lights. We trudged over to one of the beautiful old buildings on campus and she showed us how, if we climbed up onto the low branch of a certain tree we could then reach across to the fire escape ladder and climb up onto the roof of the building. Right then a red flag went off in my head, but my good friend assured me that she had been up there before and it was perfectly safe and okay. Ah, the ignorance of youth!!! With all caution thrown to the wind, we took turns climbing the tree and then the fire escape ladder. There was a railing of sorts around the perimeter of the roof, so no real chance of falling over the edge. It was really beautiful, the night was calm, we chatted like girls do, and then we climbed back down and headed back to the dorms. ALL TOO EASY!!! ( As Darth Vader would say!)

Getting back to the night in question, I suggested this idea to the others in my group, and they thought it sounded like a cool idea, so off we ventured. When we got to the building and I showed them the tree and the fire escape ladder, my roommate, who obviously had more sense that the rest of us, was like, “No way I'm climbing up there.” She decided to stay by the tree while the rest of us - without brains - proceeded to scale up the side of the building. After we had been up there wandering around, admiring the view for about 10 minutes, someone looked over the edge down to the ground and noticed something. Wanna guess what that something was??? It was actually several somethings, or someones... They were called, THE POLICE and they were surrounding the building. Did you know that it's actually illegal to climb on top of a building that you don't own? Just then I felt kind of panicky. Actually, a LOT panicky. We weren't sure what to do, so we just sat down of the roof and waited for the authorities to come and take us away. The police opened a door on the roof and asked us to please follow them. The police can be so polite sometimes... Thankfully, my roommate, who had stayed below informed the police that we were not drunk, just stupid, and they wouldn't need their GUNS to get us down. They didn't arrest us, to every one's relief, ESPECIALLY MINE, as I was the instigator. Apparently, some other naughty students had been sneaking onto the roof while drunk or with the intent to become drunk after they got up there. After the police felt confident that we were not drunk, and had checked all our ID's they told us to go home, and we did.

In my defense, if anyone had said, “Did you know it's illegal to climb onto buildings?” Or perhaps, “I think this is against the law.” I would never have gone up there myself or suggested to anyone else that they climb onto the roof. I felt terrible about it, but thankfully everyone took it in good humor. Thank you people!!!

About a week later, as I was walking by the building of my adventures, I noticed that someone had cut the branch in question, out of the tree.

I remember a youth leader once saying, "Nothing good happens after midnight." I am inclined to agree. I didn't really have much of a curfew growing up, but my kiddies will. :) Hopefully, they will learn from my misadventures.

Thankful Day

2009-01-24T17:24:00.000-08:00

Okay, So I tried to have Thankful Thursday, but I can't seem to remember to be Thankful on Thursday. It's not that I'm not ever thankful on Thursday's, I just, you know, forget to post about it. So today it's just Thankful Day...

Today I am grateful...
-that I have been healthy most of my life, and that I rarely get sick.
-for time to spend with my family.
-for the words of the prophets who lived long ago that are preserved in the scriptures. I came across a scripture this week that goes along with my word of the year. It's in 2 Chronicles Chapter 20 verse 20. The end of the verse states: "...Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper." Even in the Old Testament you can see the pattern. When the people are obedient to God's commandments they have times of quiet, peace, and prospering; but when they forget the Lord, they are blessed with trials to help them remember their dependence upon Him.
-for friends. I have had few really close friends in my life, but those I have, I treasure.

Ode to Love

2009-01-23T14:22:00.000-08:00

Where would poetry be without love?? The HUGE majority of poetry out there is dedicated to this lovely topic, and why not. Love is essential. It is much more that just human need and desire. Love creates, inspires, drives, emboldens (my favorite word this week), lifts, sustains, succors, relieves, warms and gives purpose and joy to life.
Here's a little love poem for feel it Friday...

Do not fear to put thy feet
Naked in the river sweet;
Think not leech, or newt or toad
Will bite thy foot, when thou hast troad;
Nor let the water rising high,
As thou wad'st in, make thee cry
And sob, but ever live with me,
And not a wave shall trouble thee.

John Fletcher

Wordfull Wednesday: Wishes

2009-01-21T07:40:00.000-08:00

Because I love poetry, I decided that I would try to write a poem for the Wordfull Wednesday topics, just to challenge myself and for fun. As I thought about what I wished for as a child, two things came to mind, magical powers and millions of dollars. Even from a young age I felt oppressed by the problems that existed in the world and in my family, and I figured that magical powers and millions of dollars would solve all the woes. Yeah, I know...doesn't always work that way, but I wanted to make a difference and I wanted to help. So I had all my plans worked out just in case I found a genie or something.
Here's my Wishes poem for today...

Wishes

In youthful days that once were mine
My eye would often gaze,
Up to the stars to seek a sign
Where twinkling wishes blaze.

Hoping perhaps my hearts request
Might find a way to be,
And grant me courage in my quest
For possibility.

For every wish within my heart
Could soon be realized,
If embolden, my soul would start
To build what it devised.

My young heart often sought such things
As treasure chests and gold,
Or to take flight on feathered wings
And never to grow old.

Now I yearn less for such glories
But still I do believe,
Happy ends aren't just for stories,
But really are to be.

Lora L Robertson

Drawing

2009-01-20T12:04:00.000-08:00

I have always loved to draw. It's one of those dreams I tucked away while in pursuit of and living through other life happenings. Early last year I checked out some drawing books from the library by Lee Hammond. I really liked her style, and for the first time in well over ten years I picked up my art pencils and I started to draw. This was my first squirrel. My kids were very impressed, and even I thought to myself, "I can still draw." So I did a few more animals, and then I tried a portrait. I've always wanted to draw portraits, and I had an old photograph of my Grandmother holding my Mother shortly after she was born, which I really loved and thought would lend itself to my medium. I worked on it off and on for about a month, until I was happy with it.

Last month I finished one of my little Apple. I drew it from a photograph I took of her last summer.

I'm practicing, and I can see improvement already. I don't get to draw everyday, but I'm hoping I'll get a little faster at it, because there are many faces I'd like to draw. I don't think I could finish one and be happy with it in less than a week, because even after I'm finished I like to put it up and look at it for a couple days to make sure it doesn't have any areas that still need tweaking. I really do want to practice more though, and I keep seeing random people who I'd like to try to draw. I feel weird walking up to total strangers, and asking if I can take their picture so that I can draw their portrait. Yet the desire within me is almost overwhelming sometimes, until I realize I forgot my camera. Would that freak you out?? Or would you take it as a compliment?? I also wonder if I would offend everyone else present by picking someone out. Ah, my mental debates...
Another problem with random pictures is that you can't always pick the lighting, or in my beginnings I don't always know until I've taken 15 or more pictures, which angle or direction is most complimentary to any given face. I REALLY WANT PRACTICE.
When I draw, I look for the slightest subtleties in shade and angle, and I find myself analysing peoples faces all the time. SO, if you catch me staring at you, I'm just thinking about your face and what it would be like to draw. I'm also finding that I can see beauty in more and more faces.
Hows this for an opening...
"Hi, I was just staring at you, and noticed how beautiful your face is. Would you mind if I took some pictures of you so that I could maybe draw your portrait?"

I need help.

Peter Pan Movie Quotes

2009-01-17T08:38:00.000-08:00

Last year I saw the Peter Pan movie that came out in 2003. I liked it. These are my favorite quotes from the movie. Both scenes were beautifully done, and include the mother Mrs. Darling...

Michael: Mother, can anything harm us after the night lights are lit?
Mrs. Darling: No, Precious. They are the eyes a mother leaves behind to guard her children.

And this one, when they are talking about their father...

Mrs. Darling: There are many different kinds of bravery. There's the bravery of thinking of others before one's self. Now, your father has never brandished a sword nor... nor fired a pistol, thank heavens. But he has made many sacrifices for his family, and put away many dreams.
Michael: Where did he put them?
Mrs. Darling: He put them in a drawer. And sometimes, late at night, we take them out and admire them. But it gets harder and harder to close the drawer... and he does. And that is why he is brave.

I am a dreamer. I freely admit it. One of my best friends during high school once said to me, "Lora, you are so dreamy!" I really can't help it, and it's not a part of me that I would seek to change. Over the years I have tucked away many dreams, and sometimes I take them out and admire them, play with them, or perhaps begin to fulfill them. We have so many choices in life, and I think that to be a mother or a father, not just the conception part, but to really be a parent, takes it's own kind of bravery. We make many sacrifices as parents, but the rewards - though usually not immediate - are great. There are some immediate rewards...like joy. My children give me something to laugh about every day. I would not trade this dream of being a mother for any of my other dreams, and I have many. I am grateful to Father in Heaven for giving me this privilege, and for the gift of being able to stay at home with my children and share in the story of their lives.

Redwood's Do

2009-01-14T10:14:00.000-08:00

This picture always makes me smile. Redwood likes his hair long on top, but you don't always notice how long it is. He hates hair cuts, but tolerates it as long as I use the clippers as little as possible, like only around the edges.

Chocolate Mousse

2009-01-13T14:22:00.000-08:00

This is my sister-in-law's recipe. It is...I don't think I can come up with an appropriate word to describe the ecstasy of it! Makes my mouth water with just the memory....

Ecstasy Chocolate Mousse

1 cup whipping creme
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp cold water
1 tsp Knox gelatin
2 Tbsp boiling water

Mix cold water with the gelatin to soften. Then add the hot water until dissolved, and let cool. Mix sugar and cocoa powder together in mixing bowl then fold in whipping cream and vanilla and gelatin. Beat until stiff. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.

Build for them

2009-01-11T17:14:00.001-08:00

"Wherefore, when we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight, nor for present use alone; let it be such work as our descendants will thank us for, and let us think as we lay stone that a time will come when those stones will be held sacred, because our hands have touched them; and men will say, as they look upon the labour and wrought substances of them: 'See this our fathers did for us.'"

-John Ruskin, English Essayist

The Sheperdess

2009-01-10T17:03:00.000-08:00

This is a painting by William-Adolphe Bouguereau painted in 1889. I first saw it in the Philbrook Museum of Art when I was in my teens. My young women's leader at the time knew how much I liked it, and for my birthday, gave me a large poster of the painting. I love to think of Jesus as the Good Shepard, and I love to think that we, in our own places, with our own families or circles of friends, are helping to tend the flock for the Savior. We are all part of the flock of our Father's fold, but we are also keepers of the flock. I also love this painting because the girl in the painting looks so much like my sister, who is dear to me.

Wordfull Wednesday

2009-01-07T09:15:00.000-08:00

Cocoa's Wordfull Wednesday challenge this week is "New Beginnings." She did a beautiful post on the topic. I thought this was a hard one. When I was young, for the most part I anticipated new beginnings with excitement. Over the years my excitement has gradually been replaced with feelings of dread or stressful anticipation. In the last year, however, I've been trying to rejuvenate some of my happiness and resurrect the innate sense of joy and peace that I once carried with me despite my circumstances. I have felt myself growing, and finding those happy feelings again. I am grateful that sometimes New Beginnings allow us to learn about ourselves, and that their continuous occurrence in our lives does not have to be dreaded; but can, rather, be embraced.
With my thoughts in a mush, I decided to write a poem about New Beginnings...

Begin...
where my feet stand
I hope and dream
and wonder
Where...
shall I go far
reaching, seeing
discovering
Finding...
what I truly seek
love, goodness
peace and
Life...
full of joy and hope
doubt, fear, and griefs
fade - for
Faith...
to fill my soul
and love enough
to just
Believe...
I will not fall
each step a
new beginning
Free...
my light will shine
unsuppressed
and flowing
Reaching...
beyond myself
learning, ever growing
becoming
Me...

Lora L Robertson

Word of the Year

2009-01-06T13:58:00.000-08:00

I read about the "One Word Movement" recently. I think it's a cool idea, and I wanted to remember it so I'm making this post. Ali Edwards was the instigator, I think. She posted these thoughts in her newsletter for Jan 2007 which you can link to here... http://www.lifeartmedia.com/newsletter11.html

"A single word can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can be sharp and biting or rich and soft and slow...

"Can you identify a single word that sums up what you want for yourself?

"It can be something tangible or intangible. It could be a thought or a feeling or an emotion. It can be singular or plural. The key is to find something that has personal meaning for you. This is not your mother's word or your spouse's word or your child's word - this is YOUR word.

"One little word can have big meaning in your life if you allow yourself to be open to the possibilities. And here's one thing that is totally interesting: sometimes a word will pop into your brain and it will not make any sense to you right now. Give it some time. Let it percolate a bit. I have often found that our hearts speak to us in very unique ways. Maybe this is a word you need to hear but just aren't ready for it yet. Again, be open to the possibilities."

It has been interesting to read over some of the words that different people have chosen for themselves and why. I'm challenging all my children to pick a word for themselves this year. Next week I'm going to come up with some kind of project so we can put our words up in the house to remember them through out the year. At Ali's web page she shows some necklaces and other things to keep your word in mind.

After much thought I think I've decided my word for the year will be

Believe

It's a word that has been in my thoughts a lot the last month or so, and I feel like I need it this year. A couple weeks ago, I was having a discouraging couple of days, and I looked over and saw my little Christmas bag that said, "Believe" sitting next to my sewing machine. Believing can takes work, and it's hard sometimes, but it's also very good.

I want to believe. I need to believe. I do believe.

Other words that fluttered through my thoughts were: Be, Inspire, Love, Draw, Hope, Reach.
Persimmon chose Seek. There are so many good words out there! Go ahead pick one for yourself.

Is your light on?

2009-01-04T16:34:00.000-08:00

"A smile is a light

in the window of your face

that tells people your heart

is at home."

-Unknown

SUCCESS!!!!!!!

2009-01-02T09:05:00.001-08:00

When I was in college, one of my best friends posted this quote on her dorm door...

"If at first you don't succeed, redefine success!"

There are too many reasons in life to become discouraged. I'm not even going to attempt to list some - let your imagination run wild! I'm sure you can come up with at least one.
Growing up, everyone used to say that old adage: "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." I admit, I get that "blah, blah" feeling when I hear that one. But I like my friends quote, and it pops into my head often. It could easily say, "If at first you don't succeed, don't get depressed, just redefine success." I think it's important to look for success even in...I hate the word, but here it is...failure. Sometimes our goals are unrealistic. Sometimes what we are capable of accomplishing in our lives at various points changes. Sometimes we have to lower our expectations of what we are able to accomplish. When I was pregnant and in the new baby stages of life this was essential for me.

I have realized in the last year though that when we are able, it can also be healthy to raise our expectations of what we can accomplish. When I was in the checkout line at Walmart a few weeks ago one of the headlines on a random magazine said:

"BE A SUCCESS STORY"

Just reading that made me laugh, and I realized that I wanted it. I want to be my own success story. This last year I've been trying to rediscover myself, to do things that a long time ago brought me joy. I've also been exercising, and I can honestly say that I actually like it now. I didn't think that was possible, but I do. It makes me feel better, and on cold days - makes me warm before I go to bed. Even when I'm tried, I find myself thinking, "I should exercise." I used to think people were nuts when they said things like that, but now I think it! I like challenging myself and enduring and finding a sense of accomplishment in that I didn't just quit, and that I can keep succeeding in my own life, even if in a small way.

I love the quote from the movie A League of Their Own when the coach, played by Tom Hanks, says:

"If it wasn't hard everyone would do it, it's the hard that makes it great."

Many things in life are that way. Many things worth doing anyway. Following the example of Jesus Christ is hard sometimes, but it's the hard, in part, that makes it great. Being a mother is a hard job, but it's also a great job. Sometimes it's the challenge of doing something and then overcoming that makes life worth living. The hard things are the most rewarding. The hard things bring the greatest sense of accomplishment. The hard things make us stronger. The hard things are greatest.

Thankful Thursday

2009-01-01T12:57:00.000-08:00

Today I am grateful...

- for New Years Day. When I was young I celebrated, now I'm just grateful for a quiet day.
- that someone bought the guinea pig cage I built. I posted it yesterday on Craigslist and now I have $100 burning a hole in my pocket. It was a good trade I think. I'm going to spend some of it on some art supplies I need, and put the rest in savings.
- for my journey of self discovery. Sometimes in life, for whatever reason, we just don't believe some things are true or could really happen until we experience it ourselves or become ready to accept it.
- that today I feel more like myself than I did a year ago.
- that God never gives up on us.
- for good people throughout the world. I'm grateful for all the good people who do good things, who help other people, who lift and inspire, who reach beyond themselves, who spread peace, and who work hard to make things better in the world.

Happy New Year!

Recent Reads

2008-12-31T16:43:00.000-08:00

So in the last month I've read a few books. I feel a compulsive need to have something to read at all times. I don't have to compulsively read, I just need to know there's a book waiting for me. While reading "Twilight" I found that I could run on my elliptical and read at the same time. This has been a nice alternative to all the movies I've been checking out over the last few months. "Twilight" was such a wonderful book for me. I really can't give it enough praise! I just loved it. I know I already wrote my review on it, so I'm not going to rant to much here.

I did finish all the Twilight Saga books by Stephanie Meyer. I do think that books 3 and 4 are more suited to the young adult and up crowd, but I really did enjoy all the books: "New Moon", "Eclipse", and "Breaking Dawn". I love that every book has a happy ending, and I learned a lot about myself in reading these books. Twilight is a special favorite for me, and I'm sooooo glad my family got them for me for Christmas.

I checked out "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull from the library. Ash and I both liked this book. I would like to read the second book in the series sometime soon. I will admit that one of the characters in this book annoyed the heck out of me! About half way through the book, I wasn't sure if I could stand to read anymore of it, but I did...and it got better enough that I'd give it four stars. I don't think Ash was bothered by the character as much as I was, and maybe most people wouldn't be so annoyed by someone who has a compulsive disregard for rules even after they break them over and over and bad things happen. The story did have some similarities to the Spiderwick Chronicles, but a unique story all on it's own.

I also recently read "Wildwood Dancing" by Juilet Marillier. This book is about five sisters who go dancing every full moon in the "Other Kingdom" where fantastical beings live. It's about love, growing up and letting go. I would read this again. It's a favorite for me. The oldest two sister's in the book remind me of my older sister and I in many ways.

Another book I read last week was "Princess Academy" by Shannon Hale. It's a favorite for me, too. I'd read it again as well. It's about a small rural mountain village which is chosen as the place from which the prince will choose his bride. All eligible girls go to attend the Princess Academy. This story had some twists to it. I liked it.

A couple books I just couldn't get through, not because they were bad stories, but they were just slow or not engaging enough for me...

The Legend of the Wandering King by Laura Galliego Garcia
A Bushel Full of Light by Troon Harrison

I might try the Wandering King again someday when I feel in a slow mood. I quit about half way through. I could see the moral developing, but felt like reading it in fast forward. I'm not feeling in a patient reading mood lately. I need some intensity. A Bushel Full of Light I did fast forward skim to the end.

My Christmas

2008-12-30T07:37:00.000-08:00

The presents were opened, the tree put away,
And what do I remember of Christmas day...
It was really quite lovely this year I admit
I didn't expect much but was surprised quite a bit
Some books that I treasured were under my tree
I didn't expect they'd be waiting for me
I opened the wrapping and with tears in my eye
The love of my dear ones I could not deny.

A secret, however, in my stocking did lay
Something else precious for me on that day
A small little note, in my son's own hand
A reminder he's growing from boy to man
A dear little poem he wrote just for me
Of Christmas, of Jesus, of cheer for me
My cheeks they were glistening, my heart did fly
The love of my dear ones I could not deny.

Lora Robertson

Love Yourself

2008-12-22T08:02:00.000-08:00

Someone once said, "Those who deserve love the least, need it the most."

That little thought came into my head this morning as I was introspecting. If we look to the example Jesus Christ set for us we can see how he applied this principle. He loved without boundaries. He showed us how to love each other with open hearts, with forgiveness, with compassion, and with mercy. It is easy to see how we can apply the statement outwardly of ourselves. But we could also apply the statement inwardly. At times I sometimes feel unworthy of love, but if I let myself, I can see that those are the times that I need love the most. In my guilt laden moments I tend to push love away. If we keep working at it, I think we can love not only others, but also ourselves the way Christ intended, with more open hearts, more forgiveness, more compassion, and more mercy.

Thankful Thursday

2008-12-18T09:23:00.000-08:00

Today I am grateful...
- for blogging. It allows me to share a part of myself, that I mostly keep to myself.
- that the ice on the roads thawed enough for me to go get some groceries.
- that Hickory loves basketball. He has a wonderful coach, who laughs with them and encourages them to play their best and have fun. Hickory has needed a positive outlet for his abundance of energy and basketball has been an answer to prayer. He told me last week that what he really needed was to have, "less school and more basketball practice."
- that Christmas is almost here.
- for my sister who made a few extra super yummy cookies for me yesterday...which I gorged myself on while I was driving home.
- for the smell of cold outside. It's been really cold this week. I like to stick my head outside for a minute every once in a while and just breathe in the cold.
- for poetry. I have always loved words. I love poetry. I love happy thoughts. I even really like some less happy poetry or thoughts that are revealing of a deep feeling or mood, but nothing scary or dark. I hate scary things.

Here's a little anonymous poem I found long ago...

How many smiles from day to day
I've missed along my narrow way!
How many kindly words I've lost
What joy has my indifference cost!
This glorious friend that now I know
Would have been friendly years ago.

Spontaneously Nice

2008-12-15T07:23:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, someone who I've seen before, but never really spoken to was spontaneously nice to me. It took me aback for a moment, and my brain tried to switch into defensive mode as I wondered, "Why are they being nice to me?" It was a small act of kindness. People are not generally unkind to me, but they are not spontaneously nice either. I think I have grown very accustomed to people being indifferent to me. I don't usually mind, as I prefer to be less noticeable most of the time. I think people are generally more cautious nowadays - I know I am, but I also think that our caution can lend itself to a degree of isolation. We isolate and feign indifference, because we are trying to protect our little ones or ourselves from the dangers in the world. In my caution, may I not forget to be kind.

Years ago, while a Freshman in college, I read a book by Marvin J. Ashton called, "The Measure of Our Hearts." It is a wonderful book, about becoming our best selves. One of the things he says that I have often reflected on was that, "The greater sin is not to hate, but to be indifferent." He elaborates on this idea in his book. I remember trying to apply the idea to my own life at the time. I never really had a problem with hating people, but I wondered then, how much indifference I allowed myself. When we are indifferent, we ignore, we avoid, we turn away, we close our eyes so that we don't see someone. We don't see their need, not because we can't, but because we won't.

Another thing Marvin J. Ashton said was that, "The more you judge, the less you love." I love that quote even though it can sting sometimes. It helped me to recognize something I could work on to become more Christ like in my life. I noticed that in some cases, my opinion of someone led to my indifference toward them. So I worked on it. I tried to look at people differently with more love and less judgement. I tried to see people the way Father in Heaven sees us, each soul precious, each soul of infinitely valuable. It became a wonderful experience for me, as I began to feel God's love toward others around me.

I have not forgotten my lesson that I learned, but over the years as my trials have surmounted I have struggled with being indifferent to others. Less because of judgements, but more because, well... of my trials that have exhausted me physically, emotionally, and mentally. I was tired and weary in every sense of the word.

But this year, though many of my life challenges remain with me, I feel strengthened. I have been praying for help for a long time now, and I have not been left comfortless. One miracle of following the Savior and seeking truth in our lives is that in our trials He strengthens us, in our trials He helps us, in our trials He gives us peace and hope.

May we ever hold on to hope which is a true friend of faith.

Where have all my left shoes gone??

2008-12-14T16:06:00.000-08:00

We have ceramic tile floors through out most of our house. I buy cheap, generic, croc-style flip flops to wear around the house and keep my feet happy through out the day. I now have three pair. I usually buy the same colors, either black or brown, so if one shoe wears out I can salvage a shoe still match. My problem, however, has become that somehow the left shoe of all my pairs gets lost in the house. If I lost one right of a pair and a left of another- no biggie, but I mysteriously manage to loose all of my left shoes. Sometimes it's not just my house flippers either. When I'm getting ready for church or going out I often loose one of my tennis shoes or dress shoes, and which one is it??? Always the left one! It's wierdo I tell you!

Thankful Thursday

2008-12-12T09:27:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I know it's not Thursday, but I like the name, and as I'm still beginning in my blogging I hear by give myself the privilege of not being perfect at it.
In the year 2000 I started writing five things I was thankful for in my journal every day. I got the idea from Oprah. I happened to see one of her shows where she was talking about Gratitude Journals and how she had done it, and how wonderful it was. I remember her specifically saying with tears in her eyes, "It will change your life." I've been a journal keeper since I was very young, and I liked the idea, so I gave it a go. Even now, eight years later, I still start all my journal entries with, "Today I am grateful..." I don't write every single day anymore, but I still write regularly. It has been a blessing to me in a great many ways. Taking Oprah's challenge that year did change my life. It helped me to look for the little miracles in my life and the simple joys. Sometimes when I was having a bad day, I would pull out my journal and read over things that I had been grateful for and it gave me hope. It also helped me strengthen my relationship with my Father in Heaven as I began to recognize more and more of his tender mercies in my life. It helped me realize the power of gratitude. I really believe that journals are a gift that we give ourselves.
So, I'm going to share some things that I'm grateful for this week on this my first Thankful Thursday on Friday.

Today I am grateful...
- for rays of sunshine that come in my windows
- for my children and moments I share with them every day
- for Redwood who is my perpetual joy boy
- for Ash who inspires me to be my best self
- for Hickory who helps me remember to love first
- for Apple who loves freely and completely and is my everyday miracle
- for my husband who wanted his name to be Persimmon, but I think I'm going to call him Oak. He says if I knew anything about Persimmon trees, I would see how manly they were. He has informed me that the wood is very hard and used to be used to make golf club heads - very important. So, the debate continues...
- for people who have inspired me throughout my life
- for sisters dear to my heart
- for happy tears

Christmas Songs

2008-12-10T14:16:00.000-08:00

Cocoa at Chocolate on my Cranium did a post about favorite Christmas songs...
As I thought about my favorite Christmas songs, a few came to mind...but then when I started searching, I kept thinking, "Oh, I love that one too."
So just for today, I'm going to say O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. I think this song has a very reverent feel to it, but also a hopeful feel. The origins of the song are unknown but very old. Wikipedia says this about the song:
"Its origins are unclear, it is thought that the antiphons are from at least the 8th Century, but 'Veni, veni Emmanuel' may well be 12th Century in origin.[1][2] The text is based on the biblical prophesy from Isaiah 7:14 that states that God will give Israel a sign that will be called Immanuel (Lit.: God with us). Matthew 1:23 states fulfillment of this prophecy in the birth of Jesus of Nazareth."

Sally DeFord has her own version of the song which you can listen to here....
http://www.defordmusic.com/ocomeocomeemmanuel.htm

Gift Enough

2008-12-09T15:44:00.000-08:00

Mwesigwa David (http://wwwdavidsunique-david.blogspot.com/) posted this thought on his blog, he said:

"One thing about serving the Lord is that in addition to having eternal life, he will not disappoint you even here on earth."

If you think about it, eternal life is a pretty huge gift to give, hard to comprehend in magnitude and depth. Eternal joy...how much would that be worth? And yet, God still blesses us every day. Does this not testify of how great His love is for us?
Even if our lives were one abominable circumstance after another, would not the promise and surety of eternal life, eternal peace, eternal happiness...be reward enough for following Him?

God's Love

2008-12-09T14:28:00.000-08:00

Here's another quote I love....

"When filled with God's love, we can do and see and understand things that we could not otherwise do or see or understand. Filled with His love, we can endure pain, quell fear, forgive freely, avoid contention, renew strength, and bless and help others in ways surprising even to us."
- Elder John H. Groberg

I believe there is no greater force in this world than love. At this time of year, many people reflect on the birth of Christ. Many people are kinder, more forgiving, more willing to serve, but why? I think in part it is because we remember the love Jesus has for us, and as we remember, we feel more inclined to show love to others. I believe the more love we feel, the more love we are able to share. God's love for us never wavers. He loves us every single moment of our lives. It is constant. All we need do is open our hearts so that we may feel it. He is always there waiting and watching over us.

"Your World" by Georgia Douglas Johnson (1880-1966)

2008-12-06T09:04:00.000-08:00

Your world is as big as you make it.
I know, for I used to abide
In the narrowest nest in a corner,
My wings pressing close to my side.

But I sighted the distant horizon
Where the skyline encircled the sea
And I throbbed with a burning desire
To travel this immensity.

I battered the cordons around me
And cradled my wings on the breeze,
Then soared to the uttermost reaches
With rapture, with power, with ease!

"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" By William Wordsworth

2008-12-05T11:01:00.000-08:00

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed---and gazed---but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

I have long loved this poem. Sometimes I like to think of everything in the world as part of God's masterpiece. Every sunset, every flower, every mountain, every stream, every flower, every star, every face...everything. Everything in the world has a rhyme, a melody, a song that quietly plays in the background of our lives. If we pause long enough we can hear the wind sing, the leaves laugh, the grass dance...if we listen, we can hear...if we look, we can see.

Fears

2008-12-05T10:21:00.000-08:00

My sister sent me this quote a couple weeks ago. It was one of those that opened my eyes a bit, because it was so me. Sometimes it's a little unnerving to read something that describes some aspect of your character that you knew, but was undefined...not just plain there in black and white to expose you. It's uncomfortable sometimes but also enabling.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? you are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us."
--Marianne Williamson

Matthew 5:16
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Adrenaline??

2008-11-28T19:08:00.000-08:00

I notice that I've had a lot more nervous energy the last couple months. Since I started exercising, I even catch myself having the bizarre desire to just cut loose and run laps around the yard or around the block. I have never liked to run. Except perhaps when I was really young and I wasn't in a competition with anyone. I thought I was fast when I was 6 but always came in last on track and field day, this did not feed my desire to run, but rather squashed my confidence a bit. I think I liked to run because it felt like flying, and somewhere deep inside me I've always longed for that feeling of flying...the wind blowing in my face, the beauty of the world from far away, the exhilaration and the freedom it could bring.
So I'm not sure if it's adrenaline or what that would provoke the desire to run within me. Maybe it's just that I'm still trying to rediscover myself. And that part of me that longs for that feeling is surfacing. Maybe I would like to run, with no one watching, where I could just be myself, never in a race, but just for me.

EXerCiSe

2008-11-26T06:08:00.000-08:00

Why does the very word exercise send that cringing belch feeling into me? Even though I'm winning my battle with it at the moment I still don't like the word.

For years now, I've know that I needed to exercise regularly. After my second child was born, I never got back down to anything near my pre-pregnancies size. I was so very tired much of the time, while child bearing and rearing. I'm too cheap to go to any gym. Over the years I bought used exercise videos from garage sales or thrift stores - so if I didn't end up using them - I wouldn't feel as guilty about the money I'd wasted. I really don't like the monotony of videos though. I get burned out on any exercise video after about the second time through, sometimes the first. So, I knew that wasn't going to work.

Last summer, I was feeling the aches in my body and I knew I had to do something. On one of our local channels, I discovered I show called Classical Stretch (http://www.classicalstretch.com/). I really liked it. I liked Miranda and I really loved the stretches and exercise. I did it every morning and felt better and could feel my muscles again, and see some actual tone there. It was a short workout, only 25 minutes, but I was hopeful it would also help me drop some pounds as well. After three months, I did feel better, but I hadn't lost a pound and then school started again. Whoops! My 8:00am workout was lost in the get-ready-for-school rush. By the start of this year, I had regressed, and I was slowly gaining more weight. It was depressing.
So for Valentines day I got an elliptical trainer off of Craigslist.com. I looked at it sitting in the TV room. I thought about using it -- like all the other second hand exercise equipment I had tried over years that ended up getting donated back to Goodwill or Prevent Blindness or where ever. So I tried, a little. At first, I thought I should just tried to build up a little endurance - pathetic as it was... I started on level two and tried to run for 15 minutes a few times a week. That just was not happening. If I don't commit to doing something everyday, I forget. And, then I just never or rarely do it. So one day last summer, I noticed the scale still trying to go up and I'd had enough! I was going to do it. I really tried to psych myself up. I've never been a late night person, but that was the only time I figured I could exercise uninterrupted. So I started checking out movies that I've missed over the last 10ish years from the library, and I made myself run for 30 minutes 5-6 days a week.

It was hard. It was sweaty. I hadn't really sweated so much in years. The movies made it bearable, if I could focus on the movie, I didn't think so much about how much I hated exercising, and I could better ignore that voice in my head that kept saying, "Why don't you stop now? You're so tired...just stop now...How 'bout now??"

Have you ever known someone who has said, "I feel so good after I exercise...I have so much more energy." I had never experienced this lovely phenomenon myself. I would exercise then feel completely wiped. Where was my euphoria?? After a month of hard nose dedication I started to notice my energy level get a boost -- not while exercising, but just generally. It was nice, so I kept going. I also know that it's good for my health and I'm really working on my body's retirement. I've always wanted to be healthy my whole life.

After two months, I was still feeling good, but I wasn't loosing any pounds, maybe one, but that hardly counts. Same story after the third month, maybe one more pound. I knew I was building muscle but still a little discouraging. But, I'd made a habit for myself now and I felt dedicated to it even if I didn't get all the results I wanted. After some reading, I decided to boost my time up to 45 minutes after the second month. I actually know people who exercise TWO hours a day. This is mind boggling to me, and I really have no desire to go there, and I hoped that I wouldn't have to boost my time up to an hour. Maybe it's still pathetic, but it's me. Some "experts" say you have to exercise an hour 5 days a week to loose weight. I did want results, so I settled for the 45 minute mark. AND...Finally, after four months I can see my pounds melting away, so far I've lost about 8 pounds. It nice to be tipping the scale the other direction. My goal at first was at least 15 pounds, but now I'm going for 25.
Thanks to Father in Heaven for blessing me with some success!

"Dreams" by Langston Hughes

2008-11-22T22:35:00.001-08:00

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.

"Loveliest of Trees" by A. E. Housman. 1859–

2008-11-21T20:48:00.000-08:00

Loveliest of trees, the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough,
And stands about the woodland ride
Wearing white for Eastertide.

Now, of my threescore years and ten,	5
Twenty will not come again,
And take from seventy springs a score,
It only leaves me fifty more.

And since to look at things in bloom
Fifty springs are little room,	10
About the woodlands I will go
To see the cherry hung with snow.

At our last house, we had a small weeping cherry tree. It was really a beautiful tree. I loved to see it's delicate white flowers bloom each spring.

CASTAWAYS OF THE FLYING DUTCHMAN SERIES by Brain Jacques

2008-11-21T12:15:00.000-08:00

Gold Stars
I really liked these books. Castaways of the Flying Dutchman, The Angel's Command, and Voyage of Slaves. While I enjoyed them all, the second and third were my favorites as the series got better and better as it went along. I would love to see another book in this series. Imagine a story about characters called on an eternal mission of doing good where ever they felt impressed to wander without purse or script...never lingering very long in any single place because they do not age in the natural sense. Yet, forming bonds of friendship which they are sad to leave behind, but ever diligent in their response to the Angel's command. These are not religious books, but are unpredictable, intriguing and especially in the second and third books quite suspenseful. I love stories with morals and these have many.

TWILIGHT by Stephanie Meyer

2008-11-19T20:53:00.000-08:00

GOLD STAR
Okay, so everyone kept telling me how good this book was, and I'm a sucker for Juvenile fiction. I put my name on the hold list at the library, which even with over a hundred copies available still has over 150 holds. I watched as my name slowly edged closer and closer to the, "1 of 156 Holds" mark and then...it was, "In Transit." I COULD HARDLY STAND MYSELF! The anticipation of reading this book had totally sucked me in! Was I disappointed?? Heck NO!! I read it in three days despite the growing laundry pile and random clutter that grew around the house. I stayed up too late, but it was worth it, to remember what new love felt like.
So THANK YOU everyone who told me it wasn't a gory, scary book [which I would never have agreed to read]. And, thank you Stephanie Meyer for writing.

Now I am anxiously awaiting the sequel. Which should be "In Transit" by tomorrow, I hope.

THE LEPER by Sigmund Brouwer

2008-11-19T20:43:00.000-08:00

GOLD STAR
I LOVED this book. This book was not what I thought it would be, and did not turn out as my brain expected after reading the title. It's a wonderfully inspiring story, about an English man with leprosy in the 18oo's. I picked it up at the library one day, and thought, "Hummmm." A quick read to make our lives better - to encourage us to let love change our hearts and sustain us, by following the example of Jesus Christ and the love he shared with all.

THE SCOTTISH CHIEFS By Jane Porter

2008-11-19T20:19:00.000-08:00

GOLD STAR
I loved this book. I randomly picked it up at the library one day. I was not sure if I would like it, but I decided to give it a go. It resurrected those deep feelings of duty, purpose and patriotism. It illustrates tyranny and injustice and rallies the desire to preserve our rights and liberties. It praises and develops a longing for true virtue and goodness as well as faith in our Creator. It does have a tragic and subtle love story threaded within as well. I loved it, loved it. I should read this anytime I feel like I can't remember what the point is in life.

MY ART

2007-11-09T11:02:00.000-08:00

Journal Prompts

2007-10-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

I like
I always
I never
I wish
I wonder
I am
I will
I can
I try
I want
I don't
I feel
I look
I saw
I won't
I see
I think
I tried
I might
I went
I hate
I love
I seldom
I often
I rarely
I did
I read
I heard
I hear
I dream
I started
I finished
I came
I understood
I remember
When I
I wanted
If I
Today I
I'm glad

Beginnings

2007-09-29T08:50:00.001-07:00

This is the beginning, the start, the first, the opening, the new, the fresh. All things must have a beginning. Some beginnings are subtle and barely noticed or recognized. Some beginnings are harsh or forced. Some beginnings are anticipated and looked forward to with excitement. Some beginnings are dreaded and procrastinated. Beginnings come every day. Beginnings are opportunites. Beginnings come into our lives again and again whether we wish them to or not.