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Our Puppy

It was Michael's day to be cute.  He loves to play pass the ball.  He will pounce on it like a lion attacking its prey.  Hold it in one hand and then fling his arm forward and at some random point in that throw he will release the ball, sometimes behind his head sending the ball backwards, but most of the time he will throw it forward.  He usually ends with a clap if I am able to get the ball he threw.

The other day we were playing this game, but he kept releasing the ball behind his head and sending it backwards.  He would then spin around get on all fours and scurry after the ball.  But when he go to the ball he couldn't figure out how to hold the ball and crawl back to me.  After picking it up and dropping it several times he finally laughed, put it in his mouth, and with squeals of delight, muffled by rubber ball, he raced back to me as fast as he could and released the ball into my lap looking like a little puppy.



I felt the Lord's hand again.  It was a full day with laundry, cleaning, instructing, and taking care of kids.  But I had gotten everything done, put the lasagna in the oven and set it to start while I was at an appointment so that as soon as I got home we could eat dinner.  The appointment took longer than I anticipated, I had programed the oven wrong so it did not turn on, everyone was starving and it was 6:20 when I started hamburgers and hot dogs, Derek was calling to say he would be late from work, there was no homework done, and the list goes on.

But I was blessed with great patience.  I still had my moments of frustration and yes even yelling but I never felt overwhelmed or out of control.  I felt that the Lord was guiding me, giving me good ideas and everything was able to get done and we moved on.

Today I get to go the the Temple, a sacred place that I make promises to my Heavenly Father and can feel His Spirit.  I always feel good when I go.  I feel His peace and love and I am rejuvenated and ready to press forward and face the challenges of life with the right perspective and with the hope I need.

Today I am continuing to read from a talk given by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, 2nd Counselor in the 1st Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (click here to watch/listen/read the whole talk):


"If we see healthy eating and exercise as something only our doctor expects of us, we will likely fail. If we see these choices as who we are and who we want to become, we have a greater chance of staying the course and succeeding."--This is who I need to become with my eating and exercising habits.  I know I am so much happier with myself when I am eating right and exercising, that is who I need to want to be.

"If we see home teaching as only the stake president’s goal, we may place a lower value on doing it. If we see it as our goal—something we desire to do in order to become more Christlike and minister to others—we will not only fulfill our commitment but also accomplish it in a way that blesses the families we visit and our own as well."--The home teachers (a set of men who come over once a month to give us an uplifting message and who we can call on if we are in need of something) came over last night, another thing that was not in my plan.)  We have been assigned two new home teachers one I know pretty well and the other I have only interacted with on brief occasions.  Wow was I impressed.  We have not had home teachers in our home for a long time.  It was so good to feel of their spirit.  Brother W. turned to me and told me that if I ever needed anything to give him a call and he would be there to help.  That was the first time I felt like I really could call this brother and he really would come and help and he would be please to do it.  He is a good man with a great spirit and love for the Lord.  He truly does this to "become more Christlike" not trying to check off a box. I feel blessed.

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