THE WINDOW THROUGH WHICH WE LOOK

One of my cousins sent me this today:

The Window Through Which We Look....

A young couple moved into a new neighborhood.

The next morning while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside.


"That laundry is not very clean," she said. "She doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap."

Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same comments.

About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband, "Look, she has learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this?"

The husband said, "I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows."


And, so it is with life. What we see when watching others depends on the purity of the window through which we look.

And I would add that our attitude and our actions make a BIG difference.

love you!

"Doo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo"... Be

Last Sunday during our stake conference, our stake presidency was changed. Roger's release came just before our current living situation comes to an end. We are sure it's not a coincidence. We've been the recipients of more than our share of blessings as he fulfilled this responsibility and what a great blessing for him to be able to complete his assignment at this time. In his final remarks,our newly-released stake president introduced us to what he referred to as the Frank Sinatra doctrine. Are you as naive as I was, and unaware that such a doctrine exists?

Well, he talked to us about the importance of doing and of being, similar to the blog I posted on Oct 24, 200 -- What we do determines what we become, which in turn contributes to what we do, and so forth.

So now, every time I hear Frank Sinatra sing "Strangers in the Night", ending with dooby dooby doo, I'll be reminded of Pres. Snarr's message, and I'll ponder on what I'm doing and what I'm becoming.

And now, maybe you will too.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Tomorrow will be my first Mother's Day without my mom in mortality. And right now that feels kind of overwhelmingly sad.

Here's a picture of the BEST Mom and Dad I ever could have asked for:



So I'm trying to turn it around, and focus on the great blessing she's been throughout my life. She was what a mother should be and I love her more than my words can express. So in tribute to her (and to many other wonderful examples that I see, especially my daughters and daughters-in-law, here are the words from a song by Donna Butler that our ward choir is singing tomorrow:

"God bless the mother who sings to her child,
peaceful and calm, her words soft and mild.
God bless the mother awake in the night,
rocking her child 'til morning light.

"God bless the mother forgiving and wise,
sharing God's grace through the light in her eyes.
God bless the mother oppressed by her fears,
carried by faith 'til hope reappears.

"Gather all mothers in tender embrace.
Grant them your courage, your wisdom and grace.
Honor their place in your sacred design,
of healing the world, one child at a time."

Isn't it beautiful? And even more so when you hear it rather than read it.

This is my Mom & me:



Motherhood is an awesome responsibility and I tip my hat to all of you who have embraced it. Again, I give a special thanks to the mothers of my grandchildren. Thank you for making this you #1 priority. Generations will praise you for the small and simple things you are doing. Your sacrifices and efforts will reap great rewards. How do I know? I have been blessed to be the mother of 5 and the mother-in-law of 5 more of the choicest people you'll ever know.

As George Eliot said, "Mighty is the force of motherhood."

Happy Mother's Day, Mom, Melanie, Amy, Belky, Cheryl, and Megan! I love you!