A Fulness of Joy

Gardens are a blessing, mostly....

2011-09-29T12:55:00.001-06:00

My husband, Gene, is a gardener. Actually, he's not, but he sure fools everyone. When we got married he often spoke unkind words about the large 3 acre garden he had to help out with as a child. He swore he hated it, and that he did not intend to have a large garden, ever. A few years ago I bought a planter box and a packet of seeds and told Gene that we should do a small planter garden and grow some of our own vegetables. We rented, so putting a garden in the ground wasn't an option (for the most part, though we did have a few bare spots in the yard we were given permission to grow in), so I thought a few pots and a few plants would be good enough. Gene is a geek, he needs to research everything, and then he needs to experiment and see if he can do it bigger and better. So, that pot and plant turned into dozens of pots and so many more plants. Fast forward to today, living in our first home, having a 1/4 acre horse corral and no horse, you get a 1/4 acre garden. If we could afford it we'd have a 1/4 acre greenhouse, but unless we somehow come into a rather large sum of money, we work with what we've got. The first year was a nightmare of weeds, and a lot of learning. This year we have continued to learn as we drown in a bounty that neither of us expected. I was not prepared for the harvest that continues even today. I am learning a lot despite the frustration at seeing my neat and clean kitchen become a fruit and veggie haven. We will learn from this year and be better prepared for next. I've never been a lover of meal prep and food preservation, but it's becoming a part of my life. Now I'm the geek, researching and trying to figure out how to use these blessings from God that happen to feed our family and build our character. It takes work to prepare the soil, prepare the seeds, nurture the starts, prepare the garden, plant the starts, protect the plants from the elements/pests/weeds, and keep them watered and fed throughout the summer. Our children groan and complain about the work, but we know that one day they'll understand and appreciate the "fruit of their labor". As we harvest and share the bounty with our neighbors, it's thrilling. I may tease my husband about that planter box and pack of seeds, but I'm grateful we're able to create such a wonderful garden today because of it.

Growing....

2011-05-19T14:11:00.005-06:00

The weather here in Utah has not been conducive to putting in a garden. It's cold, and wet, wet, wet; no sun to be seen. Our plants that we have started inside weeks ago did not get the weather report and are clamoring to get out, NOW! Unfortunately that just is not possible at this point. So we continue to baby the green beauties as best we can until they can be planted in the ground and truly take off and flourish and really show us what they're made of. As a mom I can relate to this with my children. Whether it's them or me that is bursting at the seams to grow and show the world what we can do, or would like the ability to do, there always seems to be something, someone, in the way.

"Grow where you are planted."

I think most of us have heard this quote before. The meaning may differ for each of us as well. For me it's a call to make no more excuses for why I can't, or why my children can't (in relation to our circumstances) grow. Whether it's time, disability, health, interference, money, fear, etc.... we all have reasons why we stop growing, or trying. Instead of being stuck in what I call survival mode, we all need to find ways to live, and to live is to grow. All living things grow. We're alive and we must grow. How and in what ways and how far are all up to us. Do we have limitations? We sure do. Is it a reason to just give up and stop. No! We may not "get it all", but we can move in the right direction, or find a way (often with help) to get the nourishment we need to grow in the ways we feel in our soul we NEED for ourselves and for our children. Fight that nagging voice inside your head that tells you it's not possible. If you are planted in a home full of children (as I am) then figure out a way to create a home where you all can grow. This will often mean sacrificing a few blooms (misspent time) to encourage better growth, but it's a sacrifice worth making.

Organized Chaos....

2011-02-20T12:38:00.004-07:00

Over the past few weeks I have been pulling my home apart and putting it back together again. My quest is for a better organized home. I feel that once I have a system that works for me then my ability to relax and work on creative projects comes more easily. As I pull a room apart and notice the progress as I put it back together with its new purpose or better use of space, I feel a surge of relief and a better energy within me to move on and improve more areas of my life. I still have many more hours and days ahead of me before the task will be complete, but I'm moving forward and not losing focus of my goal.

Thanks for Giving....

2010-11-09T19:09:00.002-07:00

My favorite time of year is now, with the preparations and thoughts towards Thanksgiving. With all of the trials we face and the hustle and bustle of every day life, it's nice to have a holiday focusing on giving thanks. I just read a news article that has a quote I would like to share. This quote by Elder Richard G. Scott tells it simply, yet beautifully:

"Creativity can engender a spirit of gratitude for life and for what the Lord has woven into your being. Creativity gives a renewal, a spark of enthusiasm, a zest for life that we all need."

May we all give thanks, and allow ourselves to recognize others and voice our thanks for giving of themselves and their talents to make a better and more beautiful world to live in.

Inspired to prepare....

2010-10-01T15:05:00.002-06:00

“If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30). Last month was emergency preparedness month. This topic has been on my mind for a few months now. My husband, Gene, and I have been called to serve as emergency preparedness specialists in our church. There is a lot we need to learn before we can perform our duties well and are relishing the challenge. As we build up our food storage and put away supplies that our family may need in case of an emergency (both personal as well as local) it alleviates a bit of the fear we all tend to have when we think about a true emergency and what it would do to our family. When starting out it all seems very overwhelming, but if we work on things little by little we'll keep adding to our stores and feel a bit more peace. I've added a handy little tool to this blog from Emergency Essentials. It is a free calculator that will help you determine what you should store for your family. So far I've been storing items for a 3-month supply by purchasing a few extra items at the store at every shopping trip. Once I have that established I'll work towards a year supply. Creating a home of peace means looking after the needs of the family today, and preparing for the unknown of tomorrow the best we can. If our physical needs are met (food, water, clothing, etc...) then we can focus more on the spiritual, emotional, and mental health of our family during times of emergency.

Another Season....

2010-09-09T09:16:00.005-06:00

For many, the past few weeks have been preparing for and then starting a new school year. I have three in elementary school and two little ones still at home during the day. Running errands have become a lot easier, afternoons have become a lot busier, and quiet evenings have become a lot more valued. Back to school time tends to inspire a need for routine, schedules, and organization. In some ways I really love this time of year, in others I feel a bit overwhelmed and inadequate. I suppose it's because my weaknesses tend to be thrown up in my face as I struggle to juggle the papers from school, appointments for this and that, school projects to keep my children on task for, and dealing with social issues that crop up. I'm going to try to focus on the good this season brings to me and my family. I am going to become better organized, I am going to beautify my home, I am going to develop a wonderful routine that will focus on building us up as a family, together. Togetherness as a family tends to get lost during the school year. It's my goal to find ways to strengthen our bonds through activities and simple moments of conversation and reflection.

Finding that Balance...

2010-05-10T14:58:00.004-06:00

There is a painting that I admire by James Christensen called The Responsible Woman. It pays tribute to his wife and all of her many responsibilities. Looking at the painting I can't help but feel that his wife must be very energetic and balanced to be able to handle all of the many activities she is involved in. I must admit, I'm in survival mode most days, and I don't do near as many things as a lot of the wives and mothers do around me. I don't run my children around from one practice or lesson to another throughout the week. I don't take college classes or get involved with reading clubs or join a fitness club. I don't tend to seek after opportunities that would bring more responsibility into my life. Do I feel like I or my children are missing out? Sometimes. Do we use our time at home together in a productive manner? Not always. There is always room for improvement. I'm not a "slacker" mom, and neither am I an "alpha" mom. I'm just a mom who has children with varying levels of special needs who can't keep up with the world and what they do with their "All American" kids who can handle social situations with poise and class. My children struggle, therefore I struggle. It's exhausting, even if we don't have several appointments to keep throughout the week. My challenges may not revolve around a tight schedule, but they're challenges just the same. I need to find balance within myself. I need to make the time for spiritual and physical sustenance for myself and for my family. Part of that balance is in learning how to be creative with my time and with my talents. Without some form of creativity in our lives I believe we lose a part of who we are. If you haven't created something lately that you're proud of, take some time and plan for it. It can help tip that scale of burden a bit more in your favor.

Winter Wonders....

2010-02-17T19:15:00.003-07:00

I would love to be able to say that I'm seeing the beauty of winter all around me, but with the inversion here in the Salt Lake City area, it's not so pretty. Actually, it's making everyone sick, which is not fun when you have a newborn to protect and care for. So for me, the wonders of winter are being found within my home, not without. The ultimate creation is the creation of life. Nothing comes close to the miracle of birth. On January 13th my husband and I literally caught our 5th child as he was born (our midwife and assistant was close by). It's been over a month now and these past weeks have been full of many wonders as we watch this tiny little boy grow and develop. It always amazes me as I get to know my children's personalities from such a young age and see how it just "fits" them as they grow. Their personality may mature as they grow, but they are all so unique their character is just so "them" and continues to be so through the years. The most exciting part for me is watching them as they create, and noticing what it is that they do create. Each child has a knack for something and a desire to do their best and show it off to the world. I love it when they feel that their creation is perfect and they have no hesitation to share it. Unfortunately there comes a point when they start to feel their creation is not good enough and lose that freedom of feeling they're "good enough". As adults we often question our abilities and apologize for the results of our best efforts thinking only of the flaws and not of the accomplishment. I'm guilty of that to a fault. I have a desire to learn photography and have been told I have an "eye" for it, but I don't see it as clearly as others have expressed it. It's something I am working on. I'm trying to get past my thoughts of inadequacy and working towards learning and actually doing and sharing my love of photography, even with the flaws that only I can see.

Home Sweet Home....

2010-01-05T14:46:00.003-07:00

After many years of planning and prayers and pursuit, we have finally purchased our very first home. The house is beautiful and as we check each item off the massive "to-do" list it feels more and more like a home. Being in my final weeks/days of this pregnancy has brought up a few challenges, but day by day I have been able to slowly unpack, assemble, hang, and organize my way towards less chaos and more peace in our new home. There is a special feeling of accomplishment and pride as we learn new things and see the results of our hard work and effort and new-found skills. There is also opportunity to teach our children the importance of work, maintenance, and responsibility that comes with ownership, big or small. Come spring we will have many, many projects to tackle outside that will guarantee many grumblings and gripes, but also activity and accomplishment. Inside and out we are learning to create a home out of a house that was not previously loved. It's a growing experience I hope everyone can one day experience.

Nesting....

2009-11-10T17:27:00.002-07:00

Being in my 30th week of pregnancy, I often get the question thrown at me about whether or not I am nesting. This often happens when I get the urge to organize, purge, clean, etc.... for no good reason. I often get these urges whether or not I am pregnant so I find the fact that I am pregnant a non-issue and not the reason for my increased desire to get things "just right". Despite all of that, I will say that growing a life and taking part in creating another body for another spirit is an amazing thing. If this is what inspires me to find the time and energy (despite my growing belly and exhaustion) to do a little (or a lot) here and there to improve my home, then so be it. I welcome the challenge and I welcome the inspiration. If you find yourself "nesting", consider yourself blessed and go with it.

Music Appreciation

2009-09-30T18:50:00.004-06:00

For those of us who have a serious lack of talent in the music department but also have a serious love of music, we absolutely love it when we stumble across a great musical resource. My husband first introduced me to a website several months ago that I have recently rediscovered. I've been struggling to find a station on the radio that I can listen to without finding a fault with it. Either the music or the DJ becomes annoying or down-right insulting, which really frustrates me since I find music very inspirational, energizing, and enjoyable when it's done well. Many have already discovered Pandora Radio, but if you have not had the privilege yet I would encourage you to check it out. Today I chose to create a station based on music from Rascal Flatts, one of my favorite Country music performers. The site then selected music from a massive Music Genome Project that is similar to the sound of the artist I chose and created a "station" full of music with a similar sound. So far I have enjoyed every song selected for me and am really enjoying the experience. There is an option to indicate a dislike for a song selected which will only make the station even more tailored to your taste. I've been washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen and can honestly say that good music makes the burden lighter. If you're looking for some inspiration, energy, and joy, consider creating your own station for a nice change.

A Powerful Message on Creating

2009-05-16T17:58:00.006-06:00

There are times when something is said and it changes our lives. We may not realize this at first, but as we make choices we find the words replaying in our mind and influencing our behavior. I had the privilege of listening to a talk prepared for women by a leader of my church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) that has changed me. This blog was inspired by this talk. I felt the need to create a place to express my thoughts and feelings on various things that my other online projects (www.crystalvoice.org) just didn't seem to fit. I strongly encourage you to watch this message and let the meaning really soak in and change you. It will be a change for the better, and a change that will benefit not only you, but all of the lives that you influence.

Create

You can read the entire message here.
(Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Happiness, Your Heritage,” Ensign, Nov 2008)

I've never considered myself very talented at much of anything. My childhood did include many crafts and sewing projects as I learned what I had the mind and patience for from my mother. How I wish I could have that kind of time to learn today.... Life tends to bring more people and responsibilities that will require more time and energy doing the day-to-day tasks and not so much time for learning and developing our talents or pursuing our interests. But with these people come opportunities to serve others with what we have acquired. This sharing, this creating for others is what truly gives us a fulness of joy.