Happiness?

Lisa said to me the other day, "Why are you so stuck on that manner of happiness thingy?" I love thinking about "living after the manner of happiness"! It means that we live in the Lord's way--richly aware everyday of His many great blessings. It means we keep the commandments with intent so that we feel His love in our lives. Living after the manner of happiness will ensure that we are HAPPY. I want, more than anything, for my family to feel this eternal happiness which is so opposite of anything the world has to offer. It can only be found in the covenants of the gospel of Jesus Christ--so I say to you, my dear family, LIVE AFTER THE MANNER OF HAPPINESS!

Happiness is temples....

Friday night after a hectic, hurried week, my husband and I met at the temple for a date. It started out rocky as I was in the bathroom when they took the others into the session and someone had to come and find me and tell me to hurry because I was holding everyone else up. Then when I sat down I was hit with one of the worst hot-flashes I have ever experienced and almost passed out. Through it all I kept thinking how happy I was to be sitting in such a peaceful place with my husband. The session passed in a blur, my mind was darting around thinking of so many things that I have to do for my son's wedding, and my family. Then suddenly, I was at the veil, talking to the "Lord" and stilling my mind to soak in those holy words given to me by way of covenant from my Heavenly Father who loves me. He spoke to me and he said, "Dear Lynne, you are troubled about many things but be not afraid, put your trust in me and all will be well. I love you....I appreciate you...I require nothing from you but to allow yourself to feel deeply my love and drink from living waters that will sustain you through all things." I felt his love in a deep place in my heart where only He can go. Thank you dear Father, for reminding me that all is well, all is well. Thank you for your miraculous gift of infinite love when I need it most! HE LOVES ME! This I KNOW......

Happiness.......

The Taylor family gave me the best Valentine's present--a digital picture frame with all of their Disneyland pictures. I put it in the family room, down where all the kids can see it. They LOVE looking at themselves!
It makes me smile everytime I look at it--thanks family for all the great memories........


All of us at the beach on our last day.........

Mags watching the Buzz Lightyear parade

Dave, Gavin, Mickey, Iliana and Tyler

Discovering pirate treasure on Tom Sawyer's Island

The Taylor family-Caleb, Jon, Cameron, Braden and Cathy

Lisa and Denis still looking and acting like newlyweds

Cousin crunches....

Jack and Braden with Brer Fox

Gavin couldn't get enough of the Winne the Pooh ride

What did you write in the margins?

For a year Mike has been telling me about his fabulous Institute teacher, Bro. Hunter, so I decided to attend Mike's class with him on Tuesday nights. We have been studying the parables of Jesus. Am I loving it? Is he an amazing teacher? Yes! It's not because Bro.Hunter is showy or loud or entertaining--it's because he lets the Holy Ghost teach us--and that is a rare quality in a teacher. He talks very quietly, so quietly that sometimes I strain to hear him. And he uses the prophets to teach us, he uses truth to teach, he uses the Holy Ghost to witness to us. Bro. Hunter speaks Greek and Hebrew which helps us to unlock words and meanings in the parables. He gives us piles of handouts every week which allows me to study for the entire week the one parable that we have talked about. He encourages us to listen for the whisperings and impressions of the Holy Ghost that come into our hearts and minds. He tells us to write our impressions in the margins or on whatever we can find because they can be fleeting as our mind moves on. At the end of the first class that I attended, he asked us to share what the Spirit had taught us. He asked, "What did you write in your margins?" Oh, the things that I had felt, that I had written, that were flooding into me, how strongly I felt the influence of the Holy Ghost. Every person that shared a feeling or thought had been taught something different that night.

That phrase has been running through my mind, over and over again, what will be written in my margins of my life? What marvelous teachings have been written on my heart? Holy thoughts, sacred impressions, that can come only from a loving and kind Heavenly Father who cares for His children in an unfathomable, compassionate way. Thank you Mike, for taking me to Institue with you! I am filled with gratitude for the teachings of that most precious, and often unrecognized member of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost.

Love is a blessing.......

This morning I called a dear friend who is dying today to tell her I love her. I asked her if the sun was shining at her house and she replied, "Not yet, but I'm sure it will be soon. And you know, that today I will be seeing so much light! I can't wait for the chance to walk toward that light." We talked about how blessed we are by the gospel and how excited she was to see her husband and be with him again. She spoke of a blessing her Bishop had given her where he said that as she went through the veil the Savior and her husband would be waiting. I asked her, " If, by any chance, you run into my boy, John Gardner, will you take a minute to give him a hug from me? Would you tell him how much we love him? " She said, "I will make it my special mission to find him for you--it will be my privilege."

How grateful I am for those three words "I love you"! What power they have to touch our hearts and bring us to the Savior. To each of you, my most dearly loved, you are hearts of my heart--and I love you!

My Son

Today is the sixth anniversary of the worst day in my life! Terrible memories! Unbelievable pain! But I have found it to be true that "in the midst of affliction, my table is spread--with blessings unmeasured, my cup runneth over"!

Dear Son-- what joy you brought into our lives! So many memories I have of you my dearest one. I remember the day you were born and the very first time I held you in my arms, so tiny, with your little pointed chin. The best and most sacred thing had happened to me-- on October 20, 1977--I became a mother. Oh how you were loved by us!

Your spirit was always too big for your body and it seemed to drive you relentlessly......you walked when you were only 10 months old, because why crawl if you can run? You talked early and we loved every little cute thing you said. One night we were driving to the mall and you were standing on the seat between Dad and I and Dad kept saying, "I love you Johnny" and suddenly you looked at him and said, "I love you", so clearly, right back to him. Our hearts melted......

You were the big brother. You were the first child that I put on the school bus and "let go" of and you never looked back. You were baptised on Saturday Nov. 2 and confirmed on Sunday Nov. 3. I remember that you fasted that Sunday for the very first time. You asked me if it was okay--I thought you were too young and that it would be hard but I said you could and you did. You amazed me with your desire to do what was right.

You loved being a Scout. It meant that you could camp and fish and be dirty. You became an Eagle scout just before you turned 14 yrs. old. Your goal was to be the youngest Eagle scout in the troop--see what I mean? You were so driven to excel. You were competitive and very physical. I don't think I've ever seen anyone as excited as you were when you got "drafted" to play in the "majors" in T-ville little league. I loved watching you play sports--especially football in high school and I remember the total elation when you made an interception in a pre-season game against Davis High School. You loved to tease and wrestle and poke with those wickedly strong fingers--and when I "yelled" at you to stop you would just grin that Johnny grin, and keep on doing it.


You loved your friends! And you loved the Nova or maybe it was just the freedom of driving fast......you never really got over that!


I remember so clearly the Sunday that you came and sat down by me in the chapel, after an especially touching talk by a recently returned missionary, and you said, "Mom. I want to go on a mission." What more could a mother dream of?


Your mission to Argentina blessed your life and ours as well. When you came home you wanted to help the whole world and you loved speaking Spanish. That's one of our strongest memories---you warbling away in Espanol! You found Cathy--how we love her! Then you had a son, Braden, and where would we be without him? He is heart of our hearts! You loved them both so very much.

Today we want you to know that we love you and thank you for all you helped us to understand and learn. We are so grateful for the resurrection and the opportunity we will have of association and interaction with you again. We can't wait! What joy! We have so much to catch up on.......

Maybe my brother Mark said it best in the poem he wrote for me:



"MOM I'M HOME"

Grubby hands and cheeks
Clothes caked with mud
Exuberance spread across his face
Wide as the mess on the floor
His toddler eyes filled
With boyhood joy
"Mom, I'm home!"


Baseball cap tipped back
Uniform a mess
From slides and dives
Tournament won
Time now to celebrate
He comes seeking love
"Mom, I'm home!"


Late night, teenager out
Mom waiting up and worried
Preparing the proper scolding
While waiting in the dark
But he comes in with that smile
And it swallows all lectures up
"Mom, I'm home!"


Airport wait and butterflies
Two years--long time
He's done so well
Grown so much
Off the lane he comes
A man now--pride overcomes
"Mom-I'm home!"


Sorrow so heavy and pain so keen
At casket's side her heart near breaks
His fate an anguishing wound
In questioning grief she wonders
Sending tendrils of hope through time
Until she hears peace across eternity
"Mom, I'm home!"


Old and frail, life well-lived
It's time for her to go
She turns away and into the light
And feels the sweet familiarity of this place
Gentle hand upon her shoulder
Voice so dear she's longed to hear
"Mom, you're home."


And as he enfolds her in his arms
The cloak of grief fades finally away
And the love once known
And oft remembered unfolds
'Til it billows and mounts and near bursts her soul
And he whispers at last
"Mom, we're home!"

Elections

Yesterday I went to Freedom (notice the name) Elementary at 6:00am be a poll worker for 18 hours. I think of this as my way of doing some kind of civic duty for my country. I've done it many times and it is always rewarding. It's only one little day but it is educational to watch the process by which we retain our freedoms. I LOVE TO VOTE! Many say that it doesn't really matter because one small vote does nothing. I strongly disagree. My one small vote says that I have a voice and a choice! It inspires me to see that many other people feel as stongly as I do and they will come and stand in line--sometimes with crying children, or on crutches, and in wheelchairs to have that choice. I met one little 98 year old woman, who could hardly walk, and it was suggested to her that she could vote on an absentee ballot and save herself a lot of trouble but she said that she loved to VOTE and wanted her children and grand-children (and I suppose great-grandchildren) to see her example and her sacrifice. I love this country! God gave it to us and we will only have it if we excersise good choices. I am proud to say that in the four voting precints that were represented in our polling location we had 55% of the registered voters cast ballots. I wish it had been 100%!