Backyard Fun

This is what we had in our backyard before (not at the very beginning, when we moved in. I neglected to photograph that.) This is just after we began work.





Now, after a year+ of hard work and patient waiting, we finally have a backyard we can enjoy spending time in. There are no photos of the patio because it's not finished yet. I'll post it when it is (might be another year+.)

Funny Kids

I threw out a kite the other day, but saved the tail streamers because they are very long and pretty, and I hung them from the back porch to fly when the wind blows. The little girls were out playing with them and Elizabeth says to me, "Mom, I've got the colors figured out. The red is the charity of Christ..." (so far so good,) "...the yellow is the light of God..." (sounds nice)"...and the blue is the wind of the gospel!" What? The Wind of the Gospel!? Sounds like a Rob Reiner movie (see This is Spinal Tap, and their album "Break like the Wind.") Made me laugh.

Quote of the week

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." Mahatma Gandhi

Gourmet Cooking

I had a little 'aha' moment the other day as I was puttering around the kitchen. I was making some dish and substituting what I had for what the recipe called for and I remembered the following poem from a cookbook of mine (no author is cited):

I didn't have potatoes, so I substituted rice.
I didn't have paprika, so I used another spice.
I didn't have tomato sauce, so I used tomato paste,
Not a half can, a whole one; I don't believe in waste.
A friend gave me this recipe, she said you couldn't beat it.
There must be something wrong with her, I couldn't even eat it!

It's a humorous idea, and one we all can identify with. But as I thought more about it I saw a great parallel with how we treat God's plan for us. God loves us and wants us to be happy. He knows the exact recipe that will result in our ultimate happiness, and we in these latter days are blessed to have the entire recipe available to us. It is clearly laid out in the scriptures and in modern revelation - the gospel plan. God freely tells us what to do and what not to do, and if we follow his "recipe" we can achieve happiness (in spite of struggles in life). But how often we substitute our own wisdom for His, like the cook in the poem. We pick and choose which commandments are convenient for us, and leave out or alter those we aren't so keen on. Then, when we find ourselves frustrated and in despair, we blame others or even God for our unhappiness. It's so silly, really, to expect to arrive at the desired result when we choose to ignore the directions. I know that there are many sad/bad things that happen to people who are truly striving. I'm not trying to imply that suffering is only ever a result of our own choices. Clearly this is not the case. However, there is so much misery and sorrow that could be avoided by simply believing in God's plan and accepting His loving guidance. And I feel that if we are following the path laid out for us by a loving Father in Heaven, we can find peace and joy even in the face of great trials and tribulations. I've seen it happen with those who have suffered trials I don't know if I could handle. I watch my brother and sister-in-law who lost a child a few years ago, and I see a couple who have suffered and sorrowed and yet, because of their great faith and strong testimony, they haven't become brittle or withdrawn. Rather, they radiate love and warmth and joy. They are a great example to me, a testimony of the peace that following God's plan and enduring to the end can give. As I look back on my own life and examine my devotion to God and His plan, I see clearly that the more closely I follow His plan, the more joy I find in my life, regardless of the events that are happening. And this joy, this peace, I want to always have with me. So... if I know what I want and know what I need to do to get it, I guess I'd better be more vigilant in following that recipe God has seen to bless me with.