Food

I sat down tonight to make a grocery list, 

in an effort to be proactive about my eating life.

Because when I eat, 

I feel happier.

(Duh.)

First, I thought, 

I should note what I'm scheduled to attend 

that requires me to bring food.

Check.

Then, I thought, 

I should check my calendar 

to see when I have time to cook food for the week.

Um.

I don't know how this is possible.

I have something every evening

for the next 7 days.

(That's before I tried to plan my week.)

Which leaves no night available to cook.

Undeterred, I made a plan.

I will eat peanut butter sandwiches 

and crock pot taco soup

every day next week.

(As soon as I have time to make the taco soup.)

At least I could buy supplies for PBJs at Target,

which was open until 11,

which meant I actually got it done tonight.

I'm not sure how I feel about this.

But at least I planned ahead!

Home Sweet Home

This week, I was home for three evenings in a row.

It was a little weird. I can't remember the last time that happened. (Actually, I don't even know when I was last home for two evenings in a row during the week. Apparently I've been busy.)

At first, I wasn't sure what to do with myself. Then...

I finished reading all the magazines that have been piling up for three months.

I did the dishes.

I ate dinner (three nights in a row! Woah. This is getting crazy).

I folded the laundry that has been in the dryer since last Saturday.

I pulled the seeding crabgrass out of my perennial bed, and the weeds out from behind my rosebushes. It was a good start to the fall flower bed prep.

I cleaned the food splatters off the kitchen walls (it's only been making me crazy when I've noticed it for the last 4 months).

I cleaned the car windshield and wiped off more splatters in my car. (They mostly make me crazy because I have NO IDEA how they got there...)

I tossed a few weeks' worth of recyclable mail and reduced the kitchen table clutter.

I responded to all the emails I received this week.

And I blogged!

I should stay home more often. Apparently it is a productive venture.

The end.

Today's Thought

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, here.

Going forward with our service and work is an important way to qualify for revelation. In my study of the scriptures I have noted that most revelation to the children of God comes when they are on the move, not when they are sitting back in their habitations waiting for the Lord to tell them the first step to take.
 For example, it is significant to note that the revelation known as “the Word and Will of the Lord concerning the Camp of Israel” (D&C 136:1) was not given in Nauvoo as the Quorum of the Twelve planned the exodus from Nauvoo in those sorrowful days following the Martyrdom of the Prophet in 1844; nor was it given on the west bank of the Mississippi River. It was given at Winter Quarters, Nebraska, after the Saints had spent a punishing year moving from Nauvoo westward across Iowa to temporary camps on the Missouri River. The revelation to guide the movement of the Saints across the plains was given on January 14, 1847, when the Saints had already gone about a third of the way to the valleys of the mountains.
 We will get promptings of the Spirit when we have done everything we can, when we are out in the sun working rather than sitting back in the shade praying for direction on the first step to take. Revelation comes when the children of God are on the move.
 So we do all we can. Then we wait upon the Lord for His revelation. He has his own timetable.

I liked this thought. It is important for me right now.

Monday Cheer

My friend was late to Family Home Evening tonight. But when he walked in, his apology was this - sorry I'm late, but I was totally charmed by the complete double rainbow!

Sure enough, when we ran outside to look, you could still see all of one and some of the second rainbow, from ground to ground, making a huge arc in the sky. It was amazing. (I didn't take a picture, so you'll just have to imagine it. Or Google it. Other people did take pictures, apparently.)

Then we all had a wonderful discussion on a conference talk and visited a while.

It cheered me up and helped me forget about the challenges of the day.

I'm grateful for friends who remind me to stop and look for rainbows.

They are a reminder of how much our Father in Heaven loves us.

(The friends and the rainbows.)

Happy Monday!

The Neglected Blog and 10 Things to Smile About

Oops. I missed an entire month. Apparently I never post anymore. So here is something to make up for that.

Yesterday was Fast Sunday, the first Sabbath of the month, where we voluntarily go without food and drink for two meals and donate the value of the meals to the church as a fast offering. I also focus my prayers and thoughts on something important and seek revelation from my Father in Heaven as I fast. It's a wonderful opportunity to grow spiritually, and I generally appreciate Fast Sundays.

This weekend I was not mentally or physically prepared for it. Saturday was hot (think 87 degrees inside) and humid. It had been a busy week, so I hadn't thought about what I wanted to fast for. After dinner Saturday evening, I still needed to clean the house and carry air conditioning units up from the basement - not work one should do without drinking a lot of water when the house is like an oven. Or maybe a sauna. Anyway, I didn't actually start thinking about this fast until just before I went to bed. So I admitted my failure to prepare and asked for His help anyway, and the Lord answered my prayers. It always amazes me when I am abundantly blessed after putting forth what seems like a very little effort. I am grateful that God loves us like that.

Yesterday I also went with two lovely friends to Mt. Auburn cemetery. It is one of my favorite places in Cambridge. We saw ponds with fish and frogs, willow trees blowing in the wind, and my favorite place - Consecration Dell - which is just peaceful and happy. It was good for my soul.

I will also share 10 Things to Smile About for May in an effort to spread good cheer. This is something my cousin Emmy Mom does. I always think it is a good idea but usually don't get further than that. :-)





1. The Boston temple. A group of friends came with me on Memorial Day morning and it was a truly awesome experience.
2. Discovering most of a season of Studio C that I hadn't seen on BYU TV - and the app that lets me watch it on my iPhone. Laughter is good for the soul.
3. Air conditioners. What a blessed invention!
4. Spring flowers.
5. Dinner with my uncle from Kentucky! Chipotle always tastes better when you eat it with people you love.
6. A photo scavenger hunt adventure, complete with getting pulled over by a police officer.
7. New clothes.
8. Successfully accomplishing a goal.
9. A trip to Ogunquit, ME, and a walk along the Marginal Way.
10. It's fruit smoothie season!!! YUM.

Peace and Healing

I know so many who need peace and healing, who just want to forget what they experienced yesterday in Boston. Even though I was not downtown at all (and the mundane budget preparation I was doing is nothing by comparison), I know people who were, and my heart aches for everyone who was affected, whether directly or indirectly.

Yesterday morning was a special Monday opening at the Boston temple. I went because I was asked to serve, but it was a blessing for me as much as a service opportunity. I was in a worship session at 7:30 am with about 40 young missionaries and a few other people. I reflected on the power in that room - 38 young men who bear the priesthood, and 2 young women, all called of God and set apart to preach His gospel in Boston and the surrounding region. All 40 have put their education and their lives on hold while they serve the Lord full-time, spreading the good news of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the earth. They represented only a fraction of the Elders and Sisters who serve in our area, but while small in number, they were great in power and devotion to the truth.

Tonight, my home teachers came over - two of the best men I know. They bear the priesthood of God and are responsible to visit and care for a small number of men and women in our ward. They shared with me a message of hope and peace, of joy in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the knowledge that we will one day be restored to a perfect, immortal body because of His grace. One commented that it seemed this message was inspired, exactly what we needed to hear today. It helped me listen with greater focus, and I found peace and joy in contemplating the magnificent blessings of the Atonement and Resurrection of my Savior Jesus Christ.

As I have pondered on the events that took place yesterday with these two experiences as bookends, this is the most important message I can think to offer:

"As we rely on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, He can help us endure our trials, sicknesses, and pain. We can be filled with joy, peace, and consolation. All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ." (read more here, in Preach My Gospel)

"The love of God and the power of the restored gospel are redemptive and saving. ... His divine love ... can dress any wound, heal any hurt, and soften any sorrow." (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, here.)

I know that Jesus Christ lives and I know that He can heal us from all the wounds that were inflicted by yesterday's tragedy, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual in nature. God knows and loves all His children, and He will not turn His back on us now. Please join with me in turning to Him for peace and the healing we all need.

What's New

There is an animal that eats my crocuses. Every year. I think it might be the raccoon I saw a few weeks ago as I was pulling into the driveway. Or maybe the bunny I saw last fall sitting near my flowerbeds. At any rate, I'm sad about it since I plant crocuses for the flowers, not the animals. At least I was able to enjoy the pretty yellows for a few days before they disappeared.

The other good news is that the trees are starting to bud and the world is turning green again! I bought a hyacinth plant at Trader Joe's last week and it has been making my office smell heavenly. It brings me happiness. The hyacinths in the backyard are coming up and blooming as well. Happy day.

Tonight I went to the BSO with my two friends. I was grateful for no traffic on the highway on the way there, since I left 15 minutes later than I thought I should, and ended up there on time after all. I was also grateful I remembered to put the tickets in my purse last night - they have been sitting on the dining room table for a month. Two blessings in 24 hours. Yay! Oh, and the concert was pretty amazing, too. We heard a world famous violinist, a super cool piece by a Russian composer I'd never heard before, and Pictures at an Exhibition. It was great.

Did you enjoy General Conference? I sure did! These were my two favorites:

Our daily contributions of nurturing, teaching, and caring for others may seem mundane, diminished, difficult, and demeaning at times, and yet as we remember that first line in the Young Women theme—“We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us”—it will make all the difference in our relationships and our responses. - Elaine S. Dalton

All the difference in our responses to others and in our relationships with those around us. Who wouldn't benefit from that?

When [affliction or desperation] moments come and issues surface, the resolution of which is not immediately forthcoming, hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes.  - Jeffrey R. Holland

Elder Holland already italicized the part I needed most to hear. :-) 

These were the two messages for me. It made a difference this week. I love being part of a church that has Apostles and Prophets who guide us to all truth. Amazing.

Happy Things This Month

Um, I guess it has been a month since I posted. Oops. Here is what has been good recently:

I received a letter from darling L upon coming home at the end of a hard week and a bad day. It made me smile and reminded me that Heavenly Father loves me. So does L. I love them back.

We had a few days of spring before it snowed again.

I enjoyed a very green dinner last Sunday in celebration of some random guy named Patrick.

Easiest taco soup ever - dump 2 cans of chicken (the chunky kind you buy at CostCo), 2 cans of tomatoes, 1 can of corn, 1 can of black beans (rinsed & drained), and 1/3 cup taco seasoning mix in the crock pot. Mix and turn on high and ignore for the afternoon. Run a fork through the mixture to shred the chicken before eating with chips and avocado.

The BSO program last Saturday included Saint-Saëns Symphony #3 (the Organ Symphony). It was AMAZING. The most moving piece I've ever heard. I loved every second of it. Wow.

Every time I host Family Home Evening, we do something I call "Happy Things". It requires everyone in attendance to tell one happy thing that took place in their lives since the last time we all got together. We usually do it while we're eating treats, and it gives us a chance to celebrate each others' successes and rejoice together. I love it. Some of the happy things last time from the group included a trip to London, a good week for job interviews, a successful workout that morning, amazing BBQ by an equally amazing sibling, and the advent of daylight savings time and the consequent ability to avoid the potholes on the way home. It is my way of ensuring that the activity ends on a positive note.

So there you have it. Lots of happy things!

Sunday Goodness

We celebrated Purim by eating hamantashen after choir practice. I love that the Jewish tradition includes a celebration of a faithful, spiritual woman who had been prepared "for such a time as this" - and her actions preserved the people of her nation.

In Sacrament meeting, we had two wonderful talks about President Eyring's talk "Where Is the Pavilion?" and felt a fantastic Spirit throughout the meeting. I watched a brother being trained in his duties as a holder of the priesthood of God at the Sacrament table, and felt grateful that the power and authority of God has been restored to the earth. We sang Onward, Christian Soldiers and A Mighty Fortress is Our God and There is Sunshine in My Soul (my favorite, especially for a grey, snowy day). The room was filled to capacity, and it was awesome. Then after the meeting, we always introduce visitors. About twenty people stood and introduced themselves as friends and classmates of one of the speakers. While her talk was beautiful and the brief conversations I've had with her during her time in Boston have been nice, this spoke volumes about her character. There were Muslims, Catholics, Christians, and others - from at least seven or eight different countries, all there because they had a friend who loved the gospel and had no fear to invite those she loved to hear her bear testimony of a God who knows and loves His children. It was amazing.

After church, I visit taught a beautiful woman who has some temporal challenges in her life right now. My companion is another beautiful woman who has serious health challenges. My heart was grateful as I drove home. I have been given the opportunity to serve these women; I have health and peace and stability in my life so I can be an instrument in the hands of God to bless those who might not have those things today.

And that is good.

More Interesting Things in My Life

I made this for dinner tonight,

thanks to my sister, who sent me the link to the recipe she posted on her blog (here) after we were talking about dairy-free recipes last week. I now have about 4 days' worth if I eat lots every time. I hope I still like it when the week is over!

In other news, I will share evidence of my inner nerd. After a conversation with dad tonight, I picked up my college physiology textbook to read about insulin regulation. Then I went online to read up on the latest literature on a semi-related topic. I remembered some things, learned some other things, and now I have twice as much work to do at work tomorrow. Oh well.

More to come as I learn more about what I'm learning, but maybe not until after I warm up again after the bitter, windy, snow-blowy day we just had.

PS - Does anyone know why an apostrophe or a quote mark doesn't show up on my computer until I've typed another letter? And when I type " and then a space, it doesn't show up until after I hit the space bar, but then it doesn't put in the space!!! It's kind of making me crazy... this didn't happen on my old computer.

And now I've successfully wasted the time I was supposed to use getting ready for bed. :-) Good night.

Life is Good

I want to share a little happiness. It might not sound like much, but to me it is a lot.

Friday night I had insomnia. I couldn't fall asleep until after 3 am, which did not bode well for a long Saturday that started at 9 am. I went to my church cleaning assignment feeling slightly fuzzy from not enough sleep, but before I went, I prayed, and asked for help with something very specific that I was troubled by. Halfway through my church cleaning assignment, I realized I was singing in my head (and a little bit out loud) and feeling very happy, and I realized that part of my happiness stemmed from an answer to my prayer. Which made me grateful.

Today was warm - almost 60 degrees - so I went out with a colleague on a "brainstorming walk" this afternoon. It was phenomenal outside, especially considering it's January in Boston. That also made me happy.

And yesterday I held a baby. Babies are amazing.

This week, I've been studying about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, preparing for a series of Family Home Evening lessons I volunteered to give. It leaves me feeling astounded at the great plan of happiness that our Father in Heaven created. Imagine - a parent who loves His children so deeply and desires so much for their progress that He gave them access to two sources of Deity to assist them on their journey! He gave us the ability to covenant with Jesus Christ, and through Him merit salvation and develop the attributes of godliness. And we have the influence and power of the Holy Ghost to guide our choices and inspire us to do right. How could it not be evident that our God is in the details of our lives and concerned with our welfare? This small realization reminds me that He is.

And that makes me happy beyond words.

New Year, New Post

We started a new year. My celebration was pretty uneventful. I skipped a party because I had a headache, and read the Harvard Business Review until I was sleepy instead. As I was falling asleep, I heard fireworks outside and thought, It must be midnight. Whee.

I want this year to be good. And while I haven't (yet) made a tremendous lot of resolutions, I liked the conversation I had with my friend at work the other day. He said we should have objectives for the year as opposed to resolutions. With objectives, you can set up little steps to achieve measurable results. Resolutions are more like I'm going to be totally different all at once. Whammo. And if I fail once, it's over and I'll just give up. Objectives are more reasonable - and theoretically easier to accomplish.

So, I need to make objectives for 2013. After I figure out what it is I want from this year. (Besides the quick return of springtime - 9 degrees Farenheit in the morning just hurts. Seriously.)

Are you going to join me? What are your 2013 objectives?

Gratitude

This week, and tonight in particular, I have been very grateful for a kind Bishop and a prayer offered on my behalf in tithing settlement on a rainy Saturday morning last week.

I don't remember everything about the prayer, just a few parts. The part that has come to mind literally every day this week is the part wherein he petitioned the Lord on my behalf for the energy and strength to do all that was required of me this coming week.

What he didn't know is that I've been praying for just that nearly every day for a month. I've had things to do nearly every day for about that long, and not just the normal things, but extra things that have kept me up later than usual and left me exhausted. Good things. But tiring things.

Like tonight, when I had work all day, and then ward temple night, and then a grocery run for tomorrow's holiday party, and then I made two pies (which are just barely done baking), also for tomorrow's holiday party. Normally, midnight is not the best time to be taking something out of the oven. But this is not a normal week. :-)

Last night it was library books, dinner with a friend, Christmas shopping and planning, laundry, etc... suddenly it was midnight and I was still going. (I can usually only do that for about 3 days in a row before I crash hard, for the record. Right now, we're going on 7. I think. (Actually, I don't think well when I'm tired. But whatever.))

So... that's a long way to say I'm grateful to my Father in Heaven for answering my prayers and the prayers of my Bishop. It has helped me to enjoy my Christmas season with an added measure of peace.

PS - And as an added bonus, He has also helped me remember the things I would typically forget since I'm so tired! Yay!

Adventures and Holidays

In the opposite order.

I went to family for Thanksgiving. It was exactly what I needed... 10 days with no work responsibilities except the occasional checking of email to make sure nothing had exploded (figuratively) at work. Children who like to sit on me and snuggle (and wiggle - eek!). Rereading the Dealing with Dragons series and various other quality literature. Eating pie... an abundance of it. Nighttime talks with nieces. Writing poetry just for fun. Sleep... again, an abundance. Morning walks and conversations with my sister. A neat temple trip with my 12-year-old niece. Disney DDR. Laughter. Good food. So fun.

Here is some of our poetry. M came up with the topic. Then we each wrote a poem on it in about 10 minutes, then read them to each other.

The Purple fire breathing armadillo - me

The mean armadillo breathed fire

At the student who sang in the choir

His singing was high

And they thought him a spy

Plus, the music filled him with ire.

That bad, purple beast was so scaly

He scared people off almost daily

This poor little lad

Suffered horribly bad

So they carried him* off by his tail-y.

*the armadillo

The Purple fire breathing armadillo - M

What strange creature is this?

That breathes fire with a hiss?

It's a rather sickly shade

Of moldy purple marmalade

This monster is quite hideous

And it is very perfideous

It's eyes are colored red and green

With ghastly shades all in between

It's armor is as hard as rocks

With the lingering scent of odorous socks

Yes this is quite the unusual creature

With a scary fire breathing feature.

M's is pretty good for an 11-year-old, right? (I think mine might need some work...)

If that isn't enough to make you smile, hopefully this will.

Saturday I went to New York - Rockaway area - to help clean up after Hurricane Sandy. It was an awesome experience. Two of my friends came with, and we had great conversation in the car on the way down and back. We were able to help three homeowners with their basements - one needed help hauling away debris and sweeping up rubble as he prepped to rebuild. The second needed help hauling out all the stuff that had been waterlogged and sitting for a month since the flooding. We hauled his ruined belongings to the street, where they were picked up by giant construction vehicles, and then mucked out the basement as well as we could. Simultaneously, another team worked on clearing out & gutting his first floor. Then we helped a wonderful woman by pulling out all the sheetrock from her basement and gutting a tiny bathroom. I learned how fun it is to take a hammer to sheetrock and rip it down. (Destroying things is always more fun then putting them back together.) My hammer was pathetic compared to what I should have been using but I was glad to contribute! 

It was so rewarding to offer some assistance to these folks who had lost so much, and to see how gracious and generous they were in return. There was a group of men who owned a restaurant who offered hamburgers and hot dogs to the volunteers and hungry residents - they just set up a grill on the street and cooked until everyone had eaten. While we were eating, a truck drove by and the guys in the truck offered more donated food for them to cook up. Residents were so kind and friendly, and it was a good experience to be able to offer help. Especially since I have so much - the area where I live was not damaged by the hurricane - I was glad to offer a small part of my abundance to those in need.

Plus, I got to wear a yellow Mormon Helping Hands vest! Awesome.

Happy Christmas season!

I Need a Clone of Me

This weekend I found myself wishing there were two of me. One to get up at 4 am on Saturday morning and drive down to New York to help a suffering people who are still without power after Hurricane Sandy. And one to do the grocery shopping and the laundry and the yard work and the other responsibilities that accompany adulthood - that one would also get enough sleep and recover physically and emotionally from the strain of the week. Too bad I didn't discover how to clone myself in college (I just studied transcription of collagen genes instead).

It was warmer than usual this afternoon, so I went for a little walk after church and before it got dark. As I walked past a house with distinctive hand railings on its front steps, I thought of President Monson's talk from October General Conference called "Consider the Blessings". Why, you ask? Because I was listening to that talk the last time I saw that house and noted its railings. It caused me to think back on the blessings I have received since that walk a month ago - and how grateful I am for prayer and the knowledge that my God walks by my side.

... our Heavenly Father is aware of our needs and will help us as we call upon Him for assistance. I believe that no concern of ours is too small or insignificant. The Lord is in the details of our lives. 
- President Monson

I am grateful we have a living prophet who knows what to say in General Conference so that I can be blessed with a witness of truth a month later. It's one of the reasons I love being a Mormon.