Lessons from a pine tree (or two)

As I drive around the city and even as I sit in my backyard I am reminded of why it is that we need to have trials. I don't like them, but I do know they have great importance in our lives.

After the storm of the century that hit in February, our city has not been the same. We have lost many pine trees and many more palm trees. The palm trees I can give a pass to. They are used to warm weather, but the pines? Don't they grow best in cold places? Aren't they used to that kind of weather. Of course they are. But because the pine trees live here, they have been so used to calm, warm weather, and they have become "whimpy".

Just like we do.

Our strength comes from being tested and tried. Our strength comes from walking INTO the wind, not away from it. Our strength comes from standing firm while opposing forces try and push us around.

Notice the sad pine tree and palm trees in my neighborhood?

Lost.............but not for long

I have a mustard colored purse that I love! And I love it even more now that I know it can be spotted almost anywhere.
I lost my head for a moment at the mall this week! I walked in to a store, and was so excited to see that a cardigan that I had been looking for was there. I set my purse down on the display and right there...I tried that beauty on. I walked to a mirror a short distance away to "survey" and quickly decided that it was going home with me. Then I meandered to another part of the store,my favorite actually, the clearance section!! I held up a few pieces of discounted bliss when all of the sudden it hit me that my mustard colored companion was NOT on my shoulder...I turned to Sheridan in a panic and said "My purse....I don't know where it is!"


We both turned and looked in the direction of the most-sought-after-sweater stand and Sheridan pointed and excitedly exclaimed "there it is".

Do you see him "grazing" amongst the sweaters?????

Be careful what you wish for..

I think it was Friday and I said to Leon "All I really want to do is sit down, relax and read a magazine". Fast forward to today which is Monday. I woke up with a rumbly tumbly...not so pretty. So guess what I have had time to do ALL DAY..while laying in bed....(well, in-between bathroom stops)? Read a magazine...or two..or three...ugh. This is not exactly what I had in mind when I said I wanted to relax and read. Oh well....be careful what you wish for, you just might get it!!!

WRONG WAY

I am pretty sure this hasn't been my week but I didn't realize it 'til i have been blogging about some of the happenings...I know, I am a little s-l-o-w!!!

On my way to Seminary Thursday morning, I was at a stop light in a big intersection when suddenly a little car (smaller than mine, believe it or not...) turned into on coming traffic and landed in the lane next to me...she was facing my car..and she was going the wrong direction. I honked my horn ( a favorite thing of mine to do) to let her know..HELLO, WRONG WAY!!! The poor lady was mortified and slowly backed out of the lane and got onto her own side of the road. I looked at the guy next to me and he mouthed "Oh my gosh"! My sentiments exactly!

On the positive side, she didn't pull into my lane!!! That would have really made it a bad day!

Off

Ever had one of those nights (or days) where everything is just "off"? Mine started first thing in the morning yesterday. I got to Seminary and realized that it was my day to do the games and I had totally forgotten..so I quickly pulled together a game for us to play. After class I was talking to some fellow teachers and we were discussing the economy and the state of affairs that the world is in and I got scared . I am not prepared. I am not ready. This left a pit in my stomach. Then I got to my spin class and a lady behind me was standing up pedaling during one of our rounds and one of her pedals came completely off of her bike and she let out a blood curdling scream . Her poor ankle.

Then Leon and I went on a date. We saw Hanna. I don't recommend it. After the movie we tried to go out for dinner and I must remind you that we live practically in Mexico where the culture is laid back and late....and it was 8 :30....8:30 at night...the first MEXICAN restaurant that we tried..closed...the next one...closed..the third one.....it was closing in 2 minutes. You may be asking, "Is this for real". So did we. Where did we end up? At the imposter Mexican food...Taco Bell...gross.

We came home and read our scriptures and crawled into bed..so happy to leave that day behind.

I am really looking forward to today,hopefully, being "on"!!!

Oh what a night!

To tell this story, I must go back in time, and take you with me. It was the year 1986 and a little 5 year old girl was camping with her Dad and brother. The "boys" left the little girl in the trailer sleeping while they went fishing, the weren't far away from her and her Dad even checked on her at one point. 5 minutes after he did so, he saw a plume of smoke and flames rising from the area where the trailer was parked. After rushing back, he found that the trailer was engulfed in flames and his little girl was inside. He bravely rushed in to save her. Her sleeping bag had fused to her body and she was burned very badly. This little girl is Sage Volkman. We happened to move into her ward when she was about 7. We got to know her and hear her stories and watch her grow and get strong. What a resilient and brave girl.

Now, fast forward to March 29th. I had a speaking assignment at a Standard's Night in another ward. For 2 weeks before I had been preparing for my talk. The subject? Gratitude. I prayed and studied and prayed and pondered. And one day it came to me that I should talk about Sage. I had by chance run across someone's blog that had mentioned her and given some direct quotes from her. For some reason, I had a little hesitation of my own, not exactly sure if I should talk about such an extreme example. I kept getting "nudges" (I guess I need knocks over the noggin) that I should talk about her. So I worked her into the talk.
After the meeting was over, I had a woman come to me with tears streaming down her face. She told me that it was the year 1989 when the story of Sage appeared in the Ensign and her Mom had read the story to her. She proceeded to tell me that she had always felt an attachment to her, and loved her. She attended BYU-I and there she ran in to Sage and became friends with her but had lost contact after all these years. She even named one of her daughters Sage. She was so excited to know that I knew how to contact Sage and hopefully get those 2 in contact with each other! Well, it is still a work in progress. I am her friend on Facebook and I did write her a note explaining the circumstance, and I am waiting a reply.
Oh what a night!
I am grateful for the promptings of the Spirit and even more grateful that I listened.
And I am so grateful for those who recognize and express gratitude when life is less than ideal, even downright cruel sometimes. We have so much to be thankful for, even in times of trial. And maybe especially then.