For Family Night we made a "Mother's Day Garden" EASY! and fun. Below you'll find the picture from the recipe. As a family, I cut the Rice Krispy into sections and everyone decorated their own with fruit and frosting.
Fresh strawberries, pineapple, blueberries, kiwifruit, apples and/or raspberries
Canned frosting or decorating gel
Food color
1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut fruits into flower shapes and arrange on top. Use tinted frosting to add flower stems and grass. Cut into 2-inch squares. Serve the same day.
Microwave Directions: In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.
So I'm a few days late on the Monday thing.. but here it is.
One of my favorite stories from Chicken Soup for the Soul is The Bike Ride. One, because I love bike riding; and two, I love the analogy.
Here is an excerpt:
At first I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of
the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited Heaven or Hell when I
die. He was out there sort of like the President. I recognized His picture when
I saw it, but I didn't really know Him.
But later on when I recognized my Higher Power, it seemed as though life was
rather like a bike ride; but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that God was in
the back helping me pedal. I don't know just when it was that He suggested we
change places, but life has not been the same since . . . life with my Higher
Power, that is. God makes life exciting.
When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable. It
was the shortest distance between two points. But when He took the lead, He knew
delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places and at breakneck
speeds. It was all I could do to hang on! Even though it looked like madness, He
said, "Pedal!"
Last weekend we took a trip to Bryce Canyon. We took the long way with some dear friends in their RV. At one point in the journey we were driving up a canyon with cliffs on both sides. From where I was sitting in the RV, all I could see out the window was the drop off. I seriously covered my eyes in fear. Yet we made it safely to our destination and saw some amazing sights.
I know when I let go, and let God take control of my life, it can be a little scary. I may close my eyes for a moment, but I need to learn to trust and have faith. In return, He will make more out of my life than I ever could riding by myself.
Song of the Week: Clay in His Hands (another analogy of giving your life to the Lord) by Jessie Clark Funk
We are committed to a Happy, Successful Family
by ‘establishing and maintaining principles of faith, prayer repentance,
forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work and wholesome recreational activities.’
·Opening Song:“Families Can be Together Forever”
·Quotes:
Could anyone be more deserving of respect than a literal child
of God? Each of us—husband and wife, parent and child—has that marvelous
heritage and potential. Sometimes we lose sight of each other’s true worth. But
as we give respect, our love deepens, potential blossoms, and eternal
relationships grow stronger.
(LDS Church Website-Respect)
Happiness
abounds when there is genuine respect one for another. Wives draw closer to
their husbands, and husbands are more appreciative of their wives, and
children
are happy as children are meant to be” (President Thomas S. Monson)
·Showing Respect, Honor, and Love for Parents
(tell)
92967_000_When we respect, honor,
and love Heavenly Father, we are showing reverence for Him. And Heavenly Father
is pleased when we respect, honor, and love our parents. One of the Ten
Commandments tells us to honor our parents (see Ex. 20:12).
Nephi begins the Book of Mormon by telling us that he was “born of goodly
parents” (1 Ne. 1:1).
They were “goodly” because they taught him to love the Lord and obey His
commandments.
Chieko
Nishimura Okazaki had goodly parents too. Her grandparents moved from Japan to
Hawaii. Her parents worked hard on a plantation. They were Buddhists, Buddhism
being the main religion in Japan. They did not know about Jesus Christ. But they knew about goodness.
What did they teach Chieko?
She
said, “They taught me to be kigatsuku (key-got-sue-koo). That means to
do good without being asked. When my mother was sweeping the floor, she would
say, ‘Chieko, what would a kigatsuku girl do now?’ I would think for a minute,
then run to get the dust pan and hold it for her. Or when she was washing
dishes, I would pick up the dishtowel and begin to dry them. She would smile
and say, ‘You are a kigatsuku girl.’
“My
parents taught me other things. They taught me to work hard and to always do my
best. That’s why I could work hard in school, go to the university, and become
a school teacher and even a principal. They taught me to always love the truth.
That is why, when I found the Church, I loved it and was baptized a Latter-day
Saint.”
Chieko respected,
honored, and loved her parents by helping without being asked and by following
the righteous principles that they taught her. Now she is the first counselor
in the General Presidency of the Relief Society. Her father is dead; her mother
is still a Buddhist. Sister Okazaki says, “I know that she is proud of me
because I still try to be kigatsuku, and I love her very much for
teaching me good things.”
(Virginia
Pearce, July 1992 Friend)
·Discussion: ( I placed these questions and thought questions in a
bowl and each went around the table and talked about it.)
1.Tell about an example in the
scriptures where someone showed respect for their family.Other examples?
2.Think of any example when someone showed respect in the family.
3.What scripture example should we display this month?
4.What does “kigatsuku” mean?
5.What is Respect?
6.What is the difference between courtesy and respect?
7.What is the difference between honor and respect?
Respecting others
After our discussion we
put index cards with each person’s name on it.One person drew a card out of the bowl and say one way they could
respect that person.
Show Pure and Simple
Faith Mormon Message.This video is
about faith but I also believe it is about a young girl
honoring her parents in helping out her family.
When I was just out of High School, I volunteered in a Nursing Home in Tooele. I loved associating with the residents there. However one particular lady there, scared me. She looked about 200 years old . She was in a wheelchair , and she would wheel through the halls screaming with her unkempt wiry gray hair. I avoided her.
Until one day I decided to conquer my fear. I approached her and took her flailing, panicy hand in mine. She stopped screaming and clasped my hand as if I was her only lifeline. She just wanted to feel loved. She wanted to feel human despite what time had robbed from her.
Humanity is described as the quality of life. I think our human interaction helps us feel human. Touch, a kind word, even a smile can improve someone's humanity.
The past few month I have been doing Meals on Wheels. I think it came from my desire to help those who have lived such great, amazing, hard lives and need to be remembered. My job is to bring a meal to them, share some kind words and make sure they are okay. I am grateful that I am able to bring them food to sustain them physically. However, they serve me by their smiles, their expressed gratitude and optimism despite their circumstances. My association with them helps me feel human. My quality of life is improved through my service.
I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy,
I woke and I saw
that life is all service.
I served and I saw that service is joy. (Mother Teresa)
If there is one thing I try over and over to teach my children is the importance of maintenance. Specifically in keeping the house clean. You see, it's so much easier to clean the bathroom if the bathroom was cleaned last week as well. It is so much easier to straighten up your room every day than getting a bulldozer in there because you forgot the color of the carpet. You get the point. Consistency is the key.
So lately, I've been thinking about maintenance in our spiritual lives. I have Depression. You may ask what does that have to do with maintenance. A lot. You see I have found the daily maintenance of reading my scriptures, and praying help me cope better. Also, through weekly partaking of the Sacrament, I feel the healing attributes of the Atonement.
" And he shall go forth, suffering pains and aafflictions and btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. (Alma 7:11)
Now don't get me wrong, praying, scripture study, sacrament, even temple attendance will not cure my Depression just as it wouldn't cure a broken arm. It just gives me a renewal of strength and spirit to deal with with the demons that sometimes return on Monday.
Elder Robert D. Hales states:
Throughout our lives, whether in times of darkness, challenge,
sorrow, or sin, we may feel the Holy Ghost reminding us that we are truly sons
and daughters of a caring Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we may hunger for
the sacred blessings that only He can provide. At these times we should strive
to come to ourselves and come back into the light of our Savior’s love.
He then offers this promise: "I testify that the sacrament gives us an opportunity to come to ourselves and experience “a mighty change” of heart—to remember who we are and what we most desire"
I am so grateful for the Sacrament to help me not only remember who I am, but to feel the Spirit testifying of my spiritual identity. Consistency is the key. Daily and Weekly maintenance cleanse my soul of stains of mortality.
Note: I am doing well. I had a couple of hard weeks, but I feel I am coming to myself more and more each day. I definately wouldn't of wrote this if I was still in the "Pit"
No weekly song, yet I am sharing this Mormon Message again because it explains it all better than I.
Once a upon a time there was a middle aged women who just wanted a pen. Not a fancy pen that came in it's in own special case, but a pen that writes. You see, she was odd. Unlike many other subjects in other kingdoms, she had chosen to write with writing utensils instead of using magic mirrors that you you poke and prod to record and recieve information. She wanted a pen! She looked all over in her kingdom but alas, no pen could be found. She looked in the part of the kingdom that held all writing utensils. There were thousands! However, the pens there did not write. The pencils were not sharpened. She knew searching for a pencil sharpener would be futile, so she continued her quest for a pen so she could write happily ever after. She decided take matters in her in her own hands. She could (a) Take a nap all during Spring Break or (b) enlist her subjects as well as herself in cleaning AND organizing The Office. She has wisely chosen the latter so bliss and order may return to the kingdom.
Her weekly theme song will be a Veggie Tale song that illustrates beautifully the drama of missing office supplies:
