He Just Made It!

(Jordan sitting with 1200 kids in the stands at the Vancouver Youth Celebration on day one of the conference)

The first LDS family to set up their lives here in British Colombia

was the Copley family in 1875.

Over a hundred and thirty years later,
not 1971 the year I was born,

or 1989 the year I graduated from high school ,

or 2004 the year I gave birth to my second daughter.

but May 2010, that was the year our temple was erected and a

youth celebration was organized.

Jordan would be exactly twelve years and eight months old.

Eight months earlier and he would have been too young.

One hundred and thirty years in the making . . .

He just made it.

A Little Lesson

Standing on the stage a few steps away from Elder Uchtdorf and the

Prophet of the Lord while conducting 5000 people singing O Canada. . . terrifying.

Being interviewed by the Ensign and laughing and joking with those

women like they were my BFF's . . .exhilarating.

Watching the 1200 kids singing the music I had borrowed from heaven. . .breathtaking.

Being there with my son who was actually one of the youth. . .

perfectly unforgettable.

He just made it!

Down Time

At the lake while kayaking the other day, Craig and I came across thousands

of lily pads all in bloom. I couldn't help myself! I picked!

What's most fascinating about them is that they

open for the brightest part of the day and then they close completely.

Then the next day. . . they open again! Even in my bowl on my kitchen island!

A Little Lesson

God even made the lilies to take a little break and have a little rest.

Sometimes you just need to close things up

and lay on your side for a while.

There is nothing like a

s u m m e r a f t e r n o o n n a p.

Maintenance vs. Repair

The past two Tuesdays have been the highlights of my summer thus far.

First, witnessing my boy go through our beautiful new

Temple with his deacons quorum to do baptism ordinances and then again

this week when I had the incredible opportunity to first do a session and then

be on the evening cleaning crew for the the temple.

It was like a deep breath of pure oxygen for my spirit.

A Little Lesson

After I finished vacuuming the first ordinance room my duty card

told me to to go vacuum the celestial room.

I entered the brightly lit room.

I carefully pulled the vacuum back and forth over the perfectly white carpet.

I gently went under each chair, one by one,

knowing this is where members in our temple district

sit to commune with God.

I knew I was in earthly life's most sacred place.

Finally, there in the right hand corner of the room I discovered a small piece of lint

on the floor that my vacuum quickly sucked up.

I continued vacuuming room after room and then finally

in the women's change area I vacuumed up a small red tic tac.

It occurred to me how I was vacuuming a building

that was carefully and purposefully maintained day after day.

It went quickly, efficiently because it was so beautifully

maintained, everyday after each temple day came to an end.

I thought of my own home in the throws of a renno and busy young family life,

where neglect and sporadic attention and care for each room

meant less maintenance and a lot more repair.

Our lives work better when we take care of sacred things daily.

Attend the temple, scripture study, prayer, service,

remembering covenants. keeping commandments

are always a good start.

When I find myself neglecting these basics

tackling the bumpy journey of life seems to be more about

fixing and repairing

and less managing and maintaining.

Essential

we laughed

we ate

we pontificated

we advised

we planned

we shared

we resolved

ahhhhhh

A Little Lesson

Girl's night out with old friends,

an essential part of the Plan of Salvation.

What We Leave Behind

(Photograph courtesy Greg Johnson)

Craig and I finally headed out to the lake to go kayaking.

(I didn't dare bring my camera, first time and all.)

The lake was like ice, not a ripple to be found.

It was exhilarating sinking my paddle deep into the untouched glassy water

and move quickly across the serene lake.

A Little Lesson

As there was hardly a soul on the lake that morning everywhere we went

we glided along perfectly still water.

Behind us however, everywhere we went, we always left a wake.

No matter what, there it was.

Even when we went in circles, it followed us.

And so in life we also glide along meeting people here, visiting people there,

interacting left, collaborating right.

We will always leave a wake where ever we go. . .

No matter what.

As Sister Hinckley used to said

"Be Kind!"