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Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Where in the world?

Tonight the teenager had his last interview with our Stake President.... the mission papers are approved and on their way.


Be sure and go to the missionary blog (or facebook if you haven't already) to take a guess on where you think he might be called to serve.  There is a link to it on my side bar.  Or you can post a comment on this blog too.

I don't have any great "mothers intuition" feelings on this one.  His Dad and I worry a little about him going to a place where he won't eat well, or the food will make him sick, but mostly because he doesn't have allot of room to play around.  But we both do have ALL the faith that he will go where the Lord wants him to go, so I am sure along with that, He will provide enough food to sustain the kid for two years.

I keep hoping I will have a dream about it or something, but that would just torture me for the next few weeks anyway... so I probably don't want that.  I just can't get a picture of him living anywhere yet.

Tonight I am just over the top excited and I want to harness these feelings and save them up and pull them out and feel them again at maybe such times when I might NOT be feeling all giddy and happy about him living somewhere other than at home with me.

There are many places I would be immediately okay with him going.... some I would have to muster up faith to be excited about.
But a long time ago when we heard the Olympics would be in London England in 2012 and realized that was the year he would go on his mission... I thought that would be very cool to serve in an Olympic city.  So I hope he goes there.

But I don't want to jinx it... so I think I am guessing the Florida, Tallahassee mission.


Tuesday, April 5, 2011

My own drama...

There seems to have been allot of banking drama around my house lately.  I have come to learn more closely that Satan uses things personal to each of us to keep us from doing good, being good, or having eternal families and following God's plan.

Satan knows I love numbers, I love to crunch numbers and balance them.  I like to add them and watch them grow.  He knows if he can frustrate me to pieces with finances it is very close to my heart.

So he has been working on me through finances (I am certain because of all the good a missionary can do in the world for God's plan)!  

Jacob has learned to watch his money grow as he saves it, and who doesn't like that.  But not everyone is good at doing it.  It's so hard to be disciplined at it.  But he has managed to follow the council he has received and save for his mission.  He told us last night during our family night time, how much he appreciated that we helped him all along to save his money.   It was really nice that he recognized the help and guidance and that it was all done in love for him, and we were not trying to be mean to him by not letting him spend it all on video games and Itune cards.

It was a small payoff for the many arguments  fights discussions over the years.  I love my teenager, and we are so incredibly proud of him... it's hard to explain, and my heart bursts at the seams over him so much, it really out ways the times I want to strangle him (thankfully).

Last year, he had finally came to a point in his savings to move some money into an account that he could write checks from... it was a painful, but very important time of learning.  I am always really amazed that these kids graduate from high school and don't know how to write a check.  But as I looked back, I didn't know how then either.

This week, he came to a point where he would need different access to his accounts and ordered a debit card.  It arrived in the mail.  I almost can't stand the pain of this process, it has started already.  We went to the archery shop to check out leagues last night and see if it was something we wanted to do as a family.  He had some small repairs to have done to his bow and paid for them with his duh, duh, duh,... yes his debit card.   It was like he had struck gold or something, after the first use he got some kind of rush from the ease of not having to write a check... that as we got into the car he asked if he could pay his tithing with his debit card!!!  Freaking out inside, I tried to giggle over the gasp that came out of my mouth, hoping he was just teasing... I am so afraid!!! (he could quite possibly walk up to a member of our Bishopric and try it, this is real fear people).

Looking back, I remember going from a one debit card household, to a two debit card household and just when I thought we were doing fine, I had the rug ripped out from under me when I received our bank statement (before you could watch your account online) to find we had BOTH been using the debit card, but only one of them was being recorded.  And the memories from all the pain that came from that experience, I just don't want my teenager to ever have to learn the way I did.  He has come so far.  But I know I can't protect him from himself forever, and I have done all I can do to teach him to love numbers.  And really learning how to cut up a debit card is not a bad lesson to learn at anytime in your life.  It's just sooo painful!!

Half of my battle is realizing that Satan is using this because it is so close to my heart and he can.  Once I gain perspective on that, I am sure to have fewer melt downs and not let him get to me and let my teenager make his own mistakes.   

I think the other half of my battle is learning to laugh, somehow I have lost my sense of humor and I only cringed when the teenager joked about paying tithing with his debit card (he was joking right?).  Something is wrong with me, I have to laugh and I have forgotten how!!   

Monday, April 4, 2011

Good Mail...

I got a card in the mail today from my younger brother and his wife with this picture of my neice and nephews!
I love good mail!!!!

General Conference, more to ponder...

I am really excited about my General Conference frame... it will be fun to have the messages in sight to ponder and be a reminder for us to re-read often over the next six months!
I want to keep this tradition going forever now :)

You can listen or read the talks on HERE on lds.org

These are just our families "summaries" to the talks as we listened...
Elder L. Tom Perry - Pattern of the Sabbath and Sacrament
Elder Quentin L. Cook - A woman's role to be Faithful and Valiant
President Henry B. Eyring - Opportunities and Blessings of Service
President Boyd K. Packer - The Lords Church
Elder Russell M. Nelson - Obedience strengthens Faith
Elder Dallin H. Oaks - Desires>Priorities>Choices>Actions
Elder M. Russell Ballard - Small and Simple Acts of Kindness and Service (flecks of gold)
Elder Neal L. Anderson - Missionary Work
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf - The Heavens Are Open
Elder David A. Bednar - Spirit of Revelation
President Thomas S. Monson - Temples are Sanctified with Sacrifice and Service
Elder Richard G. Scott - Temple Marriage
Elder Todd D. Christofferson - Repent, Refine, Redirect
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland - An Ensign to the Nation


I really loved that everyone wanted to fill in a topic on the frame... it makes it so personal, and each of our own handwriting is on it.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

General Conference Sunday...

Last night the boys went to the priesthood session of General Conference.
Today I found out the teenager took notes... yay!
I can't wait for family night to hear what he has to share.
I know everyone listens and internalizes spiritual things differently, but as his mom, this did my heart well.
I have loved learning how to take notes and keeping track of inspiration, thoughts, personal revelation and stories to help me remember what I learn during conference.
 Morgan... I don't know what she was thinking, I just found this on my camera.
 I am guessing she was sad that nobody would give her any of the mountain man breakfast...  just guessing.
In between sessions I walked outside because the sun is shining so bright and I am loving the warmth.
And found many more signs of spring!

Happy Birthday to my Dad today... I can't wait to talk to him on his birthday :)

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