three pieces to the puzzle

I have come to realize that building a testimony is like putting together a puzzle that you get one piece at a time. This week I found three pieces and I wanted to write them down so I wouldn't forget them. And I wanted to share them because I wanted to talk about them with someone and since it has been to cold to walk in the morning, I haven't had the opportunity to really put them together.

First, my brother and sister in law have adopted a third baby. This means that they have three children two and under. This is a hard hard thing that they have done, but it is an amazing blessing and I have seen the hand of God work in their lives. I have also seen the way people have rallied around them to make this possible. I am reminded of the phrase "bear one anothers burdens that they may be light"

Second, I watched a web cast of a friend on mine in Florida who donated her kidney to her brother. She was giving a sermon at her church (Crossroad Methodist in Jacksonville) and she talked about how she didn't share what her family was going through for a long time until she had a witness that she needed to let people know. She started telling people about how sick her brother was and let her friends and her church community know what was going on. She talked about how the church is the community of Christ and that she needed them to know so they could support her and pray for her.

Third, I had a good talk with someone who has gone through a very rough year. Her husband has been out of work, her children have been diagnosed with some frightening mental illnesses, they have huge medical bills and there were some unfortunate rumors going around about her kids that hurt the family deeply.

So when I put these pieces together, the picture I see is one of community, working together to lift each other up. We are here to help each other, but we can't help if we don't know what is going on.

I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes from my mission "If you think you can do it alone, God will let you".

Getting Giddy

So a few posts ago I was complaining that I had no Christmas spirit- Well I've got it now! Amazing what a little attitude shift will do- and a good snow storm. My change of heart started while I was complaining about how much things cost. Things like video games for the wii (just an example) and it occurred to me that this was the only time of year I would even consider spending $49.99 on a game. What a blessing it is to go all out just giving, to make someones dreams come true, to let your kids know that sometimes they should reach for the sky and ask for whatever it is they really want. It is the time to have a generous heart and to look at ALL the lessons this season can teach us.

"No matter how many times we read the biblical account of that evening in Bethlehem, we always come away with a thought—or two—we haven’t had before".

BFFs

We see it everywhere; BFF, best friends forever. It is usually used by silly teenage girls as they ogle over magazine pictures of Kirk Cameron, oh.. I mean Internet photos of Zac Efron. It is so easy to say FOREVER when you are 13 years old and second period seems to last FOREVER. But what does it mean for people who go separate ways after high school, get married, have kids, careers, new friends, buy houses, sell houses, move, and move again and basically move on? How does the giggly promise that we will be BFFs play out over 18 years.
I'll tell you what it means for me. Last week I went to a funeral of someone I knew in high school but hadn't really though about in the 20 years since he graduated. I got there late and slid into the row where my two friends from high school, Bridget and Shanna were sitting. It is hard to describe how it felt to see them both sitting there together like no time had passed. I don't want to embarrass them (they both read this blog) but they were radiant, (I think people with good hearts age well) and it was natural and comfortable to be sitting there sharing the grief of the moment. And that is what best friends forever means. That we are still comfortable with each other in spite of time and distance. We don't have to be in each others lives every day or even year but we will be there for each other when we can. Thank goodness for facebook that lets us connect, even in a superficial way, because really sometimes that is enough. Friendship doesn't have to take a lot of effort, especially when you are going to be BFFs forever. And forever is a long time.

Sorry girls, I know the picture isn't great but it is the only one I could find of the two of you- love you guys!

happy Happy birthday Babies!

November is our big birthday month. Kayla turned 7 and had a Jelly Roll instead of cake.

She really wanted a guitar this year. She wants to learn to play like Taylor Swift.

I made a soccer cake for Aaron this year.

He turned two on November 26th...Thanksgiving day. We had to blow out candles before we went to grandma's for dinner.

Good thing I made Aaron his own cake. He kept licking the frosting.