I received a new calling Sunday as second counselor in the Stake Primary presidency. So instead of teaching the five year olds every week, I'll spend one Sunday a month visiting other congregations in the area to advise and counsel with their Primary leaders. The three women I'll work with in the presidency are awesome, and I'm looking forward to knowing them better.
During the meeting this morning, I thought about the fact that even though I don't
have children in my home, I've been able to know and love many children
as I've worked in Primary. Later, in the setting apart blessing, I was blessed to come to know many children in the stake by name and to have an influence on many of them.
I listened to all three setting apart blessings, and each prayer was unique and nearly nothing was repeated for two people. That, along with the personal blessing I mentioned, reinforced my conviction that this is the place the Lord wants me to serve right now. I'm not sure how I'll come to know many children by name in only one visit a year, but I trust that it will be so, if I do my part.
I've been extremely fortunate to serve in the past as a counselor and secretary to two of the best Primary presidents the Church could have produced (one is my mother), and I know I've been well prepared for this calling.
Monday, April 30, 2012
You Get What You Pay For
I took the three oldest ARW children to the dollar store on Saturday. I
didn't think we would ever get three year old L out of there. He kept wandering
each aisle picking up and discarding things, and no matter what we
suggested to him, he rejected it.
Seven year old A couldn't decide between a toy pony and an art kit to make a crown, but she ended up with a kite kit instead. I tried to point out she might like something that would last a bit longer, but my advice wasn't heeded.
So how long do you think a kite (actually two kites) from the dollar store lasts? That kite was the source of many tears and arguments (some violent) the rest of the day, as it broke right away and the second kite couldn't even be put together. Five year old J bought a bow and arrow he was quite pleased with, but not inclined to share. It was ugly! Eight month old J, however, was happy to chew on the cutlass that accompanied the bow and arrow set, so he benefited from the trip without even spending any money.
Back to L, he had a jump rope in his hands until he saw trading cards on the way to the check stand. I managed to get those out of his hands, and then IN the check stand aisle he saw batteries, and that was it. L insisted he needed batteries for his frog, and I knew we'd have an argument if I pushed it, so he bought four AA batteries and I bought the jump rope as a backup.
When we arrived home it turned out that L does indeed have a frog, Tad, who talks and sings and counts. Unfortunately, Tad requires AAA batteries, but Dad produced some without L knowing the difference. I gave L the jump rope since I have no need of a dollar jump rope, and he was happy (he broke the handles, with his teeth, a couple of hours later). Tad is still talking and singing and counting, as far as I know. His batteries are too well hidden for L to reach them, unless he learns how to remove a screw with his teeth.
A was not interested in learning the meaning of the title phrase, You Get What You Pay For, something that especially applies to kites.
ps - A later hung up each kite as a wall hanging, and she was fairly pleased with that, though I'm not sure it completely erased the earlier sting.
Seven year old A couldn't decide between a toy pony and an art kit to make a crown, but she ended up with a kite kit instead. I tried to point out she might like something that would last a bit longer, but my advice wasn't heeded.
So how long do you think a kite (actually two kites) from the dollar store lasts? That kite was the source of many tears and arguments (some violent) the rest of the day, as it broke right away and the second kite couldn't even be put together. Five year old J bought a bow and arrow he was quite pleased with, but not inclined to share. It was ugly! Eight month old J, however, was happy to chew on the cutlass that accompanied the bow and arrow set, so he benefited from the trip without even spending any money.
Back to L, he had a jump rope in his hands until he saw trading cards on the way to the check stand. I managed to get those out of his hands, and then IN the check stand aisle he saw batteries, and that was it. L insisted he needed batteries for his frog, and I knew we'd have an argument if I pushed it, so he bought four AA batteries and I bought the jump rope as a backup.
When we arrived home it turned out that L does indeed have a frog, Tad, who talks and sings and counts. Unfortunately, Tad requires AAA batteries, but Dad produced some without L knowing the difference. I gave L the jump rope since I have no need of a dollar jump rope, and he was happy (he broke the handles, with his teeth, a couple of hours later). Tad is still talking and singing and counting, as far as I know. His batteries are too well hidden for L to reach them, unless he learns how to remove a screw with his teeth.
A was not interested in learning the meaning of the title phrase, You Get What You Pay For, something that especially applies to kites.
ps - A later hung up each kite as a wall hanging, and she was fairly pleased with that, though I'm not sure it completely erased the earlier sting.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Another Shoe Story, or, Pride Goeth Before a Fall
I scored the cutest-ever pair of tortoise brown patent wedges a few weeks ago from Jildor, at an incredible 70% discount. I wore them to Church the next Sunday and to work on Monday, and they received rave reviews. It was fun to be so tall and walk around in such a sassy pair of shoes. That is, it was fun until I tripped in the periodicals department and skinned my knee, right in front of a cute student (who asked me if I was OK). Well, my pride was a bit wounded. And I have a bruise on my palm from breaking the fall. And a very sore knee.
That wouldn't have happened if I hadn't aspired to such lofty heights and had instead worn my other new pair of shoes, the Birkenstocks I've wanted ever since they were de rigueur for cool students at my college. Since I'm twenty + years older now, I opted for a slightly more fashionable pair than they wore back then, with the middle-aged concession of a soft footbed. They're definitely on deck for tomorrow.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Questions for Today
Where on this green earth is my Kindle? I saw it last week, and now the house elves have spirited it away.
How on earth can my Yahoo! inbox fill up with junk in just mere hours?
If I was able to do entire laundry load of purples today, does that say something about me?
How on earth can my Yahoo! inbox fill up with junk in just mere hours?
If I was able to do entire laundry load of purples today, does that say something about me?
Monday, April 16, 2012
Thursday, April 05, 2012
The Truth Will Set You Free
If you read this blog at Blogger rather than through a feed, you may have noticed my Goodreads "currently reading" shelf in the sidebar. See how leanly stocked it is these days? I'm listing only three books as being currently read, quite a reduction of the nine or ten titles that languished on that list for months, or even years in some cases.
No, I didn't suddenly finish all the books I started reading two years ago (that's how long Little Dorrit has been on that shelf). After agonizing for months about the sheer messiness of it all, the light bulb came on and I realized the solution was another shelf--"read most of it"--which allowed me to move titles like Stiff and The Book Thief, books I didn't read 100% of but I don't intend to go back to. I then quickly purged the "currently reading shelf," sending things to the new "read most of it" shelf or to the existing "may finish someday" shelf if I had read only a third of the book or less.
I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my life and am glad my "currently reading shelf" now honestly reflects my book-reading activity (magazines, blogs, catalogs, knitting books, cookbooks and cereal boxes are another matter altogether).
As for Little Dorrit, I renewed my attentions to it about two weeks ago, and I'm nearly finished. Maybe this is a sign that I'm mature enough to tackle Bleak House and David Copperfield for real this time around.
No, I didn't suddenly finish all the books I started reading two years ago (that's how long Little Dorrit has been on that shelf). After agonizing for months about the sheer messiness of it all, the light bulb came on and I realized the solution was another shelf--"read most of it"--which allowed me to move titles like Stiff and The Book Thief, books I didn't read 100% of but I don't intend to go back to. I then quickly purged the "currently reading shelf," sending things to the new "read most of it" shelf or to the existing "may finish someday" shelf if I had read only a third of the book or less.
I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my life and am glad my "currently reading shelf" now honestly reflects my book-reading activity (magazines, blogs, catalogs, knitting books, cookbooks and cereal boxes are another matter altogether).
As for Little Dorrit, I renewed my attentions to it about two weeks ago, and I'm nearly finished. Maybe this is a sign that I'm mature enough to tackle Bleak House and David Copperfield for real this time around.
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