Yesterday I had the rare and glorious opportunity to chat with both of my sisters on the same day! For those of you who know me, you know that I have two of the most beautiful, loving, generous and courageous sisters in the world. I am so grateful to have them in my life, not only as sisters but best friends!
I could gush about my sisters forever, but I will spare cyberspace the excessive sweetness that may spring forth. I bring up my conversations with them because they both gave me more “THINGS,” there’s that great word again, to ponder.
Julie had me rolling on the floor at my desk while she told to me about her latest experience with overcoming personal pride as related to children’s puzzles. It seems that Julie has been challenged with a sister-in-law, who feels it necessary to tell everyone within earshot how brilliant her children are. This led Julie to buy one of the most dreaded children’s toys.....PUZZLES.
When my boys were much younger, I too bought puzzles to entertain & educate them. What I ended up with was literally thousands of puzzle pieces. I was never sure if every piece to every puzzle was even in the house, because frankly my children never put them together. They would take the pieces and fling them all over the house. And then I would have an aneurysm.
I got so tired of putting together puzzles and sifting through pieces trying to figure out if that piece belongs to Curious George or the Muppets. Is that blue Madeline’s coat or Cookie Monster’s fur? My loathing for children’s puzzles is second only to that of children’s board games.
Sure enough, while Julie and I were on the phone, Garrett got frustrated with the puzzle and it ended up on the floor, with Julie telling Garrett in a very determined MOM voice “Garrett, pick up the puzzle and I will help you put it together.” Julie I hope you found all of the pieces!
The conversation with Kelly was a bit more serious. She and her husband, John, are having to endure some rather difficult tribulations at the moment. Yes they are experiencing the dreaded “Opposition!” Now I really am not making light of what they are going through. You see I have been right where they are. In fact you might say that the sole purpose of my existence is to serve as a warning to others. All day long after speaking with Kelly, all I could think of was that scripture in 2 Nephi about how there needs to be opposition in all things. And then that song from “My Turn On Earth” you know the one, “Opposition my friends, opposition, a necessary condition in this world of ours.....” kept going through my brain.
Kelly, as you know, this life is only a fraction of time in what will be our eternal life. I testify to you that our Heavenly Father is not a mean or capricious God, inflicting pain and misery on the human race. He is a loving Father who has the eternal perspective of what his children can become and what they can endure. He loves us enough to allow us to edure opposition for a season. This too will pass and while you and John are struggling, know that my heart and prayers are with you.
The picture included with this post is of my niece, Baylee, and cousins, Hallie and Madison. As I look upon their cherubic faces I am filled with awe. My faith is restored and my strength renewed. To be young again!
2 comments:
I did that too! I kept hearing how great Jeremie was at puzzles so I was determined that my kids would be just as wonderful. I even went and found those fancy puzzles that are kinda foamy with lots of different kinds of shapes, not just your average knob-handled wooden puzzles for my kid, no way! Every time we went to clean the kids' room, puzzle pieces, everywhere. I would put them all together at that moment in time and then never were the pieces and the puzzle board together again until the next big clean up.
As for Kelly, Hang in there. I'll be honest, sometimes life really does stink and feels super, super lousy. It will get better, I promise, and so does Heavenly Father.
I couldn't have said it better, Holley. (the opposition thing) Its soooo hard at the time but you can't even begin to explain how you can grow and learn from the experience until you've gone through it yourself. (am I making sense?)
I read a really good ensign article by Elder Holland. He says, "On this upward and sometimes hazardous journey, each of us meets our share of daily challenges. If we are not careful, as we peer through the narrow lens of self-interest, we may feel that life is bringing us more than our fair share of trials- that somehow others seem to be getting off more lightly. But the test of life are tailored for our own best interests, and all will face the burdens best suited to their own mortal experience...." Ensign, Oct 2006, 10-16 What I Wish Every New Member Knew- and Every Longtime Member Remembered. You can look it up on lds.org. Way good! (sorry I wrote a novel) Love, Auntie Kate
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