If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;
If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son!
Rudyard Kipling
(This has been in my head all day. The first two lines especially, they just "pop" in there like the Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man (Can you name the movie?). I had to get it out. I think I post it at least once a year, but I just like it so much. Truth is always powerful. This poem is powerful.)
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Blog on the back burner or This post is way to long and boring for you
Yes, as much as I love to ramble on and on about myself and other glorious topics I just haven't had the time to update the blog regularly.
It's hard to believe that Pioneer Day is tomorrow, which means July is nearly over, which means there is only one month before Corban is back in school.
We had a great time with my family for a little reunion in Park City. July 4-7 my parents and sisters and our families were able to celebrate Independence Day, my dear ol' dad's birthday, and just have a great time letting the cousins play on the rocks. Yes, the kids just wanted to play on the decorative rocks outside the house we rented. I need to get some of those for my own house. It was a great week.
Girls' Camp with the Young Women and leaders was July 12-16. It was my first experience as a leader. I had a good time, and hope I did everything right. Now that I have been as a leader I can be better prepared for future camps and will hopefully be of more help.
I joked with some friends that because of camp that "oh, no. The secret is out! I am a big nerd."
But, at least now they know how quirky I can be. It's cool.
We have some fabulous girls and wonderful leaders. It was fun to see some of the shy girls find their voice. It was fun to get to know everyone and share experiences wacky (the Bishop and I had the same color nails after the girls painted our nails) and serious/spiritual with them. I loved it, and I can't wait to get to know the girls even more. I hope I am a positive influence on them. I know I get so much more out of this calling than I give to it. Callings are unfair in that way. As a teacher you learn so much. In preparation for things you gain knowledge and only really get to share a small portion of that. I am grateful for my callings past and present and I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I really am so spoiled.
Speaking of spoiled.... Since it is Pioneer weekend I can talk all about my way of keeping a grateful perspective on life, though I have shared this before. I have a tendency in my life to compare things to the mormon pioneers, the founding fathers, or people who lived during the 1800s in England (What can I say, I like Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell). We have things so much better than they did. I am grateful I have a gas stove and oven, and I can cook immediately without have to stoke a fire all day long. Glad to have a fridge and freezer and canned food. Glad to have fresh fruits and veggies, alright I am more grateful for the fruits than the veggies, but I am trying. Happy I can go to Costco and buy my chicken breast the way nature intended.... in a bag in the freezer section. Glad I have a flush-able toilet and don't have to walk out back or heaven forbid use a chamber pot. I am happy I can turn a silver knob and out comes water at whatever temperature I desire for washing dishes or having a glorious bath or shower. No one has to cart a heavy bath tub up the stairs to my dressing chamber and then bring bucket after bucket of boiled water (boiled in that fire I am glad I don't have to care for) and then have to cart all the dirty water downstairs. Or worse back when you would get a bath ready and the whole family shared the water starting with Dad on down to the baby.... ever wonder about the expression don't throw the baby out with the bath water, a gross thing to share bath water... ew! I am so glad I get my own clean water. I am grateful I am educated (Not that I am the smartest person, but compared to some I am very fortunate.) I can read and write when there are so many people in developing countries or even here in America who can't. Grateful for technology: Cell phones, internet, computers, printers. Some people in this world are working all day everyday just just to get their next meal, they don't have time or money to work on education. Thank goodness for the library. (Orem's library is awesome.)
Anyway, I could go on and on and on about how great I have it. I am grateful for my pioneer ancestry. Thankful for those who had the tenacity and strength to persevere and the faithfulness to move forward. May I remember them and their sacrifice this weekend and may I move forward with my own faith and strength to become my best self and to help others.
It's hard to believe that Pioneer Day is tomorrow, which means July is nearly over, which means there is only one month before Corban is back in school.
We had a great time with my family for a little reunion in Park City. July 4-7 my parents and sisters and our families were able to celebrate Independence Day, my dear ol' dad's birthday, and just have a great time letting the cousins play on the rocks. Yes, the kids just wanted to play on the decorative rocks outside the house we rented. I need to get some of those for my own house. It was a great week.
Girls' Camp with the Young Women and leaders was July 12-16. It was my first experience as a leader. I had a good time, and hope I did everything right. Now that I have been as a leader I can be better prepared for future camps and will hopefully be of more help.
I joked with some friends that because of camp that "oh, no. The secret is out! I am a big nerd."
But, at least now they know how quirky I can be. It's cool.
We have some fabulous girls and wonderful leaders. It was fun to see some of the shy girls find their voice. It was fun to get to know everyone and share experiences wacky (the Bishop and I had the same color nails after the girls painted our nails) and serious/spiritual with them. I loved it, and I can't wait to get to know the girls even more. I hope I am a positive influence on them. I know I get so much more out of this calling than I give to it. Callings are unfair in that way. As a teacher you learn so much. In preparation for things you gain knowledge and only really get to share a small portion of that. I am grateful for my callings past and present and I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I really am so spoiled.
Speaking of spoiled.... Since it is Pioneer weekend I can talk all about my way of keeping a grateful perspective on life, though I have shared this before. I have a tendency in my life to compare things to the mormon pioneers, the founding fathers, or people who lived during the 1800s in England (What can I say, I like Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell). We have things so much better than they did. I am grateful I have a gas stove and oven, and I can cook immediately without have to stoke a fire all day long. Glad to have a fridge and freezer and canned food. Glad to have fresh fruits and veggies, alright I am more grateful for the fruits than the veggies, but I am trying. Happy I can go to Costco and buy my chicken breast the way nature intended.... in a bag in the freezer section. Glad I have a flush-able toilet and don't have to walk out back or heaven forbid use a chamber pot. I am happy I can turn a silver knob and out comes water at whatever temperature I desire for washing dishes or having a glorious bath or shower. No one has to cart a heavy bath tub up the stairs to my dressing chamber and then bring bucket after bucket of boiled water (boiled in that fire I am glad I don't have to care for) and then have to cart all the dirty water downstairs. Or worse back when you would get a bath ready and the whole family shared the water starting with Dad on down to the baby.... ever wonder about the expression don't throw the baby out with the bath water, a gross thing to share bath water... ew! I am so glad I get my own clean water. I am grateful I am educated (Not that I am the smartest person, but compared to some I am very fortunate.) I can read and write when there are so many people in developing countries or even here in America who can't. Grateful for technology: Cell phones, internet, computers, printers. Some people in this world are working all day everyday just just to get their next meal, they don't have time or money to work on education. Thank goodness for the library. (Orem's library is awesome.)
Anyway, I could go on and on and on about how great I have it. I am grateful for my pioneer ancestry. Thankful for those who had the tenacity and strength to persevere and the faithfulness to move forward. May I remember them and their sacrifice this weekend and may I move forward with my own faith and strength to become my best self and to help others.
Friday, July 2, 2010
You're the Shark and you know it!
"I...Im only a dolphin ma'am."
I found this on the floor today. Corban had traced his plastic dolphin and tried to draw on some features. I love it. I instantly thought of the SNL skit from the late 70's or early 80's. Enjoy. The last part (1:09 to the end) is the best.
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