Last day of MARCH

On to APRIL and more new adventures:

a return to Texas to visit FAMILY there,

off to California for a TEMPLE ceremony

with cousins then HOME again to rest.

Lovely weather and Spring FLOWERS

to enjoy as the SEASONS change.

Once again the CYCLE of the seasons

returns to bless us with NEW LIFE.

EASTER reminds us of another cycle

of birth and RENEWAL, as bulbs release

their lovely BLOOMS again after resting

during WINTER'S long and cold embrace.

A world of comforting PATTERNS

organized by a Heavenly GARDENER

who planted us also here to BLOOM

where He has placed us on this EARTH.

Still at the Beach

CRAB CLAWS

Watch out for those big claws,

it's looking for dinner.

Walking sideways because

that’s faster and easier.

It eats sea animals

like mollusks and algae.

Caught in a cage then boiled

makes anyone crabby.

SMALL SEAHORSES

Small sea animals that
look like horses in water.
Without any legs but
so tiny and cuter.

Fun in aquariums,
as we watch them swim by,
Reminds me of mermaids
without a leg or thigh.

Sea Creatures by Lin

OYSTER PEARLS

Ever had an oyster?
It grows in the ocean
in a shell down below
like a deep sea haven.

Oysters are slimy grey
and if it’s been sickly,
you could find a small pearl
gift for your best girly.

SEA STARS OR STARFISH

Looking just like a star

but he’s really a fish.

Find one at the ocean,

you could make a wish.

Throw him back to the sea,

he can’t live on the beach.

Eats clams, oysters, shellfish,

mollusks that he can reach.

Weeding

Visited my flower garden and weeded.
Only have strawberry plants, grapevines
and some very neglected perennials
that needed some love and attention.

Then I noticed my computer hard drive
also needed some organizing and cleaning
up: old files not used went to the trash,
others were carefully saved or combined.


Not to be forgotten were paper files
sitting in boxes waiting around my desk.
They held memories of classes taught
years ago, lessons learned, materials
gathered ages past but no longer useful.
TIME FOR MORE WEEDING, I think
I've caught the SPRING FEVER BUG.

Shopping

Been SHOPPING a lot lately for new clothes
in smaller sizes for my slimmer body-HURRAH!
It's like a REWARD for all my LABORS and
PERSISTENCE in continuing to loose weight.




Shedding the POUNDS isn't that difficult,
you eat healthier and exercise more. BUT
the real CHALLENGE comes in controlling
yourself to NOT gain the weight back EVER.

It's a LIFE STYLE CHANGE not a DIET,
a NEW way at looking at your self and
your physical health which also AFFECTS
BOTH your emotional and spiritual health.

Tagged

By Cheryl Here's how it works:
1. Open the first photo folder on your compter
2. Scroll down to the 10th photo
3. Post this photo and tell the story about it
4. Pass this along to 5 other bloggers

This photo was taken last fall, after a picnic in the mountains with my dear aunt Ethel who is now 90 and her grand daughter Jennifer, her husband and family. Afterwards I went on a short cut-read long way out of the canyon up and over the Nebo Loop from Santaquin Canyon to Payson Canyon taking photos as I went. It was a lovely peaceful day communing with nature enjoying my favorite season.

Now I will challenge some blogging friends to do the same thing:
1. Caryn my dear friend who needs to blog again
2. Jo-who lives near me but we've never met
3. Leona a blogging friend from Texas
4. Susi Q-who is my blogging mentor

Article #94 Engaged Finally

Tall, dark, handsome, recently returned missionary, not engaged and a dancer—it was perfect, except he showed no interest in me. We met in the spring of 1963 as I was starting my field project for my master’s degree. I invited him to perform in my program. Impressed by his good looks and availability, I held my breath hoping he’d ask me out. We were both 22; more mature than many dating couples at BYU, but it wasn’t until the following fall that he finally asked me for a date.

We went to see a foreign Portuguese language film “Black Orpheus” about carnival since he‘d been a missionary in Brazil. Dating every night that first week, we studied together or met at dance practices. Our relationship developed quickly because mission presidents always counseled their departing missionaries to get married as soon as possible. Being a poor undergraduate student at BYU, there was no money for an engagement ring but that didn’t stop us from getting engaged at Christmastime. My boy friend would design and make our rings for the wedding.

That was my first disappointment after so many years of waiting to be engaged. Without a ring, it’s a little strange to go around saying “I’m engaged” and then hiding my ring finger; but I was happy and in love. My fiancé would finish our homemade rings just before the wedding. In the Art Department housed in BY Academy’s building on lower campus, the rings were carved out of wax. Then the models were placed in an empty tuna fish can and filled with plaster. At high heat, the wax was burned out and dentist’s silver was centrifuged into the ring’s form. After sanding and polishing the rings, an inexpensive zircon gem was glued in to make this a truly unique set. As creative as our relationship and life together would be, I thought.

I had now achieved most of my goals: college graduation, a new career as a dance teacher, and an engagement. A busy summer 1964 awaited both of us as I toured Europe with the folk dancers. My intended worked in summer theatre in Michigan then at the Hill Cumorah Pageant. We were able to meet up in New York City for the World’s Fair before returning home to Utah for our wedding in August, and a new life as man and wife living happily ever after.

Another opportunity

Just found I'm one of five alumnus nominated for an award for next fall's BYU Homecoming by the Dance Department I graduated from. If selected, I get to make a 1/2 hour talk about my life or any topic I choose. I started BYU as a Junior 50 years ago this fall, so this would be a fun opportunity to do something I haven't done before. I'm currently working on an article on another alumni who is 98 and taught dance at BYU before I was even born. I'm trying to focus some attention on her great contributions to dance at BYU. She was a dance pioneer, and I was too in a way for what followed. It seems amazing to me that sometimes we are recognized for our efforts and accomplishments and other times, we get no thanks at all. Not that we are living our lives to be awarded, but it certainly helps.

For example, when our children are young they say-You're the best mom in the whole world. That soon changes to another tune when they become teenagers-you just want to tell me what to do all the time, etc. Somehow we need to focus more of our self talk internally on positive recogition of our efforts rather than putting ourselves down for failing or not meeting our goals whether as a parent, spouse or individual. If you were your own best friend-which we should be-what would you say to yourself to give encouragement in those moments of self doubt that we all have. One quote from a church leader I like is You haven't failed if you are still trying. And I plan to keep trying to improve until I'm carried out in a box. Lol! (Photos above of me in my thirties as we were leaving to live in Brazil for a year with our three little sons-ages 1, 2 and 5.)

Spring Resolutions

SPRING seems like a great time
to begin over-make new resolutions.
I want to enjoy each day more,
express my gratitude daily for
my many blessings of health,
family, and friends galore.

Time to seize the day and the
opportunities to learn and develop
talents, express my voice and be an
influence for good in the world.

1. Enjoy my yard more, replace dead shrubs, plant some flowers that I can have indoors on the table, picnic on patio, BBQ, etc.

2. Dare to send out more articles to new magazines, complete unfinished projects and develop new ones.

3. Take time to organize files, papers, do genealogy and such.

4. Exercise daily-water aerobics outside-HURRAH! and lovely walks.

5. Visit family more often and reach out to them in all ways possible.

That's enough, don't want to get carried away.

Less is MORE

Loosing can be winning,
less weight to pack around
leads to new opportunities.
Improved health, less pills
more energy and vitality,
exercising daily opens vistas.


Time to go shopping for
new duds that fit, giving
away clothes now too baggy.
Sustaining weight loss is
not easy, but necessary.
Self control is a daily battle.

I've LOST 27.5 pounds
this past year and don't
want to find them again.

Zoo Poems

FUNNY MONKEYS

Ever been called a little monkey?
Take it as a compliment
if it happens, for monkeys
are really quite brilliant.

They eat lots of bananas,
chatter, and love to play.
Eager to learn tricks to show off,
they like to frolic all day.


Swinging from big trees,
they love climbing around.
It’s like being a small child,
but playing off the ground.


When it rains, there’s nowhere
to go, for monkeys live outdoors.
They like us to watch them
as they run about on all fours.


HUNGRY ALLIGATORS


Gators live in swamps,
look like old dead logs
Don’t be surprised.
They just hide in bogs.

Don’t come very near
They might eat you dear.

SPRING is HERE!

March 20, 2010, is a date that most of us recognize as symbolic of changing seasons. As we welcome spring, people south of the equator are actually gearing up for the cooler temperatures of autumn. What Happens at the Equinox? Far from being an arbitrary indicator of the changing seasons, March 20 (March 21 in some years) is significant for astronomical reasons.

On March 20, 2010, at precisely 1:32 P.M. EDT (March 20, 17:32 Universal Time), the Sun will cross directly over the Earth's equator. This moment is known as the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. For the Southern Hemisphere, this is the moment of the autumnal equinox. SOURCE

What can you do to bloom where you are planted? Despite challenges or circumstances we can all make more of ourselves. I had this feeling of joy and accomplishment today as I was shopping for smaller size clothes. It was like rediscovering myself-my real self. What are you feeling today?

Time for Family

BALANCE so important in our lives,

making time for priorities.

Visiting FAMILY members separated

by distance-miles and other reasons.

Waiting for snow storms to be over,

clearer roads and safer driving

takes time but with phones and email

it's possible to still stay in touch.

But without hugs and face to face

interaction, connections are not made.

Visiting and conversing are so necessary

and difficult in our busy society.

Say HI to CARYN

You would think we live thousands of miles apart it's only 250 miles but life is busy so it was a momentous occasion when my friend Caryn and I met for lunch recently at our favorite restaurant Olive Garden in Provo. We had soup and salad and talked for 2 hours and barely touched the surface. Look at those smiles.

Caryn has lost a ton of weight and looks so cool or maybe the word is awesome. Great clothes and notice the scarf and crafty flowers that she and her daughter are making and selling in local boutiques. That's one reason why she's so busy plus she sells real estate.

I told her we all miss her blogging and she is going to try to do better at reading and commenting on our blogs until her life slows down...lol!

Isn't that the cutest scarf, hat and flower? Caryn looks great in hats. She can wear them and look natural. It could be an Easter bonnet. She makes them out of chiffony material and burns the edges so they curl. Amazing!

Leave a comment for Caryn and I'll be sure and pass them on to her. Thanks Caryn for your friendship, a fun lunch and a soul filling talk. Let's do it again soon.

Heavenly Mother

We have in our Mormon hymnbooks a lovely song Oh My Father written by an early LDS pioneer and poetess Eliza R. Snow (photo on left.) In her song she wrote... Father and Mother, may I meet thee in thy royal courts on high... Truth is reason, truth eternal tells me I've a mother there. Click here to hear the complete song.

Our first prophet Joseph Smith agreed with Eliza's words about a Heavenly Mother who exists as well as our Heavenly Father. They together created our spirit body which comes to this earth to give life to our physical body created by our earthly parents-mother and father. It all makes sense to me. But then I've wondered why we aren't told more about this Mother in Heaven in our church. Below is one explanation. It is certainly thought provoking.

David Paulsen and Martin Pulido’s article, “A Mother There” begins by tracing the idea that the identity of a Mother in Heaven has been kept hidden due to the sacred nature of her name, attributes, and character. There is a tradition within the [Mormon] Church that explains how Heavenly Father shields and protects Heavenly Mother from the profane oaths and blasphemies of this world.

Some scholars, feminist thinkers, anthropologists, and the like, find such a view offensive or at least problematic. They blame the Church for promulgating an attitude that places the divine feminine “in a role of a silent and unseen helpmate and mother” and a woman “not quite up to taking care of herself.” Some even complain that the Church has helped along the idea that the men [after resurrection who live worthy of exaltation, we believe families can be eternal] will be out having adventures creating worlds while the women stay home with the babies. “Our investigation leads us to conclude these claims are mostly false,” say Paulsen and Pulido.

Obviously there is a tradition that explains why the divine feminine is hidden, but the tradition does not originate from Church pronouncements. Also, the idea that Mother in Heaven and hence all exalted women will only fill a narrow childbearing role and never encroach on male privileges is, again, one of those mysterious myths that make the rounds in the Church but have little to do with actual revealed religion. In fact, statements from the First Presidency and other general authorities paint a very different picture; Paulsen and Pulido thoroughly culled the sources and compiled all these statements that, in a nutshell, say the following:

1. Heavenly Mother is a Procreator and Parent.

2. Heavenly Mother creates worlds. Future Eternal Mothers will be “prepared to frame earths like unto ours,” in the words of Brigham Young. Creating the earth is not some exclusive priesthood ordinance only the men get to do, but both men and women enjoy the “power to create and organize mortal worlds.”

3. Heavenly Mother is a nurturer, trainer, tutor, and teacher.

4. She is a fully exalted God of like stature to the Father.

5. She is the Queen of Heaven.

6. She interacts vitally with the Godhead (in fact there would be no Son without her).

7. Male Exaltation and Godhood is impossible without her.

8. She is a co-framer of the Plan of Salvation.

I have often wondered, if the “focus” issue plays a role in the sparse talk about the divine feminine. The great operational aspect to the plan of salvation in our lives on this earth is the Atonement. Come to think of it, not much has been revealed about our Heavenly Father either, accept through the Son. So the focus of our faith is on the power and efficacy of the Son’s Atonement.

But I must say that it only makes sense that the above eight points are spot on. To relegate women to a lesser role in the plan of salvation creates serious problems in Mormon theology. All things have their likeness on earth and in heaven, and as far as I can see women are every bit as smart and creative as men. And although their bodies obviously testify to a childbearing role, their minds obviously testify to a creative force that extends beyond childbearing alone. They will thus will be creators of varied kinds in the next life.


Source BYU's annual symposium.

RITUALS

I was reading an article about RITUALS in our everyday lives which got me to reflecting on daily practices I have now:

1. SEEKING INSPIRATION -I find that I try to always have a prayer in my heart and be open to guidance from above that can come at odd moments-impressions to do something OR not do something are important to follow. Opening doors of opportunity to grow and serve others can come this way. Reading SCRIPTURES before the local newspapers also helps focus me on my day in a good way.

2. BLESSINGS/PRAYERS on our food before eating it, reminds me who provides us with sustenance both physical and spiritual. It also gives hubby and me the opportunity to jointly unite our pleas for safety and guidance for our children and their families daily.

3. CHURCH ATTENDANCE- is my gift to God showing that He is remembered on His special day as He has commanded us to do mostly for our benefit, not His. I need the spiritual food that comes from lessons and talks given, sacrament vows renewed and interacting with other believers of like mind. Monthly attendance at the temple also reminds me of my purpose in life.

4. PHYSICAL SELF CARE- I can't survive without my daily shower, maintenance of my hair and makeup, and clean clothes that helps me feel good and starts my day with GRATITUDE for a home, hot running water, soap and electricity-all those things we tend to take for granted.

5. INTERACTING with FAMILY and FRIENDS-whether directly face to face or by cell phone, Internet or letters. I could do better in this area with some of my family members. Taking opportunities to socialize with others and celebrate our CONNECTIONS.

6. CREATIVITY- every day has to be filled with some WRITING, expressing my feelings and thoughts about life. Creating my VOICE with the written WORD. Journaling and blogging is part of this.

7. EXERCISING my PHYSICAL BODY is so important, going on a walk interacting with nature and the beauties of this world always clears my mind. Preparing and planning nutritious meals takes time but is necessary. I'm still focused on loosing weight and becoming healthier.

8. DEVELOPING NEW TALENTS- exploring serendipity and opportunities that are present in each day.

9. LEARNING from my FAILURES and SUCCESSES- journaling and blogging helps me feel whole each day.

10. Not FORGETTING my ANCESTORS- preserving my legacy and connection with extended family through genealogy, publishing their histories and writing poetry about their lives so they are not forgotten.

What are some important RITUALS in your life? Tell us why in your comment.

Full Creative Weekend

Seems everything happened last weekend-SPRING SALON in Mesquite, Nevada on Friday evening, then a poetry workshop in Zion's Park on Friday which I'll report more on below. Followed by the REDROCK WRITER'S group poetry workshop on Saturday and contest awards on Saturday evening. This was my first year to enter their contest and I actually won an award in their humorous division for my poem Green Jello written years ago then refined and improved. I love workshops of any kind-family history, writing or whatever topic interests me at the time. Learning new things and expanding my abilities is enjoyable and challenging though somewhat exhausting.

So POETRY IN THE PARK, a one day workshop at Zion's Park sponsored by the Utah State Poetry Society and Zion Canyon Field Institute. We live about 1 hr and 15 minutes from Zion's red rock beauty yet we seldom get out there. Too hot and busy with tourists in summer, too cold in winter but less visitors so it was wonderful to drive out there on a perfect though chilly early spring morning. No leaves on trees and a sprinkling of snow added beauty.

There were about 20 workshop participants and a noted Utah Poet of the Year Ned Snell leading our group. We discussed poetry, it's influence and how to write it. Then took a lovely hour long walk in the park with a trained ranger explaining the geography and history of the area. Shooting photos all the time, we basked in such God given beauty. Next we enjoyed a picnic lunch outdoors before resuming our afternoon session. Writing poems from experiences we had and sharing those with each other ended our perfect day.