I have juice to make jelly. I know it will be a lot of work so I have procrastinated all week. Today I got out my small jars with the lids and rings as I remember watching my grandmother do when I was a child.
The process of making jelly and jam hasn’t changed over the decades. I purchased pectin in the same yellow box I remember my grandmother using. Preparing, cleaning and measuring with exactness is necessary if I am going to have the results my grandmother had.
My life is much like making jelly. I have to prepare and make myself clean from the world. Following the Lord Jesus Christ with exactness is also necessary. If I want to achieve a life that is desirable it will take some work.
During the year I will share most of my jelly with family and friends. For today I will find satisfaction looking at the full jars. My life will also be shared with others. For now I need to find joy in my progress.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
BIRTHDAYS
Everyone reacts differently to birthdays. For me I love having time with my children and grandchildren. So my birthday had to be described as perfect. Dinner with some children and a granddaughter, (for clarification I consider my children’s spouses my children) and phone calls to children and granddaughter in Pasadena. Remembrances and time spent with good friends have rounded out the week. How full my life is with wonderful people.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
COMMON SENSE
Today is a day when I do counseling. Every hour and a half a new client walks in the door. Once I had a client ask what gave me the right to tell him what to do. Couldn’t he just figure it out without me? He decided to stop counseling. Years later he came back. His life was a mess and he was in legal and financial trouble. This time his question was how did I know this was going to happen.
Many times we look to common sense to figure things out. The problem is our common sense is tied to traditions taught to us by our families. All families have dysfunctional thought processes mixed in with logical thoughts. They don’t seem dysfunctional because to us they are normal.
I have thought about the dysfunctional thoughts that have guided me throughout the years. It usually took a crisis in my life to make me examine what I was doing. One example was my father taught that we should work hard if we expected to have anything in this life. Tied to that was only those who were lazy looked to others for help. Hard work is a good thought process but to never help others or to never admit we might need help is not good.
I remember working with those in the Welfare to Work program. I remember feeling overwhelmed at the problems facing these women as they tried to get away from welfare and begin a process of earning a living. Some of the women had never had anyone in their family employed. They didn't have a roll model. The common sense of their families taught them that when they reached a certain age they needed to apply for welfare.
In order to help these women leave a life of welfare they need to learn how to find a job, clothing, and daycare. They also needed to be taught how to get up on time to get to their job. They had to be taught to respect their employer and have a work ethic. Were they lazy or had their family common sense taught them to look to others to support them?
As I go through the process of deciding who I will be I need to make sure my decision is not based on common sense.
Many times we look to common sense to figure things out. The problem is our common sense is tied to traditions taught to us by our families. All families have dysfunctional thought processes mixed in with logical thoughts. They don’t seem dysfunctional because to us they are normal.
I have thought about the dysfunctional thoughts that have guided me throughout the years. It usually took a crisis in my life to make me examine what I was doing. One example was my father taught that we should work hard if we expected to have anything in this life. Tied to that was only those who were lazy looked to others for help. Hard work is a good thought process but to never help others or to never admit we might need help is not good.
I remember working with those in the Welfare to Work program. I remember feeling overwhelmed at the problems facing these women as they tried to get away from welfare and begin a process of earning a living. Some of the women had never had anyone in their family employed. They didn't have a roll model. The common sense of their families taught them that when they reached a certain age they needed to apply for welfare.
In order to help these women leave a life of welfare they need to learn how to find a job, clothing, and daycare. They also needed to be taught how to get up on time to get to their job. They had to be taught to respect their employer and have a work ethic. Were they lazy or had their family common sense taught them to look to others to support them?
As I go through the process of deciding who I will be I need to make sure my decision is not based on common sense.
HOME
I love the plants in our yard. When we moved into our home 10 years ago the only thing in our yard was some sod in the front and grass seed trying to grow on clay soil and rocks. We have worked hard at getting our yard to look beautiful. Credit has to be given to Ben for his efforts the summer he was home after his mission.
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Our goal was to have a yard that encouraged wildlife. This we have. There are pros and cons to achieving our goal. The bunnies love our shade garden. Hornets love our holly plants. I get stuffed up when the birds congregate around our windows and doors.
We can enjoy flowers for most of the year. One year our roses bloomed into December. The trees provide shade for us and homes for the birds in the area. We have endless pleasure looking out the windows at the plants and animals. I think the most positive thing is how happy Kent is when he is working in the yard. He talks about what he uses on the lawn, the height of the lawn mower and how much water he needs to use. He worries about the trees and plants.
Leaving our home and yard will happen one day. We hope it will be for a mission. We recognize that a large home might not meet our needs in the next ten years. For now I love our home.
We can enjoy flowers for most of the year. One year our roses bloomed into December. The trees provide shade for us and homes for the birds in the area. We have endless pleasure looking out the windows at the plants and animals. I think the most positive thing is how happy Kent is when he is working in the yard. He talks about what he uses on the lawn, the height of the lawn mower and how much water he needs to use. He worries about the trees and plants.
Leaving our home and yard will happen one day. We hope it will be for a mission. We recognize that a large home might not meet our needs in the next ten years. For now I love our home.
Monday, October 5, 2009
FIRST WEEKEND IN OCTOBER
It is 12:18 and I can't sleep. I don't need to put myself in my counseling chair to figure out what is wrong. Its General Conference. When I stop my mind doesn't. I have gone over to my craft table and did artwork. I have read fiction. I even tried listening to the first session of conference again. Nothing helps. I have just absorbed too much information. I love that feeling. I also love a good night sleep.
Friday, October 2, 2009
TRADITIONS
Once again it’s Thursday and time to be with my oldest grandchild. I picked her up from school and we did something she had wanted to do for a long time. We went shopping at Trader Joes. Trader Joes is the only store that has child sized carts. I didn’t have a shopping list. Aubrey did. She wanted to bye Babybel Cheese and baby sized pumpkins. We were successful. I also got some veggies for a salad. I love our Thursday night traditions.
I love all the traditions I have with my family. I also believe that a good tradition has to come with an expiration date. For the past few years every Sunday my youngest two children and spouses have come to dinner. I have enjoyed this time. As we all change and lives get busy our tradition has to change also. We still enjoy being with our children. We just respect that this tradition is changing. I guess that is one of the measures of happiness; the ability to find joy in change.
I love all the traditions I have with my family. I also believe that a good tradition has to come with an expiration date. For the past few years every Sunday my youngest two children and spouses have come to dinner. I have enjoyed this time. As we all change and lives get busy our tradition has to change also. We still enjoy being with our children. We just respect that this tradition is changing. I guess that is one of the measures of happiness; the ability to find joy in change.
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