Last Sunday I witnessed a scene that is familiar to me, only this time with new eyes. A father, tenderly carried a brand new little lady all dressed in white, to the front of the chapel. It was her blessing day. Joining them were all those men who had been called and invited to participate in blessing the newest soul in our ward family. There was a little hold up as the mother of the baby walked up to the circle and whispered something to her husband. The father motioned to someone in the congregation and immediately a priesthood holder stood up, walked forward and entered the circle. This brother was all smiles, obviously pleased at being included. Then the father and each brother placed one hand on the tiny blessing receiver and rested the other on the shoulder of the brother at his side. Forming a circle with the father speaking for the Lord the little one was the recipient of her first blessing.
As I watched this sweet scene it became more to me than one more baby blessing. I felt like I was witnessing the symbol of something bigger. It was the picture of perfect service, filled with the joy of being invited to take part, great love and hope for the one in need of blessing, and all the dignity that should surround participation with God. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the everyday call to serve, the ordinary call to bless always felt like an honor, an opportunity to assist God’s child no matter the earthly age or station, and the grand experience of gathering around and connecting with others in fellowship with Jesus Christ.
Next time I’m sitting in the back of life’s room and God gives me the “high sign” in one way or another and invites me into His circle I want to step up and walk forward immediately, all smiles, all grateful and honored by His asking!
By Nannette W.
Written November 18, 2006
Posted Friday, July 31, 2008
Copyright 2008 by Nannette W. All right reserved.
Making or sending copies is permitted if the page is not changed in any way and the material is not used for profit.
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Thursday, July 31, 2008
High Fives! Just as Many as it Takes - Step 11
Today as I was tending the “Grands” I poked my head into four-year-old Ethan’s room. It had been a little too quiet, if you know what I mean. He had the “to hard” dinosaur puzzle he had received for Christmas, spread all about him on the floor. “Grandma, will you please help me.”
I took my place on the floor. Pausing after placing one piece in by himself he looked up at me and with great excitement he said, “Grandma, doing this gives me such a good feeling inside!” He continued working away and initiated a big “high five” after every piece he added to the picture.
Feeling like it might be time to check on the other children coupled with my natural man short attention span and after he had experienced quite a bit of success I said, “Ethan, look at you! I think you can do this by yourself now.” “Oh,” he groaned, as he contemplated my leaving. “Please don’t go grandma.”
So I stayed. I looked on, and took my hands off. I talked. I “yea’d.” I said, “Yes, that’s the one!” over and over. Finally he finished the task that gave him that, “good feeling.” The big finale was a huge hug and a thank you grandma. For what, I thought? For my attention!
My interactions with children who are on loan from God seem to always end with a bonus hug from Him as well. As I left the room I imagined The Lord Himself sitting patiently by me. I want to remember and believe and practice imagining, when the puzzle life brings me seems way over my head, thousands of pieces and three dimensional and every piece the same color, that He stays with me and encourages me and directs me and applauds every try I make. He is perfectly at peace just sitting with me. He’s got no better place to go, no better thing to do. While I fit the pieces of His will together one piece at a time He gives me His full attention and as many of high fives as it takes.
By Nannette W.
Written Friday, March 3, 2006
Posted Thursday, July 31, 2008
Copyright 2008 by Nannette W. All right reserved.
Making or sending copies is permitted if the page is not changed in any way and the material is not used for profit.
This notice must be included on each copy made or sent.
I took my place on the floor. Pausing after placing one piece in by himself he looked up at me and with great excitement he said, “Grandma, doing this gives me such a good feeling inside!” He continued working away and initiated a big “high five” after every piece he added to the picture.
Feeling like it might be time to check on the other children coupled with my natural man short attention span and after he had experienced quite a bit of success I said, “Ethan, look at you! I think you can do this by yourself now.” “Oh,” he groaned, as he contemplated my leaving. “Please don’t go grandma.”
So I stayed. I looked on, and took my hands off. I talked. I “yea’d.” I said, “Yes, that’s the one!” over and over. Finally he finished the task that gave him that, “good feeling.” The big finale was a huge hug and a thank you grandma. For what, I thought? For my attention!
My interactions with children who are on loan from God seem to always end with a bonus hug from Him as well. As I left the room I imagined The Lord Himself sitting patiently by me. I want to remember and believe and practice imagining, when the puzzle life brings me seems way over my head, thousands of pieces and three dimensional and every piece the same color, that He stays with me and encourages me and directs me and applauds every try I make. He is perfectly at peace just sitting with me. He’s got no better place to go, no better thing to do. While I fit the pieces of His will together one piece at a time He gives me His full attention and as many of high fives as it takes.
By Nannette W.
Written Friday, March 3, 2006
Posted Thursday, July 31, 2008
Copyright 2008 by Nannette W. All right reserved.
Making or sending copies is permitted if the page is not changed in any way and the material is not used for profit.
This notice must be included on each copy made or sent.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
"Just About!" - Step 1
Every kid can relate to the image of his mom or dad standing at the bathroom or bedroom door before school or church or the family reunion, knocking multiple times and saying, “Are you ready yet?” I’ve said it myself time after time, times five kids. My youngest child, Andrew, is a freshman at a local university. He carpools to school every day with his university librarian father. Just the other day the clock was ticking away and I knocked on the bathroom door in hopes of encouraging my son and promoting family punctuality and peace. The answer to my, “How’s it coming? Are you ready yet?” was the standard “Just about!” expressed with an air of “I can’t believe you doubt my ability to be on time!”
As I walked away from the door the image popped into my mind of the Lord knocking on my door and questioning me, “How’s it going Nannette? Are you ready?” What would be my response? It occurred to me that when I answer with a, “Just about!” I might fool my parents or my spouse but when it comes to my spiritual readiness, I can’t fool God. As He stands outside my door, He knows I’m not ready. I can’t possibly be. He knocks on the locked door of pride that separates me from His divine help. I scurry about doing the best I can. He waits. He waits for me to say, “You know Lord, I’m not ready. I will never be able to ready myself. Please help me.”
The Saviors work and glory is to help me get ready for the greatest family reunion of all time and Eternity. I pray for the honesty and humility to allow Him to do His work in me. Who do I think I’m kidding? I’m never just about ready as long as I remain just about willing to invite Him in and receive His help.
By Nannette W.
Written Tuesday, October 3, 2006
Posted Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Copyright 2008 by Nannette W. All right reserved.
Making or sending copies is permitted if the page is not changed in any way and the material is not used for profit.
This notice must be included on each copy made or sent.
As I walked away from the door the image popped into my mind of the Lord knocking on my door and questioning me, “How’s it going Nannette? Are you ready?” What would be my response? It occurred to me that when I answer with a, “Just about!” I might fool my parents or my spouse but when it comes to my spiritual readiness, I can’t fool God. As He stands outside my door, He knows I’m not ready. I can’t possibly be. He knocks on the locked door of pride that separates me from His divine help. I scurry about doing the best I can. He waits. He waits for me to say, “You know Lord, I’m not ready. I will never be able to ready myself. Please help me.”
The Saviors work and glory is to help me get ready for the greatest family reunion of all time and Eternity. I pray for the honesty and humility to allow Him to do His work in me. Who do I think I’m kidding? I’m never just about ready as long as I remain just about willing to invite Him in and receive His help.
By Nannette W.
Written Tuesday, October 3, 2006
Posted Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Copyright 2008 by Nannette W. All right reserved.
Making or sending copies is permitted if the page is not changed in any way and the material is not used for profit.
This notice must be included on each copy made or sent.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
"He leads me, He leads me along." The Difference a Few Words Can Make - See Step 2
Out of a slight sense of embarrassment we tend to keep some of the little ah-ahs of life to ourselves. For example, we have probably all experienced the surprise and humor of gazing down at the words of a song we have chanted over and over since childhood, only to discover that the words we thought we knew and loved are absolutely WRONG! “What? Oh!” we say to ourselves, looking down at the actual lyrics, “I had no idea! That makes much more sense!” Sunday services are the classic setting for this experience. I remember clearly the day I looked down while singing Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel, and belting out “ The fight for sin is real,” and seeing, on the printed page, “The fight ‘gainst sin is real.” As little girl, early in my experience of “singing along” I had filled in a place where I couldn’t quite hear the lyrics with a word that made perfect sense to me.
Ethan, age 5, is quite a little singer. He sings while he plays, while he dresses, while he moves from one activity to another and as he sits with his little legs dangling in the bathroom. I have discovered that listening to the lyrics as he sings is not only a lesson in creativity but can be very instructive.
One year in primary the children were learning the hymn, “The Lord is My Light.” I’m sure that the hope of the General Primary Presidency was that each and every child in the church not only learned to sing this song but that the message of the song would sink deep into every little heart. “The Lord is my light so why should I fear. By day and by night His presence is near….”
Not long ago Ethan was moving through his day and singing The Lord is My Light. The chorus is always the catchiest part of any song, the easiest part to remember. “The Lord is my light. He is my joy and my song. By day and by night, He leads me He leads me along.” Yes, those are the correct words all right. That’s the part Ethan repeated over and over one afternoon. Ethan’s mom, Jen, was pleased that her five year old was repeating something from memory learned during last week’s time spent in Primary. She paused as she cleaned up the kitchen and took a minute to really listen. She tuned in just as Ethan sang out a resounding, “By day and by night, He leaves me he leaves me alone.” She applauded his singing and quickly corrected the mistaken words and doctrine.
No matter how good our intentions are as parents and leaders we never really know what a child is taking in and taking home do we. So many of our doctrinal misunderstandings as adults probably started out so innocently. It makes me wonder at how early we form ideas about God, false understanding that goes on for years, untruth that makes such a difference in how we see Him, in how we imagine he views us, in our courage to approach Him and receive the love and direction and power He desires to send our way. I am amazed at the seemingly harmless ways a false notion of the Divine can begin. No doubt, even now in my life the Lord is trying to clear up some false ideas that stand between the two of us. And it’s humbling to think that as an adult I have perpetuated things about God that are not true, by passing them on to my own children, nieces, and nephews by word and deed. It can’t be helped really. We are all in process, parents and children.
It is heartening to imagine that the Lord is listening and watching as I sing out and act out, in my own innocent way, my misunderstandings about Him. It is consoling to know that He is in the business of correcting anything that stands in the way of my coming unto Him. I imagine that He watches and waits for me to abandon the old “ He leaves me He leaves me alone” and adopt and live by the truth that forever, “He leads me He leads me along.” Oh the difference a few words can make in our understanding of The Word!
By Nannette W.
Written, Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Posted Wednesday, July 29, 2008
Copyright 2008 by Nannette W. All right reserved.
Making or sending copies is permitted if the page is not changed in any way and the material is not used for profit.
This notice must be included on each copy made or sent.
Ethan, age 5, is quite a little singer. He sings while he plays, while he dresses, while he moves from one activity to another and as he sits with his little legs dangling in the bathroom. I have discovered that listening to the lyrics as he sings is not only a lesson in creativity but can be very instructive.
One year in primary the children were learning the hymn, “The Lord is My Light.” I’m sure that the hope of the General Primary Presidency was that each and every child in the church not only learned to sing this song but that the message of the song would sink deep into every little heart. “The Lord is my light so why should I fear. By day and by night His presence is near….”
Not long ago Ethan was moving through his day and singing The Lord is My Light. The chorus is always the catchiest part of any song, the easiest part to remember. “The Lord is my light. He is my joy and my song. By day and by night, He leads me He leads me along.” Yes, those are the correct words all right. That’s the part Ethan repeated over and over one afternoon. Ethan’s mom, Jen, was pleased that her five year old was repeating something from memory learned during last week’s time spent in Primary. She paused as she cleaned up the kitchen and took a minute to really listen. She tuned in just as Ethan sang out a resounding, “By day and by night, He leaves me he leaves me alone.” She applauded his singing and quickly corrected the mistaken words and doctrine.
No matter how good our intentions are as parents and leaders we never really know what a child is taking in and taking home do we. So many of our doctrinal misunderstandings as adults probably started out so innocently. It makes me wonder at how early we form ideas about God, false understanding that goes on for years, untruth that makes such a difference in how we see Him, in how we imagine he views us, in our courage to approach Him and receive the love and direction and power He desires to send our way. I am amazed at the seemingly harmless ways a false notion of the Divine can begin. No doubt, even now in my life the Lord is trying to clear up some false ideas that stand between the two of us. And it’s humbling to think that as an adult I have perpetuated things about God that are not true, by passing them on to my own children, nieces, and nephews by word and deed. It can’t be helped really. We are all in process, parents and children.
It is heartening to imagine that the Lord is listening and watching as I sing out and act out, in my own innocent way, my misunderstandings about Him. It is consoling to know that He is in the business of correcting anything that stands in the way of my coming unto Him. I imagine that He watches and waits for me to abandon the old “ He leaves me He leaves me alone” and adopt and live by the truth that forever, “He leads me He leads me along.” Oh the difference a few words can make in our understanding of The Word!
By Nannette W.
Written, Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Posted Wednesday, July 29, 2008
Copyright 2008 by Nannette W. All right reserved.
Making or sending copies is permitted if the page is not changed in any way and the material is not used for profit.
This notice must be included on each copy made or sent.
Monday, July 28, 2008
"No Nannette! Make you Sick!" - Abstinence
My Grandson Carson is allergic to milk. There are lots of foods he can’t eat for fear he might have a dangerous and possibly even deadly allergic reaction. We’ve known about this problem since he was about 6 months old. When he was first learning to communicate and he wanted to eat something his siblings were enjoying that contained milk his mom would tell him in simple terms, “No Carson! It will make you sick.” One day I was tending him along with his brother and sister and I passed out the snacks a grandma resorts to when the tending gets a little rough. I accidentally offered Carson a cheese stick. He looked up at me with his two year old bright eyes and said, “No, Carson! Make you sick!”
In each of our lives there is something we specifically cannot partake of or participate in because it makes us sick. We can become sick physically and we can become sick spiritually. Like Carson we may even look about and see others partaking of this substance or participating in this activity with no visible side effects, when in honesty for us the consequence of physical and spiritual death are a very real possibility.
When Carson’s mom tells him that he can’t have something because it might make him sick he accepts the news and takes what she offers him instead. And when someone offers him something and he knows it falls into the “bad for Carson” category he declines.
I want to grow up and be like Carson. When no grown up is around to run interference for me (which is often the case at my age) and the voice of God’s Spirit is all that lies between me and destruction big or small, I want to be like Carson and be willing and made able to decline. “No Nannette! Make you sick.”
By Nannette W.
Written Saturday, November 25, 2006
Posted Monday, July 28, 2008
Copyright 2008 by Nannette W. All right reserved.
Making or sending copies is permitted if the page is not changed in any way and the material is not used for profit.
This notice must be included on each copy made or sent.
In each of our lives there is something we specifically cannot partake of or participate in because it makes us sick. We can become sick physically and we can become sick spiritually. Like Carson we may even look about and see others partaking of this substance or participating in this activity with no visible side effects, when in honesty for us the consequence of physical and spiritual death are a very real possibility.
When Carson’s mom tells him that he can’t have something because it might make him sick he accepts the news and takes what she offers him instead. And when someone offers him something and he knows it falls into the “bad for Carson” category he declines.
I want to grow up and be like Carson. When no grown up is around to run interference for me (which is often the case at my age) and the voice of God’s Spirit is all that lies between me and destruction big or small, I want to be like Carson and be willing and made able to decline. “No Nannette! Make you sick.”
By Nannette W.
Written Saturday, November 25, 2006
Posted Monday, July 28, 2008
Copyright 2008 by Nannette W. All right reserved.
Making or sending copies is permitted if the page is not changed in any way and the material is not used for profit.
This notice must be included on each copy made or sent.
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