Category Archives: Life

Caught in a Lie.

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          I’ll never forget the time I told a lie.

I was in 4th grade. I had moved two times in 6 months. I met a very cute boy before my last move. I had a crush on him. I never told him, we were only in 4th grade. So when I moved to the new house and school, I told some of my new friends that I had a boyfriend where I used to live, and I gave them his name. Just so you know, having a boyfriend in 4th grade meant we smiled at each other and played together on the playground.

Then things went down hill. This boy that I liked, that I had a crush on, moved to my new school. Then it all came out. One of the people I told, came up to me and said, “Didn’t you say you had a boyfriend named _________?” I told them I did. Then they said, “Well, a boy with that name just moved in and he says he’s not your boyfriend.” Ouch! was I busted in the lie. I promised myself I would never lie again. It was not worth it.

This picture is of my grandbaby Natasha,

she has a look on her face that describes how I felt. Ahhhhhh!

The Truth “Helps”!

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I recently read about a particular family that I know.

This is a really great family.

I really mean it, in fact I love them.

What I read, and all I’ve ever heard about this family is about the great and amazing things they are doing. They travel, they volunteer (not just in the community, but in the world), they have perfect kids, and a perfect marriage, they live in a perfect house, etc. At least that’s how it seems when I read and hear about them, and really isn’t it neat that there are families like that in the world. But I thought if I feel this way, that they’re perfect, maybe others do too.

Sometimes I feel like I am not very amazing or great or that I don’t do very amazing things. Especially when I hear about families like them. I thought about my blog, and my life, the way I come across. Do I seem like I have it all together? I don’t see how I could, because I so don’t. Anyone who really knows me, knows what a non perfect person I am.

The truth is no one is perfect!

Not even that great family that I hear and read about, the ones I sometimes feel like are perfect, they’re not.

One thing I know for sure, is that when we share ourselves with others, we want to tell the best things about our lives. I for one, feel that others have struggles and such, I don’t want to burden them with a long list of things that are bugging me, or challenges that I’m dealing with in my life. Besides, I’m a firm believer in the adage “fake it till you make it”. I choose joy. I choose to share joy. On the inside, I struggle daily with feeling my best. I deal with many things that aren’t very pretty. I feel inadequate a lot. Sincerely.

Maybe on occasion I can share the fact that I am having a rough day. Maybe. If I knew that others who I think have it all together really don’t I would feel better about myself and not feel bad when I think to myself after reading or hearing about them, that their life is perfect and mine isn’t and something is wrong with me.

In this case the truth would help. I’m not saying that they are being untruthful about their lives. Just that they might be sharing the best and most attractive things just like we all do. They aren’t perfect, they’re just like us. We all have trials and challenges in life. Sometimes we don’t know what others are dealing with and that’s probably a good thing.

But sometimes the truth “helps” us feel like we’re all in this together, this whole earth experience!

I love the quote: “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience.” -Teilhard de Chardin

When ever we feel bad, or sad, or that we don’t cut it, -that thought is not coming from God. When hearing about other people we think are perfect, let’s think for a moment about how much God loves us. We are His children. All of us. The real truth is, that He knows we are having a human experience and He is there to help us, always.

And that is the truth, and I believe it helps!

Organ Donation!

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This happy dude is my “miracle” brother, Keith!

He is alive today because of organ donation. A wonderful person said “yes” he would donate, and my brother is here, because of him.

We are so grateful!

Today was the Dash for Donation event in our city. People were running or walking a 5K or 2K to raise money for organ donation. Keith was asked to say a few words about his experience. He did a great job. I love you, brother.

You can read more about organ donation here!

“Fourteen Towel Woman?”

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I love the book by Emily Watts, Confessions of an Unbalanced Woman. She tells the story of a washing machine, one of her children had loaded with 14 towels. The machine was capable of washing ten towels with no problem, but 14 made the machine out of balance. Then she compares this to her life and calls herself a “fourteen-towel woman in a ten-towel-capacity life.”

I have felt that way lately, too much to do, not enough time to do it.

As a family we are having wonderful, yet stressful times. Recently our darling missionary Alex came home from his mission to Durban, South Africa. We are so proud of him. Having a missionary come home is such fun, but it is busy! We cleaned the house, fixed up his room, worked in the yard, made signs that say, “Welcome Home”, and bought balloons, etc.

Then a week later, cleaned the house again for the get together after he spoke in church. Called, emailed, and texted family, and friends to organize food assignments. I wanted everything to be perfect for Alex, and wanted everything to be great and fun for everyone else.

It is so awesome to have him home. He is amazingly spiritual and the bonus is, he has an accent. He can share his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ in Zulu.

We ended up having 60 people over to our home after Alex’s talk. We had a great time! Now I can relax, a little, until Kelsey comes home in September, and then we can do it all again!

Pioneer Day!

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-July 24, 1847-

 this is the day the Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley.

The Pioneers were an amazing group of people. They were Brave enough to leave a home they knew. Strong enough to sail across the ocean, walk mile after mile toward their goal. Spiritual enough to know they could do whatever was required to do, with God’s help.  Happy enough to sing and praise God in-spite of hardship. Faithful enough to believe God had a plan for them. They had enough Endurance enough to keep going, and start a new life in the valley.

These are my pioneer ancestors:

John Griggs White

Lucy Miranda Bailey

Joel William White

Joseph Moorhead Thomas

Mary Ann Thomas

Francis Anne Thomas

William Davis

Lucy Davis

John Davis

Jean LeSueur

Jane Caroline LeGresley

Jane Caroline LeSueur

David Daniel Jones

Ann Jones

Richard Dye

Mary Malden

Mary Malden Peek

I am so grateful to them for their lives, and for all they did to make life better for me.

Family History Friday: Karen Petra Hogensen

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Karen is my darlin’s 2nd great gandmother.

She was born in Norway in 1830. Her father died when she was quite young. When she was old enough she became a nursemaid to the children of a wealthy family, and later she became cook for the family. 

She went to a church meeting that was being held nearby, out of curiosity, and was very impressed. The meeting was with Mormon missionaries. After investigating the church she was baptized. When the family she worked for became aware of her baptism, they were concerned for her welfare. After a discussion with their minister, it was decided that Petra could still work as long as she didn’t influence the other servants. She met Christian Hogensen at the Mormon meetings. He had just joined the church previously.

     Petra wanted to emigrate with other members of the church in 1859, but she had no money. Christian offered to loan her the money. Petra accepted and they sailed from Liverpool, England on the William Tapscott in the spring of 1859. This proved to be a very romantic voyage for Christian and Petra. They were married while they were still on the Atlantic Ocean. 

Story taken from “History of Bear Lake Pioneers”.

Happy 236th Birthday America!!!!

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If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I’d worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.

I’d thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘ Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.

And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.

From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there’s pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.

That I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

And I’m proud to be and American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘ Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

-Lee Greenwood

Heroes!

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Jacob de Jager

This is a picture of my companion, Sister Clark, Jacob de Jager, and me, when I was serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Texas many years ago. (Sorry, its out of focus.)

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As a missionary I would meet with many other missionaries often, these meetings were called Zone Conferences. We would gather to be taught and spiritually fed by wonderful leaders. One of the leaders I adored was Jacob de Jager. He was born in the Netherlands. He had a great accent, and a gift in expressing himself.

What a wonderful man. He was a spiritual giant. When he spoke I would be writing notes, and taking it all in as well as possible, hoping to be able to read what I wrote, and think about what he said again, and again.

On one occasion, a few of us missionaries were in one of the rooms of the church making copies and getting ready for the meeting that was about to start. Elder de Jager came in the room. We all stopped what we were doing to see him. He tip toed through the middle of the other missionaries, with his index finger up to his lips to say “Shhh.” When he got to me, he hugged me. He passed all of the other missionaries to give me a hug. Let me just say, these men usually don’t hug everyone.

He must have known I needed it.

Another neat thing that happened was when we were trying to get pictures with our Zone and it was confusing for a minute and then I kinda took charge and started organizing people and saying things like, “You stand here.” And “you two move closer together.” I’m organizing and bossing people around while my mission president and Jacob de Jager watch. It was funny, because a few minutes after, they both looked at each other and said I was going to be a good Mama and leader in my life. I loved that!

When he was around I always felt very special and important. One time he offered to do the ceremony, later, when I got married. I tried to call him to ask if he was available about a year or so later when I did get married, but he was out of the country. It’s ok, I knew he loved me. He loved everyone. He was an example of a true disciple of Christ. What a blessing to have these wonderful memories. I am so thankful I met, and got to know my hero Jacob de Jager.

Where Did that Pole Come From!

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When I was a kid, I was amazing at dodge ball. I mean I was usually the last girl left that hadn’t been hit. I could throw the ball too.

It was quite a popular game at my elementary school, and sometimes we would have to find a place to play, because all of the dodgeball courts were being used.

One day we ended up playing on sort of a make shift basket ball court. The boundaries were painted on the asphalt with two standards on poles at either end of the court. All of us 6th graders were in the middle of a heated game. I was one of the only people left on our side. Someone on the other team threw the ball and I caught it, which meant the person was out and I was safe.

Then I ran to the middle line and threw it!

I turned to head back to the back line and the next thing I know I’m flat on the ground, my head is killing me. All the kids gathered around and started making comments.

“Wow, look at that!”

“It’s huge!”

Then I realized I had hit the basketball standard pole.

I had a huge goose egg on the middle of my forehead. I sat on the bed in the nurses office till the end of school. One of my friends came in to see me. He said, “It looks like a colored TV!!” I never played dodge ball on the basketball court ever again. Lesson learned!