“Can I have water?”
“Can I chew gum?”
“Can I suck a mint?”
“Does fruit count?” (Hello?)
“How much longer do we have to wait?”
“I’m starving to death.”
“I’m dying over here.”
“Bury me next to grandma.”
“I can’t STAND it anymore.”

Well, NEITHER CAN I! The temptation to shout “If you can’t handle fasting, then don’t do it!” is almost too great to resist. I want to throw open every cabinet in the kitchen and let them have at it. “Take what you want. Eat it. Eat ALL of it! But please–PLEASE– for the love of all that is sacred, PLEASE stop whining about it!” (more…)

Jerry Day came up with some great questions about the census — that the Census Bureau Media Relations Department refused to answer. Setting aside my dropped jaw over the fact that we are paying the Census Bureau to staff a media relations department in the first place, they are great questions that deserve a response. But they won’t be forthcoming, because there are no good answers.

As for our home, when we are served with the census — in whatever form — our answer will be the number of people living in our home. Period. End of discussion. Then I will read/enclose Jerry’s questions and wait. And wait. And wait. (more…)

I write about balance. In the context of integrating work and life and workplace reform. As I watch women making up more than half of the American workforce (and similar statistical thresholds are being crossed throughout the world), I see the change needed to make the paid workforce a more financially productive but also socially responsible place to be. I regularly agitate for organizational and political reform through my personal blog and some advocacy groups. Some in the LDS community might see those efforts misplaced and as detrimental to the counsel we have to raise and nurture our children. I believe the absolute opposite is true.

From an economic and quality of life stand point, organizations need to empower their employees, to trust them, to stop clock watching and measuring ‘face time’ and focus on results. Imagine opening the floodgates of possibility for flexible hours, part-time schedules, for men and women, that still allow some kind of meaningful career path. How does this fit in with the sacred mission of a Mormon woman of faith? (more…)

Yesterday morning I had some insight into why I personally am struggling so much with the unexpected health crises of my family members. (You know, beyond the normal reactions one would expect from life-and-death situations.)

I realized that I am taking feelings, reactions, fears, hopes, reliefs, and thoughts from a number of experiences in my past, and conflating them all into one big immediate THIS is what I need to handle NOW. (more…)

The Atonement Can Clean, Reclaim, and Sanctify Our Lives

I must admit that there are many days that I feel like it is much more comfortable to dig up the garbage/mistakes of the past than it is to move forward in faith. Some days I have to walk with a prayer in my heart continuously to help me look forward and not back — to forgive myself for my former faults and failings — and to accept the rich goodness He wants me to enjoy.

God encourages me to move forward, the adversary encourages me to wallow in the garbage of the past and tries to convince me that I am too far gone. God sees my potential, the adversary wants me to stay mired in a self-induced pity party.

I don’t have a huge “a-ha” to share here, but just wanted to reach out and say that some days I really struggle with this and if anyone else does, let’s all hang tight and remember who we are, remember that we are truly loved, that we are good, and that the power of the atonement can buoy us up in moments when we feel not good enough and are tempted to dig up and wallow in the garbage of the past.

Week 1: My Aunt M was involved in a multiple car/motorcycle accident in CA. Extended family spent an anxious two days waiting for tests to finalize what we all internally knew was inevitable… (more…)

I have known Mom D for over 27 years, and I truly love and admire her. One of her endearing qualities is that she shares her gems of wisdom with others. Most often these sources are the General Authorities, but she enjoys great thoughts from a variety of people. I have never seen, or heard of, a card or letter (or, more recently, an e-mail) she has sent that did not include something thought-provoking and quotable.

The following poem by John Ciardi is certainly not one of the “best” profound quotes Mom D has shared, but it got me thinking. (more…)

With Valentine’s Day approaching, I thought I’d share the love with you. It’s not my own creation, but it’s really yummy. (more…)

There was one particular man who came in occasionally, and we could always count on him for a great story — like the time he cut his own arm off with a pocket knife because it was being slowly eaten by a piece of equipment while he was alone in the middle of a field. Wow!

One of my favorite stories he would tell went something like this: (more…)