Mother's Day...

I've given quite a bit of thought to what I wanted to write about Mother's Day.  I have so many thoughts and feelings associated with this day, I scarcely know where to begin.

There was a time in my life when I would have liked to pretend Mother's Day didn't happen.  Not for lack of wanting to honor my own mother, but for my personal lack of motherhood.  I am grateful not to feel that way anymore.

I've had great examples of motherhood in my life.  My mother taught me a great many things which have blessed and enhanced my life; and for which I will be eternally grateful.  I've learned more along the way from my dear mother-in-law, sister and sister-in-law, and friends.  I can honestly say I've had a tremendous amount of help from my Heavenly Father, since prayer has been my lifeline more times than I can count. lol

I'm approaching a new stage in my life.  I have one daughter who is close to celebrating one-year of married life.  My youngest is about to graduate from High School.  Kevin and I find ourselves on our own much more than we have in a long, long time.  It's interesting to see the changes coming into our life.

As those changes occur, I see my parenting or "mothering" change as well.  It's not that my love for my children diminishes, quite the contrary.  It's that the time has come to step back and let the fledglings try their wings.  In some ways this is a much more difficult stage of mothering.  Where in the past my children's bad choices might result in a "boo-boo" that I could kiss better, now their bad choices can be potentially life-altering.  As mothers at this stage of our children's lives, we walk a fine line between guiding, influencing, setting an example, and letting go.  Knowing when to do any of those things can be quite a challenge. Again, the prayer-lifeline comes in very handy.

Since I was young, the thing I most wanted to be was a mother.

I've gone from living with what felt like a hole in my heart and aching-empty arms, to the balm of embracing both my beloved daughters as gifts from Heaven.  Now I find myself stepping back, opening my arms, and letting them go.  Along the way, I've learned, grown, and become a better person.  Certainly, I've become a better mother.  This "job" of being a mother is and has been the best and hardest job I've ever had.  Was it what I expected???  A little...but it's exceeded my expectations beyond my imagination.  Most of all, I am grateful for having the opportunity to fulfill this part of my divine potential.  As I prepare to close one chapter in my life, I am eager to turn the page and open the next. (I've always been an avid reader...lol)  Being a mother, so far, has been an adventure I wouldn't trade for anything.  I have absolutely LOVED seeing life through the eyes of my children.  I am looking forward to what comes next, and learning to find joy in the rest of this awesome journey we call "motherhood".

To all the women in my life...mothers now or mothers in another time to come... Happy Mother's Day!!!

Grateful

If I had to sum up my feelings in one word, that word would be "Grateful".  

Have you ever worried, fretted, prayed, wept, and prayed some more for someone besides yourself? Sometimes, those feelings and prayers are much more intense because there is nothing else you can do for that other person - especially if that person is someone you love very much.

There are people in my life whom I love very much, who are going through some hard things right now. There isn't much I can do to help except love them, be a listening ear, and pray and pray and pray. (And weep copious floods of tears in their behalf).

Today I got to see those prayers answered in a small way.  Knowing that as much as I love these people in my life, our Heavenly Father loves them infinitely more; brings me great comfort.  He hears every prayer in behalf of His children.  This is just my opinion, but I feel that when we pray for someone, it's like for that moment, we carry their name before their loving Heavenly Father and shine a spotlight on their needs. Today I got to see Heavenly Father turn and shine His light on those I love, and I felt peace.

For this and so many, many other things, today...I feel grateful.

You're never too old...

You're never too old to learn, and you're never too old to change - hopefully for the better.

I've had some experiences over the last few weeks that have taught me that lesson - again, but at a different level than before.

First of all I learned (again) that my mom was right. Lol! I'm sure she'd love hearing that! My mother always said that your good reputation is invaluable, and that I should guard it like the treasure it is.  She said that once lost, that good reputation is difficult, if not impossible to regain.  In addition to that, I had a wonderful example in my Dad.  If I had to sum up my Dad in one word, I would say "integrity".  Dad always taught us to "Say what you mean, and mean what you say."  He drilled it into us to "do the right thing at the right time for the right reasons, every time!".  Because of his example, I've tried to live a life of honesty and integrity.

This stood me in good stead as recently, my integrity or at least my honesty was called into question.  I won't go into details, but suffice it to say that I was accused of doing something that I hadn't done.  In spite of my repeated assertions (and proof) to the contrary, I was believed to have been dishonest.  Although not being believed hurt my feelings, I knew I had been honest.  In the end, my good reputation was upheld, and my integrity was proven once again.  Being judged falsely is never fun and often painful.  However, I knew that I was "square with the Lord", and His opinion is the one that ultimately matters.

Last week, I was approached by a woman who gave me her name and number and asked me to call her.  As I was in a hurry, she said she would explain when I called.  I couldn't imagine what she wanted (since I had NO idea who she was), but I joked with Kevin that she probably owned a "fat-farm" and wanted me to come get help.  Being polite, I called her.  I got her voicemail and left her a message.  Curiosity won the day, so I looked her up on Facebook.  Imagine my surprise and dismay when I discovered that my initial (joking) assessment was correct.  She is a weight-loss/lifestyle coach.  For whatever reason, this just hurt.

Maybe I am too sensitive, but let me explain why it hurt.  This woman had seen me during the course of a couple of hours that we were in the same place, and made some snap judgments.  Without bothering to get to know me, find out anything about me, or even learn my name, she judged me.  She looked at me and saw a fat person - she saw a size, not a person.  Maybe her intentions were good.  In fact, given what she does for a living, they probably were.  However, that doesn't change how her actions made me feel.  If she had taken a moment to talk to me, she'd have learned that I am on a healthy life-path, and that there is SO much more to me than my size.  I am fully responsible for allowing her actions to bring me down.  I hold no one but myself accountable for my feelings.  I am not proud to say that I let what she did bother me and make me sad for a few days.  I also let it teach me something very valuable, which to me, was worth being sad for a little while.

Ultimately, here's what I've learned.  My parents were right, again!  I hope they heard that in Heaven and that it makes them feel good.  I am grateful for goodly parents who taught me important lessons that still help me.  It didn't matter if the whole world didn't believe my honesty.  I knew I was alright in the sight of my Heavenly Father, and that was what mattered.  I can't help what other people might think of me.  It doesn't really matter, after all.  What truly matters is that I know who I am.  I know who my Heavenly Father expects me to be, and as long as I'm doing my best to live up to that; I will be ok.  The weight-loss/lifestyle coach taught me the importance of not casting judgments - of looking past the surface and giving people the benefit of the doubt.  I knew that, of course, but she helped me learn it on a higher level.  I will certainly be more careful in my life and in my dealings with others.  I never want to make another person feel the way I did.

Doing our best to live a Christ-like life of honor and integrity and not being so quick to judge are valuable lessons that we are never too old to learn.

There is a reason....

As another year in our lives here at "Happy Acres" comes to an end, we've taken some time to pause and review...It hasn't been an easy year for our little family.  That isn't to say that it's been all "hard things", but we have had some (ok, kind of a continuous flow of, lol) bumps in our road.  

Years ago, at the end of another of these "challenging" years, our sweet home-teacher came to pay us a visit.  "How are the Websters doing?", he asked....I'm sure he didn't expect the dump-truck load of woes Kevin landed on him in answer to that innocent question.  It was a year where so much was going on in our extended family, and we felt so burdened with worry and care in their behalf.  Our wise-beyond-his-years home teacher asked if he might leave us with a word of prayer.  I will never forget that prayer.  He said, "Heavenly Father, we thank thee that thou hast trusted the Websters with these trials in their lives..."  I don't remember anything else from that prayer, just that sentence.  I had NEVER thought of the challenges in my life as things with which Heavenly Father was trusting me....no, I had always thought of them as burdens to be carried and gotten through.  Honestly, that simple prayer changed how Kevin and I have looked at the events in our life ever since.  I am sure that sweet, faithful brother had no idea how profoundly he changed us.  Talk about angels among us.

With that in mind, Kevin and I have been talking about all the things that we've been called upon to endure this year, and we are seeing a pattern in our lives.  Each of these challenges has brought new depths of spirituality and faith to our lives.  We see our loving Heavenly Father entrusting us with lessons for us to learn and trusting us to learn what He is trying to teach us.  We see Him guiding, shaping, and molding each of us into the children of God we are supposed to be.  We see our small place in His great plan of Happiness as we put ourselves into His capable hands and allow Him to refine us.  It's a matter of agency and freely giving ourselves over to His care.  It's acknowledging that He knows what's best and then following His path.  Ultimately the goal is for us to live in celestial families with our beloved Father-in-Heaven.

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year.  Last week, I couldn't have said that it was anymore.  I felt so overwhelmed with the bumps in our road that just seemed to keep coming and coming and coming; without any breathing room.  At a particularly low point, I cried out to my Heavenly Father, "God, couldn't you at least give us a break, here?!?!"  That was when the blessings started to flow.  Not that the bumps in the road went away, nope they're still coming.  My ability to deal with them and still find peace simply increased.  I was blessed, though a series of small, acts of kindness, to be able to see how along with those "bumps in the road" Heavenly Father was pouring out blessings on our little family.  There's a scripture that talks about blessings being poured out such that your heart can't fully receive them (or something like that)...I understand how that feels.  It's not that the nature of our challenges have diminished, but our ability to learn and grow from them has increased.

Many years ago, on a peaceful, seemingly ordinary night, God gave His most precious gift to His earthly children.  He sent His only begotten Son to earth.  Born of a virgin, cradled in a manger, the God of Heaven came to earth to fulfill a mission that only He could fulfill.  Because of that priceless gift, we can all find peace and hope through all the trials and "bumps in the road" we encounter in our lives.  Jesus Christ took upon Himself not just our sins, but He willingly endured all of our pains, sicknesses and sorrows.  He did this so that He could have perfect empathy and perfectly succor us in our times of need.  It was a gift freely given.  All we have to do is reach out,accept it, and follow His way; His path back to our Heavenly Father's presence.  That's the reason for the plan...that's the reason for the season...Heavenly Father wants His children to come home and live with Him in peace and joy forever.  

I am grateful beyond words for the great plan of Happiness - for the gift of Jesus Christ and all He did for each of us.  Because of Him, I have the hope of being reunited with my loved ones who've passed on.  Because of Him I have the hope of having Kevin as my eternal companion and being a "forever-family" with our precious children.  That is the hope, peace and joy I get from Christmas...all those shiny, hope-filled-blessings wrapped in swaddling clothes...lying in a manger...

God bless each of you, our beloved

family and friends.  Have a Merry (Hope-filled) Christmas and a safe and blessed New Year!  

With all our love,

The Websters
Netty, Kev, Jackie, Mandy and Chris

It never rains, but it pours...

...but at our house, it's hailing!!

It seems as if life is determined to test our little family.  I just read the blog-post prior to this one, and realized the challenges just keep on coming - and coming - and coming....

Sinus infections started it.  Pneumonia and bronchitis followed.  In the midst of canning 50 pounds of potatoes, I started having shoulder pain that hasn't gone away.  Jackie got her impacted wisdom teeth removed.  I scheduled that for a Friday so she wouldn't miss too much school.  Over the weekend, she started coughing and spiked a fever.  The washing machine broke-down...  Jackie's cough and fever turned out to be pneumonia, which kept her out of school for more than a week.  My shoulder pain turned out to be a torn rotator cuff, which might need to be repaired surgically.  This morning, the water heater decided to join the fray and stopped working.  Can you see the hail falling down??

As bad as all that sounds and lest you think I am engaging in a pity-party; let's look at the other side of the coin.

Kevin got better.  Let's say that again!  Kevin got better!!!!! (He had me more than a little worried.)  I can still use my OTHER arm and I'm learning to do things left-handed.  Who knows, by the time I'm done with all this, I might actually be ambidextrous. haha  The washing machine got fixed. (thank-you Marc & Deb)!!! 

All kidding aside, I have been looking at our lives, and in spite of the challenges we're facing, I can see so many, many more blessings that have been showered down upon us.  

We have a loving family-relationship.  Kevin and I have a wonderful marriage that we both treasure!  Our children are learning, growing, and becoming the daughters of God Heavenly Father wants them to be.  I have a wonderful son-in-law whom I cherish!  Kev has a good job.  We have a nice home that shelters us from the elements.  We have loving family and friends who enrich our lives beyond measure.  Most important, we have the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives.  We've made covenants in Heavenly Father's Holy Temple which will allow us to live as a family forever.  We have a living prophet on earth today and apostles to help lead and guide His Church.  Their counsel and guidance enrich our lives beyond measure.  We have the knowledge that we are children of God and that He loves us.

When viewed through the lens of our many blessings, what seemed like hail now looks like a gentle Spring shower.  

Good thing we have a blessing-umbrella!

Grateful...

It's been a tough few weeks here at Happy Acres.  Kev and I both had a sinus infection that wiped us out pretty thoroughly.  Then Kevin got REALLY sick with a cough that turned out to be pneumonia.  Then had a severe allergic reaction to the medication the doctor gave him and almost ended up in the hospital.  

Scared me a little.  (Ok, more than a little.)  Just when Kevin started feeling more like himself, I came down with a cough and Kevin whisked me off to the doctor.  Who knew pneumonia was contagious??? Not me!  According to the doctor, my lungs looked and sounded "junky"...is that a new medical term? lol

In the midst of all this, I have taken time to look at our lives and found great reasons to give thanks to our loving Heavenly Father.  As bad as Kevin got, it could have been so much worse.  As sick as I've felt the last few days, I didn't get as bad as Kevin because my sweet Hubby took me right in to get this treated.  We have had Ward members bring us dinner and friends and family praying for us.  We have felt the benefits of those prayers everyday.

Most of all, I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who trust us with challenging circumstances in our lives.  I see Him guiding me through these challenges and trusting me to learn the lessons from them that I need to learn in order for me to become who I am supposed to be.  

Today I felt a little better (getting a warm shower definitely helped! lol).  I had a long talk with my Heavenly Father and then read my scriptures.  I am so grateful for the time I get each day to learn from the scriptures and talk to my Father-in-Heaven.  I love how it makes me feel.  I love how much closer to Him I feel when I do what He asks of me.  My days go better, I am more patient, kind, and understanding.  I love His influence in my life.  Most of all, I love how grateful to Him I feel each day, for His love, kindness, and tender-mercies!

Just sayin'...

Twice a year!!!

The first weekend of each April and October is General Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Those are also my very favorite weekends of the year!!!

Twice on each Saturday and Sunday of those weekends, we get to listen to our Church leaders teach us the doctrines of the Gospel and how to apply them in our lives.  They are inspiring and uplifting.  I always come away feeling full to overflowing with hope and optimism for my continuing journey through life.

Here in Utah, we get to watch these sessions of Conference on TV from the comfort of our own living room! We lovingly refer to this as "jammie-church".  We get to be comfy and cozy (often in our PJ's) to watch, listen and learn.  Usually we accompany this with yummy food, so there is a definite celebratory feeling to the entire weekend.  Other people get to go to the Conference Center in Salt Lake City to watch it live.  

Still others attend at their various meeting-houses and watch via satellite.

However, even if I had to dress in Church-clothes and go to a Chapel to watch and listen to Conference, it would still be my favorite time!  More than anything, I love how I feel after Conference weekend: uplifted, inspired, and loved by my Heavenly Father!

If you're interested in watching or learning more, please feel free to go to www.lds.org or www.mormon.org for more information.  We love to share those things that make us so happy!