Recent Lessons I've Learned

1. I've done a terrible job teaching my children about religion. More specifically about the all-encompassing religion known as Christianity. My grandmother's birthday party was held at her neighborhood's Methodist Church. We rented out the all-purpose room. Our family sat at a table at the edge of the room. Rebekah chose a seat that gave her a direct view of some of the artwork on the wall. One of the framed pieces was of the Ten Commandments. Isaac, who had the same view as Rebekah, would randomly quiz us on the commandments. He would also randomly declare that he knew specific commandments and then would recite the commandment verbatim. We weren't fooled by his trickery. (see, my and Paul's backs were to the wall) I even remember a joke being made that they forgot a commandment. Puzzled, we asked what it was, and Rebekah and Tori laughed, "Thou shalt do the dance." Luckily I have seen "Evan Almighty" and I got the joke. I say all this just to point out that a lot of thought must have gone into Rebekah's final statement. She truly had a moment of enlightenment when she declared, "Hey Mom, they have the same Ten Commandments we do." I guess in all her nine years, there hasn't been a family home evening lesson or primary lesson that has taught her about Christianity and the commonalities of its different denominations. Bad Mom, Dad and Primary teachers!

2. I do not take compliments well. I worked a lot of hours preparing for my grandmother's party. I made 30 invitations (they were pretty involved invites) and 103 party favors. My mom and I shopped all around Waco for the decorations and spent a lot of time preparing the menu. Friday night and Saturday morning I worked very hard making a lot of food. So I feel like I had some ownership in the party. But during the party, I found myself feeling grumpy. And it was the party goers' fault. Every time someone would stop me and tell me that I did a good job on the decorations or whatever, I would get even more grumpy. I was getting mad that my mom told everyone it was me. Like it was supposed to be a secret or something. I didn't want anyone to know. Every time someone would tell me how great it was, all I could think about was how great it would have looked if Mickie or Lindsey or Cori or any of my truly talented friends had done it. I've figured out that I am a behind-the-scenes kind of gal. I do all the prep work and my sister and mom run the show. They were the ones who ran the food lines and were busy during the party. Once the party started, my work was done. I was asked to take pictures, but that's it. So no one knew I was even involved until my grandmother and mom started telling everyone I did it. Then they all came up to me to compliment me. Then I didn't know what to say or how to act, so I got grumpy. I've definitely got issues.

3. Mickie Loosli makes awesomely beautiful and delicious cakes.

4. Blogging is taking on a life of its own. It's the wave of the future and we can't stop it. In Fast and Testimony meeting today, I gave a testimony to myself (in my mind) that included a reference to a sign I saw on Misty Pankratz's blog that said, "Faith means not worrying." I've reflected on that thought a few times this week. I've needed that thought a few times this week. But referencing a blog during my testimony is not something I feel is too appropriate (yet, anyway). So imagine my surprise when about 20 minutes later my Sunday school teacher relates a story that he read on a blog. He was not shy about it, either. He said straight out, "I read this on a blog." I could have laughed myself silly. (but for the record, the story was totally appropriate and fit perfectly with the lesson.)