All About the Argyles

I am a little ashamed to admit it but I started out this month questioning whether or not Heavenly Father will ever answer my prayers.  Before you start freaking out thinking I am losing my testimony- DON'T.  I know he answers prayers.  He answers my children's prayers,  my friend's prayers, the prayers of some of the sisters I visit teach.  There have been times I look back on in my life and vividly remember Him answering MY prayers and doing it rather quickly.  (Deciding whether or not to move to Prosper and whether or not I should marry Brent being two I can think of off the top of my head.)  BUT ... Brent and I have been praying for most of the same things now for several years.  One of the biggies being that he would be healed.   Completely.   It was promised to him in one of his initial priesthood blessings when he was sick.   Sometimes, it FEELS like He isn't listening. (Sidenote: This was probably brought on by the fact that he did not

Here are 16 things I love about this sixteen year old on his sixteenth birthday.  He oozes integrity.   I can believe everything he tells me. He has great hair.  :O) He is a terrific older brother to Brady  and steps in to help me with him when Brent is not around. He NEVER complains even when we ask him to take the trash out, which is sometimes multiple times a day. He is a loyal friend.   I have seen it for myself over and over again and because of that... He doesn't hesitate to speak up for those he loves , even when it is not the popular thing to do. He is a natural missionary.   We just had a convert baptism in our ward last month all because this boy was not afraid to talk about church with one of his friends from school. He makes me laugh.    Hourly. He is a momma's boy preferring to hang out with me over ALMOST anyone.  He has no qulams about walking out in public with his arm around me or holding my hand. He is talented.   H

(Do you see the resemblance between me and this guy?  Read on and you will...) It's toooooo busy.  Way tooo busy.  And soooooooooooooooooo commecialized.  And so expensive.  I feel obligated to buy presents for alot of people who I barely know and some I don't especially like.  I know, I know.  Call me a scrooge.  I'm really not.  There are aspects of the Christmas holiday that I DO like.  I like the Christmas movies on Hallmark Channel   (despite the bad acting and sappy story lines.) I like that people - strangers- smile more, seemingly anyway. I like that my kids get to spend time with my Father (we don't get to see him as much as I would like but he NEVER misses Christmas with us) I like that my kids are home from school for a nice long break.   I like angel trees and anonymour donors and salvation army cans. I like Christmas music.   (THIS christmas I am especially enjoying Micheal Buble's new CD.) Tacky Christmas sweaters make me laugh

This is my favorite story about charity.  It's from one of my faves, Sister Sheri Dew.  I have been thinking about it because of an experience I had last week.  A painful one.   It is a great reminder of what true charity looks like.  AT AGE THIRTY TWO , I WAS CALLED TO SERVE IN THE STAKE R ELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENCY , AND THE THREE OF US BONDED QUICKLY AS THE DEAREST OF FRIENDS . BECAUSE OF MY WORK SCHEDULE AND THE LARGE FAMILIES OF THE PRESIDENT AND OTHER COUNSELOR , WE HELD PRESIDENCY MEETINGS ON TUESDAYS AT THE UNEARTHLY HOUR OF 5:30 AM . ONE MORNING, THE PRESIDENT RAISED AN ISSUE THAT FOR SOME REASON  SET ME OFF.   I CLIMBED ON MY RAMEUMPTOM, DELIVERED A TIRADE, AND LEFT IN  A HUFF .  BUT AS I DROVE AWAY AND HEADED TOWARD WORK , MY HEART SANK .   I COULDN'T BELIEVE I'D RESPONDED TO MY FRIENDS THAT WAY, AND I WAS DESPERATE TO APOLOGIZE.   BUT I FELT AS IF I NEEDED TO DO IT IN PERSON, WHICH I DETERMINED TO DO THAT VERY NIGHT.  FINALLY EV

We had a blast making these cute little Rudolph Cake pops last night. The cast of characters:  Candy wafers, red m and m's (noses), candy eyes, (i found these in the baking section at Target), a baked cake, a can of frosting, lollipop sticks, and light brown pipe cleaners. Once you have baked the cake and let it cool, break it up to fine crumbs.  It is easiest to do it with your hands. Add some frosting from the can.  One big scoop will make the pops more "cakey" and two big spoonfulls will make it more "fudgey". Once it is all mixed in well, form balls.  (One cake mix makes about 3.5 dozen) Microwave your chocolate melts in 30 second segments and stir in between until completely melted.  insert popsicle sticks into the balls, making a hole.  Then pull it out, insert the tip of the lollipop stick into the melted chocolate and then back into the cake bal where the whole you created it.  Once it hardens it helps "cement" it onto

Just when you think life is never gonna change and trials are getting the best of you: A friend smiles at you or calls and checks on how you are doing or grabs you in the hall and gives you a tug that lets you know you are loved or your Bishop says just the right thing at tithing settlement or you become painfully aware of others who have far less. Just when you think that maybe Heavenly Father doesn't hear you: someone has a prompting in your behalf and is kind and generous in your time of need and does it anonymously so that you can be sure to think the one who was REALLY behind it. Thank you so much to the people in my life that help to make things better. I love this quote from Emily Dickinson: "Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things-a chance word, a tap on the shoulder, or a penny dropped on a newsstand-I am tempted to think . . . there are no little things." My heart is full.

(I gave this talk at Stake Conference last month but wanted to remember it so I stuck it in here in my blog so that I will not forget this really important principle.) What am I teaching my children? - NOT by what I  SAY , but by what they see me DO . There are countless examples in the scriptures of children who learn a great deal by watching righteous parents.   As Lehi left his home, “the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things and took nothing with him save it were his family, and provisions, and tents and departed into the wilderness…” Is there any doubt that Lehi’s sons knew exactly where worldy possessions ranked in his value system? What about Isaac?   What did he learn about his father, Abraham by watching him?   There are many examples of Abraham’s obedience to the Lord’s will. I like the one in Genesis.   We learn that God commanded Abraham to circumcise every male in his household. Upon re

I got some more practice at turning the other cheek today.  Uuugghhh.  It is so hard to do sometimes but I know it is what the Savior expects of us.  I had to go back and read the counsel straight from his mouth. 27 ¶ But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. 29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. 30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. — Luke 6:27-31. I dunno about you but this one has always been one of the harder ones for me.  I have to really work at it. Counting to 10,000 helps. I also tend to refer to this guy when someone has gotten me hot under the collar. Elder David Bednar (He is pretty much g

Elder Dallin H. Oaks Adversity will be a constant or occasional companion for each of us throughout our lives. We cannot avoid it.  The only question is how we will react to it.   Will our adversities be stumbling blocks or stepping-stones? Father Lehi taught his son Jacob that in order to bring to pass righteousness, the Lord’s plan allowed for wickedness. In order for God’s children to appreciate joy, they must also be subject to misery (see 2 Ne. 2:23 ). To accomplish the purposes of God, there must needs be “an opposition in all things” ( 2 Ne. 2:11 ). Our adversities are part of that opposition. Elder Howard W. Hunter explained the principle in a general conference address many years ago: “We came to mortal life to encounter resistance. It was part of the plan for our eternal progress. Without temptation, sickness, pain, and sorrow, there could be no goodness, virtue, appreciation for well-being, or joy” (“God Will Have a Tried People,” Ensign, May 1980, 25).  The

I ran across this post on the TOFW (Time Out For Women) blog. I love it. It articulates exactly how I feel. Do you know the story of Florence Chadwick? She was the first woman to swim the English Channel. Both ways (England to France and France to England). No. small. feat. Two years later she attempted to be the first woman to swim the 21-miles from the Southern California coast to Catalina Island. The water was 48 degrees. The fog was thick. Visibility? Nearly nada. She finally quit. Only to find out she was a half mile from her goal as she was pulled into the support boat. A half mile. When she was asked by reporters why she had quit when she was so close, Florence said: "I was licked by the fog." She swam 20.5 miles of her 21 mile journey. And she quit. Because she couldn't see the shoreline. A similar thing had almost happened on her earlier attempt to swim the English Channel. The fog was too much and Florence became discouraged. But thi