Spiritual Things

I spent last week in California, part of it with Kris and Doug, and part at Disneyland with lifelong friends. Before heading to California, I was listening to "The Lazy Genius" podcast and she was talking about back to school. She said in the introduction that it was primarily for people with kiddos and suggested an alternate episode for those of us without littles. I decided to listen anyway. I'm so glad I did because she talked about opening ceremonies - creating ways to mark transitions. That made me think of back-to-school blessings, so I texted Doug and asked if he would give me a blessing while I was there. 

Thursday, the day before I flew home, Doug gave me a very nice blessing. Kristen took notes. My impressions were that I was blessed to be flexible, to be able to figure things out (interesting since I had just realized I needed to reconfigure 215 in a pretty significant way - a thing giving me anxiety), to enjoy my students, and to look out for myself. Kristen's notes included the following: 

I will be healthy and strong

I will have the ability to perform my duties

I will have the ability the discern the needs of your students and those you work with that I will be flexible and adaptable and able to adjust to keep me and my students in mind

Remember to balance myself and my students and those who rely on me (note from me: to me, this means my kids and some friends)

Enjoy the time with my students as I see them progress, learn, and grow

Foster friendships around me. Assist them and be assisted 

I'm grateful for priesthood blessings. I think a back-to-school blessing is the best type of opening ceremony. I'm glad I grew up in a house that set that foundation. 

Last week, I was blessed to attend the sealing of Houston Hjorth and Savannah Butler in the Manti Temple. The sealer was so great. He was sweet and infused just the right amount of humility and humor. It was a beautiful day. Sealing...lunch...reception. More than once, the sealer pointed out parts of the sealing and said he didn't know what it meant, but he finds it important or noteworthy. One that particularly hit me was the mention of angels. He said we don't know who the angels are. They could be people who helped Houston and Savannah make it to the temple, it could be ancestors, it could be their future children. He did say with surety that the room had more individuals in attendance than who we saw in the room. I wondered if dad was with me and I felt that he might have been. Why wouldn't he be in a sealing that meant a lot to me and to Starlyn, my dear friend. It's not that I had a certainty that he was there, but I do think he probably was there, watching and enjoying my time in a sealing in the temple where his parents served. 

Judy Sumsion, Starlyn Hjorth, and me after the sealing

Look at how beautiful the temple was

The day after the sealing, I drove to church and found my hazard lights stuck on. I know that can drain the battery. I toggled the switch that I thought took care of those lights and nothing helped. DANG. I drove home and looked up solutions. I tried resets and nothing helped. I had to call Starlyn and Lee. They came over. I prayed we could solve it. I looked at a different video and realized I'd been toggling the wrong switch. I was doing the parking lights, not the hazard lights. I found the right switch and fixed it right before they got to my house - the day after a long wedding day. They are so great. They did have to come to my house sometime anyway, because I had brought home all the food from the wedding lunch. It had to be refrigerated and I was leaving. I had plenty of room in my fridge because I'd been out of town. Everyone was done eating and I was happy to help. 

Yesterday, I went to an endowment session in the Payson temple. I got there early and had time to read the Book of Mormon in the chapel. I also had time to just sit in quiet. The organ music in the background was nice. All of the sudden, I was aware that "I Stand All Amazed" was playing. It's the only hymn that dad still remembered and sang in Swedish. It's one that I partially remember in Spanish. We sang it at his funeral and I sang it in Spanish. I also switched to Swedish and tried to sing the last verse in Swedish. 

As I write this, Allie has texted me that a fellow flight school student, who is a member of the church, offered to give her a blessing. She's going through a pretty stressful time with school. I think it's so sweet that he did that. She said he blessed her that things will be ok and that Heavenly Father loves her. 

I love these little reminders that Heavenly Father is aware of me and of my kids. 

I love this family! Libby and Emmett, Garret and Lanelle, Lee, Starlyn, Houston, Savannah, Lacey with Trey, Jared, and Colby