Ring around the Rosies...

My children are in love with this game:

Ring around the rosies,
a pocket full of posies
Ashes. Ashes. we all fall down.

A simple rhyme referencing the black plague of England that thrills my little people over and over again. It's relevance moved beyond watching my little ones pull each other in crazy circles and then bash into the ground - it helped me understand a bit more of my spiritual defiance.

I love living my life close to God. I feel happiest as I emmulate the life of Jesus Christ. Yet, I get distracted, start swirling around and then pull myself down. But all the while I am swirling and circling, I have words passing moments before the centrifigul force of my defiance. Even though I know, oh how tenderly and dearly I know that I am loved and cared for, I want to push a little without moving too far from where I am. Boy, I would never cross the line to the other side. I might swing around a bit and feel kinda edgy, but I DO NOT like to get on the enemy's side. No will do.

Playing spiritual ring around the rosies is like an ice skater always spotting their spins. The focus on one thing, something solid and permanent and then spin quickly around to find again where they are and not get too disoriented. I know my firm ground, I know the Rock, I know the Truth. Luckily, I am really sensitive to vertigo so a few spins makes me too dizzy or tired to want to do it any more. Regardless if I am ashamedly saying that something else should have to change, not me, I hold to my righteous routines rigidly. I listen to scriptures and prophets whenever I want to have something to listen to on my iPod. Music is too dulling, I play a song and think, huh, those lyrics were lame. I listen to a prophet and think, wow, I particularly liked.....boy do I need to study that talk. Every now and then I watch a movie to relax and think, boy that was a poor use of my time. When I read books I feel refreshed.

So as I have recently been spiraling, frustrated with people that complain and contribute to an overall feeling of injustice toward mankind, these words kept just a beat ahead of me:

"Each of us will face adversity no matter where we are. . . We will each face times of difficulty, and the question is not when we will face them but how we face them....learn to recognize the good that comes from each experience." Elder James B Martino

"Good judgement is needed not only in understanding people but also in facing decisions that often lead us to or away from Heavenly Father." Elder Gregory A Schwitzer

"You have come to this earth at a glorious time. The opportunities before you are nearly limitless..but ..w have beenplace on earth in troubled times It is a time of permissiveness with society in general routinely disregarding and breaking the laws of God.' We are surrounded by so much tat is designed to divert our attention." President Thomas S Monson qtd. Elder Neil L Andersen.

Proverbs 3: 5-6
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all they ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct they paths.

If you want to see me on Saturdays......

Little Mermaid Opening July 10th!

Written June 22, 2010 and tagged as News(add a comment)

As summer is quickly approaching, what better way to cool down by taking a journey “under-the-sea”? Come enjoy a cool morning under the sea with this mystical musical fairytale! Escape the heat, and bring your children in for a day they will never forget. Your little princess will sure enjoy this version based on Han’s Christian Anderson’s tale of Arabelle and her sisters as they strive to escape the Sea Witch and look for their prince charming. Your children will surely enjoy the singing mermaids, the beautiful choreography, bright and colorful costumes, and the under water creatures!

You won’t want to miss this cool summer musical. It’s sure to be a hit with audience members of all ages. It will be a cheery-occasion for all in attendance. So get your head out of the water and book your tickets today! Call the Box Office at (480) 497-1181 or visit www.haletheatrearizona.com

Nancy H Button

Upon a 'dare' from a very good book I am reading (of which I will talk more of in another post) I decided to determine what is the best version of ME I am working for. First may I go through a few of the attributes/aspirations/traits I have thought for a long time was what I am or had hoped to be but upon really feeling it through, I really don't want that:
NOT ME
-kind: oh doesn't it sound rude to say it, but I am really not that gentle type nor do I really desire to change to be 'kind', you know that soft sort although I really really admire it in others and I try and have a great many in my surroundings it is just not something I am
-patient: this sounds so very un-Christian to verbalize that I really don't want to be a patient person, honestly, I have worked on it for a very long time and I don't like it and I am pretty sure it is not an attribute that will stick. I like exersicing my patience when I can but it just not so very natural nor do I care to be
-great writer: not to sound resigned here, but I just don't have the natural genius to be a 'great' I can be good enough with writing and down right witty at times, but I can never be a Dickens or Bronte, and I am just fine with that, now I can just write my way - ha.
-best wife/mother: this is just plain someone else's definition and can only be defined based on my relations to others as others percieve them, very tricky and never fair. I do love my husband and children but I will never be the perfect at wife or mother although I will give it a fair try
-flashy or funky: this came as a surprise. I always have beaten against the trends and not fit the norm, as well as adored a special spot in the arena of attention, yet, when it comes down to it, my actual style and personality are neither flashy or funky, only ocassionaly is there a flare but it never feels quite natural, just a bit showy
-content:here is a pet word. oughten I just be content with the way things are? no, I don't want to be. I can't settle. I am always pushing for change and I am no longer going to think that is a bad thing.
-politically minded or 'informed': once upon a childhood dream I wanted to be the first woman president, then I just thought it would be good to be involved politically, run for office in something or maybe just be able to get in good political discussions. nope.
-passionate:just doesn't really jive with me, even thought that is what I thought I needed to be in order to make the most of life or enjoy every moment or be a great creator

Pretty extensive list, but good to get out of my way in order to face my real dream of who I want to be, and in many ways, who I hope God wants me to be:
ME, Nancy H Button:
humble: the type of humility that lifts others and makes the best of them. not a pharisee type of humility, the widow's mite type of humility that just does good all the time
personable not popular: I kinda figured this one out in my junior year in high school during a race for student body president, perhaps it was also the influence of drugs taken after getting four wisdom teeth pulled, but I shall attribute it to some wisdom that was pulled to the surface then that I am recognizing again now as wonderful - I had tasted of popularity in junior high when I was voted recreation leader on our student council and it was glorious to be in charge of various dances and assemblies. so i knew that if I ran for student body president I had enough history to back me. Let's face it, I was no bashful gal and people knew who I was. Yet, as the race for the most popular spot in high school history came to the pinnacle - organizing the ever memorable skit at the end of election week - I no longer cared. I didn't want to do anything flashy. I had no reason to prove to anyone that I could come up with a cool skit. So I didn't. I simply wrote a song that involved all the running canidates from both sides of the elections and had us sing a version of the Brady Bunch that said what I felt- hey, I'm here, heck, we all are, and it has been fun, go ahead and vote as you please. I still remember the flashy skit of my opponent involving repelling and strobe lights. It was impressive, and he won, as I was told, by a marginal count. But I knew then that the reason people knew me was because I could be friendly and wasn't afraid to be myself, not the version of what they wanted me to be. I need to get back to that and be really personable and forget the popularity vote because, believe it or not (deny it if you want to try) the popularity contest is still alive and kicking
tactfully correct: my first big crush told me once after I had gushingly told him how one of my freinds had adversly reacted to my honest advice "Yeah, it is good to tell the truth, but you ought to use some tact too." Wow. I know it doesn't pay to try and please everyone, be politically correct and all that, but it can't help being offensive when you are genuinely trying to help. I want to be one that can bring out the truth in refreshing ways, it makes me happy even to think about the pursuit of that part of me, good sign
Positive: to a fault, without going over the top
Genuine:not a mimick or a copy of others, culture, movies, what have you
Energetic: really, full of contagious, go get her type of energy. Someone who could and would play a game of soccer with you right now or roll around with the grand kids without hesitation of how tired I might or could be
No Excuses: if there is no viable reason not to do something (viable = offensive to God or will inflict mortal risk immediately) just get her done, or try it, what can it hurt? type of attitude
Temperate: able to act with grace in all situations
Eloquent: classy, well spoken (good vocabulary), put together, clean, regal
Resourceful & Reasonable: make the best of every situation with the best of what I have. This includes my approach to parenting and wifery - with people I love they deserve the best of my capabilities in situations that are realistically a bit tight.
Capable: all talents, skills, learning, confidence and support needed to become the above

Perhaps there will be more to contemplate about in my future views of myself, but this is what I feel very comfortable with becoming. I believe it can lead me to be the best version of myself as I shoot for it and maximize on the attributes I have already seen budding and blooming along the way.

Birthday Boy

the little guy in the back turns two today!

always my cuddle bug, Danny waited for the song until we told him to blow the 2 on my pathetic robot cake. He loved the robot theme though!
Standing tall the dirt. I would say more about the little guy, but he is currently sitting on my left hand.

What's all that action in the tub?

I walked into the bathroom in this blur of a frenzy. What could it be that has my kids so heated?
Danny did the dirty work with the toilet bowl brush, sweeping the giant cocroach against the side of the tub. Although the bristles were not lethal enough to actually smash the offending drain dweller.
Faith swooped in with the plunger to capture the bug as Danny poised for another blow. Eventually the cocroach was left belly up for a better life.

And did I ask the kids to kill the cocroach? No, they just did it instinctually. My kids rock!

The meat of Patience

Knowing that 'no one can escape a mortal experience' has put a bit new swing on my current attitude toward life's trials. In order to learn what I am supposed to learn in this life, I must haf difficulties. My main difficulty in life has never been physical, thank heaven for that. I have never wanted for anything necessary in life, not even love. I have, sadly, an inclination to want too much. My desires, whether they be righteous or materialistic, surpass my threshold to stay content.
Time to better understand PATIENCE.

President Dieter F Uchtdorf outlines very clearly the many definitions of what patience, as a virtue and attitude, is and is not. First, it is important to know that a person's ability to be patient can predict success later in life according to a study from Standford University. I would very much like to be successful (that was in part what I was studying Sis Beck's talk about last week, how to righteously measure true success). I have chomped off my digesteable bit of Pres. Uchtdorf's talk for the day; if we are talking meat of the Gospel this is a perfectly grilled steak.

-Patience IS the ability to put our desires on hold for awhile
-Patience IS a purifying process
-Patience IS steady and consistent work
-Patience IS more than simply waiting for something to happen.
-Patience IS enduring well
-Patience IS staying with something and doing all that we can
-Patience IS NOT passive resignation
-Patience IS NOT failing to act because of our fears
-Patience IS NOT simply enduring

Chew on that for awhile. Even simple definition take a while to sink down in and give nutrients to our working muscles.

Through the archives

Danny, 13 months old
Faith, 15 months old.

Thank you Sister Beck

My week of studying Sis Beck's talk as ended now and I wish to bookend it with these 3 objectives (for which Kristen and I decided to look specifically for while studying). Although the objects are boiled down from so amazing study and conversation, here they are:
Main Scripture to Remember: Joel 2:28-29, from the title, a prophecy given by Joel that is being fulfiilled.
Take home message: Personal revelation is the power to correctly prioritize my life and be happy.
Application: To personally better qualify for the Spirit in my life I need to serve as I know I ought without feeling others ought to cater to my needs.

NEXT WEEK:

Continue in Patience; President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Redneck Backyard Part 2 er 3 er...you can't expect a Redneck to count

Kids have their toys, always, even if they pretend to grow up. Faith and Danny were enjoying the backyard in their jammies after bath number three that day (two with the hose and one actually inside) while Daddy played on his buddy's bobcat. See, we have a tight neighborhood, we see the dude down the road playing in the dirt and go down and say "He dude, can I borrow your dirt mover thing?" He says "Yup" and then I watch Josh do this (imagine a person head banging at a concert, then strap them into the Thunder Mountain ride and Disneyland and then make them really serious and intent on what they are doing) for about four hours. And what do we have to show for it in our redneck backyard......we moved the dirt from over here

to over there
It is a really ridiculous urban phenomenom to have too much dirt in your yard so you either have to find a way to use it or pay someone to take it away. You also are charged upwards of $50 to put rocks, just plain old rocks, in you yard. Ah well, the dirt is moved and the kids have more mud to play in! I did plant some things in one heap of dirt and they are growing.

It's coming!

Gilbert temple construction is finally gonna start!
check out this AP article: Gilbert temple.

See that location, it is less than 6 miles from my house...oh I am excited. Good things come to those who wait (good think I plan on being here longer than 24 months huh.)