Small and Simple Things

 Since I've been laid up, I've spent a lot of time crocheting (and a little time knitting.)  As my husband says, "That's a lot of slip knots."  Those slip knots turn into a wide variety of objects:

Toys

Accessories

Baby Blankets

Afghans

Pillows

Purses

You get the idea.  Slip knots by themselves can be tedious, but I like the end result.  That's true of just about anything.  One note at a time, my husband taught teenagers to become musicians.  One strand at a time, a friend made the hair on Toy Story 3  look amazing.   One command at a time, my son programs computers.  One laundry load, one meal, one mopped-floor at a time, a woman makes a home.  One hug, one scraped knee, one teaching moment at a time, parents build a family.  Nothing worthwhile happens all a once.  It takes time, commitment and determination to create an afghan, a home, a family, a nation.  Next time you're tired of the minutia of your life, just remember what you're really doing and take heart.

                            

Contribute

      My son sings with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  In one of their training sessions, choir members were told to forget everything they'd been taught about staggering their breathing.  The instructor said they should breathe whenever they needed so they could always sing at full voice.  He said there were 250 other singers to pick up the slack.
    The more I think of that, the more I like it.  We're all part of different groups, "choirs" if you will:  families, neighborhoods, church groups, work,  etc.  We want to contribute fully, but sometimes we have to take a break.  It's nice to know there are others around who will pick up the slack--then we can come back in at full force.   Part of our challenge is  realize when we need that breather, and part is to notice when someone else does so we can jump in to help.   In one sense, none of us is indispensable.  In another sense, we all are.  The music doesn't work if we don't all participate.
     Sing on!

Purfuit of Happiness

     In the Book of Mormon, Laman and Lemuel are complaining (as usual):  "Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy." (1 Nephi 17:21)  I underlined might have both times and penciled to the side probably not.  I can't imagine them ever being happy because they were miserable complainers by nature.
     We sometimes hear people in love say something like, "I just want to make him/her happy."  Or people who want to be in love say, "I just want someone who makes me happy."  Divorce is considered reasonable when the  other person doesn't make you happy anymore.  WRONG!  No one can make you happy. Other people can add to your happiness, but whether you are happy is up to you.
     We all know the "yes, but. . ."  people.  They complain, and when you try to point out positive things in their lives, they respond, "Yes, but. . ."  I prefer the converse.  Yes, my circumstances aren't the best now, being laid up for who-knows how long with a broken knee, but I'm happy.  I have so many blessings to focus on, why spend time bemoaning things I can't change.
      I have to disagree with our founding fathers a little.  I don't believe happiness is something you chase.  I believe it's something you choose.

Goodness

      In a conversation my son and I had a while ago, he said it's strange that so many people talk about how good they are because they work hard, don't cheat on their spouses or do drugs.  He said those things should be taken for granted.  Isn't Google's motto "Don't Be Evil"?  That's great for a corporation--in fact, I wish it were the motto of every corporation on the planet.  From individuals, though, we should ask a bit more.  To be good, we need  to do good.   It doesn't have to be big things.  My neighbor sends me get-well cards regularly.  My husband helps tutor a friend's child in math.  My daughter cut off ten inches of hair to send to Locks of Love.  My granddaughter, unasked, brought a cushion to prop my leg on.  Our ancestors did great and glorious good works to build this country.  We can honor them by doing small and simple glorious good works for those around us.  Happy Independence Day--and be good.