frazzled & frumpy

"O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt." Mathew 15:28 There has been much talk recently about women and the priesthood. Why we don’t have it, why men do, what it all means in the scheme of things. I realize I’m coming to the conversation a bit late. (Story of my life.) There is a reason for my tardiness. First, I’ve been thinking and pondering and asking. Second, I have been discussing it, but only with my husband in the privacy of our bedroom, where I often regale him with my spiritual thoughts and ideas.  After much thought and some conversation, I decided I needed to share my thoughts and my reasons why… Why I do not want to be ordained to the priesthood. There are two reasons, mostly. The first, quite briefly, is that I believe in revelation—that this church is led by it. I believe this is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints . It is not the church of President Monson , or the church of the brethren. So, attempts at petition...

Last Sunday started like any other. When I got to church, I saw my friend in the hall. I asked how she was doing and she gave me the eye roll. "Well, we're here ." It turned out to be a great testimony meeting. When J. got up, I was so glad. She always says something that inspires me. This was no exception. I took notes. The spirit was incredibly strong, even making its way passed my struggles with Noah. When we sang the closing song, it brought tears to my eyes. After church, same again, but it seems a bit easier when you have that lingering spiritual feeling. In the evening, we had a Bishop's Youth Discussion. Our bishopric had been asked by one of the youth to talk about 'How you got where you are.' I love how different people can take the same topic and give such different talks. Our two, very young, bishopric counselors told about their lives and bore such strong testimony of the gospel. Then our bishop spoke. He's amazing. He tied everything they sa...

"Welcome, welcome, Sabbath morning, Now we rest from every care." Luckily we don't sing this song much any more. I have a hard time getting through that first line without cracking up. Rest from every care? I looked to see who wrote it. Robert Baird. Yep. A man. Clearly he didn't have to get 7 children ready for church. I know I shouldn't say it, but very often, I hate Sundays. They're hard. Now that we have 11 o'clock church it's better, but still. My morning is a mixture of getting breakfast, referee-ing fights, getting clothes ready (ironing if I didn't do it on Saturday, my bad), getting a shower, doing my hair and makeup, putting the church bag together, referee again, getting kids dressed, making sure the teenagers are up and getting dressed. Then, we load into the cars and it's off to church. Which is it's own set of challenges. Bathroom visits before sacrament meeting, drinks, then getting settled in. My husband and I sit on opposit...

I was reading cjane this morning and it made me cry. (Great! Puffy eyes added to the already glamorous look I have going.) Her post was about her nephew going into the MTC. As I went to leave a comment, I counted and realized that we have just nine months till Adam turns 19. Wow. Nine months, just like a pregnancy. Next December I will 'give birth' to a missionary. But, the pregnancy for this new child takes much longer than 9 months, it literally takes 19 years. I know that not all boys opt to go on missions, and that's ok. Having served one myself (Guy, too) I really want my sons to go. We have prayed and hoped and prayed some more that this would happen. Since they were very small we have talked about them going. Here's how many of our conversations went- "Mom, can I have a motorcycle someday?" "When you get home from your mission and move out , then you can." (I have a real problem with motorcycles, inherited from my mother.) "Mom, I want...