Thursday night we ate at a buffet to celebrate Jackson and Tyson's closing night performances of their big musical at the Civic. It was family night, so they served several special desserts for the kids. I ate them all... and the ones my 2 year old couldn't eat as well. I was in heaven eating unlimited food and desserts with no cooking and no clean-up!!
Friday night was Jayden's birthday. I made my home-made pizza loaded with every tasty topping you could imagine including extra, extra cheese of course. I don't mean to brag, but it turned out just right. I had no choice but to stuff myself with it!! I also made a double-layered devils food cake with home-made berry sauce and tons of whipped topping. Mmm-mmm good! It was a last-minute creation, and I devoured a ton of that too.
Saturday was Jordan's end of class theater performance. It was only appropriate to celebrate with more food! We ate M&M ice cream cakes. I bought 2 of them to insure that we could eat as much as we wanted! So I did... I ate as much as I wanted.
Sunday (today) our Sunday Singers group of youth and children came to our house. My mom always taught me that it's not a party unless there's lots of food, so we had lots of food! This time we had brownies, green pistachio cookies, and ice cream bars. I tried some of each... just to make sure they tasted alright. :-) Oh yeah... I forgot to mention that a young girl at church delivered our Girl Scout cookies today. I ate half a box of Thin Mints on the way home from church... I really did. Don't worry- I bought plenty of boxes for the children to eat some too. :-)
Tonight, I was kneeling down with Abe and all the kids ready for family prayer when I realized it hurt to kneel down. I could hardly breathe in my jeans- I had to unbutton them. As I did, I moaned about how fat I was. My legs were even tight in my jeans! I wondered how that happened so quickly!
I wasn't fishing for compliments, but immediately Tyson said, "Mom you're not fat at all!! In fact you look like you weigh 70 lbs! That's 5 lbs less than me!!" I laughed at his efforts to make me feel better about my bulging body. Jordan sat on my lap, squeezed me as tight as he could and said, "You're not fat at all! You're pretty!" I honestly thought it was strange that they didn't see that my legs were 5 times their size. Abe quieted the children down for Jackson to say the family prayer. He gave thanks in his prayer; and at the very end said, "and Heavenly Father please help mommy to feel pretty."
That shocked me! He prayed for me to feel pretty? How sweet! At first I thought he didn't need to pray for something like that... for me to feel pretty. I was just having a "fat" day after days of gorging myself. Even so, the scripture in 1Samuel 16:7 came quickly into my mind: "...for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."
I realized my children were looking on my heart. They didn't care about bulging pants, and they didn't like to hear their mother tear herself down.
My children melted my heart, and Jackson's prayer was answered. Even though my body is in great need of a boot camp and a cleanse from sugar, I feel pretty anyway because of Jackson's prayer!! God made us all "pretty," and the children see it with the clearest of eyes.
Dear Rachel: From time to time I look in on you. I could not help but read your reply to Cristee. This verse and Cristee saying not taking it literally struck me. You said you did take it literally and I know it is because it is one of the verses the Mormon Church uses to “prove” pre-existence.
ReplyDeleteActs 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, for we are also his offspring. 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
This is the problem of taking verses out of context of the whole of “one book” of the Bible. I think I understand what Cristee was saying about taking this statement literally. I would like to point out, the writer was quoiting a poet not God, and this was an analogy. He was trying to relate to the people he was speaking to. He was quoting a poet to make a point. He was making a “pantheistic” point. Its meaning, a belief that God is everything. 29 He is not an idol made of stone or something made up in “man’s mind”. 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being. (He is everlasting to everlasting and we are here because of his Love and Grace and not any other reason. God does not need anything!)
I know that no one can sway you from your belief but your explanation “I am not an expert on my religion” really struck me. You should dig very deep into your religion while holding onto your faith in Christ. I would encourage you to read the Bible not with the thought of it being translated correctly but as the true word of God. Pray over verses like the one above. I know for a fact this is what the missionaries ask of the persons they are encouraging.
I know your husband had trouble with my tone earlier and perhaps everything was not said in love and God brought me up short about that. Believe me this is said in love. I would share I live among Mormons. Many of my family are Mormons. I have dear friends that are Mormons. I come from Ancestors who were Saints driven out of Nauvoo after Joseph Smith Jr. died. Some leaving leaving the after coming to Utah. But still God touched my heart to the truth about Sacrifice, Grace and Salvation.
I am not hiding but I want to make sure this goes through. Elli F
Hi Elli, thank you for continuing to look in on me, reading, and commenting. I am always enlightened the more I learn about a person. It's great to know about your heritage, and I appreciate your courage to comment again.
DeleteMost of your comments were actually directed towards my post titled, "Jayden's Birthday." There were a couple of things that I wanted to address from your comment: You said "the Mormon Church uses (scriptures) to 'prove' pre-existence" ... and you commented about me not being an expert. I would answer these 2 comments in more depth myself, but "Maybury Zoo" actually said it perfectly in her comment under my post, "Jayden's Birthday." Please refer to her comment... I couldn't have said it better.
I will personally say that I do definitely "dig very deep into (my) religion while holding onto (my) faith in Christ." My religion is what has guided me towards my faith in Christ my entire life. I do also "pray over verses" in the Bible and the Book of Mormon every single day. Today, our morning family scripture study and tonight's Family Home Evening continued to instill great love and faith in our hearts... yet I am still not an expert.
I too have had my heart touched and changed by the truths of Sacrifice, Grace, and Salvation. I am honestly, continually amazed every time I understand those truths on an even more profound level. To think of the depth of Jesus Christ's love for us all takes my breath away at times.
Oops! "Maybury Zoo" deleted her comment. I'll answer in my own words.. and a few scriptures:) In my church, we make a deliberate choice to try not to "prove" the things that we teach because that is not where the strength of the real testimony lies. When I read my scriptures this morning, I felt the Spirit so strong when I read these verses about faith. I know you understand faith; but in my effort to explain our purposes as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I would love to share them with you.
DeleteEther 12:12,16
12 For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith.
16 Yea, and even all they who wrought miracles wrought them by faith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were after.
While reading, these verses in particular stood out to my children as well. Thank you for allowing me to recall them this evening. So to respond to your comment about my church using a scripture to "prove" our beliefs. I have never found that to be the case. While we LOVE all scripture. Those scriptures are meant to guide, uplift, teach, give love, and to support... not to prove. They are a support to our faith, knowledge, and belief in Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Thank you again for your comment.
I know what you are trying to say. What I would like to say a little better that I said about the Bible. We have common ground, the Bible even though we look at it a little differently. When speaking to someone about anything it goes better if coming from common ground. We both believe in the Bible but when you quote the Mormon books it means nothing to me. Also we were talking about one subject knowledge and clarification of a verse. That does not mean I am excluding anything else you brought up, faith etc.
ReplyDeleteMormonism and I go back over 70 years so I know what you believe! I know what you are trying to say and I know what has changed. I just thought you might enjoy my sharing a little about me. A little about my faith. I went back and read what I wrote and I did not think there was anything there that would offend or needed defending by you. I know your intent was to share words that mean so much to you and your family but sometimes it is a sweet gift to just listen and consider someone else's point of view.
elli F
Oh Elli... thank you again for your comment... this is MY blog, so I enjoy responding to my reader's comments. I did not realize that you only wanted to speak. I did not feel offended by anything in your original post tonight. I enjoy our common ground, but I must bring up that you were accentuating what was not common about us. Since it is MY blog, I wanted to clarify for my other readers as well the accuracy of what I do believe.
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ReplyDeleteThis was a great and helpful post. Especially as I was reading it during my chicken strips marathon! *haha* You know the song, "I feel pretty, oh so pretty..."? Well, after my marathon's (yes, girl scout cookies included), I start singing, "I feel PUDGY, oh so PUDGY..." It's funny and yet, I find that both my husband and my children are quick to correct me. Let's be clear, EACH of my children has left their impression upon my hips and I'm not signing up to run, walk or bike any real marathons, but as you so deftly pointed out, just like our Father in Heaven, our families see us from the inside outward. They see our heart, our kindess, our love, our service, our gratitude, our tears for others, our true divine nature. The outside is merely a snapshot of how we move and groove here on the earth. I appreciated that there are others out there who nibble extra and have a tight pair of jeans, too - but how beautiful it is that it is the children who see the real you! There are many reasons, then, to liken ourselves to a child.
ReplyDeleteGreat job, Rachel! I need a cleanse too! But...first, let me get some Peeps! *kidding*
Hahahahahahaha!!! I loved your take on the Fat and Pretty... aka pudgy and pretty. :) Thanks for a good laugh. Thank you also for your perspective and experience with your family seeing you for BEAUTIFUL YOU!!
DeleteAnd to "Elli", you know I re-read what you wrote here and I see that you are making an effort to comment gingerly, but you still leave me wondering. Especially when you admonish Rachel to dig deeper into her religion simply because she doesn't claim to be an expert. That is a critical assumption that she does not do that very thing - dig deep. She served a mission, dedicating 18 months of her life to teaching the gospel. I think she has quite a decent grasp on the gospel principles. As I said in a previous post, anyone who claims to be an expert in any religion or in the things as they pertain to our Father in Heaven most assuredly misrepresents the things that they know, but it is not possible in this life to know all of the things that our Father in Heaven has in store for us, learn all that He is about, understand all of his ways and His wonder. Additionally, your comment that you didn't feel that you wrote anything that needed defending or that nothing you wrote was offensive precisely speaks to the point that you are not aware of either a) what you are saying or b) how you are saying it. Maybe something you said WAS offensive. Is your response to that, "you shouldn't be offended?" I cannot read ANYTHING in Rachel's response that indicates she was offended. However, you then feel that nothing you said should have to be defended by Rachel. That is very arrogant. To think that what you say should stand alone, for no one to comment on, speak to, address, abridge or clarify!? A reminder that if you write your OWN blog, you can make the rules, but if you decide to comment on another person's blog - and often in paragraph form - then you can bet that they (the author) will absolutely respond to what you are saying. To label it "defending" when what Rachel does is "respond" speaks to how you view yourself. You clearly view yourself as one who has all or almost all of the anwers. Now you may try to come back and say, "I didn't say I had all the answers" or "I don't think I have all the answers", but your actions (in this case, comments) demonstrate differently. So, make your comments, but then don't get offended or defensive when people respond and clarify what you have misinterpreted or incorrectly stated. It's just how it works.
ReplyDeleteFinally, your comment that you and Morminism go back 70 years is lovely to hear. When you say that you know what we believe it strikes me that what you are saying is "I've heard it all and I know it all, and I don't want to learn". This is evidenced by you telling Rachel to read more from the Bible and share more scripture references from there. If you were so familiar with the Mormon faith, are you not aware that we use the Bible in all of our studies? I mean, given your statement, your intended altruism fizzles. And may I add, that I know of a wonderful man, who passed late last year at the age of 92. He was wonderful and read his scriptures daily, had read both the Bible and the Book of Mormon cover to cover twice each year and he STILL was learning up to his dying day about the principles of God. There is not a moment when we can say that we know it all or have learned it all. I agree with your comment on bridging forward on common ground. I'm not sure what yours and mine is, because I come to the blog to learn and it seems you come here to teach, but maybe we will find one.
Unfortunately I see that one of your comments had to be deleted by Rachel. Sigh. It looks like you continue to miss the point. Oh, and if you really want to continue this particular discussion, I will give you my email and we can do this OFF of Rachel's blog.
Oh my goodness... thank you so much. Also, a "Thank you" from my husband as well. He read your comment last night and shouted out, "YES! That's Right!!" :)
DeleteI have said this before... I do not have any problem people who disagree with my words, beliefs, or testimony. If done kindly, understanding each other's perspectives is a beautiful thing.
This is my place to merely put in writing the things I am learning from God on a daily basis through my experiences. I am not here trying to prove anything to anyone- just simply sharing. I absolutely LOVE that you and others have shared your experiences as well-no matter what religion- because it opens my eyes to more of God's great works in ALL of HIS children's lives around the world.
Thank you again!!
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ReplyDeleteI for one am glad that Maybury stood up for Rachel. Cristee, you definitely missed something. If Rachel chooses to delete a post, you can assume that it was negative, critical, slanderous, and pushy - and that's being nice. Elli's deleted posts make Maybury's post read like a Shakespearean sonnet.
DeleteI agree with your take on Maybury’s post though. She did call out Elli because, "she was admonishing Rachel, being critical..." and Elli was also,offensive, arrogant, and a know it all. Now, I do not know if Elli is this way in real life. I only know what I read. She had at least one comment deleted on this story and at least 4 on other stories on this blog. If she is not that way, then I would kindly suggest that she rethink her approach.
She had a softer tone at first, but when Rachel did not respond in the way she wanted, things quickly turned. Our arms are still wide open to her. We just ask that she be positive and uplifting in her comments.
I am glad for those, like Maybury, who choose to act and not sit silently while others try to rain on someone's parade.
Cristee, I really appreciate the way you have been humble and really shown that you care about more than simply making your point. The first couple of comments you made on this blog were somewhat contentious, but since then, you have responded in a much more congenial way, even when you are not necessarily in agreement. I recognize that you could very easily have taken a different approach. I am grateful that we have had the chance to share with you and to read what you have shared.
This is what I believe is meant by the scriptures you shared from The Bible- that we are to uplift and edify each other. I also feel that once uplifting and edifying has been tried several times, then it is sometimes helpful to use reason. That is the approach I feel that Maybury took. In my opinion, Maybury's comments were meant to cause Elli to pause and think about how her comments come across to the rest of us.
I also believe that Elli has had the chance to come back and apologize on several occasions, to show that she is willing to be humble. A simple, humble, sincere apology would have quickly calmed any conflict. I am assuming that apology never came, because she didn't feel that she did anything wrong, or said anything offensive.
It is like you say, I am only going by the comments I have seen. Until she returns we will continue to pray for her anger to subside.
Thank you, Abe, for your additional perspective on the scene. I appreciate the second witness to the issues that I observed and addressed.
DeleteCristee, I understand that you are offering your observations from an outsider's perspective and I accept them as that. Given my perspective, I don't see my responses as attacking or slanderous, rather being extremely clear with WHAT I am seeing, HOW it is coming across and HOW it makes me and/or others feel. Similar to what you did in your post above. I think you could probably sense something in my writing and I'll tell you what it was. It was firmness. What I disagreed with from Elli were, what I term as, the subtle digs and slights towards Rachel. You may not see them as that and that is fine, but I do. It jumps out at me from the page, therefore I comment. As Abe said, there were a few posts in the past where Elli commented and myself, Rachel and Abe responded to her to try and share information, dialogue and express our opinion for the need to edit her responses if she wasn't liking how they came across. More succintly put, if you don't think you are offensive, but those who read what you write are offended, then a) you should be given the feedback and b) it would be good to apply it. Short and simple. I do not think that sharing an example from my life, to further define or describe a point, qualifies it as an automatic COMPARISON to another individual. It is an example.
Of note, however, your sharing of the scripture Matthew 12:33-37 and pontificating further how "slander is often caused by sinful motives" might eek into the very thing that you 'observed' that I was doing to Elli. But I take no offense to this at all. It's a blog...grain of salt.
I appreciate your sharing of the scriptures with your responses and it is a good example of how God's word can be applied to the circumstances we find ourselves in daily. I also find that I am able to communicate quite well (a gift from my Father in Heaven) and so when I am able to, I like to share my observations, my interpretations or my interests, as is. I like to find an appropriate balance between sharing my insights and folding in the scriptures that might prove helpful in sharing where my inspiration came from.
I appreciate your observations and allow you to have them. As the mother of 4, the PTA President, mother of a 2 year old, small business owner and current student in a doctoral program, I am very used to feedback and claim no rights on perfection. I will take from your feedback what I am able.
On a lighter note, I'm not feeling quite as fat as I was... I just ran 3 1/2 miles. :-)
ReplyDeleteI love you my sweet love.
DeleteUmmmm, I've seen pictures of you and your a definitely not fat.
Deleteoops, meant "you're" definitely not fat.
DeleteAgreed...NOT fat. Not even close to approaching the border where fat begins or is cultivated. I'm glad you had the chance to run, though. *high five*
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ReplyDeleteAgree 100% with you on the importance of forgiveness. It is ever important in our lives. I don't think that anyone did anything to me enough for me to need to forgive (if that makes sense). I mean, I have so much more going on in my life that I am not hanging on to this interaction. I commented when I felt the need and then moved on. When it was brought up again, I responded.
DeleteBut, I enjoyed the scripture references. Thanks!