Smith Family Ice Cream Scoop: January 2007

Monday, January 15, 2007

Brenda's Visit

Brenda, Kevin, and Ethan came to stay with us this past week. It was so much fun to spend time together and see her cuter than pie boys. We missed Kaitlyn, but she had school to go to. Brenda and I had fun picking out fabric for her quilt that I am going to make, and just hanging out. The time went way too fast.

Cooperman!

Cooper did this himself, and insisted that I take a picture. I accept no responsibility.

Tyler's First Basketball Game of the Season

Tyler has started another season of Basketball. He's on a good team, and he's learning a lot. His team creamed the other team this game, like 40 to 2 or something just as hideous. His team lost their second game by 4 points. It was a close game.

Christmas Surprises

Aubrey got a sewing machine from Santa! Tyler got a Robopet, and Cooper got an easel with tons of art supplies.

This is the first picture Tyler drew with his new set of real art supplies, which he got for his educational gift. Aubrey's educational gift was sewing supplies, and Cooper got a guitar!

Tyler had Cooper's name, and he found a cool truck with a trailer that held motorcycles.

Santa took pity on Brandon and bought him the hat he's been drooling over at Corral West for years.

Santa brought Mindy some new shoes! They are sooo comfy!

Brandon had Aubrey's name, and he gave her a cabbage patch newborn named Brady.

Christmas Hugs

Pajamas from Grandma and Grandpa

The kids and parents got much needed and very cute pajamas from Grandma Lynda and Grandpa Lauritz for Christmas.

To Do Today

* Embrace this day with an enthusiastic welcome, no matter how it looks. The covenant with God to which you are true enables you to become enlightened by him, and nothing is impossible for you.
* When you are physically sick, tired, or in despair, steer your thoughts away from yourself and direct them, in gratitude and love, toward God.
* In your life there have to be challenges. They will either bring you closer to God and therefore make you stronger, or they can destroy you. But you make the decision of which road you take.
* First and foremost, you are a spirit child of God. If you neglect to feed your spirit, you will reap unhappiness. Don't permit anything to detract you from this awareness.
* You cannot communicate with God unless you have first sacrificed your self-oriented natural man and have brought yourself into the lower levels of meekness, to become acceptable for the Light of Christ.
* Put all frustrations, hurt feelings, and grumblings into the perspective of your eternal hope. Light will flow into your soul.
* Pause to ponder the suffering Christ felt in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the awareness of the depth of gratitude for him, you appreciate every opportunity to show your love for him by diligently serving in his Church.
* God knows that you are not perfect. As you suffer about your imperfections, he will give you comfort and suggestions of where to improve.
* God knows better than you what you need. He always attempts to speak to you. Listen, and follow the uncomfortable suggestions that he makes to us--everything will fall into its place.
* Avoid any fear like your worst enemy, but magnify your fear about the consequences of sin.
* When you cannot love someone, look into that person's eyes long enough to find the hidden rudiments of the child of God in him.
* Never judge anyone. When you accept this, you will be freed. In the case of your own children or subordinates, where you have the responsibility to judge, help them to become their own judges.
* If someone hurts you so much that your feelings seem to choke you, forgive and you will be free again.
* Avoid at all cost any pessimistic, negative, or criticizing thoughts. If you cannot cut them out, they will do you harm. On the road toward salvation, let questions arise but never doubts. If something is wrong, God will give you clarity but never doubts.
* Avoid rush and haste and uncontrolled words. Divine light develops in places of peace and quiet. Be aware of that as you enter places of worship.
* Be not so much concerned about what you do, but do what you do with all your heart, might, and strength. In thoroughness is satisfaction.
* You want to be good and to do good. That is commendable. But the greatest achievement that can be reached in our lives is to be under the complete influence of the Holy Ghost. Then he will teach us what is really good and necessary to do.
* The pain of sacrifice lasts only one moment. It is the fear of the pain of sacrifice that makes you hesitate to do it.
* Be grateful for every opportunity to serve. It helps you more than those you serve.
* And finally, when you are compelled to give up something or when things that are dear to you are withdrawn from you, know that this is your lesson to be learned right now. But know also that, as you are learning this lesson, God wants to give you something better.

from "Unleashing the Dormant Spirit by F. Enzio Busche