Tonight we had two conversations that each seemed to be headed down a shocking path.
The first was when we were looking into a clear night-sky. The stars were in full view and it was a "heckuva" site. Perhaps my own thoughts dictated what I thought Eden was going to say.
Me: Wow, look at all those stars Eden!
Eden: I know!!! That's a hell-a....(she paused here trying to decide what came next) ....copter. (there was a plane flying up high)
The second was on our way home from my mom's where she had just had scripture reading with my sister's family.
Eden: I already had scripture reading.
Me: I know, what did you learn?
Eden: About the Word of Wisdom.
Me: What did you learn about it?
Eden: That we shouldn't drink too much soda pop and we should only eat a little bit of meat and we shouldn't drink tea, but there are some teas that are ok (it seems this was a thorough scripture reading) and that we should eat sugar every day, but only a little bit, and that alcohol is good for us.
Me: What????
Eden: ...to wash our bodies.
And there you have it folks!
******
if you are unfamiliar with the "Word of Wisdom," it is the Law of Health followed by practicing LDS. It can be found here and explained here.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Eden Says: The Land of Clean
Out of the blue Eden says: mom, what if our house was the Land of Clean?
Me: How would that happen? (thinking I might get her to help me clean the house today)
E: Well, we should have a rule that if you get something out, you have to put it away, and if it is too high for a little kid, then you have to put it away for them.
Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that rule?
E: Well, we should have a rule that if you get something out, you have to put it away, and if it is too high for a little kid, then you have to put it away for them.
Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that rule?
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Eden Says: She IS 4 and three quarters
We signed Eden up for gymnastics (well, tumbling really). As I was filling out the paperwork the girl helping us asked Eden how old she is. Eden's answer: "four and three quarters." She is always very exact about that and was pretty excited when she got to switch from "a half" to "three quarters." The girl giggled and said to me, "when did that become not cool to say? I want to tell people my age in quarters!" Somehow forty-four and three quarters just doesn't sound as cute though, do you think?
As a wise nearly-five year old we've been having some interesting conversations. We listen to NPR occasionally and have watched most of the debates as well as the SotU address. She is very politically-minded (for someone four and three quarters). She is also incredibly observant and aware.
Today she came up to me and asked,
E: Mom, am I a white?
Me: What do you mean?
E: Am I a white person?
Me: What do you think?
E: I don't think so.
Me: Then what do you think you are?
E: Just a person.
This is just one example of the many conversation we've had dealing with current social and political issues. I've said it before and I'll say it again, this kid is remarkable. I think she's probably on to something when she tells me that her spirit is older than mine.
As a wise nearly-five year old we've been having some interesting conversations. We listen to NPR occasionally and have watched most of the debates as well as the SotU address. She is very politically-minded (for someone four and three quarters). She is also incredibly observant and aware.
Today she came up to me and asked,
E: Mom, am I a white?
Me: What do you mean?
E: Am I a white person?
Me: What do you think?
E: I don't think so.
Me: Then what do you think you are?
E: Just a person.
This is just one example of the many conversation we've had dealing with current social and political issues. I've said it before and I'll say it again, this kid is remarkable. I think she's probably on to something when she tells me that her spirit is older than mine.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Article of Faith Update
While working on the 2nd Article of Faith, Eden kept reciting it thusly:
"We believe that men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's recession."
Unfortunately most of us are being punished for this recession (but who is Adam and how did he make it happen?).
FYI: The real ending is ... Adam's transgression.
"We believe that men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's recession."
Unfortunately most of us are being punished for this recession (but who is Adam and how did he make it happen?).
FYI: The real ending is ... Adam's transgression.
Monday, January 30, 2012
The Articles of Faith as Scripture Reading
With the completion of another year I decided it was time to mix things up a bit as far as our family scripture reading goes. We've been reading the scripture readers (New Testament Reader, Book of Mormon Reader, etc.) and have made our way through all of them a few times. Last year I added reading one verse of the actual scriptures to correspond with the story in the reader. We begin and end our reading with a primary song and end with prayer. It works fairly well but I still felt like we should mix it up a bit. After thinking about it a bit I decided that we should memorize the Articles of Faith but I didn't want it to just be us memorizing a bunch of big words and concepts without Eden really understanding what it means. So, I decided that we would use the Articles of Faith as our topics and then read various verses and scripture stories that support each Article of Faith.
We started with the First Article of Faith
We believe in God the Eternal Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
We spent about two weeks studying:
Believe - what does it mean to "believe" in something? Can you believe in things you have not seen with your eyes or touched with your hands?
We started with the First Article of Faith
We believe in God the Eternal Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
We spent about two weeks studying:
Believe - what does it mean to "believe" in something? Can you believe in things you have not seen with your eyes or touched with your hands?
God the Eternal Father - who is the Eternal Father? What do we know about Him? What does "eternal" mean?
- Alma 11:39
- Doctrine & Covenants 20:28
- Malachi 2:10
- Doctrine & Covenants 130:22
- JSH 1:17
His Son, Jesus Christ - how is Jesus Christ the Son of God? Why do we beliee in Him? What do we believe about Him?
- Nephi 11:21
- Matthew 3:17
- Mark 15:39
- John 3:16
- Alma 34:2
- JSH 1:17
- Doctrine & Covenants 76:22
- Moses 4:2
Holy Ghost - who is the Holy Ghost? Why do we believe in Him? How does He work with God the Father and Jesus Christ to bless us? What is His assignment?
- John 14:26
- John 16: 13-14
- Romans 5:5
- Galatians 5:22
- 2 Nephi 31:18
- 2 Nephi 32:5
- 3 Nephi 28: 11
- Doctrine & Covenants 8:2
- Doctrine & Covenants 45:57
- Doctrine & Covenants 13:21-22
This has been a good way for us to read scriptures and to learn the Articles of Faith. I am impressed with Eden's ability to really understand the doctrine and principles.
Not long ago we watched The Princess Bride (Eden's first time). At the end Eden said, "Prince Humperdink is the prince in that movie but really Jesus is the Prince of Peace. That makes Heavenly Father the King of Peace and the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Peace." Moments like that make me really grateful we have family scripture reading even when she doesn't always seem to be engaged in it. If Phil were here he'd say, "SUCCESS!!!!"
*****
ok, I started linking on the scriptures but then I got too lazy. You can find all the scriptures by searching at LDS.org.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Eden Says: She speaks the truth
Today Eden and her cousins wanted to make a treat. They were discussing what to make when I heard Eden say, "let's make brownies! Phil's brownies are the best!" At least she'll always have good brownies to remember her daddy by. It just amused me.
********************
Tonight we were playing the opposite game. It went something like this:
Me: You hate ham.
Eden: No I don't, I LOVE it!
Me: You are a little bit ugly.
Eden: No I'm not! I'm CUTE!
then Eden said, "let me try."
Eden: You are really cute when you are sick.
Me: laughed.
Eden: Mom, now you say that you are really kind of ugly when you are sick.
There you have it folks, don't look at me when I'm sick, I'm hideous!
********************
Tonight we were playing the opposite game. It went something like this:
Me: You hate ham.
Eden: No I don't, I LOVE it!
Me: You are a little bit ugly.
Eden: No I'm not! I'm CUTE!
then Eden said, "let me try."
Eden: You are really cute when you are sick.
Me: laughed.
Eden: Mom, now you say that you are really kind of ugly when you are sick.
There you have it folks, don't look at me when I'm sick, I'm hideous!
Friday, January 20, 2012
I know Charlotte, and I'm no Charlotte
I am the junior primary chorister. It is indeed, the most beloved calling in the church. I get to teach adorable (and mostly well behaved) children fun and beautiful songs about the world and the Savior and the plan of happiness and family and love. It is glorious. Don't tell anyone though because for some reason, people think it is a hard calling and they give me all kinds of positive feedback and kudos for taking it on. I like to keep them in the dark about how fabulous I really have it.
Last Sunday I allowed the children to "perform" the new song we've been learning (As a Child of God you can listen to it here). I had cards that said things like "ate cereal for breakfast" or "enjoys math" or "wearing green" and if you fit the category, you got to go to the front of the room with everyone else in the category and sing the song for the audience of other kids and teachers. I got to stand in the back of the room and kind of direct these grand performances. It is a tricky way to get the kids singing the same song over and over and over until the music, words, and (especially) principles are imprinted on their brains and hearts.
It was going quite well except that the performers were a little tentative. I tried telling them they needed to sing loud enough to get the sound all the way back to where I was standing. I tried cupping my hand around my ears in that universal sign that means "I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Finally I decided a demonstration was in order. Keep in mind that the teachers of these cute kids all had their unsuspecting backs to me and were likely deep in thought about their upcoming lessons or what was for lunch or what to do about their unruly teenager. Now, on to the demo. I tentatively and quietly sang part of the song and asked the "performers" if that was sufficiently projected. They giggled and said, "no." Then, forgetting that I have neither Charlotte's operatic voice nor her pizzazz, I proceeded to sing a line in my most sustained, booming, operatic voice. I think we about lost a few of those unsuspecting teachers as they jumped out of their seats.
Who knows, I may be telling the pianist to "hit it" next week.
Last Sunday I allowed the children to "perform" the new song we've been learning (As a Child of God you can listen to it here). I had cards that said things like "ate cereal for breakfast" or "enjoys math" or "wearing green" and if you fit the category, you got to go to the front of the room with everyone else in the category and sing the song for the audience of other kids and teachers. I got to stand in the back of the room and kind of direct these grand performances. It is a tricky way to get the kids singing the same song over and over and over until the music, words, and (especially) principles are imprinted on their brains and hearts.
It was going quite well except that the performers were a little tentative. I tried telling them they needed to sing loud enough to get the sound all the way back to where I was standing. I tried cupping my hand around my ears in that universal sign that means "I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Finally I decided a demonstration was in order. Keep in mind that the teachers of these cute kids all had their unsuspecting backs to me and were likely deep in thought about their upcoming lessons or what was for lunch or what to do about their unruly teenager. Now, on to the demo. I tentatively and quietly sang part of the song and asked the "performers" if that was sufficiently projected. They giggled and said, "no." Then, forgetting that I have neither Charlotte's operatic voice nor her pizzazz, I proceeded to sing a line in my most sustained, booming, operatic voice. I think we about lost a few of those unsuspecting teachers as they jumped out of their seats.
Who knows, I may be telling the pianist to "hit it" next week.
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