Music Is powerful

Music has played a big part of my Israel experience. 

We sang “Master the tempest is raging” on a boat at the Sea of Galilee. Plus “Amen” “This little light of mine” and “He’s got the whole world in his hands.”

Heard a little church group sing on the top of the Mount of Transfiguration “ I have decided to follow Jesus, No turning back. No turning back.” which is now an anthem in  my heart and won’t stop playing in my head as the theme of my trip.  

We sang and I conducted “How Great Thou art “ at St Anne’s church by the pools of Bethesda.  The acoustics were incredible.  I felt like my mom up in front leading everyone, friends and strangers alike,  who wanted to sing in this church. 

I sang “Via Dolorosa” to my bus group after an inspiring devotional by Geral Lund on the Saviors last days.

We sang “I stand all amazed” at the Garden of Gethsemane, and our little group of me, Wayne, Laura, Eric and Mark Buckley huddled in and quietly sang”Redeemer of  Israel” (Eric’s testimony song).  

Wayne, Laura, Mark  and I were invited to sing in a spontaneous choir for sacrament meeting at the BYU Jerusalem center- “I’m trying to be like Jesus”.  We sang this ON the Mount of Olives.  The amazing organ pipes at this BYU center and organist Jim Welch, (Wayne’s 3rd cousin) played “I walked today where Jesus walked” and “ The Holy City- Jerusalem Jerusalem” masterfully.  

We sang “ There is a green Hill far away” at Golgotha and “ He is Risen” at the Garden Tomb.  

As we wandered past Shepherds fields in Bethlehem we sang Christmas carols!  "O Little town of Bethlehem", "Far Far Away on Judea's plains, " "Hark the Herald Angels sing," " Away in a Manger."

Plus with all of the singing on the bus including my testimony song, “As I have loved you love one another”, "Amazing Grace" and "You are my Sunshine,"  my soul is filled. 

#219

My Grandma Butters passed away in 2009.   She was a huge light in my life and I still feel her influence around me.   I missed her funeral, because we were on a family cruise…we had our own memorial on the ship.  

Gary gave each of us a copy of Marcie’s blog for Christmas last year… I found this sweet funeral story in it. 

Marcie writes:  Nov. 17, 2009.  (Day after Grandma's funeral). The funeral for the most part was bittersweet.  Goodbyes to Grandma were not fun, but the memories are fantastic.  A couple of best memories I will always have of the day are the thick feeling of family love.  One of the Uncles said that this is what the day felt like, a day of love.  Another memory will always be my opportunity to lead the congregational singing.  I was fine with the idea until I got up to do it and looked down at all the "boobs" in the family crying.  I looked at Gary and he was tearing up, so next at Megan who was even worse, mom was really bad as was everyone else.  We were singing one of Grandma's favorites, "Because I have been Given Much" # 219.  Since the introduction was coming to a close I knew I had to pull it together fast.  I looked up and saw a beautifully smiling face in the audience.  Sitting there smiling at me was Grandma's friend, Marjean Toone.  Her smile kept me focused and calm and in control for the whole song and for the closing song, "Love One Another # 308.  Late I told Marjean thank you for being the smiling face in the audience I could connect with.  She told me that she looked up at me and knew that it was going to be hard, so she put a smile on her face and hoped that I would look at her.  She then told me a sweet story about taking Grandma to work at the Salt Lake temple for the first time.  Grandma didn't want to be separated from her friend.  She was nervous and told Marjean the whole way into Salt Lake that she wanted her locker to be near to hers.  Marjean told her that there were no empty lockers near hers, but all would be okay.  Grandma kept saying that she was going to get things changed and that if they didn't she wasn't going to stay.  (She's a spitfire) Marjean says that she went to the locker room to change and waited and waited but no Grandma.  She went to prayer meeting and looked around but no Grandma.  She thought, "well, she went home." Just then Grandma came into the room all dressed and smiling.  Marjean asked her if she got things all taken care of with the changing of the lockers.  Grandma told her I couldn't change lockers, I was assigned locker #219.    ( It was just the sign she needed.)

I love thinking of this story and how GOD was there for my Grandma.  I've had times like this when GOD stepped in and I received a clear sign that He was there and all would be well.  

Music is powerful.  It's one of the ways I feel the spirit and get messages from GOD.  

My first real testimony and feeling the spirit testifying to me was singing, "As I have loved you...love one another" as a 15 year old in a women's choir.  It knocked me over.  Literally I was standing singing, and then I was collapsed into my chair, crying, overcome by the knowledge of this truth.  

You can call these Tender mercies, or God winks or  Divine signatures.  Whatever you call them, I know they are real.

Turkey Salt and Pepper Shakers

 

I pulled out my dad's inheritance today.  A Turkey Salt and Pepper shaker set that he bought for his mother in 1956 while serving in the Southern States mission.  It's the only thing he got from his mother's estate when she passed away.   

Dad was part of a his, hers and ours family with 13 children.  Dad was in the ours-- the tail end family - and was the middle and oldest son of the final 5.   He had 2 older 1/2 sisters from his mom Bertha, and 6 older half siblings from his dad, Truman.   Dad was born when his dad, Trum was 58 years old. And Trum died when my dad was only 16 years old.  Dad then became "in charge" of the farm and the milking of 20 cows morning and night.   

Grandpa Trum used to say, " If I had the choice between the dairy cows and the Utah State Prison, I would probably choose the prison because you would have more freedom."    My dad liked milking cows about this much as well.  He did his best to get off the farm and never go back.  Dad was always so grateful to his little brother Jay T, for buying him out, loving farming and wanting to be there along with his wife Myrna. 

When Grandma Bertha died in 1967 the estate was finally settled.  And according to dad, it was mostly unfair, and ugly. He was very disappointed in his older brothers and sisters.   So just to be done with it, dad took the Turkey salt and pepper shakers and said that's all he wanted and left.  

Every Thanksgiving dad would pull out the turkeys and share parts of this story and remind us that it's all just things and stuff.  That the real important parts of this world are relationships with each other and with God.   And tell us that when he passes and we have to settle his estate we will do it with love and compassion....and so we did.

I'm grateful for my dad and his turkeys.

Pumpkin head

 ALL I dreamed about this season was carving out a pumpkin and putting it on my head and having a photo shoot.  Wish granted.

Wayne thinks I'm nuttier than a squirrel, and he's correct. 

Happy Hallo-Scream!

We had our Family Halloween Costume party and it was a SCREAM!  We had fun food, including the scariest cupcakes ever.  All I had to do was put a single raisin on the top and all of my kids - who hate raisins were completely grossed out.  ( Wayne and I love raisins). 

We made an amazing GHOST BUSTERS movie-- Who ya gonna call?-- and played celebrity and laughed a lot.  It's always nice that Bre and Add spoil us with great pictures.  

The Mario Brothers, A skeleton with attitude and a prisoner.

Beetlejuice from the Broadway musical along with Lydia

Sleeping Beauty, Barb the rock n roll Troll, Cruella, A modern day cinderella and SENSOR-- the bad guy from Incredibles.... (or captain underpants)

Momma and Poppa Bear, Fiona and Shred-- from Shrek the Musical

evil Queen? and Sleeping Beauty

AND finally... an oldie but a goodie from 1993.  Mom and Dad as Nero and a Witch....

Cross E Ranch

 Family time at Cross E ranch was the perfect fall experience.  The weather was glorious.  Every one who could come made the effort to come, which I really appreciate.   ( We missed our California kids-Laila and Markus and Alfie who had rehearsal) I'm always grateful that my kids all get along and want the best for each other.  It warms my mother heart.

We did all of the things.  Rode the barrel train.  Watched the pig races.  Did the mega corn maze in record time thanks to Addison who is a corn maze genius.  It's supposed to take 45 minutes and we did it in 10:02.  We did the big slides, the jumpy jumpy, the climbing wall, the roller tubes, pet all the animals, did corn angels in the corn bin and buried any one who wanted to be buried in corn,   put our heads through every photo opp painting, ate ALL the apple cider donuts and caramel apples, and fries...and just had a really, easy, relaxed, fun, golden time together.