Sunday Snippet(s)

Last week (a week ago yesterday) was Ward Conference, and there were some good thoughts I wanted to share:

From the Stake President - The difference between being 'good' and being 'excellent' is in the ability to interpret the promptings of the Spirit, and to follow the guidance the Lord sends. We can generally be good and do good things, but when we really tune in and pay close attention to the direction the Lord sends, we can be excellent and do excellent things.

BE EXCELLENT.

(Like I was going to miss a chance to post this. Please.)

From the Stake President 2 - We must live now as they do in the Celestial Kingdom so that we will fit in when the time comes. Serve others not to get into the Kingdom, but to stay happily once you arrive.

We had a good day yesterday, as well (except for the outbreak of gangrene in my Sunday School class, but we got through it.) (Don't ask.) In Sacrament Meeting (I played - at least I was ready!) I waited for the 'push' to go up and bear my testimony... and then it occurred to me that I really didn't need to wait. I could bear my testimony whether driven to it or not, and it might be even better if I didn't wait. So I went.

The girl who spoke after me had a great way of putting things: she quoted Doctrine and Covenants 78:19 (“And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more.”) and then added, 'Psst... I want to be glorious. Thanks, God!' She went on to say that while she was thankful for all her blessings, she was also thankful for the things that aren't so good because those are indications that the Lord trusts her to change and improve the not-so-good parts, to endure with faith, and to see it all through to something better.

And also to do Family History.

(I've got to get on that.)

And then I went home and watched Doctor Who, read my lesson for next week, and worked on my presentation for this week's seminar. Not bad.

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Sunday Snippet

Thanks, all, for commenting with support and/or suggestions on last week's dilemma - I don't feel quite so overbearing and obnoxious as I did before. I'm afraid I did run a little roughshod yesterday over the conductor and the person whose job it apparently is to pick the songs - they had their heads together about 30 seconds before the meeting was supposed to start, choosing hymns, when I walked over and told them what we'd actually be singing. I felt badly about it (I still do), but I've now put together a list of hymns I'm willing to play without notice. I've also asked the ward clerk to get us a couple of copies of the Simplified Hymns so that there will be a few more songs to choose from (thank you, Michelle!). If the RS Pres says it's OK, I'll send the list and a much shorter, simpler version of the letter to all the teachers and music people.  Hopefully this will be an option that will work for everyone!

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Even with all that, church yesterday was really pretty awesome. It was a 'Missionary' Sacrament meeting, and all the recent converts spoke, along with a ward missionary and the sister missionaries. They were all fantastic, even the ones who've only been members a couple of months! The most recent convert, Oliver Bebb (remember that name, I wouldn't be surprised to see him as a GA someday) spoke on 'Faith' and wrote a wonderful analogy.

A man sitting in his car in a queue waiting for a train to pass notices a corner shop selling snacks. Knowing that he shouldn't leave his car in case traffic starts moving again, he gestures to a homeless man standing nearby. Waving him over, he asks the man if he will take some money, go into the shop, and bring him back a cup of soup. The homeless man agrees. He goes to the shop and does just what he was asked, returning with the soup and the change to the car. When he reaches out to hand over the items, the driver tells him to keep the soup for himself. Confused, not by the act of charity but by the way the man went about it, the homeless man asked, "Why did you make me go through all this? Why didn't you just give me the money so I could buy the soup myself?"

The driver smiled at him and said, "It was never about the soup. Today we have both tasted faith, a far more nourishing meal. I trusted you, I gave you money and you were not tempted, you had food and were not swayed. You did not break your word to me. Likewise, you felt the faith that I had in you. I placed this power in your hands and you knew that I trusted your judgement to do the right thing." The driver hugged the homeless man and drove away.

Oliver then went on to talk about how we have all tasted the sweetness of faith, but that it is not enough just to succeed and recognize the fruits of our labo(u)rs. We should also reflect on the journey itself, and ask: 'How did the experience affect me? Did it impact my character? Do I understand myself better?' God knows us, and He knows what we will do. Trials of faith are not for his benefit, but for ours. (Used with permission and paraphrased from a talk by Oliver Bebb.)

Pretty cool, eh?

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Convinced But Not Yet Converted

In which we shall see: Talk of both (SPOILER!) Exercise and Religion, and multi-tasking with a combined picture post.

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As part of my renewed commitment to the family weight-loss competition and a goal to work out twice a day as often as possible, I walked to church this morning. It wasn't bad, just a 15-20 minute stroll each way - a little drizzly, but my red-polka-dotted umbrella coordinated with my red coat and black outfit, so that was OK. (Fashion first!) On the way home it occurred to me that I have become truly convinced about the principle of exercise. I recognize that since I've been making it a priority I have more energy, my back and pinched nerve feel much better, my waist is (probably) slimming down a little... I'm convinced, but not converted. I'm exercising not because exercise itself is a good and beneficial thing, but because I'm motivated by the cash reward from the family competition. I hope to be converted by the time the next five weeks are up (when the contest ends) and I expect that I will be and plan to keep working out - but I'm not there yet.

Church today was Stake Conference, and the theme was prepping the whole stake for Youth Conference this summer, with the focus on the Book of Mormon. Our stake has been asked to read the Book of Mormon by June, and several people talked about President Hinckley's challenge a few years back (has it really been that long? Wow). That got me to thinking - how converted am I to the principles of the Gospel? How often am I actively changing because of those principles, and being changed by them? I read the Book of Mormon in 2005 and had a great experience with it - so why has my focus not remained there?

In my missionary set of scriptures I have a note written in the margin of Mosiah 5, which wraps up the teachings and great conference of King Benjamin. It reads: "Being Born Again (i.e., converted) Is a Continual Process." This morning I was glad to be out walking and moving around, and I didn't let the rain deter me - I could be closer to conversion there than I thought. Why is scripture study (let's be honest, scripture "reading") so often just a habit or an obligation, rather than an exciting discovery zone? I've had experiences when I didn't want to put them down, to just keep reading and making notes and feeling my mind and heart open up - how do I make that a regular occurance?

I suppose it's by doing just what the prophets say: Remember the things that you have seen and felt and experienced before, keep going, trust the Lord, and have faith that the conversion with come - as it has before, and as it will again. (Keeping an eye on the final prize doesn't hurt, either.)

Lessons in faith learned in running shoes - who woulda thunk?

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My latest work projects (a review): dummies, pillows, curtains, and fringe. And currently, more fringe. (Plus fringe again.)

I made the tablecloth:


The yellow pillows here are the ones I pieced together. The show's director keeps trying to sneak pillows off the set, and the designer keeps sneaking them back on.
One of my three body bags (they all pretty much look like this) with the re-mummified dummy inside. He's gotten pretty beat up during the course of the show - he was falling apart, so I went in and re-assembled him and then gaff-taped him up but GOOD.

Posing with my re-habbed dummy (as with most pretty males, you've GOT TO PROTECT THE FACE):
The dummy for the next show: He'll make a very dramatic entrance, thrown on stage wrapped up in a curtain, with just an arm hanging out. He's got to flop naturalistically, so the limbs are stuffed with bags of beans. I not only make good-looking fake bodies, I make dummies that can act! (Insert own actor joke here.)
This is a major piece in "Carlotta's Bordello", as we're fondly calling it - it's a dressing-table top that fits over a desk that will already be on stage. I upholstered it with a staple gun, five different trims, and approximately 50 yards of fabric (that's what it seemed like, anyway). There are also four or five pillows to match, and a hugely oversized velvet throw that I'm finishing trimming with (wait for it....) fringe.
Seriously, I'm kind of a set-decor rock star. And I have the pin-scratches and staple gun blisters to prove it.


Watch out for falling bodies (no, seriously) -

Cyd



Coming Soon: tagged random (er, 6-of-6) picture post, review of cheesy dance movie and exploration of "The Gallagher Effect", sheep theories, and yet another rant about men (may be included with the sheep theories).