Wednesday, July 5th, it was time to try 'normal' again. For the previous two weeks, I stayed close to Claude. I gave up most of what I would normally do in a day, so that I could care for my hubby. Now, he was starting, slowly but surely, to get back to his normal. I moved my laptop back to Sandiland from the dining room table. I started the oven cleaning. I started the dishwasher, I started the laundry, Then I did the ironing and set to work catching up on my laptop work. Even got the bed linens changed. It was a full, very productive day.
Have you ever made a really good friend online and not ever met them in person. After a couple of years, you finally get the opportunity to have a face-to-face meeting with that person. It just feel really good. Jake, our son, had this experience with Erica. So very happy they actually saw each other in person. Friendship is great!
Thursday, July 6th, the Marx family visited the statue of David. Andie posted this comment with these pictures to Facebook. "Logged some quality time with David this morning. Can report that his abs are on point but he seems in need of a pedicure..."
Saturday, July 8th, the Marx family was still on their cruise. Andie was able to participate in a towel folding class aboard ship. If you have ever cruised, one of the fun things is returning from your dinner hour and finding a different towel animal in your cabin each evening. I took one of these towel folding classes on a cruise Claude and I went on. I even bought a book to continue doing this at home. Andie is holding the animal she made. It is a monkey. When she got back to their stateroom, she made an animal and left it for their cabin steward. He was pleased with her efforts for him!
My hubby felt well enough blow the debris the patio. He loves doing this and has sorely missed it. For him, it the dessert after cutting grass. I have cut the grass twice but have not edged or run the leaf blower. The patio looked so much better with all the twigs and leave off of it. Yeah Claude!
The Blog is pretty lean this week. Mostly we tried to get out a time or two. Claude is now driving us. We actually went to Lexington on Friday for our meal-O'-the-day at Chipotle, then Staples to buy ink cartridges for my printer and Bed, Bath & Beyond to check out their sale items. That store is closing its doors. We found two pillows for our bed and a set of flannel sheets for the guest bedroom this winter. The rest of the time we watched a lot of Monk and Big Bang Theory. We tried playing the TriBond game that Andie and Michael gave us. So, we really only did what Claude felt up to with a little bit of a push to stretch himself a bit as he heals.
I did want to share this, mostly for Katelyn, our oldest grandmonster. Her basket is very full as she mother's four little children, works two jobs, tries to be a good wife, does her calling a church and, somewhere in there, tries to find a little time for herself. This story from the Book of Mormon has kept rolling through my brain as I think of Katelyn. Today, one of the speakers in sacrament meeting, referenced it in his talk.
Background to the story, Noah had been king. He was very wicked. Two of his priests were Amulon and Alma. Abinadi came to teach them the gospel and call them to repentance. Of all the people in Noah's court, Alma was the one touched by Abinadi's words. Alma believed. Eventually Noah would burn Abinadi for saying things he didn't want to hear. Later king Noah would also be burned to death. Alma escaped and found a hiding place at the Waters of Mormon. The people would come to him and he would teach them Abinadi's words. Many were converted and secretly continued to meet with Alma. Eventually they were found and had to flee for their lives. They found a place built a city for them to live. The Lamanites would get control of them. The Lamanites placed Amulon, who had gone over to the Lamanites side, as the person in charge of Alma's community. Amulon knew Alma and did not like him. He became a severe task master over Alma and Alma's people. He placed burdens on their backs that were heavy for them. Amulon also commanded the people that they could not pray. The people did not pray out loud, but the prayed in their hearts. Alma prayed for his people. This is the scripture record of what happened to Alma and his people from Mosiah 24 in the Book of Mormon.
13 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.
14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
16 And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.
I have always loved this story. So many valuable lessons in these few verses. The Lord could have, but did not, immediately take away their taskmasters and their burdens. Often, we pray and feel we will have an immediate relief from our difficulty. Not so. Why not immediately? Verse 14 tells us that enduring will help us be the best witness that the Lord does visit us in our afflictions. How does he do that? Verse 14 tells us the Lord strengthened them so they could bear their burdens with ease. We learn through the difficult things we live through. I have told Claude that NONE of us would ever ask for a difficulty to endure. We all want happy and comfortable lives. However, that is not when we do our best growth. The Lord will give us His peace and His strength and His comfort to endure well and learn. How did Alma's people respond? Verse 15 tells us they cheerfully submitted with patience!! Wow!! After some time, their faith and patience were rewarded and in verse 16 we learn the Lord would deliver them out of bondage.
Great lessons for each of us in whatever our circumstances. Our Aubrey is a singe-mom. Not easy at all. These lessons apply to her. Claude is recovering from surgery. These lessons apply to him. I love this lesson and the story that teaches it so well. The Savior's Atonement covers all these situations. He knows exactly how we feel. He endured well. His enduring gives us the ability to endure and learn what life is meant to teach us.
There, a little preachy, but things I know and believe with all my heart. I am grateful for the enabling power of the Atonement in my life.
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