Martha and Christian's Baptism

Martha and Christian ----Welcome to today. Your Baptism! 

Although I am sure you know why this day is important let me share with you two a few of the reasons according to the church and then a few of the reasons according to what I have personally witnessed.

First We Must Be Baptized for the Remission of Our Sins. Consider the healing waters like a seal to keep our past from continuing to hurt us.

Second We Must Be Baptized to Become Members of the Church of Jesus Christ and through this membership we will have access to an army of amazing people to help us stay the path.

Third We Must Be Baptized before We Can Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost for without that baptism we cannot offer the holy spirit a clean home for him to dwell within us as our constant companion.

Fourth We Must Be Baptized to Show Obedience for not even Jesus Christ was excused from this necessary process in Heavenly Father’s plan.

And finally Fifth We Must Be Baptized to Enter the Celestial Kingdom and receive our blessings on high.

When I woke up this morning not much stood out as being extraordinary. The sun was shining as should have been expected. My kids were bouncing off the walls as should have been expected and I was breathing as should have been expected.

But that is not true…  Not all things are “as should have expected”. They are “as could be hoped for”. After all there are no guarantees on anything from the weather to the behavior of our children. But we do have some control… 

You see when we came down from heaven to assume our mortal bodies it was with full knowledge that we would have to endure unexpected results during our existence; pain, suffering, disappointment and death.  But we were also promised a chance to learn, laugh, love and choose. 

So far not all my choices have been good ones. In fact if I put the good versus the bad on a scale I’m pretty sure the bad side wouldn’t even begin to lift off the floor but it doesn’t matter anymore. You see two years ago I made the same choices you are making today. 

First I made the choice to give my faith to Heavenly Father and that there was a bigger meaning to life than to just react to the world around me. 

Then I made the choice to ask for forgiveness and to accept that I was responsible for the place I was in through my poor choices. 

 

And lastly I made the choice to change my path by getting baptized and accepting Heavenly Father’s plan for salvation into my life. 

On that day the scale was cleared off. No longer was I burdened or stuck to the floor by my past. The weight was taken off my shoulders by someone who could handle it way better than I ever could. And I have been given the chance to start fresh and anew in filing the scale.  Of course I need to remind you that he did not lift me to heaven on that day. I still have to remember to choose the right with everything I do. Heavenly Father simple cleared off the score from my past misdeeds.

I still struggle to make good choices on many occasions but thanks to the plan of salvation and my baptism I have a chance to see the scale stay pretty even and I can work diligently to tip the scales towards a righteous existence filled with all the blessings Heavenly Father wants to bestow on me. 

Since then I have woken up to many many days (and hopefully many many more), and some days the sun is shining, some days the snow is sparkling, some days are heavy with rain and some days are all three seeing as we do live in UTAH. 

But they are no longer just days. They are a chance for me to pray, to study my scriptures and to continue to develop my relationship with Heavenly Father. And they are a chance for me to recall my baptismal covenants and to strive to keep up my side of the deal. 

So I guess what I want to say is that today is not just a day. It’s your baptism and I pray that you never forget your humble beginning or the spiritual cleansing you will receive on this day.  June 18^th 2011 the beginning of all days for you two. Just as I still remember Mine, April 24^th 2009 

And I say this in the name of Jesus Christ. AMEN

They said: I said (this is on going dialogue)

by Loreen Herman on Sunday, May 15, 2011 at 8:33pm

 

Robert: Mommy MOMMY MOMMMMY! Here Mommy.. HERE! MOMMY HERE!

Me: (as I put out my hand I was VERY distracted) What ya got bud?

Robert: WOOK MOMMY!

Me: (LOUD SCREAM!) OMG IT'S A BUG!

Atira: You've ruined my life!
(bare in mind she is a 5 yr old DRAMA queen)
Me: I'M JUST GETTING STARTED! It's gonna get worse!

Robert: NO PINCH ME MOMMY!
(During sacrament while the bread was making the rounds at full throttle lungs)
Me: Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Atira: Mommy, I have skin right?
Me: Yes, you do. (?????)
Atira: So that makes me SKINny right?
Me: I LOVE YOU ATIRA!!!!! Me too!

Atira: (Various whining noises)
Me: Get out of my kitchen if you are going to just stand there and cry!
Atira: I'm not crying I'm BOOBING!
Me: Well excuuuuuuuse me!

Atira: Why do I have to take a bath? I am already wet!
(used the water hose to spray off my patio while the kids played in the mud)
Me: Lick your arm.
Atira: Eww gross! No way!
Me: Now get in the tub.

Me: OWWWWWW! Robert do not hit me!
Robert: Sowwwy Mom!
(said with a mournful look on his face and him petting the impact sight softly)
15 minutes later
Me: Robert! Stop hitting the couch!
Robert: Sowwy couch!
(said with a mournful look on his face and him petting the impact sight softly)
BA HA HA HA- So much for feeling more important than the furniture.

Atira: It's NOT FAIR!!!!!
(said while huffing down the hall to finish cleaning her room)
Me: I love you!
(shouted down the hall)
Me: Damion!
(whispered softly)

Robert: Mommy! Wake up mommy! Come 'ere Mommy!
(at 3:30 AM as he drags me down the hall)
Me: WHAT DID YOU DOOOOOO?!?!?!
Robert: Is peddy huh mommy Is peddy?
Me: Oh honey! It is beautiful but where in the world did you get the markers from?!?
(said while scrubbing the kitchen floor of his Picasso)

Mother's Day Sacrament Talk ~ What does Motherhood mean to me?

When I was asked to give a talk about what it means to be a mother on Mother's Day I asked if it was because of Atira. You see, today is my daughter’s birthday and the day I became a mother for the first time 5 years ago. And boy what a journey this has been. As many of you have been here during the journey I want to just highlight a few of the things that this subject means to me.

First of all, it means that you pray in sacrament with one eye open.
It means you find countless tissues disintegrated in every pocket of every skirt, shirt or pant you put through the washer but never seem to have one when they actually sneeze.
It means that even a face smeared with peanut butter, jelly and what you hope is applesauce is still deemed kissable when requested.
It means you get to try to keep from laughing when they pray feverishly to Heavenly Father for “Mommy to give them some more of their Easter candy” in the Morning Prayer.
It means that as good as it feels to cuddle with them on the couch reading books, eventually I have to let them go and make a hot dinner because they already had cereal for one meal that day.
It means that your son’s heartfelt good job (given with two thumbs up) when you announce that dinner is done is all the praise you need to make your heart soar.
It means that when they fall asleep in the car you willingly burn off an extra $10 in gas driving aimlessly just so they have a good nap.
It means that broccoli is going to be the greatest war we will ever wage against our kids.
It means that a boo boo’s location determines if we kiss it or their fore head.
It means that when the ice cream truck rings its bell 10 minutes before dinner, I turn the volume up on the TV and hope they don’t hear it.
It means that when the entire chapel all giggles at someone’s talk during sacrament I am regretfully too busy mediating whose crayon was whose and missed the funny part.
It means that I am learning to temper my justice with mercy and to pick my battles. Especially during sacrament.
It means that I can no longer turn an indifferent eye or ear to the suffering of the world for I now know somewhere someone is living in fear of loosing their child too early.
It also means that while heavenly father has provided the plan of salvation I have to constantly remember to light the path for them. And that while I am new to the path and still find it a bit rocky at times still I know it is the path to joy.

Recently I was introduced to an internet blog or online journal of a mother who has two children. One of which is currently staying at Primary children’s while he is undergoing chemotherapy in an effort to save his tender young body from leukemia. While she stays there day in and day out her husband and other young son come to visit and play in the common areas of the hospital but because of her youngest son’s delicate immune system the two boys can have little to no contact with each other. You can feel in her words the desperation she feels to have her children together in one place so she can love on them both and the way she constantly struggles to decide if she has been neglectful of the older one because of the immense needs of the baby.

I think about how it is to want to be there for two children in two different places. About how there is so much we try to do for our kids but in times like this we are forced to choose where our efforts will be applied.

And I think about the one who is suffering and know that if it were me I would be in that hospital room too because ultimately, we would not want them to suffer alone. Seems like when our babies are sick or hurting is when a mother feels her full force. We learn that strength is not something you have but something you receive. Strength is our calling. Sometimes our strength is stretched so thin we feel like one more little jab and the whole balloon is going to pop. Yet when we are asked to be just a bit stronger or give more than we know we have left in us we still say yes and miraculously we receive just the right amount of what we need to continue to fight.

You see, through Heavenly Father, we have a never ending supply source of wisdom, strength, knowledge, flexibility and soft shoulders. We also need to remember that Heavenly father did not put us on this earth one at a time to endure to the end alone. He has provided us with an amazing support league who know what we are feeling and can empathize with our every struggle. It has a billion members growing strong and they are there to offer a knowing smile and helpful hints as we journey on the path of motherhood.

Whether you are a mother of children who are young, teenagers, grownups, adopted miracles, foster children, children that returned home early, or you have simply been seen as a mother by someone young in your life, you are a part of this movement and you know the goal; To impart our wisdom and the wisdom of heavenly father in hopes of helping them to find the smoothest surface to walk on and to encourage them to stay on the path.

Some days it seems like an uphill battle with little to no ground gained but every so often during our night time prayer I can get them both to cross their arms reverently and bow their heads without being urged to do so. At this point the well of hope and strength is renewed and I know that one day soon I can close both eyes in prayer at church.

"Spot" the Marble Molly - ??, 2011-March 29th, 2011

It is with a heavy heart that we laid to rest our dearly beloved "Spot" today. He was a wonderful fish and during his three weeks as one of our family he provided us with so much love and many memories.
Bowl-side services were short but poignant. After Atira gave a brief opening prayer her brother Robert delivered the Eulogy which ended with two thumbs up and a heart felt "Good Job!" Pall bearer for the ceremony was "Mom" and honorary pallbearers were "Nina" the catfish, "Orange" the guppy and "Princess" the teddy bear. An account has been established with the Midvale City Water and Sewer Division to cover the funeral costs and condolences may be left under the comments of this announcement. Thank you all for your prayers in our time of need.