Red Buds

     After what seems a long dormant winter, tiny magenta blossoms cover the trunks and branches of our five Red Bud trees.  They have brought me joy for nineteen years, but they are no longer in their prime.  They only have a life expectancy of twenty years ( a fact I didn't know when we planted them).  One has already succumbed but has sent up a new little tree to take its place.  New life, new hope...Love Spring!
     Easter seemed a little strange this year.  Half of our grandchildren were not with us.  The annual Easter picture on our backyard steps didn't get taken. I really have no room for complaints, we've been fortunate to have our children around us for this long.  Now two have flown the coop and taken up residency in the northern part of the state.  They have new opportunities and experiences ahead.

The Thinker

    
      My third grandson just turned five years old.  So far he hasn't been too interested in sports.  He likes to think...
about Mario Brothers.  He has learned to ride his bike without training wheels and hopeful parents have signed him up for karate lessons and t-ball.  He is starting to read and likes his Super Kids preschool in his new neighborhood.  He originally began the school year as one of my preschool students where he announced to the class that I wasn't really a teacher, just grandma.  What a great kid!  He paid me the best compliment ever when he told his cousins that he was going to marry me.  I couldn't ask for better than that!  I hope I have done justice to his handsome little face.
     I've heard a lot lately about how our thoughts influence what we are and what we will become.  It takes many, many positive thoughts to undo one negative thought.  My grandson is entitled to childish thoughts--he is a child.  But I am no longer a child and I'm still struggling to be a grown-up.  I think we have truly mastered ourselves when we can control our thoughts.  To have a mind filled with uplifting, pure and positive thoughts--  that would be a great accomplishment.  Since I'm not in that category yet I'm starting to add that to my daily prayers- to think positive is to be positive.




25 hours

"The One"

         This beautiful pastel of the St.George temple was done by the talented son of dear friends of mine.  I love his view of the temple.  He is inviting us once again to look up!  I thank him for allowing me to post it.


     In the middle of each hectic week I am privileged to serve for a few evening hours at the St.George Temple. I have no doubt this building is a sacred place.  Many experiences have assured me of my Heavenly Father's love for me and for all of his children.  It is amazing the many times that events fall into place, little "coincidents" that have a great affect on one person or a small group.  A friend and fellow ordinance worker recently shared an experience.  She had made an error that would cause a problem for several people.  She was devastated and embarrassed. Her first thought was to leave the temple and go home before she could make any more mistakes.  A distinct impression told her she should stay.  As she continued to serve that evening she was overcome with a feeling of comfort.  She began to see, understand, and feel Heavenly Father's love and words with an amazing clarity that she had never experienced before.  It was a night she will never forget.
     When I am serving at the temple I am able to refocus, forget about the world, and remember what is important in the eternal scheme of things.  I feel peace in knowing He loves "the one."

Inspired

Young mother sewing Mary Cassatt

     "When the real history of mankind is fully disclosed, will it feature the echoes of gunfire or the shaping sound of lullabies?  The great armistices made by military men or the peacemaking of women in homes and in neighborhoods?  Will what happened in cradles and kitchens prove to be more controlling than what happened in congresses?"                Neil A. Maxwell


     This beautiful portrait of a mother and child was painted by Mary Cassatt.  I've been a fan of hers since college days when I wrote a paper about her for a class called "Women in the Visual Arts".  Mary was born in 1844 in Pennsylvania.  She had unconventional desires for a woman of her day.  It was not unusual for a man to study art abroad, but a young woman of good breeding did not display competitive, professional ambitions.  After much resistance from her parents she left for Paris in 1866.  She studied and copied the masters for years, finally being accepted into the very conventional and juried Paris Salon.  In 1877 she was invited by Edgar Degas to forsake the salon and exhibit with the avante garde impressionists: Manet, Monet, Renoir and Degas.  Though their exhibitions were ridiculed at first, Mary accepted "with joy"  She said, "I took leave of conventional art.  I began to live."  Degas became her mentor and friend.  Her parents and sister eventually came to live with her in Paris.  She never married or had children. When I finally saw one of her paintings in person I actually got tears in my eyes, it was so gorgeous.  Most of her paintings are of women and children.  They are beautiful and inspiring to me.

After the bath by Mary Cassett

     My sister, Ilona, also inspires me.  She has worked long and hard at becoming an artist.  She has been much more dedicated than me.  Her beautiful works of art can be seen on her website:  www.ilonaterry.com
   

 

Leadership

     This steely-eyed pitcher was born the star of two families.  We impatiently waited a few years for his arrival as first-born grandchild.  Our family of adults would lay him on the floor on his blanket, surround him and watch his every movement in complete and loving adoration.  He began the "baby boom" in our family.  Now the leader of twelve (24 with both families) he will preform many "firsts" for our grandchildren.  He was the first to be baptized, he will be the first to receive the priesthood, and we look to him to be first to serve his Savior and Heavenly Father on a two year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Is that a lot of pressure to lay on one young man's shoulders?  I don't think so.  I know he is up to the challenge.  Whatever he does, he will do it well and we will be proud of him.  "And a little child shall lead them." (Isaiah 11:6)

     I can't fully express the love I feel for each of the little faces that I am drawing as part of my "grandchildren series."  So much spirit and personality is prepackaged in each of their precious bodies.  I once had a dream about my own children.  Their spirits were glowing with incredible light.  What a privilege it is to be a mother and grandmother, to share my values, my faith, and my unconditional love with them.  Whether we are blessed with children of our own or not, women can nurture and influence others for good.


20 hours

LIfe Happens

Confession: I didn't reach my goal of 10 hours last week.  I was feeling kind of blue and with a little upheaval at work, It took me three days from the time I finished my last drawing until I put a new piece of paper on my easel.  I will correct that problem, from now on one will go up as one comes down.  Another obstacle--I began to feel a little sheepish about the whole blogging thing.  Putting my thoughts and dreams out there for anyone to read is a little unsettling.  But whatever else a blog is, It is therapeutic and  motivating to me.  It helps to put my thoughts into words and makes my goal seem more real.  As I told some friends, a goal shared has BIGGER teeth. So I apologize if any of this sharing seems vain, I am doing it mainly for myself and possibly my posterity may gain something from it in years to come. At least they will know what grandma was thinking.  I'll try to share something uplifting along with my disappointments.  
     In a recent LDS Living magazine, Julie B. Beck (LDS General Relief Society President) was interviewed.  I marched as a Dixie College Rebelette one year with Julie.  I'm sure she doesn't remember me, but she was quite a spectacular girl, even back then.  In the article, Sister Beck was quoted, "Nobody can have everything, and you especially can't have it all at once...There's an opportunity cost to everything."  How do we know if our choices are correct? "First, 'Am I aligned behind the Lord's plan for me'? Is what I'm doing moving me toward eternal life or am I just enjoying my time in Babylon."..."How do I feel? Is the Spirit confirming my choices?...I've learned that the world teaches us that we can have the dream now.  They express the dream as what Adam and Eve had in the garden--you don't have to work for anything and everything is peaceful and happy.  That's really where the adversary still is.  But we chose to have a mortal experience to prepare for the real dream, and that dream is eternal life. Eve was willing to go through a long, hard mortal experience in order to work toward the promise of the dream--I don't think most women realize that.  They're trying to make it be the dream now.  We don't get that here.  What we get here is the experience."
   I've probably lived about two thirds of my mortal life.  I made the choice to have faith and family.  They are my most important assets and my greatest joy.  Wanting to develop the artistic ability I have is just one of my hopes for the future.  I would also like to serve an LDS mission with my husband. I would like to have the means to provide for our old age.  I want to stay connected to and continue to enjoy my family.  And I want to continue serving in the Church. 
   Life happens, but the most important things seem to be in place.  I am blessed and I am happy. 

The Drawing Room

"I have an idea," I told my husband.  "What?," eyes rolling--actually he was very supportive, he likes ideas that don't cost anything.  He even offered his expert interior design advice, "You can't do all that and keep four chairs in here."  So down went one chair and a small buffet, up came my IKEA drafting table and in went my easel.  My front living room has been transformed into my art studio.  It is the best room in the house.  It has two walls of big windows, North light, and a beautiful view of Pine Valley Mountain and the red rock hills beneath it.   We'll call it "the drawing room".  At first I thought we'd need to install a french door to enclose the space and keep  little fingers out.  But why would I want to keep them out?  Now I have a space to share my goals with my grandchildren. Their usual art space is the kitchen island, mine in a bedroom corner, the new space will be so much better.  Of course, I think all of my grandchildren are budding artists.  What child isn't when given encouragement, materials, space to work, and NOT a steady diet of coloring book pages?  I had a great time buying them beautiful art supplies with the understanding that they will take care of them, return them neatly to the assigned drawer and clean up after themselves.  All we need now are some reference pictures to inspire them. From the above photo you can see it is already a hit!  I overheard my little granddaughter ask her big sister, "Is grandma an artist?"  I didn't hear her sister's reply but I answered, "I'm trying to be."