I got to sub for the Primary music leader yesterday. That is such a glorious gig! We were supposed to work on Families Can Be Together Forever--one of the great truths I'm relying on--and the Fifth Article of Faith. Good stuff. I also slid in a bunch more just because I wanted to sing them.
I told them how happy it makes me that the peonies are blooming right now. My bushes, before the rainstorm this weekend, were just like fireworks of beauty. My dear friend Alex saw that in her yard and wanted to share it with people, so she cut a bunch and brought them to me to bring to sacrament meeting because she was pretty sure she was going to be late. Her vase was so beautiful it inspired me to make a matching one so we could have symmetrical giant fluffy arrangements at church. I told the kids that these glorious flowers were reminders that Heavenly Father loves us because he could have planned the world to be just regular, but he made it glorious and beautiful. Then we sang I Know That My Heavenly Father Loves Me, which also reminds me of my mom, who is another evidence that God loves me.
Another story I told them was how a classmate of mine from high school is being treated for PTSD right now as a man because of how terribly people treated him in school and even on his mission. I saw this on Facebook this weekend and it really brought me up short. I feel like his classmates, even the ones who didn't directly bully him, failed him. We are part of the reason he has had lifelong mental health issues. I didn't know him well or even have any classes with him, but I was a part of his class and I could have at least told people to stop it when I heard them saying mean things about this kid, and I didn't. I told them we can be better than that. We can tell kids to stop it and be nice when they are being mean to other people. Then we sang Kindness Begins With Me.
I told them how happy it makes me that the peonies are blooming right now. My bushes, before the rainstorm this weekend, were just like fireworks of beauty. My dear friend Alex saw that in her yard and wanted to share it with people, so she cut a bunch and brought them to me to bring to sacrament meeting because she was pretty sure she was going to be late. Her vase was so beautiful it inspired me to make a matching one so we could have symmetrical giant fluffy arrangements at church. I told the kids that these glorious flowers were reminders that Heavenly Father loves us because he could have planned the world to be just regular, but he made it glorious and beautiful. Then we sang I Know That My Heavenly Father Loves Me, which also reminds me of my mom, who is another evidence that God loves me.
Another story I told them was how a classmate of mine from high school is being treated for PTSD right now as a man because of how terribly people treated him in school and even on his mission. I saw this on Facebook this weekend and it really brought me up short. I feel like his classmates, even the ones who didn't directly bully him, failed him. We are part of the reason he has had lifelong mental health issues. I didn't know him well or even have any classes with him, but I was a part of his class and I could have at least told people to stop it when I heard them saying mean things about this kid, and I didn't. I told them we can be better than that. We can tell kids to stop it and be nice when they are being mean to other people. Then we sang Kindness Begins With Me.
It's good to bring the peonies in after a rainstorm. The rain makes the flower heads too heavy for the plants to hold up, so they just flop over on the ground. You might as well cut them and bring them in to make your day better!
Heather I love reading/seeing anything you post but to have it include flowers touched my heart! I wish I could have watched the whole lesson...and amen to the need we have to be more aware of others being treated badly and do all in our power to stop it! Xo momw
ReplyDeleteSuch a sad story. Such beautiful flowers. The way you mix bitter and sweet is quite artistic. Thanks for letting me in on a view of Your World.
ReplyDeleteWhat glorious peonies you have and such great stories to share too. These little people don't know what treasures you are giving them...but I do.
ReplyDeleteSuch pretty flowers and such a pretty time of year at home! Think Dad will disapprove if I come visit just one more time before it gets unbearably sticky and hot?
ReplyDeletePeonies are fabulous....they just bloom out too fast!!! Enjoy their beauty for the moment because they are spectacular!
ReplyDeleteKathleen Wimmer
702-355-2862