Following Christ

This talk by Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge, given at the October 2008 General Conference has been on my mind this month.

He said, “What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.”Don’t think you can’t. We might think we can’t really follow Him because the standard of His life is so astonishingly high as to seem unreachable. We might think it is too hard, too high, too much, beyond our capacity, at least for now. Don’t ever believe that. While the standard of the Lord is the highest, don’t ever think it is only reachable by a select few who are most able.
In this singular instance life’s experience misleads us. In life we learn that the highest achievements in any human endeavor are always the most difficult and, therefore, achievable only by a select few who are most able. The higher the standard, the fewer can reach it.
But that is not the case here because, unlike every other experience in this life, this is not a human endeavor. It is, rather, the work of God. It is God’s work and it is His “glory . . . to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”There is nothing else like it. Not anywhere. Not ever.
No institution, plan, program, or system ever conceived by men has access to the redeeming and transforming power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Therefore, while the Lord’s invitation to follow Him is the highest of all, it is also achievable by everyone, not because we are able, but because He is, and because He can make us able too.

Maybe Barbies aren't the best toys for my kids

We traveled to Utah over the weekend for the Mills family Christmas party. Minus the 50 miles of snowly roads, we had a fantastic time. I love Rich's family. I also got to see my sister Alisa, who lives in Alabama, but is on her way home for Christmas. Honestly, I think she's the best big sister in the world.



Oh yeah, on to the barbies. Amber & Kate both got one as a gift from their Grandma & Grandpa Mills. They've played with them incessantly since they got them. I couldn't stop laughing when I found them like this today, though. (Her ankles, wrists, & neck are bound with hair elastics & she's hanging from a kitchen cupboard). I'm not sure what she's guilty of.

Ballet

Kate had her in-class Christmas ballet performance today. Shortly after starting ballet Kate was bored, so the teacher moved her up to the next class. Now she loves it!!! Her new class is held while I teach piano lessons, so my wonderful mom takes her to dance class every week. My mom always comments on how well she does. Today I got to see it myself. You can too. Here's a video clip. Kate's the littlest one.

Her teacher pulled me aside afterward and said, "Kate is really really gifted. I hope she'll keep dancing forever." I assured her, "I think she will. I think she started skipping before she started walking." I really enjoyed seeing her dance. Dancing makes her happy.

I also had a Christmas open house tonight for my piano students. It was an enjoyable evening. I get to rub shoulders with a lot of neat people as I teach their children. Kate didn't understand why some of the students brought me gifts, but not her.

This week in photos

I was tickled to see this tea party all set up when I came home from church today. They invited all their stuffed animals to a tea party while I was at choir practice.
I chuckle when I see babies bundled up like this. I had to take a photo of Jessi all bundled up.
Amber was in the Nutcracker ballet this week at the Civic Auditorium. This is Amber, one of my piano students and babysitters (who my girls adore), and one of Amber's friends from our ward and her ballet class.
We don't have a star for our tree, so we use doves. The application of them is always a highly anticipated, and then awkward moment.
I got two photos with all three girls looking at the camera. Naturally, those two photos were both fuzzy. Our girls opted to buy a Christmas tree instead of cutting one down in the mountains, so they could play with their cousin.

We had family pictures taken yesterday. I can't wait to see them. Jessica was all grins the entire time. The place we have them done releases them to us on CD, so I'll be able to post them.