STATE OF THE UNION

Since today is the inauguration of the president, I’m going to share some thoughts I wrote awhile ago. Both Dad and I are struggling with this election, but I guess we’d better move forward. Here is a thought Debbie Riley sent me.

From the biography of Church president Ezra Taft Benson (published by Deseret Book, by Sheri Dew, page 37):

"[Ezra's father] believed that the Founding Fathers of the United States had been inspired, and on one occasion he openly supported a particular candidate and even made mention of the man in family prayers. When George's candidate lost the election, Ezra was anxious to hear what his father would say in his next prayer. George prayed for the man who had won. When Ezra asked how he could pray for the man who had defeated his candidate, he replied, 'Son, I think he'll need our prayers even more than my candidate would have.'"

Puts things back into perspective.

Here is my personal “State of the Union”
5-18-08

STATE OF THE UNION

Since we have just celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary I feel a great desire to assess our current position. As is gaze at the diamond John gave me thirty and a half years ago, it sparkles just as brightly. In fact, it is even more beautiful as is my love for him. I am grateful for a good man who honors his priesthood and lives his life according to the gospel. In my mind are indelible “snapshots” of pure joy which I would like to share with you.

One Wednesday night as was my custom when Jesse and Leanne lived in Monahans, I stopped by after mutual to say good night. Jesse, Leanne and all the kids were on the bed reading scriptures and stories. I was especially impressed that even though the children were so young, they were actively listening and conversing about the scriptures. Afterwards, Jesse made up an amazing bedtime story.
This memory takes place in the Lubbock Stake Center gym. I hear Mary talking to a rag headed, droopy-drawered player who is waiting to be called back into the game. “So, how long have you been playing basketball here?” “Four years.” “Have you ever wondered what goes on in the rest of the building?” He replied that he knew it was a church and that he didn’t go to any church in particular, but that if he did go to church, he would go to a Mormon church.
When Amy was working in Jackson Hole, she called me and said that she had been taking some horses back from the vet’s and that the tire had blown out on the trailer. The trailer had broken loose, thrown the truck to the other side of the road and was lying on its side in the borrow ditch. She said, “Mom I don’t know how to get the horses out of the trailer. I think one must be dead because he has a plank sticking out of his chest.” We talked it through and she got the horses out and settled. She was so calm through the whole experience I thought she might be in shock. But not Amy. Amy takes the world for what it is and moves on.
I was so honored that Mark and Laura asked me to be with them when Benson was born. When they discovered the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, a team of nurses began working on the baby. Mark would comfort Laura and I would try to see what was going on with Benson. Then we would switch posts. At one point when it was evident that both mother and baby were all right, I turned to switch places with Mark who stood between the two weeping for joy.
B is for Bitsy and for bravery. I called her when we had seen reports of a earthquake in Hawaii which reached a seven on the rector scale. She was completely unmoved. She said that they had cancelled church and that they didn’t have any electricity so she planned to read as much as she could before it got too dark. Later she emailed me a poem she wrote about walking in the dark that night with only the light from her little flashlight. To walk with confidence and beauty in the face of disaster. What a girl!
I am especially grateful for the choices which Jacob has made this past year. We anticipate his letters and emails. I can already see the changes in him. He really has so much depth to him. He is so completely immersed in his mission. How many mothers can say that they are so happy that their 19 year old son is where he is and doing exactly what he is doing?
We are truly blessed.