Faith is...

I think faith is an interesting subject, one I get to teach on today for Sunday School but also one that always hides in the back of my mind for manipulation and thinking. The scriptures have all sorts of amazing definitions for faith, what it is and what it isn't. But I always like to put things into my own words and into the sphere of which I work. A while back I came to define Faith as playing an octave with your pedals at the end of a Bach piece at double forte volume. That takes faith, you can't look at your feet and the volume is already up there. You just have to believe in all the practice, in all the times you have done it right, and put your feet down with conviction and confidence. That is faith in my world.

Brother Fredrikson once accused me of giving him confidence....misplaced confidence! He knew he had a voice but didn't know he had a singing voice, but when told he could sing enough times he started to believe it and then, through his belief, he brought about the desired end. He became a soloist as well as a choir member. Therefore I must conclude that faith has to do with confidence and sometimes, it would appear, misplaced confidence. Nothing really changed with his voice, only the confidence to use that voice. Faith does not waver, we do. Sometimes I have enough faith to just present my gift and feel relatively confident. Other times I present it on the confidence of someone else.

I have Faith in Heavenly Father but sometimes I don't have faith in me. When that happens I have to borrow the faith from someone else until I am strong enough to have it for myself. That is the concept I want to teach my wonderful little ten through 12 year old students today. Use your own faith, exercise your own faith, but when you just aren't strong enough to make it happen then look around and borrow from those that are so willing to offer it to you. Look to unit leaders, look to parents, to friends and peers that you respect. Look there until you can look inside and blow the little sparks of your own faith to full light.

One of the things I admire most about my children is their faith. All of them have a generous supply of it. They keep going when logic says it is time to quit. That is faith in action and that is what we all need to cultivate. Emily was willing to exercise her faith in her musical ability to pick up a viola and play violin music for Nancy's wedding without the preparation time necessary. It didn't happen for other reasons, but the faith in her own ability was still there and I have no doubt it would have been a positive experience for both the performer and the listener, albeit the music might have been sacrificed a little.

What a key component to life this faith is. It is what I intend to work more on as the new year comes upon us. Having faith in all things, including faith in me.

Winter sky

This would be 525 heading towards Maxwelton Rd. And the best part of the drive! Maxwelton was pure white and ever so interesting. Sunlight Beach road was accessible only with 4 wheel drive so Joyce had to catch a friend to get home! We slid on in with no problems. I love the Island in snow when I am safe within my four walls! And this was even good snow!

Merry Christmas

What an interesting Christmas morning this has been. So far I have cleaned the down stairs and gotten a good start on the upstairs portion of the house. Maybe I should explain a little. We went down to Utah for Nancy and Jace's wedding on the 20th. I won't try to explain all the ins and outs of that, but would encourage you to check their web site because, in time, I am sure they will have pictures and comments. Suffice it to say, it was very nice, full of snow and complications, but great all the same. Our flight home on the 21st was canceled due to snow in Washington, and complicated by snow in Utah. We did get out on the morning of the 22nd, one of a hand full of flights that actually were allowed to land at SeaTac! The Kincaid's decided to stay in Utah for the week so they defaulted their tickets and are planning on returning on the 26th, weather willing.

That said, no one is home so there is nothing to do but what needs doing. Such a sad state of events, having to just do what needs doing rather than pushing it aside to do things that are much more fun. Makes me laugh a little when I think of it, but work is a saving grace most of the time and today is no exception. I even vacuumed the laundry room, you know that is scrapping (humm, interesting thought) the bottom of the barrel for me!

And now I am fixing a Christmas dinner for Joyce and Jock, Larry and myself. We will have left over Turkey, a long story in and of itself! You see, Linda stored her turkey in my freezer. When I lifted out the hamburger I was taking south to Lawrence the turkey failed to fly back into the freezer. Needless to say, when I got home it was thawed in a very cold room. I rinsed it, smelled it, felt it and made a decision....I cooked it! And it is one of the best tasting turkeys I have had in ages! WSU ran studies on same, the closer things are to spoiling the better they taste. I must have gotten pretty close because it is really good. And of course I decided not to share the fact with Linda but was over-ridden on that one....she might as well laugh at me while I laugh at myself! And I will replace the turkey! And then I am making Herb Bread but can't get a hold of Emily to get the recipe so we are having Michelle's french bread with what I think needs to be added to make it herb bread.

I had feared this would be a difficult day but it has been perfectly acceptable. I got a cute picture from Luzvie in regards to their Christmas and have had a phone call from Nancy too. The rest will check in later I am sure. And, the bottom line, the house needed some attention.

Life gave me time I didn't really want, but life also gave me a vacuum cleaner and the two have balanced out until things are perfectly acceptable. All is well here on the Island with a beautiful white Christmas that is melting quickly as the rain is coming down and the temperatures are going up. So typical Island!