Week #4 - Dep/Mar Project

Okay, so how is everyone doing? I hope there are some of you doing this with us or at least reading the articles. They are so good and I have to be honest, they are helping change my life, little by little each week. I think I'm going to really miss this when it's over. Having a goal every week of self-improvement has been amazing.

Well, this last week was all about love. Not just love in general, or trying to be charitable, but having a plan or a goal to put this specific type of love described in our article into practice. To love in general is as the article said more like, "lip service".

I really loved how Elder Goaslind, Jr. described that real love requires action on our part. His example of Peter saying to the lame man to rise up and walk was not effective in the man's life until Peter reached out his hand and lifted him up. That was when the man's limbs received their strength.

My personal experiences have been a bit surprising, but I learned much about how saying, "I love you" is as important as showing that you do. I've always been about the action, but the words are just as important. Don't forget that! We need both the words and the actions inspired by those words. Too much one way or the other and it doesn't do what we are hoping it will do.

So I hope you've had similar uplifting experiences with love this last week. It's been a blessing for both Chris and me.

Here's this week's letter and articles located in our "pages" section to the right in case you've gotten lost! Good luck!

Letter:

Hello honey, my best friend and husband,

Today is a hard letter to write. I have been thinking so much about you. I’m nervous and worried because I am not there to take care of you and yet the Lord keeps reminding me you were his before you were mine. It’s hard sometimes to trust the Lord even though I know he’s the one in charge. I know he can do it better, but it’s hard being out of the loop. I like to see or hear or touch to confirm that everything’s okay. I can’t do that right now, but I want to. So I kneel down and pray or I stop in the kitchen and pray or I sit on the couch and I pray. I pray that the Lord keeps you in the “hollow of his hand,” that he is mindful of us at home, and that you can feel how much we are proud of your service and sacrifice and of course, that you know how much you are missed and loved.

Wow, I feel better. It’s always good to write things down. I hope you are doing that every chance you get. These experiences are once in a lifetime and these blessings are easily forgotten. It’s sad, but true. Our memories are so short no matter how hard we work to make them longer. Thankfully, we have the Holy Ghost to “bring to our remembrance” the important things and the final judgment when “all things will be remembered.” I look forward to remembering every detail of how much the Lord has done for me, big and small. I think that’s why we started with gratitude; to get into the habit of “seeing.” Now, we are being grateful and magnifying our faith and hopefully loving as the Lord loves. Today we begin an exciting week.

Miracles

“For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith.” – 2 Nephi 27:23

This week we are studying miracles. The miracles of Jesus are obvious beginning points, but I want us to go a bit further. This week as we study we will pray. We will pray to make a miracle happen in our lives. I want you to think hard about what kind of miracle and who will be involved. Then I want you to, like faith, do all in your power to help bring the miracle to pass. It might be an open opportunity to share the gospel with someone or to get past some feelings that are holding you up. I’m queen of that one and you’ve seen how miraculous the change in my life has been. Do your pondering thing that you’re so good at and with a faithful heart, pray to Heavenly Father to have a miracle occur during your time there. That doesn’t mean that the entire miracle will unfold in your presence or even during your deployment, but if it’s the Lord’s will, you will get to experience the miracle begin.

Now the accompanying article this week was extremely difficult to pick. Every time I began scanning, I ended up reading! Then I was crying as the spirit bore witness of the miracles of God, great and small. It was so hard! So, I have not read these, but I sure wanted to when I was picking them. The first one is a general beginning that I thought fit. The second is a closer look at one aspect of the topic. And the third is a powerful and very specific example of the principal that I had to include. Good luck!

Loves for always and be careful. I know you like adventure and you’re excited about all the amazing things you’re doing, but remember to listen for the “still, small voice.” We both know the military is not the church. Be brave in standing for your principals and be patient with others who do not have your foundation in goodness. Love the men and women with whom you associate and be the shining example for them that you are for me at home.

Now, close your eyes and picture Evie with her silly grin and her sparkly blue eyes that light up when you’re around. Do it now. Okay, now feel her bony, adorable little arms wrap around your neck and squeeze as hard as she can. Okay, you can let her go, she’s turning blue!

Now, close your eyes and picture Joseph with his chubby cheeks and grin from large ear to large ear. Okay, now feel him tackle you at full Joseph speed for a giant 2yr old hug that has him growling and giggling his little bowl-full-of-jelly laugh. Okay, now get up off the floor.

Now, close your eyes and picture Lizzy with her tousled brunette hair still in her pretty blue eyes and her tongue sticking out as she sucks on her pacifier. It’s okay to laugh, she’s too little still to know it’s at her. Okay, now put your arms out low and see her crawl quickly right into them as she peeks up every couple of seconds to make sure she’s going the right way. Now, pick her chubbiness up into those big daddy arms and squeeze the baby, squeeze the baby, squeeze the baby. Oh, goodness, let me grab a towel. That’s what you get from squeezing after she’s just eaten. You know I tell you that every time and still you just have to squish her! Oh well, she likes it.

Now, close your eyes and picture your wife. I know that’s going to be tricky, but please don’t give me too much of a belly in your imagination. I like the idea that you think of me as my thinner, less irritated, non-pregnant self. Okay, now picture the blonde hair in the ponytail as always, the cheeks a little rosy from laughing and playing with the kids, and blue eyes glittering with happiness at seeing my family love each other so much. Okay, now carefully, being soft around the middle, put your arms around my small body (you always forget how tiny I am compared to you!) and give me that hug that you’ve been wanting me to have since you left.

Doesn’t that feel good?! I know it felt good to me and you’re lying on the couch asleep right next to me as I write this. I hope you are happy and tired every night that you fall right to sleep with good dreams. We miss you as always and are counting the days as I know you are.