Perspective

From the blog of Shannon Hale, mother and author - 

My life equation

2 14-month olds +

1 2nd grader +

1 preschooler +

1 husband +

1 house +

15,000 useless items that are constantly strewn about and no matter how 

   many times I put them away somewhere they reappear like a hydra with 

   its endless supply of monstrous heads +

15,000 pieces of food on the floor (usually tossed from 2 highchairs) +

1 major holiday +

1 crushingly high pressure book deadline =

My life this month

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Response from reader.

Simplify that equation!

One large snuggle worthy family + a house full of signs of life that will be sorely missed in twenty years + the miracle of Christ's birth + being able to do what you love = Your life this month.

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I think the response is from someone whose children are raised and gone from home, or perhaps never had children of her own. It's all a matter of perspective. 

Keeping the big picture, the eternal picture, while dealing with the joys and chaos of everyday life is one of our major challenges. 

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 P.S. 

 I highly recommend Hale's "Princess Academy." 

11/19/20 image no longer available so image box was removed

Breathtaking Gifts From Christ

"Christmas and some of the cherished traditions of the season remind us that we, like the Wise Men of old, should seek the Christ and lay before Him the most precious of gifts: a broken heart and a contrite spirit. We should offer Him our love. We should give Him our willingness to take upon ourselves His name and walk in the path of discipleship. We should promise to remember Him always, to emulate His example, and to go about doing good. 

... The Lord does not expect that we commit to move mountains. But He does require that we bring as gifts our best efforts to move ourselves, one foot in front of the other, walking in the ways He has prepared and taught.

And what are the Savior’s gifts to those who are willing to bring these gifts to Him?

This may be the most one-sided gift exchange in the history of the universe. The Savior’s gifts to us are breathtaking.

Let us begin with immortality. Because the Savior overcame death, all men and women—both the just and the unjust—will live forever.

Then, forgiveness—even though our sins and imperfections be as scarlet, they can become white as snow because of Him.

And finally, eternal life—the greatest gift of all. Because of the Atonement of Christ, not only are we guaranteed an infinite quantity of life, but He offers the possibility of an unimaginable quality of life as well.

Some of His divine gifts are reserved for that glorious future day when we return to His presence.

But He extends many gifts and His grace to us every day. He promises to be with us, to come to us when we need comfort, to lift us when we stumble, to carry us if needed, to mourn and rejoice with us. Every day He offers to take us by the hand and help transform ordinary life into extraordinary spiritual experiences."

"Of Curtains, Contentment, and Christmas," Dieter F. Uchtdorf, First Presidency Christmas Devotional, December 4, 2011

Picture Frame Connections

Seal on the back of the picture reads - 

 "Richard Holton Picture Framing 

1512 Sansom St, Phila 2, PA LO 7-5935"

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Our cousin Tim Holton is a frame maker in Emeryville, California. In December 2011 he was contacted by BP. BP wanted to know if the Richard Holton mentioned on Tim's website had any connection to the Richard Holton who had a picture framing business in Philadelphia in the 1950s or 1960s. As far as we know there is no direct connection.

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Additional information from BP - "I deal in quality antiques in Baltimore and I came across a print that's in a very well preserved high quality solid light colored wood frame with the sticker (seal) still intact on the back of the frame." 

"The year would have had to be between '58 and  '62. That would have been the years they were changing over to exchange numbers from letters. I grew up near Philly and seem to remember the change being complete in that area code about '61."

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Quite a coincidence, don't you think!

Simplify the Calendar?

"The western world doesn't change the calendar very often. Julius Caesar straightened out the previous confusion of calendars in 46 BC. The Julian calendar continued unchanged for more than 1,600 years until Pope Gregory announced the Gregorian calendar in 1582 that handled some "extra days" that had crept in. The Catholic countries adopted the Gregorian calendar almost immediately but others held out. A few countries did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until the early twentieth century.



Now researchers at The Johns Hopkins University have proposed a new calendar and claim that it makes much more sense than the previous one.



Under the Hanke-Henry Permanent Calendar, for instance, if  Christmas fell on a Sunday in 2012 (and it would), it will also fall on a Sunday in 2013, 2014 and beyond. Your birthday would fall on the same day of the week every year as would all holidays."

Check out the Johns Hopkins website for more information about the proposal. 

Image & text from Eastman's Online Genealogy

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The Stockings Are Hung

This Christmas stocking has been hung by my chimney for almost 60 years. I think my mother told me they were knit by a friend of her mother, Mildred Floyd. I wonder if I'm remembering that correctly. Perhaps our grandmother, Mildred Floyd, knit them herself. She was a very good knitter. Four stockings were made, one for each Holton child. The child's name and birth year are on each stocking. 

December 1953 - This is the earliest picture I can find that shows the stockings. The Holton family was in Arlington Heights, Illinois spending Christmas with grandparents Harry and Mildred Floyd. Julia, Jan & Tom enjoy Christmas gifts. 

December 1956 - Christmas morning at the Holton house. Julia's stocking hangs from the fireplace screen. Julia, Mary, Susan & Tom are pictured. Jan's head is barely visible. The dollhouse on the right was made by Bill Holton. Mary & Florence Holton decorated it. The dollhouse is now being enjoyed by the grandchildren of the children in this picture. 

Stockings are hung by the chimney in Kirkland, Washington.

Mary Holton knit the stocking for Joe.

Our Savior & Example

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  (Luke 2:11)

Because He came to earth, we have a perfect example to follow. As we strive to become more like Him, we will have joy and happiness in our lives and peace each day of the year. It is His example which, if followed, stirs within us more kindness and love, more respect and concern for others.

Because He came, there is meaning to our mortal existence.

Because He came, we know how to reach out to those in trouble or distress, wherever they may be.

Because He came, death has lost its sting, the grave its victory. We will live again because He came.

Because He came and paid for our sins, we have the opportunity to gain eternal life.

Thomas S. Monson, 2011 Christmas Devotional

The Custodian - A Poem

The Custodian

By Edward Hirsch 

Sometimes I think I have lived 


My whole life like that old janitor 


Who locked up after the rabbi 


And patrolled the synagogue at night. 


....

He opened the Holy Ark by hand 


And dusted off the sacred scrolls, 


O Lord, which he never opened, 


And cut the light behind the organ. 


He ignored the Eternal Lamp 


(Woe to the worker who unplugged it!), 


As he vacuumed the House of Prayer 


Muddied by the congregation. 



.....

Every now and then he’d sigh 


And stare up at the domed ceiling 


As if he had heard something auspicious, 


But it was only the wind in the trees.



He picked a prayer book off the floor 


And carried it down to the basement, 


Where he chewed on a sandwich 


And listened to a ballgame on the radio.

The Atlantic, October 2011

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This poem made me wonder how often I've missed the holiness around me. How often do I go through the motions without being in tune with God? How often am I doing the equivalent of listening to a ballgame on the radio while surrounded by God and all that is in my life to remind me of Him and to put me in touch with Him?

January 6, 2015 some lines removed due to copyright & reproducing the entire poem

One of Our Favorites - Padria Restaurant

Padria is on our list of favorite restaurants in this area. The small restaurant is owned by a husband and wife team. Mediterranean, Turkish and Middle Eastern foods are featured.

The restaurant recently got a nice review in the local paper.  Padria's website is here. 

Feasting on the Scriptures

“Search the scriptures; ... they are they which testify of me.” John 5:39

Scripture study has become an integral part of my daily routine. I love the scriptures. I love the counsel they contain and the way the Holy Ghost can speak to me when I make time to immerse myself in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. 

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“When we ... read and study the scriptures, benefits and blessings of many kinds come to us. This is the most profitable of all study in which we could engage” (Howard W. Hunter, in Conference Report, Oct. 1979, 91; or Ensign, Nov. 1979, 64).

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“Let us not treat lightly the great things we have received from the hand of the Lord! His word is one of the most valuable gifts He has given us. I urge you to recommit yourselves to a study of the scriptures. Immerse yourselves in them daily so you will have the power of the Spirit to attend you in your callings. Read them in your families and teach your children to love and treasure them” (Ezra Taft Benson, “The Power of the Word,” Ensign, May 1986, 82).

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“I think that people who study the scriptures get a dimension to their life that nobody else gets and that can’t be gained in any way except by studying the scriptures. There’s an increase in faith and a desire to do what’s right and a feeling of inspiration and understanding that comes to people who study the gospel—meaning particularly the Standard Works—and who ponder the principles, that can’t come in any other way” (Bruce R. McConkie, in Church News, 24 

Jan. 1976, 4).

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“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 3:15

More quotes on scripture study here and here

Three Levels of Christmas

THREE LEVELS OF CHRISTMAS

"Christmas is a beautiful time of the year. We love the excitement, the giving spirit, the special awareness of and appreciation for family and friends, the feelings of love and brotherhood that bless our gatherings at Christmastime.

In all the joyousness, it is well to reflect that Christmas comes in three levels:

Let’s call the first the 'Santa Claus level.' It’s the level of Christmas trees and holly, of whispered secrets and colorful packages, of candlelight and rich food and warm open houses. It’s carolers in the shopping malls, excited children, and weary but loving parents. It’s a lovely time of special warmth and caring and giving. It’s the level at which we eat too much and spend too much and do too much–and enjoy every minute of it. We love the Santa Claus level of Christmas.

But there’s a higher, more beautiful level. Let’s call it the 'Silent Night level.' It’s the level of all our glorious Christmas carols, of that beloved, familiar story: 'Now in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus…' It’s the level of the crowded inn, and the silent holy moment in a dark stable when the Son of Man came to earth. It’s shepherds on a steep, bare hill near Bethlehem, angels with their glad tidings, a new star in the East, wise men traveling far in search of the Holy One. How beautiful and meaningful it is; how infinitely poorer we would be without this sacred second level of Christmas.

The trouble is, these two levels don’t last. They can’t. Twelve days of Christmas, at the first level, is about all most of us can stand. It’s too intense, too extravagant. The tree dries out and the needles fall. The candles burn down. The beautiful wrappings go out with he trash, the carolers are up on the ski slopes, the toys break, and the biggest day the stores in the entire year is exchange day, December 26.

The feast is over and the dieting begins. But the lonely and the hungry are with us still perhaps lonelier and hungrier than before.

Lovely and joyous as the first level of Christmas is, there will come a day, very soon, when Mother will put away the decorations and

vacuum the living room and think, 'Thank goodness that’s over for another year.'

Even the second level, the level of the Baby Jesus, can’t last. How many times this season can you sing 'Silent Night'? The angels and the star and the shepherd, even the silent, sacred mystery of that holy night itself, can’t long satisfy humanity’s basic need. The man who keeps Christ in the manger will, in the end, be disappointed and empty.

No, for Christmas to last all year long, for it to grow in beauty and meaning and purpose, for it to have the power to change lives, we must celebrate it at the third level, that of the adult Christ. It is at this level–not as an infant–that our Savior brings His gifts of lasting joy, lasting peace, lasting hope. It was the adult Christ who reached out and touched the untouchable, who loved the unlovable, who so loved us all that even in His agony on the cross He prayed forgiveness for His enemies.

 

This is the Christ, creator of worlds without number, who wept, Enoch tell us, because so many of us lack affection and hate each other–and then who willingly gave His life for all of us, including those for whom He wept.

This is the Christ, the adult Christ, who gave us the perfect example, and asked us to follow Him.

Accepting that invitation is the way–the only way–to celebrate Christmas all year and all life long."

(Three Levels of Christmas 
by William B. Smart 
Messages for a Happier Life, (Deseret Book, 1989), 33-34)


This story was posted here and here.

Small Moments - Big Memories

I enjoy reading blogs written by mothers of young children. Many of these women have gained wisdom I didn't learn until much later in life, too late for my time with young children.

April Meeker writes about the gift of memories of special moments from our past.* 

"... life is celebrated in small snippets of time. Moments where all is right with the world slip through our hands too quickly, but we are gifted the memory.

As a mother, I have learned that is it folly to place all hopes of happiness into grand celebrations. Expectation has a way of masking what is most important. The road to happily ever after is paved with small, seemingly inconsequential memories. Moments of time. A hug. A laugh. A bike ride."

*Read the complete post here. 

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"Small" Moment, Big Memory From My Past

We lived a few blocks from downtown. I have a vivid, and very happy, memory of going to the barbershop with Dad. We held hands and skipped along the Courthouse's wide, slate sidewalks. We sang, "Hippity hop, hippity hop, off we go to the barbershop." 

Family & Broasted Chicken

left - Jan (sister) & Tim

right - Tom (brother) & Gayle

Susan (sister) on speaker phone in middle of the table

When I planned a trip back to see family and friends in Ohio and Michigan, I told the family I'd been craving Der Dutchman's broasted chicken*. Jan, Tim, Tom, Gayle and I went to Der Dutchman in Plain City. 

We called Susan and Joe. We talked with Joe; Susan wasn't home. When Susan called us later, we put her on speaker phone on top of the apple butter and talked with her while we ate dinner. We were the only people left in our section of the restaurant so this worked out well. 

Tom, Gayle, Joe, and I often met Mom and Dad at Der Dutchman for dinner (before Jan and Tim moved up from Gallipolis). It was an easy drive for them from London. Mom always ate well at Der Dutchman. She liked the Manhattan sandwich - mashed potatoes, bread, turkey or roast beef and LOTS of gravy. She got the full order, sometimes along with onion rings, and ate everything. She wasn’t a big eater most of the time. 

Der Dutchman has expanded even more and totally rearranged their lobby and some of the dining rooms since we moved. They have almost 200 employees and can seat hundreds of people in their dining rooms. Several banquet rooms accommodate hundreds more. For all their bigness, the food is consistently delicious. 

*I can't find any place in this area that serves broasted chicken - fried, yes; broasted, no.

PS - That plate at the bottom of the picture - that's mine - two thighs, potato pancakes and green beans - delicious!

Grandson in The Nutcracker

Our grandson was in a local production of The Nutcracker. He and some friends were part of the "party cousins" group of boys. They were in several scenes in the first act. He and the other boys were recruited by a friend from church who was involved in the production. 

From an October 25, 2011 press release about the production: 

Bellevue, WA – Eastsiders no longer need to cross the bridge to find enchantment. This holiday season, the mystery and magic of Tchaikovsky’s beloved ballet is closer than ever. Emerald Ballet Theatre (EBT) is proud to present The Nutcracker on December 3, 4, 10 and 11 at 2:00 p.m. at the Northshore Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in Bothell. All performances will feature the Rainier Symphony Orchestra with David Waltman conducting.

Now in its fifth season, EBT brings E.T.A. Hoffman’s timeless tale to life with live music, lavish costumes, sumptuous sets and exquisite choreography. Artistic director Viktoria Titova previously traveled around the world as a ballerina with the Bolshoi Theatre Grigorovich Company. EBT’s Nutcracker draws on this rich Russian classical tradition.

Over 175 students from Emerald Ballet Academy will dance alongside regional professionals and four international guest artists. The first weekend, Russian-born Tatiana Liabina will appear as the Sugar Plum Fairy. Ms. Liabina started her career with the Grigorovich Ballet of Russia, then danced with the Sarasota Ballet of Florida. Her Cavalier will be Alexander Loxton, formerly of the Dutch National Ballet and a finalist for Young British Dancer of the Year. The second weekend, Ballet West’s Stephen King and Whitney Huell (who was singled out as one of the “Top 25 to Watch” in the January 2011 issue of Dance Magazine) will perform.