Autumn Harmony 2016

"There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!" 

-Percy Bysshe Shelley

I feel this sense of harmony every autumn - but especially this one.

In summertime, the warm, glorious sun beckons to us and there's this magnetic pull, carrying us outdoors into a carnival of wonder. The smells are intoxicating, the sights vibrantly technicolor. The days blend together as we whirl through weeks of family bliss, garden delights, and strawberry lemonade.

But when autumn comes knocking, the notes align to a more harmonious melody, the sun fades just enough for a slight chill to enter the breeze, and for me, the compass changes.

If summer points to the south and winter directly north (on my figurative seasonal compass), then spring dawns right between the two in an easterly direction. As for autumn? 

Autumn falls in the western sunset.

In summer, the magnet pulls us outdoors, and in the winter, we retreat within. But in the autumn, we are caught in this beautiful balancing act between outside and inside. We put on our boots and soft sweaters to revel in the coolness of changing leaves, corn husks, and pumpkins all colorful. But then we are drawn back to the hearth of home -- where a crackling fire, apple pie and warm cider await us. It's a gathering time -- of families and harvest, of memories and new beginnings. 

Oh autumn, you frame our days with harmony so sweet.

And this autumn has been the best one yet. Here we sit in this cozy Middle House, watching our Farmhouse take shape. We fill our days with the passion of learning -- the spiritual and secular all wrapped up into one delightful package.

Ancient Egypt, Arthropods, Austrian painters, and classic literature have graced our home this September.

This Homeschool path found me quite unexpectedly. But I embraced it passionately and wholeheartedly. And in return, it has rewarded me with the most abundant satisfaction - my deepest longings richly fulfilled.

My heart continues to heal from the trauma of this summer, slowly but surely. With grace from the Lord and His multitude of tender mercies, I attribute much of its mending to my children - who have freely gifted me the chance to be their teacher.

September's nearly over, yes, but the promise of October awaits. The promise of every month always awaits. Because of our Savior, there is no end, just eternal new beginnings. The earth spins on its axis and turns its revolving path around the sun. Or maybe it's we who turn, standing tall and grateful, with compass in hand.

The needle pointed south just a few weeks ago, but we have turned, be it ever so slightly, towards the west. Time never stands still, and we never stop turning -- our lives a continual cycle of birth and death, waxing and waning, decay and renewal, withering and blooming.

Quiet your mind for a few moments today. Think of your life. Think of your story. Choose to embrace it with arms wide open. Choose to live your one life well. For to follow the circle that is your life is the grandest adventure of all.

The Farmhouse Dream.

This is a story of a dream come true.

I suppose it began a long time ago when I was just a little girl. You see, I grew up in a little red brick house that sat on an acre of land. It wasn't the house or the land that made it particularly special - it was the way my parents created a home out of love for our family and faith in God. And yet even though a sacred home can be created in any location, this little spot was heaven to me. The sloping hill with shady maple trees, the springtime blossoms, the summertime apples and sweet cherries, the old red barn, the pasture that stretched on for what seemed like miles...these are the things I treasured.  This was home to me.

So I guess it shouldn't have surprised me that when I grew up and moved away, all I ever really wanted to do was move back home. Maybe not literally, but figuratively I had this dream to create for my own family what my parents created for me.

Since Patrick and I have been married, we have lived in eight different abodes and have brought our "home" with us wherever we've gone. And yet, even so, there's been this yearning in my heart to find a spot of land in this great big world where the location, the surroundings, and the area feel similar to the home I had as a child.

When we built our house where we now live, it was so close to perfection. We built our cozy cottage perched on a hill with splendid valley views. It has a large yard and sits in a quiet neighborhood. And to everyone else's standards, it's perfection indeed. But even before we started building, Patrick and I had been looking for land. It was our shared dream to build a home on a few acres somewhere in the countryside, but that dream was not yet to be. We did not have sufficient funds for acres of land, so we decided to purchase our 1/3 acre lot and make an untamed rocky hillside into a haven of sunshine for our children. But we promised each other that one day the farmland would come. And I always knew in my heart that it would.

For three years we settled into this bright little cottage, creating a home and taming the wilderness. With generous help from family, friends, and neighbors, and through our blood, sweat, and tears, we hauled boulders, raked rocks, spread ten dump trucks of fill dirt, bordered gardens, brought in truckloads of compost, built a sandbox, laid pallets of sod, planted six fruit trees, and dozens of flowers and bushes. It was truly a labor of love and our yard seems to smile at me every time I look at it.

During this time, I kept my "Farmhouse Dream" alive in my heart. I told only a few close friends and family members because most people just didn't understand why I would ever want to move. So I prayed for contentment with what the Lord had given me and I worked for it every day. With time, I fell so in love with this "Sunhaven Cottage" and it's outdoor eden that I thought maybe my childhood dream was not meant to come true. I tucked this dream on a shelf in my heart and decided to come alive in the home I was in. So we lived and laughed and cried and played and made so many memories that I will cherish forever. But every so often, I would take out my little Farmhouse Dream and feel this twinge of "what if?" What if this dream could still come true? But was it selfish? Should I just give it up and stay here forever?

I took my questions to the Lord and He answered with a host of feelings and assurances that now take up pages in my journal. And through it all, He whispered so gently that there would be a farmhouse someday and my Farmland Dream would indeed come true. His whispers reassured me that my dream was not selfish but intrinsically connected to who I am and my purpose in life. The answers from on high calmed my fears and gave me the courage to live joyfully in the present while at the same time nurturing a hope for the future.

So last summer I began land searching. Not in any desperate, need-to-escape kind of way, but just so I could get a feel for the county we live in and where I would someday like to be. Many summer days after swimming lessons the children and I would go for a drive through the countryside and find plots of land for sale. It was a lovely pastime, but I never found anything I loved. I knew that when I saw it, I would know. It would be right and it would feel like home.

After a year of driving and dreaming, I decided that when our family outgrew the current bedroom situation in our cottage, it would be time to either move or finish the basement and settle in for the long haul. When I found I was expecting our fourth child at Christmas, we made plans to turn our daughter's room into a shared bedroom for her and the new baby. With four children, we would still easily fit in our house, so I told the Lord that maybe in a year or two I would consider moving.

Then one day as I was vacuuming I noticed several damaged areas of the carpet and thought we would definitely need to redo the floors if we ever moved. I filed the idea in my long-term to-do list, but no more than a few days later, our son accidentally flooded the toilet with too much toilet paper and we had a small-scale flood on our hands. Two minutes of damage turned into two miserable months of repair and insurance calls and workers in and out of our home every waking minute while I was extremely morning sick. All the carpet was torn out and replaced with wood flooring that I had always wanted. I was grateful that this trial brought about such a fortuitous blessing. Because little did I know, that in the midst of the flood repairs, we would find our farmland...

It was a cold and snowy Sunday evening, just before dusk. We were on our way home from my parent's Sunday dinner and I was feeling morning sick as usual. As we neared closer to home, I thought maybe a drive through the snowy countryside would do me good. So I asked Patrick if we could take the long way home, but I didn't tell him where to go. I was hoping he would make a certain turn into a little town I love. It's not on our way home--it's a bit out of the way. But to my surprise, without a word, Patrick turned at the exact spot I had hoped. Just a little coincidence, but it didn't stop there.

As we drove down the quiet country road, I remarked to my husband, "Why can't there ever be any land for sale out here? I love this countryside! I wish there was just a little spot of land for sale!" I grew silent for a moment and reminisced on the evening a few years back when we had come out here to a sweet man's homemade ice skating rink. We skated for hours and I had wished I could stay there forever.

Suddenly, pulling me out of my reverie, I noticed a little sign up ahead. "Is that a for sale sign?!" I exclaimed. We slowed down and pulled over to the side. Sure enough, the sign read "FOR SALE" and I got this overpowering feeling of warmth in my heart. This was it. I could feel it.

The next few days offered hope and momentary disappointment as we found out the land was already sold. But then we found out that there was another plot of land for sale in the very same field, but it was already under contract. But maybe, possibly, if the buyer fell through, the farmland could be ours. I felt so much peace throughout the whole process. When I prayed about it, I felt peace, like everything would work out exactly as it should. And work out it did. After a month of waiting, we were offered a piece of the farmland and we made an offer.

We still didn't know how it would all work out. Now we'd have to sell our house right after we made it so beautiful. And how could I leave our friends and neighbors? We had grown so close to our church family here. I was still sick and we weren't sure this was the right time to be moving and building - with a baby on the way. But each day, we put our trust in Heavenly Father and He guided us step by step - lighting the path in front of us.

The timing was definitely not my own. But the Lord knows best. He knows when we need to settle and when we need to move. And for some reason, this is our season to move. The house sold in less than a week. I didn't even have time to put a for sale sign in the yard. And we have to be out now in just nine days.

There is still so much uncertainty that lies ahead. We hope to have our Farmhouse built by Autumn, but we will see how it goes. The Lord keeps opening doors and windows and little crawl spaces. So we follow where His Spirit leads and put our faith and trust in Him forever. He cradles our lives in His hands and is ever so involved in every detail. This is my faith.

So as we embark on this journey, I hope to share with you the adventure that lies in nurturing and growing a dream. I hope that deep in your heart you have special tucked-away dreams that are intrinsically connected to who you are and why you came to earth. As we follow the nudges of the Holy Ghost, we can sort out which dreams are God-given and when to plant and nurture them. May you have the courage to examine your seed-like dreams and surrender them to the Gardener. He will help them grow and bloom in His own due time. Of this you can be sure.

Secrets to a Heartfelt Valentine's Day

Is there a way to elevate Valentine's Day from one of high expectations and disappointment to one of meaningful, heartfelt memories?

I've experimented over the last nine years to find the secret formula for the perfect Valentine's Day. These 5 simple tips below are the essence of what I have found.

1. Give Love. First and foremost, change your focus from "getting love" on Valentine's Day to "giving love." This tip is the single most important thing I can offer you.

It will change your world.

Dream up all the ways you can make this day magical for your family, friends, and loved ones, and watch your heart expand and open. This one simple shift in thinking will allow you to receive more love than you can possibly imagine.

2. Celebrate YOUR Family. I could easily call this tip, "Don't compare," but I don't like the negative statement. Instead of allowing yourself to get caught up in all the ways your friends, neighbors, and social media photos celebrate Valentine's Day, be unique. Be authentic and create your Valentine's Day in a way that brings you and your family joy. It doesn't matter how anyone else is celebrating. Honestly take stock of what is important and meaningful to you and cut out the rest guilt-free. This tip is vitally important as you read the rest of my tips. I offer our family's celebrations as mere ideas. Please don't feel like you have to do or be like me. Just be YOU.

3.  Simplify Traditions & Decor. Not all the loving plans and gifts we dream up will be realistic or even feasible. Hone your list of dreams to the very most meaningful ways you can make Valentine's Day special.

{Our simple Valentine's Day celebrations include gifting the children a bowl of candy and chocolates when they wake up, along with a new book or two that I have recorded reading to them so they can listen anytime they would like. My husband and I take turns planning our evening date for after the children go to sleep.

My Valentine's decor is very simple, yet lovely. I fill my red glass basket that belonged to my grandmother with Valentine's chocolates, and place an empty chocolates box on the table. This empty box is sometimes filled with love notes that we write to each other. This year I am on the lookout for when my children are kind and serve one another. I write it on a little heart and place it in the box. On Valentine's Day I will assign one of the children to be Cupid, and they will get to pass out the hearts to those who did the service. I hang on my shelves a simple banner of 5 vintage Valentine's cards on red & white striped twine. And the final touch for me is a big bouquet of fresh flowers. This is the icing on the cake for me...my flowers have yet to arrive this year, but I will be posting a photo on Instagram when they come if you follow me there.}




4. Create a Heartwarming Meal. Now, this meal doesn't have to be fancy or glamorous or even homemade. Plan a meal that will bring you joy (and not much stress). If our holidays are so consumed with busyness, they lose their sparkle and cease to be a joy and delight. Make your menu, then don't second-guess yourself. If a night out at a special restaurant would be more joyful to your family than hours in the kitchen, don't hesitate. But if you prefer a gourmet feast with all the trimmings, follow your heart. There is no right way to create a heartwarming meal. The key is to make sure whatever you do is heartwarming to you and those you love.

{For breakfast we are trying out a new tradition of a special Valentine's cereal bar where the children get to create their own bowl of "cereal love" (Rice Crispies topped with heart-shaped marshmallows, tiny dehydrated marshmallows, and sprinkles). Dinnertime always involves hearts of some kind. Some years we make a heart-shaped pizza, but usually, we have heart pancakes.

This year the menu will be: heart-shaped pancakes topped with strawberry or raspberry jam & a dollop of whipping cream, along with cherry pomegranate juice, bacon, eggs, raspberry pretzel salad, and chocolate-dipped strawberries for dessert.}

5. Let this holiday be a pattern for your life...

Finding Christ in Christmas.

I pondered in the stillness, cuddled on the cushions of my white couch. It was late October and Christmas felt just around the corner. This year I determined to keep Christmas centered on Christ. As I gazed out the window, I briefly recalled Christmases past....

I remember the Christmas when I spent dozens of hours creating two twin quilts for my toddler boys. It started as an act of love, but as the days turned into weeks, and my boys watched movies while I painstakingly picked out stitches, measured endless yards of fabric, and hummed that little sewing machine for all it was worth, I realized how very much I disliked sewing and how very much time I was not spending playing with my little boys. It broke my heart and I vowed to never repeat that season.

Another Christmas, guilt consumed me because with all the festive traditions of cookie-making, light-seeing, gift-giving, and Christmas-caroling, I couldn't keep up. I thought I should do all of these amazing traditions and I over-packed our days like a too-small gift box. Most of the well-intentioned activities I had planned fell by the wayside. I felt like a failure, and I promised myself that a too-busy Christmas wouldn't happen again.

Last Christmas I felt stirrings in my heart to make the season memorable and joyful. But discouragement and discontent crept into the corners of my heart and all I could think about was how my walls were the wrong color, my decor wasn't fitting, and how my house didn't feel like home. This was the worst Christmas of all.

But this year, I vowed, this year would be different. Despite our crazy autumn packed to the brim, Christmas glimmered off in the distant December with a promise of hope.

To read the rest of my post and discover how I am intentionally creating more joy & peace in our Christmas, take a stroll over to Simply For Real, where I am guest posting today. 

A "Less is More" Christmas

Today, on this lovely Monday morning, I have the special privilege of introducing Lynnette Sheppard who has kindly agreed to guest post here at Writing in the Stillness. 

Lynnette Sheppard lives in Arizona with her husband and five children. She loves chocolate, sunshine, trying new recipes, and curling up with a good book. She encourages others to live authentic, intentional lives that are grounded in roots of faith and simplicity on her blog, Simply for Real. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

How a “Less is More” Christmas Can Joyfully Transform the Holidays

I come from a family where Christmas was a huge production. The grand finale featured a mountain of presents that sometimes reached almost halfway up the tree. As a child, I looked forward to it all year long.

I cannot deny that the magic was real for me back then. I could not wait to sneak out before Mom and Dad woke up on Christmas morning and attempt to count the number of gifts that had my name on them. That was usually an exercise in futility because there were so many brightly wrapped packages arranged around the majestic tree, but that did not stop me from trying.

There were many years where money was tight, but that did not necessarily result in fewer presents. It only meant that thrift and creativity was used in the acquisition of that enchanting mountain. It was the one time during the year when we were rather spoiled.

I remember feeling sorry for my friend one year because she only got one gift when I could not even name everything that I got without looking at the stash. I was sure that she was deprived of the Christmas magic that I had grown to love. For me, that magic consisted of stuff…and lots of it.

However, I also remember that, despite the amount of time, thought, effort, creativity, and money that my parents invested in order to make Christmas big and memorable, it seemed like there was always somebody unhappy after all of the gifts were opened because they did not get what they wanted. I felt bad for my parents when that happened, but I brushed those feelings aside when I looked at my own stack of gifts.

Many years later, when I had young children of my own, my husband and I decided that we no longer wanted to carry on the tradition of big Christmases. While we loved it as children, as adults we did not enjoy the frenzied shopping, endless wrapping, and staying up late on Christmas Eve to make sure that everything was perfect.

But, more than that, we did not enjoy watching our kids open one gift, look at if for a moment, and then toss it aside like it was no big deal while they waited for us to hand them something else. We wanted them to be grateful for what they received, and we knew of no better way to teach them that than to give them less.

From that point on, we told the kids (the oldest of which was eight at the time) that they would only receive one present from Santa and one present from Mom and Dad. That was in addition to a pair of new Christmas PJ’s, one new book each, and one gift from the family member who drew their name out of hat. The pile of gifts under the tree on Christmas morning became significantly smaller, and that was a beautiful thing.

The best part, however, was that the beauty extended beyond the number of presents. Not only did I feel like the kids started to appreciate their gifts a whole lot more, but we all began to enjoy the events of season more than we had in the past. Fewer gifts translated into fewer hours spent shopping and agonizing about whether we had enough. It meant that we spent much less time wrapping, and late nights on Christmas Eve with a roll of wrapping paper and tape in hand were only a memory. It meant that we worried less about how we were going to hide everything in order to keep little eyes from seeing their surprises before Christmas morning. At the end of the day, less time spent in the pursuit of stuff resulted in considerably less worry and stress surrounding the holidays.

Although the month of December will never be void of busyness, especially now that our kids are older and have their own busy schedules, our deliberate decision to simplify our gift giving has really simplified our whole approach to the holidays. It has indirectly created more time and energy to do the things that we love: watching Christmas movies, reading Christmas stories, attending concerts and plays, enjoying the magnificent lights and sounds, cooking, eating, spending time with friends and family, and focusing on the birth of Christ, which is, after all, the real reason for the season.

Because it has made a huge difference in our family, I wholeheartedly recommend a minimalist approach to Christmas for anyone who tends to feel more overwhelmed than joyful at this time of year. Less is truly more: more gratitude, more energy, more joy, and more time to focus on what matters most.

Day 29: Life Moments

We visited my Gram and Pop this past weekend and so I brought along my hand-lettering supplies to create prints. As I was drawing, Pop brought out his notebooks where he has recorded hundreds of quotes, poems, and thoughts. He read me a few and I fell in love with this one instantly (along with others that I will be hand-lettering in the future).

Thank you for teaching me this, sweet Pop. And thank you for sharing thousands of moments with me and my family. We will treasure them always.

Day 28: Flowers on my Table

This is so true of me. No diamond could outshine the beauty of real, live, fragrant flowers on my table. It's why I want lots of flower gardens--and especially a cutting garden--so I can harvest the blooms to bring indoors. I love to grace my table with flowers.

It's the little things in life that bring the most joy.

Day 26: The Reward

So often we want to get to a desired destination to reach happiness. But, truth be told, we will never reach that "perfect" destination. There will always be something just over the next horizon for us to pursue. The trick is to enjoy the now and find happiness in the present. And this little quote helps me visualize just exactly how to do that.

Life is a journey, my friends. And how blessed we are to be on this journey. Stay present.

Let the journey itself be your reward.

{Find this print in my shop by clicking here.}

Day 24: Do What You Love

What do you love to do? Have you ever made a list? If not, stop what you're doing and go make one this moment. If you have children at home, let them make a list too.

Now hang up your list where you will see it often.

Life is too short to spend too much time doing unbearable things.

It's Saturday...so it's time to do something you love. Pick just one thing on your list (or two or three) and do it today. No ifs, ands, or buts.

See what a difference it makes in your day.

Now, repeat. Every day. As often as you can. If you do this, you will look back on your days at the end of your life and see the beautiful life you created.

xoxoxo,

Jamie

{To view this print in my shop click here.}

Day 23: Never Grow Up

Fridays=family time and so on this Friday, I can't help but think of my sweet family and all that they mean to me. I have three children ages 8, almost 7, and almost 4. Truly, they are a bundle of delight. I don't know how I got so lucky to receive these three special gifts from my Father in Heaven. Their personalities amaze me and their valiance leaves me in awe.

But I have a problem. You see, no matter how hard I try, they keep growing up.

The change is almost imperceptible in the days, but when you look back at a picture or video from even just a year ago, the change is drastic. I hardly notice it happening, but it happens in the blink of an eye.

My mother used to give me "stay-little pills" and I just recently heard from my Grandfather that he used to give my mother "stay-little pills." Apparently, they don't work, because I keep trying them on my own children to no avail.

In my mind, I know they need to grow up and experience all the beauty that life has to offer. I want them to have all the joy I have. But still my heart cries out, "Please, just never grow up!"

With each passing day, they bring me more and more joy. Their personalities are emerging and blossoming in such delightful ways. Every year brings me blessings unimaginable. So naturally, I love to see them grow up and learn new things and become this wonderfully unique and capable little human being. But at the very same time, I want to cradle their faces in my hands and freeze time just exactly as it is now. {Don't even get me started on the heart-wrenching feelings that emerge when I look at their little toddler pictures...}

Oh this growing up business is not for the faint of heart. It's ever so bittersweet as a mother.

Maybe tomorrow, sweet children, you can grow older...but not today.

Stay little...just for today...



{To view this print in my shop click here.}

Day 22: Moments

Do you have a collection? I collected many things growing up--stamps, teddy bears, dalmatians, bookmarks, and tea pots to name a few. I was a collector.

I still am. But my main collection now is that of memories. I love the moments that make up my cherished memories. I collect moments through photos, journaling, writing, and video recording. And my favorite moments to collect are family memories.

I kept a family blog from 2008-2015 and now I have a special print instagram account for family memories. These I print into books so I can always treasure the words and photos from our family's memories.

My other favorite thing to do is record my children on video. I record the big moments and the small moments and those in-between. Then in the fall time I pull out all the recordings and make one short movie for every month that recaps our memories through video and music. On New Year's I give them to my family and we curl up together to watch them.

Material things get old, break, become outdated. But moments? They are priceless. They're worth more than all the money in the world.

Truly, memories, and the moments from which they are made, will live on forever.

How do you collect moments? Please comment below...

{And to view this print in my shop click here.}

Day 19: Look

All the Israelites had to do was look to the brazen serpent to be healed and live. But because of the simplicity of the way, so many would not look, but chose to perish instead. Why wouldn't they look? we wonder to ourselves. It was so simple, so easy.

But how often do we do the same? The scriptures filled with the healing word of God wait for us on dusty shelves. But do we pick them up? Our church meetings, and especially the sacrament offer forgiveness, refreshment and nourishment to our parched souls. But do we go? And if we do, do we bring a softened, open heart? The great God of the universe, our very Eternal Father in Heaven waits patiently for us to commune with Him in prayer for all the things we need, but do we come?

Abundant life is freely offered to us at any and every moment of the day. All we must do is look.

Look to God and live.

Will you?

Day 16: A Beautiful Ride

Life really is a beautiful ride, isn't it? If you're anything like me, you wake up every morning with overwhelming stress, mountains of laundry and a to-do list as long as the Amazon, but when you really stop and think about it, aren't we just so blessed to be alive? You are gifted 24 hours every single day--what will you do with those few precious hours? We can use them to rush around as busy crazies, or we can s l o w  d o w n and savor each precious moment for exactly what it is--a gift. Ride along today at a slower than usual pace. See if you can truly relish the beautiful ride. Happy Friday my sweet, sweet friends. Thank you for sharing this space with me. I hope your weekend turns into the most lovely, meaningful gift for you!

{To view this print in my shop, click here}

Day 11: Happiness

The secret to finding happiness is really not about "looking" for it. It's about creating it.

We can best create joy in our lives by living righteously and doing the things that light our hearts with  happiness. I've wasted a lot of time looking for happiness by trying to be perfect instead of simply trying to be the very best me.

Life is so precious. I encourage you to do at least three things today that fill your soul with joy. In this way, you will be creating your very own happiness.

Day 8: I Love to See the Temple

{Find this print in my etsy shop here}

From the back windows of my home, if you search the horizon, you can see the temple way off far in the distance. At night you can see the glow of the spires. Truly, I love to see the temple. These beacons of light are a piece of heaven on earth and I delight every time I am honored to step inside temple doors. In the temple I always feel perfectly at home.

Lately I have felt stirrings in my heart to retreat to the temple more often. It has been our goal, as a couple since we were married, to attend once a month. For the most part, we have kept our goal, and it has proved such a blessing, but there was a special time in our married life when we were blessed to attend the temple weekly and it made such a difference.

I miss those days when we lived just down the street from the Rexburg temple. We would each pick a day during the week to rise at 5:00 in the morning to attend the temple at 6:00. Since we had little babies, we would switch off and go separately. Then once a month, we would get a babysitter and go together. There was a special feeling in our little cottage apartment during those two years we lived there and I believe it was because of the choice we made to increase our temple attendance.

Now I live 20 minutes from the temple, and while it seems so far, I remember in Portugal when we lived a country and 9 hours away from the temple. I am so blessed where I live, and in fact, so spoiled to live so close. I still have young children, and while this seems a valid excuse, the price to pay to attend the temple is so small in comparison to the blessings we receive.

To end, I would just like to quote from our beloved past apostle Elder Richard G. Scott:

"Because I love you, I am going to speak to you heart to heart, without mincing words. I have seen that many times individuals have made great sacrifices to go to a distant temple. But when a temple is built close by, within a short time, many do not visit it regularly. I have a suggestion: When a temple is conveniently nearby, small things may interrupt your plans to go to the temple. Set specific goals, considering your circumstances, of when you can and will participate in temple ordinances. Then do not allow anything to interfere with that plan. This pattern will guarantee that those who live in the shadow of a temple will be as blessed as are those who plan far ahead and make a long trip to the temple.

"Fourteen years ago I decided to attend the temple and complete an ordinance at least once a week. When I am traveling I make up the missed visits in order to achieve that objective. I have kept that resolve, and it has changed my life profoundly. I strive to participate in all the different ordinances available in the temple.

"I encourage you to establish your own goal of how frequently you will avail yourself of the ordinances offered in our operating temples. What is there that is more important than attending and participating in the ordinances of the temple? What activity could have a greater impact and provide more joy and profound happiness for a couple than worshipping together in the temple?

-Elder Richard G. Scott 

Today I will be establishing a new goal of how frequently I will retreat to the temple to gain the peace, direction, and blessings that await. I can't afford not to.

May we never lose sight of the temple, and all of the glorious blessings that await us there.

Never Ask "WHAT'S FOR DINNER" Again!

Thanks everyone who joined me for my live periscope broadcast today! If you are not familiar with periscope, it's super easy! Just download the free periscope app on your phone, register your account, and then follow me--my username is: JamieInTheStillness. The fun thing about periscope, is that if you are watching live, you can comment and ask questions so it is very interactive and engaging. I'd love for you to join me on my next periscope episode. I post to Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook before I go live, so follow me there to stay updated on when my next periscope will be.

If you missed today's, don't worry! You can watch the replay for 48 hours on the periscope app or you can watch it here on Youtube.

Today's broadcast features easy meal planning tips so you never have to ask "What's for Dinner Again!"

Enjoy and Happy Thursday!
P.S. If you have an idea for a periscope video that you would like me to do, send me an email at writinginthestillness@gmail.com
P.P.S. Here is the link to the recipe box I promised you. :)