Inspired Shopping Adventure

Janessa and I couldn’t believe the sign on the door of Ross in Bountiful, Utah on September 30, 2016. The hastily scrawled sign said “Cash Only. Our Credit/Debit machine is down.” A little dazed and confused, we walked into Ross. Inside, it was like a ghost town, with only a handful of people milling around. They looked a little dazed and confused, too.

One never knows what treasures are to be found at Ross. As we walked back to the toys, Janessa said, “I hope they have Littlest Pet Shop Toys.” I said, “I hope so, too” as I said a silent prayer that her request would be granted. I wanted to get a new bedspread but had no luck. While Janessa searched in the toys, I went to look at the next item on my list: new towels. I know, very exciting What really makes them exciting is that I’m giving them to Ron as a surprise birthday gift (he likes surprises, no matter how mundane). Word to the wise: this is what you get when you won’t ask for anything for your birthday-ha ha.

Then, Janessa and I reunited with our finds. She found a large Littlest Pet Shop set for half the price. Then, I suggested we walk back to the towels so she could pick some towels for the kids. On our way, we “happened” to pass the tall shelves with pull-out wicker drawers (I call it a wicker organizer.) This made Janessa stop in her tracks. She said, “This would be perfect for my LPS” (Littlest Pet Shops, for those in the know).

Then, came the issue of how to pay for all of it in cash. I usually just carry a $20 bill on me for emergencies. (Janessa later said, “This was an emergency.”) I had brought some items to exchange but it wouldn’t be enough for all we wanted to buy. Then, I remembered a pair of boots I needed to return to Famous Footwear that were in the car. So, we put our items on hold (except for the wicker organizer) and booked it to the car and then to Famous Footwear where we made a refund.

With cash in hand, we returned to Ross. We quickly walked to the back of the store and the wicker organizer was still there. We each had a cart full of items and we headed toward the front of the store. There was a super long line in comparison to the few people that were in the store. This was likely due to there being only one cashier.

Then another cashier showed up at customer service. I got in the empty line for “Returns/Exchanges.” I felt a little bad as all the people in the regular line glared at me as I was taken next in line.

I hadn’t really added things up. I was just trusting in the Universe. The cash register was super slow and I began to wonder if it would work. I said another silent prayer. I returned the items for in-store credit as the credit card machine still wasn’t working. I came up short. But I still had cash from the boots. I ended up with $20 left over from the boots. Yay!

Janessa waited by the front with our items while I drove the van to pick up the wicker organizer. Truth be told, I didn’t really want to carry the wicker organizer to my van. As I was about to pick it up, a strapping young Ross employee was heading for the exit and I enlisted his help.

We got home safely. I told my son Ryan about our grand shopping adventure. When I told him I bought towels for Dad’s birthday, he didn’t believe me. Then I showed him the towels and he believed me.

Janessa later told me she had said a silent prayer that the cash register would work too. Like mother, like daughter. We both like a good find and an answered prayer.

Could You Describe Love in One Paragraph?

I'm applying for chaplaincy school and have to write a dozen papers as part of the application. Chaplains can work in a variety of settings: military, hospitals, hospice, jails and prisons, emergency departments, large organizations, etc. The shortest paper for the application is to describe love in one paragraph. Could you do it? Below is my attempt:

I believe love means we have God’s heart to see as He sees and to love as He loves. God uses our hearts and hands to reach out to others but it is difficult to love as perfectly as God does and to see others as God sees them. In 1 Samuel 16:7, it reads “For the Lord does not see as man seeth, for man looketh at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” In order to love as God does, we need our heart expanded. So we must fervently pray and ask for this gift of charity or perfect love of Christ (Moroni 7:47-48.) In Paul’s writings (1 Corinthians 13:4-8), he gives some examples of what charity is (suffers long, is kind, rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, and never fails) and what it is not (doesn’t envy, doesn’t vaunt itself, is not puffed up, doesn’t behave unseemly, is not selfish, is not easily provoked, doesn’t think evil, doesn’t rejoice in iniquity.) But these do’s and don’ts do not capture the full essence and magnitude of this great love of God. Other LDS scriptures (Mosiah 18:8-9) describe this true love of Christ in terms of willingness to bear the burdens of others, mourn with others and comfort others. All of these scriptures combined (not to mention the commandment to love others as God does) comprise my feelings on love. I want to see others as God sees them and be His loving embrace, His shoulder to cry on, His hands to hold, and His feet to run to others in times of distress. Use me, Lord. The truest longing of my heart is to be thy servant of love.

The Story of the Hairdresser

I woke up one morning and had the idea to get a haircut. I was tired of styling my long hair. I wanted something really different but I was afraid to change. I looked at pictures online to get ideas. I found some pictures I liked, and, with phone in hand, I walked into the beauty salon.

I talked with the hairdresser and showed her the picture. I had long hair and wanted to go super short like a pixie cut. She looked at me kinda funny and began to lead me in a different direction with her questions. As she asked me for my preferences and gave her input, we both searched up topics rapidly on our individual phones. Finally, she said, “Voila! Here it is.”

She was right. The haircut pic was love at first sight. I asked her, “What search criteria did you look up?” She said, “Orange asymmetrical haircuts.” That was our aim. She wanted something face framing for me as she thought it would be the most flattering.

While she washed my hair in the shampoo bowl (this was Fantastic Sam’s, after all), I peppered her with questions: ”Do you think this will turn out? How difficult will it be to style? What color level is my hair? How does the color process work?” I went on and on.

Finally, she said, “Just trust me.” And I shut up.

While she was blow drying my hair, I had the following epiphany: I wondered if how I was with my hairdresser of peppering her with questions and not trusting in her, is how many of us (including myself) are with God or the Universe (insert your beliefs here). Except the questions are “Will my life turn out? Will I fulfill my mission? Why am I going through this? Do you know what you’re doing?” Finally, God says “Just trust me.”

Are we open to His suggestions of what would best suit us or do we sit in the heavenly beauty salon chair and argue with Him or not take His suggestions? Do we consult with God or do we just demand good haircuts like we demand for certain things to happen in our lives? Sometimes I go to the hairdresser or God with the craziest ideas or no idea at all of what I want for my hair or my life. I definitely need direction or the results could be disastrous (anyone ever had a bad haircut or a bad life decision?)

We come into this life with preconceived notions of what our life should be like, such as wanting a pixie haircut or a specific outcome of our life (love, fame, health, wealth, etc.) God knows what would suit us best and will steer us in that direction…if we let Him.

Sometimes He steers us in a different direction in our lives than what we intended. Do we trust Him? Or are we constantly worried and nervous while He is metaphorically cutting our hair (trimming us of our dead ends, shaping us up, giving us a whole new look or heart)? Are we afraid of changing our hair or our lives?

And we might just end up with a haircut even cuter and a life even better with His artistic hairdresser flare in our lives. Personally, I would love it if God were my hairdresser. I’m thankful He is so much more in my life. I know He has a plan for my hair and a plan for my life. Let's turn our hair and our lives over to God. He might just give us a makeover.

P.S. Thank you God for returning my spiritual feelings to me after a three year spiritual blackout.

P.PS. See Isaiah 55:8-9, Luke 12:7; Luke 21:18 for fun scriptures on God’s plans for us and hair.

A Night of Small Miracles with my Daughter

We had a fun Friday night together. Janessa collects Littlest Pet Shop figurines and heard online that some people had found some at Goodwill. Before we made the trek to the Goodwill in Salt Lake, I said a silent prayer that we’d find a Littlest Pet Shop figure. When we got to the store, the toy section looked puny and my hopes began to crash. But we looked anyway. Goodwill had the small toys assembled in grab bags hanging on the wall. Janessa looked on the lower racks and I looked above. Then I saw one. Janessa informed me that this was a Littlest Pet Shop and it was a rare one with glass eyes. In the same grab bag, was another Littlest Pet Shop figurine. Janessa expressed her gratitude for my prayer and for God helping us with this small miracle.

 

When we got home and she looked at the other items in her bag, she came across a Lucky Charms fortune teller where you click it and the dice is inside. The responses were Yes, No, Maybe, Doubtful, Try Again, Always. We spent the rest of the evening asking questions of the fortune teller. Most of the answers seemed plausible and even spooky. It was fun!

Later, Janessa curled up by me on the couch as I was writing. Then Janessa asked me what I usually write about. I was sad to say that it’s usually about my problems, how to get better and how to help people with similar problems. I showed her a book idea I was working on and she read aloud the following excerpt:

“Trust that the universe will take care of me. Enjoy each day! Await miracles. Don’t despair. Hang in there.”

At one point, Janessa said “Don’t disappear.” I wondered where that statement came from. Then I realized she said that instead of “Don’t despair.” I love it! She totally made my day.

If you’re ever feeling down, spend time with a child. You’ll leave with a stronger belief in miracles, dreams coming true and life is fun!

"What makes me special?," Asked my Child

I’ve spent some precious time recently with my 8 year old daughter Janessa. I was working on my laptop one night and Janessa came and curled up beside me. She asked, “What makes me special?” Then she wanted me to write down what made her special from anyone else in the world. She even had me do some breathing exercises to focus on what to write. I was trying to see if I could come up one liners that described her. I came up with eight statements; one for each year of Janessa:

Janessa is so cute and precious. So innocent and pure. She wanted a spoonful of chocolate frosting and ended up with a spoonful that was half the can of frosting! Devious little squirt…who pays me with hugs.

Janessa is made of sugar and can eat her weight in sugar.

Janessa has a soft gentle heart and a fun sense of humor.

Janessa pays for favors with her hugs. She once tricked her parents to buying her toys back from her.

Janessa is as magical as any fairy but as down to earth as any tree.

Janessa is kind and good and always says her prayers.

Janessa’s sweet whisper heals my heart and transforms my soul.

Her full teeth bare smile reminds me of a wolf or dog. She is genuinely herself and happy in her own skin.

Recently, I sent a card to Carinna (Janessa’s older sister) telling her what made her special with a list of attributes and the things I love about her. She loved it!

Kids love to hear about themselves. Spend an evening with a child telling them what makes them unique and special. Your children may even pay you with a hug, just like Janessa. Write down for a friend what makes them special. For a pick-me-up, write a list of attributes about yourself. Everyone is special and needs to be reminded of it from time to time.

Playing Peekaboo with God

Imagine a baby who had a close relationship with her parents and whose parents went on a date. What might the reactions of the baby possibly be when the baby can’t see her parents and feels alone? The baby might be sad, scared or even mad. The baby probably isn’t really mad at her parents; the baby just misses them. And just because the parents are out of the picture for an evening doesn’t mean the parents have forgotten the baby or love her less.

What if we apply this to adults and their relationship to their heavenly parent, God? Everybody wants to be close to God. When God is perceived as being distant from us, we might be sad, scared or even mad. Are we really mad at God? Well, sometimes. But more than anything, we miss the closeness to God. Does God love us less even though we can’t feel Him near? Definitely not.

Back to babies. When parents play peekaboo with their babies and put their hands over their face, the babies are disoriented when they can’t see their parents and may get upset. Do you know any adults who seem disoriented in this life? The babies become so distressed when they can’t even see their parents for a moment, just imagine the distress in our lives when we think we can’t see God for a moment! But God is always waiting behind the hands. But I believe it isn’t God’s hands as the barrier. I believe it’s our hands that separate us from God.

“Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...

For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God…” (Romans 8: 35, 38-39)

 

We have the power to pull down our hands down at any time and see God’s smiling face and feel the closeness again. When we see God at last, we might even laugh and clap our hands with joy like a little baby playing her favorite game...Peekaboo!