Simple is not Stupid

Today the Amish of the Sugar Valley Produce Auction held their first annual consignment auction. There has been excitement for days, and people have been unloading items all week.  They had everything from old rims and dressers (ours) to Amish made quilts.  The one I did not bid on, sadly, looked much like the one in this picture.  Next year I will bid on everything I like.  This quilt went for 175.00 and I am so sad it is not now on my guest room bed.  *sigh*

I was amazed at the organization and coordinated effort that made this event possible.   There are 53 families who operate the produce auction, and those same families ran the auction today. They had Amish barbecued chicken, homemade pies and cookies, huge hoagie sandwiches and all kinds of stuff to drink and snack on.  They had 3 Amish auctioneers working simultaneously.  Each auctioneer had his own style and sound.  The man who was auctioning the quilts had great comments to make about each quilt and quilt top that was sold.  From comments about wild colors (??) and which ones would look good in an all white room.  The man who was auctioning the farm equipment, windows and screen doors was singing his auction.  I had to stand and listen for some time to appreciate his rhythm and lilt. 

It was a delightful morning/day.  Jeff is still there watching for the sale of a plow to pull behind the 4 wheeler and a LARGE dog cage for Kona.  Spring really is here today.

Reverencing the Savior

Dad gave a talk a few weeks ago about reverencing the Savior.  I have pulled a couple of quotes from it to share.  He quoted Elder Dennis B Neuenschwander:

•  Our ability to seek, recognize, and reverence the holy above the profane, and the sacred above the secular, defines our spirituality.  Indeed without the holy and sacred, we are left with only the profane and secular.
• Great personal preparation is required for us to receive the spiritual benefit of standing in holy places. Holy places and sacred space are also distinguished by the sacrifice they require.  
• Elder Ballard taught that the word sacrifice  means literally to make sacred  or to render sacred.  The words sacred and sacrifice come from the same root.  One may not have the sacred without first sacrificing something for it.  There can be no sacred without personal sacrifice.  Sacrifice sanctifies the sacred.
• The blessings of the temple are intertwined and inseparable from significant sacrifice.  The ordinances performed therein provide access to the full expression of the Savior's atoning sacrifice.

Dad's final comments were: 

What a sweet experience it will be to have the knowledge and testimony necessary to be able to hand our life over to the Savior, saying, "I know who you are, and I am your servant.  Do with me as you like."

When we are able to, without hesitation, know that because of His atonement, Jesus Christ will, in times of need, make up the difference for us, if we but ask, then we can be assured that we are on the right path.  We then know that He is our Redeemer and our way back to our Father in Heaven.

My Man

There are things about Jeff that bother me, that irritate me, that make me feel so impatient.  But there are so many more things about him that I love and appreciate. Because the things that irritate are so RIGHT THERE, the wonderful things are sometimes ignored.  BUT I want the world to know what a good man he is, how much I appreciate all that he is.  Therefore...

•  When I come home from work and I find the dishes done and the bed made, I sigh with contentment.
• When he cuddles up in bed and wraps himself all around me, I am warm.  (when he is away, I am never warm in bed, unless I am having a hot flash and hot flashes never warm me all the way to my toes.)
• He always takes out the trash and the compost, even when the snow is knee deep.
• He is willing to wash the car (because I want him to) even in the freezing cold weather of January and February.
• Sometimes his eyes well up when he looks at me for no reason other than he loves me.
• He sings along with the IPod.
• He is artistic.  His specialty is outside landscaping.  His masterpieces makes me smile when I come home or step out onto the deck.
• He loves his garden and proves it with his work. 
• The deer in our woods love him.  In the summer while he works in the garden they will come to the field and watch him while they nibble the clover, and in the winter he feeds them nearly every day.
• He feeds the turkeys and deer all winter long.  He seldom misses a day.
• I love when he suggests the hot tub.  Even when I don't really want to go out, I do, and I am always glad I did.
• He looks GREAT in a white shirt and jeans.
• He loves our kids.