Some Good Things

I can't believe I missed blogging for the entire month of March!  Yikes!

I have been very busy, as usual, but I haven't been doing much Sunday night posting as I have been doing.  Mostly because some of the Sundays have been filled with headaches (real ones), or trying to get the soccer email out to the players and parents for the week.  Plus, Sunday is usually the night that I email my missionary.  So most of my thoughts have been written in emails to him and I haven't needed my little outlet here.

I love my little outlet here, though.

In March, Lucy had her play.  She was Narrator #1 for Into the Woods Jr.  They had a couple of narrators, and Lucy's was designated as the element -Fire-. 
I guess they know her personality. 
She did very well in the play and has made lots of new friends.  The director wanted to know why she hadn't tried out before.  It is because this is the first year she could be dedicated to all the practices.

 One of the things that I love from Lucy's play is the portion of the story where Little Red Riding Hood is thinking about the events that have happened to her.  She is learning from her experiences with the wolf, and him being so nice that she just tells him right where she is going.  She says something like "Nice is different than good."  Even though he was so nice and thrilling, he turned out to be bad and actually ATE her and her granny.

Often we say that something is "good", but is it really?  How about a song or a movie?  What about our thoughts?

One of my favorite television channels is truly good.  It is BYUtv.  Their motto is "See the good in the world".  And they do.  They air a show called "Turning Point" and it is good.  Literally.
My favorite episode is "Camp To Belong".  I love it so much.  I love all of the Turning Points.
The first episode I saw is called "Free Wheelchair Mission".    I love it, too!

I love that these people were given talents and inspiration and just the right spot in the garden of life to flourish and bless those around them.  Keep your eyes peeled and your hearts open for inspiration.  One by one, we can make this world a good place.  I truly believe that.

Today I was reading on facebook about a little lady who is 106 years old who quilts every day.  She is very agile and still physically and mentally able to quilt every day.  There was a little news story about her, and at the end of the news story, it mentioned that she was still able to recite the poem "The Village Blacksmith" from memory.  I had never heard it, so I looked it up.  It is from Longfellow.

I must post it here.  I am so thankful for those in my life like The Village Blacksmith.

The Village Blacksmith

Under a spreading chestnut-tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.

His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
His face is like the tan;
His brow is wet with honest sweat,
He earns whate'er he can,
And looks the whole world in the face,
for he owes not any man.

Week in, week out, from morn till night,
You can hear his bellows blow;
You can hear him swing his heavy sledge,
With measured beat and slow,
Like a sexton ringing the village bell,
When the evening sun is low.

And children coming home from school
Look in at the open door;
They love to see the flaming forge,
And hear the bellows roar,
And catch the burning sparks that fly
Like chaff from a threshing-floor.

He goes on Sunday to the church,
And sits among his boys;
He hears the parson pray and preach,
He hears his daughter's voice,
Singing in the village choir,
And it makes his heart rejoice.

It sounds to him like her mother's voice,
Singing in Paradise!
He must think of her once more,
How in the grave she lies;
And with his hard, rough hand he wipes
A tear out of his eyes.

Toiling,--rejoicing,--sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou has taught!
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought;
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I too, am thankful for worthy friends who have taught me so many good and admirable things in life.  Some have taught me when I have made choices.  I would say that most of you have taught me through the choices that I see you make.  Thank you. 

Cousin Hallie was able to come up and see Lucy's play, and spend the night.  GASP!  We have a very strict no-sleepover policy, but this exception had to be made.  We took her home on Saturday afternoon, and Lucy and I were able to stop at my Grandmother and Grandfather's grave in the Provo cemetery.  It was beautiful and I love that I was able to tell Lucy a little bit about my mother's father and mother and the tragedy that their story was.  My grandfather was the love of my grandmother's life.  He died when my mother was only 2 years old, and my aunt Nancy was only 2 weeks old. 

I came to the realization that neither my mother nor my father knew their father in this life.

Just as a personal note, March 2015 was the month that Robert lost his wedding band.  Sad day.