February 14, 2010

I hearted HEART DAY today




"Dear Calvin,
On this... HAPPY DAY OF LOVE!! I've been thinking and marveling off and on all day about our Father in heaven's plentiful, perfect, powerful, peaceful, LOVE for me, for YOU, and for each person that has ever or will ever live!! I am continually amazed that even thinking of that LOVE fills me quickly with calm compassion. I am overwhelmingly grateful that I know and feel without doubt that in spite of my imperfections and frustrations, I am HIS treasure & joy. I continually thank HIM for the privilege of being mom to O, B, S, C, J, C, M, A; daughter to B, D, & J; and companion forever to K. And I realize that the incredible LOVE I feel for each of you, and for so many other people with whom I share my packed life and HEART, is why I can even begin to comprehend HIS LOVE!! That LOVE I feel for and from my huge family and so many others is also why I begin to understand the significance of the huge and difficult sacrifice HE made when he had to allow HIS SON to suffer and be killed unfairly in spite of having lived perfectly, so that each of us could learn from and cling to a higher level of love and sacrifice - that makes up for anything we lack after we've given our ALL.

A full-time mission is an amazing chance to practice focusing and feeling that LOVE more than ever before, "i'nit"? It motivates, elevates, enlightens, heals, and comforts us.
I LOVE that the #1 most important thing HE wisely asks of us is to LOVE HIM with all we've got; our HEART, might, mind, and strength... Then that pure LOVE for HIM becomes our reason for doing EVERY worthwhile thing we do!
It really is key, and makes all the difference, doesn't it?

Thank you, Calvin - for ALL that you teach me about LOVE and worthwhile sacrifice.

ALL MY LOVE,
mom"

Sunday nights have become my reflective, 'email Calvin' times...
Monday mornings are my 'can't wait to check my gmail to see his weekly greeting' times... But every 6 weeks when potential changes in assignments or companionships come around, or 'MOVES' day, as they call them in the London South Mish, we don't hear from him until Thursday! ... That will be the case this week... Patience, patience.

It's been so long since we made Jello 'Jigglers' -- that Miss 13 and Mr 9.5 didn't know what they were. With a 15 yr spread from oldest to youngest, sometimes it hits me that the bunch has almost been raised in 2 different households... w/ Josie as liaison for them both.

More fun Valentine pics to post, so check back if you want to see one of Mom & 4 daughters w/ cute el cheepo heart necklaces stumbled upon yesterday to match my old one (Italian Murano glass heart) -- AND one of Koki (current "Mr Mom") getting more in touch with his feminine side...




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1 comment:

Kara said...

Cherie, I LOVE this post. I can understand your comment about raising kids in two different households having come from a family with a large spread. It is always interesting to see what things we all remember or to see what memories the older ones have that the younger ones have no idea what we are talking about.