One Year Later ...

If pictures are worth a thousand words, than I need not say a thing.

Happy Birthday Noah " No-No Beans" Russell Hymas!!

Family Feud ... Not a game

CAUTION: Today is a day filled with family nonsense. Pardon my soap box, I need this as a reference.

I wish I could say my family feuds mirrored that of the game show, you know:

• "Name an animal with three letters in its name."
• "Name a brand of gasoline."
• "Name something you would find in the fridge."

Nope, my family feuds consist of :

• "Why does dad stay in relationships he clearly isn't happy with?" or
• "Why can't we all be in a room without someone getting irritated?"

The list goes on without giving up too much personal details. I have been mulling this over for some time now and after all these years (and today in paticular) I still have no real answer. Is mine the only disfunctional family? No! Are there worse families out there? Yes! However, it still makes me ponder why families have the issues they do. And how do you turn a happy face to the drama. Is it possible to do that?

To be honest with you, I am considering a sabbatical from all family interaction for awhile. I have seen families who function on all cylinders and it is facinating to me. Thank you Aunt Sue and Aunt Nancy for the amazing example in families!!

With all that my family has been through you would honestly think that we would see life is short and has no time for silly pettiness. After all, with two major divorces, death of a child, one child critically injured you, would think by now we would understand the importance of being close and staying close.

With all this in mind, I have come to realize that this is my trial and test, perhaps I am to be the one that makes everyone see the better in the other and perhaps this is my warning from God saying keep your OWN family on the right path or this to shall be your inheritance. Nevertheless, I love my family faults and all but it sure would make life better if we could just get along.

So if you have family struggles remember:

"There is a divine purpose in the adversities we encounter every day. They prepare, they purge, they purify, and thus they bless."--James E. Faust, "The Refiner's Fire," Ensign, May 1979, 53

& ...

"No matter what circumstances you sisters experience, your influence can be marvelously far-reaching. I believe some of you have a tendency to underestimate your profound capacity for blessing the lives of others. More often than not, it is not on the stage with some public pronouncement but in your example of righteousness and the countless gentle acts of love and kindness done so willingly, so often on a one-to-one basis."--James E. Faust, "You Are All Heaven Sent," Ensign, Nov. 2002, 110

Oh ... and read http://www.usna.edu/LDSSA/Resource%20File/Notwithstanding%20My%20Weakness.doc

By the by, this excludes my in-laws ... this really is my own family.