I Love Spring

I've always been a spring season fan. I love that it can be snowing/cold in the morning and then sunny and warm-ish in the afternoon.  I love the flowers that poke through the snow and thrive in the rain.  I love the blooms on the trees.  Everywhere I go I stop and examine the buds on the tree branches to see the growth - I love the proof that winter has only given the growing things a little nap and rest and they are ready to display their beauty again.  I took these pictures on our Sunday Stroll yesterday.  The one was looking at a bush hanging over the fence far above my head and I'm inexperienced enough at photography to not realize the cloudy sky was dimming the picture too much.  Don't care, putting it on here anyway.  The bush / tree was so pretty.

We took some time to run over to Herriman to see our son.  We don't see them often, their lives are busy and we feel more of a nuisance than a reason. But he had texted us to tell us he'd had a mishap and had been to the E.R.  His scalp laceration is glued shut (he didn't want to go back for staple removal), a couple of his ribs are broken at the spine and one is broken in the front and he's bruised.  I was more than glad we'd taken the time, I needed to see for myself that he was going to be ok.  Once a mom....

Fifth Sunday meetings at church mean all the adults meet together.  We had a guest speaker - Mike Schlappi.  Apparently a lot of people in the room knew him and his story (accidentally shot by his friend at 14 years old, paraplegic ever since and done well with his life- Olympic medalist, etc.).  He is an inspiring speaker, has a cute sense of humor and has dealt with his trauma in a way I'm certain pleases our Heavenly Father.  It hasn't been easy.  He said a number of things that I took notes for.  Wanted to put a couple things down here so I remember them.  Probably nothing really extraordinary - one of those things that has impact in the moment but sometimes is harder to carry over through life.

• About change, he said if we resist change, we fail.  If we accept change we manage.  If we create change we succeed.  That's an interesting perspective, especially for those of us who don't really thrive on change.  One thing he mentioned (that, interestingly enough, I had already read several times this week) is that sometimes working harder isn't the answer.  Harder and harder isn't always effective.  Try doing the thing differently for success.  

• He said that an average person has 11 negative thoughts for every 1 positive thoughts.  Wow, no wonder it's so hard to be positive.

• Pain can (if we are intentional) lead to change which can lead to knowledge (learning) which can lead to growth.  My thought:  that growth is what our Heavenly Father hopes for each of us, as we travel our own specific path.

• The world is made up of takers and givers.  Takers eat well (meaning they enjoy the material things of life) givers sleep well (meaning they feel greater fulfillment, peace and more deep enjoyment of life).  I have actually heard that one before also.  It's a common saying.

• His attitude (when his Olympic team lost the gold medal - one member tested positive for drugs) is not that they lost the gold but that they won the bronze.  Good perspective.

Anyway, it was a good reason to have stayed for the second hour of church. 

When did it become a thing for teens to play on house rooftops (at night in the dark)?  And is that ok?  I'm concerned when there's a dozen or more teens playing in the road (it's dark outside) and there's a friend's car that goes speeding down the road - over and over - super fast.  Can't see the kids in the road, going (super speeding IMO) w-a-y too fast down a narrow residential street:  someone is going to get hurt.  😟

Today I'm grateful for hope that I can improve.  For another chance to be kind.  For seeing deer on our morning walks.  I'm grateful for good books to read (currently reading Jefferson Fisher's new book "The Next Conversation"  and so far it's great!) and stuff to do - like sort through, clean out and get rid of unnecessary stuff.  I guess I'm just grateful for a new day.