Mother's Day

Here is a contemplative post in honor of Mother's Day.  It has really made me think.  Maybe it's because I just sent a missionary off.  Maybe it's because I'm preparing my youngest to enter Kindergarten soon.  Maybe it's because I'm feeling guilt over needing to work away from home.

We sang this song for Mother's Day - one I have never heard before.  It turns out it was an award winner in a church music contest.  You can find the music here.  I love the words and wanted to share them.  Time slips away so fast.  Please Lord let me enjoy the little moments with my little flock - - -

"Keeping Sheep"

I have a little flock of sheep,

And they are mine to tend and keep,

And I must guard them ev’ry day,

For little lambs, when left alone, will lose their way.

So many voices say to me,

“A sheep-fold is no place to be.

Your time in there is dull and slow,

And lambs leave very little room for you to grow.”

Oh, If I ever start to stray,

Deceived by thoughts of greener pastures,

Remind me Lord, that keeping sheep

Will lead to happier ever-afters.

Oh surely there will come a day

When all the lambs have left my side,

And I am free to roam about,

And go exploring other meadows green and wide.

Yet something whispers in my heart

That when my sheep have left this pen

I’ll long to stroke their little heads,

To draw them close to me and have them young again.

So, if I ever start to stray,

Deceived by thoughts of greener pastures.

Remind me Lord, that keeping sheep

Will lead to happier ever-afters.

So while they still are in my care,

I pray that I will clearly see

These little lambs within my fold

Are tender gifts a loving Father has given me.

Text:  Lynne Perry Christofferson

Music:  Lynne Perry Christofferson

Missionary Update

So I've neglected our blog a bit.  Since I last posted, so much has happened.  We moved into our new home at the beginning of February.  Wesley did receive his mission call to Milwaukee Wisconsin.  I took pictures of our prediction map and of him opening his call.  Tragically, we had a problem with the iPad and we had to do a restore and the pictures disappeared.  I have been rather depressed about several things that were lost, but the loss of these pictures was the saddest.  But, it really is my own fault for not posting sooner and for not backing up the iPad like I should.

Time has flown by by so fast, and this week, on May 1, Wesley entered the MTC.  As tears flowed freely, and Quinton was concerned, I told him, "these are happy tears".  He replied, "they don't look like happy tears, Mom."  But truly, they were tears of joy.  We are so proud of our boy.  Here are the last couple of pictures we took before he was whisked away from the car and off for the next two years.  A great big thanks to family and friends who supported us at his "farewell" and have generously given suppot to wish him well.