Give Me This Mountain

Spring on our little plot is a lot of work.

The previous owners had gardeners that they paid $8000 a year, lawn mowers they paid $400 every two weeks, pool guys, water guys, snow plow guys, and house cleaners.  They were good, good people with a beautiful home and property.

We have eight children, a very time-consuming church life, and heavy community involvement.  We obviously don't have the money that the previous owners had.  We have a work crew that takes frequent breaks to pick flowers.

Our yard will never be as beautiful as it once was, but I will never stop trying to care for it as best as we can.

(The previous gardeners are going to walk through the yard with me on Thursday to teach me what to do with this intense landscaping.  I'm so excited. I love that we're all learning so many new skills.)

I LOVED this talk by President Kimball shortly after he became the Prophet.  

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1979/10/give-me-this-mountain?lang=eng

"This is my feeling for the work at this moment. There are great challenges ahead of us, giant opportunities to be met. I welcome that exciting prospect and feel to say to the Lord, humbly, “Give me this mountain,” give me these challenges.

"Humbly, I give this pledge to the Lord and to you, my beloved brothers and sisters, fellow workers in this sacred cause of Christ: I will go forward, with faith in the God of Israel, knowing that he will guide and direct us, and lead us, finally, to the accomplishment of his purposes and to our promised land and our promised blessings.

“And Jesus said unto him, No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

I will “wholly follow the Lord my God” to the fullest extent of my energy and my ability.

"Earnestly and fervently I urge that each of you make this same pledge and effort—every priesthood leader, every woman in Israel, each young man, each young woman, every boy and girl.

"My brethren and sisters, I testify to you that this is the Lord’s work and that it is true. We are on the Lord’s errand. This is his church and he is its head and the chief cornerstone. I leave you this testimony, in all sincerity, with my love and blessing, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

I think of this talk as I see my 20 yards of mulch piled sky-high.

GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN!!

We chose this life so that we can happily work and teach our children to feel the dirt in their hands and the wind in their face.  

They care for animals, they play imaginative games outside, they swing from our trees, and we are happy.

I work hard every single day.

Yes, I'm happily overwhelmed at the family and farm I am caring for.

When I think of experiencing and not obsess about finishing, I am happy.

Thank God we're able.

Thank God we're so bountifully blessed.

Today I'm praying to be wise as I prioritize, and fast as I work.

I'm thankful for my challenges.

I'm here.  It's spring.  

My kids will never remember that are roses weren't skillfully pruned.  But they will become strong adults because they spent weeks moving mulch.

My focus this week is on creating a home of peace and goodness.  I'm focusing more on our ability to work together than on checking off my To Do list.  If my goal is to find joy working together, we can do it.  

This life is good.

Give me this mountain, 

give me these challenges!

Real yard work beats FarmVille any day!!

(We are level one farmers with a level 25 farm...  We are doing C+ but might get the end of the year award for most improved.)

We have TOO many dandelions.

I'm thinking Scott's weed n feed.

Any lawn experts out there?!!

Enjoy this day friends.

God is near you.