The other day my six-year old son and I were sitting at the table, each eating our own bowl of cereal. After several minutes of his sporadic comments, each further making the inner workings of his train of thoughts even more impossible to unravel, he said something that really caught my attention.

“I wonder what alcohol tastes like.”

I immediately recognized this as a brief chance to discuss something important. While our own family’s exposure to alcohol is quite limited — one of the advantages to living in a predominantly Latter-day Saint family — there is a whole other realm into which he enters every day: school.

He has many friends who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most of these friends have parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents, and maybe even older brothers or sisters who drink alcohol. It’s a normal part of their lives. For them, drinking beer may be along the same lines as drinking juice would be for us.

For the next several minutes, over many spoonfuls of cereal, we talked about being curious about what things like alcohol, cigarettes, or other harmful things might taste like. I was certain to point out that while we’re all apt to be curious, it doesn’t mean we should try them. None of us ever knows what might happen with even one small sample.

For those inexperienced with taking hold of teaching moments, I have a few simple suggestions drawn from my own experiences.

Don’t ever freak out. If you make it a big deal, they will too. Of course there will be times when it’s necessary to make a stern point, but doing or saying anything out of either anger or fright will only frighten your child as well, and they’ll be less likely to come to you next time.

Let them guide the conversation by asking questions. It might be what they’re really talking/asking about isn’t all that difficult to answer. In doing this, you can even help direct your child toward answering his/her own question.

Take them seriously. If you laugh them off or treat their inquiries as unimportant, they’ll begin to question their own thoughts and ideas. Don’t forget that just because an answer seems obvious to us, we were once little children and had to learn these things as well.

If you don’t know, or are unprepared to answer a question, tell them so. Suggest they give you time to explore the question, or look for the answer together.

Every child has a questioning mind, and every child loves to learn. It’s important to be certain they’re learning what the Lord wants them to learn.

For further understanding of why we adhere to a certain standard of what we eat and drink, see the Word of Wisdom.

This article was originally published in November 2007. Minor changes have been made.

Laurie W

“The power to choose is one of the greatest gifts God has given humanity. ” (“10 Ways to Teach Values in the Home”)

Ask anyone who has ever had his or her freedoms forcibly taken away—no one wants to be forced to do something. Especially a child! This is a lesson difficult for many parents to understand. Yet it is the final thing stressed in the pamphlet mentioned above, put out by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints several years ago.

Allowing our children the opportunity to help make decisions (personal and family decisions) that directly affect them is vital in helping them learn how to have some form of control over their lives. Have you ever met someone who’s never been allowed the chance to make his own decision? I have, and it’s nothing for a parent to brag about. If a child can’t learn to make even little decisions, how can we expect them to make the big ones?

When it comes to letting our children makes their own decisions (and assisting in making family decisions), be careful these are appropriate for their age and responsibility levels. Someone who is four could decide how many times a week she will take a bath. A child closer to ten could decide on what time he’ll get his homework done (such as after school or dinner).

The great thing about doing this is it gives your children some freedom, but it doesn’t infringe on your family’s nonnegotiable values. It gives your children a sense of control, but still keeps the decisions within your own limits.

I’ve mentioned this before, and I do it mostly because of how important it is: it is imperative that you explain to your children the reasons behind each family rule, as well as the values attached to them. Children deserve to know why you have set up certain rules. Just as parents and adults need to understand why they are being asked to follow certain decisions, children should be shown the same respect.

If you decide everyone needs to be involved in doing the laundry, explain why. Let your children know it’s not easy for Mom to do all the laundry, especially as the children grow and the laundry just gets bigger. For younger children, keep the rules simple. It can be their job to put their dirty clothes in the hamper. They can even help sort socks and put clothes in the drawers. For older children, encourage them to sort clothes into whites, lights, and darks. By this age, they should be old enough to put their own laundry away. Granted, they may not do a great job, (I rarely look in my daughter’s drawers unless it’s absolutely necessary) but that’s not the point.

Look for other areas where children can help set up their own rules. It could be in setting a curfew, inviting friends over, planning family activities, or different household chores. If you let your children help in making these rules and the consequences if the rules are broken, they’ll be much more likely to follow them. Also let your children know why these rules and values are important. It’ll make the learning process that much more potent.

This article was originally published in December 2007. Minor changes have been made.

Laurie W

All of us have sinned at least once in our lives, even if we did it in ignorance. Many children are taught incorrect truths as they grow up: swearing, hatred, intolerance, etc. I have known such sweet and innocent children, and even teens and adults, who have come to think evil things to be good, because that’s what they have been taught. Christ took every one of those sins upon Himself. But this is not all.

There are those out in the world who know what the laws of God are, and knowingly break those laws. At some point in their lives, they have been taught what is right or have felt the promptings of the Holy Spirit telling them what they are doing is wrong and have ignored those feelings. Even to the most vile sinners has the Lord offered the chance to be cleansed, by taking upon Him those sins, fully experiencing what they experienced and knowing why they did what they did. But this is not all.

“In Gethsemane Jesus took the full force of God’s overwhelming and retributory punishment. Justice demanded it, and we, who are sinners, deserve it. According to the rules framing the universe, the full consequences of transgressed laws cannot be dismissed or overlooked. They must be borne by someone – the sinner or the substitute. Jesus was that substitute for all of us who will allow him to be so” (Andrew C. Skinner, Gethsemane, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2002, p.51).

In other words, when we sin, justice demands a punishment. If we do not repent, we must face the punishment ourselves. However, if we become remorseful, and truly repent of the sin(s) committed, Christ’s suffering in the Garden will be enough to erase the sin. He has already endured the punishment for us. But this is not all.

In the Book of Mormon, which is another testament of Christ, we are taught a new truth concerning what the Savior took upon Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane. These words come from a prophet by the name of Alma, who lived in the Americas around 80 BC.

“And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind’ and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

 

“And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities” (Alma 7:11-12).

Christ took upon Himself our infirmities. What does this tell us? It means that He knows what it’s like to have cancer, lupus, multiple sclerosis, autism, depression, and myriads of other illnesses and diseases we are sometimes asked to endure to bring us a little closer to Him. Not only this, but He understands our pains. He knows what it’s like when we lose a loved one to death, to watch someone suffer needlessly and feel unable to help, to be tempted to the point of aching to give in. He knows and understands everything we will ever go through, whether it’s what God the Father places on our shoulders to endure, what we will bring upon ourselves through incorrect choices, or simply just the trials associated with mortality. He knows. Surely all of this should be enough for us to be spiritually saved, but even this is not all.

There came a point in those awful hours, when He had gone through so much already even to the point of having an angel there to strengthen Him (Luke 22:43), when one more thing had to happen for the Atonement to truly be complete. The Spirit of God was removed from Him. Think for a moment about how terrifying and horrible this must have been to someone who had never been without the light of God the Father in His entire life. In that moment of spiritual darkness, He became subject to the fullness of Satan’s wrath.

Boyd K. Packer, a late apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said:

“He, by choice, accepted the penalty for all mankind for the sum total of all wickedness and depravity….In choosing, He faced all the awesome power of the evil one who was not confined to the flesh, nor subject to mortal pain. That was Gethsemane” (Boyd K. Packer, “Atonement, Agency, Accountability“, Ensign, May 1988).

It was then, divided from the light of His Father, enduring everything we choose and are asked to go through, subject to the worst Satan could inflict, that Christ began to bleed from every pore (Luke 22:44). What did Christ do in this awful moment? He began to pray more earnestly. This man, who knew more about prayer than anyone on Earth could ever hope to understand, prayed even harder.

At last it was done. Can there have been a more achingly glorious sight, unless it be the Resurrected Christ, than the picture of Him rising to His feet. Shaking, drenched in sweat and blood, He arose victorious! How the angels in Heaven must have cried out in joy! I would imagine the most comforting words to Jesus must have come from His Father. “Soon,” He might have said, “you will have rest. Just a little while longer, and we will be together again.”

Christ did all of this for us and for His Father. In taking upon Himself everything, justice has been satisfied. We can repent and become clean again. The light of God can be a constant in our lives. All of these blessing and more, because our Elder Brother descended far below us all.

All of this because He loves us.

This post was originally published in 2013. Minor changes have been made.

Laurie W

Resolutions are declared emphatically at the beginning of the year. For the first month or so, we remain steady in our course, determined to make this resolution stick. By March our resolution has hit a bump, and we’re not quite sure where to go next or how to get back on our set path. Perhaps by May, our resolution has been placed on the back burner until at last by the middle of the year, we’ve forgotten what we’d set out to do.

Goals are different. Goals demand to be written down, step by step. Goals will show just how far we’ve come, as well as what we need to do next to accomplish it. Goals require self-discipline, just as resolutions, but offer hope when we’ve lost our way.

Elder M. Russell Ballard, a latter-day apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke to a group of young single adults on this very thing.

“… When one learns to master the principle of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life” (M. Russell Ballard, “Do Things That Make a Difference,” Ensign, Jun 1983). Emphasis added.

He goes on to explain that self-discipline is the first key in setting and accomplishing goals. The second part is writing our goals down. In fact, write them down several times. Put these goals out in places you’ll read them daily as a reminder. If your goal includes getting rid of a bad habit, find a good one to replace it. Is there something you’ve always wanted to do, or learn to do? Use the time you would normally spend on doing the bad habit (like watching too much TV) and put it towards doing something new (like learning to play the guitar).

Set clear, specific, realistic goals. Don’t set the goal to lose 100 lbs by the end of the year. Instead set a goal to become healthier through better eating and exercising. Join a class if possible. Include family members or roommates in order to have a good support system. Talk with a nutritionist about better ways to eat.

Set mini-goals along the way. These mini-goals will not only help keep you on course, but will help you see just how far you’ve come. They’re easier to accomplish and make the big goal seem much less overwhelming.

For example, say you want to set a goal to read your scriptures for an hour daily. If you haven’t been in the habit of reading before, don’t start now with an hour. You’ll find yourself slipping easily, may become discouraged, and will give up too soon. Start small. For the first few weeks, set a mini-goal to read for five minutes. If you miss a day, read for ten minutes the next. After you’re used to reading for five minutes, up the amount to ten. A few weeks later go for fifteen minutes, then twenty. Be sure to mark off major stepping-stones along the way.

If you don’t quite make your mini-goals, don’t give up. Just re-evaluate and do a little rewriting. Goals are flexible that way! Just be sure to place these rewrites back in obvious places. Reminders of what we want to be doing and how far we have come will go a long way to keeping us on course.

Setting goals is important in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — for example, Latter-day Saint missionaries are repeatedly encouraged to make and accomplish goals, and it is a huge part of the Church’s self-reliance initiative. The youth’s Sunday School curriculum likewise encourages members to set goals: “When we plan prayerfully and work diligently to achieve our goals, the Lord magnifies our efforts and helps us reach our potential.” As we set realistic goals, and learn the value of accomplishing them, we can one day look back on our lives and realize just how much good we’ve done.

“If your goals are righteous, of God-given perspective, eternal in their nature, then go for them. Pray for the inner strength to have the discipline to do those things that will guarantee through your activity and your life that you will reach your goals. Then, I think, perhaps as important as anything, we have to have faith. We have to have faith in God. We have to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And oh, how desperately we have to have faith in ourselves” (M. Russell Ballard, “Go for It!,” New Era, Mar 2004).

The mightiest tools in making and accomplishing goals are to include Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in our plan, and to have faith. After all, with God, anything is possible.

This post was originally published in December 2007. Changes have been made for timeliness and consistency. 

Laurie W

Keeping the Sabbath Day holy isn’t always the easiest thing in the world to do, especially when (at least in the LDS Church) meetings only lasts three hours.

I know, only three hours sounds like an oxymoron, right? and I demand they go in their rooms at 7:00 at night. Subtract the three hours set aside for church attendance and we have eight and a half hours to fill. Puts it in a different perspective, doesn’t it?

Get this. My husband was called to be in the High Council a little over a year ago. His day typically starts at 6:30 in the morning when he gets up and going before his first meeting, and some Sundays will go until four in the afternoon. This means it’s my job to keep the kids in the right frame of mind for the majority of the day.

Keeping the Sabbath Day holy, especially with younger kids, doesn’t have to be the gut-wrenching, panic-inducing, exhaustive labor we sometimes think it is. The first thing you need to do is start setting up a schedule.

This can vary from family to family, especially when you factor in what time you go to church. For some meetings can start as early as nine o’clock in the morning, and for others, it won’t begin until one or two in the afternoon.

Here a just a few suggestions to help keep the spirit of the day intact:

1. Music.

I love love, love music, especially sacred music. Here in the Salt Lake Valley, we have a radio station that will play what I’ve dubbed “Sunday Songs” on the Sabbath. Much of the music played is by LDS artists. My kids know when we listen to the radio on the way to church, this particular station is the only thing that will be played. The only drawback is when the station has to go to commercial break.

It also helps to build a CD collection of sacred music: think Mormon Tabernacle Choir (I’m not their biggest fan, but do have particular favorites), Michael McLean, and Jericho Road. For more instrumental music I highly recommend both Jon Schmidt and Paul Cardall who write piano arrangements, as well as Steve Nelson, a new artist who plays extraordinary cello music. The Children’s Songbook (a collection of songs put together specifically for Primary) is on CD and is a great tool, especially as kids love to listen to other kids sing.

2. Set aside scripture reading time.

Let your child pick out a story he or she would like to hear. Don’t be afraid to ask questions along the way, or to stop and explain things your child might not understand.

3. You don’t have to completely turn off the television.

There are so many great movies put out by the LDS Church as well as movies with great messages to them (our family loves VeggieTales). Pick out movies which will uplift your kids.

4. Give them this job while at church: have them look around during church meetings and pick out one person they’d like to write a note to or draw a picture for.

Encourage them to pray beforehand about who they should choose. They can either do up the drawing during Sacrament Meeting, or you can set aside some time after church. These notes/pictures can either be sent out in the mail or you can take some time to deliver them in person.

Let your children know that Sunday is different from the rest of the week. It’s a commandment. Even if we see others choosing not to keep it holy, we should make the choice to follow the Lord and make Sunday a special day.

Laurie W

I think this attitude stems from my own growing up years. Not only was I a freckled redhead, at school, though I couldn’t help any of it.

One cruel word can shape the mental picture a child has of his or her self. Often it can take twenty or thirty good words to undo the damage. Looking back on those growing up years, whenever I think of the kids who teased me, I do not think of them kindly.

The wounds are still there, even if I’ve long ago forgiven them. Those same children have perhaps grown up to be wonderful adults. Unfortunately, a few bad choices on their part made a lasting impression in my mind.

The good news is the exact opposite is true as well. There are kids from my childhood who I look upon with love. True friends who didn’t care what was on the outside; they were only concerned with the good person I was on the inside.

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin once wrote, “Kind words not only lift our spirits in the moment they are given, but they can linger with us over the years.”

My nine-year-old daughter, Michelle, came home from school one day and asked to talk. She had a friend, we’ll call her Ashley, who wasn’t always nice to those around her but always seemed to hang around.

“I don’t like it when she’s mean, Mom,” said Michelle. “And I can’t figure out why she tries to come around me all the time.”

“Why don’t you ask her?” I suggested.

She did. Michelle came home the very next day and asked to talk once again. Once again Ashley had been particularly clingy, and so Michelle asked Ashley why she wanted to be friends.

“Ashley said she likes me because I’m so nice,” said Michelle.

It didn’t come as much of a surprise to me though it seemed to amaze her. When I asked about her response, Michelle said she told Ashley, “I like you too. But you need to start being nicer.”

Why do we respond so eagerly to kindness? Elder Wirthlin said in his talk ‘The Virtue of Kindness’, “Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others.” When we’re being nice, we’re being like Christ. It really is as simple as that. When we use gentle words we are helping to build up his Kingdom. When we use mean words, we are tearing it down.

So now is the time to ask, “How do I want to be remembered?” Do we want to be the one who made others feel worse about themselves? Instead, let us strive daily to be counted among those whom others will look back and call a gentle, sweet, wonderful friend.

Laurie W

Susan W. Tanner, General Young Women’s President for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed “Mormon Church”) once said:

“We demonstrate our love for family members not only in teaching them affirmatively but also in giving them of our time” (Susan W. Tanner, “Did I Tell You…?,” Ensign, May, 2003).

Gary Chapman, family and marriage counselor, tells us that giving our teens quality time is to give them a portion of our lives, our undivided attention. In other words, we must be willing to show them that nothing else in the world matters to us in that moment than what they have to say.

If quality time is your teenager’s primary way of feeling loved, it’s vitally important for you as parents to make an effort to spend time together.

Quality time is not merely being in the same room together. I cringe every time I think of the times my husband and I let our daughter stay up to watch a movie with us. Every time she’d ask a question or try to make a comment we’d shush her. We may have been sitting on the same couch, but she wasn’t feeling loved. She came away from the experience thinking we loved the movie more than we loved her.

Spending quality time together doesn’t require a great, in-depth conversation where intense feelings are expressed or big problems are resolved. The conversations can be lighthearted. It’s still important to make eye contact and use words to show we’re really listening.

We must purposely make time out of our schedules, even if it means putting something aside on a moment’s notice, to give to our teens. Be interested in the things they choose to talk to you about, even if those things seem trivial to you.

“Some time ago I read an article called “Putting Children Last,” which told about parents who talk about their children in “appointment book” terms: 15 minutes at night when possible, regularly scheduled play time once a week, and so on (see Mary Eberstadt, Wall Street Journal, 2 May 1995).

 

Contrast that with the mother who vowed to give her children not just quality time but quantity time. She recognized that a loving relationship requires constant and ongoing talking, playing, laughing, and working moments.

 

I, too, believe that parents and children need to participate in each other’s everyday, ordinary experiences. So I know about your upcoming test; you know about my lesson preparation. I attend your games; you join me in the kitchen for dinner preparation. We are major players in each other’s lives, absorbing love through daily experiences” (Susan W. Tanner, “Did I Tell You … ?,” Ensign, May 2003).

Teens will especially need to feel as though you are listening when they talk. Ask questions to show you’re aware of what they’re saying. Don’t be quick to jump in with solutions. It could be they just want someone to listen as they sort things out.

Dr. Chapman gives eight steps to help us as parents learn to help us learn to listen better.

First, eye contact is vital. It keeps your mind from wandering and shows your teen he/she has your full attention.

Second, don’t do something else at the same time. If you can’t stop what you’re doing (like making dinner), let your teen know you want to give them your full attention and set aside time later on to talk. Keep in mind spending quality activity time together (working on a car, shopping, etc.) can often lead to quality conversations.

Third, be sure to ask yourself what you think your teen might be feeling during your conversation. Try confirming it by saying something like, “It sounds like you’re frustrated with your friend for…” Not only does this give your teen a chance to clearly state what he/she is feeling, but it communicates you’re really listening.

Fourth, watch their body language. Sometimes body language can speak much more clearly what your teen is really feeling. Tears, a half-grin, clenched fists, or fidgety hands can give you clues.

Fifth, don’t interrupt! This can be extremely difficult for some people, but try to refrain. You could end up stopping the conversation before it really gets started. This time is supposed to be all about your teen, not about you.

Sixth, ask reflective questions. When the conversation lulls a bit and you find a pause where you can speak up, ask questions that reflect what you’ve heard. You can’t express your own ideas unless you truly understand what your teen is saying.

Seventh, show you understand. If your reflective questions show you’re on the same wavelength with your teen, express something to illustrate. “I can see why you’d feel that way.”

Last, ask permission to share your impressions. If your teen is just looking for a listening ear, she’s not going to want your input and will push away. Ask something like, “Would you like to hear what I think?” If your teen says yes, he’s looking for help. If your teen says no, don’t be offended. He may have already figured out what he wants to do by simply talking it out.

On the flip side when talking to your teens be sure to give reasons why you feel a certain way. Don’t give them the excuse, “Because I said so!” This closes the door to any and all communication. Tell them why you won’t let them drive with friends until after they’ve had their license for six months. As adults we often require explanations of ‘why’ and our teens are the same way.

For those teens that enjoy doing things together, look for activities they like to do. Take the time to watch them play a sport, act in a play, or other activities that they put so much effort into. If your teen likes to read, plan to read the same book together and discuss it.

Quality time can be a hard language of love for some parents to give, but it’s so important to make it a priority if you want your teen to feel he/she is truly loved.

Laurie W

My to hit it off. I was thrilled when he asked me out around Halloween time.

John was polite to my parents, appeared to impress them suitably, and even opened the car door for me.

“So where are we going?” I asked.

“I thought we’d try the new haunted house,” he said.

That sounded like fun. We talked for a little while about English and Seminary and then turned our conversation to other classes. Only then did something happen I hadn’t counted on. John and I ran out of things to talk about. Both of us sat in the car, occasionally smiling at each other, neither one of us able to think of one thing to discuss. It was agony until we reached the haunted house.

Strangely enough, we ran into John’s best friend, Kerry, who decided to join us – uninvited I might add. I tried to tell myself this could turn out to be a good thing, someone to help buffer the silence between me and my date. Instead, I began to feel like the third wheel as I walked through the dark maze behind the guys.

John glanced back every once in a while to offer a vague smile, as though trying to indicate his regret at the interruption of our date. A nasty little voice in the back of mind wouldn’t stop chanting, ‘If he was really sorry, he’d be walking with you, not his friend.’

Once we exited the haunted house and got rid of Kerry, John and I tried once more to have a good time together by going out for some ice cream. We ordered, discussed the spooky effects we’d seen, and all too quickly finished our dessert. By the time we got outside, barely an hour after our date had begun, it was like the heavens opened up and rain began hammering us. The two of us were drenched even before getting to the car.

John proclaimed his loathing of driving in the rain. His car crept along the wet roads, making the trek back to my house feel like an eternity. What should have been a mere ten-minute drive took us almost half an hour. He parked the car just a few feet into my rather steep driveway. I couldn’t blame him for not wanting to brave the perilous climb up to the back door, but it would make for a rather wet walk.

“I had a really good time,” he said.

“Me too,” I lied.

He reached over to give me a quick hug. That’s when I realized he wasn’t going to get out of the car. An insane feeling came over me like I had just been dropped off from babysitting, minus the hug. Unable to believe this would be how my date would end, I slid out of the car and hurried through the downpour back into my house.

My big revelation that night was there is more than one reason not to single date. John and I got along great at school when there were other people around – a lot of people. To be honest, after that night things always felt a little awkward and strained between the two of us. Maybe if we’d had other couples around that night things would have been different. Of course, it could have turned out exactly the same. At least the experience might not have been so painful.

Your lesson for today: Double dating isn’t just a morality thing. Remember that.

Laurie W

Our area had many fires last year. So we decided to help with the replanting projects.

We started out early in the morning, along with the youth of many other stakes, to plant trees in the area where growth began to recover.

It was long. It was tedious. It was backbreaking…and it was totally worth it. We brought shovels, the organization we worked through provided the trees, and together we set out to bring new life to this badly wounded area.

All in all it took just a few hours. We even got hot cocoa and donuts afterward. To this day I am able to drive past that area and say, “I helped plant those trees.”

The young women in our ward put together a Halloween Party for the Primary children. They had fun games like donuts tied to strings. The children then had to try and eat the donuts without using their hands. Sure it’s messy, but so much fun! The children were invited to dress up in their costumes, though it wasn’t necessary. My own kids had an absolute blast, and the added benefit of feeling loved by the young women.

Service doesn’t always have to be on such a grand scale. Keep in mind places closer to home. Do you have a neighbor in need? It’s not too hard to look for leaves piling up on a lawn, or a lawn that could use a quick mowing. As the growing season is coming to an end volunteer to help pull up someone’s garden or prune some rosebushes. Is it your ward’s turn to clean the building? If so, make an effort to go help, even if you haven’t signed up.

There are billions of ways to help make a difference in the lives or community around you. Throughout this week I’d encourage you to look for ways to serve.

What about in your own home? Could you help clean the house without being asked (or nagged)? What about offering to wash the dishes after a meal, even if it’s not your turn? Does your own lawn need a good mowing or raking?

Try baking some cookies and enlisting family members to help take them around to friends or neighbors. Do you have a younger sibling who could use some one-on-one time? You’d be surprised what a difference your undivided attention can make.

No matter how you decide to do it, look for at least one way to make a difference. The blessings will come not only to the one you serve but to you as well.

Laurie W