Most Extraordinary

You'd think that with school cancelled and essentially every other thing off our family schedule, I'd have lots more time for blogging.  Perhaps I do.  However, I've felt completely disoriented--at a total loss for things to say.  I occasionally find myself blankly wandering, not quite sure what to do with myself with our usual routines disrupted.  

I'm sure I'm not alone to feel like this is hard--really hard.  My love and concern goes out to those suffering from the virus and to all the brave nurses, doctors, scientists, and first responders on the front lines.  We are praying for you and doing our best to do our part to keep this world safe.

On a far more selfish level, it's hard to have my life turned completely upside down.   While I'm not really an extrovert (I prefer small groups to large crowds), I am positively not a homebody.  I love to get out--to the library, to the park, to the museum, to the zoo, to the cafe.  Feeling stuck inside is not doing good things to my psyche.  And while I positively adore my children, I love it even more when we have space to get away from each other occasionally.  I'm sure they would agree.  They are already tired of their Mom periodically turning into Crankenstein.

Every time I think it can't change anymore, a new development upheaves what structure is left.  (Case in point: all IB exams worldwide were cancelled this afternoon.)  I guess that's what makes Wednesday's earthquake in Salt Lake City so ironic.  Just as we felt the world was being yanked from under our feet, it literally began to sway and shake.  The 5.7 quake fortunately left our Avenues home intact, although there was more substantial damage downtown and at the airport.  The Angel Moroni atop the Salt Lake City temple even lost his trumpet.  At first I thought it was fake news, but after driving by, I can verify that the trumpet is indeed missing.

The earthquake came around 7:10 am as Jason and I were getting ready to drive up to Idaho for his grandfather's funeral.  We heard this deep rumbling and felt the whole house sway and shift beneath us from our second story room.  Jason shouted "Earthquake!" and bolted for the door with Annika (who was already I awake).  My first instinct was to gather the other kids.  I worried most about Eli in his bunkbed upstairs.  Brooklyn and Talia felt the quake a bit less from the basement.  Apparently they each thought the other sister was shaking the bed.

I was holding it together with the whole COVID-19 thing pretty well until the earthquake hit.  For some reason, this quake just made me realize how vulnerable we really are.  No matter how much toilet paper we may have (and no, I did not participate in the toilet paper panic), we have very little control over the circumstances around us.  We can, however, control the choices we make as we respond.  I'm committed to be better prepared, as well as more resilient with my attitude.  Without a doubt, the best example we can follow is that of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who partook of the bitter cup without becoming bitter.

And so, today I will count my blessings as we gather together for church as a family (albeit quite late, aka standard Wheeler time.)  Last week was a beautifully tender experience as our kids shared talks and scriptures, with Jason blessing and passing the sacrament.  

As a way to remember that special moment, here are Brooklyn's remarks from last Sunday.  Thank you Brooklyn, thank you Talia, thank you Eli, thank you Annika, and most of all, thank you Jason for filling our home with love and being patient with me during these most extraordinary circumstances.

Thomas S. Monson once said “May our families and homes be filled with love: love of each other, love of the gospel, love of our fellowman, and love of our Savior. As a result, heaven will be a little closer here on earth”.

Margaret Thatcher, prime minister of England, explained that “The family is the building block of society. It is a nursery, a school, a hospital, a leisure center, a place of refuge and a place of rest. It encompasses the whole of the society. It fashions our beliefs; it is the preparation for the rest of our life”.

Our home is probably the most important place in our lives right now. It’s a place of peace that we can go to for comfort. However, it can only stay this way when we show love to each other. There’s a cross stitch at Nomi Ann and Papa K’s house that says, “A house is made of brick and stone, a home is made of love alone”.

A lot of the time it feels like our home is constantly under attack. Between school, our busy schedules, homework, and trying to keep the house in a somewhat organized state, it seems like we never have a chance to step back and just have peace.
A sister from Canada shared this story at a stake conference, ““I love a winter storm. … When the wind starts to blow and the snow begins to fall, a feeling of excitement starts to build. … When I can’t see the trees at the neighbor’s farmyard, … I phone my husband! … He then picks up the children who are at school. … It is hard to describe the feelings I experience as our family is gathered home, and the storm rages outside. … And I love it! Everyone is safe; we are together. We have lots of food and water. The longer it lasts, the better. … We are shut off from the world. … We bask in the warmth of our home and in the warmth of our love. My heart is full, and I am at peace. Sometimes, I wish I could just stay like that forever, with my family gathered around me, protected, shut off from the evil influences of the world. But alas, the storm blows itself out eventually, we dig ourselves out, and off we go to face the world again.”

Right now, we are in our own special situation. We are so lucky that we can have our own storm for a whole two weeks, without the raging snow! But, this storm will start to feel really long if we don’t show love. In the song “Love at Home”, it says “Time doth softly, sweetly glide when there’s love at home”. If we show love and compassion to each other, we will be able to have soo much fun and really enjoy each other’s company. However, if we get caught up in small arguments, or don’t demonstrate care in every aspect of life, we will start dreading the days that we would normally celebrate. In this time of freedom, we can enjoy life’s simple pleasures, like good music, great company, delicious food, and fun entertainment. Loving each other will be crucial to actually finding fun in this. 

John 2:10 says, “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him” Eli, change that brother to sister. Anyway, if we have love, we will grow as a family. In Thomas S. Monson’s talk, “Hallmarks of a Happy Home”, he explains that we will find joy as a family if we establish, “A pattern of prayer, A library of learning, A legacy of love, and a treasury of testimony”. 

How can we improve upon these aspects of our daily lives. Well, we should pray often. Morning and evening, individually and as a family. We can have a library of learning in our home if we read and keep up with our homework. A legacy of love we can demonstrate every minute of the day. If we are diligent, we can add to our treasury of testimony too. John 4:20 says, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” 

We need to love our siblings and our parents. Ephesians 4:32 reads, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen.