Easter Sunday, April 8th

I have been waiting for Easter to be on April 8. 

 This is a special Easter Passover.

I was out doing some pruning of some way overgrown hibiscus flowers, which were now trees.  The buds on everything were coming out and putting forth new growth.  I love Spring!  I came to a hibiscus and was just about to cut off a branch, when a tiny beautiful green bird fluttered and started making a loud and much frenzied chirping noise.  I thought "I must have frightened her", but then it was so frenzied and she did not stop that I then began to realize she must have a nest close by.  I tried to calm her and then realized as I went to cut the limb again that her nest was hanging just under the branch I was about to cut.  3 small eggs were inside and I had almost destroyed the limb that was holding the nest!

I gave a lesson today to my children about Easter and wanted them to associate true symbolism about Easter.  I wanted to teach them about symbolism in nature as it applies to the Resurrection and the Passover.  About rising in 3 days, coming forth out of darkness from the tomb,

God had given me a perfect, beautiful visual for the lesson.

This is the meaning of Easter.  The shell is shed as the chick breaks forth into a new life out of darkness.  It is a difficult task, but helping the chick can put the chick in danger of not being strong enough to survive. The bulb that was buried in the fall comes up as the first sign of Spring,  with the warmth of the sun bringing new life as it pushes up out of the earth when the ground is warm and springs forth into beauty.  God is alive!

 I can feel a warm change in me, just as  the sun warms the earth for new growth after the Winter.  I want to bury my old self;  my seeds of self-destruction, and shed the cold hard outer covering to die,  and become a new creature, to come forth with new life, “re-born” through Christ.

It is also my dads 70th birthday today.   HAPPY BIRTHDAY dad!  Change is happening for all of those who desire change.  Endure the test, hope you start feeling better dad.

Change is coming, Spring is near.

1 Peter 1:23

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

 

The Cycle of a Seed

We have been learning and asking for God to bring us to where we need to be to stand worthy in His presence.      The old self must die and pass away before a new creature can be re-born.

 When a seed is put in the ground and buried and “dies” it then can be transformed and bring forth much fruit. We die in Christ and are “re-born” as a new creature, we carry a resemblance, but have been changed to much more than just a “kernel” (corn) of wheat.  The old self has shed its covering of skin as it has been buried in the earth, that the fleshy parts of the natural man be cast off to die, only to break forth and spring into new life!  We have then borne fruit and become new through Christ.  This is the message of Easter.

John 12:24
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone:  but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."

Laneah (7) has been learning about the life cycle of a seed and how it changes into a new plant.

As a seed changes into new life, it then can produce a whole tree or a whole bush of beans or stalk of wheat.   He is  Lord of the vineyard and will prune us till we have grown into the fruit producing tree He needs us to be.   His ways are not our ways, Trust in Him.

1 Corinthians 15:36    “Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:”

The old dead wood must needs be cut away to make room for new growth in areas we did not imagine.  He is the Master Gardener and will do the pruning as he sees fit, for our best and highest good.

 We went on a hike to Olinda Forest on Good Friday.  In hopes of learning something I prayed to be taught today as we were out in nature.  I had written some of the scriptures and ponderings  for a lesson on Easter (above) I wanted to give to the family,  and then on the hike I saw this.  It was the message in a visual I was wanting to teach to my children for Easter.

New llife springing from the old after a prunning.

God is good and Mercyful.

Leticia-My First Baby! (Dec. 2, 2012)

It's Leticia's Birthday!  Dec. 2, 2012  and she is in Hawaii with us!  Leticia is my first baby, and Ohhh, what special memories those are!  The first time you feel life moving within your belly is like nothing you can describe.  It is the miracle of creation!



(Elder Hatch, Abyssinia, Anthony) 

We threw a party and invited some wonderful, musically talented friends from the island and the missionaries even came!

Anthony plays the Didgery-Doo and the nose flute. He can play the brass bowls at the same time! Abyssinia plays the harp, flute and drums. 

Both are very well known on the island.  Reggie came with his guitar too.




There are wonderful memories with family, friends and all who join us

on special occasions like this. 

She now has 3 babies of her own, but this photo is of Leticia with her first baby.  Children are such a joy.  Leticia has always been a deep thinker.  She knew her alphabet, #s, colors and was potty trained when she went to nursery!  Well, I soon found out that was not normal when the next 2 boys came along.  Potty training was another story! 

 

(Kathleen, Aimee, Anthony, Josh, Kaeliya, Leticia, Melonie)

 But she has never been "normal" and was too smart for me to keep up with. Her search for Truth and her wisdom is a joy to me as a mother.                     Happy Birthday to you, my first one! 

 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk

in truth". 3 John 1:4

Folau's in Paradise

 The Folau's are here!  They came early for Christmas!

We were so excited to see them!  We must be in heaven, because this feels great to have family here....well, it is Paradise.  Close enough!  Heaven and earth combine here.

We are at Twin Falls.  Matai, Kaeliya, Laneah and Kathy

Jumping off waterfalls!  Garth: "Here I come!"

The next little one is coming soon!

How much fun can you have in one day on the beach?

The boys look like they are digging in to stay a while.

Shoes, sand, family and the ocean......what more do you need?

We have had such a good time visiting, eating island fruit, swimming, and more sun than I am sure you are allowed.  (above: Anthony, the guy who plays the diggery-doo all over the island)

Wish it could last longer!

                               

"Proof-Positive"

Melonie in Maui, Hawaii 2011

Yes, I am here, but I have had to do some re-grouping and am a bit behind.  Just looking through the pics of the last few months thinking, "where do I start" I had a trip down memory lane and just cried!!

I love my children fiercely!  They can do nothing to dampen my love for them.  Their experiences just intensify my feelings of compassion for their pain, and desire for their continued growth towards the light. I can tell you that a mother feels every joy, pain and sorrow of her children, but you already know that.

Here is a quote that sums up my new current motto for life:

"Life is not a journey to the grave with intentions of arriving safely at a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming....WOW! What a ride!"

(this has been typed up and on my fridge)

Life will not be easy, but "it will be worth it", and I intend to get every ounce of learning out of each experience, never to return!  The wrinkles are a bit deeper, my smile lines are permanent! My sun-kissed skin is a reminder each day to thank the Lord for bringing me here. 

Yes mom, I got a haircut, and this is "Maui wild style"-all natural, "proof-positive" I am still here, and tho unrecognizable momentarily, I am still your child!

Sunshine-Rachel

Rachel turned 14!  I cannot believe how all my children are growing up.  I can see how in just a few years I will be left alone...with Laneah and Garth:)

I remember when we had just moved to Logan, UT with her as a baby.  It seems the time has gone by so quickly.  I never wanted her to grow up, I wanted her to stay "my baby" and it seems she did for so long, letting me snuggle her and always giving me long hugs.

Rachel is learning life lessons as she gets older, and seems to do it with grace.  She has many older siblings to learn from and does not have to "experience" it all.  At times she chooses to take in a lesson she learns from observing others.  She avoids groundings, attitude adjustments, and awkward situations it seems.  She has an obedient spirit and desires to follow Christ and do the "little things" that make all the difference.  Prayer, Scriptures and even her journal.  I am grateful for her consistency and her disposition of sunshine--for she truly shines with her radiant personality and smile.  She is a bit of sunshine in our home!

Josh and Isaac made this "Birthday Hat" on the spur of the moment.  It is out of a paper plate and pineapple leaves with a stapler.  Rachel was a good sport!

Rainbows of Fall

Someone captured how I feel about nature...this reminds me of the Logan, UT canyon drive.  I do love the colors of Fall.

     
 This was titled, "The Rainbows of Fall"

A stroll through the woods, a mountain hike, a nap on the beach,

in such encounters with nature we often find peace.

There's just something about the leaves, rocks, and sand

that makes us feel at home in this world.

They release us from the humdrum of our busy lives and

bring us back to the basics of life.

Love.  That is as basic as it gets.   God must love us to provide such beauty.  Thank you God, for the peace your creations bring!  It reminds me You are there.