Saturday, June 23, 2007

"....I am not going to worry about it."

We moved into our beautiful new home, spent two weeks unpacking and organizing the essentials, and then took off for Disney World! Yeah, baby! Actually, Disney World is not exactly as I remember it. I'm used to going there as a kid, not as an adult with 4 kids. I was hot, frantically trying to keep track of kids, going on all the rides they liked (if I had my way we would have spent the entire week eating our way through the countries at Epcot), going back to the condo, fixing dinner and cleaning up afterwards, going back to the park for rides, night parades, and fireworks, and then back to the condo where DH and I would drop with exhaustion until morning. We did this 6 days (on the 7th day, which happened in the middle of the 6 days, we went to a local church that didn't start at 9 a.m. and were still 20 minutes late. We surely needed that day of rest.)

Now we're spending our final days of vacay in southern Georgia at my grandma's house. This is a very quiet place with trees to explore, frogs to hunt for, fire ants to avoid, and - the best part - visit with my grandma. Grandma's house has Spirit. She invites Heavenly Father to her house every day in her prayers and we can feel it. It is so peaceful.

DH found a way to give service: while we are here he is installing a timer on her sprinkling system so she won't have to turn the water on manually anymore. We need the blessings from giving service so he was very happy to do this.

Along with the peace and tranquility comes the wisdom. Grandma dispenses wisdom along with the good food at the table. Last night, along with sweet-and-sour steak over rice we talked about the importance of doing what you know is right. Now, it is one thing coming from me. Having my grandma reinforce that to my kids is added arsenal. They listen to her. They are kinder to each other in her house. And while we were eating lemon pie she listened to them. They know they are important to her.

Tonight's dinner is almost done: roast pork with raisin sauce, glazed carrots, hot rolls with kiwi or spiced blueberry jam, potatoes in cheese sauce. She does all the cooking but she does let me help set the table and do dishes after. I'm looking forward to what wisdom she shares with us tonight. My kids will be listening. That is the best reason for this vacation.

The best wisdom she has ever shared with us is "If it's not important for my salvation, I am not going to worry about it." I have quoted that to myself many times, and also shared it in lessons at church. I know that my sister, sisters-in-love, and extended family quote my grandma (trying to add the southern accent in because it just sounds better that way). That has become my mantra for many years now. The more I repeat it the less stressed I am.

Wisdom, indeed.