A few weeks ago Jayden and Kaylie were at my house. They were restless, tired, and a little bit bored. It was getting dark and I said "Let's go outside for a listening adventure" ( I often tell them we are going on adventures...even if it's just a walk around the block) We sat on the porch and I told them to Listen and tell me what they could hear. They said things like... crickets, the wind blowing in the tree, a car driving by, a door closing. We took the time to just Listen. This little adventure only lasted a few moments...it was a time to teach them to listen when it's quiet...or you might miss something important.
Tonight I went on a walk. It was dark except for the street lights, lights from neighboring houses, and the full moon. As I walked I could hear hundreds of crickets. The air felt crisp and cool, the moon was beautiful. When I got back to my house I sat in the backyard and listened. There were crickets, voices from a neighbors yard, a car in the distance...and then...as I looked at the moon...I remembered another listening moment that brought me great strength and growth. Last summer ( 2010) I was going through some very, very difficult moments in my life. Moments I am still struggling with...however they are getting better and I am more at peace now and alot stronger. During that summer I would often wake in the middle of the night, go out in my backyard, look at the moon, the stars, and just pray. I would pour out my heart to my Heavenly Father. Tears would be streaming down my face. Yet it was in those moments...moments under the stars, the moon, with only the sound of crickets...that I began to grow the most. Those moments brought me spiritual strength as I truly began to Listen to the Spirit more than I have in my entire life. I listened. I learned. I grew.
I'm stronger now, I'm continuing to listen and learn. And each time I hear the crickets or look at the full moon....I remember the summer of 2010 and I am eternally grateful for those "cricket moon moments" as I now call them. Listening to the Spirit is where I fnd the most peace and happiness. Take time to have those "listening moments" in your life. You just might be surprised what you learn.
Tonight I went on a walk. It was dark except for the street lights, lights from neighboring houses, and the full moon. As I walked I could hear hundreds of crickets. The air felt crisp and cool, the moon was beautiful. When I got back to my house I sat in the backyard and listened. There were crickets, voices from a neighbors yard, a car in the distance...and then...as I looked at the moon...I remembered another listening moment that brought me great strength and growth. Last summer ( 2010) I was going through some very, very difficult moments in my life. Moments I am still struggling with...however they are getting better and I am more at peace now and alot stronger. During that summer I would often wake in the middle of the night, go out in my backyard, look at the moon, the stars, and just pray. I would pour out my heart to my Heavenly Father. Tears would be streaming down my face. Yet it was in those moments...moments under the stars, the moon, with only the sound of crickets...that I began to grow the most. Those moments brought me spiritual strength as I truly began to Listen to the Spirit more than I have in my entire life. I listened. I learned. I grew.
I'm stronger now, I'm continuing to listen and learn. And each time I hear the crickets or look at the full moon....I remember the summer of 2010 and I am eternally grateful for those "cricket moon moments" as I now call them. Listening to the Spirit is where I fnd the most peace and happiness. Take time to have those "listening moments" in your life. You just might be surprised what you learn.
Next we were off to the rides. Jayden wanted us to go on Thunder Mt. Railroad first. It's been one of my favorites, however, I have to be careful with my back. ( 7 years ago we went to Disneyland and I came home in alot of back pain... a few months later I was having back surgery for a herniated disc...I blame Tower of Terror-haha) We were having a blast. The kids had even waited till I got there to go on Pirates of the Caribbean because I told them it was one of my favorites. Splash Mountain was on the top of Jaydens list so we headed there. Jayden was in the front of the ride and I was right behind him. All the was through he kept saying "hold on to me grandma, hold on." As we were going up the hill before that last big downhill splash ( you know the one I'm talking about, the one where they take your picture) I put one arm around his chest and I could feel his little heart just pounding. I don't know if it was fear or excitement. He had already been on the ride once so I would say it was more on the excitement side. Down we went ..we both got drenched with water, and at the bottom he said. " wasn't that so fun grandma" as he laughed. Here's what we looked like after the ride: 