Comments on: Joy in the Journey

By: Thoughts on motherhood–from people other than me | MamaBlogga

Thoughts on motherhood–from people other than me | MamaBlogga — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:55:42 +0000

[...] Joy in the Journey from a member of Jane’s ward on What About Mom I remember one particular time when I just HAD to clean out the refrigerator. My then three-year-old son was lonely because his sister was in school. He kept whining and bugging me to pick him up. I resisted and ended up getting angry at him and making him go take a nap, because I had an “important” job to do. Now I realize that HE was my important job. That certainly is not the only incident I could relate. I DO feel those pangs of guilt and remorse for not making Tyler the most important chore of the day. [...]

By: Fig

Fig — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:04:06 +0000

And here I thought all English majors read their talks! Guess it’s just my mom and me. I communicate with the written word about a hundred times better than with the spoken one, so I unabashedly read my talks word-for-word, every time. Hopefully I’ll never speak in your ward.

By: Jane

Jane — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 02:24:28 +0000

In a medium-sized congregation, you can probably expect to speak in church every other year. Sometimes this is awesome, as in Deb’s talk, and sometimes it makes we wish that we had a paid, “professional” clergy.

When Deb saw how I introduced her talk here, she responded to me (on Facebook) that she was excited to hear me speak. (oops — talk about pressure!) I have a sneaking suspicion that I’ll be asked to talk on Mother’s Day (the scheduler guy, when telling me about Dick’s date to speak, said that they had me down for a “special” day, and Mother’s Day is one of those hard holidays for me. So I’m crossing my fingers.)

By: Marianne

Marianne — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:25:44 +0000

Jane, this is amazing — and to think, she’s just up the street from you. What a delightful discovery for you and Dick.

Can I ask a Mormon-ish question? Does everyone get called on to give a talk during the year on Sunday mornings? Because that’s pretty cool. We’re lucky here to have a great priest at our Catholic Church who gives compelling homilies, but there’s something about hearing each other’s stories that just resonates.

Her words really hit home with me — I sweat the small stuff too much.

By: Shalece Fiack

Shalece Fiack — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:47:36 +0000

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I don’t always have time to read your blog, but today I did. Turns out this was exactly what I needed to hear today. Kelly and I just moved to Seattle 3 months ago and I am really struggling to make friends, fit in and stay positive. I’m also 8 weeks pregnant and not feeling so well. Trying to take care of a husband and 2 little kids when you feel like you might puke at any moment is a challenge. Any way this beautiful talk reminded me that it is alright to let the unimportant things go and enjoy this wonderful life that I have. Thanks Jane!

By: Jane

Jane — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:50:22 +0000

The list really isn’t that codified, Stella, but the peeve you mention is certainly in the top 5. — And I’m going to assume/pretend that your example included the word “humility” purely by chance.

By: Stella

Stella — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:34:07 +0000

I’m interested in your list of pet peeves for Sacrament Mtg. talks. My sis & I are roomies and go to the same singles ward – and so we end up dissecting talks and lessons each Sunday, too. I’m curious where “The Webster’s Dictionary defines humility as…” fits on your list?

By: Dominic Ford

Dominic Ford — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:56:53 +0000

Thanks for the excellent talk!

Kirsty-

These are somewhat like sermons, only they are typically given by members of the church, rather than by the Bishop or other leaders. There are exceptions of course, but they don’t happen too often. We have a lay clergy, so the Bishop is a member of the congregation, too, as he is asked to serve in that capacity for a few years and then released and another man is called.

By: Jane

Jane — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:43:27 +0000

Kirsty — This talk was given during the main service (we call it “Sacrament Meeting”).

The schedule is usually: welcome, hymn, prayer, announcements, Sacrament (Communion — bread & water symbolizing Christ), talk (optional, 5 min, by a teenager), talk (10-15 minutes), congregational hymn or musical number, talk (10-15 min), hymn, prayer. The second two talks are often by a husband and wife or a missionary companionship or can be by two unrelated people.

When Deb spoke her husband also spoke, and his talk was good too. I just really, really related to the mother stuff.

By: Melinda

Melinda — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:57:42 +0000

That talk really resonates with me, especially the story she told about needing to get the fridge cleaned and her son wanting attention. It is a good reminder that all the things I think I “need” to get done, are not that important in the big scheme of things.

By: Kirsty

Kirsty — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 10:11:38 +0000

What an awesome talk.
Are these talks like a sermon during the service? Or is it a general time of sharing, but with a specified speaker and topic?

I really liked the point about not letting a problem to be solved be bigger than a person to be loved.

By: Tara

Tara — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:15:00 +0000

Wow – I’m so impressed you guys were able to hear and enjoy this talk. I can’t remember the last time I listened to a whole talk in church. I just get so busy finding joy in my children.

I’m glad I could enjoy this talk vicariously – excellent subject and words by someone who seems very happy with her life.

By: cousin sylwia

cousin sylwia — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 02:48:01 +0000

very nice talk

By: Jordan (MamaBlogga)

Jordan (MamaBlogga) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 02:13:23 +0000

That’s fantastic! The way she “talks” in her introductions kind of reminds me of my mother-in-law (don’t worry, she’s not .

By: Michelle Glauser

Michelle Glauser — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:47:21 +0000

Thank you!

By: Sharla

Sharla — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:04:27 +0000

Thank you! I really needed this today. I am home with sick kids today so at least this way I got to hear (read) a talk. I wish I could have heard her play. And I love that she’s the nerdiest nerd of all the nerdy nerds! That sounds awfully familiar….I think I’d really like her.

By: Jane

Jane — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:11:49 +0000

Yes — as soon as I realized how much I was enjoying it, I was very grateful that she had written it all out.

By: Sue

Sue — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:09:25 +0000

You’re right. A wonderful talk, and I’m glad she allowed you to print it here. I’m even glad that she had written it all down.

Thanks for sharing it.