What do I Stand Up for? What do I Stand Out for?

Sunday Afternoon May 10th 2020

It’s been a whirl of a week!

A baby boy born in the Ward at the beginning of the week

and another at the end of the week.

Thank goodness for being able to call on their ministering sisters

to stand by them!  In ways they could… remotely…

They helped me bear my Relief Society President’s load.

In these Covid 19 circumstances there are Ward people in distress.

I needed to help one family.

We had our Ward Council meeting… using zoom.

Travis, next door, helped me get organised with that.

We had our first Relief Society Presidency meeting by Whatsapp video.

Douglas helped me understand how to do that.

I was glad to see and talk to my one counsellor and

my secretary whom I don’t know yet.

I was glad for the one familiar counsellor’s face on my phone…

I also had two counselling sessions by video technology…

Another learning curve…

On the one day, Thursday I think, I was just… dazed…

I went out into the garden and spent some time weeding.  Grounding…

I reached out to one of my long-long-time friends.

She has her own mental health challenges.

She was able to phone me back a day later.

After spending a lovely hour with her, just chatting and being the two of us,

I felt refreshed and “together” again…

I’m also doing more Tai Chi sessions.  That’s also helped.

Yesterday while I did this and that around the house

I watched a feast of TED talks to learn more about autism,

Asbergers and depression.

That change of focus helped too.

There’s so much we didn’t know when we were raising our children.

We didn’t know about much ourselves.  We were both “Babes in the woods.”

And we couldn’t know what it was not possible to know then about

what we didn’t know about raising children.

I thank God for a Bordeaux school bulletin in which was the poem

“Bill of Rights

Please, let me grow as I be,

And try to understand why I want to grow like me,

Not like my Dad hopes I’ll be,

Please try to understand and help me to grow just like me!”

I looked the quote up on the internet – it’s by Hungarian born Magda Gerber.

Her work is shared on magdagerber.org

I would have loved to know more about her at the time in the snippets

I’ve just read briefly.

I’m glad for the Bill of Rights above… It helped me. 

I tried, the very best I knew how… as much as I was able to…

Thankfully, Glenn has been deeply absorbed this week in what he’s doing in the workshop.

Our time together this week at breakfast, lunch and in the evenings has been lovely.

And now my thoughts on the Focus 2020 question for the week:

What do I stand up/stand out for?  Does anything need to change?  If so, what?

Good question…

I don’t know!

I know what I hope I stand up and out for…

Let me know what you think I stand up and out for if you feel like it…

I asked Glenn, and he gave me an answer.

I said “That’s what I want to be known for… but sometimes I’m a wimp, a coward.”

That’s the truth…

Ask those around you what they see you stand up/stand out for…

It’s a precious gift indeed when someone tells you how they see you.

I’m reminded of the Scottish poet, Robert Burns, who said

“O, wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as others see us!
It wad frae monie a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion.”

It’s a precious gift indeed when someone shares with you how they see you.

It’s also painful sometimes that what you want the other to see and know

is not what you intend or want to be known for, seen for.

Then the search for the truth begins…

Am I being and portraying myself accurately?

Is there some hiccup in their receiving me as I actually am?

The journey of a life-time.

What’s “The journey?”

I think it’s “To be who I am”

and to live my one precious life the way I want to live it.

To be authentic.

I enjoy Judge Judy (on TV) when I get the opportunity to see her.

I remember one thing she said in a programme a long time ago that I wrote down…

“It’s your life!  Live it well.”

If you don’t do that, the consequences are not what you want to have…

Well, the consequences might not be what you want anyway,

we are not the only ones involved in how our lives “turn out.”

But if you’ve lived your life well, there’s a deep peace of conscience

no matter what’s going on around you.

Long, long ago I got a book called “Minute Masterpieces.”

One poem in there helped me to live with myself more contentedly.

By Edgar A Guest – any relation Kieran?

“Myself” I have to live with myself and so I want to be fit for myself to know. I want to be able as days go by, always to look myself straight in the eye; I don't want to stand with the setting sun and hate myself for the things I've done. I don't want to keep on a closet shelf a lot of secrets about myself and fool myself as I come and go into thinking no one will ever know the kind of person I really am, I don't want to dress myself up in sham. I want to go out with my head erect I want to deserve all men's respect; but here in the struggle for fame and pelf I want to be able to like myself. I don't want to look at myself and know I'm bluster and bluff and empty show. I never can hide myself from me; I see what others may never see; I know what others may never know, I never can fool myself and so, whatever happens I want to be self respecting and conscience free. What do you stand up for? What do you stand out for? Love Mom / Judy / Gran Judy

Special Saturday Morning

Our Ward is due to divide on 22nd May.

This was our last Relief Society Enrichment Activity - 

A visit to the Temple on cold, crisp last Saturday morning.

Many Sisters were not able to be there...

Those of us who were there had a grand time together.

I noticed the shadows and patterns on the bricks...

I liked them!

Relief Society P.U.S.H. Airlines

Our 'Captain and Crew...'

We had a lovely 'flight' together

to Visiting Teaching City

last Saturday morning.

Since our enormous Ward is to be divided "in the next few weeks"

this may be our last Enrichment meeting together.

I thoroughly enjoy our Sisterhood!

I am sure I will miss those that become the "other Ward."

I'm sorry I didn't take more photos!

When I know how to download from my phone 

I will add the pictures shared on our Relief Society Whatsapp group. 

Service Auction!

This description below copied from my emails...

Last Saturday morning at our Relief Society Enrichment meeting we had a “Service Auction”

Organised by a young 30-ish returned missionary

(who served in Hollywood USA! born and brought up in the Eastern Cape)

Jade Mtembu – did you know her?

(She is one of the  glamourous ones, with loads of enthusiasm and creativity.)

I love being in her energetic and really thoroughly good presence.

In the weeks before we volunteered a service or more that we were prepared to do.

There were some ‘things’ too – like a dress, some shoes, some cupcakes etc.

These were all written on the board.

We had a questionnaire to fill in to begin the morning, which gave us points – our “currency”

Then the bidding began!

Great hilarity and excitement all around.

I was interested in the couple of children and babies present looking on wide-eyed!

I had 495 points as my currency.

I was only really interested in “A massage”.

I realised some of the other sisters were really keen to win it.

So, thinking I was blessed to be able to pay for one, I let it go.

Then I noticed – the young adult sister sitting next to me really wanted the pair of shoes size 6.

I decided if she ran out of points I would bid and get them and give the shoes to her.

Then I realised some of the sisters were really keen on for eg. Apple cake, a meal for a family etc

I started keeping a record of those and thought “I can do that for her, although she might be outbid here.”

So… as I can, I will do some of those little things for some of my Sisters who were sad to be outbid.

Interesting morning for me as a keen observer of people.

We will be doing another “Service Auction” later in the year.

It was ENORMOUSLY popular!

And great fun too!

I finished off with a slice of the most delicious cake – vanilla sponge with a middle filling of

caramel and fresh strawberries and bananas and a topping of fresh whipped cream.  Very tasty!

A good couple of hours interacting with my hilarious and energetic Sisters here.

I offered “Tea for Two” which was won by a sister whose company I will thoroughly enjoy.

You can perhaps see the items for auction listed on the board.

The lady leaning forward on the left is Neo Madela.

She and I will be going for Tea for Two.

We will enjoy ourselves!

The room filled up to overflowing with later arrivals.
A wonderful idea - thank you Jade!

Birthday Celebration

We had our Relief Society's 172nd Birthday Celebration Saturday morning.

 

 

First we sat opposite another sister.

On the table for each pair was a pair of questions to choose from

and answer for one minute.

Then swop around.

Leave the questions at the spot you found them. 

After two minutes (one answer each) move to the next left hand chair.

Repeat the process.

 

I remember some of questions I answered:

"What did you enjoy about school?"

"If you knew you wouldn't fail, what would you do?"

"What recently are you most proud of?"

"If you had only 24 hours to live, what would you do?"

 

Then we switched into three teams and played

"Minute to Winit" type games.

Tongue depressor in your mouth,

load it with five dice, hold for five seconds.

Drop any and start again.

Great fun watching and cheering your team!

Second round of that.

The onlookers...

Nose in Vaseline, then pick up a cotton-wool ball,

shake if off into another bowl - repeat for one minute. 

Winner is the one with the most cotton-wool balls transferred.

Place an Oreo on your forehead, move it with your facial muscles to and into your mouth.

Winner the one who does it first.

Second round of that...

Using a straw, transfer Smarties from one bowl to another.

Winner - the one who transfers the most in a minute (or all in less).

Fill your mouth with marshmallows and say something intelligible.

This was a Kodak snap-shot as one little daughter came in from

the Primary Activity Day being held at the same time.

 

We had a lovely time together!

Just sorry our new Relief Society President, Aurah Agyare-Dwomoh, missed it. 

Her daughter was taken to hospital during the night with an raging fever.

I must find out how she is doing.

Lovely sunset Saturday evening.

Visiting Teaching and Life!

I walked out to get into my car.

Two shopping bags lying on the brick driveway...

Odd.  Perhaps I didn't notice them when I left the car yesterday.

Ahhhh... the back right hand vent window broken...

The back window wound down.

 

OK... What's the damage...

The ash tray pulled out and missing...  No great problem.

The GPS pried off the windscreen and lying between the seats...  Inconvenient.

The part that sticks to the windscreen is fixed on with silicon...

They couldn't get that shaved away.  (I struggled to get it off later!)

My plastic 'dustbin' bag contents strewn across the back seat... No problem.

About R15 in coins missing from between the two front seats... No problem.

The glove box open... Nothing missing.

Umbrellas next to the seats still there.

Map book and odd items under the seats still there.

I checked the boot.  Nothing missing there.

 

Can't go visiting teaching because I can't lock the car securely... that's a problem.

I wlaked back in to phone Julia and our Sisters.

I got to the front door,

then I thought "I am not going to let this stop me!"

I parked outside Tracy's home and got her to open her curtains so

I could "watch the car" through the windows while we visited her.

 

At Melanie's sister-in-law's home we pulled into the yard.

 

When we visited Annette in the evening I fetched Julia, parked at home,

and walked through to where she stays in her part of the house behind us.

 

Here is Tracy's daughter Blu trying to do her hair.

It was very sweet to watch.

 

Here's Melanie who is anxiously waiting to leave for England with her children.

Her husband Anthony is there already, waiting for her and their children to come.

They are just waiting for their children's visas.
She has since heard that visas are granted.  She leaves soon... Perhaps today?

I loved the trunk of this huge tree we sat under as we visited.  Gorgeous shade.

 

We have two morning visits and one evening visit.

I forgot to take a picture of Annette,

but here is the lovely cloud formation in the darkening sky

after I dropped off my companion, Julia, at her home...

 

I love to do my visits before the 20th of the month.

I haven't been able to be very diligent at that for what feels like a long time.

But, last month, this month, and we made appointments

for the 11th of next month,

so... perhaps we will make it three in a row and keep going

in better patterns for the rest of this year.

 

I was disturbed during Tuesday night.  I was wide awake at about 3am.

I went to my new 'space' - the entrance hall, put on the light

and read for a couple of hours.

 

I figure I likely disturbed the one/s bent on robbing my car?

We figured out they broke the vent window, wound down the door window,

crawled in through the open back door window and so

did not set off the alarm.

 

When I came home from Visiting Teaching I checked with Glenn and Doug.

Their vehicles not tampered with.

 

I acknowledge several "Tender Mercies."

For all Mercies I am very grateful.

 

Thursday morning I felt courageous enough to get my window attended to.

First quote R522.00.  Second quote R836.00.

I though "No man! Surely this can't be that much!" 

I wondered whether the cost of driving to where they replaced my windscreen

a while back would be worth the difference in cost -

opposite China Mall in City Deep area.

It was...

 

(This is their sign at their desk.)

In my case it was fast, and cheap and good...

 

R300.00 for the job and maybe 10 minutes.

Happy Day!  Car more secure again.

 

And my life carries on...

I am reminded again of how blessed I am

every single day that passes safely and without traumatic life-changing incidents!

 

Although... many little events are life-changing in their own way anyway.

Just not dramatically, painfully, expensively life-changing.

Not needing weeks, months and years to process and heal from.

 

God is so good, God is so good,

God is so good to me.

I'm grateful I listen to those who counsel me on ways to

a 'safer,' 'richer,' and more 'prosperous' life.

I'm glad I identify when I need to follow my own wisdom and inspiration.

 

Here's to LIFE!

Visiting Teaching

On Tuesday I drove underneath this mighty oak on the left,

stopped, reversed and noticed another mighty oak across the road from it.

 

I paused to ponder and enjoy.

 

Then I drove through this lovely avenue of trees bordering Florida Lake

that has been here since my Dad was a child.

Memories!

Then up to Georginia to visit another Sister.

This is the view from her front door.

I paused and just enjoyed it.

I love Visiting Teaching.

Through many years I have felt privileged

to visit many Sisters with many companions.