Empty Jar

“My wife often cans peaches and pears in the fall. A great deal of work is necessary just to prepare the fruit. Then, once it is prepared, she puts it into jars, places the seals on, twists the lids tightly into place, and sets the jars in boiling water. Then she waits for the seals to set.

She has performed this operation dozens of times with hundreds of jars. In all that time I have never seen her seal an empty jar. Unless the jar is loaded with fruit, a seal is not placed. I doubt if anyone, among the thousands who can fruit every year, has ever sealed an empty jar. There must be something to preserve or the seal has no significance. 

The sealing of temple covenants is similar. When we are married at the altars of the temple, the Lord, from one point of view, gives us an empty jar. Then he instructs us to fill it with the wonderful fruits of righteous marriage. We fill it with love and compromise and forgiveness and joy and peace and shared trails; we fill it with all the things of life, all the good fruit. As we keep our covenants, returning often to renew them as we work for the dead, the jar begins to fill. As we grow older and our love deepens, we desire to preserve forever all the good we have stored. 

Our abiding in the covenant allows the Lord to place the seal on our covenant relationship and preserve the fruits of our righteousness for all eternity. This is the same for all temple covenants. Nobody seals an empty jar; neither does the Lord seal empty covenants. First there must be fruit to preserve.

In the temple, you were given an empty jar as a present. Eternal marriages are not made at the altar. They are made by the things that you will do together and for each other every day thereafter. May you spend your lifetime filling your jar with all of the sweet things of your life together."

Chapters and changes

Did you ever wake up one morning of your every day life routine and realize you're at a stage of life you've looked forward to for years? 

That happened to me this morning.

Husband leaned down in a shirt and tie and kissed my sleepy forehead goodbye as he left for the day.

As I rolled over to catch another hour of sleep, a wave of emotion hit me.  I've never been happier.

I remember my first day of kindergarten.  Mom fluffed up my 90's bangs as I ran through the front door to catch the school bus with all the big kids.  I remember looking at them and thinking how excited I was to be like them.  For years I had played 'school' with my sisters and we giggled with fake 'homework' assignments, excited to learn and progress like the big kids.  

That chapter had come in my life. 

New chapters followed:  

When I owned my first giga-pet :)
My first sleepover.
When I turned 8 and was baptized. 
The first time I was able to walk to the store by myself.
When I started middle school.
When I wore makeup for the first time.
My first high school football game.
My first dance.
Graduation.
My first day living in my own apartment.  
My first ambulance run.
My first day on the mission.
The day I flew home.
Being sealed to my best friend.

Now I look forward to starting our own family someday, and continuing to have all our firsts together.

I was overwhelmed this morning though with a different concept. 

 Joy in today.

I'm so grateful for parents who taught me to not be so consumed in looking forward to the next chapter that I'm not loving today. They taught me to also look backward and appreciate where you've been.  Recognize the example you are for others.  But more than anything, to take a good look at today.  To enjoy where I am and how excited I've been to get here. 

Today, I am so incredibly happy.

Love you Hub.

-Wifey

best friend

I woke up this morning and checked my email to do a few things for work.  While it was loading I made myself some apple butter toast. :) Matt and I are addicted now.  You will be too.  Cracker Barrel changed us.

When I flipped to a news-feed I found multiple articles challenging the existence of God.  This one in particular.  The arguer expressed some powerful opinions that I'm sure many round the world were nodding their heads to.  He went on to express that there was no God, that deity was a fiction that people ignorant to science and facts came up with to satisfy their need to understand.

I felt a knot in my stomach and wondered why.  I've heard many express their opinions before and I don't take offense to any.  I know maybe some reading this or many close to me don't believe all the same things I do.  I love you all the same, no matter the ground we stand on.

But what hit me so deeply was wondering how my life would be different without this man.  I could no sooner deny the existence of my Savior than I could my own mother.  I cannot and will not deny the life and message of my best friend, after He has been there so much for me.  I know faith can sound like a foolish thing.  But it is not ignorance.  It's not something I made up.  It's something I found in my searching.  By years of asking questions, pondering, and researching.  I love science.  I crave to learn constantly.  But to me it proves nothing more than the existence of a higher being. 

I look back at my life and my challenges, however small they may be compared to those of others going through more than me.  Regardless, there are some mornings He is my motivator to get out of bed.  In my darkest moments where no other soul has been with me, He was there.  And whenever the future seems hard to bear, He is in it.

He is my anchor.

He gives me the peace I need every day.

He gives me hope.

He gives me eyes to see the good in every day.

He is my best friend.

He is yours.

And I could never deny that I KNOW He exists.  

Time

Today we've been married a month.
I know to the passerby that is hardly any time at all.  But who can judge time?  
Brother McDermed from my mission used to say, "Time is the only thing that keeps everything from happening all at once."
I personally believe Heavenly Father created time to ease this test called life for us.  He knew we couldn't handle all the hardship and growth at once, so He spread it out.  And He knew we couldn't fully appreciate the deep joys of life all in one moment, so he spaced them as well. 

But I believe somethings time doesn't touch.  Some are timeless.

I married you forever. 

This past month is just the beginning Matty G.  We've had some high highs, some low lows, and so many new chapters and experiences together.  And they will only continue everyday.

My favorite memories of the day:

The note you left on my car this morning.

Talking on the phone between jobs & school.

Seeing you 'apparate' when you came bursting in the door.  Haha. You always make me laugh.

Taking me to work.

Letting me wear your jacket because it was raining.

Dinner at Outback till we were stuffed.

Anniversary FHE.

Seeing our blessings.

And after hours of homework, laughing so hard you fell off the bed.

Life has never been better.

Happy One Month Anniversary Love :)

Dear Husband

BIF,
I'm laying here on our Indian-print couch at home.  I just finished all my morning errands and you've been on my mind.  

Today our busy lives pick up again and we will be involved in so many good worthwhile things throughout the week.  I am so proud of you and how hard you work.  But the thing I love most about it is you do every step with a smile on your face.
You make me laugh and smile more than anyone else in the world.  

You're my best friend. 
And I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be married to you.
Don't forget I love you.
Have a good day. :)

-Gifford

"Each of us has a fourfold responsibility. First, we have a responsibility to our families. Second, we have a responsibility to our employers. Third, we have a responsibility to the Lord’s work. Fourth, we have a responsibility to ourselves."

-Gordon B. Hinckley