1st Nephi 3:7 - "...I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."
This is, overall, the best advice I've ever been given. It's a well-known scripture from the Book of Mormon, and anyone who has been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is very familiar with it. This verse has strengthened me time and time again as challenging life events have appeared. I say it to myself every time I'm asked to take on a new area of service in our church, and when I have new trials with which to deal. It is a comfort to know that I'm not asked to take on something that I do not have potential to handle. Many times this potential is yet unknown to me, but as I tackle each task, trial or area of service, I discover that the hand of God is holding mine. He lets me know that I have what it takes to get through (and maybe even conquer) the challenge before me! Our Father in Heaven will prepare a way, we just need the courage and faith to step onto the path.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Sunday, October 28, 2012
To Be A Pioneer
You don't have to push a handcart,
Leave your family dear,
Or walk a thousand miles or more
To be a pioneer!
You do have to have great courage,
Faith to conquer fear,
And work with might for a cause that's right
To be a pioneer!
(To Be A Pioneer, Children's Songbook, p. 218-219)
Well, the Mahans are pioneers once more. Today in our church meeting, the boundaries of our local Montrose wards (congregations) were rearranged, and, in addition, a whole new ward was created! This is old hat to Mike and Cindy...we lived in Broomfield, CO for 22 years, on the same street, and experienced these changes from the comfort of our own home at least 3 times! We learned quickly that this type of change is a good thing. It occurs because the population of our church in the area is growing, and that is always a positive change! When we left Broomfield to 'pioneer' in Montrose, it was a mere 5 months later that, for the first time in 30 years, a new ward was formed in this area, and guess who lived in its boundaries?! Yep, that would be us. (We wondered if we brought it with us when we moved!) And now, 6 years later, we are moving once again -- without packing a single box! We are now members of the Mount Sneffles Ward, which will meet in a brand new building south of town! I've never met in a shiny, new-wood and new-paint church before, so it will be fun! Am I a little sad to be separated from the friends I've made in my old ward? Of course. But these kinds of changes create new connections, and I feel like, in many ways, they bring us closer together as a whole.
But that NAME!!! When I moved here and first heard of Mt. Sneffles, all I could think of was Mr. Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street! It's a goofy name, in my opinion, but now that I'm going to be attending a congregation with that tag, I decided I'd better do some research on it. So, listed below (courtesy of Wikipedia) is the explanation of what and where Mt. Sneffles is...don't say that you never learn anything when you read my blog!! Ha! Tally ho!
Mount Sneffels is a fourteen thousand foot mountain peak in the U.S. state of Colorado. It is listed as being 14,150 feet high. It is the 27th highest 14er in Colorado. It is located in the Mount Sneffels Wilderness of the northern San Juan Mountains, in Ouray County approximately 5 miles (8 km) west of the town of Ouray. The summit
of Mount Sneffels is the highest point in Ouray County. Mount Sneffels
is notable for its great vertical relief, as it rises 7,200 feet above
the town of Ridgway, Colorado 6 miles to the northeast.
The primary route to the summit follows a creek bed up from Yankee Boy Basin. A secondary route follows a ridge line to the summit from the saddle of Blue Lakes Pass.
Mount Sneffels was named after the volcano Snæfell, which is located on the tip of the Snæfellsnes peninsula in Iceland. That mountain and its glacier, Snæfellsjökull, which caps the crater like a convex lens, were featured in the Jules Verne novel A Journey to the Center of the Earth. An area on the western flank of Mount Sneffels gives the appearance of volcanic crater.[citation needed]
Seen from the Dallas Divide on State Highway 62, Mount Sneffels is one of the most photographed mountains in Colorado.
Leave your family dear,
Or walk a thousand miles or more
To be a pioneer!
You do have to have great courage,
Faith to conquer fear,
And work with might for a cause that's right
To be a pioneer!
(To Be A Pioneer, Children's Songbook, p. 218-219)
Well, the Mahans are pioneers once more. Today in our church meeting, the boundaries of our local Montrose wards (congregations) were rearranged, and, in addition, a whole new ward was created! This is old hat to Mike and Cindy...we lived in Broomfield, CO for 22 years, on the same street, and experienced these changes from the comfort of our own home at least 3 times! We learned quickly that this type of change is a good thing. It occurs because the population of our church in the area is growing, and that is always a positive change! When we left Broomfield to 'pioneer' in Montrose, it was a mere 5 months later that, for the first time in 30 years, a new ward was formed in this area, and guess who lived in its boundaries?! Yep, that would be us. (We wondered if we brought it with us when we moved!) And now, 6 years later, we are moving once again -- without packing a single box! We are now members of the Mount Sneffles Ward, which will meet in a brand new building south of town! I've never met in a shiny, new-wood and new-paint church before, so it will be fun! Am I a little sad to be separated from the friends I've made in my old ward? Of course. But these kinds of changes create new connections, and I feel like, in many ways, they bring us closer together as a whole.
But that NAME!!! When I moved here and first heard of Mt. Sneffles, all I could think of was Mr. Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street! It's a goofy name, in my opinion, but now that I'm going to be attending a congregation with that tag, I decided I'd better do some research on it. So, listed below (courtesy of Wikipedia) is the explanation of what and where Mt. Sneffles is...don't say that you never learn anything when you read my blog!! Ha! Tally ho!
Mount Sneffels
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the town named after this mountain, see Sneffels, Colorado.
| Mount Sneffels | |
|---|---|
 View of Mount Sneffels from the north |
|
| Elevation | 14,158 ft (4,315 m) NAVD 88[1] |
| Prominence | 3,030 ft (924 m)[2] |
| Listing | Colorado Fourteener |
| Location | |
Mount Sneffels
|
|
| Location | Ouray County, Colorado, USA |
| Range | San Juan Mountains |
| Coordinates | 38°00′14″N 107°47′32″WCoordinates: 38°00′14″N 107°47′32″W[1] |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Sneffels |
The primary route to the summit follows a creek bed up from Yankee Boy Basin. A secondary route follows a ridge line to the summit from the saddle of Blue Lakes Pass.
Mount Sneffels was named after the volcano Snæfell, which is located on the tip of the Snæfellsnes peninsula in Iceland. That mountain and its glacier, Snæfellsjökull, which caps the crater like a convex lens, were featured in the Jules Verne novel A Journey to the Center of the Earth. An area on the western flank of Mount Sneffels gives the appearance of volcanic crater.[citation needed]
Seen from the Dallas Divide on State Highway 62, Mount Sneffels is one of the most photographed mountains in Colorado.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Oct Blog Challenge Week 4: The One Book I Think Everyone Should Read
There is no ONE book that everyone should read. (Well, there's the Book of Mormon, but I'm sure Jen chose this topic with non-religious themes in mind!) There are as many different books as there are different people, and what touches one may not register with another. But here's my selection: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. I picked it mainly because of the experience I had reading it to my elementary school kids last November. Our theme was gratitude, and we read this story, discussing at length how it appeared that the boy did not have much of that quality. Yet, when life got hard, he kept coming back. He returned to the one place where he knew he was loved, and eventually, he figured it out. The first class I read it to that week was a group of 5th graders, who sat wide-eyed and silent, not knowing how to react when their librarian started to cry at the end. Every grade level got something out of this book. Our discussions were uplifting and deep. And at the end of the month, when we moved on and were preparing for December activities, I got the best reward of all. (Back-story) In the library in December, the school (translation: I) sets up a Christmas tree and the children bring canned and packaged food to donate toward gift baskets for some of our struggling families. Each child who donates gets to hang an ornament on the tree, and by the time Winter Vacation rolls around, both the tree and every inch of space underneath it are overflowing! As we talked about this activity, a 3rd grade boy raised his hand and asked me, "Mrs. Mahan, can we call it our Giving Tree?" (I'll wait while you grab a tissue.....I'll join you)--- and the book has been regularly checked out ever since. In today's world of egocentric and 'entitled' youth, it meant so much to me to see evidence that these children really do have kind and generous natures. We need to give them more opportunities to develop this quality. No, we don't want to raise a generation of doormats, but we do want to nurture their innate desire to give of themselves to others without expecting rewards. It's called charity, and its spiritual definition is "The Pure Love of Christ". The Golden Rule. So read this book together, and enjoy discussing it with your family.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Blog Challenge: Letter to My 16-year-old Self
Dear Cindy,
Well, you're finally 16. You've just come through one of the roughest emotional stages of your life, brought on by 3 major factors: 1. You started high school 6 months ago, and suffered through an emotional melt-down as all of your closest friends either went to another high school, or didn't have any classes with you at this one, which led to at least one of them accusing you of abandoning your old friends for newer, more 'popular' ones. This hurt you to the core, and you came home and cried on more than one occasion. 2. The other traumatic event was learning how to drive...you were the 'guinea pig', as most oldest children are, and let's just say your relationship with your dad didn't improve much because of the experience. And 3. You got stood up for your very first high school date, to Homecoming...he came and took you to the football game the night before, but was a no-show for the dance.
But you're 16 now! You got your license (after failing the first time, and your future children LOVE to bring that up!), and you've reconciled with your old friends and found several new ones that will prove to be keepers! So here's my advice to you....keep up the good work! High school is a fun place, and you'll make your own niche and be quite content. Dances are NOT the be-all and end-all to having a fulfilling high school experience, so don't put so much emphasis on them!
Watch your attitude...you have a tendency at this age to think you're pretty funny, but you'll cross a line between being funny and being a smart-aleck....try a little harder to be respectful, especially toward teachers and your parents!
I look back and admire your tenacity when it comes to running for office in student government...you did it because you were genuinely interested in helping, not to win a popularity contest, and you lost time and time again. Ah, well, you finally won an office your senior year...let's not worry about the fact that you were the only one running for it! You got it, and you were good at it. You'll repeat this desire to help through this type of office when you spend who-know-how-many years working in various positions of the PTO at your kids' school!
Finally...stop and think more often about what you have to offer the world. You make friends easily, you are a decent student and a hard worker, but you never gave yourself much credit for that kind of thing. I wish you had taken more care about your appearance...been brave enough to experiment with makeup and more fashionable clothing. Corduroys and T-shirts were probably not the most flattering style for you.
You're a great kid, Cynthia Joan Gray! Go out and take on the world! Love, You(Me)
Well, you're finally 16. You've just come through one of the roughest emotional stages of your life, brought on by 3 major factors: 1. You started high school 6 months ago, and suffered through an emotional melt-down as all of your closest friends either went to another high school, or didn't have any classes with you at this one, which led to at least one of them accusing you of abandoning your old friends for newer, more 'popular' ones. This hurt you to the core, and you came home and cried on more than one occasion. 2. The other traumatic event was learning how to drive...you were the 'guinea pig', as most oldest children are, and let's just say your relationship with your dad didn't improve much because of the experience. And 3. You got stood up for your very first high school date, to Homecoming...he came and took you to the football game the night before, but was a no-show for the dance.
But you're 16 now! You got your license (after failing the first time, and your future children LOVE to bring that up!), and you've reconciled with your old friends and found several new ones that will prove to be keepers! So here's my advice to you....keep up the good work! High school is a fun place, and you'll make your own niche and be quite content. Dances are NOT the be-all and end-all to having a fulfilling high school experience, so don't put so much emphasis on them!
Watch your attitude...you have a tendency at this age to think you're pretty funny, but you'll cross a line between being funny and being a smart-aleck....try a little harder to be respectful, especially toward teachers and your parents!
I look back and admire your tenacity when it comes to running for office in student government...you did it because you were genuinely interested in helping, not to win a popularity contest, and you lost time and time again. Ah, well, you finally won an office your senior year...let's not worry about the fact that you were the only one running for it! You got it, and you were good at it. You'll repeat this desire to help through this type of office when you spend who-know-how-many years working in various positions of the PTO at your kids' school!
Finally...stop and think more often about what you have to offer the world. You make friends easily, you are a decent student and a hard worker, but you never gave yourself much credit for that kind of thing. I wish you had taken more care about your appearance...been brave enough to experiment with makeup and more fashionable clothing. Corduroys and T-shirts were probably not the most flattering style for you.
You're a great kid, Cynthia Joan Gray! Go out and take on the world! Love, You(Me)
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Sibling Rivals and other Relative Topics
 | ||
| Dad, Mom, Cindy, (Cathy-in small photo), Dan - 3 years ago at my parent's 50th anniversary bash |
 |
| Cathy-as seen on her current facebook profile |
Cathy - I am the oldest, and my only sister is less than 2 years younger than me. We are about as opposite as two sisters ever could be....I'm tall, she's short, I'm outgoing, she's shy, I'm clean, she's cluttered...you get the idea. When we lived together, it made for a less than harmonious relationship. Once we were both out of the house and on our own, things improved dramatically. I think we both appreciate and enjoy each other when we don't have to share the same living space. So I can honestly and with heartfelt sincerity tell you that my sister has one of the biggest, most generous hearts of anyone on the planet. She would throw herself in front of a train for someone she barely knows, and will fiercely defend her own family and mine. She has been the only aunt my kids have ever had, and she loves them as much as she loves her own. She has a soft spot for the underdogs and less privileged, and would be adopting every African orphan and 'crack baby' she could, if she had the resources! Life with Cathy is never boring!
Dan - As the baby and the only boy, my brother has been pretty spoiled, and I'm just as guilty as the adults in his life! We're 6 years apart, so I kinda felt like a 2nd mom to him. He's easy to spoil....he's kind, thoughtful, generous and loyal! He's a whiz with finances; I'm glad that one of us has a level head on their shoulders when it comes to money! Oh, and he's very handsome, too. He has a dry wit that leaves you in stitches! I like him.
Dad - There aren't too many people in this world who don't enjoy my dad. He's baudy, outspoken and the consummate sportsman. I've grown up with hunting dogs and equipment as our standard decor. He is a proud Scotsman, which includes the tendency toward excessive frugality. "If I had a nickel for every light you kids left on....!" However, I admire that he's been retired for many years, and has kept himself and my mom self-sufficient. They take frequent camping trips; he gets to go on regular hunting expeditions. One thing I admire the most about Doug Gray is how much he loves my mom, and how good he is (and was) to her widowed mother and her 3 sisters. For a guy who grew up with only one brother, he has done an amazing job in his role as big brother. That says a lot about any man.
Mom - is amazing. People are just drawn to Judy Gray. She emanates an aura of kindness and empathy. She will stand in a line at the grocery store, and by the time she leaves, she's heard the life stories of at least 3 people. She's that easy to talk to, and that genuinely caring. I can only hope to have half of her ability to make others feel better about themselves.
I'm blessed to have both parents going strong. They are wonderful people, and they're even better grandparents (and now GREAT-grandparents!) than they were parents! And as for my sister and brother...I think I'll keep 'em.
My hour is up. Thanks for listening.
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