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Show -NEWS- Spanish Fork Covering what matters most Recitals, rescue Striking and rewards heartstrings Ready Or Not Dawn Van Nosdol As I was thinking about what to write and what would be most useful to you, I just couldn't get my mind off of all of the tragedy that has been happening around the world. The devastation in Myanmar, the earthquake in China,-the tornadoes in Oklahoma and a half dozen other states, and then this morning on the news I was watching the fires in Florida. I was already feeling a little tenderhearted this week because I was so achy. Last week I rolled my ankle, I then stabbed my hand (smack the avocado pit with the knife, do not try to stab it!), I fell down the stairs (yes I'm okay, just bruised and embarrassed). I ripped part of my thumbnail off past the quick, scraped my elbow and had the tips of my fingernails rolled up (accidentally) in my car window. I used some muscles that I was un aware that I even had (must... move... slowly), I got a paper cut and I was starting some new medication that took a little getting used to. I'm ready to move on. As I said, I was a little tenderhearted, and tender bodied, while listening to all of the other pain that was going on in the world. I started to wax philosophical and I wondered if you could ever really be prepared for what is inevitably going to happen — chaos and mayhem of varying degrees, and then it hit me, yes you can! The first thing that you need to do is to stay positive and to prepare your mind. We need to keep things in perspective. We need to do all that we can to store our food and get our houses in order, financially, familial and maintenance wise. We need to have our families in order. Cherish our relationships and make our bonds stronger. Help each other to put aside petty and selfserving differences and enjoy our diversity. And for those who are making stupid choices — stop it and quit breaking your parent's hearts! > One story struck my heartstrings in particular. In Myanmar the government isn't allowing a lot of, if any, outside help into their country to help the victims. Fortunately there was already a service-oriented group who happened to be in their country when everything happened. Right now their biggest task is trying to re-unite families. There are thousands of families that have been torn apart because of the violent storm and they are having trouble finding everybody — and it makes it even more difficult when they don't know if the missing family members are alive or dead. The organization said that the more time that goes by, the more problems there will be in getting family members together again. They said that people will move and try to re-establish their lives, small children will be confused and others will just give up. I can't even imagine the horror of losing a family member. In a past aricle I advised you to get individual family photos — one set each for each member of your family and put it on a lanyard so that you can wear it around your neck in plain view. Keep family documents proving who you are, keep your insurance papers and other important papers in a place, and stored in a way that you can just pick it up and go in a moment's notice. Having your 72-hour kit ready to go is a given. Store your water. Make at least half of the water portable and always have a back up water filter in case you need to start filtering it. I know that having my water stored helps me feel calm. If you get those empty containers filled with water you will have the same sense of peace. We have been very fortunate in our little valley and we have certainly been spared the pain and misery of nature's wrath. We have been given the opportunity to prepare ourselves for what will come; our own personal chaos or a community-wide disaster — so don't waste any more time. And yes, in answering my own question, you can be prepared. Life After Birth Janene Baadsgaard I used to get so nervous for my children when they had to perform in front of others. I appeared calm on the outside and always reassured my child before a performance. Inside my heart would thump so loud I could hear the pulsating sound in my ears. I had this horrible feeling of dread that if things didn't go well, my child's precious self image might be shattered for life. I don't think or feel that way any more. I am older now and I've witnessed the results of both the positive and negative experiences my children have. My instincts to protect my child from anything difficult have also changed. Most of the time my children perform at about the level of their preparation. So when things don't go so well, they learn to be better prepared the next time. Other times, they simply freeze up because they're nervous in front of strangers. In the past I have been tempted to rush up in front of the crowd and say, "She really can do this much better at home. So please quit staring at her and stop making her nervous." I am not tempted to do that any more. I know that sometimes we perform well and sometimes we don't. We learn something we need to know from both experiences. Our focus should be more on our motivations and less on outward show. I've also learned that how we appear to others matters less when we have the quiet confidence and peace of mind that flows from personal character. One day I glanced out the front bedroom window, because I thought I heard someone crying. Out in the driveway I spied my young son struggling to make his two-wheeler stay upright. The bike was over-loaded with newspapers he "had folded then placed into large deep canvas bags on each side of the bicycle. There must have been extra ads that day because his heavy bags were bulging even more than usual. My son was frustrated and my first impulse was to rush out and rescue him. I knew I could easily take him around on his route in the family van. Then I was stopped by this sudden and unmistakable impression, "Jordan will need to do many hard things in his life. You need to let him practice and struggle now so he will be ready then." I cried — but I did not go outside and rescue my son that day. I followed the impression I'd received and stayed inside. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. Eventually Jordan wiped his eyes, steadied his bicycle, rebalanced the rolled newspapers and peddled away on his newspaper route. He did not know I was watching from the window. He did not run into the house and ask me for help. He found the determination and confidence to solve his own problem. Since that day I have seen Jordan struggle through six long years of school to become a doctor. He had to work hard. He did not quit. He had the inner confidence and determination to steady his life, rebalance his priorities when a new wife and three children entered the picture and still achieve his dream. So now when my children are up front or frustrated with a difficult task, I do not ask God to help them perform flawlessly or to solve their problems. I do ask that my child will learn what they need to know from the experience they are about to have. For I have learned that all life events work toward our good if our motivations are pure, if we work hard, and if we trust ourselves and God. Janene Baadsgaard is the author of many humorous and heartwarming books for families including Families Who Laugh . . . Last, On the Roller Coaster Called Motherhood, Winter 's Promise, Financial Freedom for LDS Families, The LDS Mother's Almanac and her most recent publication 15 Secrets to a Happy Home - available at local book stores or on-line at www.springcreekbooks. com. She can be reached at janenebaadsgaard@juno. com. • Service • Furnace Replacements • A/C Add Ons • Green Sticker • Financing OAC i Hearthstone Manor Amenities ••*%£$ ; • Assisted Living Level One and Two Correction In the May 14 edition of the News, we inadvertently got some names wrong. Marcus Hunt, a student of the month for April, was labeled as Rep. Mike Mor- ley, and in what looks to be a new SF News record, we spelled Sharisa Nay's name four different ways in two stories. Our apologies to Sharisa and Marcus. Marcus Hunt Sharisa Nay Janene Baadsgaard HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING QUALITY ASSISTED LIVING WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2008 • A3 Madison's Avenue by"BigAI"and"Famzy" 02008 Madingo L L C Alan Often and Danen Famat "Daddy, can I sleep with you and Mommy? I rolled all the comfy out of my bed." H O W CAN ISRAEL FACE THE ARMY OF THE PHILISTINES...? 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