Only Then Will Your House Be Blessed

I don't know if this is what you're looking for Linds but recently there is one guitar song which has been my mantra for the past two weeks. I've listened to it so many times as I've needed to resolve some negative feelings towards someone and it's reinforced my efforts to "let it go." Performed by Harry Manx - it's a good time.

Let it go, let it go, well, well, let it go, go
Let your sword of vengeance rest
Do the blind lead the blind?
Well, well, don’t be cruel to be kind,
Only then will your house be blessed

Ya, Offer prayer, offer prayer, well, well,
Offer, sweet prayer ya, now
To your uninvited guest
Oh whoa, won’t you give him the right ya, ya,
To be welcome through the night
Only then will your house be blessed.

Turn your cheek, turn your cheek, oh well,
Turn your, your other cheek,
May your mercy manifest oh whao,
When the hawk and the dove, ya, ya
Fly circles round your love
Only then will your house be blessed.

Let it go, let it go, let it go, go
Let your sword of vengeance rest
Do the blind lead the blind, well, well,
Don’t be cruel to be kind,
Only then will your house be blessed.

Ukilele Soothing

So I was at this BBQ last night and one of the guys there played the Ukilele. It was the funnest thing! He knew all kinds of cool songs, and he'd spin it and hit the back of it like a drum. I liked hearing different, luau type music.

I'm inspired to get more songs on guitar under my belt. Has anyone else been to a cool concert lately or heard a street performer doing something funky?

Schneiders!!

So, my friend (old companion) Sestra Hegerhorst sent me this picture...this van is always outside their apartment in Celje... the Schneider store is next to them. I laughed out loud at work when i read the Slovene today 'Shola bo Shala,' meaning 'School will be a Joke.'

hot hot hot!

so yesterday i went to a thai restaurant with a couple friends. i told them i'd be a little late and to just order something for me. when i got there, they said they'd already ordered and assured me that i'd like my dish. the food came, and all four of us had gotten the exact same thing. except, wait, there were little spicy looking sprinkles on mine. oh well, i figured i just couldn't see it on the others' and started eating. it tasted ok to me. i kept eating. ohhhh now it was getting a little spicy. it still wasn't too bad. i looked around and asked if anyone else's dish was spicy at all. they asked, "how's yours, is it spicy?" and i said "yeah, kind of. look my eyes are watering!" thats when they burst out laughing. "we ordered you five-star!" but they thought i'd be freaking out, and not be able to eat it at all. i made them all try some and they had a lot more problems than i did. so the moral of the story? i guess i have a high spice tolerance. maybe it's a secret talent of mine. it's a good way to get a free meal, too, since they said i didn't have to pay!

I love Klimt- here's a picture I found of his.
Linds

There will be snacks......

"Tables and Chairs" by Andrew Bird.
I just heard this song for the first time a few days ago - I can't get it out of my head. I highly recommend you guys find the song, sit down, close your eyes and have a happy moment. The pics won't mean anything until you've listened to the song.

Elders!!

So i just found this old letter i wrote snej on his mission...

Dear Elder Schneid- June 7, 1999
How is everything? Sounds like life is rich and full of surprises. I’m glad I waited a day to write you cuz now I can respond to your letter(s) it was fun to get two at once. The investigators you guys are working with sound cool. And what’s up with that comp of yours? He likes jumping, eh? Well tell him that next time he can wait until he gets OUT of the elevator.  Were you guys alone? What did you do for so long in a cramped up, boxy elevator? Write a book? A hymn?

I’m so ready to graduate right now!! Only 6 school days left. Next time I write you I’ll have even less school days left and then I’ll be FREE!

This weekend Mel and Ian were visiting. We had fun times. I was also at Relay for life Friday night. IT was this fun team fundraiser where we camped out at this high school and our team always had someone walking the track. We raised $2104. Awesome, huh? All for the Cancer Society. Saturday there was karaoke and stuff, so it was way fun. Oh, and the Senior play I was in ended.

Sunday was a really nice service. I had the coolest experience during fast and testimony meeting. See, cuz we’re doing this project in Humanities where we have to write our own personal credo, or our beliefs and values at this point in our lives. The tricky thing was trying to relate my beliefs (and the church views) to those of the philosophers we studied this year. At one point, after reviewing all our notes, (and believe me, I filled 2 scribblers!) I was so overwhelmed and confused that I hardly remembered basic church doctrines. Mom stepped up to the occasion and helped me out by reminding me about our purpose here on this earth- to live worthily to return to God.  So my credo consisted of 3 points.

1. There is an ultimate truth, and it’s not relative.
2. We’re not here by chance, we have a purpose: to return to God.
3. Our choices are everything. They make up who we are and who we want to become.
But back to how this relates to the fast and testimony meeting… I really wanted to hear these words from someone else’s mouth and just be reminded about the simple gospel doctrines that I knew I believed in, but wanted to be reminded of.  Here comes the cool part: Elder James, this neat-o Elder in our ward got up and said he’d been prompted to speak even though he didn’t know why… and he said exactly what I needed to hear. Heavenly Father answers our prayers! I was then able to feel the spirit enough to bear my testimony with conviction not only in Sacrament meeting, but again this morning when I presented my credo.

It’s the best school assignment I’ve ever been given.

That concludes the highlights of my life this week: more or less. As for last week – I was in Edmonton for Grad and it ROCKED! I think I owe you another letter cuz I didn’t write last week. Anyway, Grad ruled. After the dance and banquet we went out to Deb’s and jumped on the tramp, paddle boated, sat on his hammock, played tag, sherades, ate food. Had breakfast at Stringhams at 6:30 that morning. Slept for a few hours… church… a wicked fireside. Life is good. But, hey! Don’t be getting stuck in any more elevators. Luv – Goo. 

ha ha

thought i'd then record the one i just wrote the latest Elder Schneider, too:

Elder Schneider! July 17, 2007

How are things? It sounds like you have a really cool district. I’m so glad that you guys are getting to be better friends. It’s amazing how awesome it is to serve as missionaries together, it really bonds you. I’m still really good friends with the people I served with. I bet you have some cool teachers over there in the MTC too. Are they nice to you guys? What about the food? Do you get a stomach ache like I did? A guy in my ward was telling me on Sunday night at his place that he and his roommates would have a ‘symphony of sound’ in their dorm room at night, and they weren’t shy to own up to their sounds either.

I had a fun time last night at FHE. There’s this girl in my ward named Brittany, who’s from Puyallup, actually, and is so hysterically funny. She had us all laughing last night as she talked about some of the angst of dating. She said she can’t multi date because she gets too confused about what stories she told one person and what stories she told another person, so she just dates one person at a time, otherwise she repeats herself in her stories. We were at Chili’s and it was fun that our waiter looked like Michael J. Fox.

This weekend Uncle Hu and Aunt Di and Hugo came to visit! It was such a blast to see them. We also had a fun time at this dance out in Glendale- it’s been a while since I was at a church dance! And there was the young adult film festival. I had a cameo role in one of the films, and it was really fun to hear the audience’s reaction to my acting/ my part. I like getting reactions from people. In the film I get dissed by this guy and everyone was like ‘aw…’ they said I showed the perfect blend of hurt and loneliness and anger.

Our Bishop was just switched this Sunday—we have a new one named Bishop Thomas, and he seems cool. Bishop Silva was Italian, I think, and his mom was there to visit- she has an Italian accent.

I’m so glad I’ve had this year to recuperate from my mission- so much happens, and it takes time to digest and understand how the Lord works and that he loves us so much, even when I’m not a full time missionary! He blessed me beyond measure on my mission and continues to bless me now! Yesterday (I haven’t really told anyone about this) the Elders just happened to stop by our door when they were tracting! We have some really great Elders. I was feeling a little negative at that moment, and instead of focusing on the positive things I’ve done I was thinking about some of the little mistakes I’ve made, for some reason. Well, the Elders coming right then was like a little sign to me that the Lord is aware of me and of my struggles in my heart. He loves me and is pleased with my service. The missionaries had such bright, smiling faces. I realized that that’s what it was like for my investigators when they answered the door to my companion and I. Just seeing their faces brought such joy and happiness! They shared a scripture there at the door about how the same struggles we face now as missionaries were faced by Paul and Alma and Amulek, and all the great missionaries of the past. It’s the same work, with the same hopes and trials and struggles and opposition. (1 Cor 2:16.)

Well, I'm so proud of your good attitude, Elder Schneider! Sure love ya!
Linds

There's no place like home.....

Housewife's Lament (exerpt)

Last night in my dreams
I was stationed forever,
On a far distant rock
In the midst of the sea.
My one task of life
Was a ceaseless endeavor,
To brush off the waves
As they swept over me.


I'm not posting here to lament at all. I just liked how the above was written, I appreciate the crafting of the sentiment, but I'm actually having a blast playing housewife to both Jordan and Kate (the woman I'm now working for). I clean and cook for this woman - Kate and her three children (all of whom are older than age 12) It's a great gig, today I vacuumed three tons of dog hair while listening to one of my favorite CD's. I'm fairly confident that this will get old but for now Life is a Highway and I'm gonna ride it all night long........

poem

I was just reading this cool story about a mormon family that took a year long around the world trip and it got me thinking about how beautiful this place it!

We Are Made One with What We Touch and See

We are resolved into the supreme air,
We are made one with what we touch and see,
With our heart's blood each crimson sun is fair,
With our young lives each springimpassioned tree
Flames into green, the wildest beasts that range
The moor our kinsmen are, all life is one, and all is change.

With beat of systole and of diastole
One grand great life throbs through earth's giant heart,
And mighty waves of single Being roll
From nerveless germ to man, for we are part
Of every rock and bird and beast and hill,
One with the things that prey on us, and one with what we kill

One sacrament are consecrate, the earth
Not we alone hath passions hymeneal,
The yellow buttercups that shake for mirth
At daybreak know a pleasure not less real
Than we do, when in some freshblossoming wood
We draw the spring into our hearts, and feel that life is good

Is the light vanished from our golden sun,
Or is this daedalfashioned earth less fair,
That we are nature's heritors, and one
With every pulse of life that beats the air?
Rather new suns across the sky shall pass,
New splendour come unto the flower, new glory to the grass.

And we two lovers shall not sit afar,
Critics of nature, but the joyous sea
Shall be our raiment, and the bearded star
Shoot arrows at our pleasure! We shall be
Part of the mighty universal whole,
And through all Aeons mix and mingle with the Kosmic Soul!.

We shall be notes in that great Symphony
Whose cadence circles through the rhythmic spheres,
And all the live World's throbbing heart shall be
One with our heart, the stealthy creeping years
Have lost their terrors now, we shall not die,
The Universe itself shall be our Immortality!.


Oscar Wilde

PEEKabo

Boys have recently started interacting with each other a little more. They loove to make each other laugh, and the other day they engaged in a game of peekabo through the kitchen chairs. They are getting more and more fun to be around every day! Having twins is not such a bad gig after all!

SUMMER!!!!!

i'm just loving summer! it's seriously been soooo fun. i've been having a blast just hanging out with people, going in the lake every day, sea dooing, boating.... its been fun. i hope everyone else is having a great summer! soon i leave for cross country camp and a bunch of other camps, so until then, i'm just chilling here.

these pics are from 4th of july, marci's wedding, and jumping in the lake!

Summer Lovin'

So i had the funnest job the last couple months- i taught an afterschool music program to kids in elementary and junior high. it was fun to get to know them a little and prepare them for a performace. here i am after the performance with a couple of the kids. Jordy, the one on my right arm, reminded me a lot of Beej- fun, a little mischevious, and just all round charysmatic.

i also went camping recently with some friends. it was amazing to be out there in the wilderness and seeing all the stars made my day!

i was also out with some friends recently doing a little bowling! i didn't lose my 'flook' streak, and got a couple strikes! it was rad.

here i am with my new roomate Julia- she's from oregon, just graduated from BYU and is really fun- love being with her.

here's me with my friend. he's a grad student at ucla

five person pile up!

although i'll be finding another job (again) my constant, favorite job of all is being with boys!

this blog got a little out of order... ooops. well, anyway, i'll figure it out for next time, i love you all!

When I was a young girl this was one of my favorite stories.

The Stonecutter - a japanese folktale of unknown authorship.

Once upon a time a stonecutter was working near the side of a mighty rock. As he stood to pause from his hard labour for a minute, he observed a local landlord and his party pass underneath the shade of the trees nearby.

When the stonecutter saw this rich man in all his comfort, his work suddenly felt heavier and harder to him. "Oh, if only I were a rich man," he sighed, "how happy I should be!" Suddenly a voice answered from the mountain: "Your wish is heard; a rich man you shall be!"

When the stonecutter returned home that evening, he found a magnificent palace where his hut once stood. The poor man was nearly beside himself with joy, and in his new life the old one was soon forgotten. One day, while he was walking around the marketplace, he felt the sun burn sharply on his face, and as he saw a prince, sitting in the cool shade of his carriage, he wished he was a prince. A prince he became, but still the sun scorched his face. The stonecutter then wished he would become the sun itself, and immediately it was granted.

As the sun, he felt mightier than all. His light stretched around the entire world and his rays shone on kings and fishers alike. But as he burned bright in the sky, a cloud moved in front of him and obscured his sight. "What is this!" he wondered, "a cloud is mightier than me! Oh how I wish I was a cloud."

And a cloud he was, and he lay between the sun and the earth. He caught the sun's beams and held them, and for days and week he poured forth rain till the rivers overflowed their banks, and the crops of rice stood in water. Towns and villages were destroyed by the power of the rain, only the great rock on the mountainside remained unmoved. "What is this!" he cried, "a rock is mightier than me! Oh how I wish I was a rock."

And the rock he was, and gloried in his power. Proudly he stood, and neither the heat of the sun nor the force of the rain could move him. "This is better than all!" he said to himself. But one day he heard a strange noise at his feet, and when he looked down to see what it could be, he saw a stonecutter driving tools into his surface. Even while he looked a trembling feeling ran all through him, and a great block broke off and fell upon the ground. Then he cried in his wrath: "Is a mere child of earth mightier than a rock? Oh, if I were only a man!"

And the mountain spirit answered: "Your wish is heard. A man once more you shall be!" And the poor man was content to remain a stonecutter for the rest of his life.

Elder Rico

It's been two weeks since we said goodbye to Elder Rico at the MTC! You have all seen these photos in your emails but thought I'd send them again to remind everyone how proud we are of Elder. He's doing great. We've received three letters and one email from him and they are all very positive and happy. This excerpt from his email was the one I most loved reading:

"Well things are going pretty well here. Lindsay's rumor was true! All the quorum of the 12 apostles and the first presidency were at the MTC this week (of course all of them were not here at once). They were all here to help train the new Mission Presidents that have been called......
Also I was waiting [to hear President Sonne- future mission president of SLC mission - give a lesson] I was looking over at my companion and heard this voice that said "thanks for the help." I turned around and looked right at Elder M. Russell Ballard, the executive chairman of the mission committe. Wow! I just said thank you back to him and shook his hand. I didnt realize how fast my heart was beating until after he finished greeting my district. I was really greatful to just know that the Apostles appreciate what I am doing. I really look up to them, because what I will do for two years, some of them have been doing for almost 50 years now! And to see Elder Ballard, the head man on missionary work was just incredible. I felt so comforted and reassured to hear his appreciation."
Rico reads his email every Friday. He gets a half hour on the computer. His email made it sound that he's happy to get your emails, and if he gets a lot he will print them up to read later. His address is: davidbschneider@myldsmail.net

All is well here. We leave tomorrow to travel up to Raymond and Pincher Creek to visit Grandma and to attend my cousin Marcy's wedding (Aunt Marge's grandaughter). Will send photos of the trip when I get back.
Love you all - Mom

What's the difference between orthodondists and sadists?

What's the difference between orthodontists and sadists?

Orthodontists have magazines.





Quite a story Melissa, how awful. I had braces when I was younger and
although my ordeal did not drag on for decades I loathed the orthodontist
all the same. I hated the dentist with the same passion.

little cutie!!

How Melissa Got Her Bite Back

Brace Yourself:
Photo top: me at 11- heavy metals
Photo middle: at 14- round 2- trying to hide those metal buds behind my smile. Strangely, I don't have a lot of open smiles during this photo period. It was a self-conscious time...
Photo bottom: metaled out mama

I was a cute enough kid, but by around the time I was eight or nine, something funky started happening to my teeth. My grandma said that when I smiled she would find it hard to smile back because my teeth were so crooked it was a little bit disturbing. And some thing strange happened to my bite- my chin sunk back, I couldn't chew without stretching out my face, and my teeth didn't fit together anymore. So, from about the time I was nineish until the time I was eighteen I went through a plethora of orthodontia- braces, brackets, elastics, retainers, headgear, bridges even this really painfully huge hunk of plastic that prevented me from speaking and made me look like the Incredible Hulk. I remember my poor little jaw being so sore- and to no avail! While my teeth got straightened up-- thankfully, so my grandma could smile at me without worrying about my future-- my poor little bite just couldn't get it together. After having braces reapplied for the third (or was it fourth?) time when I was seventeen I said 'enough is enough' and I quit my orthodontist. I never knew you could quit an orthodontist, but I did it. Follow-up care with more seasoned orthodontists gave a dire recommendation: surgery. Jaw surgery. Aargh! Jaw surgery- hadn't I paid my dues? What?! Why?! I decided that maybe if I left it alone it would fix itself. See no evil, hear no evil? I spent several years without seeing an orthodontist, a dentist, or anybody with a reclining chair for that matter.
When Ian and I finally got finished with school and started to be able to go to the dentist again one of the first things I heard was: "you need braces." Also: "You should see an orthodontist." We switched dentists. The next guy said the same thing-totally unsolicited. So, I went. I went to the orthodontist, and lo and behold, it was like an echo from Canada thirteen years earlier: surgery. Shucks. Well, I guess you can run, but you can't hide. Over the next two years I almost got braces put on but I kept chickening out and cancelling my appointments. Braces... braces.... braces are so lame! Finally I took a very deep breath, squinched my eyes together. When I opened them I was a twenty-nine year old braces wearer. My other Grandma started laughing when she saw me in May: "didn't you spend your childhood in braces?' Aargh, yes. Yes Grandma, I did. And, it appears, part of my adulthood.... it's hilarious, I know.
Well, yesterday was a sort of monumentous occasion. After nine months of patient braces-wearing, I had The Surgery. Ohmygoodness, Melissa got her bite back. It was hiding out there for twenty odd years... and now it looks and feels amazing. Just to clarify, I don't look and feel amazing, I'm about as swollen as a blowfish, but my bite feels great. I'm hoping for a speedy recovery. I may not be able to talk on the phone for a few weeks, talking is a little tough (my jaw is elasticized completely shut) and hopefullly this swelling goes down a lot, but I am very grateful for all the people who helped make it possible- mom and dad, Ian for taking amazing care of me, and my orthodontist and maxofacial surgeon. You guys rock. The journey's not over yet, but we're getting there and hopefully, before I'm thirty-one, I'll say good bye to braces forever. I may have to do the retainer thing for awhile, but that's OK. Orthodontia has been such a big part of my past, I guess if it sticks around a little in my future that won't be so bad.
;)

One of my favorite muffin recipes

Carrot & Apple muffins

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup ground flax seed
3/4 cup oat bran
1 cup honey (3/4 cup if you want less sweet)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup skim milk
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups shredded carrots
2 apples, peeled, shredded
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 walnuts (optional - I usually don't put them in)


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin pan (or use liners).
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, flax seed, oat bran, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg. Add the milk, eggs, vanilla and oil; mix until just blended. Stir in the carrots, apples, raisins and nuts. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter.
3. Bake (350) for 15-20 mins.