Honor

Our church has had really fun activities this year. Tonight's was a "Guiness Book of Ward Records." At others in the past there have been contests for the desserts. Once we won third, but for MyGirl, that was okay, but for the rest, its been a major disappointment. She has a competitive streak in her, that you'd never know if you knew her, but for each event, she has experienced enough losses to just really want it even more.

Tonight the theme was to create a dessert based on a scripture. After throwing around some ideas, I reverted to the fish that I made for LittleBuddies 4th birthday. Its from our Disney party book, and is fairly easy to make as long as you have Necco wafers. (This took 4 packages for the variety of colors - they don't make too many pinks and oranges, I've noticed!) So MyGirl greased the pan well (necessary to pop it out at the end), and baked it up, and made a big batch of frosting. Then I colored the frosting and decorated it up - a great group effort, considering I took the boys for haircuts in the middle. (That's just life, you know, and the cake had to cool anyhow.) We threw it together in a couple of hours, and guess what? We won!!! MyGirl's smile was a mile wide as she picked up our blue ribbon. It was fun watching her at the dessert table, answering everyone's questions, and being so pleased. On the way home, true to her sweet, pure heart, she commented, "I just feel so honored."

I feel honored to be able to have the opportunity to create something with her that made her feel that way inside. I like to create something for the love of trying out something new, but its most satisfying to create something that makes someone else happy, especially my own child. The little time we took together, even if we hadn't won, was still really fun. That was enough for me - time together doing something creative. To have the memory of it being a successful experience, well once in a while, those moments make me feel honored to be a parent that can help my child feel really happy. I should add, that because she does have depression, to have her feel really happy makes me especially happy.

Just in case you wondered, since several people asked, it is based on the scripture from Matthew 17:27, where the Savior told Peter to go fish and find a coin in its mouth to pay the tribute. Note carefully the gold wrapped coin in his mouth, and an unwrapped smaller chocolate coin for the eyes. Sharing the miracles of Christ's ministry with my daughter, now that is a great honor. I am so glad to be born into this century when the printed word is so easily available and we can be literate in the words of prophets, inspired by the mouth of God. I love teaching my Sunday School class. Each Sunday I come away feeling honored to teach the words of God to such impressionable teenagers. Creating, teaching, loving, serving my family, these are among the most honorable experiences of my life.