Insights with Age

INSIGHTS with AGE- I will be 57 years old this week. Time is an odd entity. One’s body ages, but not their spirit or soul really. I suppose we feel the same inside eternally, maybe just a little wiser. I hope I am learning the things I need to learn while I am here. Things I would never have supposed and hope to remember:

LOVE-I know this is the most important item we came to earth to learn about and understand. It sounds so easy, but it much more difficult than we mortals perceive. It is not just an act, but becomes a part of you. It is not just what you give, but what you become. In Bend we lived near recently widowed Carla Donaldson. She shared a story with me about when her husband returned to her after he had passed away. She was in bed and could not move. He stood at the foot of her bed and wanted to let her know that “the most important thing here is love”, just loving one another. Mother Teresa (a hero of mine) said, “If we judge people we do not have time to love them”. Love makes us vulnerable, but also makes our lives far more beautiful to ourselves and others.

HAPPINESS- Chelsea said to me once as a child that “no one could make us happy, but ourselves”. I know this to be true, but at times struggle with melancholy. I feel things deeply. I over-think things and am perhaps a bit homesick for our heavenly home? I am not sure why, because do I know and appreciate how truly blessed I am. I know that “things” do not make us happy, in fact maybe the opposite. I see (and read) how happy the people of Africa who have nothing are. They do not focus on or worry about temporal items, but those around them. The top 10 countries that are ranked the “happiest” are some of the poorest. There have been studies on what makes truly people happy and they have found: experiences over things, having relationships or group connections where we meet together at least once a month. Buying a new item can only make a person temporarily happy and money up to $75,000 a year can help families be happy, so their basic needs are met, after that it does not affect our happiness. On people’s death beds their regrets never focus on the tangible, but on relationships and opportunities they missed out on.

RELATIONSHIPS-are the most meaningful part of life that bring us the most joy and the most sorrow. I believe that every person’s path we cross is not by coincidence in the grand scheme of things. I think we are all here to help one another home. Families are the most important relationships that we have, ones that perfect us, humble us and teach us all the qualities we need to learn…compassion, patience, understanding, truly loving unconditionally and many more. But each person whose life we collide with can create a moment of accountability as well. I know I have wandered through life not always realizing and appreciating my fellow man as greatly as I should.

BEING in the PRESENT- “the past is history, the future a mystery, but today is a gift and that is why it is called the present”….wise words from Kung Fu Panda. A cousin also posted that “focusing too much on the past manifests in depression, focusing too much on the future causes anxiety and focusing on the present brings peace.” I have not been good at this. I know I focus too much on the future and am always looking ahead. In small doses this is called organization, but I wish I had been more in the present and really savored each experience I was having. Hopefully I still have time to do better and others I love will as well.

WEIGHT- life is full of “weighty” matters, but one of them should not be our weight!!! I feel this with all of my heart. While it is good to be healthy and take care of our bodies, I believe that one of Satan’s tools to distract us from more important things is to have us worry about our weight. Don’t. Know beauty is not based on size. I read back through my journals and am horrified I was even worried about my weight when I was a very slim young woman and did not appreciate where I was physically pretty much ever. I was blessed with a healthy, strong body and should not have let thoughts of weight derail more positive productive ones. This is so disheartening. Do not make my mistake.

Wearing my wedding dress (lovingly made by my mother) over 37 years later (June 2016) with the back not zipped closed and the waistband girth increased with rubber bands for Miss Havisham's character in the book "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens. Live life fully with no regrets, don't let size or the past limit you.

I felt I should end this first portion of my history with my testimony. I am not sure how many years the next portion will cover (and someone else may have to publish it), but this is it for now. A random place to end at 57 years old, but it covers a lot of life lived.

I do have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have had too many experiences to doubt that God does exist. I believe we have a loving Father in Heaven who cares about us more than we can comprehend and that He sent our older Brother Jesus Christ to earth to show us the way and help us home. Christ took upon himself our pain and anguishes as well as our sins if we will let him. I know a relationship with the Holy Ghost and listening to his promptings are vital to being led through earth-life's maze. I believe we still have living prophets and apostles on the earth, like in Christ's time, to help us not be deceived and that the scriptures are truly our "letters from home" to comfort and guide us along our journey here. I know that families are sacred and the most important organization and unit on earth, that families are also here to love and support one another on our journey's back to heaven. I believe it does not matter how long we live here, but that we do the best with the time we are given. That we are not here to check off a list of things that need to be accomplished, but that we are here to become what we need to become and grow more like our Father in our efforts. Cherish life and cherish one another.
Eternally, Mother Teresa 

Kids and Grandkids 2016

GRANDKIDS and KIDS CURRENT CHECK-IN 2016

Families grow and change daily, but here are some recent photos of the Christensen crew and what they are all doing currently for this brief moment in earth-life time:

We started this all....

 

May 2016...grandkids just missing Ben

Grammy with BenE at Huntsville Park May 2016

HUBER FAMILY -live in Twin Falls, Idaho. Darren is an accountant for Cliff Bar and Emily is back in college working on a Radiology Technician degree. Their children all attend Xavier Charter School and they all enjoy outdoor activities…camping, rafting, biking, snow boarding, climbing and all.

HALLE (14)- is a lovely, quite-grown-up, young woman who loves to read fantasy and does not like “happy endings”. She is in student government and recently spoke at her 8th grade graduation. 

ASHLEY (12)- is very imaginative. She likes to draw and create and makes you feel good by giving the best hugs. One time she would not go into her soccer game because of the smell on the field.

JAKE (8)- is an intense, older-than-his-age, little man. He is very aware of his surroundings and life events in general and is an outstanding, quite coordinated athlete.

KARLEY(almost 6)- is a full-of-life, busy little bee, very concerned with fashion and appearance. Independent is another word that describes this tender girl who likes to play with and dress dolls.

PLATT FAMILY- live in Vancouver, Washington. Greg has his own business “Platt Auto” that specializes in electric cars. He also recently purchased his own plane and wants to become a pilot. Stephanie retired from her bank job to become a full-time mom and loves purses.

BEN (2)-is a handsome, busy little boy who is very self-entertained and on the go. He lives too far away, but has Platt grandparents near and likes to go on their boat with them.

Ben at Big Beach in Maui July 2016

BUTTARS FAMILY- live in Boise, Idaho. Ryan is an artist (with artwork up around town) who currently works at Woodland Empire Brewery. Chelsea is working in vinyl arts. Beloved bulldog Farfel is 8.

TAYLOR FAMILY- live in Rexburg, Idaho. Greg works for a Farm Insurance Company and travels much of the west and even to Iowa. Hailey is a full-time mom who beautifies things around her. They have a therapeutic riding arena with seven horses.

CASH(5)-has an amazing attitude dealing with all the surgeries, therapies and daily battles of spina bifida. He is in gymnastics, can flip a mean wheelie and do a 360 in his wheel chair. 

Hailey writes an inspiring blog called learning2roll.blogspot.com

KYLIE(2)- is a tall, talkative, darling, little diva-princess who will finally be my friend. She does well sharing the spotlight with big brother and is very grown-up for 2 years old.

KC and MACEY- live in Waxahachie, Texas. KC is a chemical engineer for Owens Corning who has been promoted much in his two years there. Macey recently retired from teaching 4th grade and is actively engaged in good things and enjoying making their new house on Wildflower a home. 

KEEGAN and LIRENZA- live in Orlando, Florida. Keegan is doing his college online while working at Red Lobster and waiting to be Prince Charming or Eric. Lirenza is also working on college courses while employed at Disney World as Princess Ariel and Anna.

Inspirational Stories

INSPIRATIONAL EVENTS or MINI-MIRACLES


I truly believe if we look closely at our lives we will see Heaven's Hand in our lives every day. The veil is thin and we just forget to look and acknowledge. I have experienced many times thoughts or songs in my head to answer a prayer, a street light that will go on during the day unexpectedly or other unexplained events. I want to include a few in this section. Not to be pompous, but to share I believe in heavenly intervention.



Pennies from Heaven:

Often pennies appear in my life at odd times or in odd places to let me know heaven is near. I truly believe that. Even on the front of a penny are printed the words "Trust in God" to remind us to trust our unknown futures to an all knowing God. My seminary kids would always tease me about places I would find pennies or friends would contact me when they found a penny in an strange place. The most unusual penny-place was when I was driving down the highway on Mount Hood to speak in sacrament meeting at a nearby town The Dalles. KC was riding with me and I was nervous for the talk. As we buzzed down the road at 55 miles an hour a penny rolled down the windshield of our blue Astro Van and wedged itself in the windshield wiper. If it rolled from off the top of the van it was defying gravity. The only other explanation was that it dropped literally from heaven. KC was skeptical, but all things are possible!



Angels Clearing the Path:

I mentioned in an earlier section that I have had a fear of bad road conditions ever since a seminary student and her sister that I visit taught were killed on icy roads just below our home in Hood River. I was too distressed to drive home from Idaho that winter 2009 (Keegan even missed school because of my fears). Finally we headed out from Boise and drove into a terrible storm with white-out blizzard conditions. I could not see and drove 35-40 miles per hour for six hours trying to stay on the road. We came to a road sign warning us of a bad stretch with low visibility ahead, Keegan asked jokingly what the rest had been, but I was scared. I shared with him the Old Testament story of Elisha and the chariots of fire on the hills and how there were more people to help us than we could see with our physical eyes. We said another prayer and as we finished two snow plows and a de-icer truck all pulled out in front of us and guided us through the awful part of the canyon pass. I know they were our guardian angels sent when I could no longer endure driving the journey alone. High winds later plummeted us along the gorge, which Keegan hates more than ice and snow, but we continued to pray and made it home safely after double the normal travel time and fear level.  The snow plows and de-icer were our miracle that day.




Texted Answer for Prayer:

Spring 2015 I was having a very tough morning and had gone into my closet to kneel in prayer and was pouring out my heart to heaven while weeping. As I left the closet with tears still on my face I heard my phone ping that I had received a text. A friend said she had stopped mid-project to send me the text with a scripture reference she felt so prompted. The scripture was from one of my very favorite Old Testament stories about King Hezekiah, but I had never connected with this verse in this way before: 2 Kings 20:5- "I have heard thy prayer. I have seen thy tears: behold I will heal thee." Truly God lives and He is near!




Scriptures that inspire me:

James 1:5 in Primary (first scripture memorized)

Isaiah 40:31 and 41:10 as a youth

Proverbs 3:5-6 and Roman 8:28 as a younger mom

1 Nephi 1:20 and 3 Nephi 18:20 recently 

Many many give me comfort.

Mountain Green, Utah 2016 -?

The view from Harvest Point Circle's front door May 2016 

Front view of 5942 Harvest Point Circle home

MOUNTAIN GREEN, UTAH - 2016-?

As previously mentioned our moved to Mtn. Green was a miracle move. We had decided to stay in NSL for the next few years and then look for a home with a large gathering room, bedrooms on the main level and possibly closer to Roger’s work in Ogden (after we paid down our mortgage so we could make an offer without a contingency). But I guess we were supposed to move earlier for some yet unknown reason. I do not think many people have a random stranger knock on their door when their home is not even on the market and offer to buy it. We had seen and liked the Mtn. Green home earlier. This Harvest Point Circle home was still on the market, but we did one last sweep-search from North Salt Lake to North Ogden to make sure that it was where we were supposed to be. The house was definitely too big for us with 6600 square feet, but it had everything we wanted and more. We decided since some of our friends had cabins, this was our combo house/cabin. (I will omit the price, but it was over 10X the cost of our first house). It was only 20 minutes from Roger’s work, but still in a lovely mountain setting and had room for all the family to visit . They all did come to visit shortly after we moved.

Back/side view of Harvest Point Circle home

Back decks and fish pond

Side of the house with a bridge over the stream

All of our children, grandchildren and my parents came to stay for Keegan’s wedding in May only two and a half weeks after we moved in. There were 23 of us total under one roof. I worked from 6:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. every day but Sundays to get everything unpacked and ready. Keegan and Lirenza were hit broadside in my car two days before the wedding, but they were okay. The Honda was not however which complicated the driving situation, but turned out to be a blessing. My car was larger so they were not injured when hit and their car was available to drive to Florida and not be in a repair shop for over two weeks. The Taylor’s arrived first on Wednesday the 11th (the day of the wreck) and Hailey started working on the wedding cake. KC and Macey were stranded in the Oakland airport overnight due to an NBA Finals game and the Platt’s flew in late that night. Buttars, Huber’s and my parents arrived on Thursday May 12th in time for the wedding dinner. After much searching I found a lovely place in Bountiful called The Canterbury Place that had room for us all and would prepare a dinner for the 120 family members. Their lemon chicken was excellent, the toasts were tender and the video of Lirenza and Keegan’s courtship so sweet. It was such a memorable nice night.

Brothers after KC's toast

The head table at The Canterbury Place wedding dinner

At 11:00 the next morning, Friday the 13th of May 2016, Keegan and Lirenza Noelle Gillette were sealed in the Salt Lake City Temple. It was a special love-filled sealing blending our two families. There were many photos taken at the temple grounds and then again before the reception at Liberty Park with all the family and the 14 bridesmaids and 14 groomsmen. It was quite a celebration. 

Keegan and Lirenza on the SLC Temple steps

Newlywed photo op at the Temple

The Christensen original six kids with new sister

The growing Christensen family with all 21 of us

The wedding party with 14 bridesmaids and 14 groomsmen

The reception that night began at 8:00 P.M. on the 3rd story of the Old Primary Children’s Psych Ward just above the Utah State Capitol. Lirenza’s Grandpa Wright owned the building and lived on the 2nd floor and Keegan and many family members from both sides worked for some time to get the place ready for their celebration. (before and after photos)

Keegan, Greg and others working on the reception place.

Keegan and Lirenza dancing at their reception.

So many people came to wish them well at the reception and maybe catch a glimpse of the Psych Ward on Friday the 13th? There was a jazz band playing, dancing (we had a mother/son dance to the Green Day song “Time of Your Life”) and a sparkler-tunnel exit before they headed off on a honeymoon to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico followed by a four-day drive to their new home in Orlando, Florida. Keegan literally had married his “Princess Bride”.

Their wedding cake Hailey made.

Groom with mother, bride with father wedding dance

After the newlyweds departed the rest of the family stayed around until Sunday and we hiked to Green Pond at Snow Basin, had dinner at Huntsville BBQ and a rousing game of ultimate frisbee in the park across the street. It was so fun to have everyone home all enjoying each other. Time went far too fast. Afterward Rog and I settled in to our new mountain life without any family in Utah. So weird. 

Roger has been working on many house maintenance projects and I have been trying to save the fish in our pond and weed the yard while dodging snakes. When we moved in we had over 30 fish of various colors and after returning from a trip to Rexburg (to help when Cash broke his leg), the numbers were down to about 16 due to chemicals and predators. I have cleaned the water, provided lily pads to hide under, a "scare-crane" and a net to keep large birds from carrying them off. Roger thinks I need more to do than save fish. 

Our new family history consultant calling may be helpful in that area. I truly have been gaining a testimony of finding my ancestors. Some of my favor experiences have been 1) finding little Pearl whose other family member's work was already completed, 2) spiritually connecting with spinster Ida Irene who never married and was in a boarding house in her 70’s, 3) Captain Hook’s only son William Walker Hook wanting his family work done including his son's Private Walker who was killed in the Civil War at only 18 from a shot to his groin, 4) finding the parents of Lutheran Reverend Michael Meyerhoeffer who died at 39 leaving nine children…and so many more. Hopefully this calling will help me get better at finding my ancestors and helping “turn the hearts of the children to their fathers” in general. 

On July 9th 2016 we held a section of a Christensen Family Reunion at this Mtn. Green home to help christen our new domicile. Over 60 family members of Roger's family came for breakfast and to hear words from our matriarch Grandma Bonnie Kay Lewis Christensen Welch (sort of like King Benjamin speaking to his people). Only the Taylor's and Huber's were able to come from our family unit since everyone had just been here for Keegan's wedding, but all of Roger's siblings and many of the other grandchildren and even great grandchildren were there. Hopefully Bonnie felt blessed by her posterity that day.

The Huber grandkids stayed with us for two weeks following the reunion since their mom had long days of clinicals for her rad-tech course. We had an action packed time together with passes to go to Seven Peaks water park, went on hikes (which Karley hated and howled much of the way), went to parks (one had the band Chicago playing a concert), to the library (since they are voracious readers), to lunch and dinner, a drive-in double feature movie, Lehi fun center, baseball game, Real Men can Cook fundraiser and a rodeo. Glad grandma can still keep up, albeit sunburned and exhausted. It was a good memory maker and generation bonder and made our home sing with life.

This section will remain unfinished as we are not done living here! We have already met some fun friends who live nearby named the Halls and have found we are nearly the oldest people in the ward. The nearest grocery store is over 10 miles away, but it is lovely to wake up to the beauty of the mountains and enjoy the many hikes in the neighborhood and nearby. One morning when walking the nature trails, I had the impression that this move was a gift from God...living at "Harvest Point" Circle, our harvest of blessings.... and #5942...I was born in '59 and then had 4 girls and 2 boys. I know I am weird, but I do believe our Father watches out for us and "all things work together for the good to them that love God".  Hopefully our lives are blessed here and we can bless and serve others. To be continued…..

Possible songs to be sung at my future funeral:

1) "For Good" from the musical Wicked

2) "Window to His Love" by Julie de Azevedo

3) "Each Life that Touches our for Good" Hymn #293

4) "Bring Him Home" from the musical Les Mis 
(maybe a medley of appropriate parts of my favorite songs from musicals...including #1 and #4)