My Sixth Teenager!

It's funny. When my children were small, and I was often frazzled trying to meet all their needs and demands, people would often say to me, "If you think this is bad, just wait until they are teenagers!" with an ominous tone. Well, I now have more teenagers than anything else and I have no toddlers anymore. I miss the hugs and unconditional hugs of my toddlers, but I have absolutely enjoyed being the mother of teenagers! My teenager amaze me on a regular basis! They are wonderful!!! With that said, let me tell you about the ushering in of my sixth teenager to date...

Melodee turned 13 this fall! I'm really not sure how she got to be so grown up so quickly, but she is a girl who will take the world by the tail and tame it. She has so much energy. She is fiercely loyal and has an ability to let people know when she doesn't agree with what they are saying. Sometimes she pouts, but she smiles more. I LOVE her smiles. She chose her birthday dinner and specifically requested a fruit pizza for her cake. I did it the easy way. I made the crust out of rice krispie squares. Then I whipped dream whip and added sugar and cream cheese. It was very thick and I didn't want any left over so I put it on about an inch thick on the crust and then topped it with fruit. It was a delicious birthday treat!!!

You can just about feel Melodee's excited energy in the picture as she blows out her candles. She was pretty determined NOT to have any boyfriends!  LOL! Next she opened her gifts. Here are a few pictures that show her excitement and joy.

Melodee really wanted a fuzzy blanket for her birthday. I like to keep the best gift for last. First she got a cool tiger pillow case from Naomi. We gave her a few other odds and ends that she could enjoy as she has a crafty/artistic streak as well as a great love for horses. Then she got to open the bulky gift and sure enough she found a delightfully warm and cozy blanket to wrap up in. You can almost see the anticipation in her face as she opened it here in the photo.

 I love to celebrate birthdays with my children. They are so fun to honor and remember. Birthdays are truly the celebration of our beginning of life on earth - the beginning of our test in mortality. Birthdays - especially for kids - are anticipated and looked forward to as a great event. Sometimes as adults we lose the joy of being in mortality. It feels hard and is challenging almost every day, but birthdays remind me that we can still celebrate the JOY of being here! The great opportunity we have to show our Father in Heaven just how much we love Him! It is exciting and challenging all at once to have life! But it is something I am deeply grateful for. God is so very good to me and my family!!!

The First Week of School: FILLED

The summer ended quite eventfully for our family, though not so much in a good way as all of that. The day we finished our school shopping, we got a phone call from Chad's mom telling us that his dad had had a stroke. We had no idea what to expect, and we left the store and went straight to Claresholm. We purchased sleepwear and the necessary supplies needed to stay a couple of nights there. That was a Thursday night. Grandpa had been taken to Calgary but Grandma was still in Claresholm waiting to hear some news.

Early Friday morning we headed to Calgary with Grandma to see Grandpa. We learned that he had had 3 strokes. He was paralyzed on the left side and was having a lot of trouble speaking. We stayed the day in the hospital with him learning more about what he had experienced. We returned to Claresholm that evening and then went back to Calgary Saturday morning after picking up some appropriate Sunday wear for the next day. This time Grandma stayed in Calgary so she could be close to Grandpa. We got back to Claresholm late that evening. Sunday we attended church there and then we were honored with an invitation for dinner at Ron and Lois's place. We enjoy visiting with them but were able to get away in time to be in Taber by 8:00. We popped in on Chad's brother for a quick visit and to give him an update on his dad and then continued on home.

It is amazing how quickly life can change. The stroke was so unexpected and SO life changing. Chad and I were learning lots about what Grandpa had gone through and was still going through as he struggled to relearn some of his motor skills like talking and swallowing. We wanted to help him so badly, yet sadly, there was very little we could do other than just being there to support and encourage him. Despite all the challenges so suddenly before the Rice family, we were extremely grateful to have Grandpa Rice still with us. There is much to learn... at it will take a long time to learn it all.

So that was how we ushered in the back to school week! The kids began school on Wednesday and on Thursday Chad and I went back to Calgary to visit Grandpa and assist Grandma as much as we were able. This time we stayed with Uncle Ray and Aunt Laura who were so gracious and kind to open their home to us. We stopped in Claresholm on the way up and picked up a few things that Grandpa needed and we also grabbed Grandma's temple bag so the three of us could go to the Calgary temple together the next day. While we were away, Naomi took charge of the kids and the responsibility of feeding and transporting them as needed. What a blessing it was for us to know that our children were well cared for and that Naomi was not just competent, but trustworthy as well. We were able to focus on Grandma and Grandpa and their needs without undue worry over our children. I cannot express how big a blessing that was for us!

Friday morning we took Grandma and went to the temple. We had an absolutely beautiful day with her. Truly the temple is a place to go for strength and solace when challenges and trials are placed before us. It was a beautiful and spiritual day, and it was so nice to sit next to my mother-in-law and feel such an overwhelming love for her there in the temple. I love the temple. It bolsters my strength when I am lacking and fills me with hope and light and courage to move forward EVEN when hard things happen. What a blessing.

After visiting with Grandpa Rice again on Saturday, Chad and I returned home. What a joy it was to find all in order there, with peace and love reigning. I am so very, very grateful for my children. They and their father are my greatest blessings.

Having now experienced a parent suffering a potentially life threatening illness, our eyes have been opened more than ever to the need for families to be strong. We did everything within our power to make this challenge easier for them to bear. We made ourselves available to Chad's parents completely and fully so that they could simply focus on getting well and learning the new skills that they would need to be able to begin the long road to recovery. We took care of as much stuff in Claresholm as we could while they were away. We had the opportunity to serve them in a variety of ways and we were able to involve our children in doing so. In September we took Beth and Charity to Claresholm where they and their dad dug the potatoes and carrots and then put them into the root cellar for winter storage. We had no idea if Grandma and Grandpa would be home to eat them or not, but we took care of the garden so that they did not have to have little things that were undone at home taking up precious energy that was needed to realize recovery. 

Any sacrifices we made during those months were far made up for in the blessings we received! We built a stronger relationship with Uncle Ray and Aunt Laura, getting to know them better. We even had scripture time together with them on the evenings we stayed in their home. That was a great blessing. Another was that while we were in and out of their home, they pulled out the old Neitz family photos and we were able to get copies made of all those photos! A genealogical bonus - something we had never dreamed of having in our possession! Our relationship with Chad's parents strengthened and became closer than it ever has been. One of the greatest blessings though, was the way this challenge pulled Chad and his brothers closer. Chad has been in contact with all of his siblings, and we have renewed our relationships with several of his siblings. Another great blessing.

Grandpa Rice didn't come back home until the middle of December. He relies very heavily on the help and assistance of his dear wife who quit work so that she could completely care for his needs and help him as he needed it. They are on a long road together of learning and challenge, but I know that the Lord will bless and strengthen them in their love for one another as well as in their relationships with their children. I love how Grandpa laughs so much more. I don't think I've ever heard so much belly laughing! It is a genuine delight to hear him find humor in life still even in the face of life's change and challenges.

Through all this I am reminded that we must never forget how important our families are. We NEED each member so very, very much. We don't always see eye to eye, but when it comes down to the crunch, there isn't anything I wouldn't do to help and assist any of my family members in times of need to the extent that I am able to do so. I am so very grateful for the good parents that Chad has been blessed with. I too have been blessed with good and honorable parents, a blessing I am grateful for each and every time I consider my gospel heritage - which is pretty much daily. May we be a blessing to our parents as they have been to us. What a joy family is.

Daring to Speak

This is probably the most thrilling event of our 2013 year! Breanna has always suffered from a great deal of anxiety about speaking to certain people. As she has grown older that group of people has diminished in size quite significantly, but it is something that hasn't gone away completely for her. As of this past summer, she still had two groups of people that she found it difficult to talk among. One was in Primary and the other at school. Over the summer, with our different travels and with visiting different wards, we noticed that Breanna didn't suffer from anxiety so much in Primary. She would sing and participate when called upon to do so. It was WONDERFUL seeing the growth in her and the confidence she was gaining in herself.

In September our ward began practicing for the Sacrament Meeting Presentation. Naomi promised Breanna ice cream if she would speak her part instead of us having to play a recording for her. Breanna's confidence was already significantly increased, and within her heart, she decided that she could do this. As her primary teacher, I was there to assist if needed. When it was her turn to practice her part, I went up with her, but she spoke loud and clear into the microphone. I remember looking at the primary presidency and smiling to myself at the stunned expressions on their faces. Of course I could do nothing more than that, because my heart was so full it was brimming out my eyes. Breanna had just made a significant step in overcoming her biggest challenge at this point in her life!

The following week, Breanna spoke her part in Sacrament Meeting and earned her ice cream, but better than her ice cream was the reward of overcoming a challenge and I could feel the support and love of the whole ward as they witnessed our special girl doing something that was really hard for her. The spirit was so strong, and once again my heart was filled to overflowing and leaking out my eyes.

Two months later, Breanna had decided that she was going to bear her testimony in Sacrament meeting. Chad wasn't there with us that Sunday as he was away helping his father, but the rest of us were privileged and delighted to see Breanna confidently stand up, take the microphone and bear a strong testimony of the gospel. Again, I could feel the love and support of the ward as they sat in amazement at the courage of this strong daughter of God. Breanna chose to again bear her testimony the following month and this time her dad was able to witness for himself the strength and courage of our youngest daughter.

As I have watched Breanna overcome this challenge to such an extent (she is still working on the school part), I have been very impressed with the impact of goal setting. Each time Breanna makes a big step she almost always tells me or another family member that she is about to speak here or there or to a person of her choice. Once she does it the first time, and jumps over that hurdle, it is completely behind her. She never looks back. She has never once faltered at primary since the day she began speaking in Sacrament Meeting. She has an amazing ability to overcome a bit and move forward. She doesn't worry about if what she said was perfect or if everybody could hear her or not, she just moves forward. 

From Breanna there is a valuable lesson taught. It is SO important to overcome our weaknesses - whether they be a tendency to be judgmental, overeat, skip prayers or study time, or any other imperfection - once we decide we are going to overcome a weakness, we CAN put forth the effort, set our minds and hearts to the task and DO IT! Sometimes we are less than perfect, and sometimes we falter, but having made the decision to DO we should never look back wondering if maybe the weakness benefited us in some way. Weakness will never benefit us UNTIL it is made into a strength. This can only happen by moving forward and overcoming those challenges that threaten to swallow us at times. Thank you Breanna for setting such a good example and for showing your courage and determination to do hard things! I can easily see a time that standing in front of a group of people and giving a speech or talk will be something that will be easily within your grasp! You are awesome!!!

No Pain! MUCH Gain!

February is often celebrated as the month of love. For me, it was a month filled with the outpouring of the love of my family, my husband and my dear friends and ward members. You see, in February, I once again had to undergo surgery. I had prepared myself extensively, and was richly blessed in that other than the physical symptom for which I needed correction, I suffered no adverse effects of my condition. In fact I felt good. I felt healthy, energized and full of life! It was a blessing for which I thank my Father in Heaven daily. 

My battle wound with the nurse - trying to
find a vein. Looks like Zoro got to me!
LOL

Since I felt so good, it was difficult to resign myself to recovering from surgery once again. I went in to the hospital with mixed feelings, yet I recognized the need for repair and I trusted my surgeon and his ability to do what was needed. Now I have only undergone anesthetic a couple of times in my life, but both times, I have come out feeling groggy and sluggish. This is what I anticipated along with pain and difficulty moving about for at least a few days.

With that expectation, you can imagine my complete surprise and delight to discover within the first hour of recovery that I was wide awake and alert! I was coherent and felt very close to normal. I was surprised and delighted to discover that I was in NO pain!!! NONE!!! What an unexpected blessing! I was able to get up and move about, and within a few short hours was permitted to eat nourishing foods. I cannot express the depth of the gratitude I felt to receive such an unexpected blessing. I still cannot imagine how it is possible for one to undergo any type of corrective surgery without pain. Perhaps it is possible, but, knowing what I needed, I could not begin to expect such a bonus. I KNOW that the Lord blessed me so astonishingly much that day. It was an unforeseen blessing that I will forever feel grateful to have received.

But the blessings didn’t stop there. The following day I was able to come home. I was able to move around - to get up and down at leisure. I was under restrictions as to how much I could lift – nothing over 5 pounds. Meals were brought in for a few days following and then we were quite easily able to take over as we had prepared a month’s worth of freezer meals before the surgery date. My family has been wonderful! You would not believe how little five pounds is! I can’t lift hardly anything – even though I feel great! So every time I am doing something that requires ANY type of lifting, I have to call for help and the kids come so willingly! This is such a wonderful blessing. My father came and spent a whole morning visiting with me. What a delightful morning that was. There caring friends who called to check on my well-being. There were others who faithfully took over my responsibilities at church for a few weeks. Above all, I am so deep down grateful for my husband, who watched over me so tenderly. He has constantly filled any need, any desire for even minor things such as a drink or a book that is across the room. He has carried loads of laundry, helped and assisted in the kitchen taking things out of the oven or freezer as needed, draining pots and so much more. 

Who am I that I am so blessed to have such wonderful and caring people in my life. I bless the day that the Lord brought Chad into my life for it has opened me up to a host of blessings that I could never have  realized alone. I am so thankful for this experience. I have learned SO much! I truly know that there is GOOD in ALL things and this knowledge fills my heart to overflowing with JOY!

It has been a full month and a half since that surgery and I feel as good as ever and it seems to improve EVERY day! The Lord has truly blessed me bounteously! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Birthdays Begin Again!

NOTE: I just realized that this is the second post on this birthday. That's what happens when you get behind in blogging. However, I feel to leave this post as well, for it truly speaks of the upright character of my son.

With the beginning of a new year comes a new cycle of birthdays! I love birthdays. They provide me as a mother an opportunity to honor my children individually as I try to make the day memorable for them. I don't always put as much effort forth as I would like - life gets busy, but my children are my highest priority, and I LOVE to help them feel special and loved!

This year started with Myles birthday! What a special boy he is. He is so clever and has been working on so many of his talents and skills. He has become so handy. He knows his way around tools and a fair bit of equipment such as lawn mowers, rototillers, chain saws and all that sort of stuff. He is confident with power tools as well and works well as a great blessing to his father when they work together. 

For his birthday meal, Myles requested pizza. We made 4 homemade pizza's in our favorite themes - Hawaiian and a meat pizza. Myles, in his usual helpful manner, helped to cut the pizza as we gathered for the meal.

Pizza is a favorite family meal. I love the tradition of eating together as a family. As you can see, we get a little bit of silliness going on (at the end of the table) which often provides the nutrients in building strong family bonds. Of course family meals also provide the physical nutrition that comes from good food. What a blessing it is to have children that also value family meals.

Myles even helped to light his own candles on the cake - of course, he likes to light candles, so it is natural that he would light the candles on his own cake.

Myles is a very handy person, so for his birthday we gave him a very handy set of gadgets. These hand held tools have all sorts of uses and applications that I know Myles will discover as he does different little projects.

 I am so thankful to have a son who honors his sisters and his parents. Myles is a blessing in our home, and while he struggles with some of the same things that many teenagers struggle with like getting along in off moments, Myles is a great support to his family. Myles loves to do things with his sisters. He often plays ball with Melodee and he helped her to get the after school job that she has. Together they go to work and then they often come home together as well. Myles is a very dependable person, and the neighbors love his willingness to help them out. When they need someone, they seem to instinctively know that Myles is always ready and willing to assist.

I can't help but feel blessed when I consider the goodness of my son. It is a joy and a delight to work with him, for he helps me often without complaint. He is always up for a family activity, faithfully fulfills his home teaching responsibility with his dad, and his priesthood duties at church. He is a good example and a blessing in our home. Myles, it is a definite JOY to call you my son.

Heeding the Call of the Mountains

I love the mountains. I always have and I can't ever imagine having that change. There is something so majestic and beautiful about those towering spires of rock, covered with snow and trees that inspires me. I am not the only one at our house that loves the mountains. Chad also loves the mountains, and being raised at the base of the foothills, they call out regularly to him. It is a predictable phenomenon, that when we see the mountains coming into view that it is as though they begin to call and beckon to us. For Chad this pull is stronger than it is for me, but I feel it as well.

A short time ago we decided to go up into Cardston. The weather was quite snowy, but it was beautiful up there. Before we knew it, we found ourselves turning west rather than east, for a visit into the majestic peaks of Waterton National Park. It was lovely and peaceful, a delightful way to enhance a lovely day together.

 The roads were snow covered and icy and the sky was covered with clouds making it feel cozy and intimate. While I don't like being on poor roads at the best of times, I LOVED the beauty of the snow reflecting off the mountains, and the pure whiteness of everything.

 I don't thing I have ever before seen Cameron Falls frozen - at least not in person. As you can see, the waterfall doesn't look much like itself, but the icicles were lovely and enchanting.

 My footwear was not exactly designed for outdoor activities in snow, so we didn't do a lot of walking around. I took a picture of Chad in front of the waterfall and then he took on of me (which mysteriously disappeared off the ipad!) I promise - I didn't delete it!!!

 As you can see from the footprints in the snow, we weren't the only ones to appreciate the frozen waterfall that day in the new snow. The sun shining through the clouds was breath taking. I am so glad that we made the effort to enjoy the spectacular winter vista of the day.

 We even saw a herd of deer bedded down under the large coniferous trees in the town site. It was pretty cool!

As we left Waterton, the sun came out from behind the clouds. The skies were clearing, and the snows were left behind. It was the perfect benediction to a beautifully spiritual day. We even returned home in time to spend some cherished time together as a family before bed time.

I am so thankful for the wonders of nature, in all the seasons. I am not a big fan of winter, but I don't think I would ever trade away the beauty of that frozen season for any other season of the year. To me winter balances summer as fall balances spring. Winter helps me appreciate summer just as summer helps me appreciate winter. 

The Lord has taught us that there must be opposition in ALL things. I know that the sometimes harsh cold of winter helps me appreciate the melting warmth of summer much more powerfully than I could had I never experienced cold temperatures. To me winter symbolizes trials and adversity, but I am overjoyed by the knowledge that spring will ALWAYS follow! (That's my favorite season of all!) I must admit, that even the extremes of summer can remind me of hardships, for I don't like extreme temperatures either in the red or the blue! Even in those extremes there are delights and joys that speak to my soul. Summer - even on intensely hot days - thrills my heart with the vibrant colors of flowers dancing in the breeze, the singing birds, and the fluttering butterfly. There is joy and happiness aplenty at times such as these. Winter - as a frozen wasteland - holds my heart fascinated by the glittering snow, frozen icicles that decorate waterways and majestic hoarfrost of foggy mornings. Yes, if summer and winter in their extremes depict trial, there is without doubt, joy to be found even in those moments. I am so grateful for the opposites I have experienced (either personally or through others) that enrich my understanding of the many, many blessings that my Father in Heaven has blessed me with. My heart is filled to overflowing as I contemplate the richness of His love for me and ALL mankind.

Cinnamon Roll Cake and Talents

It is so fun having a daughter that loves to cook! Well actually, I have several children that love to cook, and it is such a blessing. Recently we have been blessed by Naomi's culinary skills. Last week she came home from work with a pan of tasty temptation! Yes, it disappeared astonishingly fast! Lucky for us, she came home with the recipe as well! Within two days, she had her own pan of mouthwatering cookery for us to consume.

There it is! Cinnamon Roll Cake and it tastes every bit as good or better than it looks! So let me share the recipe:

Buttery Cinnabun Cake

CAKE:

3 Cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 Cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ Cups milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 Stick real butter, melted

TOPPING:

2 sticks real butter, softened
1 Cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
2/3 Cups nuts, optional

GLAZE:

2 Cups powdered sugar
5 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. In an electric or stand mixer mix the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs and vanilla. Once combined well, slowly stir in melted butter. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, mix the 2 sticks of softened butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nuts until well combined. Drop evenly over cake batter by the tablespoonful’s and use a knife to marble/swirl through the cake.

3. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out nearly clean from center.

4. Place powdered sugar, milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle over warm cake. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

It seems that with as many girls as I have, and their respective ages, I have many wonderfully capable cooks in my home at this time. Just the other day Breanna decided to make a cake. She pulled out a mix, followed the instructions and in a very short time (and with no help) she had baked a wonderfully moist confetti cake. Then just yesterday, Charity decided to help me out by assisting with the cake - she baked an angel food cake which also turned out delightfully well! It seems that we bake treats around here faster than we are able to consume them! Christmas baking - all those cookies and cakes made several months ago, are still being consumed, but at a much slower rate than they would have been a few years back. To me it is a blessing to have so many helping and willing hands in the kitchen. My girls are a joy and a blessing.

Now, lest my son feel left out, let me just say, that he is also very capable in the kitchen. At our house, Myles seems to be able to make the best pancakes. I taught him, but his pancakes rival even mine! Again, it is such a blessing to have his skills benefiting our family.

(These two photos are a couple of pieces of art that Naomi has done this year for her high school art class! Awesome work Naomi!)

I love how our talents and abilities support and nourish others. Food is a pretty predictable talent in that it is obvious that it nourishes others, but the preparation time ALSO nourishes the relationships of those working together in anticipation of a delightful treat or nutritious meal. Talents of music and art , friendship and love also nourish the spirit and those that we share those skills with. I have such gifted children. I think that they nourish me in some small way each and every day and in doing so, they fill my heart with pure JOY! My home is truly blessed by their presence!

The Parable of the Coloured Lenses

Let me introduce you to Sanguine. He was a young man who loved color. It was his work, his hobby and it filled his life!  Each day as he went out into the world he saw the most vibrant and beautiful colors. They delighted his soul and made him want to sing. He found colors in the sky, in the flowers, in all the different grasses and foliages. He saw colors in the mountains and hills, in the clouds and the rains. He saw colors in the wood of his home, on the trim, and reflected back at him in the glass of the window panes. He loved how the different colors complemented and contrasted with one another. The vibrancy and variety of all those wonderful colors filled him with happiness and joy. 

One day as Sanguine was traveling he met Blinkers. Now Sanguine had heard the Graybeards warn against making purchases from the salesman, Blinkers. They warned that one could not truly appreciate color when using coloured lenses, but Sanguine could not understand how adding color could cause one to lose color and so the admonishment of the Graybeards meant little to him. In fact their warning was all but forgotten in the excitement of meeting Blinkers!  Blinkers discerned the love of color that Sanguine possessed and encouraged him to try out some lenses in his favorite color so that he might enjoy all the delights of that spectrum and view it whenever he desired. Loving red, Sanguine  happily chose a rose colored pair. They delighted him. He promptly made his purchase and began wearing them everywhere. The many hues of reds, corals and pinks he was now able to detect in absolutely everything were delightful! In fact he loved those tones so much, that he seldom took off the glasses! He even began to think in terms of those rich ruddy colors. He began to forget the look and feel of blues and greens, but it didn't bother him because he had such a spectrum of crimson colors to enjoy! All he saw and experienced began to be defined through his russet vision. As time went by, Sanguine became so accustomed to wearing his rose coloured glasses that he never felt a need to take them off and life proceeded in a cloud of crimson views.

Over the hill and down the road lived another young man by the name of Beryl. Beryl was also blessed with an affinity for color. His favorite color was blue! Beryl met Blinkers on his way to the market one day. Blinkers, who was very astute, and good at making sales, perceived Beryl's love for blue and also convinced him that the Graybeards were overprotective, and simply feared something they knew nothing about. This made sense to Beryl, and he optimistically purchased an azure coloured set of lenses. Beryl loved the rich blues, greens and aqua colors of his world through the glasses. He wore his spectacles everywhere, finding joys and delights in the rich blues and sapphires of his world. Over time he forgot the warmth of the red part of the spectrum, but he was not aware of this condition as he went on defining his world in terms of his cherished indigos. In the days that passed Beryl's world of blue satisfied him and he forgot that there had ever been anything more. 

Across the lake and to the west was another small, remote village. In this village lived a young man by the name of Clarion. Clarion had a grandfather who was a Graybeard. His grandfather, was very wise and wanted Clarion to not only know of the deception of coloured lenses, but to understand it. This wise man upon hearing of the imminent approach of Blinkers the salesman, decided to purchase some transparent coloured boxes. He then called Clarion to him and once again gave him the warning of the coloured lenses.

"Clarion, the salesman, Blinkers, who peddles coloured lenses soon approaches our village. It is time for you to understand why it is that looking through colored lenses prevents you from enjoying the full richness of the blessings of color, for when one looks through a colored lense, the weakness in them for that color often overrides their knowledge of the color spectrum, and they cannot let go of their pet color long enough to see or appreciate other colors."

With those words, the old Graybeard handed Clarion a blue colored box and asked him to look through it. Clarion immediately loved the rich blues he saw in everything about him. He looked and looked, but the box became heavy and he had to put it down. Next the Graybeard gave him a green box. Clarion was dazzled with the greens sparkling back at him. It was so beautiful, but it too became heavy and he had to put it down. Grandfather continued to hand him color after color, orange then red, purple, gray, and yellow. Then the Graybeard handed him a clear box. Clarion was delighted, for he could see all the colors clearly, and he looked and looked, and looked. Much later he realized that he had dropped the box long ago. The colors he saw were genuine and warm. They hadn't changed, but he had come to appreciate them more deeply. This is the lesson that carried him into his maturity.

Opportunity eventually brought Sanguine, Clarion and Beryl together with others in the work of producing artful masterpieces. Sanguine produced works of art that were filled with reds, golds, corals and crimson. Beryl composed art filled with blues, sapphire, azure and indigo. Others they worked with had an eye trained from green lenses who formed designs filled with rich emeralds, teal and chartreuse. Others favored orange or yellow, but no matter the color, it was always perceived through the color programming of ther chosen lenses for Beryl saw blues and greens in everything, Sanguine perceived reds and pinks and their other associates dominantly perceived the color through which their lenses were tinted. Clarion alone crafted designs that purely captured warm reds, contrasted with cool blues, rich greens, royal purples and energizing yellows but in all his art, his whites were the purest and most defining feature of all.

Clarion's work was in demand, even those who wore colored lenses somehow sensed the purity in his colors. Everybody wanted it and Sanguine and Beryl were beside themselves in seeking to understand Clarion's success. One day they asked him about it. Clarion had been waiting for the opportunity to help them, and slowly approached Sanguine. He reached up and carefully removed the forgotten colored lenses from off the bridge of Sanguines nose. 

Sanguine blinked and reached out to retrieve the glasses, but Clarion said, "You may have these back, and you may wear them if you wish, but first look out the window, over the flowers, toward the hills and mountains, and into the sky." 

Sanguine slowly lifted his eyes to the window and beyond and audibly gasped in surprise! "There is great beauty here that I had forgotten!" he gasped, falling to his knees and weeping.

Beryl was puzzled at the display, for he had forgotten that he too was wearing a pair of colored lenses. Clarion stepped toward him and gently removed the lenses and in that moment Beryl was flooded with the full beauty and love for color he had once had but forgotten as he looked toward the distant hills and saw a bright rainbow in all it's splendour. "Thank you, Clarion, for helping me to see that which I lost sight of. For life IS glorious and beautiful!"

With the lenses that tinted their vision removed Sanguine and Beryl were now able to once again fully appreciate the beauty that surrounded them and it was reflected in their work. No finer artists were ever known in those parts than the three men who had grown beyond the need for colored lenses.

DISCUSSION

Do you wear colored lenses? Have you ever been tempted to view your surroundings or others through the eyes of criticism, imperfection, or unforgiveness? How do you take these tinted perceptions from your vision? Who will lift the lenses from off your eyes for you? Are you aware of the lenses you wear or only the lenses worn by others? How can you remove the colored lenses of negativity and replace them with the clear lenses of perfect love?