Names and Addresses

This morning I was thinking about names and addresses.  It seems like that's all I've been thinking about all week whilte trying to get wedding invitations out.  It is a huge hassle identifying the names, searching for their address, and then entering them in one by one in my daughter's postable account.  These people may not want to show support for my daughter in any way;  they might scratch their heads and say, "Who is this Chelsey Mowen and who cares about their love story?"  However,  I send them the invitation anyway; each person has been, or is still important to me and I love them. These people have touched me and my family and showed they cared in some way-big or small.  I enjoyed personalizing each bridal shower invitation with little sunflower luster gem with their name in the middle. It was one of those little details that doesn't really matter-but their names matter.  Each name is a symbol representing an individual life-and as such-I honor them. I probably forgot someone important; I sure don't want any Maleficent's out there- all butt hurt because they didn't get an invitation to my daughter's Latin dance party.

The reception is just a party-a very expensive party. This "rustic elegance" thing is about to send me over the edge. For the last 4 months I have brought my stupid offerings on bended knee, head bowed low in submission, only to be rejected by the would be queen.  "No, mom, that's not what I had in mind at all-it doesn't look anything like my Pintrest board. If it's rustic, let's just eat on paper plates and call it good instead of spending $3.00 a place setting for...nothing.  Oh-but it's so "important".  I'll tell you what's important;  what I care about most is that she and her soon to be husband will be kneeling over the altars of the temple entering into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage.  In the next couple of weeks Chelsey Nicole Mowen will be going to the Provo temple and participating in her living ordinances including the initiatory and endowment, culminating with her sealing to her husband.  So if we take in to account baptism, confirmation, initiatory, endowment, sealing to spouse, and sealing to parents-that's a whole lot of ordinances for every single human, including Chelsey,who has ever lived on this planet-just to give them the opportunity to accept them-they might not even want to come. They might not even care about it.  They might just throw it out like an unwanted wedding invitation.  But He wants his work done anyway in the way he has ordained. Temple work is done, one name at a time.  Sure it is hassle, but each name represents one of our Father's precious children. It deserves our best time and attention.

I have another offering for the lovely newlyweds.  I just finished it yesterday-and it is awesome (but then again, I thought the reject bridal flower crown was amazing.) I arranged one of my favorite primary songs, "Families Can Be Together."  In LDS culture, having a "Forever Family" is the whole point of the temple.  It's what brings joy and rejoicing.  So you can imagine the pain I felt as I looked up at the spire of the Provo Temple, being freshly divorced, thinking aloud and sobbing, "I don't have a forever family-not even close." However, with time and study, I don't feel the same way when I see the temple.  I don't think about my failures, rather I think of HIS victory. I think of HIS great work.  I think of our triumphant Lord and what his atonement makes possible.  I think of his grace.  I think of the work already done for me and how everything I truly want is there waiting-ready to claim through my living faith.   I just have to want my inheritance.  He's not going to force feed his highest blessing to someone who refuses to open their mouth.  While thinking on some of these concepts and an great talk I heard by C. Robert Line about how grace works, I wrote an interlude between the 1st and second verse of this primary song.   My lyrics are italicized.

I have a family here on earth.  They are so good to me.
 I want to share my life with them through all eternity.

Families can be together forever Through Heavenly Father's plan
I always want to be with my own family, And the Lord has shown me how I can.
The Lord has shown me how I can.

I have a family here on earth-and they've been sealed to me.
I want to share my life with them...sometimes I doubt and cannot see-how this could be?

Families ARE forever.  Generations sealed by priesthood power.
There to claim-through His name.  
Work's been done-the names are waiting..if you WANT
And the Lord has shown me how HE has
The Lord has shown me...how he has.

While I am in my early years, I'll prepare most carefully
So I can marry in God's temple for eternity.

(both parts sung together)
Families can be together forever Through Heavenly Father's plan (Families are Forever. Generations Sealed)
I always want to be with my own family (There to claim-Through His name)
And the Lord has shown me how I can. (And the Lord has shown...me how He has)
The Lord has shown me how I can. (The Lord has shown me how He has!)