A couple of weeks ago, we were asked to participate and speak at a Strengthening Marriage Seminar that our stake (church) had. Apparently being married for almost 37 years gives you expert status, lol. They tied every couple’s hands together at the beginning of the activity and then had us stay that way for most of the day. It was a fun day and fortunately there was also a marriage and family therapist who also spoke to the group, so they didn’t have to rely solely on our unprofessional contribution.This is the pavilion where we had part of our marriage seminar. It was sure nice to be able to sit in the shade! The pavilion reminded me of a vacation we took many years ago with our kids where we camped in hammocks that we hung in pavilions as we toured the Yucatán Peninsula. But take a closer look at the next photo…I would never hang a hammock in this pavilion. I think it would put too much stress on these weakened boards. Those mud tracks on the boards of the pavilion roof, are from termites. They weaken the wood. Things might look pretty strong from the outside, but inside, those boards are weak and hollow in places. I think it’s an interesting thing to think about in terms of marriage. Sometimes things might look good to people on the outside, but inside the relationship, there might be things that are eating away and weakening it. It’s important to pay attention and address the problems early so that the relationship can stay strong enough to hold up to stresses that might be put on it.Elder Mr Hot Stuff helped a member of our ward get some important family documents uploaded into his Family Search account. If you have family records that you want preserved, it’s a good idea to photograph them and upload them into a free account that you can create at FamilySearch.org. It was a huge relief for this man to know that he didn’t have to worry any longer about this important information being lost.These are tree roots from a tree that is too big for me to capture it well on my phone camera. They spread out for hundreds of feet. The way they are all tangled reminds me of how our family history can sometimes seem, but however tangled or messy it may appear, there is beauty in it still. After all, our past is what made us into the interesting people we are today.
Do you see how dry that soil is in the picture of the roots? We are in a severe drought here in the northern Caribbean. There is water rationing in some areas and people may not have any water coming out of the faucet in their homes. We have some missionaries here in the Dominican Republic who have to carry buckets to a water source and carry water back to their apartments in order to be able to wash. Pray for rain for us, please. There are several islands in the area who are having a hard time because of the drought.
This picture was taken on a very hot afternoon. I know that if you are living where you are still dealing with an overwhelming amount of snow and cold, with potential for flooding, it’s weird to imagine that another place in the world is having heat and drought conditions. These pigeons were really appreciating the coolness this fountain provided them.This seed pod is another example that it’s the twists and turns that make life interesting. I think it’s really beautiful the way it bends and folds and the color gradations in it.I call this a don’t-touch-me tree. There are a few of them that grow at the park near the temple here. If you can’t see the poky spikes very well, zoom in a little. This is definitely not a tree-hugger’s tree! Have you ever met people like this tree? Have you ever felt like this tree? Sometimes it’s how I feel in the morning or after a hard day.
This Sunday is Easter – Pascua – I hope that you will take some time to think about the blessing and offering of forgiveness and redemption that Jesus Christ gives us. One way you can follow Him is to ask for His help to forgive someone who hurt you. It doesn’t mean that you allow them into a position to cause you harm again, but letting go of the resentment can relieve you of pain. I know this can be difficult to do, but ask God for help and He will be there for you. Here is a link to an encouraging message about forgiveness.
Weathering The Journey 