now not later

last spring I was asked to team teach a class (with Mami Dalton) for our stake women's conference in Tokyo. the class was called "how to make your home a haven and a refuge
from the world" when I told Emily about the class and explained what the words haven and refuge meant, she said, "but mom, our home isn't always like that."

sigh...

maybe there was a reason I was suposed to teach that class! the conference was scheduled for March 12. which didn't end up happening, b/c the earthquake was March 11. anyways, one of the things that stood out to me during all my preparation was the idea about now, not later. this was from a book by Sheri Dew.

she talked about how LDS women tend to save things for later. always later. maybe it's your best cooking. your nice China dishes, your cute holiday ideas. whatever. saving them for:

later when I get married

later when I have kids

later when my kids are older

later when my kids have left the house and it's just me and my husband again.

etc. it goes on and on. but the idea was to live for the now! maybe you're not married, why can't you use your nice dishes anyways? maybe you don't have any kids, but you love holidays. why can't you go all out now?

which brings me to my china dishes. a wedding gift from my grandma. and sadly, this week was the first time I've ever used them! they've always been packed away for "later" when my kids were older, when my kitchen was bigger etc. and I've decided to use them NOW! and plan on using them a lot in the future.

we had a special back to school dinner this week!

and served all the kid's favorites. even curly noodle casserole looks nicer in a trifle bowl, one of my best birthday presents ever from my good friend Shauna.

let's everyone focus on the NOW not the later!