Weaved

 Weaved, written by Brie (17 years old)

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The night was coming to a close, and she could feel her body slowing down as it prepared to sleep. She sat upon her bed, an open notebook and pen atop her lap. She picked up the pen and lightly tapped it against her knee, something she did regularly when she was stuck.
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Writer's block, she thought to herself.
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She uncrossed her long legs and stretched them out as she yawned. She leaned back against the sturdy wall behind her and started twisting her blonde hair. Waiting for something inspiring to hit her, she twirled and unraveled golden strands, twisting the ends with her fingers. And then she began to braid. She absentmindedly separated her hair into three sections and started crossing each over the other until a braid was formed.
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Looking at her braid in the mirror across the room from her, she pondered it's simplicity. It was so beautiful, the way the hair weaved in and out, like ripples in a flowing river. She grabbed the end of her braid and thought, My life is like a braid.
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And with that, the pen in her hand burst into life.
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She was entirely made up of thousands - if not millions - of things, but she decided to categorize.
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1. Heart & Soul. Her spirit, her beliefs, and her morals.

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2. Gifts & Flaws. Her intelligence, her talents, and her quirks.

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3. Self-Inflicted & Completely Out Of My Control. Her trials, her hardships, and her heartaches - both internal and external.

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She began to sort the different aspects of her life into these three categories. After several minutes, her body began to grow even more tired. As she set down her pen, she felt satisfied with how her list was ending up.

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She was who she was because of those three categories. She had been weaved, with all the best of intentions, into the person she was today.

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She closed her notebook quietly and set it aside. As she climbed out of her bed, she ran her hand down the braid again and smiled. She knelt down and offered up a prayer of thanks and complete gratitude for who she was and who she was becoming.

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The greatest part of the braid is the elastic that's holding it all in place - she decided this was the partnership of her Father in Heaven and His son, Jesus Christ. Without them, she'd fall apart.

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On the very edge of reality and a dream, she climbed up and fell heavily onto her bed. In no time at all, her heavy eyelids succumbed to sleep.

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My sweet daughter, Brie, is an inspiration to me. She has been blessed with such a wonderful gift - being able to express herself through the written word. I admire her strength  and her willingness to share her love of the gospel.
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Here she is, probably a decade ago, sportin' some pretty cute braids. :) How quickly time moves forward.

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Stand in Holy Places

I am currently serving in the stake young women presidency. Last night we invited the young women presidents from each ward, our yw camp director, and our priesthood leaders to enjoy a meal, an overview of the coming year, and join in a discussion/share. We as a presidency would have loved to have had more time with them. Such an incredible group with fabulous ideas, as well as great questions and insights pertaining to the young women program and those we have been called to serve.
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I put together a 2013 youth theme gift (have you noticed it is being referred to as "youth theme" instead of "mutual theme"?) for each ward in our stake. I used the image I created when the theme was first announced.
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I took a few minutes to explain why I chose Moroni instead of the temple spires. Unfortunately my nerves took over and I am not sure what I actually said. Why does that happen?!
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Anyways, in a nutshell, this is the idea I was trying to get across:
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The River Rock

MINI DEVOTIONAL/THOUGHT

Words of the Prohet: My Testimony of Christ, by President Gordon B. Hinckley

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Main Thought:

My Redeemer Lives, Hymn #135 - words by President Gordon B. Hinckley

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I know that my Redeemer lives,

Triumphant Savior, Son of God,

Victorious over pain and death,

My King, my Leader, and my Lord.

He lives, my one sure rock of faith,

The one bright hope of men on earth,

The beacon to a better way,

The light beyond the veil of death.

Oh, give me thy sweet Spirit still,

The peace that comes alone from thee,

The faith to walk the lonely road

That leads to thine eternity.

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HANDOUT idea

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Candy Rocks and Pebbles

Chocolate rocks or jelly bean pebbles.

Simply package a few of these up, tie with jute, and add the handout above.

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Chocolate Rocks and Twig Bark

Or wrap up some of these yummy looking goodies!
recipe here

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CRAFT IDEAS - River Rock Inspired

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Rock, Paper, No Scissors

idea found here, created by Danny Seo

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River Rock Rings

Rings above created by Colby June.

I made one using a tiny, flat pebble - spray painted silver.

I glued it onto a ring blank.

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Gold Leaf Designed River Rocks

tutorial here

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Natural Stone Jewlery

tutorial on how to drill small stones here

purchase natural stone jewelry shown above from Jenny Hoople

The Legend of the Sand Dollar

MINI DEVOTIONAL/THOUGHT

The Legend of the Sand Dollar, The Friend 1976

Main Thought: “Remember Him, and find peace within.”

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Walking slowly along the wet sand—hands in pockets and bare feet kicking the water that lapped at his toes—Guillermo (Gee-yer-mo) wished he had a present to welcome his friend Philip. Soon it would be time for Philip to arrive in Baja, California, after the trip with his family‍ along the Oregon seacoast. Two years ago the two boys had been neighbors in Arizona. Will Philip be the same?‍ he wondered. He was concerned that perhaps they wouldn’t still like the same things.
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Guillermo stooped to pick up a flat, gray, roundish seashell almost hidden in the wet sand. It was a sand dollar! He turned it over in his hand with the feeling of awe and wonder he always felt when he thought about the legend of the shell. He slipped the shell into his jeans pocket as he heard the sound of his mother’s voice floating down from the bluff.
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photo credit: here

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“Guillermo, it is time.”
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He climbed the winding path up the bluff to their red brick home at the top and opened the heavy wooden door to enter a cool, tile-bordered room.
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“Hurry, Guillermo, and help me set the table,” urged his mother. “Philip’s parents will want their lunch so they can be on their way to Cabo San Lucas. How nice that Philip can stay with you for a whole week!”
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Guillermo had just finished putting a bright cloth on the table and had changed into a clean T-shirt when he heard a car pull into the yard.
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“Here they are,” said his mother. “Tell Papa.”
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“Papa, they’re here!” called Guillermo. Then he hurried outside, one hand in his pocket.

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A red-haired boy ran toward him with a package in his hand.

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“Hola‍ (hello), Guillermo, como está usted‍ (how are you)?”

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“I’m fine, Philip,” Guillermo replied.

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“I’ve been practicing Spanish,” his friend explained. “Look what I brought you.” He shoved the package into Guillermo’s hand and said excitedly, “Open it, OK?”

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Guillermo opened the package. Inside was a plastic flying saucer.

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“Muchas gracias, Felipe‍ (many thanks, Philip),” he said, grinning.

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Again he wished he had a welcoming gift for Philip. Then he remembered the sand dollar he had picked up. He put his hand into his pocket and drew out the flat seashell.

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“I have a present for you, too, Philip. I’m sorry it isn’t wrapped.”

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photo credit: here

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“I’ve never seen a shell like this before,” said Philip. “What is it?”

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“It’s a sand dollar. However, some people call it a keyhole urchin. It’s found on the Gulf coast and Atlantic coast. After dinner let’s go to my room and I’ll tell you about it.”

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Later when they reached his bedroom, Guillermo opened a shoe box on his dresser and took out a dry, sun-bleached sand dollar. “The legend,” Guillermo began, “says that this shell tells the story of the birth and death of Jesus.”

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“How can a sand dollar do that?” asked Philip.

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Guillermo pointed to the shell in his hand.

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“The markings show up better on this dry shell than on yours. See, on the back there’s an Easter lily. In the center of it is the tracing of the star that guided the wise men to the Christ‍ child.”

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photo credit: here

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Guillermo turned the shell over. “Here on the other side are the markings of the Christmas poinsettia. In the middle are five holes, representing the wounds in Jesus’ body when He was crucified.”

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“Wow!” said Philip, “that’s interesting.” Then, looking closely at the holes, he thought of something else and asked, “How does the shell move?”

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“When it’s alive it’s covered with brown, hair-like spines, and it moves with them. It’s an animal like the starfish.” Guillermo pointed to a small hole in the bottom of the shell. “It takes food in through here.” He handed the shell to Philip. “Here, shake it,” he suggested to his friend.

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Guillermo watched as Philip gently shook the shell and sand fell out.

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“What’s inside, more sand?” asked Philip.

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“No. Hold out your hand. Now watch.”

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Guillermo broke open the sand dollar and out dropped several tiny white wing-like objects.

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photo credit: here

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“They’re like folded butterflies made of ivory or bone!” Philip exclaimed.

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“The legend says they are the white doves that spread goodwill and peace,” Guillermo explained.

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“That’s really neat,” said Philip. “Can we look for more sand dollars on the beach?”

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“Sure, Philip. Did you know that some women wear pendants of gold cast from real sand dollars? Other people thread sand dollars on strings and use them for wind chimes.”

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“I can make a chime for my mother!” said Philip excitedly. “Or maybe I could make her a necklace for Christmas. Boy, Guillermo, I’m so glad I came!"

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CRAFT ideas - Sand Dollar Inspired

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No-Sew Bleached Sand Dollar Pillow

This design would be awesome on a t-shirt!

tutorial here, from Crafts&Sutch

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Sand Dollar Art

I think the girls would have fun designing their own sand dollars.

I would!

Arcylic Paints, Watercolors, Oil Pastels, Markers.

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Dyed Sand Dollar Necklace

Take a real sand dollar - dry it, dye it, and seal it for strength.

idea found here, created by Sarah's Sand Dollars

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Sand Dollar Necklace

Another pendant idea. Add a ring clip to a smaller sand dollar.

The one above was created by Eli N Opus.

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Sand Dollar Hemp and Wood Bead Necklace

idea found here

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Sand Dollar Ornament

You could dress up your sand dollars with rhinestones and ribbon.

idea found here, from Nautical by Nature

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DIY Sand Dollar and Twine Garland

A cute and simple decoration for the cabins.

idea found here

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Stamped Metal and SandDollar Charm
With the right supplies, the girls could create a personalized stamped necklace like this one.
They could use metal washers, dog tags, or charms like the one used above.
Whatever budget allows.
You could even use real sand dollars (small ones) and spray paint them in gold or silver.
purchase here, from Simple Starfish
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Sand Dollar Stencil

I love this!  Great design for a t-shirt.
purchase here
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The Legend of the Sand Dollar
purchase book here
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There's a lovely little legend
that I would like to tell,
of the birth and death of Jesus,
found in this lowly shell.

If you examine closely,
you'll see that you find here,
four nail holes and a fifth one,
made by a Roman's spear.

On one side the Easter lily,
its center is the star,
that appeared unto the shepherds
and led them from afar.

The Christmas Poinsettia
etched on the other side,
reminds us of His birthday,
our happy Christmastide.

Now break the center open,
and here you will release,
the five white doves awaiting,
to spread Good Will and Peace.

This simple little symbol,
Christ left for you and me,
to help us spread His Gospel,
through all Eternity.

Author Unknown
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