{oh so many feet}

okay... so im one of the relief society teachers in my ward. i had to give the lesson today... it was on elder holland's talk from the april 2009 conference entitled "none were with him." [click here if you want to read it.] it really is a powerful talk. i loved it. and the lesson went pretty well, too, i thought. i still get really nervous teaching. it is not something i am particularly good at, but i give it my best anyway. the last lesson i did was about pioneers and i told a story about an ancestor of mine that we call "the cookie lady" so naturally, to tie into the talk and be sort of an object lesson, i brought in some cookies. needless to say, they were a big hit. well this talk was about how because Jesus suffered and died for us and because He was completely forsaken by all, we would never have to feel the complete depth of what He felt on our behalf. It talked about how even when we feel completely alone and abandoned, we never really are... that He is always there for us and has complete empathy for us while we are going through our personal gethsemanes. anyway... i ended up using a poem that i had heard years ago... its called "footprints in the sand." this is the poem. i absolutely love it...

FOOTPRINTS

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: One belonged to him, the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of foot prints. He also noticed that it happened at the lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. "LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you you would walk with me all of the way But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why, when I needed you the most, you would leave me."

The LORD replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.

By Carolyn Joyce Carty ©

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amazing right? it gives me goosebumps every time. well... i made cookies to take in today to again tie my lesson together. i figure i always remember lessons better when there are handouts... and i mighta hoped that they would forgive my lack of teaching skills if there were treats... haha. i was really happy with the end results. i think the sisters loved the cookies and the lesson was well received... i sure am thankful for the sisters in my ward... they always have such good comments! so... here are pictures! :)

i used mom/paula's sugar cookie recipe, a foot shaped cookie cutter, regular icing and organic sugar cause it looked a little more sand-like. pretty stinking cute, dont you think?

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another note about some feet... i got these stinking cute shoes awhile back, and im absolutely in love with them! but they gave me some wicked blisters... i guess i should have worn them around the house with socks or something first! hahaha....

the culprits:

the victim:

[there are matching blisters on each pinky toe and heels... well not anymore. i drained them. lol]

like grandma used to say... "a litte pain for beauty's sake" ...right? hahaha....