Sharing a Taste of the South of France

First, I should admit that I copied these pictures from someone I don't even know. From what I gathered he served in the same mission as me but got home pretty recently. But to any mission friends who keep up with my blog - this will make you terribly nostalgic if they haven't already. They really made me miss that place. I especially love the picture of the bridge. I love French bridges.

Studette of the Month - July 2008

My studette of the month is my little sister, Ginette. It is true, the old story that I gave up my blanket to my little brother because my mother told me that if I did, that I might be blessed with a little sister. And indeed I was. In fact, he gave me two of them. (Which I was always glad about because it put the girls in majority over the boys in the family.)

My earliest recollections of my little sister was her endless crying. She was a colicky baby and there were moments when I wondered why anyone would want a baby. But she grew up. Then she became the little sister who was uber-sensitive and followed me around everywhere. Then, round about my college days, we became genuine friends.

I think the thing that amazes me about Ginette is how different, and yet alike we are. We talk on the phone all the time, but I see her about once a year at Christmas. Every time I do, I am shocked at how similarly we see things. There aren’t very many people in life with whom I can share my deepest thoughts and feelings, but with my family, conversation always starts there. They understand my impressions, wonderment, and life experiences.

Another thing that has always amazed me about Ginette is her determination. She does nothing without giving it 100%. One time while she was in college I went to visit her. By her mirror she had posted several goals. They weren’t easy goals either. But I know her, and when she said she had worked hard that semester, and that she couldn’t have put one more ounce of work into it – I knew that, in fact, she had given it her very best. I’ve really never met anyone who slacks less than she does when she is set on something.

But most of all, I love her spiritual development. She has always been determined to do what is right and the Spirit accompanies her strongly. It was partly her example, as she read her scriptures diligently while she was in high school that led me to have a desire to set that habit myself. Ginette does not break rules. She is a very obedient spirit. She does what is right, very rarely have I ever seen an exception.

She is to me, the ultimate example of integrity. I’ve never seen anyone prize it as much as she does. This has been an elimination point for numerous guys who have tried to date her. Normally I would try to talk her into giving them another try. But when it comes to integrity, I know Ginette; her soul would never love a man who does not strive to be honorable in all that he does.

I think one of the beauties of having relationships with people who live close to the spirit is that they are based on an ever developing charity. Part of that charity, I have learned from her, is about having charity towards oneself. I positively love her sense of self-respect and her way of teaching these same principles to me. As I listen to her weigh through her life choices, there is always an underlying sense of responsibility to herself. As a sister I have always appreciated this quality because it makes my life much easier not to have to watch her suffer needlessly through things. I have come to appreciate her wisdom in this and learned, from her, to apply it to myself. After all, I have realized that I don't want her to have to watch me suffer because I overlooked my responsibility to myself.

Lastly, there is light and strength that emanates from Ginette. You feel it when you are with her. She strives, and it makes something in you want to strive. She loves the light and she has always had the backbone and enough confidence to hold to it. I think at the end of the day, the fruit of the gospel is this, a deep love and respect for people around you. It comes from deep within and pushes you to be better.

At any rate, in a moment of Ginette appreciation this morning, I decided to make her, my studette of the month.

Pop Culturally Clueless

Phone: Rings

Me: Hello?

Telemarketer with strong Indian accent: (After he gets over shock that someone actually picked up their phone) Ah, yes, ma'am, I am conducting a survey about the media. (Never asks me if I would actually like to participate, very clever.) When was the last time you watched a movie at the theater?

Me: [Scratching my head to think] Ah, January.

Telemarketer: How many movies have you seen at the theater this year?

Me: One

Telemarketer: Can you tell me what movies are in the theater in your area right now?

Me: Uh, no idea actually. I am studying for the bar so I really have no idea.

Telemarketer: [Bewildered] Ah, hold on a minute while I verify this call............Um, have a nice day. [Click]

Yes indeed, that makes probably the 20th telemarketer to hang up on me this year. I think I have a gift.

Stud of the Month - July 2008

I got off the phone with Andrea and that feeling of peace and rightness settled over me. I was final, I will be going to Nashville in a few weeks to watch Jake and his fiancee Mandy be sealed in the temple. It was then that I knew that Jake is July's Stud of the Month.

Before I left for college my freshman year my father gave us our traditional father's blessings. This one was unique in that it told me that I would make friends this coming year that I would keep for the rest of my life. It struck me that (1) the Lord knew already who I would bond with and (2) that I had it in me, and they had it in them to make our friendships work for the rest of my mortal life and that (3) He knew far enough in advance to know how our life paths would intertwine. These things fascinated me.

When I got to college I did make those friends. It has been 11 years and the majority of us are still friends. We are all from all over the country and we have worked together, lived together, traveled across the country to attend each others mission farewells, sealings, and just to visit one anther. None of us have ever remained stagnant, or even in the same state(sometimes country) for more than a few years at a time but through all of this we have remained friends.

Jake is one of those friends. When several of us lived in Salt Lake, and Jake was off to graduate school, he'd drive all the way from Colorado when he was visiting his parents to come say hi to us. There was never much denying that he cared, his sacrifice to come see us showed it.

My favorite aspect of my friendship with Jake is seeing how the hand of the Lord works in both of our lives. After I bought the house in Salt Lake I spent many hours peeling off the old boarders in the bedrooms before they were repainted. On one long arduous day I called Jake to talk while I worked. He had just been called to the Stake Young Men's presidency and was just in utter awe of how everything in his life was falling into place just as he'd always been told it would...in the same way he always deep down knew it would. I've often had similar feelings and miracles in my life. Being able to share this with him has always been so edifying. I always hang up with the reassurance that the Lord watches over us.

In honor of his upcoming wedding, Jake is July 2008 Stud of the Month.

Stud of the Month - June 2008 - Dad

Well, this month's stud of the month is, naturally, my dad. If you didn't remember that Father's Day is in the month of June, I'll take this opportunity to point it out FATHER'S DAY IS SUNDAY!!

With that said, I want to take a minute to talk about my dad. Well, what can I say, I've known him for my entire life, but he has only known me for less than half of his. It is a strange phenomenon, I know, but it is what it is.

My dad is a quiet man, certainly in temperament we are almost nothing alike. But, for as much as our natures aren't similar, we definitely look alike. If you've never met my dad, it is probably a little hard to imagine so I've added some visuals.





Indeed, the resemblance is almost striking. But beyond praising his good looks and quiet demeanor, I want to discuss what really makes him the June Stud of the Month.

I think the happiness of a man's wife is highly indicative of his quality of character and person. Now, one may very successfully contend that my mother is an incredibly contented person by nature, and that is why she is so happily married. But I've seen her get really frustrated with me and my other siblings so I don't know that the argument holds much water. She is happy, in large part, because my dad loves her. I deeply appreciate how happy he has made my mother's life. While I was on my mission, my mother had a large responsibility she really didn't enjoy. She had to put on an activity that was not easy for her to do. But, in her letter to me of the event, she described how my father, without ever being asked, took care of all the details that she didn't have time to tend to; everything turned out smoothly. His help meant the world to her. This is a pretty typical example of how he is.

My father has a great love for the truth. When he finds it he lives by it. Next to how well he treats my mother, this is the thing I love about him the most. Truth, he feels, can be secure, because it is truth. My father grew up wanting to be a Catholic priest. He investigated the Church of Jesus Christ to prove it wrong. He genuinely investigated it and upon discovering that it was true, he lived it. On my mission I came to admire his integrity. There are many who know the truth but choose not to live according to it. It takes strength of character and I deeply love that quality in him. He is a man of integrity. He walks the walk.

On a deeper level, he is not afraid of untruth. Because of this I have 10 years of Catholic school education behind me. He believes in learning by contrast so he purposefully sent me to be educated at a place with a somewhat different philosophy than the one he was teaching me at home. My life under his upbringing was designed to cause me to question. He is not afraid of questioning the truth. I was never hushed in my incessant questioning. I was allowed, in fact, encouraged in it. As I've gotten older I have come to realize more and more the value of this approach. Truth will prove itself. My father's confidence in it allowed him not to be afraid of untruth and allowed me to explore and discover it as well.

Lastly, he influences me even still. Law school has not been a breeze for me and putting the Lord first has not been easy. There have been times when it would have been so much easier just to completely focus on school. One time I called home when I had so much to do. I was on my way to a religion class, but had been torn over how I would find the time to finish everything else I had to do. My father answered and quietly said, "Chantal, if you put the Lord first, everything else in life will stay in check. Your greed, pride, vanity, etc. will not get the better of you." That seemed to be precisely what I needed to hear. I was thirsty to know why it was important that I keep on going. My own selfish desire to do well in school was my current temptation, but later it could be a thirst for acclaim, greed, and any number of other forms of selfishness. I needed to learn to keep my priorities straight. Here were my training grounds.

True greatness doesn't need acclaim; it quietly is. My dad is, more often than not, behind the scenes. He prefers it this way. But for those of us who have gotten to know him, he is quality, and loved for it.

Quote of the Day

You should respond generously to those instincts and promptings to do good. Hold your soul very still, and listen to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit. Follow the noble, intuitive feelings planted deep within your souls by Deity in the previous world. In this way you will be responding to the Holy Spirit of God and will be sanctified by truth. By so doing, you will be eternally honored and loved. Much of your work is to enrich mankind with your great capacity for care and mercy.

How Near to the Angels
James E. Faust
New Era March 1999

Eerie Noises and the Darkened Sky

When I first came to St. Louis I really thought it might be my time to die. The cloud-filled sky was ominously dark and the rain poured down so hard it seemed as if I were driving through a waterfall. The lightning and thunder were startlingly close. Realizing that I was, for the first time in my life, in tornado country I became a little worried. My mother, however, has a fascination with natural phenomena, tornadoes included. I suddenly remembered her saying that when tornadoes hit the sky has a greenish hue and tornadoes sound like a freight train driving by. As I could hear nothing but pouring rain and the black sky contained no hint of green, my worry subsided and I arrived safely in St. Louis.

Fast forward about three years, it seems to be tornado season around here again. Last week while walking to my car I heard some sirens go off. Thinking it was probably the city testing their safety system in the same way they test the bomb sirens in France, I inquired of the guy standing next to me at the stop light. (I think he is a St. Louis native.) He assured me that there had probably been a recent tornado sighting and that was why the sirens were going off. On my way home, the radio informed me that there had been a sighting pretty close to where I was headed for my afternoon meeting. I wasn't worried though since the sky wasn't green and I didn't hear any freight trains.

But today for some reason, I do feel somewhat worried. The tornado sirens were on just a few minutes ago. It is pouring, raining, thundering and this time the sky has an eerie hue of green. I live right next to the on ramp of the highway so every passing truck bears resemblance to a freight train noise. I am suddenly concerned about the grungy state of our basement...definitely not something I consider every day. But, the cars whoosh on by as if nothing is wrong and the sirens stopped so everything will be just fine once again.

One thing is for sure, I am having a 'you know you live in the mid-west when' moment!

Photo taken at the tornado display at the St. Louis Science Museum