A Brand New Year

Happy New Years!!

For years, I had a very finicky furnace. It would run and randomly shut off at the worst time, during the coldest nights. And, the combination of a finicky furnace and old aluminum windows makes for very cold winter nights. Many mornings, I would role over before the sun would rise, and think to myself, "It's cold in here!" For quite a while, I thought it was just my broken heart attempting to beat again, for just another day. Then, I walked by the thermostat and realized the furnace wasn't running. I learned how to relight the furnace, and there were cold nights that I would make multiple trips up the flight of stairs, with my head lamp on and matches in hand, to relight the furnace and pray it would work just one more day. I needed the house to be warm for my kids. I would set my alarm a half hour before the kids would wake up, so that I could light the furnace and make sure the house was warm for each brand new day. It was New Year's morning. It had been a rough fall and a difficult holiday season. I woke up and my room seemed brighter than normal.... and warmer too. It had snowed a bit, and the glow of the rising sun reflecting off the newly fallen snow just illuminated my room and my heart. I made my way to the kitchen to begin a celebration breakfast for the kids, and on my way, I passed the thermostat. The heater had run ALL NIGHT long and the house was even warmer than I had ever remembered. I felt overwhelmed with gratitude for the gift of a brand new day, a brand new year, and the warmth testified that a higher power was aware and in the details. I realized then and there that I may not be able to make a new "start" and erase my past, however, I COULD write an "ending" ---- I could choose to smile, to work, to be positive and focus on the warmth around me. The very next night, and many following, until the furnace received a complete overhaul, I made multiple midnight trips up those stairs to relight my finicky furnace. However, after my bright New Year's Day, I mounted those stairs with power and determination to create warmth around me, no matter what the sacrifice. I had the power!!

So, today, I was again blessed with a brand new day, a brand new year. And, this morning, I walked by the thermostat of my warm house, and for a minute, with a large lump in my throat, I looked towards heaven, thankful and determined.

Fear Not!

One of the very first messages of Christmas was given by the angel to a young mother-to-be, Fear Not!! I never realized what a gift this message must have to been to her..... is to me....... and to each of us! Fear not Mary, though the social pressures may mount, you may feel like you don't measure up, like your family is not the ideal. Fear not, being a mother is not easy. There will be those who bully your son, who don't accept him and who even seek to hurt him.... and that hurts you, it's hard being a mom, but Fear not!!! Fear not, for the physical challenges will be great, you may not have the home of your dreams, (an apartment would have been something she could only dream of, let alone a small house ---- yet we feel we need so much more!). Fear not Mary, you may feel judged........ perhaps even misunderstood. Fear not when the end result isn't what you worked for....... for with God, NOTHING is impossible!!  

Then, to the shepherds or should I say providers, given the same message from the angelic messenger that first Christmas night..... Fear not!! It must have been a challenge for those shepherds, to sacrifice their wages, a day or two's pay to travel to see the baby Savior. Perhaps that meant they went without a meal, without their night off or gave up some of their vacation days and put holiness first to follow the star? What an emotional roller coaster for them and for those who work today, juggling work responsibilities only to come home to more, all the while trying to "follow the star" ---- to keep things in balance, that others may know Him because they know us! Fear not --- Follow the star!

When I look back, no two Christmases are the same..... from being a child with wishes, hopes and dreams, to being homesick in the MTC. Then, Christmas in the mission field, France, so far away from home, yet I followed the star and the Savior I found!!! Christmas heartbroken to Christmas full of joy, waiting for that call from away. Christmas with marrieds and it's not your year to Christmas when everybody is near! The message is the same to all, Fear not....... for with God NOTHING is impossible! I testify He lives! He heals! He soothes the pain, calms the troubled and lifts up the hands that hang down. That's why He came that first Christmas night! So, Fear Not--- Let Him Inn!!

Knock on EVERY door --- Let Him Inn!!

This past Sunday I taught a lesson about Jesus Christ.  Simple as it may seem, I found my mind racing as I prepared.  I thought a lot about Christmas past, present and future.  I pondered about how Christ has become an integral part of my life.  I thought about a time when He was literally my only friend and source of strength.  A time when He was the only one I could possibly share the thoughts of my broken heart.  I thought about times when I was holding by a thread.......which is ok, when it is belongs to the garment of one Jesus Christ!  I realized for me, the harder the times, the stronger my bond with Him. 

I have thought about that first Christmas night.  A long journey, a donkey was the ride for this mother of the baby savior.  They arrive in Bethlehem and realize, labor is progressing, and young Mary and Joseph seek to find a place for the delivery of a king.  The scriptures say, "there was no room in the inn."  What???  No room for a young woman in labor? How could that be?  In my mind I envision a hard working carpenter, hands cracked and dry from his labor.  His wife, young and calm, after all, she was called to carry the Christ child.  They find the innkeeper and inquire if there is a room.  No signs in light indicating No Vacancy, no Google giving a heads up that each room is filled.  In there day, they simply inquire and then, set out to find the next suitable place.  And so, the Christ child is born in the most humble of circumstances, a barn, and laid to rest in a manger (for you French speakers, a feeding trough).  I have often wondered what would have happened if the innkeeper, or even Joseph, knocked on every door, or visited every cubicle of the inn?  What if they asked every one, "Could you spare your space tonight for the Savior?" "Could you change your schedule today, for the Savior." "Could you alter your evening plans for a couple in need, a woman in pain, the coming of the Savior?"  Perhaps, they knock and knock, they call and call to get the attention of those in the room.  Too distracted by goings on of the day to even notice the tired couple, a women who needs to rest and lie down, a newborn King a place to sleep? 

As times change, so must we!  Gone are days of the door without a knob and words, Let Him In!!!  We live in a self-centered world of distraction, instant gratification and "what's in it for me?".  And so, we must knock on every door and MAKE room Christ!  We must make an effort everyday to figure out a way to put off the distractions of the world, the lights, the shopping, the devices, social media and phones.  The decorating, the perfect family pictures, the comparisons and MAKE room for the Savior in our lives each and every day.  There IS time to read, study, ponder, pray and serve.  At first glance, our calendars are full, no room in the inn.  We can no longer be casual in our commitment to Him.  I know that as we knock and conquer and MAKE room for Him, He will open so many doors unto us there will not be room to receive the incredible Christmas spirit we are bathed in, not only the month of December, but......each and every day!  Knock every door.  Be flexible.  Reprioritize.  Do let a door go un-knocked, a day go by without making room for the Savior.  Find time and MAKE the Savior the center of your heart and your home, your thoughts and your actions.  Don't leave Him in the cold!  Don't put Him out to pasture!!  Knock!  Seek!  Find and Make Time for the Savior!!  Really, when you think about it, the real gift of Christmas is time!  The Shepherds put their flocks on hold, to go to the Savior.  The wise men truly were wise as MADE time and used their resources to come and see the Christ child.  This Christmas, I will give my time ---- in service, in thought and in prayer to Him whose birth we celebrate this Christmas season!  I will knock down my own barriers and distractions and MAKE room for Him! 

And Sow We Grow

I seriously cannot believe how long it has been since I wrote on my blog!  The last 2 years have flown by, and true to this blog title, our family continues to change!  Since Christmas 2015, we have 4 more grandchildren, a missionary who has received her call, gone and served for 18 months among the people of Chile and returned, and over half of the 10 children are now adults.  We can longer shop in the children's section and I'm pretty sure, I am now, by far, the shortest member of the family (the oldest and I are tied for 5'3"!!).   And Sow We Grow!!  I would also add, among the list of changes, some kids struggle in school while others excel.  Some are artistic while others aren't sure what end of pencil to write or draw with (Thank you technology!!)  The kids no longer have regular schedules with the other parent as they are now all teenagers which means, "Where your friends are, there will I be also!"  Which is completely understandable as well as unpredictable.  So, Families Change.  I am still convinced, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that life does not get better by chance, it gets better by CHANGE!  And, as the title of this blog testifies, Families Change, and by so doing, they get better!

And now, the vulnerable side --- being a member of a family is work.  Being the mother of family is constant work.  Being a wife is hard work everyday.  And, being a grandma is hardly work.  All of my roles on Team Hirchak Weidmer require some sort of work, hence the title of this post, "SOW We Grow."  As I have pondered how I can be a Sower and a Grower in this family, I have been pondering the meaning of "sow" and how it applies to family.  Sow, means to plant or cover with seeds.  Other meanings are create, produce and generate.  Even, initiate, cultivate and precipitate.  All of these words not only insinuate work, but hard work.  So, I have come to realize that at the end of the day, if I don't have to wash up and treat my calluses, I have not given it my all, and cannot expect anything to grow or change.  Some days are more overwhelming than others.  One thing I have learned over the past few years of incredible daily, weekly, monthly Family Change, is that if I'm feeling buried by life, perhaps it is more because I am being planted for incredible growth that could not happen any other way.

This year, I did something crazy therapeutic.  It was time to get out the holiday decorations and deck the halls for the season.  For the past 7 years, I have had 2 red and green bins full of holiday delight.  I would keep them just outside the garage door because there wasn't really anywhere to put them.  They were also heavy, so when I was by myself, it was just easier to have them there.  And, for the past 5 years, they have served as a desktop for tool boxes, cases of water bottles and miscellaneous garden tools.  They were a bit of an eye-sore, but the reason for them being there far outweighed their inconvenience.  This year, as I looked at those bins, I realized that what was inside was the past.  It would ALWAYS be there, however, it was my choice whether or not I wanted to look at them everyday as an eye-sore and inconvenience.  It was time to find the proper place to put those bins of Christmas past.

Those bins were full of traditions and memories, most of which were fading with the constant Family Change.  This year, I opened the bins and thought to myself, "It's time for something new and most of all, something "US".  So, I closed the lids, loaded up the bins and took them to the nearest dumpster.  They were heavy and all I could do to manage them and get them over the top and into the can.  As they dropped, the echo could have been heard for miles.  I thought I might be sad, but I was overwhelmed with gladness.  I didn't need my past right outside my door another day.  And, the echo reminded me that it really doesn't go away.  It will always be a part of me...... just not right outside my door.

And so, I began my search for a new tree.  Something, different, something fresh, something US.  Thanksgiving Day was the unveiling.  The kids would come and what would they say?  I have to admit, I was a bit nervous.  Each child, no matter their last name LOVED the beautiful white Christmas tree trimmed in red bows and bells.  I wanted white to remind me of our sealing, of my wedding dress, of His holy temple, of white shirts and ties and the peace of freshly fallen snow.  The red bows remind me that it's ok to make a mistake because there is a bigger and better plan than my beating myself up over my own short comings and failures.  Those red bows remind me that I have a Savior that has always made up the difference, with His own blood, where I fall short, and always will.  The bells remind me to always listen ---- listen to my husband, to listen to all of the kids and their different views, thoughts and interests.  And, to especially listen to the sweet whisperings of the Holy Ghost.  Whatever your higher power, it speaks.  The question is, do you hear?  And, on the top, of course, a star!!  The star to remind me everyday, not just at Christmas time, that something holy is taking place within the walls of my home.  However, this is a new star.  My old star went by way of the bins and the echo.  This star was brought home, all the way from Chile by our missionary daughter.  So, this star also reminds me that anything worth having is worth working for.  That hard work is not easy and can be full of rejection and uneasiness as I navigate the waters of change.  However, that star reminds me that I can do it, because with God, nothing is impossible.  And, I am never alone.

And Sow We Grow, not just a Christmas time but all the time.  Bloom where you're planted!!  Don't spend your time worrying about greener pastures, or Christmas pasts.  Don't be afraid to just toss it and create something new, something you.  Deck the halls.  Smile lots and love even more!  Families Change, and for that, I am eternally grateful, not just today, but everyday.  God doesn't change our circumstances but He changes us, if we let Him. 

Christmas 2017

2017 Hirchak Weidmer Highlights:  

Brian promoted to Investigative Sergeant in Herriman and is loving every minute of it.  Deb is still working for the Provo School District as a Health Clerk and she enjoys the children at Edgemont Elementary almost as much as she enjoys the grandchildren.  All 10 kids are pursuing their dreams as they study, work and play a bit, each in their own ways.  Brian rides, Debbie runs and Garrett smiles and keeps the rest of us doing the same.  We wrapped up 2017 with the return of our Hermana Amber Hirchak from the Chile Santiago East Mission, as she completed 18 months of service.  It was incredible to watch her descent down the escalator at the airport and land into each of our arms.  We are so proud, as we know the Lord is too, of her dedicated service.  We are thrilled to be a family and we never let a day go by without thanking our Heavenly Father for bringing us all together.  May we all realize, this holiday season, as the Christmas cards fill our mailboxes, cover the fridge and fill our feeds, that each family is full of as many challenges as they are matching outfits, luscious landscapes, tinsel and glitter.  No picture is perfect nor any family,  So, we are dedicated to working at it---loving each other despite our differences and even loving more because of them!  May you find joy in your journey, strength in your challenges and glory in He who always makes up the difference, 

where we fall short, everytime!  

Merry Christmas 

Brian, Debbie and kids

#ThisIsTheGospel: ONE BY ONE - Debbie’s Christmas Miracle

So Very Thankful

Dearest Family and Friends-----

         We decided that being a blended family of 12 was not unique enough, so we thought it would be fun to send out Thanksgiving wishes, rather than the typical salutation of the season. Gratitude seems to be a dying art, in a world of instant gratification.  Everything and everyone is available with the swipe of your fingertip.  A grateful heart can dispel fear and cause abundance to appear as an Instagram of all that we have, rather than our have-nots.  Taking time to thank someone can change hearts, chase clouds, bring smiles, and lift burdens. Expressing gratitude, could turn social media into a public Pay-It-Forward experience, rather than the typical façade it daily portrays.  Gratitude could change lives for the better, with each “like”, hashtag and post.  The Hirchak Weidmers would like to declare EVERYDAY Thanksgiving --- as we try a little harder to be a little better about sharing our appreciation with those around us.

        2015 will always be remembered as an amazing year of graduates!  On May 1^st, Debbie graduated from college and Amber graduated from high school.  We had one graduate from junior high, and one from elementary school while some, graduated from the school of hard knocks.   We no longer have any children that can buy shoes in the children’s department and Karmen is the last one who can legally order from the children’s menu.  Their talents are limitless.  We have been blessed with a writer, a welder, a performer, an Information Technologist, a salesman/gameshow winner (check out Facebook), a nurse, an athlete, a gamer, a goalie, a robotic engineer and an artist.   We are thankful for all of our children, who not only teach us and help us stretch and grow, but who love each other, get excited to see one another, encourage each other, and share thoughts and feelings with one another, sometimes, ALL NIGHT LONG!  And these attributes, we truly cherish in them all. 

        Brian continues to work as an all-star police officer in the canyons.  His office is that of trees and trails, and he definitely loves his “office view”.  He also serves on assignment as part of the Search and Rescue team.   Debbie is working part-time as a Health Clerk for the Provo School District.   She is able to help students with chronic diseases have a positive school experience, she helps those not feeling well or injured during school hours, and she also follows up on screenings and immunizations and improving the overall health of the school, one student at a time.

        A highlight of 2015, was spending a week at Bear Lake as a family and extended family.  There, with all the Weidmer Gang, we were able to sail, swim, chase babies, eat yummy food, spend time with one another, laugh a lot and realize that we should have applied sunscreen more often. 

        We have all spent another year, thoroughly enjoying our new roles as grandparents and aunts and uncles.  It has been remarkable to see the kids immediately love her and look forward to her next visit.  And, “Papa” and “Grammy” (“Mimi” as Addy calls her!) absolutely adore her love and spunk.   I think we have all realized that the room lights up when Addy’s around.  Everyone comes together when Addy’s around.  No one has a desire to argue, complain or even disagree when Addy’s around.  It is no wonder that the Christ child, came to earth, as a baby ------- to light up the world, an icon of love, hope and happiness.  We are excited for more grandchildren, and more opportunities for such love and light.

        We want to tell our parents and extended family, how THANKFULL we are for each of you, for your love, support, examples and generosity.  We could not make it without you.  We are THANKFULL for friends and neighbors that love our children and set magnificent examples of kindness.  And, we are THANKFULL for a baby savior who came into the world, for the Light and Hope of the Holiday season, because of Him.  He doesn’t just make a difference, He IS the difference, of this we are THANKFUL!

Brian, Debbie and Kids