Hi everyone!
I was just reading the Ensign, and was thinking that one article in particular would be good for all of us to read. The title is, "What was the best marriage advice you ever received?" It is in the Questions and Answers section, and sometimes I don't read this, but I would like to suggest that each of you couples spend some time together and decide which of these suggestions would be especially good for you to implement to strengthen your marriage. Dad and I will do the same. We are so blessed to be sealed together. We need to do our best to preserve and strengthen our marriages. "The family is ordained of God."
I love all of you.
Mom/Debby
HISTORY
A Little History:
Our story begins in Pocatello, Idaho, circa 1972, when the lovely Debby Christensen agreed to a first, though fateful date with admirer, David Croshaw. Long story-short, he bade her follow him, and they went arm-in-arm to the Logan, Utah temple for establishment of an eternal family unit, Generation 1, on May 23 1973.
From their first blissful summer in Salt Lake City, educational pursuits took them to Provo/Orem, Utah, birthplace of Leslie and Rebecca, and to San Francisco/Oakland California, birthplace of Colin and Matt. Then, for establishment of livelihood, expansion of the tribe with Abby and Dana, and for raising/unifying of Generation 2, it was back to the roots in Pocatello for a rewarding sojourn.
In time, driven by a raging, but commonly shared sense of adventure and independence, one-by-one, Generation 2 escaped the homeland to distant regions of the country and the world, each ultimately developing their own tribal expansions by pairing with worthy mates and initiating Generation 3.
Now sensing fulfillment of their purpose in Pocatello, Generation 1 has also left those roots and transplanted to Cascade Idaho, from which base, they anticipate more abundant contact with The Posterity, Generations 2 and 3, in the future. That contact however, awaits fulfillment of a call to LDS missionary service in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, wherein they hope to help the state of the world by sharing the love of Jesus Christ.
So now, including Generation 0 (Grandma and Grandpa Christensen) home base includes Yuma, Arizona, Pocatello, Idaho, Cascade, Idaho, Vancouver, BC, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Spokane, Washington, Boise, Idaho, Los Angeles, California, back to Boise, Idaho, and on and on (Generation 3+) to infinity.
Our Mission Statement:
This is the blog of our eternal family unit. Initiated years ago, it served well as a journal, but even more so, as an archive of our personal interaction. It was a gathering place, a confabulation instrument, a unifying force for four generations of widely dispersed and progressively prolific posterity, and their valued associates. Though it served these purposes well for many years, it eventually took a back seat to new-kids-on-the-block, Facebook, and Instagram, and was sadly forgotten.
We now move to resurrect this blog with an added functional purpose of archiving the missionary experiences of Generation 1, of their movements and activities as they participate with The Gathering of Israel in the land northward. In so doing, we hope that via their own comments and posts, this blog will again serve to gather and unify the posterity and their friends.
As in the past, that the young and vibrant may know the old and tired, that enduring bonds may be fostered and maintained, that experience and encouragement may be openly shared, that posterity may embrace truth, and that hearts may be knit together, we must resist detachment despite our geographic divergence. We shall do so here.
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10 comments:
just want to pass along this good news. camille pixton just took olive in for a check up. the tumor is very small. has not grown one bit since the last mri. they also x-rayed her neck and the dr. told her she could remove the collar. she has developed enough bone and muscle and her neck is strong enough for her to live without the collar!!!! what a miracle. camille asked the dr. about it because he said at one time she would need to have her neck fused. he said they had never had a baby as young as olive get this cancer, and they had so they didn't know what woudl happen. what an incredible blessing!!! mom
I love that article! I read it when we got back from Idaho last week and decided mine will be to never speak in a negative tone about Matt pubically or just because. That is an important premise. I know he never says anything about me... I am lucky.
Also, I wanted to point out that on page 21- the picture of the family... the two boys are wearing gymboree sweater vests. Random, I know, but hey... I noticed...Look at Asher in his!
I like the way she says, "...each of you who are couples..." Let's see now, who's that going to exclude? For all practical purposes, it may as well include everyone at this point. Good idea, except that Mom and I have already conquered all those things right? Wrong. I couldn't get past the first paragraph without recognizing personal issues. Our marriage is really great, but we must keep working at it, until we're perfect, and until then, hopefully she'll keep forgiving me for being a thoughtless dolt.
I think that the best thing that has happened for our marriage so far, has been attending the temple together often (weekly if possible.) I wish we had done this much earlier. Ultimately it took being called as ordinance workers to get us there that often, but it has made a vast difference in my perception of our eternal marriage and how it relates to the gospel in general. I believe I am a substantilally better husband/person because of it.
I believe the key to such success is to go willfully, not begrudging the time or expense. Leave the world outside, and follow the admonition of Alma 32:28. Plant the seed in your heart and let it grow. As you open your eyes and ask for understanding, the Spirit will speak to you there in the temple like it can in no other place. When you as spouses, share those revelations with each other, the seed will grow in your hearts, and your your mutual love and respect will undeniably increase. This has been my experience.
It may be logistically/financially impossible for some of you to go weekly, but go as often as you can, and say in your hearts, if I could go weekly, I would, and mean it. Remain worthy, and take time weekly to study together about your family's place in the New and Everlasting Covenant. As you do that, the Lord will bless you to grow and retain the feelings and knowledge generated when you can attend the temple. This is the process we must pursue if we expect to have our covenants sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. I absolutely believe this to be true.
I didn't mean to get on the soap box with such a long comment, but I hope you will all take it to heart.
Dad
P.S. there is still a lively discussion happening on the "Next Year's Reunion" post (Aug. 19.) Join in.
Alex and I will read it for family home evening on Monday night, which will be really nice since we've been separated all week (me in Mexico, him in Florida...isn't life ironic!). Thanks for sharing mom, and thanks for sharing your comments dad. They were both really inspiring!
I can tell you the most memorable marriage advice I have heard. Boise ID temple at Becky and Ray's sealing. Who can forget the "how much debt do you have" talk. That's good stuff to live by.
Oh wow, that must have been something else to hear about in the sealing room! YikeS!
It's a classic in Croshaw lore...
Best tested advise I've ever been given? "Ask her out!" Have to get back to you on as-yet untested suggestions.
After much discussion, David and I decided to try the advice to not have important discussions after 10pm. We've got better things to do at that point.
Clearly, given the hour, Abby and I have not coordinated our responses. That might constitute meaningful or important conversation. Man the ensign has some good stuff these days!
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