Bean Sowing My Good

Fear not to do good my sons, for whatsoever ye sow that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward. -Doctrine and Covenants 6:33

We read that scripture at church on Sunday. After thinking about it I decided I'd look for opportunities to plant some good seeds with hopes of big rewards. Bring on the good times!

"I really want to go to the Bean Museum," my niece Jane told me this mid-morning as she walked in my door with her older sister and two younger brothers. "I want to go see the bears."

"I don't think . . ." I started to say, calculating in my mind how I'd manage three children, two toddlers and a baby at a museum, much less anywhere in public. But as soon as I started to spit out my excuses I remembered the part about me wanting to sow good seeds.

Taking children to a museum=good seeds.

Good seeds=good rewards.

Scripture math? Yes. Yes. Easy enough.

So I Put My Shoes On and everyone elses shoes and with two strollers and two water bottles to share, we set out for the Bean Museum.

If you haven't been to the Bean I will explain it this way: it's a museum of taxidermied animals, green velvet benches and a distinct smell of formaldehyde. A place so full of death and life your brain can't decide which is which. (I've often wondered what will happen to that place when the resurrection hits. Animals literally coming out of the walls!!!) It's on BYU campus--through the dorms and up a large hill from my house. I loved it there as a child and now these children love it there.

So we went.

In the heat of the day, through campus, across the street up a bridge, over a foot bridge, under the road, up over the road, across another street and on cue: Ever starts crying, Gigs is mad at Ollie for taking his spot on the stroller, Jane is thirsty, The Chief wants out of his stroller and my feet hurt.

At this point my seeds need watering, if you know what I mean.

As we rounded the corner, almost inside the cooled tomb of an African safari species (to name one) my very own sister Lucy pulls up with Betsy in tow.

"What were you thinking?" Lucy said to me as she peeled Betsy out of her car seat. "Taking all the kids to the museum by yourself! Why didn't you call me?"

"Did Chup tell you we were here?" I asked as Ollie punched the button for the automatic doors to allow in our stroller brigade.

"Yes, and I came as soon as I could." Lucy replied shaking her head and taking off her sunglasses making her way toward us.

Chup had been feeling under the weather and I wanted him to rest.

Letting husband rest=good seeds. No?

As we walked into the rectangular, carpeted museum Gigs took off his shoes leaving one by the liger and one by the moose. Ollie disappeared upstairs. Claire was out of sight and Jane hit the seashell exhibit. The Chief headed to the waterfowl display and Ever still needed soothing.

"See? What would you have done without me?" Lucy said taking note of the situation.

Good seed=being willing to take the children to the museum by myself.

Reward=Lucy shows up in the nick of time.

We wandered around a bit until Claire asked us to come upstairs and see the bears. When I got to the top of the stairs I saw an interesting collection of pigs and boars (am I boaring you?) and as it comes to pass, I've had a rare fascination with pigs and boars lately. As soon as I can explain that coherently I will, but for now you can just go ahead and think I'm crazy.

(Was it my recent thoughts on Lord of the Flies?)

Good seed=take children to the museum, walk upstairs with sore feet.

Reward=a row of stuffed pig heads.

But it gets better. As we were coming down the stairs by the giraffe head, I heard the children getting excited.

"Christopher! Yay!"

Chup had somehow found strength to get out of bed and meet us over at the Bean. So my solo trip with six children had turned into a party of three adults and seven children.

Good seed=museum with the children.

Reward= (my husband brought the Canon he's been playing with lately so,) good photos.

I was on a roll at that point. I decided to call my friend Katy B. who is the educational director of the Bean. When she came up from her basement office she asked the children if they'd like to hold some live animals in our own private reptile show. Not stuffed ones mind you, real tongue shooting reptiles!

Good seed=children, museum.

Reward=I get to hold a seven-legged tarantula named Rosie:

I may have tinkled a little.

Reward=feeding the turtle kale sticks:

Reward=turtle poop wipes off easily and consists of mostly digested kale sticks:

Thanks, Chup for labeling that photo.

Reward=a cute, snugly iguana:

Reward=a scaly, sizable lizard:

(Which may have been just a little scary to touch. At first.)

Reward=petting the snake:

or, pointing at the snake:

This whole karma thing, sowing and reaping good, I'd say it works. I mean, it was quite immediate in my situation, anyway. Only, I'd like it to look a little bit more like this:

Good= taking children to the museum.

Reward=Toms Cranberry Canvas Wedges.

I mean, I'm just putting that out there . . .

Thanks Katy and Michelle from the Bean!

I am c jane and I lead somewhat simple life.