cursings and blessings

I am cursed! Without fail, whenever Seth goes out of town one or more person gets sick. Seth left at 3:30 this morning to catch a flight out to Maryland for his first nephew's baby blessing. At 5:30 Simon started throwing up. It sounds awful, but I'm hoping it was food poisoning... it really would not be fair for all of my boys to get the flu. Micah already has a cold/cough that makes him gag and lose his stomach contents, but that's just par for the course with Micah. Last time Seth was out of town Simon and I both got sick. I'm tempted to tell him no more trips, but I don't think his boss would be very happy with that so I guess I wont.

On an entirely different subject, "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated- and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." (D&C 130:20-21) I love this because it means that if I want a certain blessing, I just have to live the law on which that blessing is given. This past Sunday was Fast Sunday, which means fast offerings. Now, fast offerings aren't just to help the poor, it is a law given by God, which means there is a blessing that goes with it. "Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (3 Nephi 24:10). Without fail our family has proven this law and blessing. Just this past week I went to fill out our fast offering check and as I was doing so, a sum greater than we usually donate came to mind. I wavered for a bit, but then decided why not? It's never hurt, and it might give some extra blessings. Well, can I just say that this law and blessing work? I love it! I wrote the check, and on Tuesday I received a refund check, that I had no idea I was getting, for more than double the amount of our fast offering. Now, we don't always get random checks in the mail, but I have no doubt that even when the blessings aren't so tangible, we are being blessed above and beyond what we imagine. This is one law I really don't mind keeping. Or maybe I should say, this is one law I don't mind receiving the predicated blessings for :)