Rise Up and Stand : Back to School Dinner 2013

We have a family tradition of a special Back to School Dinner to celebrate the start of a new school year.

See here and here

I like to make it a special night, we set the table with our best dishes, pour bubbly for a toast and serve up some delicious food:)

On the Menu this year:

Grilled Garlic Balsamic encrusted Pork Tenderloin

Roasted Sweet Potatos with butter and brown sugar (recipe coming--yum)

Green salad with Buttermilk Dressing

Garlic Bread

Dessert:  Warm Peach Cobbler and vanilla bean  Ice cream

We usually have a theme for the year--a phrase to inspire us.

This year I was very prayerful --I had so many ideas running through my head, there is so much I want to instill in my boys, but after some discussion as a family we decided on Rise Up and Stand.

We talked about rising up to become all that God wants them to be-- setting goals, working hard, being faithful and taking  a stand!  Be immovable.

We talked about what it means to Stand--this years youth theme is Stand in Holy Places taken from this scripture:

“Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come, for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord. Amen” (D&C 87:8).

We watched a couple of videos from the interenet projected on our big screen using our Apple TV box--(man I love that thing!)

First this one that I can not get to load on the blog! 

and then this one:

After that Brad gave each of my boys a Fathers Blessing  full of love and wise counsel, just like he does every year.

It is a very sweet experience.

I am planning a follow up family night for this coming Monday evening that I am so excited about.  I feel  like this week as I thought about our theme and how to make it more meaningful and unforgettable for our boys....I have stumbled upon some great stuff!  A blessing, I am sure!

First I was reminded of a BYU football song a couple of years ago.  So after doing a little research, I found this video, which the boys will of course LOVE:) and I love some of the lyrics that go so perfectly with our theme!

"Nothing Can stop us when we stand our ground..."

and

"Every player...fully invested, so rise up and Stand!"

  

 My boys are going to love watching this one...I can't wait from Monday's family night:)

And then an incredible Mother I am blessed to know shared this quote that she is putting up on her boys mirrors to remind them "who they are and who they can be:"  and I am doing the same!

It was a blessing to find this--it was exactly what I was looking for!!

Rise Up, O Men of God!

Have done with lesser things,

give heart and soul and mind and strength

to serve the King of kings.

taken from this hymn

Thank you Heather--I got chills when I read that! 

I hope those words sink down deep in their souls.
 That is exactly what I hope for my sons this year and always!

So here is to a new school year...

Rise Up and Stand!