The little red toolboxes

How can one cute little red box hold so many important tools?

We have been planning this "Girls Night" with our Young Women for the last several weeks.... you know, a night to just gather with the girls and eat way more calories than you had alloted for the day, to just lounge on the couch and talk, reminiscing summer highs and lows as well as talking about the excitement and trepidation that accompanies a new school year. I can't believe how quickly summer has come and gone, our talks quickly gravitated to the upcoming school year with it starting in less than 2 weeks. It was such a great opportunity to just "hang out", talk and understand a little better about what kinds of things they face, the temptations, the pressures and the important responsibilities that they are confronted with at such a young age. It is always so fun to be around these amazing young women and to be strengthened by them and their discipline. Their testimonies and commitment to the gospel is far stronger than I had at their age and I love and admire them so much. I've said many times since I was called to work with the YW that it feels like I have far more to learn than I have to offer and that continues to be the case.

With everyone's summer travel schedules, it was one of the first weeks in over a month that we had all of our girls as well as all of our leaders. There's always an amazing spirit and energy when we have everyone together.

Tonight we decided that we would focus on "Back to School Tools" and what we as leaders could provide them with that would help them as they faced the stress and pressures of a new school year. We learned a lot last night about just how many pressures and temptations they face as teenagers today!

One of my lovely partners in crime, g, originally saw this idea here. We took it, adapted it a bit and made them our Back to School Toolboxes.


We bought small metal tins from the craft store, drilled holes in the lids, primed and spray painted them glossy apple red then screwed a little metal eye strap to the top to serve as a handle and voila'... the littlest toolbox you've ever seen.


Finally they were ready for the "tools". We included lots of little treats and trinkets that will hopefully serve as reminders to them as they face temptations and the challenges of life this upcoming school year.


We packed it full of things like:
* Gum - "Chews" good friends
* Take 5 Candy Bar - "Take 5 minutes" for personal scripture study each day
* Modest Girls Rock Chapstick (from Deseret Book) - "Stick" to what you know is right. Be modest and be chaste.
* Button - If you don't have anything nice to say, 'button" your lip.
...and lots more.


It was a great night filled with great tools and great reminders that were just as appropriate for the "not so young" women.... like me!