Happy Sabbath day! Yesterday we found a pain relief thing at the Woman's Expo, and today I made it through the three hour block of church for the first time in probably 2 years. I am very very happy!!
April 2015
I have been reading the Old Testament in the mornings, and in my mind came my own scripture-
"And in those days, Leslie dwelt in the land of Carolina - yea, even the north - and she did bare many mighty sons unto her husband. And her heart did delight in the words of the Lord, albeit not perfectly. For her eyes did wax weary in the chapters of the begats and she did skim in the numberings of the tribes-"
Feb 2015
I have a new saying to live by -
If you are going to feel like crap in Feb, it may as well be in the AZ sunshine, next to a pool, with your sister/best friend!
June 2015
So, at church today was testimony meeting, which means that anyone who wants to can get up and share from the pulpit. I got up today and said a couple of things, but as I looked out on the congregation, I saw my brothers and sisters. I saw strength, and struggles, and good examples for me and my family. Everyone has different trials, different challenges that make them stretch and grow. Some of the challenges we can see, but so many of them are hidden away and dealt with privately. This may not be a "testimony meeting", but I want to tell all of you - my brothers and sisters on facebook- that I admire you and care for you and pray for you. I know that we are not perfect, and some days we just grit our teeth and wait for it to end, but we all need to keep moving forward, trying to improve ourselves and show our love for others. Hang in there!
June 2015
So, at church today was testimony meeting, which means that anyone who wants to can get up and share from the pulpit. I got up today and said a couple of things, but as I looked out on the congregation, I saw my brothers and sisters. I saw strength, and struggles, and good examples for me and my family. Everyone has different trials, different challenges that make them stretch and grow. Some of the challenges we can see, but so many of them are hidden away and dealt with privately. This may not be a "testimony meeting", but I want to tell all of you - my brothers and sisters on facebook- that I admire you and care for you and pray for you. I know that we are not perfect, and some days we just grit our teeth and wait for it to end, but we all need to keep moving forward, trying to improve ourselves and show our love for others. Hang in there!
June 2015
I was thinking about this the other day - and how fiercely I love my children. Each and every one. And I would rather cut off my hand than cut off my child. And I will love who they love, regardless of gender. I haven't had to face that - but I hope it is clear to my boys that they ARE my heart. We may have differences - even loud ones - but at the end of each and every day, my prayers circle around them and my love is here to warm them.
May 2015
Lately at church there seems to be one song each time that resonates with my soul. I have been singing these songs my entire life, but there is more meaning in them now for me.
This week it was Come, Follow Me. We seldom sing the last two verses, but I read them to myself. It is a good reminder that, in every situation we find ourselves, we still need to be faithful and work for God's will and good, and bless the lives of others - "Whate'er our lot or sphere may be". And the promise of "wider fields" expanding to view when we leave this life is exhilarating!
This week it was Come, Follow Me. We seldom sing the last two verses, but I read them to myself. It is a good reminder that, in every situation we find ourselves, we still need to be faithful and work for God's will and good, and bless the lives of others - "Whate'er our lot or sphere may be". And the promise of "wider fields" expanding to view when we leave this life is exhilarating!
Lyrics
1. "Come, follow me," the Savior said.
Then let us in his footsteps tread,
For thus alone can we be one
With God's own loved, begotten Son.
Then let us in his footsteps tread,
For thus alone can we be one
With God's own loved, begotten Son.
2. "Come, follow me," a simple phrase,
Yet truth's sublime, effulgent rays
Are in these simple words combined
To urge, inspire the human mind.
Yet truth's sublime, effulgent rays
Are in these simple words combined
To urge, inspire the human mind.
3. Is it enough alone to know
That we must follow him below,
While trav'ling thru this vale of tears?
No, this extends to holier spheres.
That we must follow him below,
While trav'ling thru this vale of tears?
No, this extends to holier spheres.
4. Not only shall we emulate
His course while in this earthly state,
But when we're freed from present cares,
If with our Lord we would be heirs.
His course while in this earthly state,
But when we're freed from present cares,
If with our Lord we would be heirs.
5. We must the onward path pursue
As wider fields expand to view,
And follow him unceasingly,
Whate'er our lot or sphere may be.
As wider fields expand to view,
And follow him unceasingly,
Whate'er our lot or sphere may be.
6. For thrones, dominions, kingdoms, pow'rs,
And glory great and bliss are ours,
If we, throughout eternity,
Obey his words, "Come, follow me."
And glory great and bliss are ours,
If we, throughout eternity,
Obey his words, "Come, follow me."
May 2015
Morning musings -
This past week was so busy - even tho it was filled with things that would normally delight my heart, I was so tied up in getting the next task done that I missed out on the moments that would have held me up and sustained me. The story of Mary and Martha spring to mind - Mary recognized the gift that was put in front of her and took time to cherish and feel the wonder in it. That same gift was available for Martha, but because of her busyness, she did not see it.
Remember in all parts of your lives - don't get so bogged down in tasks, responsibilities, in constantly running, that you don't have time to feel the joy and recognize the shining moments that give your life purpose and delight.
This past week was so busy - even tho it was filled with things that would normally delight my heart, I was so tied up in getting the next task done that I missed out on the moments that would have held me up and sustained me. The story of Mary and Martha spring to mind - Mary recognized the gift that was put in front of her and took time to cherish and feel the wonder in it. That same gift was available for Martha, but because of her busyness, she did not see it.
Remember in all parts of your lives - don't get so bogged down in tasks, responsibilities, in constantly running, that you don't have time to feel the joy and recognize the shining moments that give your life purpose and delight.
May 2015
So today is a "sit" day. If it weren't for needing to feed bunnies and possums, I probably wouldn't get out of bed, and I definitely wouldn't go down the stairs - so it is probably a good thing I have animals.
After feeding them, I took some food out for the squirrels and bird feeder and sat on the porch. And while I sat, gazing out into the green of our overgrown yard, I heard the birds. There must have been about ten different calls going on - and I thought - God is really fantastic. He could have said "Let there be bird" and we would have one or two kinds of birds that we could eat and use, but He didn't. I can almost picture the experience - like me in a toy store picking out toys for a new baby. "Oooh, they will like the colors on this one!" and "Listen to the pretty sound this one makes! We have to get it too!" Then they are set out here, in all their splendor and beauty for us to enjoy. Isn't that wonderful?
April 2015
April 2015
For my brother, on joy-
Travis Stanton is doing a study of joy, traveling through Asia, and he is having some rough patches. While in difficulty and misery, how can one find joy? What is the relationship between experiences, and does it do any good to suffer?
It reads in 2 Nephi-
"For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things."
"... wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin."
"For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things."
"... wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin."
So, I interpret this as saying that to fully comprehend joy, you must have some misery in your life at some time. I think hard times kind of stretch your soul to allow for a deeper level of emotion to enter in and influence you. Shallow people that do not experience troubles do not fully comprehend the wonders of peace and comfort that comes when the troubles are resolved, and we grow because of the experience. Maybe that is why the "upper echelons" of Hollywood and Washington seem to not really be people. Some have been shielded from real experiences, giving them no depth of character and sending them seeking artificial highs with adulation or chemicals, whereas servants like Mother Theresa have seen much sorrow, which deepened her faith and peace, allowing her to celebrate the joy that a small child's smile gave her.
Her service to others is what deepened her and allowed her to feel that level of joy - joy that we can only catch glimpses of without putting in the time, the tears, and the effort.
So, Travis, hang in there, and make this work for your good, and your joy.
Love you, bro!
April 2015
I am reading the Old Testament, and I am now in the book of 1 Samuel, reading about bi-polar Saul and his pursuit of David. I think this must have been the basis of a famous commercial series. If David just carried Snickers bars on him, he could have flipped Saul back into the good guy without all the hassle!
Great - now I want a Snickers bar -
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