Straighten up and fly right...

Today over on "Blissfully Jeanette" I talked about my correspondence with my dear Landon who is currently serving a mission in South Carolina and my sorrow in finding out that he didn't get my email today :(
Well the email that I received from him today was attached to the email that I sent him last week and in reading it again I decided to post some of the thoughts that I shared with him so that I would never forget them. So the following is an excerpt from my--

"Letters to Landon" (which may or may not become an on going feature on this here blog)...

...In the gospel doctrine lesson that Dad taught yesterday we read an account in Luke about a woman "which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself"

Later in the scripture it talks about how the ruler of the synagogue got all bent out of shape because Jesus had healed her on the sabbath and Jesus answered:

"...ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?"

Well this passage just leapt out at me as we read, "whom Satan hath bound" and I realized that so many of us (if not all of us) are not living the fullness of our missions here upon the earth because Satan has us bound in one way or another. He diminishes who we really are and we believe. The power of our God is so great that if we could only partly comprehend the magnitude of it we would be witnessing and participating in miracles every day of our lives. I know that I have fallen into this spirit of infirmity for far more than eighteen years and I desire so badly to be loosed from it. I take comfort from the words:

"And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her,Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God."

I am so ready to forsake the lies of the evil one. He has kept me under his deceiving thumb for far too long. I remember when the Spirit asked me a few years ago, "How long are you going to let the father of lies deceive you? How long are you going to let him tell you that you are less than you are?" I know that it is time for me to come unto Christ so completely that He might loose me from these bounds and make me whole that I might go forth and glorify God. I know that there is so much more to this life experience and that most of us just live our lives simply scratching the surface of it all. I want to do more and I know that I can do more through Christ Jesus who strengtheneth me.

After the Spirit asked me those questions some years ago, he then said, "Walk with boldness. You are a daughter of God and as a daughter of God you can do anything." Wow, what a promise. And I know that it is true. Because of our Savior and His infinite atonement, we can do anything. The promised blessings that await us are mind blowing. What an opportunity we have been given by a loving Father. Oh how I hope to live up to it...

And thus ends this installment of "Letters to Landon".
And now I must go, for there is much work to be done if I'm ever to become all that I desire to
be.

There might be hope afterall...

The Lord shows unto us our weaknesses that they may become our strengths. This I know and this I LOVE. Because without this how could we ever hope to progress.

In discussing this yesterday, my fabulous husband says to me, "You don't have any weaknesses." To which I answered with a guttural, push through closed lips, "Puh" of "Yeah you are so wrong" air. Then my mind wandered to a conversation that happened earlier that day with my dear Miss Marlee.

Here's the set up...

There is a child, a neighbor child, who, um... how do I say this nicely?... annoys me to no end. Marlee knows of this annoyance because she sees it ripple off of my head in large fuming waves every time this small person pays us a visit.

So yesterday I say to her, "I'll know that I truly have a Christ-like heart when this child no longer annoys me. Yes on that day there will be hope for me."

Then sweet Marlee says, "Mom, that's never gonna happen."

And I say, "You're right I'm doomed."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So I tell Rick during our conversation that I do indeed have weaknesses one of which being that I don't have enough love and charity for others.

He says, "Of course you do."

I say, "No, not enough."

Then I prayed. Later that afternoon when I found a quiet moment to myself I prayed. I prayed for the help of my Savior that through him my heart could be changed.

Moments later the annoying child approached me, as he often does, and opened his mouth to talk to me or whine at me (I'm never sure which it will be) as he often does, but stopped--mid sentence--and threw his arms around me instead.

He threw his arms around me and I sincerely hugged him back then said, "Thank you for giving me that hug. That was really nice of you." He walked away beaming and I went with quiet tears streaming down my face and thanked my Father in Heaven for His tender mercy in teaching me so quickly, for showing me His power to change hearts, and for giving me a small example of how it feels to love as His son loveth.

And you know, it is through that love--that tender, PATIENT, perfect love of my Savior-- that I just might find hope for me yet.

Good is coming...

I didn't know if I'd ever make it back to this blog.
Actually that isn't true. I always knew I would someday get back

1) because I remember hearing how important it is to keep a spiritual journal along with your everyday journal. And

2) Mary over at blogrock made this blog too dang cute to ignore forever.

I think I just needed to step back for awhile and decide where I wanted to go with this. And what I decided is that I don't need this to be a regular blog with a picture for every post and what-not. I simply need this to be a place for me to write down certain thoughts and experiences that teach and bless me in my life so I won't forget them.

Right now I'm going through a learning experience that is somewhat exciting for me. Exciting in that I know at the end of this journey lies the answer to a gut wrenching pain that occasionally resides in the pit of my belly.

This past weekend it was particularly bad. I literally felt like someone was standing on my chest. "What is this about?" I wondered. "Why do I feel this way about this situation?" I didn't understand where my feelings were coming from or how to fix them so I went to the Lord.

I told Him everything that I was experiencing and sought His help to find the answers. And this is where the exciting part comes in...
I received confirmation that if I continue to counsel with Him those answers will come. Apparently I still have things to learn, perhaps even things to do to resolve my internal conflict. I've tried to figure this out on my own for years, only to continually crash and burn with my own ideas of how this should be resolved.

My Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ know exactly what I need to do to fix this and if I'm humble, teachable and patient they will lead me to that knowledge.

I know this because when a woman in my Relief Society class at church on Sunday shared a situation she had been through and told of a scripture she had been lead to that helped her, the spirit told me that it was for me. I listened closely and was blown away. What beautiful words. What a beautiful promise. It gave me hope that my situation does have an answer and that in time it will be resolved.
Exciting.

P.S. If you ever feel prompted to share a thought, scripture or experience in church class or elsewhere, DO IT. You never know when the Lord might be using you as a vehicle to help someone else.

And for those who don't know...
Bliss is where my regular blogging action takes place.
Feel free to check it out if you'd like by clicking on the button below.

Hey, I think I can do this...

(I found this handy-dandy stationary kit in the Valley of the Sun at a yard sale on Saturday. Love it, love yard sales, love the Valley of the Sun. So fun.)

Yesterday I had the opportunity to teach from the conference talk, "What Have I Done for Someone Today?" by President Thomas S Monson. The title of his talk comes from a story he shares about a father who would ask his children each night around the dinner table, "And what did you do for someone today?" In anticipation of this question, the children were determined to do a good deed everyday so that they could report to their father that they had helped someone.

I love this. I think I'll start practicing this in my own home. Of course this means that I too will have to do something for someone each day. Do you think I can do it? Hmm, I guess it will be fun to try. Because as President Monson says:

"The needs of others are ever present, and each of us can do something to help someone."

Something to help someone. Okay, I think I can do this.

He says:

"We are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness—be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us."

He then goes on to say:

"You may lament: I can barely make it through each day, doing all that I need to do. How can I provide service for others? What can I possibly do?"

Boy do I lament this way. Especially with the question, "What can I possibly do?" In trying to answer this for myself I recently found this bit of advice:

"Decide what it is that impresses you and you will then know what to do to impress others."

One kind act from others that impresses me is receiving thoughtful cards and letters in the mail. I feel so loved and appreciated when someone takes the time to do this for me. And guess what, this is something I can do for someone else--right now--today. How fun is that?

Maybe this giving service thing won't be so hard after all.

P.S. I'm also impressed by gifts of food especially of the sweet tooth variety (or cheese balls. My neighbor makes a mean cheese ball) and guess what, I love to make dessert. It's my favorite thing ever. Wow, I REALLY think I can do this.

And what did you do for someone today?

Taking a spring break, break...

It's spring break it is. So I'm busy, busy. And on top of that I have to teach at church on Sunday so I'm busy, busier.

So I'll have to come back with more words next week sometime, perhaps some words from the lesson I'm preparing for Sunday. It's good stuff I tell you. Good, good stuff.

What joy this sentence gives...

There's been a bit of a controversy going on over at the lovely Housewife Savant's blog about her desire to un-follow someone. In a response to the controversy she wrote a hilarious post that you can read here. Love Housewife Savant.

In her very funny post she mentioned me as one of the "Christian" bloggers. This made me smile and got me thinking. So often in my life I question just who I am and what my life is really about and that word sums it up for me in a way that brings great comfort. I am a Christian.

I have always loved my Savior. For as long as I can remember He has been a very important part of my life. But it was when He literally saved my life that I came to understand the magnitude of His love for me. I hope to someday share with you the experiences that have brought me to an absolute knowledge that my Savior lives and that His Atoning sacrifice can truly make any who come unto Him whole and happy.

Yes, I am a Christian.
And as long as I remember that,
I'll be just fine.

Lets be friends...

"My great enthusiasm is to give a party at which everybody should meet everybody else and like them very much."

An Invitation

Mr. Gilbert Chesterton

requests the pleasure

of Humanity's Company

to tea on Dec 25th 1896

*

~G.K. Chesterton, journal entry when he was 22 years old