For the Beauty of the Earth

The day after Easter Sunday my husband brought me some gorgeous orange tulips he picked up from this little roadside stand on his way home. Generally, I am particular to roses, which he knows, but which I had already bought myself the previous week. It is a rare treat when he buys the flowers instead of me, so I trimmed them up, stuck them in a pitcher (because really, aren't they more fun than a typical vase?!) and put them on display. The wonderful part was that I'd forgotten how fragrant tulips truly are and so anytime I walked in or out of the house, I could smell those lovely flowers wafting through the air.

Now, I know there are the naysayers out there. You know who you are. The ones who don't see much point in spending money on something that is just going to die anyway. Well, read on and see if I don't  change your mind - or maybe at the very least give you pause to think.

My favorite season always has been and always will be Autumn. The air is crisp and cool. The leaves change color and the world becomes breathtakingly beautiful to me. Not to mention, I love pulling on a sweater or nice comfy sweatshirt and going for a walk that time of year.  What does this have to do with flowers? Hold on ... I'm getting there.

The other day I saw litte buds on the trees. And, yesterday morning, I heard birds chirping outside my window. It wasn't until I heard them that I realized how long it had been since I'd last heard those birdies singing! And I couldn't help but smile.

Why you ask? Well, because they all represent something. See Autumn may be my favorite season, but Spring comes in a close second. Rebirth. New life. Beginning again. Casting off the gloomy shackles of winter and for many, depression. Spring brings HOPE. We remember our Savior and all that He has done for us and somehow we find within ourselves the ability to move forward. Or, try again. Whichever the case may be.

So, when I hear birds chirping, or see blossoms budding on trees, or smell sweet flowers I remember that He Is Risen. Hope springs eternal in my heart and I find myself wanting to bring just a piece of the Garden of Eden into my home. To dispell the wintry gloom and remind myself that tomorrow is a new day.  It makes the cost of those flowers priceless.

So, I leave you with my favorite version of For the Beauty of the Earth, performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on the Consider the Lilies CD:

For the Beauty of the Earth

The Cinderella Parable

      "Every time she'd find a minute, that's the time that they begin it - Cinderelly, Cinderelly
      She goes around in circles, till she's very, very dizzy. Still they holler: Keep a-busy Cinderelly!"

Do you ever feel like Cinderella too? I do. Sometimes I feel like my head is spinning. I can't concentrate. I can't focus. I can't hear myself think. And lately it seems to be getting worse. Certainly kids are a factor. As also may be low vitamin deficiencies and a host of other issues. Yet, I can't help but feel it is more than that.

I know all too well the challenges and pitfalls of the fast-paced world we live in. My mother once said, "for all of our modern conveniences, we have even less time than before." It is true. I have very much felt overwhelmed with the "busy-ness" of life. Life's distractions seem to be humming along at constant and increasing speed. So much so that I can't help but think of that well known phrase: run and not be weary, walk and not faint.

It got me to thinking and led me to a talk given by Neal A. Maxwell in April 1991 titled, "Lest Ye Be Wearied & Faint In Your Minds." See if this is you (definitely felt like me!):

         "To those who are spiritually undernourished, who have grown weary and fainted in their minds...who have been overcome by the preoccupying cares of the world - those wearying, surface things of life..."

The talk outlines four fundamentals in how to better gird our loins against the advesary. It's your standard stuff - and is usually why it gets forgotten: serve, study, pray and worship.

I don't know about you, but I got tired of living my life a bit like Cinderella. I've gone back to these fundamental basics and I see the difference they are making. Accordingly, I have gained a testimony that life is not meant to be rushed through. It's not meant to be stressed over, analyzed, planned to the tiniest of details. It's meant to be enjoyed. So go ... start enjoying life. I dare you. (This is the best Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo you're gonna get!!)

The Struggles of Teaching

Being LDS, when it comes to teaching, can at times feel challenging to me. There are moments when I feel as if I'm in a no-win situation. Case in point: tomorrow I am teaching a lesson about Optimism.

First, I read over the lesson last week in an attempt to give myself plenty of time for ideas, thoughts, etc. What happened? Nada. Zilch. Zip. Not only did I not get any ideas, I actually spent a few days of the week quite depressed! Ironic in light of the lesson! So, here I am on Saturday night, less than 24 hours away from my lesson and I still have no clue what to do.

By comparison, last week was utter chaos. I didn't even look at the lesson until Sunday morning. Then I spent the rest of the time preparing it - all in a mad race to complete it on time. Kids were ignored. Hubby was gone to meetings. Insane. But what a successful lesson!

Yet, feeling the guilt of it all so that it wouldn't happen again, I read through the next lesson. Which brings me to now. Stuck. Is there such a thing as Teachers Block?

Hallowed Be Thy Name

Recently, I've been hearing the Lord's name taken in vain more frequently. That, or I'm just becoming more sensitive to it. Either way, each time I hear it I cringe. Something within me wants to scream out against it. I find it completely and totally offensive. I guess I've just been thinking a lot lately about the ironies of "human nature." We talk about the serious evils our children face in the world today - sex, drugs, pornography, dangers of the internet, etc. - and the constant barage of it all to them; and I'm wondering when profanity became less important or more accepted.

I admit, I have used my share of swear words and the thing is, I never feel good about myself after I say them. Is there really no other word I can use in the moment? Can I truly not find a better way of expressing myself? I have always prided myself on the fact that no matter what swear words might slip off the tongue, at least I haven't used the Lord's name in vain. Oh what a rationalization!! Isn't ALL profanity a form of taking the Lord's name in vain? Why is it so commonplace?

In November 1987, President Gordon B. Hinckley explained that using profanity, "it lessens our respect for holy things and leads us into the society of the wicked; it brings upon us the disrespect of the good who avoid us; it leads us to other sins, for he who is willing to abuse his Creator is not ashamed to defraud his fellow creature; and also by so doing we directly and knowingly break one of the most direct of God’s commandments ... stay out of the gutter in your conversation. Foul talk defiles the man who speaks it."

Oh how true! And again, reiterated in Robert L. Millet's talk in March 1994, "To be called upon to speak or act in the name of God is a sacred trust. It is deserving of solemn and ponderous thought. We would preach gospel doctrines more diligently and bear more fervent testimonies if we kept fixed in our minds the weighty fact that our words or our deeds can be the words and actions of our eternal Head."

Too often, when we say we are disciples of Christ and that we follow Him, we speak in reference to our actions. Why not our speech? I know for myself I am going to be more mindful of my language and more dilligent in refraining from profanity.

A Modern Day Prophet

Gordon B. Hinckley was a beloved prophet in our time. I certainly count myself among those who had a deep appreciation, admiration, respect and love of this man of God. He had a way of speaking that made me know I was a loved Child of God and inspired a desire within me to do more and be more at the same time. My heart was heavy when he passed from this earthly life.

I understood from my knowledge of the church that Thomas S. Monson was in line to become the next Prophet, Seer and Revelator, but I could not feel it. I was not ready to embrace a new mouthpiece of the Lord. My husband and I had the opportunity to go the Conference Center that first Saturday of General Conference after President Hinckley’s passing – when President Monson was sustained. When asked, I raised my hand in sustaining vote along with everyone else, but even then I did not have a testimony of this man as the Prophet of the church. Yet, I believed that it would come. I supported him and listened to him. In General Conferences since then, I longed for that elusive testimony and it didn’t come. I would listen to the Lord’s anointed with rapture and yet still leave conference saddened that I had not gained the one testimony for which I had hoped. It has been years now since President Monson became our Modern Day Prophet.

A couple of weeks ago, I attended the Women’s Relief Society General Meeting. I was reluctant to go initially but, after some encouraging counsel from my husband, I went. The dinner and socializing with other LDS sisters was wonderful. The addresses given were inspired and thoughtful.

 Then came time for President Monson’s closing remarks. And suddenly there it was. My testimony of this man of God. I could see the lines of concern etched across his face. A little grayer hair. The weight of responsibility for the church. I saw the overall aged look of someone carrying the prophetic mantle. In that moment I no longer just believed – I knew this was a man called of God to lead His children on the earth. Oh the joy that swelled within my heart!! The tears that ran down my cheek! I have once again been reminded that faith does indeed grow of out of a mustard seed and blossoms into the fruit of testimony!

God's Laws

Usually, I keep quiet about controversy surrounding my faith. I am not one who likes to get into bible bashing. I also have a strong conviction about how profound the influence is in living by example. Recently however, the leaders of the church have once again come under attack for voicing the church’s stance on homosexuality. And after many remarks by non-LDS friends in a broad forum, I can no longer sit in silence. Everything within me dictates that I use my voice. So here it is:

I love the law. I always have from the time I was a teen. Something about it fascinates me. But make no mistake, there is an immense difference between civil law and God’s law. Civil law is created by man – and subject to change by the whims of man. We are human after all, and too often succumb to the temptations in life – which leads us to change or interpret the law to ourselves; to change it as we deem is important or relevant in the moment.

We are not perfect. Our law therefore cannot be perfect. We are not wise enough to govern ourselves. It is critical then that we have laws that are permanent, non transient and finite. Isn’t it wonderful that we have such laws, literally written in stone by God’s hand, to help us know how to govern ourselves? But these laws are fixed or they would be no better than man’s laws.

Yes, I am referring to the 10 commandments. Some would argue that homosexuality is not mentioned in the 10 commandments. Maybe. I’ll leave that part vague for now. But, it does clearly say in the bible, book of Genesis, that woman was created to be a helpmeet for man. Not man for man. Not woman for woman. Man AND Woman, together. Always was and always will be - because God’s laws are fixed, permanent, non transient and finite. We can justify and rationalize all we want. God’s laws do not change, we do. And trying to bend God’s laws to us will never work. Never.

I watched President Packer’s talk from our general conference last weekend. I had it recorded so I watched it a few times. Not once did I ever hear him lash out at those who were struggling with this lifestyle choice. Only was he firm in voicing God’s law. In clarifying that it is indeed a choice - reiterating that man and woman are to be together in this mortal, earthly life.

I have had friends and step-relations who have been “gay.” I love them no less than anyone else. They have been important parts of my life at different times. But never once have I approved of or encouraged such a lifestyle choice. For yes, I do believe it is a choice. I believe God is a God of Love. For we are His children. And I cannot fathom that He would send His children to earth in confusion such as this or to live in a state against His laws. I know these things because I would never do so to my own children.

I firmly believe that we can love the sinner, but hate the sin. Especially true in this case.

Choose This Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Cw8I8eukaI

I love when President Eyring says that, "Someday is a thief of opportunities of time," it is sooo true. I have often felt overwhelmed in the bustle of life and wished I could slow down long enough to catch my breath. Days when I feel pulled in too many directions at once are the worst. This gentle reminder nudges me to reprioritize my busy schedule and make even 5 mins available for prayer or the reading of one scripture verse. I do know that even that much worship on any given day swells my spirit and deepens my love for the Lord.
Choose you this day whom ye will serve, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.