Faith-colored Glasses

"When we look at the world and our experiences with faith-colored glasses, we will see proof of God everywhere." 
This speaks to my soul! Years ago Pres Eyring shared that in the time he was Bishop he began a daily written acknowledgement of the Saviors Hand in his life. He said there were many times he would come through the door exhausted at the end of a very long hard day and would be tempted to skip it, or thought "I'll do it tomorrow" but he never once succumbed to those temptations. Every day he would write about how he saw the Hand of God in that day. He said he did it so that some day his descendants could read it and know wherein his faith had it's roots. I know Pres Eyring, I met him through a mutual friend, and took Pres Eyring at his word when he said, "Anytime you need to talk to me, please just come to my office." And I did, when he was President of then Ricks College, later when he was Commissioner of Education in the Church office building. Later we would continue to communicate, one letter arriving when I was in the MTC prior to my mission. I wept tears of joy when he was called as an Apostle. I remember Clark gathering the children around our TV as we sustained him the following day and Clark said "He's Mom's friend!" So when he speaks for me it's my friend speaking, as well as the Lord's anointed Apostle.

And so I began a daily journal of His Tender Mercies. Those of you who have read my blog, know those Tender Mercies are both real and deeply appreciated. And yesterday sweet Bryce made a comment in passing to me (can't even remember what we were talking about) he said, "I love that you look for the Lord's hand all the time." That was it. And I felt grateful that Bryce could see that, and voiced it to me. While Bryce is doing really well he still battles daily with the devil, and I am so proud of him for that.

So when I wanted to read something uplifting today I went to Come Follow Me daily on my FB feed. and when Mary said this, "When we look at the world and our experiences with faith-colored glasses, we will see proof of God everywhere." It filled my heart. And I know it is true. I challenge anyone to try it for one week. And I hope each of us would follow Pres Eyring's example and then record those Tender Mercies. In dark days when our hearts and minds may be wrestling with chaos, uncertainty, and faith challenges, we can return to this Tender Mercies Journal and remember the Lord is real, remember He is loving, remember the Lord is walking this journey with you! And when we lift up our head and put on those faith-colored glasses, the world is an amazing place. And maybe our personal struggles haven't changed, perhaps with our new glasses of faith we can see things a little differently, maybe we can get a reprieve from the burden, maybe we can believe Christ is on the details of our life, not the devil after all.

Faith-colored glasses...I so love this! God is good. We may be in this together...but we are not social distancing from the source of love & truth. Christ doesn't have COVID-19...we don't need to pull away from Him! Happy Sabbath!

#hearhim

After another episode late last night that Clark worked through with me, including a priesthood blessing, I woke early with thoughts tumbling around in my head. I have only had three episodes since starting with the Chiropractor about 7 weeks ago. Throughout this experience we have learned what can be addressed at home, and what needs medical intervention. So I am so grateful for Clark's loving and gentle attention as we worked through total body weakness, uncontrollable seizure-like movements, disrupted language, severe nausea and brain scramble. 
So I got up early to journal a couple of Tender Mercies yesterday, and that makes me realize again the blessing of seeing the Lord's hand in the most minute details of my life.

This week has been very different for me. Last Saturday we enjoyed a much-needed visit with Kylee, Jonny & Nadja. Their little family has had some struggles with the circumstances the virus has left in their lives. We weeded together, worked on our burn pile, and enjoyed a 'picnic' lunch. They left with lighter hearts and reminded of how much we love them. Unfortunately we didn't physical-distance well enough, and so I am isolated from my Darling Declan & his family for two weeks. Regardless of how much I hate this, I also respect Dani & Paul for protecting their little family also. So without work or Darling Declan, suddenly I had a ton more time on my hands. So I have spent a lot of time trying to tame my backyard, which always allow a lot of personal reflection. 

I had just sat down in the early afternoon yesterday, at my kitchen table, where I have an unobstructed view of my back door. I looked up as Bryce walked back inside, and said, 
"I need to go see the Doctor." And then the tears rolled down his face. I quickly went to him and hugged him while he cried and he said his depression was making this new normal soooo hard. He knew he was doing well at work (from home- he's been working full-time since last September-ish) but his negative thought pattern was not allowing him to see the good...only that he wasn't good enough! We talked through some ideas and points while he took the suggested Reliv Shake. Immediately feeling better he started back down the stairs and paused before saying, "I am sure glad you were sitting right there when I came in." He disappeared downstairs and I thought to myself...wow! Had I still been working and tending Darling Declan I most certainly would not have been 'sitting right there' then! God is good! And so mindful of  every one of His children! He is also still fulfilling His promise to me that "when the time is right you will be an instrument in my Hands." 

After that I felt the impression come again to submit my manuscript to another publisher. 
Editors note: In defense of full transparency, please don't judge me...I blame my scrambled brain.
So I sat down to compose an email to a friend of Clark's who had offered to help in this process. As I started to bring him up to date on this journey...I suddenly had a funny feeling. Crossing my office to the bookshelf I picked up another friends book and flipped it over to see the publisher, remembering why the book was lying out. I recently met Merrilee Boyack and told her I had used one of her quotes in the manuscript to which she replied, "If Covenant says no go to Cedar Fort, I had to do that a couple of times." I came home that night, pulled out my friends book to verify they both had published through Cedar Fort. Returning to my computer I went to Shadow Mountain Publishing and saw again they were not accepting manuscripts til September! I had almost submitted to the wrong publisher again. So I paused my email and instead submitted my manuscript to Cedar Fort. I was pleasantly surprised that they were actually soliciting manuscripts in Genre's my manuscript could easily fall under. It was a pleasant, seamless process that I actually enjoyed this time. Within a couple of hours I received the auto-response email advising me they had received my manuscript and advised it would take about a month for their response.

So this morning with a bit clearer brain, I am delighted to recognize  the Tender Mercies that continue to unfold in my life. I feel the Lord's blessings as if I am wrapped in a warm blanket, you know the ones the hospital heats up for you? And when I see Him working through me to bless His other children I am in awe. I am well aware of my shortcomings and straight-up failures, yet in all my less-than-perfect self, He still sees "I am enough for Him", and He uses me accordingly. What a gift to remember. As King Benjamin would say..."O remember, remember that these things are true..." I love his final General Conference talk! 

I think one of the greatest blessings of this pandemic is the forced slowing down of the world and all it's trappings and noise, in such a way that, in silencing the worlds influence, the things of the Spirit, and those things which we do that are of the most importance and of eternal worth, seem to be increasing in our lives. With less worldly noise, I hear Him more often and more clearly see His works in my life. I keep reminding myself we are living in remarkable times, but not left alone by our God, His Son Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost. 

Enjoy the silence, remember to take time to see His hand and #hearhim as often as possible. Notice the spring time around us. And breath deep! Happy Friday!

Finding peace & joy amidst the chaos

I feel the pull to blog again...but without any clear direction that He wants me to go. So I sit here alone in the dark, just my computer & me. I reflect on life today as we know it. We are in very unusual times, I read so often of individuals who experience fear, loss & plenty of uncertainty. Yet underlining these emotions I personally feel the hum of peace, yes even joy and know this is all part of His divine plan for us. Did He give us this Pandemic...no, but He gave us  prophet who is a Doctor. This great man knows better than most what this will likely do to our world. This great man who has for so many years has also cultivated Chinese relationships so that when we asked for the impossible in China...permission to use an existing meeting house for our Temporary Temple, the answer was a resounding yes. Shocking the entire world! Then to be invited to build a temple in Dubai, which was likely not even on the Temple Departments radar....all because they saw something in our leaders & members that made this request a reality.

Then to now look back on the signs along the way preparing us for surviving today in this new world. Home-centered, Church supported learning. Yep! We were pretty excited when Church went to a two-hour block...who could have imagined NO Church at our buildings, at all!

We all know by now that the Salt Lake Temple Dedicatory prayer that sacred day so long ago, contained a plea that when we couldn't be in the Temple we would be protected by the Sacred Covenants we will make in the Temple. I think that phrase must have sounded a little strange to those in attendance. Who would have thought we would ever seen a time when every Temple is closed across the globe? And yet we are still being protected and sustained because of our sacred covenants made within those Holy Edifices !! 

In my calling as a  Councillor in our Stake Young Women Presidency, I often admonished our Young Women, to go to the Temple. And if they weren't ready to go inside the Temple, to remember the entire Temple grounds are dedicated as Holy Places. Touch the Temple physically, until you can go inside and have the Temple touch you! It is always a reminder to us of the Sacred Covenants we have made, and a way to remember to stay in the very center of our own Covenant Path.

Then our Prophet changed the time requirement when a Temple Sealing isn't how we got married. That surprised us all, and now we are seeing faithful couples getting married civilly until their marriage can be Sealed later in the House of the Lord. No less worthy or protected for being obedient and prepared for that sacred blessing.

Now thousands of missionaries have been called to come home, some to end their faithful service early, others to accept new assignments within their home country. Each of these scenarios carry their own challenges, and therefore blessings previously unrealized with these new circumstances. 

And so amidst these uncertain, chaotic & challenging times, I marvel at the steady, trusting, faithful families, who are reaping unprecedented blessings as they turn down the volume, if you will, on the things of the world, and witness the ability to see & hear those sacred, spiritual scenarios that surround us now. Some have spoken of this being a time to reset. To remember what matters most. To see ourselves and others through the eyes of our loving Savior Jesus Christ. To yearn for the fellowship of the saints we love & worship with. To seek Fathers guidance on how to navigate this treacherous terrain before us. To re-learn what our faithful Pioneers lived so long ago...simple lives centered in Christ. Finding joy in our families, lifting and helping those who may be hurting or lonely around us. Sharing the peace & joy of the Gospel of Christ, with all fellow-travelers, without apology.

And so as we adjust to a new normal may we each pause and reflect, and realize just what a precious gift we have been given. What will we look back and see, after the malls are filled again, the grocery stores are fully stocked, the busy schedule of work, church callings and family life fill our days again? How will we remember these challenging days? Will we come out the other-side stronger, more centered on Christ and His on-going restoration? Will our loved ones be the center of our focus, that we may all be on the covenant path together?

My prayer for each of us is just that. That tomorrow we will be better for having survived this century's worst Pandemic ever...COVID-19. I hope & pray we will be kinder, more intuitive to those around us, more focused on Christ and having found more peace & joy in His Eternal Gospel. 

The tulips are blooming at the Mount Timpanogos Temple, ushering in springtime. Better days are ahead. Look up, trust God, and continue to hope for a better day tomorrow. Express heartfelt gratitude, and see God's Tender Mercies all around. 

God is in His Heaven, and all's right with His Eternal Perfect Plan!