I thought I was the seed, it turns out I am the dirt.
St. Patrick’s Day of Old This last Tuesday was St. Patrick’s Day. When I was a little girl the holiday merited pulling out a piece of emerald material, in whatever form you find it; a scrunchie, a t-shirt or a pinned on swatch of fabric from mom’s gonna-use-this-fabric-someday-but-if-i-don’t-you-can-have-the-lot-of-it-when-I-die -pile. In today’s world St. Patrick’s Day consists of leprechaun...
The Light of Suffering Made White
Let Your Light So Shine I have been pondering a question for a while. How does suffering enhance our human experience? How does God transform a tragedy into a miracle on our own behalf? If death, sin, mistakes and loss cause us pain, how come we are required to pass through earthly tribulation in order to become refined, as he would have us be? Talking to friends, acquaintances, members of my faith community, and family, I do not know...
Prepared in a manner that had never been known
Last night the ladies from my church group, known as the Relief Society, gathered for an activity. My new volunteer assignment is to help lead this group in our mission of compassion, service and enrichment for the women over 18 in our area. I love it! I love working with the women of our ward. I love working with our Relief Society presidency! I love the opportunity I have to plan activities with our committee, and the chance to be...
The Second Gift of Christmas – Shining Bright
Mathew 2: 1-2 reads, “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” This star was planned, created, and set into motion, not on that Christmas day, but before then. It’s shape, position, brightness, movement and...
Finding Christmas
What is the most Christmas filled experience you have had? I have been thinking a lot about Christmas. What exactly is the Christmas spirit? There are parties, trees, lights, gifts, hot cocoa, bundling up by the fire, watching movies, shopping, mailing cards to family and friends. There is giving, and donating; there are plays, musicals and concerts. There is a palpable feeling in the air, and throughout the community of good will, of...
You Have To Go Through It
Last week my daughter Allyson rediscovered a book that we have had for quite a while, “We are Going on a Bear Hunt,” Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, and written by Michael Rosen. This small family, a dad with four little kids and their dog set out on a fine, sunshine filled day, to find a bear. Their journey is fraught with obstacles; mud, a dark forrest, a bog, a storm, and all manner of difficulties. Over and over, they...