The Color of Hope

It's been a very long winter here.

The snow came early and then didn't leave until the end of April.

As the temperatures began to rise and the snow melted, everything looked the same color.

When I could finally see grass it still wasn't green, yet.

Everything seemed brownish gray.

Driving around town I would look for any kind of color.

The anticipation gave me hope for spring.

Little by little, color started to appear.

First, the grass started to look a little greener.

The skies started to seem less gray and more blue.

Then white clouds.

And now the trees have bloomed - lots of pink and white!

Today, as I drove around there seems to be color everywhere.

What did I do to get this color back?

Nothing.

I couldn't do a single thing about it.

It only happened because of time.

There are times that my life seems like this.

Everything seems dreary and gray and hopeless.

And I search for something that may bring me hope.

Most of the time, there isn't really any thing I can do.

I just have to wait.

But, it always comes.

Eventually.

And when it does, it is glorious.

Imprints

I just finished reading a book for one of my book clubs.

It was set in Virginia right before the civil war.

The main character (narrator) was raised by her wet nurse who was a slave.

As the book goes on, it is easy to see how this character's choices are clearly affected by the one who truly "mothered" her.

Someone asked the question if we had someone like that who we remembered from when we were being raised.

I immediately thought of my favorite babysitter, Sassy.

Her name is actually Leslie and I'm not sure why she is so memorable to me.

But, I still think of her fondly and often.

Then, the other day I was thinking about my seminary class.

The one that I substitute taught more than any others at the beginning of the school year.

Even though they had their regular teacher more than me, I consider them mine.

And I know that some of them consider me their teacher also.

They are imprinted on my mind.

And because I was there for their first couple of days, I was imprinted on theirs.

Imprints.

Do I take the time to remember the imprint that my Heavenly Father and Mother have on me.

Like William Wordsworth famously said, 

"Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting;

The Soul that rises with us, our life’s Star,

          Hath had elsewhere its setting

               And cometh from afar;

          Not in entire forgetfulness,

          And not in utter nakedness,

But trailing clouds of glory do we come 

               From God, who is our home:

Heaven lies about us in our infancy!"

 

Light Shiners

Today's "Light the World" prompt was to dedicate a star on your tree to someone who was a light in your life this year.

These people, right here.

(and yes, I need to get a new family picture - maybe when everyone is home in 2023?)

Hyrum is my homeschool/errand/hiking buddy. He has such a grateful heart and a creative mind.

Cassie brings so much joy and laughter to my life. She has so much enthusiasm.

Ginny is such an example of endurance and seeking and being brave.

My missionary boys are bringing light to others in England right now, but still filling my life.

Maggie is a light and joy with her humor, loyalty and dedication not to mention her fabulous gift-giving talent.

Kensie and Adam are stalwart and amazing as they finish college and get ready to welcome my first grandchild.

Tom just gets me and comforts me and helps me remember who I am.

I know that my life would be dark without them.

And even though I've listed all these great qualities they have, they main reason they bring me light is because I see them following The Light of the World, Jesus Christ.

I am blessed.

D&C 88:74 - Personal Study

 "And I give unto you, who are the first laborers in this last kingdom, a commandment that you assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare yourselves, and sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and your feet before me, that I may make you clean;"

This is the scripture that stands out to me today.

Here are my thoughts on it:

1. Assemble - I need to be where I'm supposed to be.

2. Organize - Everything has a rule. I need to make sure I know what the rules are; I want to understand God's laws.

3. Prepare - I need to soften my heart and focus on God's will not my will.

4. Sanctify - One definition of this word is 'to make binding'. I need to remember my covenants.

5. Purify & Cleanse - I need to repent often and come into Christ.

 

Thoughts for a Cloudy Day

Cloudy days are the worst.

I spend far too much time trying to determine why the clouds showed up.

Or driving myself crazy trying to figure out how to get them to go away.

And sometimes even despairing that I'll never see the sun again.

Rather than spend all my energy chasing the clouds away...

which really - do I even have the power to do that?

... today I choose to recognize that the sun is still there behind the clouds.

I may not be able to see or feel the sun.

But, I can bask in simple knowledge.

The sun is there.

I will see it again.