S.A.L.T.

Stand
A
Little
Taller

Ye are the salt of the earth. -Matthew 5:13

Salt is used to purify and to season, to make things better. Be the salt in the world; purify and make things better.

Small Mercies

And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint. –Doctrine and Covenants 89:20

This is how my weekends feel.

Saturdays (and Fridays) are very much a flat our run most of the time where I must movemovemove and not be weary and Sunday I must walksoslowly and not faint.

It is a blessing to be able to do so.

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Music of the Heart – Thankful Thursday

In less than a week, it’s going to be my dad’s 70th birthday. Even with that coming up it hadn’t really occurred to me that he was getting up there in years, mostly because he was Dad and Dad wasn’t Old, he was just Dad.

(Logic, which normally works just fine for me, fails me now and then.)

Then Dad told me that he was retiring from the local symphony that he’s played his double horn with my entire life. And that’s when it really hit me. He’s been retired from his actual job for about five years now, but it’s the thought that he won’t be playing his horn anymore that really clues me in that he’s reached the twilight years. (Even though he’s a Grampa ten times over and has had knee surgery because he injured his knee playing with said grandchildren at a family picnic several years ago.)

When I asked him about why he was retiring from the syphony he said, “Martha, I can’t make it through a whole concert anymore and if I practice the day before a performance (which I have to do) I can’t perform at all.”

It had never occurred to me that this would become a problem for him because playing his horn has been such an integral part of who he is to me for my entire life that the though of him retiring it is like getting smacked in the face with a two by four.

He is plying in public one last time, this Sunday at his ward and I am grateful that I got the chance to find out about it before it happened so that I could make it to see. We’ve tried to go to his concerts in the past with varying defgrees of success, but for this last one, I hope all of my seven siblings (and I made sure we all knew) can make it.

For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads. –D&C 25:12

Check out the original Thankful Thursday.

The Humility of a Queen

You don’t realize how strong you are until being strong is all you have left.

Quite the extraordinary person how stands by your side
Unless required, is willing to hide
Even as the shadows grow longer still
Esther was willing and patient at will
Now was the time to step toward the light, knowing her words would set the kind right

We, each of us, are queens in our own right.

Forgive

Don’t forget just who you are

Especially when others fall below the bar

But you, too, have fallen low

To need the help found from a star

 

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” –3 Nephi 13:11

Love in Ten Lines

Love is to mourn

To mourn those loved

To love those lost

To love those found

To love those burdened

To love and lift

To comfort with love

Accept comfort with love

Stand as love’s witness

Love’s a wondrous thing.

 

… Ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yeah, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life. –Mosiah 18:8-9

 

To me, being willing to do as the Lord has asked and as He has done is an act of love. Showing that you love the Lord and will come to love your fellow men/women whether they will love you back or not. This is not an easy thing, but when has something worth more than all the precious things in this glorious world ever been considered easy?

 

To love someone is not easy, but it is likely worth every moment, whether happy or wretched it may be.

 

RULES
-Write about love using only 10 lines.
-Use “love” in every line.
-Each line can only be 4 words long.
-Nominate 10 or so others who are up for the challenge.
-Let them know about the challenge.
-Title the post, Love in Ten Lines
-Include a quote about love (i choose to affix my own)

I nominate the following people:

dragoninthenightsky

The Seeker’s Dungeon

 

And that’s all I’ve got. Kind of dizzy and I’m sorry this is late in coming out…

Abide With Me

For this time will quickly pass

As I find my spirit lasts

So closer to the Lord I’ll grow

To find His light upon my brow.

 

“…and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them…” –Alma 17:9

The Good Shepherd

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. –Psalm 23:1

Softly shushes me and

Holds me close. Comforting

Even as I am allowed to grieve.

Perhaps this Person knows

How it is to grieve and that

Eventually it all needs to be

Released so that I can

Deal with this pain.

 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff comfort me. –Psalm 23:4

Song of the Heart – Thankful Thursday

Today has been a slow morning, everyone who could sleep in did. It was worth it, as the day has slowly gone by (it’s almost lunch already?) and I have sat and just listened to some music. Of course, I only put the music on because my niece asked me to, but I liked listening to it while she whirled around the room, picking up and vacuuming.

I guess today I’m thankful for music.

The sound of children laughing.

The sound of children playing.

The sound of lullabies created by my mom.

The sound of the wind in the leaves.

The knowledge that music in itself is a prayer.

For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads. -Doctrine and Covenants 25:12

And when you can sing a prayer, then you just know that your day is going to be better for it.

For the original Thankful Thursday: http://mithriluna.wordpress.com/2014/06/26/thankful-thursday-the-gift-of-children/

Life Moves Fast!

Most of the house is still packed from before

Only a few things left to do, although it seems like more…

Veracity of the previous statement is under suspicion.

I would really like this to be done and over with.

Never certain just when it will come, yet we’re

Going to get ready regardless.

It’s all about the timing.

Don’t give up even though it looks bleak.

Always remember that He hasn’t let you down before.

Yokes include another pulling with you!

“For my burden is easy and my yoke is light.”

Coming on up to crunch time, I’m ready!

Only a little bit of patience to be put to the test.

Me? I’m trying to do what I can.

Inside I try not to shake too badly;

Not going to let the fear and doubt in!

Got my family all around me to see this through!

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Written partially for Suzie81’s challenge this week: http://suzie81speaks.com/2014/05/11/weekly-word-challenge-life/

Also because we’ve been getting ready for a big change! Life in my family takes a long while to build up to something before it moves really fast!