Keep Calm and Carry On

Life is anything but calm these days so I had to chuckle at the sign I saw in the store yesterday while shopping for a few things for the house. The sign was a large canvas piece painted pink. Front and center was a crown, through the crown, flowing across the board was the statement; 'Keep Calm -- And Carry On'

I love this. I love anything that speaks of clamness. Especially these days. Especially in the latter-days that seem to be showing its signs everywhere. For some time, I have lived a particular type of chaos. The kind where the Adversary stirs contention in the hearts of man. In my case, its the man(men) within my home. Its subtle at first, as will all his shenanigans. Then like a blow to the gut you realize a serious crisis has occurred and your foundation is shaken. Suddenly a craving for peace and for calmness becomes the main focus of daily life.

In times like this you turn to the only source of peace, the Savior, Jesus Christ.

The words to this hymn express my feelings perfectly:

Be Still My Soul
1. Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side;
With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In ev'ry change he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend
Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

2. Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as he has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

3. Be still, my soul: The hour is hast'ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Text: Katharina von Schlegel, b. 1697;
trans. by Jane Borthwick, 1813-1897

A Disturbance in the Force!

I think that is what you call it when one of your children get married and you aren't quite ready for it to happen.

Weddings, though stressful by nature, are supposed to be grand occassions full of excitement, hope and a fulfillment of dreams. My recent experience with a wedding was not one of this nature. It left me a bit unsettled (hence the disturbance) and concerned. It has also given me a grand opportunity to pray and to apply some principles of faith for this dear child of mine and his new bride.

Before I go on confusing anyone I want to state that my son's wife is a darling young lady that I grew to love quickly. It didn't take long in our getting aquainted period for me to cause her a few bumps due to my beliefs and values and hopes for my son and the differences she and I share. She's been forebearing and I pray forgiving. My desire is for her happiness as well as my son's.

The fact of the matter is, marriage is one of our greatest life challenges. You hope that amid those challenges come many blessings and joys. I want that for both of these sweet young people. I see already how the differences of these two lives have the potential for difficulty. My prayer is that the tests of life will make them stronger and more in love than the day they married.

I hope, that after some time what has caused a disturbance for me will settle in too. I read a sign the other day that speaks to me (I'll paraphrase and hope to run across the author at some point to give proper credit) 'Its not going the distance that is difficult, but that first step into the unknown.' I hope this is the case for all of us as we go into this next season of life.