Peaceful December Morning

December 19, 2012

It is early yet this morning as I sit on the couch welcoming in the new day.  I look at the lights on the tree in the dark room.  Behind me, the day begins to dawn with a light glow that is still too weak to fill the room.

These are precious moments to me.  The house is quiet as I close the door after wishing my husband ‘a good day.’  No one stirs yet leaving me alone with the lights and the dark and the day approaching behind me.

My mind is cluttered with the list of items that already call me, pulling me from this moment of peace, bringing a sense of rushing.  I sit, a while longer and take in the feelings of the lights and the season they represent.

I wonder how many more of these seasons will I be able to have this way.  Outside my secure surroundings today lays a world in chaos.  Government bodies argue over plans and taxes.  People hurt after a horrible shooting at an elementary school.  The superstitious worry if their days are numbered fearing the end in sight.  Others scurry on to work or school or wherever their patterned actions compel them to go. 

All these thoughts make this moment even sweeter.

My grandchild will be here soon.  The clock on the wall ticks.  The light is brighter now.  I’m reading an article on my smart phone on an e-magazine.  The writer attempts to explain what likely happened in Bethlehem the night the Christ child was born.

So much has changed in the Lord’s world since He came into His world to live his earthly days.  So many today are still confused about who Jesus actually is/was.  Some think there is/was only one God and he came down to earth as a child.  Some have an even foggier version of the story and the nature of God and His Son.  Some unfortunately do not believe at all.  I believe.

I believe beyond any doubt that our Heavenly Father sent Jesus, our brother, here to earth.  He came into this world, as we all do, born of a woman.  He is the Son of God.  Not God the Father.  Not an embodiment or formless being housing three spirits..His mission was a specific one.  Foretold from the beginning by prophets of God.  Today, we speak of the Christ child with reverence, knowing he is the Savior of the World.  We celebrate His birth because it is one of the most significant events in our mortal history. His life, his coming, is the greatest gift the world has ever received. 

Its five days and counting now.  Light fills the room.  Stirring is heard in the rooms upstairs. The day begins, but just for a moment longer, I sit, and ponder upon what Christmas means to me and feel His peace.

Merry Christmas!

When A Country Needs Peace

For the past couple of weeks the debates have been a hot issue.  It isn't peaceful watching grown men debate.  Often there is shouting, finger pointing, and talking over one another.  There is no doubt that we need peace in our land.  There is no debate about the condition of the United States government.

We know that we are blessed to live in a land of promise.  We are grateful for our freedoms.  However, there are evil forces at work in this land.  Forces that do not promote the ideals of our Founding Father or the kind of peace that we believe should be a part of this great land.

In the Doctrine and Covenants we read: "I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose."(D&C 101:80).   And in verse 77 of that section; " According to the laws and constitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established..."  From these verses we know the hand of the Lord was in the forming of the laws and government of this country.   Therefore the stewardship is placed on us from Heaven to choose leaders that believe in these principles and strive to sustain them.

The sense of turmoil is palatable as the day of vote casting approaches.  I believe for the most part, fellow American across the board want to make a good choice in who they vote for.  Not as many realize the great stewardship this right hold which is what worries me.  The media, the debates, the endless bashing campaign commercials, the barrage of political mail to get the candidate's name out front is a huge contributor to the confusion.  Where in all of these chaos does one find the truth.

Though we, as citizens of this country, have agency to cast a vote, we are and will continue to be in the hands of the Lord.  This earth and it's inhabitants are here but for a short time.  All of this business of government and election and politics will one day come to major change.  I look forward to the day when the Kingdom of God and His government are present and in force upon the earth.  When peace will be present among all.

Still, we will be accountable to the Father for the choices we make here.  So study the issues and candidates well.  Pray for guidance and for the inspiration of the spirit to guide you as you make your voting choices.

My prayers each day include a petition to the powers of heaven to bless the people of this land with wisdom to choose according to the will of God.  I pray that we will have leaders that are Godly men and women with integrity towards he positions they hold.

"Oh No, Not Again..."

A couple years ago my little one, running wildly down the sidewalk as was prone to do, tripped over a bump in an uneven section and tumbled to her knees. Bloody and bruised and teary we managed to get through the ordeal. Then just a few days later, in the driveway, it happened again. As the tumble started I heard the words, "Oh no! Not again!" The realization that a crash was about to occur prompted the exclamation. Grief was unavoidable again. That cry of pain she expressed has not left me to this day. My heart broke for her. She knew. She saw it coming and cried out. It happens at times, grief. It trips you over, knocking the wind from you. As you go down you hear the fated words expel forth..."oh no! Not again!" You see it happening and you are powerless to stop it. Suddenly its clear that pain and damage are going to happen and like an out of body experience you watch it happen -- unable to prevent it. It happened to me -- again. Just like the tumble of my little child. Only it wasn't just my knees. It was my whole world. I could see it crumble and I couldn't figure out how to stop it. When it hit I was sick inside and I was furious. I said enough. Not this time. No more. Then God said otherwise. This was not a bruised knee that would be relatively easy to heal. This was a wound of the heart and these do not heal as quickly as you would sometimes like. In fact, I was struggling with the last time. How could I possibly go through this again and be whole? If there is anything I do know, when God asks something of you -- you don't say no. I offered forgiveness and began to pray. Harder than I have ever prayed before. I asked for my eyes to open that I might see what I have not seen before. I asked to be taught what I could not learn before. I asked to feel what I could not feel before. I prayed to believe. I prayed for peace. Slowly, like dawn breaking through the darkest night God opened the way. Though my heart, full of old scar tissue, still damaged from the past, I was shown how to truly love and forgive and where to find the peace and strength I needed. He showed me that love, forgiveness and peace could be found. I didn't expect this gift. I'd been in this place before. It wasn't my first fall. Recovery can be very slow and very painful. Yet somehow, though my obedience and my faith, I found what I had been longing for. Strength. And growth. I knew that in order for me to endure what was ahead of me, I needed to increase. Increase my capacities of charity, love, forgiveness. I needed to be a peacemaker. I needed to set aside my feelings and put someone else ahead of me. This was not an easy task. I didn't want my willingness to forgive to be misconstrued into making light of the injury. It wasn't something I could just shrug off as if it didn't matter. It mattered hugely. This time, I chose to handle how it mattered differently.

Peace With All Men

Hebrews 12:14 - "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." This is a great scripture for me for several reasons at this time. As I am tutored by the Lord in this mission of peace I walk, I am learning daily how much I still need to learn.