Seasons

The weather man on our local news station announced on September 1, 2010, that this day starts the Fall season. I look out my window and smile as I see the sun shining and appreciate the summer (albeit very short this year) now ending. My husband's favorite season is the summer but unlike him every season is my favorite. Each season brings it's own variety of fruits, vegetables and holidays, to name a few. I am an eternal romantic so I embrace the "hibernating" instinct of cuddling indoors with a fire glowing in the fireplace with candles lit throughout the room. My spirit is calmed and soothed as I prepare cinnamon pumpkin bars in my kitchen. As our home is filled with the mouth-watering smell of Turkey baking in the oven I offer thanks for all of my blessings. My heart delights as I sing along to my favorite Christmas hymns. Yes, the years do pass along too quickly now but they also bring memories of joy and appreciation for each season to me.

My Books, My Friends

I saw a commercial last night for the Kindle, a wireless reading device. We are now offered this new technology of reading books on a small screen.

I am an avid fan of antiques and I enjoy being the custodian of these sentimental pieces of our past but I also love and enjoy using my microwave oven. I am a woman who lives in and appreciates both worlds--the past and the amazing inventions of the present. As much as I marvel at this new technology and way of reading on a small screen I don't think I will ever completely embrace this in lieu of physically touching my books---my friends. There is something so peaceful and calming as I sit down for my morning devotion and opening up my Bible to study the word of God. I love the tactile feel of the fine thin paper as I turn the pages in my Bible. It gives me pleasure to see the scriptures that I have marked with my red scripture pencil, which speak the messages for Susan. I thoroughly enjoy cuddling up in my favorite chair to peruse my inspiring decorating books with their colorful glossy pictures. Just like a well-loved friend my books bring comfort and feed my soul---the likes of which I don't think I'll find on a small screen. Our society is now speeding along accompanied with technological advances that affect our lives but there is something to be said about the simple pleasure of sitting down with a favorite book and visiting that friend on a more personal level by touching the pages again and again.

Chapters

One of the leisure activities I enjoy is reading. I can get really engrossed in a novel with memorable characters and a powerful story. Often times just before I fall into my REM sleep at night thoughts come to me, which on many nights I forget what they are by the next morning; however a couple nights ago the word "chapters" entered my mind. Just as chapters in a book take the reader along in the story, I related this to my life. I look back on the chapters in my life thus far and remember joy, teen-age angst, first love, true love, giving birth to our three beautiful children and raising them--each with their own chapters dove-tailing into mine. Now, as I enter a new chapter in my life I face a new set of trials but while I remember the trials of yesteryear I know that this chapter will have lessons and joy to cherish in its own unique way.

Cast Out Fear

Along our path of life we all encounter "bumps in the road" and upon reflection I have often allowed fear to visit me during those bumps in the road. I heard somewhere recently that fear is just the absence of faith so wouldn't it be prudent to cast out the fear to allow faith to grow? I had this question answered to me this morning as I studied Mark 9:23 where it reads; "Jesus said unto him, 'If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.'" Webster's defines believe as; to have religious faith. We must not, or in other words I must not, allow fear to hinder progression in life. I must foster faith with the belief that these "bumps in the road" are teaching moments and continue on my journey with joy.

In the Tablets of my Mind

In Romans 2:15, the Apostle Paul taught that we ourselves are a record of our life. In the March 8,1865 edition of the Deseret News, President John Taylor said, "The individual tells the story himself, and bears witness against himself...That record that is written by the man himself in the tablets of his own mind, that record that cannot lie will in that day be unfolded before God and angels, and those who shall sit as judges."

This profound lesson I learned in church yesterday has caused serious soul-searching for me as I reflect on my life thus far. I pray with a fervent and humble heart that the "tablets of my mind" will show a pleasing picture before God and his angels and those who shall sit as judges. I know I fall short but with the power of the Atonement and HIS mercy I pray I can repent and try to do better each day starting now.

Glad Passages

While enjoying my walk/jog this morning I had an epiphany. Recently, I have had reoccurring thoughts of my amazing Bishop that served in our ward when we first moved to San Clemente years ago. One of the reasons he was so impressive is because of his memorization of scriptures. He would be able to stand at the pulpit and recite scripture like no one I have ever seen. One of his practices that impressed on my mind was this clever idea he implemented in his life. He would carry around this key-ring like holder, which had little index cards of scripture he had collected over the years. Then, while he was in line at the bank or waiting for an appointment he would take this little ring out of his pocket and read them. This has enabled him to memorize a lot of scripture. I have been studying the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) every morning. This is where my epiphany came into play this morning. When I was exercising I thought of the classic movie, Pollyanna, which stars Hayley Mills. In this movie Pollyanna introduces the idea of Glad Passages to the town minister played by Karl Malden. Essentially Glad Passages are messages of Joy written throughout the Bible. When I was jogging this morning I felt prompted to begin my own key-ring like holder like my dear Bishop carried, containing my own Glad Passages, so-to-speak. I knew there were already scriptures in Matthew I wanted to write on these cards. I am very excited to begin this new project and I now have something new sitting beside my scriptures....index cards and a pen. I will write down the scriptures that speak to Susan and then when I am waiting in line somewhere I can take my ring out and feast on my own Glad Passages.

Land of the Free

I just returned from a program entitled, America: A Promised Land, and I wept because it was so powerful. Songs were performed, including all of the Armed Forces theme hymns, and I thought of all of the brave men and women who have fought to keep America the Land of the Free. The program ended with the lights going out in the room, the choir sang America the Beautiful accompanied by a PowerPoint slide presentation showing the landscape across America. I noticed that I was not the only one with tears flowing down my cheeks. I am a native Californian and have only been out of this gorgeous state a couple of times. It is my goal and my prayer to be able to visit and see this great country of ours instead of seeing pictures of it. As we celebrate the birth of the United States of America we must (and should) remember our fellow countrymen (and women) who have fought, and continue to fight, for our freedoms we enjoy.