Stronger Through Him

 Last week I needed to make a quick trip home for some training meetings for work.  My flight from Las Vegas to South Bend went through some storms.  It was a red eye flight that had then been additionally delayed so I was extremely tired.   It was the most turbulent flight I have ever been on and sleep was thus very difficult.  At one point as the plane felt like it was being tossed around and lightning flashed wildly outside our window, I took in the passengers around me.  Some were sick from the violent motion, some were gripping their seats in terror and some were crying.   But the toddler behind me just kept holding on to her mom and watching her Dora the Explorer movies on her iPad.  I do wish they had used headphones, but the child was unfazed by the potential dangers. She trusted the arms she was in completely.  I was also unconcerned, partially because I was too tired for deep thought, but I just had the comforting thought that God was aware and what would happen would happen.

 There are so many things that the world tells us to look to first. But every day the skies above us stand as a reminder of the hands that created them.  True honor.  True majesty. True strength. True beauty. The source of all we need.

 My monthly razor blade subscription came today.  I like that I don't even have to think about it.  They just show up and quietly take the payment out of my bank account. I also have data storage subscriptions, meal planning, streaming packages and a host of other things. (On a side note I am also now getting Better Haimes and Gardens Magazine but I don't get charged for that.  I can only assume that one of the many people who have been through our home in the last two months thought I could use a little inspiration.  I'm choosing to be grateful rather than offended!😂) In our world today we can subscribe to almost anything. But as I was reading something that was dwelling on negativity once again and I could feel my spirit becoming discouraged, I had this thought. Why are you subscribing to the gloom and doom?  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is full of light and promise.  Teach me to walk in the light, not the dark!  President Linda Burton made this empowering promise, "M

 The beauty of this desert scene was breathtaking to me today. The plants have adapted to thrive on the intermittent and fluctuating rains.  The colors and contrasts of even the storm clouds brought a deep beauty to the canvas.  I wondered what the earliest people and later the settlers first thought when they encountered this land.  I wondered how the beauty has spoken to so many others over time. God's promises are sure.  We don't have to fear that He won't be able to make more out of our deserts than seems possible.   Like the pioneers, we can go to work and trust that He will guide us and build amazing things upon our efforts.  Speaking of the early Pioneers, President Hinckley stated, "We cannot detract from their accomplishments. We cannot add to their glory. We can only look back with reverence, appreciation, respect, and resolution to build on what they have done. The time has now come to turn about and face the future. This is a season of a thousand opportunit

 At church this morning we heard about a young missionary who was among the first to return to Honduras following the Covid shutdown.   He spoke only a little Spanish, his companion no English.   Together they went back to the apartment that had been vacated with 15 minutes notice in order to get the missionaries out before the border closed more than a year earlier.   That meant the apartment had been left as is.   Belongings were still there.   Trash and food had been sitting for over a year in a hot and humid climate.  The mashed potatoes were still on the stove.  It was pretty disgusting.   This courageous elder wrote that he took in the scene, saw what needed to be done and got to work.  Using hand gestures and some google translate phrases he and his companion tackled the difficult task and brought the home back into order. Put yourself there.  What would your reaction and attitude have been?  What would the result have been?  What do you WISH your reaction and attitude could be?

  As I sat in the temple listening to the words of wisdom shared as Colton and Ali were married and sealed yesterday, one word kept coming up again and again. Faithfulness. Faithfulness to each other.  Faithfulness to God.  Faithfulness to the promises and covenants they have made.  It made me ponder on what choices I make that show I am full of faith, and what choices I make that are lacking.  I want to be faithful.  I want to be joyful.   President Ezra Taft Benson promises, "Faithfulness to the marriage covenant brings the fullest joy here and glorious rewards hereafter”.

 The ring.  The money. The miles. The colors. The ribbons.  The clothes. The food.  The music. The pictures.  The friends. The family. The couple.  The temple. The new family. The Lord. All the "stuff" really comes down to this.  Marriage is part of God's plan. 

  With wedding preparations in high gear this week, I have had lots of opportunities to watch and hear others as well as myself be very focused on how we will look.   It's quite natural for an event such as this, but as I was bemoaning an extra rash on my cheeks this week, my good friend reminded me of this brilliant quote by Jeffrey R Holland.  "I suppose no one is as handsome or as beautiful as he or she wishes, or as brilliant in school or as witty in speech or as wealthy as we would like, but in a world of varied talents and fortunes that we can’t always command, I think that makes even more attractive the qualities we can command—such qualities as thoughtfulness, patience, a kind word, and true delight in the accomplishment of another. These cost us nothing, and they can mean everything to the one who receives them." There are certainly things which I would be wise to do to improve my physical self, but there are also many I don't have as much control over.  But

  Sometimes I just need reminded: John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. Elder Oaks promised, "Be of good cheer” was also a needed assurance in the world into which the resurrected Christ sent His Apostles. “We are troubled on every side,” the Apostle Paul later told the Corinthians, “yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed”  (2 Corinthians 4:8–9). Two thousand years later we are also “troubled on every side,” and we also need that same message not to despair but to be of good cheer. The Lord has special love and concern for His precious daughters [and sons]. He knows of your wants, your needs, and your fears. The Lord is all powerful. Trust Him."

  I drove by this barn yesterday and was struck by the beauty.   Today in church, we heard a beautiful rendition of America the Beautiful.   It made me really reflect on these timely lyrics.  O beautiful for pilgrim feet, Whose stern, impassioned stress A thoroughfare for freedom beat Across the wilderness! America! America! God mend thine every flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law! O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife, Who more than self their country loved And mercy more than life! America! America! May God thy gold refine, Till all success be nobleness, And every gain divine! O beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears! America! America! God shed His grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! Freedom. Beauty.  Turn to God as we work on fixing things.  Nobleness.  Foresight.  Brotherhood. If there was ever a time we ne

  Snow fences are a familiar site along the interstates and other roadways in the plains and especially the West.   As we were driving by them, it occurred to me that to someone unfamiliar with their purpose who was traveling in July it may seem like a foolish waste of materials.  Snow fences are built in such a way as to both keep the roadways more clear of snow and ice but also to divert the blowing snow to optimal places.  They may try to have the excess snow drift into hollows to later provide snow melt moisture.   They don't stop the snow, they divert it.   But they have to be constructed properly for that to happen. They have to be set in precise positions.   Sometimes I think I become overwhelmed at the dizzying impossibility of stopping evil and difficulties when I may just need to build the needed fences.   This will involve following commandments and counsel that I may not fully understand.  It might be that I'm in a summer season where that doesn't ma

  Have you ever made what you thought was a good plan? Only to have it fall flat? This spot near Silver Star, Montana is a site where Lewis and Clark camped.  It is near the convergence of the Jefferson and Bighorn Rivers.  The parties had been separated but Lewis wrote a note telling Clark he was going up the Jefferson and secured it to a green pole where it was sure to be seen.  Clark never found the note and took his men on a treacherous journey up the Bighorn that almost ended in tragedy.  They had to use ropes to pull their dugout canoes up the river on slippery rocks and had extreme difficulties and injuries.  When they eventually reunited and returned to the spot, they found that the green pole had been cut down by a beaver and the top of the pole as well as the note were long gone, presumably now a part of a dam somewhere in the proximity.  Sometimes things just don't go as planned.   There are things we don't account for.  Things that are out of our control.

 I heard this thought and really liked it.  God doesn't just want us to be stronger than temptation, He wants us to be smarter than temptation too. Make choices that increase your ability to avoid temptation.  Avoid the places that brought you trouble before.  Listen to the warnings.  Of course we need to also be strong, and through Christ we can be.   But as he showed in the story of Joseph fleeing Potiphar's wife, there are times we need to simply flee.  Not sit around and negotiate.  Get up and flee.  

  Yesterday as we were driving across South Dakota, George was at the wheel and I was doing some National Park research as we headed toward the Badlands.   Isn't it amazing that we have technology that lets us do this?!! Anyway, I stumbled across a useful forum advising on the roads less traveled and hidden wonders within the parks.  We don't love huge crowds so this was full of great little nuggets of wisdom to help in our planning. I try to avoid the comments section in general, because it often leaves me feeling pessimistic about humanity as a whole, but sure enough I got caught up in one conversation chain. A woman was complaining that we wouldn't need all this information if the government would build more beautiful national parks and especially things like colorful mountains and geysers.  🤦‍♀️  At first I thought she must be using sarcasm but twenty minutes into the arguments showed me she had many who supported the notion.  And many who shared their aston

  We are traveling west and as I looked over the map I realized my friend, Patti, lives not far off our route.   We've taken this route before and each time I think about her.  But this time I reached out and messaged her.  Not only could we stay there, but she would have dinner waiting.   Watching her come down the sidewalk with a big smile and welcoming me into her arms was a moment of pure joy mixed with a bit of disbelief.  22 years is a long time. Ella thought it was a bit crazy.  "But these are strangers!"   By the time we left this morning she agreed she now also had an acquaintance in South Dakota. People are worth taking the chance on.  It won't always work out.  I have some friendships that have fizzled out.  Others that take a lot of work.  Some that my insensitivity has eroded.   But this one was beautiful.  I'm so thankful I accepted the assignment to be visiting teaching partners with her so many years ago.  I'm thankful that she sat b

  D&C 76 revealed glorious truths about what happens after we die.  It expands our knowledge about the kingdoms of Heaven and helps us understand a bit more the depth of our Heavenly Parents' love.    The three kingdoms make Heaven a more inclusive place than sometimes imagined or taught.  It explains that there are places for us all and gives us hope for the hereafter and thus hope for today, even in spite of our human frailties and weaknesses. I think one of the greatest things that speaks to me about it is that I don't have to worry so much about where others will end up.  God has a plan.  A Savior has been provided for us all and while I still need to testify of truth, I can also focus on showing love to others- and that is a beautiful thing. And that leaves me able to focus on my own spirituality and choices.  But I don't need to always be so hard on myself.  Elder J Devn Cornish reassured, "If you will really try and will not rationalize or rebel—repen

  Our physical bodies and spirits are closely intertwined.   I need to remind myself that when my physical body is struggling, it is much easier for me to struggle with spiritual temptations as well.   Even when physically I may be limited, I can rely on Christ's strength to stand strong and overcome the urge to lose hope and to give up.   These words from President Elaine S Dalton inspired me today.  "As you climb, don’t allow yourself to descend into the willows. Stay high on the mountain. You are God’s precious daughters! Because of the knowledge of our divine identity, everything must be different for us: our dress, our language, our priorities, and our focus. We must not seek guidance from the world, and if our true identity has been clouded by mistakes or sins, we can change. We can turn around and repent and return to virtue. We can climb above the willows. The Savior’s Atonement is for you and for me. He invites each of us to come unto Him. As you live a virtuous l

I was looking back at a past journal entry on my health habits.  I had been on a trip and had tried to be more intentional about my choices.  But this is what I wrote about one habit that needed some work: I still tracked what I ate and kept coming in "pretty close" to my goal. And sure enough pretty close to my little goals won't get me to my big goals.  I was just a bit lazy on that. There are definitely places where we need to give ourselves grace and accept our best efforts.  But here I was clearly noting a pattern where I was getting sloppy.   And if I'm honest with myself it's a good time for me to see if there are some small goals I can tighten up that might better get me to where I want to be.  As we read in Alma 37:6, "Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise." In many cases "pretty

 My friend was at the dunes this weekend and found this broken piece of a plate washes up among the seashells.  The plate I am sure shattered at some point  and was battered into the sand and rocks by the crashing waves, over and over again.  With time the edges softened and smoothed until this beautiful piece remained. It's not a full plate anymore but it sure made my friend's day yesterday and reminded her (and me!) that the crashing waves of life do indeed have the potential to soften our sharp edges.   Right now my own crashing waves are feeling uncomfortably difficult and daunting and sometimes it feels like I will never get out of the rocks.   But I do know that adversity strengthens us and is a necessary part of life.  That I can be grateful for the lessons learned, if not the suffering along the way.  Ronald E Poelman counseled, "Adversity in the lives of the obedient and faithful may be the consequence of disease, accidental injury, ignorance, or the influence of

  I was feeling frustrated that some chores and responsibilities had been overlooked/ignored/disregarded.  It's something that can pull me from 0 to 60 very quickly.  It's not my favorite thing about me, but I also don't think wanting my people to be responsible is all bad either.   Too often I take it personally and feel like cavalier attitudes toward dishes, cleaning up, or following through with commitments are cavalier attitudes toward me.  Strangely enough nagging doesn't work.  😂 I've tried.  Natural consequences work sometimes, but often since they genuinely don't sense or care about the physical presence of the house or feel the responsibility of following through on their word to the same level as I do, I'm the one who actually feels it. Today as I was sitting in frustration pondering a better approach, I turned to the scriptures and prayer and I read this passage.  Psalm 103:8-9  The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and ple

  1 Ne 1: 5 "Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people." Elder David A Bednar taught that we, like Lehi, can be blessed as we learn to meaningfully pray for others.  "Just as expressing gratitude more often in our prayers enlarges the conduit for revelation, so praying for others with all of the energy of our souls increases our capacity to hear and to heed the voice of the Lord." So here is my prayer for my friends today: May you be blessed with a breath of fresh energy and perspective allowing you to take the next steps forward in your progress.  May you have the courage to let go of some of the past that is holding you back, yet also the wisdom to hold onto foundational truths to guide you.   May you recognize the abundant love in your life in all its different offerings and expand your ability to receive it. May your day be filled with relief from suffering

  In 1976,  L Tom Perry reported on the Church's participation in the Bicentennial celebration of the United States of America. A total of between 7 and 8 million hours of service had been given in cleaning up, serving others in their local communities and coming together to pronounce, "I love America!" My heart echoes that phrase with a deep-seated appreciation for religious freedom, powerful ideals that we strive to reach such as "all men (and women) are created equal", and the idea that ultimate power and glory belong to Providence, not kings and rulers.  I wonder on this 4th of July, as I look back over the last 365 days, how my daily life reflects the fervor which I feel today.  I want to use these principles further described by Elder Perry as my guidepost.  I feel Heaven's urging to "perpetuate the gift of our great heritage".  "Now for a brief moment the pen is in our hand to mark the pages of history. Let us remember the spir

  I work in a place that is a genuine family-like community.  We regularly receive emails from one another both requesting and offering needed or surplus items.   A couple months ago I opened an email in which my boss was offering ten starts off her wild hydrangeas.  She was thinning them to make her window view more clear and open and because the flowering shrubs had grown so large.  We simply needed to show up during the designated time with our own cardboard box or bucket and some newspaper to help transport them.   I was one of the fortunate first ten to respond and as I lugged the heavy box home with the ragged looking green starter covered in rich soil I really didn't know what they would look like or how they would do.  George added it to our backyard landscaping with some fertilizer and we didn't think a lot more about it.  When we got home from our trip last week the hydrangea had burst into full bloom.  It turns out (logically) that there are now ten of us who

  Sometimes when so many people I love are facing so many difficult things I just need reminded of simple truths.   I don't understand all they are going through.  But I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ do.   Psalm 147:3-5 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. That brings me hope that the hurt won't last forever.  But I also know it doesn't make it less real today.  So for whoever needs to hear this- for today, it's okay to not be okay.  He understands perfectly.