Stronger Through Him

  Memorial Day When we ponder that vast throng who have died honorably defending home and hearth, we contemplate those immortal words, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”  (John 15:13).  The feelings of heartfelt gratitude for the supreme sacrifice made by so many cannot be confined to a Memorial Day, a military parade, or a decorated grave. -Thomas S Monson Thornton Wilder once penned, “The highest tribute to the dead is not grief but gratitude.” A simple yet profound question to personally reflect on. How does my life show my gratitude for the freedoms others have secured for me? 

  Yesterday my husband told me I needed to harvest my radishes.  Some were starting to go to seed. So after work I went out and picked a bunch of them as well as my second picking of lettuce. Odd as it is, radishes are among my favorite foods on the planet, and my dad loves them too. So I sent a picture of my harvest with a note wishing they were close enough to share. In response, I received a picture of their radishes- 1/4” green leaves pushing up through the soil. Now it could be easy to think I’m the better gardener.   Which would be blatantly false.   My dad is a master gardener. I am a lazy gardener.  While I did actually hoe some weeds once already, I leave a lot to chance because of my lack of consistency. And my husband did all the bed preparation and planting even though I’m the one who likes to eat vegetables.   However, we have had an insanely warm May.   And my dad says their May was one of the coldest he could remember. Sometimes the pictures don

 Hard work. Sometimes while we are still in the process, we lose sight of the dividends. The rewards that simply can’t be replicated in any other way. A presentation well done,  an honest paycheck, cash for a reward you’ve been working toward, a beautiful yard or home, a clean space, knowing you’ve helped someone, food on the shelves, a good grade on a test, a melody to share with others, a fit body, a positive relationship with loved ones, and an infinite number of other possibilities. It must require our effort and it may not look “fun” or “comfortable” along the way, but it will bring blessings. Bishop J Richard Clarke testified that work is a principle of God and has been since Adam and Eve were sent from the Garden of Eden and told they would be working for their own bread.  “But most important, the Lord knew that from the crucible of work emerges the hard core of character.” This week hard work has looked like George helping our neighbor split all his wood and in return having ou

  The last two weeks of school can get a bit crazy. Some kids mentally have already turned in their books and projects and are choosing to opt out of the remaining classwork.  Some kids are excited and planning summer adventures. Some kids are feeling anxious because school is their most consistent and safe place. Some kids are sad they will be missing friends and trying to avoid classes.   Most kids are celebrating the thought of more sleep and no assignments.   So naturally we are seeing an uptick in behavior issues.   Today our principal sent out a simple reminder that would be a great motto for us all.   “Raise the praise.  Minimize the criticize”. Most people already know what they are failing or struggling at.   Constant nagging and criticizing  is like tearing the scab off a wound repeatedly and wondering why it not only won’t heal,  but is creating deeper scars.  We need to think about our conversations and words and look for ways to build one another up.

 “Get out this weekend.” A simple email from a junior high science teacher to the rest of the staff minutes after the school day ended. He followed up with details about the prominent potential for us to view the Aurora caused by the intense G5 geomagnetic storm reaching the earth and allowing people around the world to see the artistry usually reserved for the far north. So upon returning from Ella’s last high school choir concert, we decided to head out.   My neighbors were posting beautiful pictures of the effect literally right over our house, but when I looked to the sky with my naked eye I could see maybe a slight pinkish tinge but nothing else.   I could have said to forget it and returned to bed. But I knew that the light had to be captured by a device more strongly collecting light than my eyes can.   Just because I couldn’t see it, didn’t mean it wasn’t there.   We will all have times where we see others sharing the stories of spiritual light from their lives.  We may find ou

  I had a beautiful moment of reconciliation I got to witness today. A young boy had said something hateful and racist  to a Muslim girl to make a friend laugh. He hadn’t started it, but he was in the wrong. And she had been in tears reporting it. His parents responded with concern and horror for their child’s actions.  They not only sent him to school with a hand-written apology, but also pled with us to find a way for him to do more. So after brainstorming with other administration, and asking the victim if she was willing, we had a plan. One thing the girl was tired of was people only seeing her as her religion and not as her unique self as a person.  (I think we can all relate to this in some facet or another). So I had the young man come up with a list of 15 questions to ask her to get to know her. Then we sat down together and he started down the list. Her vulnerability in offering him grace and learning were inspiring. His humility in owning his bad behavior a

  https://youtu.be/b9qgN6DYpWo?si=OoHnmgeA1cW2xY6r Have you ever thought about the fact that YOU are living proof of God’s love and light? How beautiful is that?  I shared this beautiful message and music with my seminary students today with profound impact.   And all day long I’ve been thinking about the living proof each and every one of us are that we are loved and valuable. It’s often easier to find testimony of His touch in the glowing sunset or tiny bird pushing through the eggshell.  But he has said that WE are His work and His glory! It’s natural to be able to find and enumerate the living proof of mortal challenges. But never let that take away the infinite power in the statement that we are living proof of what Jesus can do when we follow Him.