If The Savior Stood Beside Me

My Sunday School lesson this week is on being born again, or born of the spirit. To be born again we must become like Christ--a pretty tall order! It is something impossible for the natural man to do alone. To be born again--to have "no more desire to do evil, but to do good continually!" (Mosiah 5:2) Wow! Bruce R. McConkie taught that to be born again is a process. Like any other process we "become" line upon line, little by little. How grateful I am to have the gospel, to have the privilege of attending church each week which feeds my desire to do good continually, and reminds me that when I dissapoint the Lord and myself, that I CAN repent!

What a wonderful reminder this is for me, and for all of us to re-examine our lives and answer the question posed to us by a prophet of God in the Book of Mormon: "Alma 5:14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?"

As I ponder this, I see the plaque my daughter-in-law gave me a few years ago that reads:

CHRIST
The center of our home
A guest at every meal
A silent listener at every conversation

It has been a wonderful reminder and has inspired me to try harder to live my life so that I can share with the Savior every conversation I have, every book I read, every movie I watch, every song I listen to and when I do so, I feel comfortable in His presence and I know that my eyes shine a little brighter with His Image and His love, and I want nothing more than to do good continually. (And then, when I dim that light by dissapointing Him and myself, He loves me still and allows me to repent!) I want to try harder this year to emulate the primary song, "If The Savior Stood Beside Me" by Sally DeFord.

If the Savior stood beside me,
Would I do the things I do?
Would I think of His commandments and try harder to be true?
Would I follow His example?
Would I live more righteously if I could see the Savior standing nigh,
watching over me?
If the Savior stood beside me,
Would I say the things I say?
Would my words be true and kind if He were never far away?
Would I try to share the gospel?
Would I speak more rev’rently if I could see the Savior standing nigh,
watching over me?
If the Savior stood beside me, would my thoughts be clean and pure?
Would His presence give me strength and hope and courage to endure?
Would His counsel guide my actions?
Would I choose more worthily if I could see the Savior standing nigh
watching over me?
Watching over me, watching over me,
He is always near me, though I do not see Him there,
And because He loves me dearly,
I am in His watchful care,
So I’ll be the kind of person that I know I’d like to be
if I could see the Savior standing nigh watching over me.
I will be the kind of person that I know I’d like to be
if I could see the Savior standing nigh watching over me.

New Year

It's a new year, and I'm going to make it a good one! I might even blog again, and hey---groundhog day is coming soon! Spring!!!!! Nothing like a crocus to make me smile!

Happiness/Gratitude

I really like this quote, because I believe it with all my heart!

"Happiness...does not depend on obtaining all the desires of our hearts. In large measure, happiness depends on our ability to feel gratitude for the abundance we already have." Carolyn Wright, Tambuli, Nov 1994, 11

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Ultimate Career

I love this quote by C.S. Lewis!

"The homemaker has the ultimate career. All careers exist for one purpose only and that is to support the ultimate career."

It made me feel so good about myself this morning I cleaned a room that has been waiting for me for awhile! :)

What Did Jesus Look Like?

I've always longed to see the face of Jesus. To know what he looks like, but more to feel and experience his love. On Donna's blog "Connections" she shares descriptions of Jesus Christ from ancient records that have been translated. If you follow the link you can read Donna's full account. But, here is Gamaliel's interview with Joseph and Mary.

"I found Joseph and Mary in the land of Mecca. ...Joseph is a wood-workman. He is very tall. His hair looks as though it might have been dark auburn when young. His eyes are grey, Jesus, He is the picture of his mother, only He has not her smooth, round face. His hair is a little more golden than hers, though it is as much from sunburn as anything else. He is tall. His visage is thin and of a swarthy complexion, though this is from exposure. His eyes are large and soft blue, the lashes are long and his eyebrows are large."

Grandpa

We were so lucky to have our little Philadelphia grandkids here for a week! They had so much fun with their cousins. We miss them so much, and it was so fun to have them home, if just for a brief visit. I just had to post their adorable picture with Grandpa. I have to say that my Ron has to be the greatest Grandpa in the world! He is so awesome, and all of our beautiful grandchildren will agree!

Both Ends Of The Stick

When you pick up one end of a stick, the other end always comes with it. This phrase has been going through my mind constantly the last few days. I believe it is something that Brigham Young said, and it means: we are free to choose anything, but we are not free to choose the consequences of our choices. I also think of the scripture in D&C 130:20, 21 which states: "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated . . . And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."

Thank heavens for the atonement. I love our Savior for his sacrifice on our behalf. Only He can unravel the complexities of our life! And for that, and for Him I am so grateful!

From Grandpa's Jungle to Grandma's Kitchen

I Will Tell You In Your Mind and In Your Heart

I read a wonderful article, "Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence" by Elder Holland that I haven't read in a long time. It was a good reminder about personal revelation. We all know the formula for receiving personal revelation taught in Doctrine and Covenants section 8 and 9. Elder Holland quoted it and then added his thoughts: "I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. [I love the combination there of both mind and heart. God will teach us in a reasonable way and in a revelatory way--mind and heart combined, by the Holy Ghost.]"

The message of his talk is this: once we know we have received confirmation from the spirit of the Lord to do something, or that something is right, then, we can always, always count on Satan to come and muddy the waters so to speak. He will try to keep us from acting on that knowledge, by having us question ourselves, did I really feel that . . . etc. etc. etc., or by tempting us away with his endless enticements and arguments tailored precisely for each of us.

It was such a good reminder to me to have the courage to stay the course, to act on that which I know to be true, to command Satan to get behind me, and that Heavenly Father will ALWAYS provide the way to do the things he asks of us.

I love the first scripture verse I ever memorized, and it has been a light in the darkness for me all these years. 1Nephi 3:7 "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

The Greatest Joy of My Life

Out of respect for their privacy I try not to post much about my children, but I wanted it to be known that the greatest privilege of my life has been to be a mother and now a grandmother! I have the most beautiful grandchildren and wonderful children whom I live for and love with all of my heart! I would give my life for each and everyone of them. I am blessed!