Whirlwinds

So many whirlwinds in our lives. Sometimes I feel they will never end. But these prophetic words remind me that despite the storms that rage, despite how I am blown about, I am strong, and I am God's beautiful creation.

"In nature, trees that grow up in a windy environment become stronger. As winds whip around a young sapling, forces inside the tree do two things. First, they stimulate the roots to grow faster and spread farther. Second, the forces in the tree start creating cell structures that actually make the trunk and branches thicker and more flexible to the pressure of the wind. These stronger roots and branches protect the tree from winds that are sure to return.

"You are infinitely more precious to God than a tree. You are His son or His daughter. He made your spirit strong and capable of being resilient to the whirlwinds of life."

-Neil L. Andersen of The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

“Remember … it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, … his shafts in the whirlwind, … when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power … to drag you down … because of the rock upon which ye are built.” Helaman 5:12


Leave your thoughts and comments please!

"Encounter"

 "Encounter"
by Ellen Bryson Remington

A learned friend from time gone by
When my pursuits were intellecutal
Crossed my path today; and glancing
Quickly at my rounded middle,
Noting the smudges there from little hands,
The wrinkles, too, from childish tears,
He asked, "What are you into now?"

I wish I could have made him understand.
"I'm into graphic arts - a type
Advanced beyond the popular conception.
I deal in shapes so intricate, so exsquisite
That in this life I'll never know their limits."

I thought how every day I shape so many things:
I shape the edges of a pie,
I shape a diaper to the tiny legs,
I shape some flowers from our small backyard,
The covers on a bed till they are
Soft and welcoming.
I shape small eager hands around a ball
And show them how to throw.

But also with my mind and with my love
I shape the tense and troubled hours;
I take them formless, dark, and shape them
Into light and warmth for spirits' growing.
I guide a pliant, loving mind
Now fresh and good from God,
I try to  show him things our Savior would.

I shape the design of his temperament,
The pattern of his moods,
I shape desires in his heart
Of this world and another.

And now in me another life is shaped -
The way he'll look and stand,
The contours of his hands -
And God is partner to that shaping.

Let those who do not understand
Think I'm lost in Merely Mothering.
I smile - and shape my daily chores
Into eternal joy.



Leave your thoughts and comments please!

He Knows

This is what my soul would sound like right now if it could sing. And mostly, the line, "He'll carry you," is a prayer, a grasping hope - faith in desperation.

 "He'll Carry You" - Hillary Weeks




Leave your thoughts and comments please!