Prayers for Idaho

The air is heavy, pregnant with smoke.  So heavy, in fact, you can almost taste the smell of smoke and ash.  The sky overcast with the evidence of the fires plaguing Idaho.  Are we on the news out there?  Does anyone outside of Idaho know?  Does anyone care?  A few years ago when Colorado was on fire, there was a big movement to sell T-Shirts where the funds went to help the displaced and to help the fire operations.  I bought one...Is anyone selling T-shirts for Idaho?  Just wondering...I haven't seen any.

I shared this picture before...It was taken from right outside a friends subdivision.  Thankfully, that fire was contained before it became even more of a threat to their family home.  

I'm not complaining...really...I'm just asking for prayers for Idaho and for the fire fighters...

Turn Toward the Light – The Son

Remember when I wrote about turning toward the sun and my obsession with light? 

Well, as I turn toward Him and give my devotion and focus to Him, my heart warms like the sun outside warming my skin in the most delightful way.  When I spend time with Him, when I turn toward the Son, praying, reading and pondering on the scriptures I feel so close to Him that my heart warms.  It’s a weird phenomenon really. 

But likewise, when I pull away…I can do it myself or sadly just too busy to spend time with Him, I feel that withdrawal.  It’s a cold dark place not basking in His life giving light.  Just like the thick inversion outside my window, I can often feel a thick inversion in my heart.  I know this is something that can be completely avoided.  I know how to prevent it like a spiritual inoculation. 

I just have to remember…

I have to remember Him….

I have to let Him in...

How do you avoid the thick inversions of the heart? 

Faith and Miracles

I mentioned earlier this week about the Philippines and the typhoon and helping those in need.  I also briefly mentioned the LDS missionaries that were missing and unaccounted for, for a time.  Since missionaries are near and dear to my mother heart, this news article brought me to tears.  It is filled with Faith, Hope and Miracles.  I hope you enjoy it too,

Have an uplifting Sunday...

Post by Deseret News.

When Prayers aren't enough...

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When you believe, prayers should always be enough...But sometimes you are the answer to someone's prayers.  In the wake of the horrible typhoon that hit the Philippines this past week, there are so many opportunities to help and serve those in need from afar.  Numerous organizations are collecting goods and money towards this relief cause.   I'm grateful to be a part of an organization that had relief and aid on the way almost immediately.   They delivered food and hygiene kits to the  evacuation centers.  They are even providing temporary housing to over 14,000 people in many of the church meetinghouses throughout the Philippines.

There are approximately 200 LDS Missionaries serving in Tacloban.  That is 200 eighteen to twenty one year old young men and women who have volunteered of their time and money to teach and serve the people in Tacloban, Philippines.  For a time, there was no contact with them.  Then all but twenty-four were unaccounted for...then they were all found.  Safe.  Such a blessing and a miracle, considering...Their church mission has turned from one of proselything to one of serving and helping to rebuild this hard hit community.

We can't all be in the Philippines to help rebuild, but we can all offer prayers and aid from home.  I can think of no better way to show my Gratitude to my Heavenly Father right now than by helping my fellow brothers and sisters.  I am not touting one organization over another.  As long as they are legit, they are all good...

If you can, think about donating this season to those who are truly in need.

Source for facts in article

The 8 Miracles

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After writing this post recently about being so blessed, I thought I would be remiss if I did not list those blessing and miracles one by one.  I know that He has His hand in all and that He sometimes uses His earthly angels to fulfill His miracles.  I am eternally grateful for the blessings that He sent my way.  

1. The mod pack.  I took a steroid pack that eased the swelling and back pain just long enough to get me through the busiest part of the school year and registrations before my back got bad again.
2. When it got to the point that I was crawling, my husband ran into a friend of mine at the gas station.  She gave him the name of a massage therapist that does pressure point massage and helps to relieve sciatic pain.  After one of these massages, my pain was slightly relieved for a few days.  I was able to sit in a chair and eat with my family.  Needless to say, I scheduled another
3. A friend who is a physical therapist offered to come to our home for free and show me some basic moves that might help.  This is who showed me that lying on my stomach might be the most comfortable for my bulging discs and pain.  This is basically where I remained until surgery.
4. When I called for a consultation with the surgeon, I was told they were booked out till January (this was the beginning of September) but had just had a cancellation in mid October.  They put me at the bottom of the cancellation list.
5. Four hours later, I received a call from the Neurosurgeon's office.  The receptionist said, "You wouldn't believe it, but I have been through my whole cancellation list and you were the only one who answered the phone.  We can see you tomorrow morning."  
6. I was told that insurance approval could take 10-14 business days.  I got approval in one and my surgery 4 days after approval.
7. I got paid my full paycheck despite being out of work for three weeks and not having sick days since I'm only part time.  What can I say...they love me.  
8. Quick recovery...I was back to work one week after my surgery.  Though I have to be careful and modify what I do, I see this as another miracle.  

During the course of some of my reading over the past few months, I learned that 8 is a significant number in Christianity.  What I read regarding it's significance is that God created the world in 6 days and rested on the 7th.  The 8th day was for rebirth.  Thus, many ancient baptismal fonts are 8 sided, an octagon.  After these 8 miracles, I feel reborn physically and spiritually and thus the rebirth of my blogging, as well.   

Have you seen the influence of God working in your life, too?

 

The Rebirth of a Blogger

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I have been absent from this here blog for quite some time.  When it comes right down to it, I have to say that pain kills creativity.  I have been to hell and back...I feel that way.  It got to the point in my back pain that I couldn't even walk...sit...stand...sleep.  I just about lost my mind!  My mind and heart were in the darkest abyss of despair.  I was fully supported and taken care of by my husband and daughter.  But, life seemed to go on all around me and without me.  I felt that He had forgotten me.  It was in my darkest moment that I began to notice the Lord's tender mercies in my life.  Miracle after miracle began to manifest itself to me.  Perhaps we have to reach that dark pit in order to feel His light.  He pulled me out both physically, emotionally and mentally.  He is real...He lives...and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He loves me.  While I'm not sure I'd say that I am grateful for the experience, I am grateful for the lessons learned and for feeling His influence in my life.

So, after a back surgery on Friday the 13th of all days, I have been reborn physically.  I feel amazing, and I think that it is time for this blogger to be reborn as a writer, as well.  I am searching out and trying to reconnect with my muse now that it is no longer clouded by pain.

Thanks for sticking with me...

31 Days of Faith #30 and a Story

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Ladybug is the perfect example to me of someone with pure faith, nothing wavering.    If only my faith could be as strong as hers.  Ladybug has an iPod touch of which she has kept very good care.  She recently switched schools and one of the hardest adjustments was her experiences with language and vulgarities on the bus.  I could pick her up every day from school, and as a mom I want to, but I also want to instill in her the ability to cope with things that are uncomfortable.  So, her solution has been to bring her iPod to school to listen to on the bus to and fro in order to drown out conversations and language that are upsetting to her.  She has such a sweet and sensitive spirit.

Last week, she used her iPod at lunch, then didn't have time to put it back in her locker.  She put it in the pocket of her hoodie and went to class.  By the last class of the day, she realized that her iPod was missing.  It just so happens that I was picking her up that day for an appointment, and she came to the car sobbing.  I thought someone had harmed her somehow!  She was devastated that she lost something that was so precious to her.  Yes, it is just a thing, but this thing helps her cope in an increasingly vulgar world.  I wanted to run right out and buy her another, but told her she would have to save her money for a time.  She retraced her steps that afternoon to no avail, then went to the main office to file a "missing iPod report".

A little background...her older brother TJ had THREE iPods stolen at this school, none of which were EVER recovered and each one he replaced with his own money.  So, Ladybug knew her chances weren't good, and so I told her that we needed to pray together.  For several days over our meal prayers and before she left for school every morning, we prayed that someone's heart would be softened and that they would turn in her missing iPod.  We prayed that someone would be honest and it would be recovered.  Two days later, in the same class that she realized her iPod was missing, she received a notice to come down to the office.  There they had her missing iPod.  Someone HAD turned it in.  Ladybug had so much faith, she knew that if she prayed her Heavenly Father would come through for her.  We don't know who turned it in.  We wish we did because we would like to thank them personally, but we know that we can thank them through our Heavenly Father, and believe me, we have been.