In the midst of this viral crisis when we are bombarded by tsunamis of fear of the unknown, fear of death, fear of no food, and anxiety for our family, friends, country, and the world we might feel like a banana in a smoothy blender , tossed to and fro on the winds of hysteria. Stop.

… STOP … PAUSE … REFOCUS on the one who has overcome ALL things, who has gone below ALL things, who has suffered ALL things that He may know how to succur us in our extremities and our distress.

Listen to His words. Believe Him.  Believe that He is and that He knows you and knows how to come to you … where ever you are  … and He will give you rest.  He has promised, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

And he has not left us alone to wander about unaided, and lost in the cacophany of talking heads, and opinions, and fear-mongering. Did you know we have a living Prophet of God  upon the earth today? He is a prophet, seer, and revelator of the Lord, and holds the keys of the powers of heaven. He is our Watchman standing upon the towers to guide us through the storms of life … he focuses us on and points the way to our Savior, Jesus Christ. When we listen to his counsel, when we follow in the steps of Jesus we can weather any storm. No matter what.

These are a few prophetic words given through the years that have touched my heart and given me hope and direction.

“In the coming days it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.” President (2018 – ) Russell M. Nelson (1924 – )

“As we make Christ the center of our lives our fears will be replaced by the courage of our convictions.” President  (2008-2018) Thomas S. Monson (1927 – 2018)

“We are in a period of stress around the world. There are occasionally hard days for each of us. Do not dispair, Do not give up. Look for the sunshine through the rain.” President (1995-2008) Gordon B. Hinkley (1910 – 1995)

“Prepardness, when properly pursued, is a way of life, not a sudden, spectacular program.” President  (1973- 1995) Spencer W. Kimball. (1895 – 1985)

“Happiness does not depend on what happens on the outside of you, but what happens on the inside of you; it is measured by the spirit with which you meet the problems of life.” President (1972-1973) Harold B. Lee ( 1899 – 1973)

It’s true. All of it.

Just takin’ it easy. Smith’s Trout Haven Lava Hots Springs ID Happy Independence Day … remember Freedom isn’t Free! Pay attention people .

Sweetie and I have been on a Southern US Coast Tour this past month … there is so much water down this way!

I’ve also adopted the all inclusive noun-verb y’all into my western vernacular.

Yesterday we left Nashville heading to Memphis when we took a sharp left and visited the Shiloh Civil War Battlefield. Beautiful and Sacred.

My thoughts passed over the contention and anger permeating our hearts and country at this time in our history. Dissenting isn’t wrong, but civility should remain strong. Anger and hate lead to this:

I offered prays to the men known and unknown on both sides of the divide. And I pray for sweet unity and grace to fill our hearts today as we remember…and hopefully never forget.

Thanksgiving!

I’ve spent my share of hours complaining that my body wasn’t this, wasn’t that. I’ve compared my body to her, and her. I’ve compared my older self with my younger self. I’ve compared my waist size to a barbie doll. In those comparisons there was never a thing that was uplifting; nothing loving, nothing kind, nothing strengthening, nothing enlightening, only a darkening of my mind and my heart.

Then one day I learned a truth … a truth that resonated throughout my soul.  I am not my body. I am a daughter of the Heavenly King, and I am an eternal being with purpose and potential. My body is the vehicle God has given me to accomplish his will here upon this earth and it doesn’t matter what size I am, what color I am, how tall or short I am. When my time comes to return home to Him and have left this body behind it will only matter that I used His gift of this body to accomplish his will; to love as he has loved, use my hands to serve as He has served, and if I used this gift to be a gift to my brothers and sisters.

For what about my body am I grateful?  I am grateful that I have a body to be grateful for each day.

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience”.
~pierre teilhard de chardi

Home grown taste bud tickler

For what taste am I grateful for today? A single taste? One special flavor? Is it summer or winter? Today is halfway through fall when lemonade days have faded into warm teas, but it is not quite hot chocolate time in front of the fire. So while I can’t pick one special flavor or taste  …  at this very minute I am grateful for the cinnamon-raisin bagel with a light smear of cream cheese and this perfectly heated cup of licorice tea that are tickling my taste buds after a brisk morning walk.

Time to sip the last of the tea, toss the bagel crumbs and napkin and head out again into the fall sunshine … rake some leaves, trims some bushes and maybe while I’m working I’ll think of another taste that I can be grateful for at lunch.

For what memory am I grateful? I am grateful for the gift of memory. I can’t pick a single one to share and yet sitting here flipping through memories I’m reliving ones that make me smile and laugh, memories that make me cry and I remember broken hearts. I am finding memories full of joyful tears and a heart that is so full of love that it bursts each time I hold them close. There are the memories of fear, and aloneness, memories of my own quiet desperation and despair. Memories of triumph and memories of failure. The memories I hold most dear are the ones wrapped around my family and friends who are my family; my Sweetie, my children & their children & their children, children who aren’t me but are my heart. They hold my parents, friends from then and friends from now and family near and far.

Memories that are me, my tapestry, the ever changing me. Today’s memories include baking a cake from my sister’s recipe, bread from my grandmother’s recipe, meatloaf adapted from my mother’s recipe and as I baked and cooked I remember them and that makes my today’s memories make me smile. Other memories from today are riding my bike along with Tinkr as she learns new smells to hunt and she saw a cow up close and personal where one had never been before in her lifetime. My memories are of Sweetie’s smiles and hugs and all of these memories of today will make my tomorrow stronger, happier, and full of love.

I’m stealing and rearranging the Lay’s potato chip commercial … For What Memory are you Grateful? I bet you can’t pick just one.

What Sound am I Grateful for Today?  So far today my favorite sound is the crackling of the wood stove because it is cold inside this morning. How grateful I am for being able to hear the crunch of my footsteps down the gravel drive, the bark and yip of puppy and older dog tugging a branch through the bushes, the boil and bubble of heated water for tea, and living so far from my family the sound of an arriving text or the ding of an incoming call.

But I’m missing sounds this morning the sound of the summer’s birds flitting through the sagebrush in the yard, the rush of the spring dried up over the summer, and the sound of voices I won’t hear again on this earth. So, I’ll be calling you soon, just to hear your voice and tell you I love you.