Category: Family

Relationships, children, and the dynamics between family members.

Share Glad Tidings

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Share glad tidings  of great joy  unto every soul.
When we find  something of great worth, share that truth  so we all can grow.
The Church of Jesus Christ  of Latter-Day Saints  teaches what is true.
Let us invite  souls everywhere.  Repentance  makes us new.

When we share  the Gospel's light  with others  that we see,
We must ask for  the Holy Ghost  to help set their  spirits free.
For only God  can enter in  and touch the  hearts of man.
With holy fire  the Holy Ghost testifies of  God's great plan.

There are countless souls  upon this earth  who know not  where to look.
Duty calls  us who know  to give each soul  God's Holy Books,
And share our testimony  with every willing soul.
With guidance from  the Holy Ghost, each child is helped  to grow.

Great shall be  each soul's reward, with every soul  we help save.
We share the truth  of Christ our LORD  & we build  beyond the grave.
Christ is the way, the truth & light.  There is no other way.
Share glad tidings  of great joy  and share it  every day.

In April 2023, President (and prophet) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Russell M Nelson, extended this invitation, “….study .. the account of the Savior’s appearance to the Nephites in the Americas, as recorded in 3 Nephi. Not long before that appearance, His voice was heard among the people, including these words of supplication: ‘Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?….behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive.’

Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ extends that same invitation to you today. I plead with you to come unto Him so that He can heal you! He will heal you from sin as you repent. He will heal you from sadness and fear. He will heal you from the wounds of this world.

Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Learn more about HIs Atonement, His love, His mercy, His doctrine, and His restored gospel of healing and progression. Turn to Him! Follow Him! …I testify that following Him is the only way to enduring happiness.”

A New Year

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Well, 2023 is almost gone. Somehow, when unpleasant and stressful events seem relentless, we blame the ‘Year’ for it. That’s been my year: broken bones, surgery, family divorce, heartache, car wreck, hard drive crash, data breach….one on the tail of the other. I’ve been a complainer. Many days I have not been able to see anything to be grateful for. I should be ashamed.

Last week our family spent time together to celebrate Christmas. On one occasion when we were all crowded into the living room, we passed around the question: What do you hope for in the new year? All thoughts were meaningful. I was impressed. I was going to say that I hoped the new year would be more free of those stressful, unpleasant events….

…until my grand daughter said a very impressive thing. She said that she hoped that all would work out for the good, just like it had done so far this year. Those profound thoughts sunk deep in my heart. I could see her faith and her grateful humble heart. I contemplated 2023 events, and as I did so, was impressed at the ‘PATTERN’ they demonstrated; the pattern of disturbing events followed by a period of time ending in a good resolution. Time after time. And I felt grateful. I saw the lessons I learned, or perhaps should have learned. I saw the hand of God that was always there, and I saw 2023 a bit differently, and realized that perhaps I have just a bit more faith for 2024.

May we all look for the peace and light and joy waiting for the taking in 2024.

I like the hope illustrated in a poem written by my daughter, Valoree:

Mother Earth moves us into the shadow
The icy cold could penetrate to bone
In the darkness and the heart of Winter
We shelter in the warm hearth of home
Let us celebrate the coming of a New Year
The creeping approach of the return of light
With songs, thoughtful  gifts and pleasantries
We may bring out the unwilted mistletoe
A reminder to forgive and let go of grudges
And holly, with berries of bright red
For the strength of the deep roots of family
Our Evergreens stand beautiful and tall
Bedecked in ornament, Cheery and twinkling
And in the great, wild forests of the world
The sparkling, snow-covered, majestic pine
Stay green and resilient despite storm and frost
Each day the Sun will stay a minute longer
Reflect on the year!  Visualize your wishes!
Now is the time to cherish and look forward.






                  Patience is knowing the snow will melt and glorious spring will indeed come.





Alma 7:27 (from the Book of Mormon)  “and now, may the peace of God rest upon you, and upon your houses and lands, and upon your flocks and herds, and all that you possess….from this time forth and forever.”




































































































































































































							

					

	






	

				
							
		

			


				
To the man who never met a sunset he didn’t appreciate…


								

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The following was written by our daughter:  a tribute to her Dad.  It is tender and powerful and demonstrates the profound influence to be found in family relationships.  We all carry pieces of our parents and  grandparents.  Too often, the human imperfections become the focus, and we miss seeing the ‘divine’ .  Perhaps we are too fearful of what we perceive others might expect of us, and we blindly close our minds and eyes to the flecks of gold found in each of us.  Or we simply never find the time appropriate to be still and open up our hearts, and become vulnerable enough to step into someone’s soul and have a sacred unforgettable experience.  










The video above is entitled “What Matters Most” and is downloaded from the following website: churchofjesuschrist.org







							

					

	






	

				
							
		

			


				
At Samhain


								

					   Jeanne				4 Comments
				
				
				

							


						


				

Samhain is a Celtic ancient ritual celebrated October 31-November 1 to bring in the dark part of winter, to recognize the fall harvest, and also to honor the dead, much like is done in the Aztec tradition of ‘Day of the Dead’.  This year, instead of focusing on the trick-or-treat candy gatherings, we chose to focus on remembering those dear to us who have left us through death.





My daughter wrote a poem about this occasion, and, with her permission, I have featured it in this post inasmuch as it speaks of setting “a place at our fest table for those remembered most dear, in hoping to feel the warmth of their company once more.”  We did set two places at the table for Mom and Dad, and included foods they especially liked on the menu.  It was (as is) good to include them in our daily lives both in remembrance and also in knowing we can feel them near on many traditional occasions.





Our lovely Mother travels around the Great Sun as She always has
She carries human kind, the mountains, the oceans, our homes
We turn away from the Sun, and sense the cold vastness of space
The darkness comes.  Stark final harvest and bloody first slaughter
Ponder a time before the progression to modern convenience
Consider what you can give to those with less fortune
Step into the browning, fallen crunchy leaves to share in
Ancient traditions of costume, fare and lighting lanterns
The barrier between this life and the next becomes liminal
Set a place at our feast table for those remembered most dear
In hoping to feel the warmth of their company once more







Sorry this post is a few days late!  Life seems to be running faster than I can keep up.  Slow down and make memories.







							

					

	






	

				
							
		

			


				
I’m Fine


								

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I'm fine; there is nothing whatever the matter with me.
I'm just as healthy as can be.
I have arthritis in both my knees, 
And when I talk, I talk with a wheeze.
My pulse is weak, and my blood is thin,
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.
I think my liver is out of whack, 
And a terrible pain is in my back.
My hearing is poor; my sight is dim.
Most everything seems to be out of trim.
My days, my doctor says are few,
Every week he finds something new.
And the way I stagger sure is a crime.
I'm likely to drop most any time.
I jump like mad at the drop of a pin,
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.
I have arch supports for both my feet, 
Or I wouldn't be able to walk the street.
Sleeplessness I have night after night,
And in the morning, I'm a perfect fright.
My memory is failing.  My sight is dim,
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.

The moral is:  As this tale unfolds,
That for you and I who are growing old,
T'is better to say, "I'm fine", with a grin,
Cause it surely will help the shape you are in.

I found this poem (untitled), handwritten in an old file among scraps of geneological tidbits, from Bob's family.  It's not his handwriting, so I won't attribute it to him.  I have no idea who wrote it and probably should not be posting it.  If anyone knows the author, please let me know.  Perhaps his Grandma Davis wrote it.  She was very expressive in writing.

Nevertheless, I like it because it fits with events of the past few weeks.  Bob was finally able to get a new hip replacement a few days ago.  Everyone who works at a hospital looks just barely old enough to be in high school.  All of them.  His surgeon must have begun medical school in kindergarten!.  As they recorded the necessary information, they were amazed that we had been married almost 48 years.  And I reflected on our present physical and mental health--comparing it to our early years of marriage--and reluctantly admitted that we had changed.  A lot.

Bob's marathons have been traded in for shuffles to the car.  My foot was in such bad shape the night before his surgery, that I wondered how I'd get him up to surgery.  Bob's legs and ankle are generously marked from previous surgery scars.  We use grabbers and canes.

And I wondered what happened to all those decades?  Wasn't it just last spring when we planned our wedding?  Isn't getting old for our aunts and uncles and grandparents? --  but never for us!  










							

					

	






	

				
							
		

			


				
The Crucible


								

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It’s been a traumatic 3 months, starting with my son last November, who developed a painful jaw infection accompanied by careless medical care, resulting in emergency room visits and hospitalizations for infection, onset of diabetes from pancreatitis and pending kidney failure.  Over-use of steroids complicated his recovery and ability to fight the infection.  those were some very tense and worrysome days, lasting into the new year.  It required a kind of patience I didn’t know existed.  But, we drew together as a family and prayers became a source of strength and healing.





I thought the new year was a harbinger of health, but then my 16 year old grand daughter presented with painful hands that quickly lost their use.  Swelling started and medical tests showed nothing.





Then, last Monday, our 18 year old grandson (all of these are in the same family) was rushed to the emergency room with gut pain and jaundice.  For the next week he underwent diagnostic ultrasound and endoscopy with gall bladder removal on Wednesday, followed by another procedure to remove more gall stones in the ducts, and finally being released from the hospital on Friday.





We all breathed a sigh of relief, only to be awakened late Friday night with news that paramedics were called in response to my grand daughter’s inability to breathe…very scary…thought to be a panic attack.





So much for the harbinger of health.  More like a trip to troubles!





If I were gold
would I think a crucible to be mean?
A dark tomb
with painful heat
that reaches to the soul,
and burns.
Those hours I would never choose.
No.
Look at me--
all cluttered.
I've gathered much along the way.
I carry to much baggage.
I want to let it go.
I pray with fervor to find a way.
The crucible!
How ironic.
The very thing that I abhor
Is now my darkened prison.
The unwanted firey trial
Seems longer than it is.
Daylight finally shoots it's glorious beam
Upon my soul.
My soul--it's free.
The baggage gone
Consumed within the fire.
In weightless glory I rise
And leave this crucible behind
For now.
Purified, changed, whole, free.
I'm finally Me.








This 2 minute video is about the value of adversity












							

					

	






	

				
							
		

			


				
Time


								

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Time while on this Earth is always flowing in multi-colored dimensions, and always passing and ever changing, ever growing.  In this life each moment and second of time are never the same….










Our last post referred to a Youtube 1964 video entitled “Man’s Search for Happiness”.  This video presents a concept of  ‘time’ unique to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  





“For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.”  Alma 34:32 (in the Book of Mormon).





In times past I’ve often been pacified by thinking that I have lots of time to do whatever I need or want to do, but when I turned 60, my thinking changed as I realized that I was now that ‘older generation’.   Time became a more treasured commodity!  And now I see that with each passing year, we are less able to do what we used to do in the same amount of time, which only makes time more precious.





A few weeks ago my son’s family (including 5 kids) came for a visit.  My knees were unusually painful, and I realized that I simply could not do what I used to do, and that it would take more TIME to do everything now.  Stress.  So, I formulated a plan.  A plan to make better use of time.  Instead of running around trying to clean up and fix meals and do dishes, I would look for opportunities to talk one-on-one with the grandkids.  To really listen, and to ignore the trivial housework that I knew would nag me.  Well, it worked pretty well.  I was able to slow down and found my grandkids quite delightful and entertaining.





In the before mentioned youtube, the question is asked, “Time, where does it take me?”  And I ask myself how do I spend my time?  It’s so easy to be bossed by our self-made lists, and then to be shocked at the end of the day that we didn’t get it all done.  I am trying to take time each morning to evaluate what things are most needful for that day, and especially try to think of people and their needs and to put them at the top of my list as the most needful.  Often, I am impressed by the spirit to think of someone or something….all in an attempt to have quality time rather than empty time.





Bob recently wrote this:  TAKE TIME





Take time to see a rainbow or to watch a butterfly.
Take time to help another soul who has something in their eye.
Take time to watch a sunrise, or sunset on each new day.
Take time to tank the Lord for everything that comes our way.













Take time to thank our Mother for all her tender care.
Take time to thank our Father for his work and being there.
Take time upon each Sabbath Day to take the Sacrament.
Take time each precious day to thank those who pay the rent!

Time is always on the move as we circle around God's Son,
From dawn to eve, we each can see the things that we have done.
At work or play, in war or peace, on land, in air or sea,
We each can choose to use or waste times precious quantity.

Some choose to the pursuit of riches they can gain,
While others seek for higher goals than worldly, selfish fame,
Like love of wife and family within God's eternal plan.
Those who truly seek this goal will understand.

Time is a gift more precious than the riches we can gain.
Greed poisons each person's souls and kills our heart and brain.
We loose the ability to see God's wondrous earth,
As all life flows, sings and grows for those who seek true worth.

Through work and play, Lord teach us love.  Give us eyes to see
And ears that hear another's woes, and a heart both warm and free,
That we may use our time as service we do bring
To love and serve each other, that in time spent, joy will sing.

As always, a great treasure of media can be found on churchofjesuschrist.org



							

					

	






	

				
							
		

			


				
Man’s Search for Happiness


								

					   Jeanne				1 Comment
				
				
				

							


						


				

Back in 1963, when I was 16, my Grandmother died.  This was the first time I experienced death of someone close to me, and it left a hole in my heart, and was the cause of deep reflections for me, and sadness.  I had been taught in Sunday School and in Primary….taught about being a child of God, and about returning to him when we die.  I believed that.  I had no reason to doubt, especially when my Dad also told me that.





But, believing is only a beginning.  I needed to take that belief in my head, and move it into my heart.  It was in 1964 that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints produced a 13 minute movie (I believe it was for the World’s Fair) entitled:  Man’s Search for Happiness.  Because my heart had already been prepared, when I saw that movie, I was very impressed, touched, and, for the first time, felt truth in my heart, not just my head.





For years I have searched for that little video, unsuccessfully.  There is a new version produced in about 1989, and that was the one that always came up in my search.  It’s nice, but it wasn’t the one that had such deep meaning for me back in 1964.





Well, you can now view it on Youtube!  Log in to Youtube and in the search, type in Man’s Search for Happiness 1964, and,  POOF!, there it is.  To me it was a seed of belief planted in my heart that has grown through the years and brought me unspeakable joy, peace and comfort.  Watch it and tell me what you think.  Maybe you will like the 1989 version better.





My dear Grandma & Grandpa





I hope that you know that God loves you because you are his child, and He has a plan for your joy and happiness.





Please comment and share you feelings.







							

					

	






	

				
							
		

			


				
Other’s Needs


								

					   Jeanne				1 Comment
				
				
				

							


						


				

A couple of months ago, life became ‘out of focus’ for me.  I thought I was having a reaction to medications:  trouble sleeping,  being anxious about everything, not able to think clearly, feelings of doom, nausea, forgetfulness….My MD had me fill out those screening papers for depression.  You know the ones..  They ask you to rate how often you feel hopeless and if you find pleasure in daily activites, etc. etc.  I scored horribly and she prescribed an anti-depressant, which I decided not to take unless I could not pull myself out.





I tried really hard to focus on the good things going on around me, which, frankly, was quite challenging to do.  I tried to think of other people and what they needed and how I could help.  I think the most helpful thing was to read scriptures.  They give me an eternal perspective, and a virtual slap of reality that we all have troubles, but, we all can turn to Jesus Christ in prayer and thought and receive an unexplainable rest and peace.  I tried every day to focus, not just on Christ, but on others around me.  Helping others made me feel worthwhile. Little by little, my mood began to change.  I began to feel energized and excited about things that I can do.





Serving with heart & mind, body & soul, we help other's needs.
As we serve, others gain more light, as Christ guides our deeds.
We find our hearts grow lighter, leaving worries & cares behind.
Our cares loose their power to overwhelm heart & mind.

When we sit & think about our trials & troubled woes,
Worries grow & magnify & fester our mind, heart & soul.
Mole hills become mountains & they appear impassable.
Let's give time for others needs & our faith will start to grow.

We start to understand the Lord's wisdom when He did say:
"Loose yourself in service unto others," & we will find God's true way.
As we serve other's needs, we become more humble & more meek.
To a bright new way to truly live, as we more humbly seek.







Out of focus!





I know the devastation of Covid, including the disease itself, plus the loss of sociality, and the discord and unrest it has brought about have contributed immensely to widespread depression.  Let’s add politics, natural disasters, floods, drought and fires.  My hat off to anyone who has not suffered some level of depression.  Being that ‘out of focus’ is something that needs attention.  Let’s watch out for anyone around us (family, neighbors, friends, co-workers, etc.)  There are many options for treating depression.  Perhaps we can all just begin by talking; having conversations with those close to us.  I am grateful for my family who listen to me, and for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, for all the reminders that God loves me and is always there to help.  Check out churchofjesuschrist.org












							

					

	






	

				
							
		

			


				
Unity


								

					   Jeanne				1 Comment
				
				
				

							


						


				

This morning on “Music and the Spoke Word” Lloyd Newell delighted me with his comments entitled “Of Kindness and Rabbits.”  It may sound familiar because he refers to the same ‘rabbit effect’ that Gary E. Stevenson referred to in his April 2021 General Conference address (found in churchofjesuschrist.org in the May 2021 Liahona).





His comments were accompanied by images of a precious little bunny being fed and loved by a lab assistant…You can access this on www.thetabernaclechoir.org/videos/august-08-2021-4795-music-and-the-spoken-word.










I quote from his comments: “Decades ago, researchers measured the effects of diet on the heart health of rabbits.  Not surprisingly, rabbits that were fed fatty foods developed cholesterol problems.  But something else was surprising–one group of rabbits had significantly better health outcomes.  They had eaten the same foods as the other rabbits, but they had also been cared for by a particular researcher–one who happened to be ‘an unusually kind and caring individual’.  She didn’t just feed the rabbits.  She talked to them, cuddled and petted them.  She didn’t know she was altering the results–she was just being herself.





Suddenly this wasn’t just an experiment about genetics and diet.  These researchers were learning that relationships matter too.  A recent book titled The Rabbit Effect cites these finding and concludes, ‘Ultimately, what affects our health in the most meaningful ways has…much to do with how we treat one another, how we live, and how we think about what it means to be human.’





In other words, ‘the rabbit effect’ could just as easily be called ‘the human effect.’





So many seem so angry as they interact with others–online and in person. Some are raging inside at the outside world, annoyed and impatient with people around them as well as themselves.  Even many who aren’t openly hostile have simply become cold, distant, and impersonal.  And we wonder why general health and happiness suffer, why peace and calm are so elusive.





Humans, perhaps even more than rabbits, need kindness and caring, affection and love in order to thrive.  No one can flourish in an atmosphere of contention and animosity.  When we are kind–even if others don’t return the favor–we carry a healthy inner peace, knowing we have generated light instead of heat.  When we sincerely care for and about others, we spread compassion and helpfulness more freely throughout the world.  And in the process, we create a healthier, happier environment for everyone.





If cuddling a rabbit can lower its cholesterol, imagine what can happen if we look around and reach out in simple, loving ways to people around us.  That’s the power of human kindness.”







The Game…







That brings me to my recent thoughts on UNITY.  We all know how important that is is sports.  We try to achieve that in our families:  like what to have for dinner, or places to go on vacation.  Even in the family, unity can be elusive.  Unity as a community, even as a nation may seem even further out of reach, but, I suppose, ultimately, it starts with each individual.





When we serve in unity, together we are strong.
Unity gives us power to move God's work along.
United, we will stand, divided, we will fall.
When we unite in serving God, we are at the Master's call.

As we serve in unity, our selfish feelings go.
The power from on High fills each mortal soul
That strives to serve in unity of body, mind and heart,
When we dwell in unity, we learn a higher art.

When we truly love each other, joy comes when we try,
And we truly feel for others in their sorrows, when they cry,
When we dwell in unity, we learn of higher love
As heart and mind and body learn oneness from above.

Our greatest blessings come when we unite in love
And strive to serve each other and listen up above.
The Holy Ghost will guide all who live in unity.
May we all live together in God's great family.