Category: Family

Relationships, children, and the dynamics between family members.

Little Hummingbird

Jeanne 1 Comment 
You are special to me,
My little hummingbird...
Your happy face,
Screams of delight,
The way you want to hold my hand,
Your silent, thoughtful manner,
Your explosive enthusiasm,
Your ever-present wit,
The way you play together,
Your faces when you sleep,
The way you take pickles off cheeseburgers,
Your excitement over a penny,
The way you stick up for Jetta.
You make no demands of me.
Your creative talent,
The little poems you write,
Your tender feelings,
The way you sing Moana songs,
The way you stick up for yourself,
The way Grandpa is your best friend,
Because you are my tent buddy,
The way you eat cheeseburgers.





I found this poem saved on my desktop, and I don’t know who wrote it, so, somebody confess! I don’t know where it came from. Another sign of my old age, I guess. I could have written those words because they ring so true to me, but I didn’t.

Little things mean so much: The way we do things, unique to ourselves. It’s like Mr. Rogers used to say, “There’s no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are.”

Little Hummingbird

Ollie’s Song

Jeanne 1 Comment

So, this has been a really busy bunch of months, and, in case you have been watching, I have not been posting every Monday morning, or even every week. As I was trying to go to sleep the other night, for some reason, words to a lullaby kept coming into my mind; not a known lullaby, but a new one, especially for our upcoming grandchild. They flowed into my mind, and I hoped that in the morning I would be able to remember them. Ha. Well, I got up and wrote them down. Laid back down. Tried to sleep. More words kept coming. Got up again. Wrote them down, and put them to an Irish tune in the morning. Now, we are waiting for baby to come in November!

Come away wee little laddie
Lean your head upon my breast.
Come away with me to dreamland.
Close your eyes and take a rest.

Oh, wee lad, you are a treasure;
More than silver, more than gold.
You're a gift sent straight from Heaven;
Ours to love and ours to hold.

May the stars that light the heavens
Shine their light throughout the night.
Stand a watch as you are sleeping,
'Til the morning shines her light.

Oh, wee lad, you are a treasure;
More than silver, more than gold.
You're a gift sent straight from Heaven;
Ours to love and ours to hold.

May the sun shine down upon you;
Keep you safe and keep you warm.
May our love abide forever;
Keep you far away from harm.

Oh, wee lad, you are a treasure;
More than silver, more than gold.
You're a gift sent straight from Heaven;
Ours to love and ours to hold.

May you always know we love you,
Little Laddie, boy of mine!










2009-04-055-you-said-360p-engDownload

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But, You Can!

Jeanne 1 Comment

If I wrote about a vacation, who would want to read it? Is there anyone as interested in the details as I am? I don’t think so….I think I write for me; kind of making a road map of life events that somehow allow you to take that road again–maybe not in the car or on the plane–maybe so, but maybe not. You don’t have to because you’ve already been there. You’ve already seen the show and it slips into one of those folders in that huge filing cabinet small enough to fit invisibly in my mind, or is it my spirit?..It must be because it’s not tangible. But I can open up that folder at will…that’s why I write. That’s why I take photos; otherwise, I fear the folder might be empty–what then?

Then I can’t achieve a ‘state of being’. I can’t dance to the music again. I can’t skip down the street. I can’t sparkle inside. I can’t absorb the saturation of excitement, and it can’t lift me, can’t give me wings….ah…but my folder isn’t empty, and so I can! You see, I don’t have to really come home to stay. Neither do you. Just take that smile , vision, thrill, tear, that time when you held your breath and when you held so tight, sang so free, felt so glorious, and heard their wonder, exhilaration, awe, fulfillment…it’s all there. It’s a state of being, bolted and bonded, never to really ever slip away. Isn’t it wondrous?

Boy in the Red Jacket

Jeanne 1 Comment 





This posted poem is contributed by a guest writer, my daughter, Eve.  My thoughts so often turn to my children and grandchildren with reflections on how fast time takes them from me.  Several of my previous posts have been focused on that very sentiment, and, the older I get, the deeper I feel the distance, and the more I ache to gather them all in an everlasting embrace.  As I look through old photographs of when my kids were babies or grade school age, I see images that verily suck me back in time and place to some spot to briefly see and feel it all over again.  I can still see myself checking to see if they’ve fallen asleep, or I can see them all packed into a vehicle on the road to some anticipated vacation.  I see them playing in the house, and chuckle again at the super hero costumes that often accompanied that play.  I see Sunday tents in the living room, and bunnies and puppies in the back yard.  I see a LIFE made of photographs.  What follows is written by Eve Richardson:





James and I took a walk tonight.  The last night of spring break.  But sometimes, when I slow down enough it seems like more than winter is coming to an end.  More like an era might be closing.  Here am I–holding onto the past, trying to embrace the future.  Always more useful in retrospect than in the moment.





Boy in the Red Jacket
running, running, running
winter at your back
as you sprint into spring

"Time me Mama!"
How fast you traverse each corner
my watch is broken
or is it my heart?
all these seconds--slipping away

Boy in the red jacket
running, running, running
short legs, pumping
looking back--to make sure I'm still there

You run so fast
I want to keep up 
but I can't
the corner, always on the horizon
I'm here, still here, always here

Boy in the red jacket
Thief of my heart
I look forward--to make sure you're still there
the sun is setting
that odd, enchanting quality of light
I'll see you there--forever.







This image was posted here on 20 November 2017.  It’s called “Into the Woods”  and is a painting of my six grandchildren moving forward, so fast!


							

					

	






	

				
							
		

			


				
DRIFTING


								

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Drifting on the Sea of Life is such a risky thing.
Without a  chart & compass, the rocks & reefs of life can sting.
The treacherous waves await us, with every wind that blows.
The sirens of lies & deceit can blind our troubled souls,

Confusing truths direction, depending on our goal.
Without a map & compass to God's light, how can we know
A safe & clear, proven coarse, upon life's troubled sea,
Unto that safe, sure harbor, awaiting you and me?

There is a perfect captain, who calls to every soul,
Across the endless waves of time & space to help us grow.
His motive is our welfare.  He guides us from on high
To bring us safely home to Christ's harbor, if we will serve and try.

He gives us charts and maps to guide post rocks and hidden reefs.
His compass is the scriptures;  prayer calls Him to our relief
Past rocks of sorrow & tears, and reefs of hidden deceit,
Unto the peaceful harbor, where life becomes more pure and sweet.

I've done my share of drifting, with no set place to go.
I've sailed through deep depression of body, mind and soul.
I've wrecked upon the rocks & reefs of pride's dark vanity.
I felt the emptiness, as my sins washed over me.

I called unto my Master:  "Please help my sin-torn life!"
He reached his hand beneath life's waves, as I drowned in my strife.
He guided me to others, who understood life's maze.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints teaches of His ways.

Past all the rocks & hidden reefs, as we follow the Holy Son
Through storms of all our trials, Christ helps us work as one.














2012-04-3001-jesus-savior-pilot-me-360p-engDownload





The above link will open a file to hear the song “Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me.”







							

					

	






	

				
							
		

			


				
The Advent Calendar


								

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When I was a child, I first discovered the holiday advent calendars: a pleasant picture with small ‘doors’ to open, labeled 1-24, referring to the days in December.  I remember how excited I was to open each one.  One of my favorites displayed various woodland creatures behind each door.  For some reason, those images absolutely delighted me. Now, most of them have a small chocolate behind the door, which could also be delightful.





I’m thinking that life is like an advent calendar.  Each day, there is a door labeled with that date.  I imagine–behind each door is a delight.  I think of it as a message from God that He loves me and is caring for me, and is there to help me.  If I open the door, I feel that same warm joy that I felt seeing those woodland creatures so long ago.





Life really is like that.  If we but look for manifestations of God’s love for us, we will see them, feel them, and recognize them every day.  It’s such a simple effort with such monumental payoff.





Grand kids…Now that’s a manifestation of God’s love!






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Can We Be Prepared?


								

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Can we be prepared for famine, floods, fires and other forces that test our grain?

Violence, greed, pollution, dishonesty, and pornography all try our heart & brain.

Can we prepare for disaster, like our FATHER’S awesome fire?

When high winds carry infernal flames through our homes we much desire?


Can preparation help all these disasters that come in different ways?

Only our testimony of JESUS CHRIST, helps us through our darkest days.

We can learn from the HOLY GHOST, how to choose our safest path.

Only through our LORD’S true church can we grow strong through heaven’s wrath.


When we’ve felt the flames of wrath and lost all that we own,

Our hearts are stretched beyond ourselves, as we lose house or home.

Our tears flow more free for others grief; we see through deeper eyes

The heart-torn pain of strangers caught in devastation’s cries.


Disasters come in many forms: tsunamis roar, to lightning storms,

Volcanoes erupt, freezing rain, famine’s starvation, to war’s dark pain.

Please, LORD, help us to have eyes to truly see

The suffering of all caught in these last days tragedys.*


Remember, every trial we face is here to help us grow.

From war we learn the true joy in peace, from hate, we see love’s glow.

From the  loss of precious loved ones, we can learn true empathy.

For others caught in sorrows song, our LORD’S charity gives us clarity.


We thank Thee LORD, for sorrow; it helps us past our pain.

We thank Thee, LORD, for heartache; it gives us deeper grain.

We thank Thee LORD, for clarity to see, taste, touch and feel,

That when trials pour upon us, we can serve, help and heal.


As oceans over jump their bound and armored insects roar,

On air fields and on freeways, we see men’s faces soar.

As jets and choppers shoot fire down at souls on land and sea,

We see the faces of those souls in the armored dragons of insanity.**


As earthquakes in diverse places increase, as heart attacks do grow,***

We hear John’s revelations play upon our heart, mind and soul.

May we remember JESUS CHRIST, and pray each dawn through eve,

And be prepared through these troubled last days; May we give love and receive.****


* Matthew 5:44

** Revelations chapter 9

*** Matthew 24:6-8

**** Luke 10: 30-37




The devastation of the camp fire in Paradise, California, has been foremost in our minds lately.  I’m sure it has to do with our family, who were evacuated, and then learned of the total destruction of home and property.  We live in a world full of pain and suffering, but we cannot allow this to immobilize us and to take away our hope. May God strengthen us to be His hands.


http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2009-05-22-o-remember-remember?lang=eng&_r=1


							

					

	






	

				
							
		

			


				
This world is full of Problems


								

					   Jeanne				1 Comment
				
				
				

							


						


				
This world is full of problems;

On that, we can agree.

The answer’s very plain to me.

I have a remedy:

Be generous with a kind word.

Let compliments be heard.

A hug can say, “You’re thought of!”

And patience speaks of love.

Do try to go the extra mile.

Show kindness with a smile.

Let someone talk and really hear,

Just give a listening ear.


The thing that I am thinking of–

is CHANGE THE WORLD WITH LOVE.




http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-06-2150-love-your-neighbor?category=topics/criticism&lang=eng


							

					

	






	

				
							
		

			


				
Icebergs


								

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How much do we really know about anyone else?  We just see what that person allows us to see, or feel comfortable revealing.  There is so much beneath the surface.


Each soul is like an iceberg that flows upon life’s sea.

We see the tip and think we know just who that might be.

But like earth’s flowing icebergs, the part we see is small,

Compared to the immensity that’s hidden beneath us all.


Within every person are parts we do not see.

They hold uncounted feelings within both you and me.

Few ever see these hidden things of each soul,

But they are real within us, and determine how we grow.


Each soul needs a true friend to know how they really feel;

To have someone who really cares is something that can heal.

An ear to hear, an eye to see, a heart to understand,

Can melt the coldest heartaches within each woman or man.


We each need loving friends to help us through our day,

To try to understand us and our deeper ways,

To care enough to listen to all our troubled thoughts,

We all need the warmth of God’s pure Son within God’s melting pot.




http:///www.lds.org/media-library/video/2015-06-015-dominoes?category=social-media-shareable-videos&lang=eng


							

					

	






	

				
							
		

			


				
Stopped in Time


								

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Here’s another poem about time and nature, and is appropriate right now because we’ve been spending time in our tent trailer in Wyoming, drinking in the scenery, the quiet, the wildlife, and especially the lack of schedule.


Whenever life stops us in our flow,

Or we chance to travel slow,

As we’re given time to look and be,

We strive to understand God’s wondrous eternity.


Whenever we stand still among life’s hurried throng,

We watch all life about us, and listen to their song:

Now is the time to grow, here is the place.

Within this test of life, we all need some quiet space…within the human race.


Within each momentary pause, we find upon this planet,

We strive to warm our heart, from hardned icy granite.

There are deeper meanings, that feed our troubled soul,

With humble meditation on God’s truth, we can grow.


We can find peace in a mountain, or while driving down a road,

Or clouds can lift one’s eyes, worried by a heavy load,

Or what about a river’s song, as it goes flowing by,

Or in each young child’s freedom, as they play beneath the sky?


For speed and power are empty goals.

They leave a hole within our souls,

Where love, truth and gratitude

Can keep a soul from being rude


And set us truly free to forever grow.




The link below notices that the more we see things, the less we see them….


http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-11-23-thanksgiving-daily?category=mormon-messages/mormon-messages-2010&lang=eng