Category: Family

Relationships, children, and the dynamics between family members.

On Restoring an Old Photograph

Jeanne Leave a comment

I’ve been thinking of how quickly time slips away, leaving us surprised that our children are no longer babies, and, in fact, have babies of their own! This poem was written by my Aunt, Sherrel Burgoyne:

An old photo
lovingly folded in a apron pocket
cared for too much
looked at too often

until the creases of love
became cracks
and try as I tried
I cannot restore

child of joy
splashing in water and sun
I want to believe
every day on this earth was happy
every dream that you dreamed came true
laughter and love followed your life

where did you go
did you slip into one of the cracks?

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-06-012-moments-that-matter-most?category=topics/family&lang=eng

Let Go

Jeanne 1 Comment

Several events over the last week have led me to the thought of “Letting go.” A friend of mine was blind-sided with the death of her husband, who is younger than me. As I put myself in her place, I realized how fortunate I am to have the companionship of a husband, even if it’s just sitting side by side watching tv. Think about it: How often during the day do you rely upon interaction with your spouse? Just knowing someone is there is priceless. It must be really difficult to let go of that season in your life.

On a note (not quite so somber as the last)…my grandchildren. Before they moved out of state, lived roughly a mile from our home. In 5 minutes, I could be there. In many ways, they depended on that. I drove them to school. They came by the house after school and I drove them home; sometimes stopping a McDonald’s if they hated school lunch that day. They were a big part of my time and life. And then they moved. 3 l/2 hours away. It left a hole that I still struggle to stop tripping over; and that hole was really big last week when they started school…a new school. I wanted so badly to be there and do whatever Grandmas do to make things better, or, at least to think you’ve made things better. It’s painful. I worried. I prayed. I fasted. I worried, and then I worried again. Then they got sick, and some had to miss school. I realized that I had to ‘let go’, just like I did before when they left.

I remember those days. I’d sit in the car and play the Mormon Tabernacle Choir verse of ‘How Firm a Foundation’…feeling the words: “Fear not, I am with thee, Oh, be not dismayed, for I am thy God and will still give thee aid. I’ll strengthen thee, help thee and cause thee to stand….” I’d play it loud and could almost imagine heavenly help descending upon me, not just from God, but from dear ones now departed who also cared deeply.

I have often confused control with security. Let go. Let go.

The frosty autumn nights
Bid the tree (glorious and alive)
Let go their precious golden leaves
That in days past, bid them survive.

In spring, the fledgling bird will grow
Now the mother tries her best
To prod it from the nest.
Let go.

We hold our babies close,
And treasure every show.
They now seek new horizons,
And we painfully,
Let go.

Our beloved ones, we cherish
And the winds of age do blow
Now they pass thru death’s door,
As our hearts are broken,
And we let go.

But hearts are healed
When we come to know,
A loving Father,
Will never
Let go.

This short video below helps me to let go. It helps me to trade fear for faith, and helps me remember that, even though I will be required to let go, I can be confident that God will never let go of me.

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2017-01-0004-live-by-faith-not-by-fear?category=social-media-shareable-videos&lang=eng

Alaska!

Jeanne 1 Comment

I’m finally getting around to putting together a scrapbook of our cruise to Alaska last month. On the cruise, Bob would get up early, as he always does, and go up to where he could watch the water and coastline. Here he would pen a poem for each day, and I have included the verses that deal with our fjord cruising of the Sawyer Glacier just south of Juneau. The views were 100% gorgeous, as you will see in the photos below.

As we take the inside passage
We watch life in every move.
Then on we sail up the fjords
Within the glacier’s ancient groove.

We arrive in eyesight of the glacier
Where ice has blocked our way,
So our captain takes us west to
A narrow fjord today.

We sail to the glacier’s western arm up this narrow pass,
The captain stops the ship near, as we look and gasp!!
Then turned that giant ship around
Smooth and slow as another hour passed.


Pioneer Day

Jeanne Leave a comment

Yesterday in church our kids enacted a 30-minute pioneer trek, complete with covered wagon, bonnets, neckerchiefs,taffy, horehound, berries, buffalo chips, homemade butter and rolls, and a snake. My mind did wander back to my great grandmother, Sara Jane Richards Perkins, who left wales as a young woman, leaving family and friends, and ending up here in Magna, or Pleasant Green, as it was called then. Our lives are built upon the hard work of those ambitious faithful people. And so, as we celebrate pioneer day (July 24, 1847 being the day they entered the Salt Lake Valley), I will be grateful for, running water, shelter, food, shade, health care, comfortable shoes, beds and toilets.

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2016-12-01-pioneer-journeys-more-than-a-trek?lang=eng

To Bob, My Husband

Jeanne 1 Comment

The name of this poem is really, “To Jeanne, My Wife”, but I selected it for today and re-directed the message to husbands, since Father’s Day was yesterday, and, perhaps we are still thinking of fathers:

Love is a flower that grows from a seed,
One feeds love with kindness in each little deed.
When trials confront us, together we stand,
Love grows to oneness, heart to heart, hand in hand.
When two stand together, they’re stronger than one.
Like two blooming flowers that thrive in the sun.
Soon buds gather ’round them, together to grow,
A family eternal in life’s living show.
My dearest, I love you more every day,
With each passing moment, words seldom say,
For feelings grow past words in so many ways.
You are my best friend, forever, today.

www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-01-002-earthly-father-heavenly-father?cid=HP_WE-13-6-2018_dPTH_fMLIB_xLIDyL1-C_&lang=eng

The whale tale

Jeanne 1 Comment

So, just returned from an Alaskan cruise. It was all so fabulous. This earth is an amazingly beautiful place with more wonders than anyone could possibly take in in a life time! Out of all the wonders we encountered, I wrote this ode to the one that excited me the most:

Sweet was the time,
The scenery sublime,
But nothing delighted
So much as we sighted
From the small boat, a WHALE,
Who twice dove, and showed us a tail!

http://www.mormon.org/blog/3-reasons-to-spend-time-in-nature

The Path To True Love

Jeanne Leave a comment

Here’s another poem written for the vow renewal that is happening today!

The path to true love is steep and narrow,
With wondrous vistas along the way.
When two souls share hard times together,
Their confidence grows day by day.
Their trust becomes more real;
Their love becomes more sure.
Through hardships, hearts can heal.
Through prayer, love becomes more pure.

The path to true love requires both
Souls to put each other first,
To listen to each other through
Better, and through worst,
To strive to look for the good with
Patience, when tempers flare,
Allowing for life’s frustrations
To dissipate through the air.

We each have our own weakness,
And if we need to say
Something the other is doing
That blocks our love along the way,
Then’s the time for ears to hear,
As hearts open with care
To listen with real intent;
To try our best to be fair.

We each have different ways
In how we need to be loved.
Affections, appreciation & acceptance,
Lift one’s conscience up above.
Most negative feelings will
Seldom get a start.
The path to true love is understanding,
And each soul must do the greater part.

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2015-09-0100-love-at-home?lang=eng

The Vow

Jeanne 1 Comment

So, I’m thinking ahead here. In 4 days we will be cruising to Alaska! One thing we have planned on-board is a vow renewal ceremony, and I wrote this poem to be read at that time.

It is truly a blessing to have a buddy, companion, spouse and friend to share life with. We should all appreciate the precious moments shared, and take care of each other with kindness and patience. A little bit of laughter along the way helps too.

There’s nothing like a buddy
Walking always by your side,
Who laughs with you, and cries with you,
Who you let in your heart–inside.

As years fly by
and age sets in,
More beautiful they be.
They’re bound to us, a part of us,
It’s wondrous, you see.

And now, today we stop to celebrate,
And remember all the things
That have made it all so great.
Again we pledge, again we vow, again we give our heart.
And then we turn to face new days,
Fueled by love, again, we start.

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/topics/marriage-and-family?lang=eng

A.A.A.

Jeanne 1 Comment

This poem, written by Bob, is a cute reminder of how precious our children are, and also about how fast they grow up. One day they are crawling, and the next day, they have a family of their own! Our roles as parents are ever-changing. We spend so much time when they are babies and toddlers that I sometimes wonder if we have enough energy or brain cells left to adapt ourselves to our new role as a parent of teenagers, or young adults. The roles seem especially challenging when they leave us and have a family of their own. Where do we fit in? How do we advise and help? How do we handle our frustration and disappointment about not doing a better job?

Being a parent is absolutely a timeless blessing, and sometimes we need to be open enough to take advise, counsel, and inspiration.

Energy unending,
Hurts that need mending,
To him, life’s a constant sea
Of endless curiosity.
Exploring places, pots and pans,
Cats and puppies, garbage cans.
I stand in awe at how he learns,
Each bump and jar it’s value earns.
He lays, then crawls, then walks, then runs,
My boy! My son! My brother! My friend!
Eternal brothers never end.

The following link (to lds.org) is an illustration of a mother’s love, and how prayer will help us through our darkest moments of despair.

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-05-009-a-mothers-hope?lang=eng&_r=1&cid=HP_TU-8-5-2018_dPTH_fMLIB_xLIDyM-2_

Be Christ’s Hands

Jeanne Leave a comment

Be Christ’s hands and heart to others here upon the earth.
Look to other’s needs and heartaches, and we will find true worth.
If we think too much of ourselves, our worries grow within.
When we serve the weak and poor, we gain pure light and win.

Recently, our church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, has challenged us to step outside ourselves and to minister unto others, using Jesus Christ as our example. The following short video (less than 2 minutes) illustrates that challenge.

http://www.lds.org/mycalling/ministering/a-vision-of-ministering?lang=eng

We have all been the recipient of well-timed service. I am grateful for those people who were discerning enough to see my needs, and, with the Spirit’s help, know how to meet those needs with simple acts of kindness, usually small, such as a note, or a phone call. Let us all make this world a better place by being Christ’s hands on a more consistent basis.