Seek the Lord Early and Receiving Personal Revelation

The following words and tune have been going through my mind for weeks. Do the words to this song sound familiar to you?  

I’ll seek the Lord early while in my youth,

And he will help me to know the truth.

I’ll search the scriptures and find him there,

Then go to our Father in fervent prayer.

I’ll seek the Lord early, and I’ll obey

His living prophets in all they say.

I’ll keep his commandments; his love will abound.

I will seek the Lord early, and he will be found.

It is a children’s song, "Seek the Lord Early", with words and music by Joann Bushman Doxey. 

I have learned a few things as these words have been playing in my mind and while humming the tune. 

The prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, recently invited the world to hear the voice of the Lord in a video asking us how we #HearHim? The words of the song can be a recipe for doing just that, which is one of the things I have learned. (Except I like to pray first and then see what Jesus has to tell me when I read his words in the scriptures and words from his living prophets.)

Another learning that has been impressed upon my mind is the timing, or the when. I don’t feel the words to this song only imply for us to develop a habit of seeking the Lord at a young age, “while in my youth”. In fact, consider the timing of the moments the past few days or weeks when we have felt frustrated and scared, when we have questions, felt hopeless or overwhelmed, perhaps our faith is being tested, being tempted with sin, wondering what to do with a missionary child coming home early or temporary, or perhaps someone might be challenging our truth.What can we do? Seek the Lord early. Go to him first. Earlier, rather than later. With our problems, our heartaches, concerns, it is wise for us to seek the Lord early. Turning to Google first is not always our best resource,especially with matters of our soul.  But seeking the Lord will. I know it! 

How do I know it? Because I've tried it again, and again.

A few years ago, a friend taught me how to receive personal revelation with power journaling. She shared her formula for seeking the Lord. A desire to #HearHim . While it took me some time to get into a good practice of doing it on purpose, below is how it looks for me.

I love to write down my thoughts! It helps me to feel less frustrated to do some PoWeR journaling each day! I have learned that if I do this first thing in the morning, when I can have my own quiet time and before I check in with the world, I am in a much better place. This PoWeR not only blesses me, but the whole family. You know the saying, “If mom ain’t happy, ain’t no one happy!” It’s simple – Pray, Write, and Read. 

Pray - Pouring out my heart to God with a meaningful and purposeful prayer. Thanking Heavenly Father for specific blessings, asking Him for blessings I need, asking and inviting His spirit to be with me. Then I put my Bic multi-colored pen and power journal to work. In green I write a power statement, a declaration of truth or fighting statement. A few days ago my declaration was “I am trusting in the God and rock of my salvation; wherefore I become conqueror of the enemy” (thanks Jacob 7:25). Switching to blue ink...

Write - I write a letter to God in blue ink. I tell Him whatever is on my mind, what I am feeling, my concerns. I write down my feelings – good or bad, worried or sad. I ask for His guidance and that I really want to hear Him. 

Read - The next step is to read His words and listen for what He has to tell me. Sometimes I choose to read the Come Follow Me assignment for the week, lesson prep I need to do, a general conference talk, or at times I have just randomly opened my scriptures. In black ink, I write in my power journal things I might be learning or noticing. I might copy down from the scriptures/words of prophets. 

Red ink is incredible because in red I record the things I am learning from the spirit or inspiration I am receiving to do something. I am creating evidence that I am hearing Him! Thumbing through my notebook I love to see the red. When I start to get into a mood battle or need to reset my mind, it helps to go back and look at my truth statement and see the evidence, because I know what the enemy is up too - trying to get me to forget my truth and see everyone else as the enemy. Oh, I still have plenty of less-then-pretty moments, but this sure helps me keep my sanity. Additionally, this practice feels me with peace and love from my Heavenly Father and empowers me with strength and courage to move on in my day in a happier, more grounded place. I am better able to hear the Lord throughout the day and receive revelation for me and my family. 

The past few weeks specifically, because of the Covid-19 issue, I have had many opportunities to seek the Lord and ask for his comfort and direction. If you are reading this, I bet you have too. Searching answers to questions such as: how am I to make Sundays work at home without going to Church and partaking of the Sacrament? How should our family adjust to home schooling and working from home? Starting the day with an earthquake and aftershocks was unnerving, help guide and give me and our family comfort. How shall I minister to my family and friends who are also self distancing? My missionary is coming home in a few days, will you guide and help us all with that change in our plan? So much change is happening, help me maintain peace and feel Thy love and comfort.

As I seek the Lord early in my challenges and difficulties, He will be found comforting and guiding me. I know it! I am better able to watch and notice the tender mercies. A grateful heart for my blessings finds me turning to the Lord again with prayers of gratitude. I hope He finds me expressing that quickly and early as well. 

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I'd like to reference this 2018 talk from President Nelson, "Revelation for the Church, Revelation for our Lives". One of the quotes from his message continually comes to my mind and drives me to seek the Lord and to #HearHim. He said, "But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost."

Jesus Christ IS the Prince of Peace.

Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace.  His peace is present in the temple, His Holy House. I know it because I’ve felt it. We're blessed with temples that dot the earth, filling the world with the peace of our Savior. I am grateful for the peace and joy I felt this week as I attended the Bountiful Temple. This temple is currently getting a few repairs to become stronger and leak proof. Inside the temple we too can be made stronger, repair our follies, restore peace, and fortify our leaks and weaknesses. Which is all possible because of our loving Savior, Jesus Christ who atoned, suffered, and died to make us better.

Bountiful, Utah Temple under repairs - April 2017

Recently I was reminded of another time I felt immense peace while at the temple.  It was when my grandmother died about 16 years ago.  I was sorrowful.  While she was older, it was still an unexpected death.  A day or two after her death, I had a strong feeling to go to the temple.  I needed some peace and if there is anywhere heavenly on earth, it is at the temple.  With a prayer in my heart, I went knowing I would feel better but was hopeful that I might feel my grandmother close to me too. 

My grandmother has always been an example to look to of temple service.  She and my grandpa served in the Manti Temple for years. Grandma also worked at Beehive Clothing (which is now the Church Distribution Center) where the temple garment and temple clothes could be purchased.  I was blessed to learn the importance of these sacred clothing items from both my mother and my grandmother.  Grandma personally made for me part of my temple clothing.  It’s awesome, because I always have a little bit of her with me whenever I go the temple. That day at the temple 16 years ago, the importance of this temple clothing gift was realized.  Peace and joy filled my soul as I recognized this tender mercy.

Another special thing that happened that day at the temple was one of the temple workers during the session I was attending looked so much like my grandma.  Even a few mannerisms were like grandma’s.  It was incredibly wonderful!  This tender mercy added to the peace I so desired.  In the Lord’s house, He was showing me that He was aware of my heartache.  He was making me stronger.  The Prince of Peace was helping to fortify me and help with my weeping and my own leaking. 

Because of Jesus Christ faithfully completing His life’s mission, my grandmother lives and will one day be resurrected and I will see her again. I know that.  I too will have this miraculous gift.  All of us will.  Oh, it is wonderful!  Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace!  He brings and restores peace to my life all the time. 

This Easter season I give thanks and praise to Jesus Christ!  As I have thought about Him and the Prince of Peace campaign, I was thinking there is no Easter music that plays over the radio for weeks like there is during Christmas time. To me, the world doesn’t seem to honor Jesus Christ or praise Him much during Easter.  It’s sad.  President Hinckley once said “There would be no Christmas if there had not been Easter. The babe Jesus of Bethlehem would be but another baby without the redeeming Christ of Gethsemane and Calvary, and the triumphant fact of the Resurrection.” I decided a few weeks ago to create playlist of Easter Music, music about the Savior.  It has been perfect for me and has added to my devotion to Jesus Christ and increased my understanding and awe of His atonement so much.  Worthy music helps me feel the spirit, understand and learn truth; it fills my soul with goodness and brings peace to my life. 

In my scripture reading this morning, verses that I have read numerous times before, today this particular verse seemed to jump off the page: "To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world." (D&C 46:13) I have been blessed with this gift!! I know He is God's Son!! Jesus Christ came to earth to do Heavenly Father's will. Jesus had a divine mission. He was crucified, but has resurrected, and lives! He lovingly, patiently, faithfully, and miraculously fulfilled that mission for you and me. Because of Jesus Christ, every one of us can be forgiven of our mistakes, have peace in our lives, be redeemed from sin, become stronger in our weaknesses, and one day have resurrected bodies like Jesus and be joined again with loved ones. Jesus Christ IS our Savior and Redeemer! 

How does Jesus Christ bring peace to my life?  He does so as I come unto Him through good music, being in His temple, praying with faith, reading His words in the scriptures, seeing His tender mercies in my life, and recognizing His sacrifice and wondrous gift of the atonement and resurrection.  All of this brings peace to my life.  Jesus Christ IS the Prince of Peace.  

Who is Jesus Christ?  Here is a 60-second video that will tell you about this miraculous man. To know learn more about the Prince of Peace, you can at mormon.org.  Happy Easter!  

Cherries, Cherries, Cherries, and MORE Cherries!!!!

This spring our cherry trees were full with bright, white blossoms. "We looked out our windows and what did we see?  Popcorn popping on the cherry trees!" 

It was almost as if the trees were celestial!   In the seven years we've lived here, the cherry trees have never quite looked like this.  They were so beautiful! 

It wasn't long before the beautiful blossoms fell and in their place we could easily see all the small, green cherry buds emerging.  This worried us as we were nervous to the amount of fruit these trees were capable of producing! To help save some funds for our summer family vacation, we opted not to have the trees professionally pruned back in January/February and we certainly did not try pruning them ourselves.  I think the lack of pruning might have been our problem for all these cherries!  In fact, knowing that the cherries would probably be at their very best picking during the time we were on our trip, we thought much about just picking those little green cherries right then.  Someone talked us out of that idea.  Instead, we decided to have a professional come and spray the cherries for worms, for that had been a problem in years past. 

The fruit ripened, became red in color and the cherries were very plentiful.  In some areas they grew like grape clusters!  With two trees, we were going to have so much fruit and we would not be around for a couple of weeks to do much with them (nor did we really want too).  We offered the cherries to everyone!  Some came and picked buckets full.  Others came with their little children for a small grocery sack full.  

                                

One day (Flag Day), Eliza and her cousin picked cherries and sold them.  This was kind of embarrassing for me, since a few hours previously I put a post on my Facebook page that they were for free.  But those two girls picked the cherries and bagged them in various sizes and made $30+ that afternoon.  Still, this hardly put a dent in our over-abundant cherry supply! 

While yummy and sweet, the cherries can be a big mess when they fall to the ground.  Some just drop, but the raccoon and birds do their fair share in helping the cherries to fall.  My husband has spent hours raking up cherries to help get the squished, sticky residue out of the grass; in hopes that that pit comes out of the lawn too.  Why worry when you can pray?  We were worried that while we were gone for a few weeks those cherries would fall and we would come home to a huge mess on our lawn.  We prayed and included this worry in our prayer the morning we left for our trip.  Praying also that people would stop by and pick, and pick cherries while we were gone.  Some people would text or email or even comment on Facebook that they stopped by, this would make us so glad.  When we returned, we were happily relieved to not have the anticipated big mess on our lawn.  Our prayer was answered, and that prayer may have very well been answered by a kind, anonymous soul (or two or more) who raked up for us. How grateful we were for that tender mercy, no matter how the Lord chose to answer it.

I didn't know too much about what to do with cherries, other than bottling them or making jam. So when I saw this little cookbook, "Berry and Cherry Recipes" at The Arch gift shop in St. Louis, I knew I could greatly benefit from it.  Some things I made with the cherries this year were cherry syrup for pancakes; a cherry sauce and cherry frosting for some sweet rolls; a cherry crisp dessert inside a pie shell; cherry muffins; cherry braised chicken dish.  Almost all of the recipes turned out well.  Lance particularly loved the chicken and cherry crisp.  The muffins, however, did not look too great and they were heavy and dense - more like hockey pucks.  

   

We still had so many deep, red cherries all over in our trees!  Another plea was sent out.  This time we tried placing a sign at our sidewalk that would alert people passing by, including friends and neighbors in other parts of the neighborhood, that we had plenty of cherries to share and wanted to give away!  More people came and the sign was effective.  We left a larger step stool in the yard along with a wobbly, wooden ladder.  In hopes that it would make the picking job easier and perhaps more enticing.  Thankful we were whenever someone stopped by and picked.

People were appreciative too of the cherries.  Their thankfulness to us came back in various forms.  Such as people posting pictures of their pickings on Facebook or photos of pies or other yummy things they were able to make with the cherries.  Someone left a nice note on our door.  Another neighbor brought us some cherry almond jam she and her family made.  It was soooo good!  Many would tell us how much they picked and how glad they were for the cherries.  Most recently we had someone stop by and bring us a warm loaf of homemade wheat bread.  Very yummy and thoughtful too.  While these gestures were not necessary; especially since we were most thankful to them for helping us out with picking!  It did feel good to share and know that people liked them.

Well over a week ago, there were still lots of cherries high in the trees and they had to come down.  Lance was really tired of raking them and the cherries were getting less firm and darker in color.  I'll use Andrew's words to explain what we did.  He gave a talk about families at Church on Sunday and used this example in his talk.  He shared:  

"One way to help in the home is by working together.  When we work together, we can accomplish a lot.  As you know we have 2 big cherry trees in our front yard. And this year we had the most cherries we ever had! We had a lot of people come over and pick them, but it seemed to not even make a dent. Towards the end of the growing season the cherries fall on the ground. We have to rake them up, and that is a tough job to do. My dad would come out almost every other day and rake them up.  Although we didn't help him very often raking up the cherries, this week, we worked as a family and got rid of all the cherries in the tree.  We laid tarps out around the trees. Some of us climbed up in the trees and began shaking the branches. Others would reach up with rakes and knock of the trees.  Working together we cleared both trees."

The cherries would be knocked to the ground on tarps we had laid out on the lawn and then dump the cherries from the tarp to the green can.  We were so thankful for Lance's brother who came and shared a big chunk of his time helping us getting the last of the cherries down.  By the time we were all finished last Saturday, I think we calculated we filled the green can at least one and half times.  Now that's a lot of cherries!  Especially considering how many were picked and used by others!  

I hope this works, here is video that shows the process...

Why don't we just cut the trees down?  We've considered it.  But we love the shade these trees offer our home, especially since we have older windows on our west facing home that really need to be upgraded.  Certainly we will prune next year and are really thinking of spraying the trees so they won't bare fruit next year.  We'll see.  But for now, we'll enjoy the few months break before the leaves turn golden and start to fall and our work of raking starts back up.  ;)

A Blog is Born!

Our lives, our days are made up of moments.  At the end of the day it’s nice to recall the events, those good and perhaps not so good moments.  Happenings that truly were happy, or events that might cause us to feel gratitude and appreciation, or helped us to improve.  Moments that can cause our hearts to rejoice because we can see God’s hand in our lives and the tender mercies He extends to us.  It’s moments like these that I want to “write down” or record, and always remember.  But I also want to be able to share things that I do, or my family and I do, to make our lives better.  As I make record of such events, I do so to share but also to grow into a history for my family to always remember and rejoice in.