Places of Refuge

There have been so many times in my life when I have been in need of a refuge from the storm.  

Psalm 91 says that the Lord 'is my refuge and my fortress'.  Isaiah 25 tells us he is 'a refuge from the storm'. Many of those times have been when I needed spiritual strength given to me.  

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I often find the spiritual strengthening and refuge I need in holy temples, in our church meetings, in reading my scriptures, in the peace that comes through priesthood blessings, and in moments of sacred prayer with my Father in Heaven. 

I tend to find refuge and strength when I'm with our family.  Because I know they love me, I know I can be strengthened by them and feel that things will be ok.  Maybe not perfect right now, but 'eventually'.

I also feel my Savior strongly when I am in a position to enjoy nature and to feel Him in my surroundings. 

And then there are days when a place of refuge looks like this:

On our morning walk one day it was very overcast and foggy.  Rain was predicted, but we looked at the radar before we took off and felt that we would be ok.  And then the rain started just as we were passing a construction site that just happened to have this most welcome sight right next to the road.  We hurried over and barricaded ourselves inside.  We were there for 15-20 minutes before we heard the rain subside.  We laughed about this literal place of refuge from the storm, but we were oh, so thankful! 

We continued our walk, and when we turned around to head back home, we found ourselves a little ways past our place of refuge when the rain started again.  My husband suggested we go back to the safe place.  I was ready to get home and convinced him the storm would ease soon and we should just keep walking.  Suffice it to say that by the time we got home, we were both soaked and freezing! 

I'm not sure why it was so hard for me to take advantage of the gift that had literally been placed 

right in our path! 

 I'm sure I do this too many times in my walk through life - asking for His help, then going on by myself when he is trying so hard to make things easier for me!

I have found that getting through the storms of life is never as easy if we convince ourselves that our way will be ok and we should just keep going.  

Things always turn out better when I include the Lord and the protections and strength that he so graciously offers me.  

Resilient Relationships - Forever Friends

I recently had someone 'find' me on social media that I had known when she was a teenager, probably 30-ish years ago.  She was a teenager at the time and I was over the youth group in our church serving as the young women's president.  She got married and moved on with life.  We eventually moved from the area and we hadn't had any connection with her for years!

Earlier in the week, I received a private message on fb messenger.  "Hi, this is (no name needed).  You were my young women's leader.  Do you remember me?"

And from that first message, we have been catching up on what life has brought our way over the many years since our last interactions.  The heartaches, the illnesses, the things in life that have taken therapy and lots of searching to sort out, the joy of having one consistent thing that has been their anchor (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), and the importance of relationships that stay with us.

I asked her why she tried to find me and decided to reach out.  This is what she said, and it touched my heart deeply. 

 "I looked up to you as a teen.  I have always been grateful for the kindness you showed me.  You have and always will have, a special place in my heart." 

You just never know what it is that you are doing as you are just living your life that may have an impact on someone else.  I pray that most of my interactions with others are like this one.  But I'm sure there are some who remember me because they felt I didn't treat them well.  

I believe this is what heaven will be like.  

Connecting  

Remembering  

Embracing

Loving  

Our high school class recently held our 50 year reunion.  There were people there that I hadn't seen, literally, since graduation night.  People I was acquaintances with, but weren't really 'friends' with.  But especially with one sweet person that was there, I feel like I have made a friend!  

Some of my classmates from the class of '75

Everyone we meet along our journey has the potential of  making a difference in our lives.  Maybe they are there for a lifetime, and maybe just for a season.  Everyone of them is so important.

If I could give advice to my teen-age self - it would be to be friends with more people - to make my circle bigger, not smaller - and to be the kind of person that helps everyone feel that they are of worth.  

Foggy mornings are as beautiful as clear ones.
They each serve a purpose.

Baptism Quilt - Number 6

I have not been doing a good job of keeping up with posts!  Yikes!  Lots to say about why, but let's just focus on this really good day that happened earlier this year.  Another grandchild who chose to be baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Another quilt to help him remember this special day, made by me - grandma!

He wanted the main color to be the light aqua/teal color.  It's very hard to find those colors that are more masculine.  I bought several fabrics and brought them home.  He said no to a couple of them.  Then it was off to the fabric store again.  I would pick out a few more patterns then take a picture and send to his mom so he could approve them before I bought them!  They get so opinionated at about this age - 8!   

I love the opportunity to make something that will help them remember the covenants they have made with their Father in Heaven and the desire to follow the example of Jesus and be baptized.