Friday, November 5, 2010

What Have You Done With My Name




I was sitting in front of my computer this morning listening to a couple of the CD’s that I had brought back from my dad’s after the funeral. He liked cowboy music and songs of faith among many others; but these two were out next to his CD player. They were two of the last CD’s he listened to. I was listening to “Someone To Care For You” by Jimmy Davis, and I was in tears. I don’t know if they were tears of sadness because I was remembering my dad; tears of joy because of the song’s message, or tears of laughter, because my cat was singing along.
Part of the song says,
“When your disappointment comes
And you feel so blue,
There is someone who cares for you…
He’ll come down from the skies
And brush the tears from your eyes
You’re his child and he cares for you.”

It was interesting, being back in New Mexico under these circumstances. My dad was a quiet, pleasant, interesting man.
We knew him as a father, as a leader in church, as a scientist, as a scouter, as a neighbor. On this trip I learned about him as a member of the community he lived in for fifty-nine years. As I went around town people would stop me and comment about what a nice man my father was; how much they enjoyed being with him; and how much they had learned from him. Just my mentioning his name brought on their stories.

This brought to my mind a story about one of our church presidents, George Albert Smith.

What Have You Done with My Name?

When President George Albert Smith was young, his deceased grandfather George A. Smith appeared to him in a dream and asked, “I would like to know what you have done with my name.” President Smith responded, “I have never done anything with your name of which you need be ashamed.”
In his October conference talk, Mervyn B. Arnold said,

” Someday each one of us will have to account to our Savior, Jesus Christ, for what we have done with His name.

Each week as we partake of the sacrament, we covenant and promise that we are willing to take upon us the name of Christ, always remember Him, and keep His commandments. If we are willing to do so, we are promised that most wonderful blessing—that His Spirit will always be with us.

Just as President George Albert Smith had to account to his grandfather for what he had done with his name, someday each one of us will have to account to our Savior, Jesus Christ, for what we have done with His name.

The importance of having a good name is spoken of in Proverbs, where we read: ‘A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold’ and ‘The name of the just is blessed.’”
I know not everyone has been blessed with the kind of parents that I was, but I believe that there is some good in every man. We should look for that good and appreciate it. And what ever is happening in our lives, our loving father cares for us.
Someday each one of us will have to account to our Savior, Jesus Christ, for what we have done with His name.

With love,

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Seascape



Clouds forming o’er the mountains,
Wind whistling through the trees;
Snow dusting on the landscape—
Know what I think of these?

I could be warm and tanning
Beneath the coconut palm.
On sand the surf is frothing—
Mind’s seascape keeps me calm.