security

The cat won’t stay off my lap. It seems like anytime I sit down so does she-- on me. Even at night her favorite place to sleep is on my hip, especially if I have been away for a few days. I am her security. The rabbit was the same way. When the cats started chasing her she would jump into my lap and cry. I even had a little dog that would hide her eyes in my armpit when the fireworks or thunderstorms started. I don’t understand why they all didn’t go to my husband or children. Was I more comforting or just sitting more often?
I know my children would come to me when their worlds were getting chaotic. They still call when things are going on in their lives just to talk and get some comforting feedback. I miss my Mom and being able to call and tell her things. She was always my security, bolstering my own independence and confidence.

I remember sitting in the car outside the church during an evacuation for a forest fire. Traffic wasn’t moving and we were essentially parked for the night. Luckily we were in front of the church which was open for bathrooms, donuts, updates and comforting arms. In the car we listened to the radio saying that our whole neighborhood was burned to the ground. My daughter cried and we talked about how we had the important things. We had our family, our pets and we were all safe.
At dawn the cars on our street were able to move onto the main street and we met up with my husband and son and were able to caravan to Albuquerque and meet up with my parents. The radio report was wrong and so far lower Arizona Ave. had not burned. The fire stopped across the street from our house.

I remember a radio program that played on our local station when I was growing up it started with the announcer saying
“Be still and know that I am God”
As I was sitting in the temple the last time I went, I was thinking of all the chaos going on in the Middle East. I looked around the room. It had no windows. You couldn’t see the world outside and I remember thinking “I am not out in the world. I am safe and secure. That’s why I love to go to church on Sunday. For a few hours I am safe and secure—away from the world.
What makes you feel secure? What is your safety? I asked my husband thinking he would say having a job and money saved makes me feel secure. He said,
"Prayer." Knowing God would listen makes him feel secure.

In the scriptures there are many references to man’s yearning for security and safety

Job 11:18
And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

Moroni 1:3
And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whither soever I can for the safety of mine own life.

Psalms 4:8
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

Take care, and be safe.

Blow
Says the North wind
Blow
Go ornery winter
Just go

We’re ready for spring
For birds on the wing
For flowers so bright
Soft rain in the night
Our winter is ending
Just go

Words

Words

She loves her words,
Everything crisp in black and white.
Using similes, metaphors, hanging participles-
Students
Raging with anger
Rolling with
Fear, longing, humor and romance
Use words to
Command the universe
Nurture a family
Teach the next generation.
A poet, a teacher, a writer
Words
Rule.

Sharing

Just Bertie and me sitting by the fire
Looking out the window
Wishing for the sun
Just Bertie and me
Sharing the love.

Just Bertie and me wondering
What is going to happen
To make the day fun
Just Bertie and me
Wishing you love

what ever happened to love

February 2011 and the world’s gone crazy! What ever happened to love?

Through the years I have been making quilts for all of my mother’s grand children at her request. The one I finished last month was for my son Michael. While I was quilting it the other day, I was listening to a CD of religious music. Suddenly, “Love One Another” by Luacine Clark Fox started playing. It was the theme for Michael’s mission.

Back then we still had Missionary Farewells at church. He asked his little six-year-old sister to play the hymn on the piano and sing it during the meeting. She had only been taking lessons for a year but she agreed to do it because she loved him. That morning we found out that one of the speakers for the day was ill and wouldn’t be coming. So Michael asked his sister to also tell the story of Jonah and the Whale. She didn’t think she knew the story well enough, but he convinced her to tell the story as I sat on the floor behind the railing, coaching. We loved Michael, and wanted his day to go well. Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh and tried to run away. But eventually he was convinced to go and call the people to repentance.. Then he sat back and waited. He was going to watch them be destroyed because he knew they would not repent. But the people believed him and repented.. And the Lord loved Nineveh and spared them. Naīnuwa;i Persian: (Nineveh) was an ancient city on the eastern bank of the Tigris River in ancient Assyria. Its ruins are across the river from the modern-day major city of Mosul, in the Ninawa Governorate of Iraq.
As I read about it’s history I made note of all the times it was at war, how many times it was destroyed and how many times it’s people have regrouped and started again. I hope that this time the area will be able to survive peacefully. I know that in spite of being at war in Iraq, there are many soldiers who have learned to love the people of Iraq as they have worked with them. But that area of the world is still in turmoil. It seems to get worse every time I turn on the news.

Here at home we also see many stories of man’s anger against his family, his neighbor, his government. What has happened to the world’s love of and for humanity?

Because Valentines Day is in February I hope you will think about love.
What are you doing about it? Do you feel it? Can you help it?
What ever happened to love? And What Are you doing about it?
I challenge you to do a loving act each day for our brothers and sisters; for our neighbors and friends; for the world in which we live . Do it from the time you read this letter till the last day of the month. That’s less than 28.
Have a wonderful month!

1/1/11

This year we will be studying the history of Relief Society. Julie Beck , Relief Society general president says “ Understanding our history is not only important, it is essential.
An understanding of our history inspires us to be the women of God we need to be.
Our history teaches that the same principles that existed in the early church are our foundation principles today.
As we value our history, we can better share our spiritual heritage.
Understanding our history helps make us an effective part of the future of relief Society.”
President Spencer W. Kimball explained, “We know that women who have deep appreciation for the past will be concerned about shaping a righteous future.”

I guess that the older I get the more I enjoy history. For the past year I have been reading about the countries of the origin of my ancestors, Scotland, Germany and Northern England. I’ve read letters and diaries of my father’s brothers, and uncles. I recently heard that my brother found my mother’s childhood diary, which I am just itching to get hold of.

I dreamed I was at a funeral—People were reminiscing about the life of their loved one. I wondered as I do whenever I go to a funeral, what people would say at mine. I look at the things my family has accomplished, and I admire them. Most of the time I feel like a slug on a log. I guess living with me day in and day out I don’t see the things I do. I was pleased when given a compliment from a friend to see that I have done something notable in my life.
It’s nice when someone cares enough to give a lift to another’s soul.

In reading a book about the Scottish king, Robert the Bruce I read this quote. It made me contemplate my current existence.
“Life should mean achievement in great things and small,
Without achievements, life is merest existence, of neither virtue nor relish.”
Bishop Lamburton in Robert the Bruce The Price of the Kings Peace Nigel Tranter

Bishop Lamburton and King Robert were contemplating the end of their lives, grateful that they had been able to accomplish their dream of a free and united Scotland, and the rebuilding of the great St. Andrews Cathedral.

In the last year of my father’s life we would begin each day thinking about what we would do for that day, and at the end we felt it was a good day if we had managed to do one thing. In his case that one thing might just be to get out of bed. Being thirty some years younger I felt I had to do better than that. But still some days making the bed is not the only thing I do, but the only thing I finish. I tend to flit from thing to thing not being able to settle down and finish. There are so many books to read, people to talk to, quilts to make, paintings to paint, and poems and stories to write. I don’t know where to begin. I find myself longing to leave my history somewhere, in some way--proof that I existed.
As we enter the New Year, what’s calling to you? What do you want to add to your history?

JANUARY MORNING

Frosty is what I think of today
Frosty breaths in the passing crowds
Frosty sidewalks catching walkers unaware
The exhaust from the cars rising in the cold air
Chrystal ice gleams from the branches of trees
Light shimmers in the atmosphere
Laughing people making their way about their day
The new year
Holding its breath