Thursday, June 30, 2011

I looked upon the tapestry before me



The Quilt Holes 

As I  faced my Maker at the last judgment,
I knelt before the Lord along with all the  other souls. 

Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was.  They were filled with giant  holes.  Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in everyday life.  I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me.  Nobody else had such squares.  Other than a tiny hole here and  there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune.


I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.


My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together,
threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth.  The others rose; each in  turn, holding up their tapestries.  So filled their lives had been. 


My angel looked upon me and nodded for me to rise.


My gaze dropped to the ground in shame.  I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes.  I had love in my life and laughter.  But there had also been trials of illness and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it.  I had to start over many times.  I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again.  I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life.  I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.


And now, I had to face the truth.. 
My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was.


I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.

An awe-filled gasp filled the air. 
I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.

Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ.  Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes.  He said, 'Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles.

Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you.'

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through!











Wednesday, June 29, 2011

And I think to myself what a wonderful world





"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive
who is Youer than You."


Every cloud has Angels in it .
Andrew VonRentzell age 10


Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and
what you do are in harmony.


Life is like a roller coaster,  it goes up and down, makes you scream and costs a lot to ride.
Hannah Chestem age 6

Sometimes you just need to take a nap and get over it.
Maura Stuard age 8

 
When you love somebody, you're supposed to tell them
Jaden Young age 5

We worry about what a child will become tomorrow,
Yet we forget that he is someone today.

Tomorrow we can eat broccoli, but today is for ice cream!
Mallery Hobson Age 9

A friend is a sweet person when your life isn't so sweet.
Heather Button  age 11

When I see you, my eyes turn into little hearts.
Cameron Koch age 4
      
Life is about who you Love
Anna Yu age 12


The place to be happy is here, the time to be happy is now!


Look for the happy spots in life!

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle,
and the life of the candle will not be shortened.
Happiness never decreases by being shared.


And I think to myself what a wonderful world


The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky,
Are also on the faces of people passing by.
I see friends shaking hands, saying, 'How do you do?'
They're really saying, ' I...I love you!'

This is the day which the Lord hath made,
we will rejoice and be glad in it. 
Psalm 118:24


Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Beloved



byVicki F. Matsumori

A Sunbeam teacher wrapped
each of her class members one by one in a blanket
to teach them how the Spirit feels like the
comfort and security of that covering.

A visiting mother also heard the lesson.
Many months later the mother thanked the teacher.

She told how she had been less active
when she accompanied her young daughter to Primary.

Several weeks after the lesson, the mother suffered a miscarriage.
She was overcome with grief when suddenly she felt a great warmth and peace.
It felt like someone had covered her with a warm blanket.

She recognized the reassurance of the
Spirit and knew that Heavenly Father
 was aware of her and that He loved her.

When we come to understand the whisperings of the Spirit,
we will be able to hear Him teach us "the peaceable things of the kingdom"
and "all things what we should do."  
We will recognize answers to our prayers

and know how to live the gospel more fully each day.
We will be guided and protected.
And we can cultivate this gift in our lives
as we follow those spiritual promptings.
Most importantly, we will feel Him witness to us
 of the Father and of the Son.

He loves each of us.
He knows us individually and personally.
He hears the pleadings of our hearts,
and He answers those sincere prayers.





By Elder Neil L. Andersen

We love President Thomas S. Monson, the Lord's prophet.
I will forever remember his kindness as he extended my call last April.

At the conclusion of our interview,
he opened his arms to embrace me. President Monson is a tall man.
As he wrapped his long arms around me and pulled me close,
I felt like a little boy being held in the protective arms of a loving father.

Thomas Monson hugging Brother Joseph Wirthlin
-
In the months since that experience,
I have thought of the Lord's invitation
to come unto Him and to
spiritually be wrapped in His arms.


He said, "Behold, my arms of mercy are extended towards you,
and whosoever will come,
him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me."
The scriptures speak of His arms being open,
extended, stretched out, and encircling.

 They are described as mighty and holy, arms of mercy,
arms of safety, arms of love, "lengthened out all the day long."
We have each felt to some extent these spiritual arms around us.

We have felt His forgiveness, His love and comfort.
The Lord has said, "I am he who comforteth you."

The Lord's desire that we come unto Him and
be wrapped in His arms is often an invitation to repent.

"Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men,
 for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith:
Repent, and I will receive you."

He knows. He has felt your pain. He has declared,
"I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands."
The Savior is there, reaching out to each of us, bidding us:

"Come unto me." We can repent. We can!



1 Peter4:12-13
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery atrial which is to try you,
as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But arejoice, inasmuch as ye are bpartakers of Christ's csufferings; that, when his glory shall be
 drevealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Knowing that in our weakness we find His strength

The Cracked Water Pot
A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house,
the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering
only one and a half pots full of water in his master's house.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."
"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"
"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."
   
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path,
but not on the other pot's side?

That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."
Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father's table great ~Knowing that in our weakness we find His strength~