Thursday, July 26, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Pioneer Day!
Pioneers
They cut desire into short lengths
And fed it to the hungry fires of courage,
Long after-- when the flames died
Moulten gold gleamed in the ashes.
They gathered it into bruised palms
And handed it to their children,
And their children's children.
Vilate Raile
They cut desire into short lengths
And fed it to the hungry fires of courage,
Long after-- when the flames died
Moulten gold gleamed in the ashes.
They gathered it into bruised palms
And handed it to their children,
And their children's children.
Vilate Raile
Friday, July 20, 2012
Come, Come Ye Saints...
Meet Sarah. She is named for one of my pioneer ancestors. She has on an apron to represent the many duties she would have had to keep her family well and fed. She is carrying a book of hymns to represent her desire to teach her children faith through the joy of music. Her shawl represents her charity and the warmth of her testimony. The cameo represents her heritage. The flowers are cuttings that represent her hope to create a beautiful home in a far away place.
We’ll make the air with music ring,
Shout praises to our God and King;
Above the rest these words we’ll tell—
All is well! All is well!
We’ll make the air with music ring,
Shout praises to our God and King;
Above the rest these words we’ll tell—
All is well! All is well!
~William Clayton
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Feather & Nest Feature!
This little Fairy Princess bride was featured on Feather & Nest today in a fun Wuthering Heights inspired post... Heathcliff! Stop by and see it, it's very creative!
If you are interested in custom cake toppers of your own... stop by my shop...
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Vintage Bride...
The bride isn't vintage.. she is young and lovely, but her wedding is themed around some of her grandmother's pretty things and gorgeous antique lace... Custom wedding cake topers available at..
Monday, July 09, 2012
The Harbinger...
The book is all based on a prophecy in Isaiah 9:10 that tells about America's future as a nation. By the time I got to the part about John Edwards' speech, I was amazed. Except.. the premise that it is rebellion to say that you are going to come back stronger after a tragedy, I could never get that to feel so wrong. But, all the plans for that have been frustrated in a way that is truly astonishing.
The perspective of someone from another faith tradition is always interesting to me. I am usually impressed more by the similarities. I loved the message at the end about the love of God, which is something I truly believe.
If you have read the Book of Mormon, you know this basic story with even more details. Nations are great when they love God, when they stop obeying his commandments, they become wicked and they either destroy themselves or God allows them to be destroyed.
I wonder if he has read the story of Captain Moroni and Pahoran that I taught my class yesterday? I love those verses in Alma chapters 60-61 where the desires of those two good men to unite their nation with it's liberty are written in the most soul stirring language.
It was Jonathan Cahn's perspective on this that was my favorite part of the book. He understands that God does all things out of love. He would not have precious children born into a world with no chance at all for love or happiness. He knows that like people, nations can repent and make themselves right with God again. His hope is that America will heed the many warnings that have been given and return to God. That is my hope too.
Saturday, July 07, 2012
Monday, July 02, 2012
The Hiding Place...
This summer I decided to introduce dad's reading program to my own daughter. She is very sensitive and this book has some difficult topics and so I read the book aloud to her. I'm so glad that I did because I needed to read this book again.
The courage of this family and the amazing things they were able to accomplish with faith and little else is infinitely inspiring.
After hiding Jews for a year in their home, the ten Boom family is arrested. When they are interrogated, the Nazi in charge speaks to the elderly father Casper ten Boom and says, "I'd like to send you home, old fellow... I'll take your word that you won't cause any more trouble." Evenly and clearly Casper replied, "If I go home today, tomorrow I will open my door again to any man in need who knocks."
Friday afternoon a middle-aged man came to my own door, he was red faced, sweaty and trying too hard as he presented his proposal to paint address numbers on my curb. I have a "no soliciting" sign on my door and I'm very suspicious of strangers so I said "no" almost immediately. For two seconds I watched this man walk away, watched him sigh and watched his shoulders slump. It took some time to dawn on me, sadly, but I made a terrible mistake. I turned away someone in need, someone who I now feel sure is out of work and trying to feed a family.
We have limited resources and time to give and so it requires having the gift of discernment with us at all times to know where we should be and when we can help. In his important talk, Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall, Elder Oaks says, "We are commanded to give to the poor. Could the fulfillment of that fundamental Christian obligation be carried to excess? I believe it can, and I believe I have seen examples of this. Perhaps you have also seen cases where persons fulfilled that duty to such an extent that they impoverished their own families by expending resources of property or time that were needed for family members."
Most of us can probably share more than we do and that is certainly true of myself. This book is an example that charity is what is required and charity is something we can only give when we have His spirit with us.
Charity is also what is required to forgive. Last week in my Sunday School lesson, I used this scripture in D&C 50:24 "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth birghter and brighter until the perfect day."
This scripture explains such an important principle. We are commanded to tithe, but we recieve the testimony of tithing when we keep the commendment or "continue in God". In the end of this book, Corrie ten Boom tells about an experience she has giving talks about the gospel of Christ. After one of these talks a guard who had terrorized and humiliated her in the Ravensbruck concentration camp came to her to shake her hand. After speaking of forgiveness she found that she could not lift her hand to shake his... so she prayed for help to lift her hand to his. "As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand, a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me. And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than our goodness that the world's healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself."
I know this is true. I know that the word of God has the power to bring peace and hope in the darkness. I know that goodness and courage are spiritual gifts that our Father in Heaven can give us when we call on His name. I know that He knows each heart and every hurt and has the power to make us whole. I know that His love and compassion for each of his children is infinite.
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