Trailing Clouds of Glory

When a spirit son or daughter enters this mortal world they come through their mother’s womb. In the womb they receive a physical body which is cushioned from mortal life by the amiotic fluids. At birth, they pass from the womb into the real world bringing a light from their heavenly realm and a perfect innocence and trust in their new parents. 

William Wordsworth aptly phrased it when he said in his poem, Ode on Intimations of Immortality, 

“Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:

The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star,

        Hath had elsewhere its setting,

          And cometh from afar:

        Not in entire forgetfulness,

        And not in utter nakedness,

But trailing clouds of glory do we come

        From God, who is our home:

Heaven lies about us in our infancy!” Source

I have carried eight full term pregnancies and delivered each one. In the process I have been a witness to the light that enters the world with the birth of a new baby. It is reminiscent of a heaven that I have forgotten but from which I also came.

The laws of men continue to favor the choices of men and women to terminate the life of an unborn child. These laws grant immunity from the justice that law normally requires for those who kill but it does not eliminate the consequences. Women who agree to an abortion report experiencing a private hell to which no one is sympathetic.

Jesus explained it this way, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

(John 3:18-21)

When parents choose abortion, they choose to hate the light in the womb lest their deeds which engendered the new life should be reproved. Fear of reproach is a real motivator because we rely on our families and communities for support. Standing alone to raise a child means taking on a life-long commitment to love and nurture someone else on their earth journey. It’s not easy. Choosing abortion is easy until the pain comes after “birth.”

There is a way to overcome the great burden of guilt that comes with abortion. Only through the name of the only begotten Son of God can our guilt be washed away and our spirit find peace. “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:17) We must approach Him in prayer and ask to be forgiven. The process will be long. No set amount of Hail Marys will work. Running from the pain will not work. It will resurface again and again until it is resolved. All healing will come from heaven through the power of the Son of God.

Suggested reading: Spirit Child: Healing the Wound of Abortion by Isabella Kirton 

Thanksgiving Playlist

November is the time for heavy Christmas marketing and very few advertisers are interested in the major US Holiday of Thanksgiving. However, I think a lot of people have good feelings about Thanksgiving because family gets together and people feel more connected to each other. This playlist will help you get in the mood to really enjoy this special holiday. I purposely omitted songs about the fall season/autumn because they are neutral. These types of songs can be added to your playlist if they remind you of home. If you desire to celebrate this holiday but you live in another country, be sure to add songs of thanks or harvest from your country's folk traditions. Feel free to submit the name of a special song to you in the comments section.

Feast Songs

Thanksgiving (Instrumental) performed by Michael Silverman

Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie Polka performed by The O’Neill Brothers Group

Fly, Turkey performed by Geof Johnson

Food, Glorious Food performed by Cantus

Pass the Peas (instrumental) performed by the J.B.’s

Meat and Potato Man performed by Alan Jackson

Prayer of Thanksgiving (instrumental) performed by David Tolk

The Ideal Man

There is good and bad things about idealism. Good ideals capture our imagination. For example, everyone wants to go on vacation to a place that looks picture-perfect and so when people go on vacation, they only post their best pictures. Mommy bloggers have presented a picture-perfect image of crafty DIY motherhood. This has both entranced readers and disgusted them. Jesus said “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matt 5:48) Some have discounted this as obviously impossible. I say that the Father is the ideal and we should strive for the ideal.

The bad about idealism is when it is used to hide from reality. People often hide by painting a picture of perfect bliss beneath which they live a dual life. Idealism can cause disenchantment. People often express disappointment with my church because the people don’t live up to the ideal that is preached from the pulpit. Every girl who has wanted to marry a “prince charming” has had to face the reality that men are imperfect and women aren’t princesses.

This post is about the ideal man. It is for those who want to live the ideal not for criticizing people who are less-than-perfect. Without ideals, we would never prioritize good, better and best. With ideals we put our effort towards tasks that match our priorities.

Best Family Councils

Have you ever said this? “We know better, but we haven’t yet made ourselves, as a family, get down on our knees each morning and evening for family prayer.” (De Platt)

Working or praying together as a family is only possible when there is a decision to do so and the resolve to implement that plan. Family councils are a strategy for regular communication about decisions that create healthy relationships. A family council can be a formal meeting with all members of the family or an informal conversation between a parent and one child. Obviously, differences in the formality of the council are reflected in the type of conversations one would expect to have and the decisions that are made. When parents involve their children in decision-making, problems may resolve in ways that involve everyone taking a role in the solution. Family councils can help unite a blended family. (Larson) “The correction of family members in front of others is to be avoided.” (Ashton) But praise and gratitude for family members should happen in front of everyone.

The Lord’s Pattern For Families

There are many parents who care for children in traditional families. These families, made of a husband and a wife who nurture and protect children, are the ideal.

“Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. …

“Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. … Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another [and] observe the commandments of God.” 

(Source: Family Proclamation)

The Emotional Appeal

I am going to recount a story that I heard on a podcast "The Poetry of Propaganda" by This American Life.

The Columbian government has long been fighting a war with rebels  by the name of FARC who hide in the jungle.  After years of trying to use force to overpower them, the government tried a totally different tactic.  They hired an advertising agency to come up with a campaign to convince rebels to defect.  One year, the agency tried putting Christmas lights on a tree near a major road into the jungle just at the time of year when many rebels miss home and family.  Another year, they floated lit balls down the river which contained messages from home.  A third example of their ingenuity was the campaign that included finding a childhood photo of a rebel and putting it up in the jungle with the words from their mother, "you will always be my baby."  Of course the only person who recognized the photo was the one rebel for whom it was intended but the campaign was very successful.

In each case, the intent was to pull at the heart strings of a real person not "the enemy."  That real person had feelings, wishes and desires which were identified.  Many times, it was home and family that drew the person away from the FARC and back into society.  The government provided a protection program to help the rebels reintegrate without being harmed in retribution.

Just think about what it takes to persuade a person.  The government could have tried rewarding the rebels who defected with cash.  The government could have tried appealing to their patriotism.  Their could have been sermons broadcast over the radio talking about hell, fire and damnation for all rebels. They could have tried to kill all the rebels with ammunition and guns.  But what worked best, was an emotional appeal and a promise of no rejection from their mothers.

All of us are in a rebel encampment so to speak on Earth.  Our Father is hoping to convince us to defect and come back to Him.  The pressure to stay with the group and the fear of rejection are strong reasons not to listen to Him.  He reminds us that we are his children.  He loves us and he will forgive us of all that we have done wrong.

Defecting is painful and difficult.  We have to give up our crutches -- the anger that protects us, the addictions that numb us, the fear that cripples us -- and just let ourselves go into God's arms.  Defecting might mean that we take the scorn of our friends, the possibility of being disowned, the soberness that comes when parties are declined, as we embrace the tranquility of prayer.  Our church family may never fully compensate for the natural family ties that were broken.

As a child of a religious convert, I saw the effects of a massive religious realignment on the family ties.  They were strained.  They healed slowly.  In some cases they never healed.  What price will you pay?  What level of commitment is required to fully transition into a godly kind of life?

I can say for sure that opposition will fly in your face like a tornado unleashed as you try to change.  That kind of opposition indicates that the stakes are high.  The battle for souls is real and while God uses warmth to invites us, the devil uses fury and power to dissuade us.

My reasons for living a Christ-like life in a world of glitter and glam are simple.  I feel better when I'm focusing on my relationship with God.  I act better when I'm thinking about eternal truth than when I'm focusing on myself.  I have weathered fierce storms in life and I attribute my strength to the rock of Christ on which my life is built.  I have experienced anger and depression, fear and abandonment but these things were temporary.  What lasts and endures in my life is the testimony deep in my heart that Christ lives.  His gospel is the absolute truth.  This life is preparatory phase that tests our convictions.  It is not the only reality and death is not the end.  I know that after I leave this mortal world, I will be resurrected and judged. God will know me and I will know him. Family and faith matter; money and fame don't.  I believe that this life's test is only possible because Jesus Christ gave the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf so that we could be redeemed.  Whatever I am asked to give, it is less that what He gave.  I am working on being willing to give all that I have and am for Christ.

Image credit: Silvia Andrea Moreno / Flickr

Because He Lives: Meditations on Christ

Because Christ lives...
My ancestors came to America to worship in peace

Because he lives...
They made laws that protected religious freedom

Because he lives...
My ancestors joined with other Mormon converts and moved West to Illinois

Nauvoo, IL

Because he lives...
They moved West again to worship in peace

A Spiritual Well of Strength

my 3 y.o.

Choirs of angels sang at our house.  The fact that they sang Darth Vader's March is a little ironic.  The occasion for celebration was that my son, recently turned 3, was moved to big kid status.  Now he gets a gummy vitamin at dinner.  Everyone should be cheered on by loving family members as they move through life from little kid to big kid status.  That this is not a given, is heartbreaking, but not show stopping.

This post is about relying on a well of strength to get through life.  It can be accessed by anyone.  Here's how:

I study my Core Book.  My Core Book is where I find right and wrong and the important truth that I am a Child of God and He is cheering for me.  Your Core Book may be different than mine, but it should have truths that encourage you.

I keep a small book by my bedside labeled Gratitude.  I write down the little miracles that occur everyday in my life.  I believe that if I notice good things, they will keep coming and I will have the eyes to see them.

hymnal

I think a pocket Hymnal is a well of strength.  Rhyming words set to music can force out the darkest thoughts.  I don't think listening to a CD has the same effect.  It's too easy to tune out.  The words of the hymns have to go through me -- so I learn them, sing them, and internalize their message.

A small mirror with the words "I love myself just the way I am" is the perfect reminder I am beautiful and that that I am loved.  In a world of excessive selfishness, this is not to be flaunted narcissistically. This is something I use in my private moments of desperation.

A prayer for strength.  The words escape me when I'm really struggling.  If I can just read and repeat my prayer request, and maybe fill in the details.

A sense of humor takes the edge off stressful times.  Inner strength is surely the flexibility to see things in more than one way.

writing with tangibles

Like the mirror, a couple of tangibles help me make it through the bad days.  They are Lavender oil, tissues and a letter I've written to myself.  I want to give you some examples of the letters.  These are composed for this post and not the ones I read to myself, but they give the idea.

Letters:

I believe that survival is a choice.  I can either let the bad times paralyze me or I can pick up my tools and dig myself out.  I know how it feels to be stuck.  I'm here to say that life has a way of coming back around.  I've seen the rain stop and the rainbows appear.  Dream of rainbows.  It's the beautiful dreamers that make beautiful things happen.

Fighting Valiantly

In this post:  motherhood, marriage, the dichotomy of envy and pride

“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,” an imperative that goes deeper than chatting over the fence once in a while. (Matt 22:39)  Loving my neighbor is right in the center of a spectrum that describes my outlook.  If I feel worse than my neighbor, I envy his strength or her beauty.  I might even be happy if he stumbles or she embarrasses herself.  If I feel better than my neighbor, I have pride in my heart.  I’m critical of the things he does or smug in my own standing.  Theodore Roosevelt’s “man in the arena” has no illusions about his achievements because he knows how little they are. "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood..." (see image for full text)

Image courtesy Chris Tan

One arena I fight in is called motherhood.  I hope for the day when my face won’t be dirty but with a crawling baby, a potty-training toddler, a reluctant reader, a couple of tarantula-hugging youngsters, a pre-teen and two real teens to wrangle — I feel like I ride a bucking bronco most days.  In Texas we say, “the only way to drive cattle fast is slowly.”  And that’s about how progress goes in mothering youngsters.  On a good day, the sink is clear of dishes.  And those kinds of days are rare.  Victory may be coming but it’s too soon to call.  Defeat is nipping at my heels.  The secret is to hold on tight and not get thrown.  

Image courtesy Brandy

Paul said to the Galatians, “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.  But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.” (Gal 6:3-4)  When my face is marred by dust, sweat and blood, I’m too busy to be better than my neighbor.  It’s when I’m idle that I get to deceiving myself with comparisons.  

In another arena I’m a wife and companion.  Marriage is not a lazy river.  The battle is about staying connected, staying engaged and being true.  Lately I’ve recovered some lost ground, but its been a losing streak.  The weight of pregnancy, business travel, church assignments, community service, everything good we do puts pressure on that knot we tied at the altar.  Defending marriage is not for mercenaries.  I fight this battle because I care about my children, my unborn grandchildren and all the people who are connected to me through the ties called family.  Marriage is what connects us all together.  Family is the fabric of society and it is a worthy cause that the brave fight for on a daily basis.

“The Lord needs valiant servants,

To do his work in the latter day,

Who follow the teachings of Jesus

And serve his people in a loving way.

I will be his servant

And keep my cov'nants valiantly.

I'll stand for truth. I'll stand for right.

The Lord can depend on me.”

(Lyrics by Vanja Watkins to the song “I Will be Valiant”)

I believe that I’ve been given a lot to fight for…home, family, truth.  I’ve had a few wins and a lot of losses.  I haven’t given up yet and neither should you.  We’re prepping for the knock-down drag out fight prophesied in the Last days.  A fight about truth, family, power and dominion.  I believe that the valiant will win the fight for Christ.  Isaiah prophesies, “I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.”  (Isa 60:15) I’d like to see that joy when the fight is finally won.

To read Roosevelt's speech click here

Mending a Rift with Family

I wrote recently about how a rift with God affects spirituality.  In this post I’d like to address how rifts with family members affect spirituality.

Image Courtesy:  American Gateways

In my own extended family rifts have formed over people leaving the family religion, finances when living arrangements were shared, a divorce which affected children negatively, finances when one member needed help, an addiction, and marital discord to mention a few. 

One of the effects I’ve observed is that no one wants to talk about the situation because of the conflict that arises.  Some families avoid arguing.  Others argue in colorful outbursts.  I agree with Troy Dunn who said, “time heals almost no wounds.  What heals a wound is good treatment.  That doesn’t come from sitting there, waiting.”

In my own life I have seen how wounds that don’t get aired out fester.  It is hiding the truth about our soul wounds that impedes our growth.  I like how the hymn states it, 

Who am I to judge another

When I walk imperfectly?

In the quiet heart is hidden

Sorrow that the eye can't see.

In a Deseret News article Charles Randall Paul was quoted as saying, “Take turns talking not about the problem, but ‘how I got to where I am’ with respect to each other or the issue.  A boy who left his mother’s church should not talk about his religious beliefs, but how he reached them.  The honesty and emotion of sharing usually crumble part of the wall separating people.  The potential for healing is in sharing and feeling listened to, confided in, trusted.”  I liked this quote because it identifies the “right question” to ask when seeking to resolve conflict.

Arguments are over the theology, the finances or the details.  I don’t think it is productive to argue about anything.  It is important to hear how another person viewed the events.  Often the same event is viewed differently by people who experienced it together.

Recently I had a mending conversation with a family member.  I learned that without our families we wouldn’t know our imperfections (or what needs to be fixed).  It is tempting to me to try to find peace by isolating myself from others.  While there is potential for happiness in solitude, I believe that the greatest happiness we will ever know will be in our family relationships.

Spirituality is harder in a climate of conflict.  We turn to God in conflict for comfort and guidance.  We often can’t feel peace during these times and spirituality helps.  Some of us turn to numbing agents like drugs and alcohol.  The peace we need is the warm reassurance that everything will be all right in the end.  God can give us that.  As we resolve conflicts we gain confidence that a happy ending is possible.  

Spirituality is a tool for solving problems.  The more we use the tool, the better we get at using it.   I think that spirituality is a healthy way to address life’s problems.