In memory of Grandma Renza Myers Conger

M-O-T-H-E-R (A Word That Means The World To Me) — Bobby Breen Lyrics by Howard Johnson, Melody by Theodore Morse Copyright 1915, Leo Feist, Inc. Renewed 1943.

I've been around the world, you bet, But never went to school, Hard knocks are all I seem to get, Perhaps, I've been a fool;

But still, some educated folks, Supposed to be so swell, Would fail, if they were called upon, A simple word to spell.

Now, if you'd like to put me to a test, There's one dear name that I can spell the best;

"M" is for the mercy she possesses, "O" means that I owe her all I own, "T" is for her tender sweet caresses, "H" is for her hands that made a home: "E" means everything she's done to help me, "R" means real and regular, you see, Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER," A word that means the world to me.

When I was but a baby, Long before I learned to walk, While lying in my cradle, I would try my best to talk;

It wasn't long, before I spoke, And all the neighbors heard, My folks were very proud of me, For "MOTHER" was the word.

Although I never lay a claim to fame, I'm satisfied that I can spell the name;

"M" is for the million things she gave me, "O" means only that she's growing old, "T" is for the tears were shed to save me, "H" is for her heart of purest gold, "E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining, "R" means right, and right, she'll always be, Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER," A word that means the world to me.

Evidence of Hope

Though, I don't feel fancy with my fingers and wise with my words, I do know that both hope and goodness is proof that a supreme creator exists. Without him, what would we hope for? Why would we want goodness? I learn by example and this story touched me. Please watch this great message of hope: Dear kim, goodness is Godly. So to me, if I can no longer feel the spirit I have to think to myself, what am I doing that is not good? What is the difference between now and two minutes ago? Good is just one letter different from God and I don't think that's a mistake. ************ Sincerely, Lady Blee

Tap, tap, tap, tap...

I'm waiting for Lady Blee, Mama E and the other two who are yet to be named to post. Tap, tap, tap, tap.

HERE!

Ok I did figure out how to post. Maybe I am not as big of a dummy as I thought. My question is out there under Loo's, in the comment. I want to know what is good?

Application

Lame without application, I started a gratitude journal titled 'Rays of God's good mercy' because of this poem:

Some murmur when the sky is clear And wholly bright to view, If one small speck of dark appear In their great heaven of blue: And some with thankful love are filled, If but one streak of light, One ray of God’s good mercy, gild The darkness of their night. --- Richard Chenevix Trench

I'm taking the week to remember that if there is junk in my basket then I put it there myself and so I staged a coo-- after Eden, while getting her hair done, exclaimed loudly my favorite cuss words. After all, I obviously needed to learn the lesson too so I waited, plotted with dan and then... After waiting for some small misbehavior I exclaimed (in front of the family) "Eden, Oh ******!" To which, Dan shouted my name and called all his girls, ever so fiercely I'll add (props to Dan), into the living room for a stern lecture on clean speech. It went something like this:

• Dan: "(looking at me) How could you say something like that?"
• Loo: "Eden says it."
• Dan: "Eden, where did you learn such bad language?" (Points at me-- while my shoulders shake from laughing into my hands)
• Dan: "Both of you, go to the bedroom and choose the punishment you'll get if you ever do that again." (We get to the bedroom where we choose to have our mouths washed out with soap for repeat offenses and Eden says with wide eyes...)
• Eden: "You shouldn't a said that mom." "We better never do that again so we don't have to do that soap in the mouth thing, huh?!"

This seemed to be especially effective coming from a dad who never loses his temper... unless he's pretending to. Let's hope we both learned our lesson.

Hope

For Kimi-

Besides waiting to read your first post, I've been struggling lately with this idea of hope, since my own hope seems so... shatter-able. So these are the thoughts from my studying.

The everyday meaning of hope is fragile, like when I say to myself 'I hope the doctors diagnose this illness tomorrow"; but the gospel's definition is firm and lively. So wouldn't it be cool if I could say that at tomorrow's appointment I might with surety hope for a name for this weirdness that is my health? Or maybe a southern-baptist-like mystical healing? Yup. I'm one step ahead--- hoping for the wrong thing.

• So what can I hope for?: A better world (sounds a little pageant-y but...),eternal life, hope in the Lord, in the atonement for the resurrection and ... there it is-- We can "have patience, and bear with . . . afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions" (Alma 34:41)
• I'd like to point out that this scripture said day and day refers to time which doesn't really exist in the whole eternal life bit, so maybe I can try to remember that this one day really isn't too far away...? Or maybe, it really means you only get one day of rest... hmmm.
• Ok. I'll bite. How do I get the hope back? "If thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest" (Alma 22:16)

Well there it is Kimi, ouch... to clear my head before I take it to Heavenly Father, here it is-- my most recent sins.

I've used pain and sickness as an excuse to be impatient, unhappy, and ungrateful for life, love, prayers, and service rendered. I taught Eden to cuss AND I trusted in men, and not the prophet kind of men (recommended), for answers that could only come from heaven; when the truth of it all is that I can be patient, happy, grateful, and hopeful, trusting Heavenly Father, through all of this-- without cussing. Can't I? Help me learn to take whatever heaven dishes out meal by meal, K Kim? Loves. Loo.

Sending Out Good

Been thinking today about how naturally we all shift blame--

• "He makes me feel..." "If she hadn't _______ , I wouldn't have ______."
• "He's a jerk, so I can treat him badly."

I rationalize like this a lot, but my scripture reading today was a kick in the pants.

• Helaman 14 today, verse 30: Sin is hurtful to others; but somehow in the long-range of things, sin is worst "unto ourself", acted by ourselves, against "a knowledge" we've been given by the God who made us "free". (vs 31) Good will be restored to me... how? Each time I serve someone, it always seems like I end up more of a recipient than before, but I think it means more than that. Finding cross references---
• Restoration is linked to Resurrection (restored body) and Endless Happiness (restored to God's happiness) and the Inheritance of God's Kingdom, Glory (presence of God), Crowned with a fullness of joy, honour, and Standing at the Right Hand of the Lamb. I can't be restored to something I never was. We've all had bodies, so we have one in the bag; but do I experience God-like happiness and joy, and am I clean enough to be comfortable in the presence of God or at the right hand of the lamb? Hmm...
• Picturing a great basket always above me catching everything I "send out" ---- misery, joy, laughter, ingratitude, criticism, sadness, hate, love. The basket retains everything I send out unless I pry it open with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, letting Christ remove the offense, and at the end of my life God (or Satan) dresses the things in my basket making them more then they were and wraps it all in beauty and glory (or misery and guilt) saving it to be my gift of immortality and eternal life to be "restored to me" when I stand in front of the One who made it all possible. With whatever experiences of goodness I've had, I'm imagining His presence and I think I would feel safe, protected, worth it, and capable. Time to send out good.