Category: Jesus Christ

JUST YOU RELAX

Jeanne Leave a comment

Just you relax, my dearest friend, or truth may pass us by.
We need the help of both of us to look trials in their eye.
Only when we see life clearly can we truly work together.
Remember, dearest friend, perfection takes forever!

All life’s trials give to us experience as we share our chosen path.
Hold tight to the iron rod past all life’s painful gaps.
Remember we belong together in all life’s thincks and thins.
Together we can last forever. We with Christ, will always win.

Just you relax in Christ Jesus and grow high on eternity.
Only God’s truth can protect us and keep us safe eternally.

When we relax and trust in Christ, P.E.A.C.E.* on E.A.R.T.H.’S Force* can begin to sprout and grow.
Please remember, my best friend, the joy and pains we share between all the tears and the rips to us as we forever grow and mend.

Being still is always a better pathway than confusion or anxiety caused by so many things we encounter in everyday life. We live in a time that often fools us into thinking that problems should be solved immeiately. There is always a pill for pain. I love the line: “perfection takes forever”. Slow down. Be mindfull, and notice the beauty and good that surrounds you.

And, for what it’s worth, I’ve come to the conclustion that just the physical act of smiling does something to the brain. I believe it fools the brain into thinking that we are happy, whether we are or not, and it responds as such. Go ahead a try it. Anytime. There is a verse in the Book of Mormon that says, “Man is that he might have joy.” And, as the poem counsels, if you really want lasting joy, invite Jesus Christ into your life. I’ve found this to be true.

*P.E.A.C.E. (Paradise, Earth and Community Effort) is a non-profit corporation dedicated to reducing pollution. E.A.R.T.H.’S Force (Earth Action Return To Health Service Force) is a branch of P.E.A.C.E. that utilizes the unemployed poor as a work force to develop local projects to restore the natural environment. More information is found at our-peace.org

Please check out churchofjesuschrist.org for infomation on the Book of Mormon, and a plethora of other topics.

The Raven’s Call

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The raven's call was heard by us while at the aviary. He was sleek and strong.
When we met this friendly raven (black as night), we played along.
He would hand us sticks through his wire cage. We passed them back to this black sage.
At Tracy Aviary we had a friend at our young age.

As we grew old and memory fades, another raven took front page.
At Yellowstone we stopped for lunch.  This raven came and watched us brunch.
He begged for food.  We gave him some.  He flew to a perch & oh what fun!
I threw him food & some he caught.  Then he would stash the food he got.

This old picnic ground was a special spot.  This raven gave us quite a lot.
Here and there, he would go to hide his stash.  This was his plot.
As we returned from year to year.  The raven aged & death grew near.
He flew more slowly, until we saw him no more one passing year.

To Yellowstone we drove one day & on a fence along the way,
We saw a row of ravins there--a thousand strong cawed in the air!
We wondered as we drove along:  Was his family watching till we were gone?
P.E.A.C.E.* on E.A.R.T.H.S Forces* wishes you all to find a friend who will call--
Rockchuck or birds; ravens are fine.  All God's creatures bring us true P.E.A.C.E. of mind.

Bob truly has a facination for ravens. The poem speaks the truth. I was there. Ravens have definitely captured his heart. So, when he turned 80 last month, I was delighted to find him a stained glass lamp with 3 ravens on it. He was delighted and spends much time studying it and how it is constructed and how the light changes the color of some of the glass pieces, and how noble the ravens look. Our connections with nature can bring us to witness the awe of God’s creations, from the breaching whales to the lilting surprise of a monarch butterfly. Or from a giant redwood tree to the tiny hand of a newborn baby. We are indeed surrounded with evidences of God’s wondrous creative power here on earth. Just now we were delighted with a badly needed soaking rain. Indeed, we should appreciate each breath we take, and every day we are blessed to see more miracles.

We always look forward to comments from our readers. Tell us what you are grateful for? What things in nature bring you delight?

*P.E.A.C.E. (Paradise, Earth and Community Effort) is a non-profit corporation dedicated to reducing pollution. E.A.R.T.H.S Force (Earth, Action Return to Health Service Force) is a branch on P.E.A.C.E. that utilies the unemployed poor as a work force to develop local projects to restore the natural environment.

More information is available at our-peace.org

Please connect with churchofjesuschrist.org as a link to a great library of information from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Her Hands Were Just Too Little

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I stumbled across an old journal entry yesterday and thought to use it this week. My Grand Daughter, who was 4 years old at the time of the journal entry, wanted to play with her dollhouse. It was in her bedroom, but she wanted it out in the living room by me, so that she could show me all the things it could do. She was gone for a few minutes, and I was busy doing some dumb thing. She came out looking very sad and showed me her hands and said, “They’re just too little. They are not big enough. They are not strong enough!” The look on her face matched her destressing words. I then realized that she was too little to carry the dollhouse by herself. I went in her room and saw her futile efforts. I carried the dollhouse into the living room, and we had a good time examining it’s possibilities.

Don’t we all get tired, and aren’t there times when we just can’t do it all ourselves? We really do need each other, in all sorts of ways. All of us might be able to say that we just aren’t strong enough, and that our hands are too small! I hope we are there for each other whenever any of us say that, and I hope we can feel the love when the job gets done because somebody helped us.

And then there are those times when our world falls apart, and even though friends or family try to comfort and help, we are still left broken, or hurt, or in despair–beyond the reach of any hands, except those of Jesus.

President Russell M. Nelson, prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has counseled1 “Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Learn more about His Atonement, His love, His mercy, His doctrine, and His restored gospel of healing and progression. He will heal you from sadness and fear. He will heal you from the wounds of this world. Turn to Him! Follow Him!”

There is nothing like His power to apply comfort, understanding, or peace to us as we turn to Him in times of need. He knows us and loves us perfectly, and suffered in Gethsemane that he might know how to succor each of us. He descended below all things that he might be able to lift us up.

.1 Conference Address. April 2023. Entire text can be found on churchofjesuschrist.org under conference messages, April 2023 “The Answer is Always Jesus.”

Paradise, Earth and Community Effort (P.E.A.C.E.) is committed to help solve pollution in all forms. This blog is an appendage of that non-profit corporation: our-peace.org

OLLIE’S SONG

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Come away wee little laddie.
Lean your head upon my breast.
Come away with me to dreamland.
Close your eyes and take a rest.

Oh, wee lad, you are a treasure;
More than silver, more than gold.
You’re a gift sent straight from Heaven;
Ours to love and ours to hold.

May the stars that light the heavens
Sine their light throughout the night,
Stand a watch as you are sleeping,
‘Til the morning shines her light.

May the son1 shine down upon you;
Keep you safe and keep you warm.
May our love abide forever;
Keep you far away from harm.

Oh, wee lad, you are a treasure;
More than silver, more than gold.
You’re a gift sent straight from Heaven;
Ours to love and ours to hold.

May you always know we love you,
Little Laddie, boy of mine!

Children and Grandchildren pay tribute to their fathers and grandfathers on Father’s Day, but, today we celebrate the blessing of family…parents, children, grandparents. This poem was written upon the birth of our last grandson as an expression of love, and also as expression of gratitude to our Father in Heaven for blessing us with another miraculous grandchild, and also a tender petition for him, and all of us, to be watched over and cared for.



As always, we love to hear you share your comments and experiences with us. Also, the best family document we know of can be found by typing in ‘Family Proclamation’ in the search bar of the following website: www.churchofjesuschrist.org, which also contains a mountain of life changing information.

  1. Double meaning of coarse: Sun and Son of God, Jesus Christ
    ↩︎

FATHER’S DAY

Jeanne Leave a comment 
Father's Day is a time when children show how much they care.
Through phone calls or visits from far away, or dinners we do share.
Father's Day is time to reflect on memories from the past-
Of Dad & Grandpas dear to us.  Good memories always last.

Now, I'm a Grandpa & a Father.  Each child has helped us grow.
With the help of my best friend, her love helps us to know
True P.E.A.C.E. ON E.A.R.T.H.* comes when we serve God's family.
Helping all souls love Jesus Christ, is the only perfect key.

So when I say, "I love you all", I include all living things-
From mountains high to desert low, where all creation sings.
Dearest ones, please hear God's songs so we may live together
Throughout all eternity, in Christ we live forever.

We're happiest when each of you are happy in your lives.
We pray each dawn & eve for each of you to find true P.E.A.C.E.* of mind.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY



  • P.E.A.C.E. (Paradise, Earth And Community Effort) is a non-profit corporation dedicated to reducing pollution. E.A.R.T.H.S FORCE (Earth Action Return To Health Service Force) is a branch of P.E.A.C.E. that utilizes the unemployed poor as a work force to develop local projects to restore the natural environment. More information is available at www.our-peace.org.

More information about how to connect to Jesus Christ can be found on www.churchofjesuschrist.org

Eclipse

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Last October our family traveled to central Utah (Palisades State Park) to view a solar eclipse….a ring of fire.

Today, April 8, 2024, I’ve been watching a total eclipse on TV, and am reminded of the awe we felt last October. I especially remember how remarkably colder it got, and we scrambled for our coats. My camera equipment is not phenomenal, and so the images I took are not the best, but, nonetheless are good reminders of our experience 6 months ago.

News casters on TV have referred to the event as being “bigger than us” and “spiritual”. It is a testimony to me of the incomprehensible majesty of the creation of our earth, and how nurtured we are by God. Think of how cold it got when we were without the sun for just a few minutes, and imagine what it would be like it the sun stopped shining for us, or the earth stopped moving in it’s orbit around the sun, or just stopped spinning?!

…and I am grateful that there is a power far beyond what I can imagine, that can create in such beauty and harmony. And so, I am committed to look for it everyday: every time I take breath, every morning when I open my eyes and they can see, and my brain can interpret what they see, and I can taste, and feel a warm breeze, and the tulips bloom…..billions of miracles right in front of me.

And I am glad the sun is shining in it’s fullness today, warming the planet to just the right temperature, and night time will come, but so will a sunrise tomorrow, and tomorrow. Plants will grow and rain will fall; all in perfect harmony.

Share Glad Tidings

Jeanne Leave a comment 
Share glad tidings  of great joy  unto every soul.
When we find  something of great worth, share that truth  so we all can grow.
The Church of Jesus Christ  of Latter-Day Saints  teaches what is true.
Let us invite  souls everywhere.  Repentance  makes us new.

When we share  the Gospel's light  with others  that we see,
We must ask for  the Holy Ghost  to help set their  spirits free.
For only God  can enter in  and touch the  hearts of man.
With holy fire  the Holy Ghost testifies of  God's great plan.

There are countless souls  upon this earth  who know not  where to look.
Duty calls  us who know  to give each soul  God's Holy Books,
And share our testimony  with every willing soul.
With guidance from  the Holy Ghost, each child is helped  to grow.

Great shall be  each soul's reward, with every soul  we help save.
We share the truth  of Christ our LORD  & we build  beyond the grave.
Christ is the way, the truth & light.  There is no other way.
Share glad tidings  of great joy  and share it  every day.

In April 2023, President (and prophet) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Russell M Nelson, extended this invitation, “….study .. the account of the Savior’s appearance to the Nephites in the Americas, as recorded in 3 Nephi. Not long before that appearance, His voice was heard among the people, including these words of supplication: ‘Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?….behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive.’

Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ extends that same invitation to you today. I plead with you to come unto Him so that He can heal you! He will heal you from sin as you repent. He will heal you from sadness and fear. He will heal you from the wounds of this world.

Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Learn more about HIs Atonement, His love, His mercy, His doctrine, and His restored gospel of healing and progression. Turn to Him! Follow Him! …I testify that following Him is the only way to enduring happiness.”

A New Year

Jeanne Leave a comment

Well, 2023 is almost gone. Somehow, when unpleasant and stressful events seem relentless, we blame the ‘Year’ for it. That’s been my year: broken bones, surgery, family divorce, heartache, car wreck, hard drive crash, data breach….one on the tail of the other. I’ve been a complainer. Many days I have not been able to see anything to be grateful for. I should be ashamed.

Last week our family spent time together to celebrate Christmas. On one occasion when we were all crowded into the living room, we passed around the question: What do you hope for in the new year? All thoughts were meaningful. I was impressed. I was going to say that I hoped the new year would be more free of those stressful, unpleasant events….

…until my grand daughter said a very impressive thing. She said that she hoped that all would work out for the good, just like it had done so far this year. Those profound thoughts sunk deep in my heart. I could see her faith and her grateful humble heart. I contemplated 2023 events, and as I did so, was impressed at the ‘PATTERN’ they demonstrated; the pattern of disturbing events followed by a period of time ending in a good resolution. Time after time. And I felt grateful. I saw the lessons I learned, or perhaps should have learned. I saw the hand of God that was always there, and I saw 2023 a bit differently, and realized that perhaps I have just a bit more faith for 2024.

May we all look for the peace and light and joy waiting for the taking in 2024.

I like the hope illustrated in a poem written by my daughter, Valoree:

Mother Earth moves us into the shadow
The icy cold could penetrate to bone
In the darkness and the heart of Winter
We shelter in the warm hearth of home
Let us celebrate the coming of a New Year
The creeping approach of the return of light
With songs, thoughtful  gifts and pleasantries
We may bring out the unwilted mistletoe
A reminder to forgive and let go of grudges
And holly, with berries of bright red
For the strength of the deep roots of family
Our Evergreens stand beautiful and tall
Bedecked in ornament, Cheery and twinkling
And in the great, wild forests of the world
The sparkling, snow-covered, majestic pine
Stay green and resilient despite storm and frost
Each day the Sun will stay a minute longer
Reflect on the year!  Visualize your wishes!
Now is the time to cherish and look forward.






                  Patience is knowing the snow will melt and glorious spring will indeed come.





Alma 7:27 (from the Book of Mormon)  “and now, may the peace of God rest upon you, and upon your houses and lands, and upon your flocks and herds, and all that you possess….from this time forth and forever.”




































































































































































































							

					

	






	

				
							
		

			


				
Reflections on Aging


								

					   Jeanne				Leave a comment
				
				
				

							


						


				

Well, hello there.  It’s been months since the last post, and I’m truly sorry about that.  It’s been a really difficult year, and I’ve put off posting because I had nothing positive to offer.  Actually, I still don’t, other than I suspect all of us have suffered about something this year.





But there are bright spots.  I had a bright spot a couple of days ago.  It was a poem written as part of a birthday present to me, by my daughter, who always knows what to say and how to say it.  She should be doing this blog…I’ve got a lot to learn, and that can be exciting.  The adventure.





Here’s the poem:





Passage of time
marked with flame
seamlessly passes
leaves nothing unchanged
begs the questions
rarely answered
our own reflection
slowly morphing
so slowly
that we really can't see
the onset of wrinkles and graying
the new face of 'me'
step back with fresh eyes
return to awe
maybe bewilderment
witness the sacred passage of time
the marks left behind
it's your journey pilgrim
all the pain
luck,
and glory
a tale sweet
sometimes sad
our own too short story
what a gift to grow old
to ripen and wise
what an honor to change
blessed with more time
to learn from our mistakes
perhaps even privileged enough
to live long enough to learn from others
why not embrace this temporary state
we call life
unfurl completely
stay ferocious
be kind
remain ever curious
an open and child-like mind
keep forgiving
keep loving
keep being surprised
at that aging reflection
it's a fleshy disguise
we're all young at heart
when you look at the eyes

-Eve-











“Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good…” 





                                                             D&C 90:25







							

					

	






	

				
							
		

			


				
Reaching….


								

					   Jeanne				Leave a comment
				
				
				

							


						


				

Many recent church speeches have been based on the thought, that, to God, we are enough. Obviously there are many of us who put ourselves down because we feel that we don’t measure up to our expectations.  We feel unworthy of God’s attention and love, and, in consequence, we stop looking for, or expecting it, and fail to see it in our lives, which only leads to more self-negative feelings.





It is certainly true that we all should see and feel the love of God, and ought to know that simply by the fact that we are his children, we are loved and cared for.  So, sometimes we need a stern reminder of those truths.





However; be careful.  If we really think that we’ve already passed the test,  we might fool ourselves into thinking that because we’re enough, we can slacken on reaching and trying.  I have found that the most profound joy will come from our intense stretching, and stepping out of our comfort zone, rather than sitting back and thinking that it’s enough already.





It is through our reaching out and stretching and pleading and trying again and again that we achieve,  Like the caterpillar who chooses the scary chrysalis and eventually emerges as that glorious winged creature who has ever-the-much more capability, opportunity, and joy.












So, if you need to clothe yourself with God’s love.  Do it.  Learn of him.  Pray.  Ask.  Listen.  Just don’t ever tell yourself that he is not interested in you.  Look for his love in your life.  The reaching will be well worth it, again and again.  Be patient on those dark chrysalis days.  It will pass.  Ask for strength.  It always comes in some form or another, usually in unexpected ways.