The Lamb of God

While reading my scriptures this morning, I came across this passage:

" And this is according to the prophecy, that they shall be brought to the knowledge of their Redeemer, and their great and true shepherd and be numbered among his sheep"

When I read that, I thought of little almost one year old "Buggie" holding and snuggling with her little lamb blankie. For she, to those of us who know and love her, is a little lamb. She is cherished with whole hearts.

As I saw and felt this image, while reading this verse I felt the desire raise up in me, " I want to be a lamb of God, loved , held and cherished". I want to be counted in the Savior's fold as one of his lambs. For if I have such a love for this little girl and her blanket, how much more perfect love must he have for me....for us.

How much more secure will we feel wrapped up in his blanket, for he is also The Lamb of God.

TREAT YOURSELF well, LOVE YOURSELF more

"Treat

yourself well and love yourself more."

This very simple yet, oh so profound statement, came to me while I sat on a bench enjoying the cool shade a tree at Thanksgiving Point Gardens...one of my favorite places.

This summer as I am inching my way to my 50th birthday, I have been fulfilling a list of favorite things (5o of them) to celebrate this mile stone. {Someone once said that 50 is the new 30...haha I wish they would tell my feet that.... :S }anyway this summer I have been racing down the Alpine slide, eating seafood dinners spending hours at the pool and enjoying , when possible, this life I have been given. Why leave it to just one day, right?( next up, the zip line)

Today I decided to treat myself to the Gardens at Thanksgiving Point. Amazing place.!

I went early as to catch the morning breezes and to avoid the crowds. I kicked off my birkenstocks and stepped off the pathway and walked barefoot in the grass..a simple pleasure of mine. The Grass was still cool and damp, it refreshed my soul/sole.

As I wandered quietly through the gardens, stopping to enjoy my favorite venues, I was noticing how the hazy morning sunbeams dusted the plants with light. Beautiful! I went on snapping pictures and relished in this morning all to myself. After about an hour, I decided to sit in a quiet grove and take it all in from a seated point of view, my thoughts went scampering off...

"Ah, if only I could start each day like this, in a huge beautiful garden....of my own" Then, I am afraid to admit, they (thoughts) started to run away . I sat there thinking of all those things I wished I had, all those things I wished I could experience, all those things I denied myself ..etc etc it was like a runaway train. Luckily my thought pattern was brought to an abrupt stop. "Brenda, just enjoy this moment, treat yourself to this moment".

I began to feel rather foolish for spoiling a wonderful morning which I was blessed with. I knew there were others in far away places facing war and hunger and all manner of ick! And I was here in a peaceful garden complaining quietly of things I didn't have or felt worthy of having.

This morning venture was indeed a treat! .

I wondered how many times we/I forgo treating ourselves to happy things. Not feeling deserving, no time, no umpf, life and it's demands dictates that such things are frivolous and selfish. I can't imagine who would want us to feel that way..can you?

But if we don't fill our joy buckets, who will, if we don't make time to nurture ourselves , who will...who said that we need to put ourselves last? Who said we can't treat ourselves every now and then? Who says?

My lesson started with someone speaking to my soul, " It is not a sin to treat yourself or to desire the joyful things of life, things that will gladden the heart." God wants us to be filled, to be a "Full Human Being" ,to reach out to the risk of living with both arms. Embrace the world.'( Morris West)

President Uctdorf, in his general conference address, talked about how we as children of God live below our privileges...now this is not in some commercial, superficial way. But in a "we forget that God has oodles in store for us, let me do this for you , My TREAT: sort of way". We feel like we are not worthy, or need to work hard for it, pay for it, wait until tomorrow for it.... and we stop the hand that wishes to bless.

When you have been asked to a dinner by a friend and they say, "I will get this, my treat" how do you respond? Think about it.

This is about where that pround statement came in ( above mentioned) Treat yourself..don't deny the joy, reach for it, but also treat yourself WELL..with respect, like you would a cherished loved one...and love more..you know that game.."Love you!"..(reply) "LOVE you MORE" Say it in the mirror!

Now that my lesson under the tree was finished and I felt resolved that I would go forward with a new mindset, I sauntered back up the hill, went to the Trellis cafe. I asked for a patio view( outside) and ordered , not the cheapest thing on the menu, but what I desired. I was going to show Heaven in a symbolic and hunger driven way that I was no longer going to deny myself that what brings me joy. I would treat myself as if I were my best friend.

I topped it off with a chocolate souffle' served with orange anglaise and almonds!

Sitting under my umberella'd table, I said " Brenda, you're one heck of a gal, you deserve it!" lifting my blackberry lemonade, "Happy Birthday and thanks for the Treat!"

Dream Keepers

Dream Keepers

You, my kindred friend

are found in the middle years

when wisdom dons the brow

and yet,

somehow there's a part of you

that reaches the beginning

of my childhood dreams

and ambitions of youth

and in your acknowledgement

give them truth,the catalyst of reality.

I am glad it was you ,who

was led by heaven's hand out of the throng

to lead along the way of dreams

on a road more refined

that only few will find.

You,my kindred friend

felt my soul enough to

give me inspiration to BE

and reach all that I am now

and beyond the boundaries

of time-

lend me your pocket that

I may give you my dreams.

BCB

dedicated to all those who have inspired me.

Goodbyes stink!

This past week, my eyes have looked like crimson almonds,red and puffy as they have wept me through 4 goodbyes.
Of all the mortal experiences, goodbyes are my least favorite. What is it about this experience that turns our soul inside out and leaves us with a hollow void, why is that? Why do we feel that wrenching deep down? why can't we just say: " K, love ya, see ya, bye" and be done with it?
But no, our hearts go into melt down, our eyes well up in tears, our voices crack and words can't seem to vocalize our anguish.

Tender thoughts of compassion, at the time, seem like a band-aid on a broken leg...we are in the middle of suffering!
Who voted to put this stinking venture on our life's agenda? I say we take it off and not have to let go of loved ones, keep them close and treasure them with every breath we have.
But, pause I must, as I remember now, that I was one who voted for this experience.

I voted to know what it felt like to sky dive off into the blue abyss of sorrow, hike the mountains of Joy, float in a river of tears and be sky rocketed into clear skies of light... My "travel agent" scheduled it all in ....and now, here I am in the middle of this journey with hands on my face thinking, "oy! what did I get myself into?"
Life. I got myself into life, all of it. Highs, lows ,dark , light.....

....as I think now of these these loved ones, I am hearing in the back of my mind and Beatles tune...
"You say Good bye and I say Hello..."
I am looking forward to the reuniting "Hello , Hello!...no more goodbyes, cuz we'll say Hello"

Laying naked in the Grass

I am sure at first glance this title may make some people twinge. But I assure you, it's not all what you may think it is.
As in years past, after I take an evening walk around the Temple grounds, I end my exercise by pulling off the shoes and socks and walk barefoot through the cool grass. That simple act is more rejuvenating than you know.
I find a quiet spot, there inside the gates of the Temple, and for a the lack of a more graceful word, plunk myself down on the grass, stretch and then settle back into the cool blades of green.

There with my face turned Heavenward, I lay there naked, vulnerable and without any earthly trappings before God.
I am stripped of all things . H e sees me as I am, without the spiritual "spanks" holding me in , without a moo-moo to hide behind or without any tinkling jewels and fine twine- linens( not that I wear it to exercise..but my New balance running shoes are rather nifty) that would try to place me above another. I am there, Me, without pretenses,he sees and knows me inside out and upside down. I can not hide my heart or my soul. And so I am naked before Him.
In those vulnerable moments , I am taught in quiet and profound ways.
I am reminded how much He loves me. I am reminded how much I am truly blessed.
I am open to him, no fig leaf or bush or cloth to hide my nakedness. I am hoping to be as a child who is free and shameless, innocent and teachable...and not hide my nakedness/vulnerability before God.

Borrowed communication

As I have had a frustrating few weeks with an internet provider...or should I say the lack of a internet provider..( loss or skittish connection) I can not help but think back when this would never had been an issue. Communication ,even 10 years ago was so different, 20 years ago this whole web and cyber chat was not even on our radar for the most part. We used a phone, attached to a wall...or the base was attached to the wall. If we went out, no one tracked us down by phone, we didn't get emails, or texts, We spoke face to face or left a meaagae or called back and that was that. I remember when even most homes had no "answering service" of any kind.
Now we have become so dependant on this technology.
So, since I too am caught into to this cyber web, I have had to schlep across the way to a beloved sister and borrow her computer to communicate with the world.

As I have done so, a lesson was learned. One form of (if not the most important) communication has never been disconnected.
Prayer. One can always connect with God, he never puts us on hold, puts us on a machine, and we are always in our calling range..no roaming fees . So tonight as I look at my blank computer, yet again, I will know when cyber space is shut down, the heavens are always connected!

The Place of Knowing: My interview with Emma Lou Thayne( Beloved author and Poet)

The Place of Knowing is where we all want to be, a place of answers, peace, understanding, enlightenment.
In Emma Lou Thayne's new release, The Place of Knowing, her life and near death experiences will shepherd you, the reader, closer to that goal.

Emma Lou Thayne discovered her love and gift for writing in the 4th grade. After producing a poem as part of an assignment to be read in class, her teacher question the integrity of the poem stating it was too good to have been written by Emma Lou. Disappointed by her teacher's doubting words,but not discouraged, Emma Lou( Warner) Thayne continued to write her way into the realms of Literary Royalty.

Sitting in the presence of such a beloved author, poet and public speaker I, of course, was in awe!
The magnitude of this opportunity did not slip past me. But I was delightfully put at ease by Sister Thyane's warm and engaging conversation, I felt her a true kindred spirit!

I believe , as a reader of her book, ( The Place of Knowing) you will find that same engaging conversation that will warm and touch your soul.

I invite you all to take the journey and discover your place of knowing with Emma Lou Thayne's
newest Book.

* in depth interview details will be on my blog next week.....something to look forward to .