My prayer for help was answered

Yesterday, I was given help to solve my computer storage and backup problems. Yes, I pray to God and ask for His help even with little things such as using a computer. He really does care about me and helps me with my problems. 

This doesn't mean that all I do is ask and "magically", without any effort on my part, all difficulties simply melt away. Yesterday was a pretty rough day for me. I knew I was at a point where my storage was dwindling, and I was having problems finding things. I know that this situation may not even be a problem at all for you, but for a seventy year old woman, who is a "creative" type, it was a BIG problem.

Who are you listening to?

King Theodon and Wormtongue

by Greg & Tim Hildebrandt 1978

Today I've been thinking about two characters from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. One is Wormtongue who uses flattery and lies to manipulate the King of Rohan, and the other is the Hobbit, Frodo. Wormtongue's intent is to weaken the King so that he loses confidence in himself and succumbs to despair so that the evil Saruman would be able to take over the land.  Opposed to this great force is a simple Hobbit, Frodo. Hobbits' strength lie in their basic goodness. They value kindness, the good things of life, and have little interest in power and fame. 

You might be wondering what this story has to do with our challenges today. Well, I believe that Americans are a lot like Hobbits.  Our strength has always come from our goodness, our hope, and our faith in God, and from our ability to solve problems and work together in our democratic form of government. 

How can we make it through these times

https://penobscotmarinemuseum.org/PMM-Reader/ship-in-heavy-storm/by James E. Buttersworth

Last night I woke up with an disturbing dream. I saw a large old sailing ship in a terrible storm, but there was a definite sense of hope that the ship would make it to safety if everyone did all they could and prayed to God for help. Then I clearly saw that there were some people who were just sitting there on the deck (remember this is dream). Instead of helping, these people are grumbling, saying that they would only follow the orders of their past captain. Others were bemoaning that they are going to sink without the "real" captain at the helm and that their present captain would send them to their doom. I kept urging them to get up and help, for they didn't seem to realize that their inaction would insure that all would drown; but they wouldn't listen to, or even look at me. I woke up with a deep sense of worry for them.

Gratitude can Heal our Society

With the holidays approaching, have you noticed that there is a more positive feel and energy around us. People definitely seem happier. I believe it is because people are starting to think of what they have to be thankful for and are appreciating what they already have. 

Why does appreciation make such a difference in our lives? Why would this man of science and of God in this video "prescribe" gratitude as the cure to the ills in our society?

Grateful to learn "Pages"

I know some of you may laugh that I didn't know that my Mac Laptop had “Pages”. Others may wonder what “Pages” is. I have been in this last group. I’ve had my laptop for five years now and I didn't know that it had a built in word processor. Also, I didn't know that I can dictate to my computer and it will type it for me. 

Yesterday, I had a problem. Actually, I have many problems, but yesterday I was determined to find a way to both write and exercise.  Because of my insulin resistance, I must be active in the morning, but as a writer, that is the best time to write. I’m full of ideas, and I'm not tired yet.

Feeling Loved when ill

Shortly after we were married, my health began to deteriorate and so did my self esteem. I had grown up being taught that my value was dependent on making others happy and now here I was barely able to move. I felt like a failure as a wife, mother, and church member. Though I had joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a few years before and been taught that I was a daughter of God, I didn’t feel that anyone could love me – even God.

At first I desperately plead with the Lord to heal me. I even tried to bargain with the Him, promising all the things I would do, if He would only heal me. I felt I couldn’t be happy and be a worthwhile person unless I had the health to enable me to do things for others.

I read the scriptures and prayed alot. As I read scriptures, I came to see the Lord’s love for His people and His patience with their weaknesses. In story after story I saw the Lord guiding his people’s progress by allowing them to have difficult experiences. As I prayed about this, I began to understand that Heavenly Father’s love was always there– I was just shutting it out.

I started to look at my experiences from another point of view. I related my feelings as a mother to helping me  understand Heavenly Father’s love. Often I had to tell my children that they couldn’t do something or have something and they would reply, “You don’t love me!” The Spirit helped me to see that this is what I had been doing. I had felt that God loved me only if he gave me what I wanted–NOW! Like a young child, I had been demanding, sulking, and feeling unloved when I didn’t get what I wanted.

Solving Problems the Lord's Way

I wrote this about 2010 for our local Church newsletter.

“God won’t let me be ill.  He loves me and has the power to heal, so I’ll be well soon.”  As the days turned into months, I added a bargaining approach to my pleas, “If the Lord will restore my health, then I will be such a diligent servant.”  Slowly, my hope of making a deal which the Lord couldn’t resist, faded.  My convert naivety gave way to a more mature realization that Heavenly Father, instead of merely catering to my wishes for ease, loves me enough to give me what is best for me.

I began to wonder what I was to learn from this experience.  I optimistically hoped to learn the lesson quickly, then move onto something more fun.  When the months became years, I finally began to accept that the Lord knew what experiences I needed to encourage me to grow.  As this sense of purpose in life developed, I no longer felt frustrated.  At last, I could look at problems as opportunities, even as exciting challenges, like solving a tough puzzle.