Write at the Heart

This year my 12-year-old joined the cross country team. He’d never really run before, so I was curious how it’d go! Well, it was hard. He was tired! Sore! And missing out on hours of play time! But I watched him commit. I watched him get stronger.  I watched him build endurance.  I watched his time improve again & again, a few seconds at a time.  I watched him finish 9 races. Some with blazing temps. Some with small streams to run through. Big hills to climb. Ditches to hop over! I watched my non-runner son become a runner. Every finish made me wanna cry! (ok I did) I was so proud of him. Not because he was the fastest. Not because he smashed any records. Not because running was easy for him. No. Because of his efforts! He fought for every finish. And he knew it. I’d hug that sweaty, red-faced boy & he would just beam! He knew he’d done what he could. When Oliver Granger had fallen short of a task, the Lord said of him, “When he falls he shall rise again, for his sacrifice shal

When we moved here, one big adjustment was not being surrounded by those of our faith. (Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Utah anymore! 😉)  My two youngest kids play with a bunch of neighbor kids almost every day. They’re all great kids! One day a neighbor girl saw our picture of Jesus hanging in the entry way. She asked, “Does your family love Jesus?” My daughter responded we did! Her friend said, “My family does, too!” Then last week my daughter asked me, “Mom, are we Christians?” Her friend had asked, & she didn’t know what to say! And my 7-year-old son apparently had answered confidently, “No, we’re not.” Ok, this discussion was definitely needed! #momfail 🤦‍♀️ I explained we believe in Christ as our Savior! So yes, we are Christian! I said there are many religions that are Christian, & we are one of them. I said some people call us Mormons, but the actual name of our religion is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After my mini sermon, my daughter said OHHH,

My 9-year-old recently discovered a piano duet book. Every day she asks me to try a new song with her. And every time it’s KIND of a test of patience for me! You see, she is just a beginner at the piano. And it takes time as she stumbles her way through her simple, one-noted melody. My fingers are at the ready with my more advanced chords, waiting for her notes to be played alongside mine, but it can be a slooow process. She wants to be right the FIRST time. She hates messing up. She doesn’t like to be corrected! Eventually she asks for my help & takes the time to get it right. THEN- we sound awesome together. We make a pretty great team. The Lord gives Thomas B. Marsh some beautiful counsel in D&C 112, including this well-known verse: “Be thou ​​​humble​; & the Lord thy God shall ​​​lead​ thee by the hand, & give thee answer to thy prayers.” (10) Thomas had a strong testimony, served extensively in the Church, & did a lot of good. Then, long story short, he left. H

Hi! I’m still here! And though there are some unintended dry spells, I really do cherish this small account because each little box reflects pieces of my testimony. ❤️ They are personal snapshots of deep thoughts, study, & heartfelt conviction… compacted into 2200 characters. 😊 I love voicing where I stand. I love putting things in writing. In fact, writing is kinda BINDING… wouldn’t you say? D&C 109:46 says, “Therefore, O Lord, deliver thy people from the calamity of the wicked; enable thy servants to seal up the law, & bind up the testimony, that they may be prepared against the day of burning.” That phrase, BIND UP THE TESTIMONY, struck me. It’s found in the Bible & the Book of Mormon as well. Isaiah said, “And many among them shall stumble, & fall, & be broken, & be snared, & be taken. BIND UP THE TESTIMONY, seal the law among my disciples. And I will wait upon the Lord.” (Isa. 8:15-17) BIND UP THE TESTIMONY.  What does it mean? Well, we know the Lo