Hope

“Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.
...Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.”
Read this last night after listening to a podcast on hope, and both hit me on many different levels regarding various life circumstances. Then there was this: “Hope is a spiritual gift... This kind of hope is both a principle of promise as well as a commandment, and, as with all commandments, we have the responsibility to make it an active part of our lives and overcome the temptation to lose hope.”

I’m naturally more inclined to worry than hope. And after many months in quarantine & world chaos, my hope is feeling especially dusty. I want to let hope back into my life. Pray for it, practice it, let it in & let it change me.
These are my thoughts leading up to Christmas.
Sources: Book of Mormon Ether 12:4&6; “The Infinite Power of Hope” Dieter F. Uchtdorf; “Come Follow Me for Us” podcast episode 51.

Beautiful Leaves

Throwback. We were driving by some of our favorite fall trees the other day and my son commented “Oh, all the beautiful leaves are gone.” ☹️ True. We have entered the ugly barren with no snow stage of winter 😆 BUT inside we are decorating with as many twinkle lights and greens as possible and they might stay up until March, thank you very much. #hygge #cheerfortheRONA

Waking Up

Today we are grateful for stillness 💛

Change

Feeling grateful for change, today. That seasons change, circumstances change, and most of all that we as people can change. I was thinking this morning about how that’s God’s greatest Hope & purpose: to help people change. There’s comfort & optimism in knowing that no one is cast in stone; I can change & so can others—we can all become better.
Recent change for us: the boys went back to school. This was a hard-fought decision with multiple considerations regarding every person in our home. I didn’t want to make this change, but the right answer (for us) was pretty obvious. Change takes faith & effort. But we are leaning into God and the faith that He knows best and will help us all grow. #am_covidchronicles

"Hear Him"

The greatest gift for me has always been to slow down and notice. Notice something beautiful, some small and overlooked detail, the way I feel and putting those emotions in context. Photography helps me do these things & has pulled me out of more holes than you can imagine. It seems to me that creative/artistic pursuits are God’s gift to us, reminding us He’s there.

The leader of our church released an inspirational message yesterday, and it’s incredible. It’s meant to be nondenominational and is truly what we all need right now. I’ll link it in my stories, today, and highly recommend finding a hot second to watch it. It will lift you. 💛
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#am_nationalparks #mangosdoarches

Through Her Eyes

We see ordinary, she sees magic. Oh I need this girl!!! She is sunshine on a 2020 day 😅
(Check out that fun light bounce! )

Tap Tap Tap

The blinds string is only accessible for play (i.e. banging on the window) when Mom pulls the blinds up because the light is pretty ☺️ #misslydiefaith

Grounding

Grounding. It’s a practice that seems so foreign to my ever shifting, overwhelming, preoccupied thoughts, lately. But today I took the time. To study scriptures and anchor my spirit; to move my body, connect with it, and ground my emotions. To turn in, bind up my hurts, and breathe through the weight that is life right now. To find some stillness. It felt good. I’ve got a lot of work to do, but at least we’re facing the right direction.

#am_nationalparks #mangosdoarches