We All Go Through It

Happiness or pain,

Sunshine or rain,

Everyone around you goes through it.

Alone or with friends,

For a while or to the end,

Look around-- we all go through it.

On others you can depend,

For we all understand,

Go lift someone up; you've been through it.

I Understand

My heart aches for you.

I know what you're going through.

I've been through it, too.

Oh, I want to help.

Don't keep it inside yourself.

Let me make it well.

Yes, I understand,

And I'll help you to the end.

Come-- give me your hand.

You'll be fine, I'm sure;

We will push through and endure.

I'll help find a cure.

I'll come help you out.

I know you can do it now.

I will show you how.

Yes, I understand,

And I'll help you to the end.

Come-- give me your hand.

I Am Home

To be sung to the tune of "Let It Go" from Disney's "Frozen"

I was lost and alone, so alone

Nowhere help was to be found

My thoughts and doubts and worries

Were the single, only sound

Confused and scared and hopeless I was then but now

At my Father’s feet I humbly bow

I’ll let Him in, I’ll let Him see

That I’m the girl I was meant to be

I’m changed for good I won’t go back

I won’t go back

I am home, I am home

The gospel is my light

I am home, I am home

I’ll forever choose the right

I don’t care

What the world may say

Let the war rage on

The Lord will prevail, anyway

My life was so confusing

I had no peace at all

And the worries that possessed me

Now seen so much more small

My thoughts and words were not so kind

I sinned and trapped my soul and mind

But now the Lord has set me free

I’m free

I am home, I am home

I am one with the God on High

I am home, I am home

Let the evil pass me by

Here I stand

And here I stay

Let the war rage on

The war between the good and evil battles on

And I have joined that side that long ago in heaven won

Those who tempt me are the ones who had me last

I’m never going back

That choice is in the past

I am home, I am home

My sins are forgiven now

I am home, I am home

The Lord has shown me how

Here I stand

And here I stay

Let the war rage on

The Lord will prevail, anyway.

Poetry

      Words tumble inside my head, each fighting for a chance to be used.  Inspiration flashes and a phrase comes together, eager to be written.  But still, I struggle.  In my heart I know what should be written, but my mind can't grasp the message.  I need to relax.  Connect.  Sitting back, I close my eyes and let the words come.  At first, confusion prevails.  But gradually, softly, my heart whispers a thought my mind can finally understand.  From it sprouts a rhyme, which blossoms into a complete message.  Suddenly the reservoir is broken.  Words and rhymes flow freely, washing over my consciousness and spilling onto the page.  My pencil makes the last mark and I read over it all once more.  Almost perfect.  A few minor edits, and it's finished.  My heart has spoken, and it is beautiful.

Magic

      It was a night full of magic.  The kind that whispers unknown words in your mind and draws icy fingers down your spine.  The stars stared coldly down at the earth wrapped in silver light.  Shadows bent with the passing mists, and all around was a murmuring of distant and otherworldly things.  Before the last light had faded, every back felt the chill.  Every child heard the whisper, and every man and woman locked their doors against the darkness.  None dared turn out the light, for all were wary of the night.
      Except for me.  My soul yearned for the magic.  It filled me with a thrill that I could not resist.  I was meant for the night.  It called to me in the dancing shadows and swaying moonlight; calling me.  Ever calling.
      And I was powerless to refuse.

Flood to Light

I cry mainly for the suffering this world inflicts upon all.  For the pain I do not feel, but will forever be felt in so many hearts.  For the wounds so deeply cut in the bodies and souls of friends and strangers alike.  I cry for the poor choices made by those around me.  I cry for the love that many will never know.  For the beauty that many will never see.  For the music they will never hear, and the laughter they will never feel.  I cry for the struggles of those I love most.  I cry for the struggles of those I do not know.  And I cry, in part, for myself.  For my frustrations and disappointments.  For my weaknesses and mistakes.

But with all my tears, not a drop can make a difference.  My sorrow joins the world’s in a river of misery that floods hearts and lives.  The tears flow swiftly toward the horizon through the night with nothing but a dreary end ahead.

Then, with the dawn, comes hope.  It is a glorious rising of the sun, splitting the darkness and turning all the restless pain into glittering gold.  The weeping becomes a song, and music welcomes an endless day in which pain and sorrow will never have part.

This is Our Duty

The United States of America.  The New World.  The Promised Land.  A land of liberty.  A land of opportunity.  A place where all are free.  Free to live, to love, to choose.  To work for ourselves.  To have a say in government.  To believe in whatever and whomever we desire.  To live peaceably with one another.  To deal honestly.

Now this nation has become a place where we can choose to put ourselves under the influence of any and all addictive substances.  To give in to any and all captivating desires.  To dig as deep a hole of debt as we want.  To make any rash or selfish decision that comes into our minds.  To make evil things right.  To make good things wrong.  To push others down in order to lift ourselves up.  To deceive for personal gain.

What changed?  Suddenly all freedom of choice has become freedom to put ourselves and others in bondage.  How?  Can it be that we have failed our country?  That we have forgotten what is most important?  That something that might seem so small, so simple, so easily overlooked is of the greatest significance in our country’s liberty?

Mary had a little Lamb

His fleece was white as snow

And everywhere that Mary went

The Lamb was sure to go

He followed her to school each day

‘Twasn’t against the rule

It made the children laugh and play

To have the Lamb at school

And then the rules all changed one day

Illegal it became

To bring the Lamb of God to school

Or even speak His Name

Every day got worse and worse

And days turned into years

Instead of hearing children laugh

We heard gunshots and tears

What must we do to stop the crime

That’s in our schools today?

Let’s let the Lamb come back to school

And teach our kids to pray!

Ether chapter 2 verse 12 reads, “...whatsoever nation shall possess [this land] shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, ...if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ…”

“It is imperative that our people be in tune with the supreme leader of freedom, the Lord our God. ...Apart from God we cannot succeed, but as a partner with God, we cannot fail.”  That was from Ezra Taft Benson.  

Heavenly Father built up this land for His purposes.  Those who were led here by Him are here for a reason.  Our country is so very important.  Our duty is to keep it on the right path, for any nation will go astray if God is not leading it.

But how do we do that?  How do we make the entire country follow God?  It is so easy for us as individuals to forget Him.  There is no way to make 318.9 million people be truly faithful to Him.

That is true.  But we can be an influence, make a difference, get the ball rolling.  It is our responsibility to make sure we follow God.  Ezra Taft Benson said that “[t]he home is the rock foundation, the cornerstone of civilization.  No nation will ever rise above its homes.”  Our duty to our country is to be the foundation of testimony that will support our nation and keep it focused on God.

The Founding Fathers were righteous, inspired men who created a perfect system of government for this chosen land.  When the Constitution in its correct state is faithfully applied, there is no flaw.  But men have changed it.  Stretched it, cut it.  The original Balance of Powers has been severely and fatally thrown off.  Something must be done about it.  But nothing can be done by ignorant people.  Our duty to our country is to educate ourselves in such matters.  Those in power know.  That is why they are the leaders.  But these conspiring men will lead us far astray if we do not come to know ourselves and right the wrongs that have been brought upon this blessed land.

We believe in the principles that will support a righteous nation, do we not?  But as Ezra Taft Benson said, “[a] man must not only stand for the right principles, but he must also fight for them.”

It is not enough to believe in certain things, or even pray for them.  We must do something.  “Faith without works is dead.”  We cannot say that we believe that God knows what is best and is able to bring about His purposes.  We must act as His hands and do what we know to be right.  We must trust in God, not to do everything Himself, but to lead us to do what He needs us to do.  It is our duty to our country.  Our duty obligates us to do all that is within our power to keep this nation on the right path.  We cannot be truly free if we are not following God.

The world today says that the laws and commandments restrict us.  Bind us down.  The world says that we are not “free” if we are following someone else’s rules.  But the truth is that this life is a maze.  God knows the way through, and if we choose to follow Him, we will make it.  If we choose to go our own way, to go in the direction we want to go, we will eventually find ourselves staring at a blank wall that marks a depressing dead end.

Our country is heading straight for that end.  Sometimes it seems that we are already there, looking at that forbidding wall, and nothing could possibly get worse, but as long as there is good in the world, it can get worse.  And as long as there is good in the world, and there always will be, there is something worth fighting for.  Our duty to our country is to join that fight.  There is something we all can do, no matter our political stance.  Those of us of age to vote can work to put in office those who will promote the right things.  Those of us who are younger can educate ourselves now so that we can be a positive influence in our country in the future.  We know what is right, and we of all ages can help others gain the same knowledge.

Our country is not hopeless as long as God is at the head.  He built up this country.  He will guide it if we will allow Him.  He will show us the way, for He is the way.