I am thankful for my eyes. What a wondrous gift created for us. 

Our eyes and the ability to to see is such a blessing.   

           When my mother lost most of her eye sight I began to have an increased appreciation for my eyes. I watched as my mother took  a large magnifying glass and held it up above each word in order to read. She could barely read it, but word by word she tried. You see, mother loved reading. For as long as I can remember mother was surrounded by books. Watching her struggle to see the words on the page was truly painful. 

Mother had always been one to appreciate the sunsets, cloud formations, trees, tulips and lilies, butterflies and, well, everything. My heart broke as she no longer could see to sew, or write.  As her vision diminished she would say frequently, “Appreciate your eyes Shauna.”                     

        While visiting the library as a young girl, and looking for books  that might be of interest, the librarian suggested that I might enjoy reading biographies and autobiographies. Together we walked to the section that contained them. She reached up upon a shelf and pulled down a book. “I think you’ll enjoy her,” she said with a smile. It was Helen Keller’s autobiography.  It was then I was sent on an adventure of a life lived in true darkness, yet lived in light. Something within her words touched me profoundly, and continues to invite me to seek and appreciate more.  Let me share just a particle of her words that have forever made me look a little closer to those that influence my life.  

             “If by some miracle, I were granted three seeing days, to be followed by a relapse into darkness, I should want to see the people whose kindness and gentleness and companionship have made my life worth living. First, I should like to gaze long upon the face of my dear teacher, Anne Sullivan, who came to me when I was a child and opened the outer world to me. I should want not merely to see the outline of her face so that I could cherish it in my memory, but to study that face and find in it the living evidence of the sympathetic tenderness and patience with which she accomplished the difficult task of my education.  I should like to see her eyes. . . 

             I have often thought about Helen and her three day adventure of sight. To see a little baby’s face ....  “So that I could catch a vision of the eager, innocent beauty.”  Or the moment when she walked “ in the woods and intoxicate my eyes on the beauties of the world of Nature, trying desperately to absorb in a few hours the vast splendor that is constantly unfolding itself to those who can see. And I should pray for the glory of a colorful sunset.” 

        ‘Glory of a colorful sunset.’ I wonder just how many of us take daily a moment to appreciate it. I remember my parents rushing to the back gate of the yard while encouraging and inviting us, “Come see the beautiful sunset!”  Somehow I always felt that sunsets are like heaven’s goodnight kiss.  

             Because I can see: I love bursting sunrises, polka dots and pink balloons, I love lady bugs and butterflies, white Shasta daisies and yellow ones too. I love watching Autumn’s leaves float to the ground, and giggle as children jump into piles of crunching wonder. I love my sweetheart’s blue blue eyes and forever love those six pairs of eyes that looked to me in motherhood. I am so blessed to see the ‘glory’ of it all. Today I shall embrace the blessing of sight, and savor, and store all the memories of glorious creations around me. My sweetheart smiles as he holds me tight, he says  “I’m imprinting.”  I pray that by some miracle I shall have archived enough pictures in my mind to last an eternity.   

         Yet, above all the wonders of this earthly existence, I pray that some day I shall be blessed to see the face of God.  ... and like Helen expressed... “to study that face and find in it the living evidence of the sympathetic tenderness and patience - patience with me.   

Helen found God in her dark and silent world and He opened her life to all the possibilities. 

                “It’s wonderful to climb the liquid mountains of the sky. Behind me and before me is God and I have no fears”  ~ Helen Keller 

        I love my life! I only get but one moment to step upon this earth, so I am embracing it! Grateful for liquid mountains and tender feelings of the heart that allow me to see more clearly, perhaps the way God wants me to see.  

        So for this moment, I draw back the curtains and look at the sky. It’s a cloudy day. The wind is blowing the leaves from the trees.   It’s a perfect day, planned, and prepared just the way God wants it to be.  You see, I believe that God is in the details of our lives.   May we all find the ‘glory’ within the walk. 

        Enjoy your Sabbath 

        Love Always, 

              

                   Take My Breath Away!

                                                                                        by Shauna Brown 

        One of my very favorite memory moments of life was when our babies took their first breath. We held our

breath until they took theirs.  Gratefully it was followed by tiny cries, as well as our own.  I was blessed to have six of those delightful -heavenly, breath taking experiences.  As we take that brand new baby home, bundled in blankets, and long anticipated love, we worry. We are always checking to see if they are breathing.  I would watch their little tummies rise and with each breath would feel relief, peace and gratitude. 

There is a popular quote, that reads...  

“Life is not measured by the breaths we take,  

but by the moments that take our breath away.”  

        Now, don’t think poorly of me while I tell you, that in order to get my baby’s attention at times, to distract them,  most often when they were fussy,  I used to blow gently upon in their face.  They would blink and gasp, and frequently a smile would surface. Then, they would look to me for reassurance.  With my little gust of wind, and a returned smile, they would forget what they were crying for.  It worked time after time. 

        I realize at times our Father in Heaven needs to get our attention as well.  If we were always bundled up in fleece and flannel experiences... we wouldn’t appreciate the needed warmth when the cold chilly winds blow and intense storms are pending.  Life will be made of experiences that will at times take our breaths away. I have had gasping, heart wrenching, air sucking moments, but interestingly [ looking back ] they can refresh and renew our spirit of faith.  

                “It was meant to be that life would be a challenge. To suffer some anxiety, some depression, some disappointment, even some failure is normal.  Teach our members that if they have a good miserable day once in a while, or several in a row, to stand steady and face them. Things will straighten out. There is great purpose in our struggle in life”         ~ Boyd K. Packer     

  

        A good Bishop, while giving me a blessing once said,  “You  will come to understand long suffering, but there will come an end to it.”   I have held onto those words like a rainbow promise.  

            As part of God’s plan each of us came to earth to face different challenges, it’s part of our learning and Earthly education.  According to carefully scheduled and timed experiences we learn that some of us will swim in deep waters, wondering if we can maintain our head above the water. Frequently we observe that others are carelessly floating beside us, almost relaxing.

        I think about how often I blew in the face of my little newborn. Our Heavenly Father too, allows blowing gusts of wind into our faces to get our attention and ultimately His wish is to have us turn to Him. Once He has our attention He then cradles us with renewed love and whispers peace unto our minds. Gratefully I have felt heaven’s beathe upon my wet cheeks when anxiety found way to creep into the corners of my soul.  I know that Heavenly Father can lift any heart that is heavy and burdened. 

Years ago I came across an  Irish Blessings:

May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow. 

May the soft winds freshen your spirit. 

May the sunshine brighten your heart. 

May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you, 

and may God enfold you in the mantle of His love. 

I like that-- ‘God enfolds you in the mantle of His love.’

  Or how about His very promise: 

“Wherefore, be of good cheer and do not fear,

for I the Lord am with you and will stand by you.  D & C 68:6.  

Since it’s Monday - Enjoy your Week!

I guess I should say - “Let it Blow”

Love always,

Shauna 

            Snap Happy        by Shauna Brown 

               Last night my grandson, Jamison, came up and asked, “Grandma Sunny, can I please have some Snapdragons?  Then he added, “ And can I get some more seeds too.”  I smiled, as I have clipped numerous bouquets of snapdragons upon each visit.   Last time we loaded up Ziploc bags with seeds, millions of seeds, shaking them from the dry buds.  I’m sure there will be dragons popping up in their yard next spring. Imagine all the possibilities.  

               When I was young I watched as my own mother, gently picked the flowers and harvested the seeds. We placed the seeds in large manila envelopes.Then in due time and season she planted them. With each little sprout and spear she smiled, eager for the bloom. It was magical to me to watch it grow. Ours was an incredibly beautiful  garden. One might call it a ‘cottage garden’ for within was planted varieties of flowers and shrubs. Bluebells, Lilies of the valley, Baskets of gold, Roses, ferns, Daisies, Iris, Pansies, Carnations, Snap dragons, Tulips, Peonies, Chrysanthemums, and on and on.   

              One would have marveled at my mother’s green thumb, and green it was. With effort, knowledge and love , our garden grew and thrived. I often thought it must have been much like the Garden of Eden, it was that beautiful to me.   

             It is of little wonder why digging deep into dark earth and planting seeds and bulbs I find a sense of joy and satisfaction. Perhaps one would say this feeling was handed down to me.  I am one who talks with my flowers, who cheer leads, and encourages their sprouting time and thrill with each bloom or blossom, just like Mama did.  I’m sure my mother must be tickled, as she watches me  from heaven as I demonstrate the incredible workings of the ‘snapping dragon’ to another  grandchild--her great grandchild.  We gather seeds just as she did with all hopes that we too can enjoy red, yellow, pink, white bouquets and scents from heaven.  I marvel with each delicate blossom.  

             Life is, seed upon seed, generation upon generation, which stretches back to our divine creator.  Did we know where and when we were to be planted?  

        Don’t you ever wonder how we were taught in heaven? Did we watch as creation tasks were begun, as seeds were plucked and planted? Did we listen closely as glorious possibilities were explained? Did we echo smiles of hope and trust? I like to envision stepping within the presence of our creator and realize that I grew where I was planted. Then, I would see all who urged and cheered me on, as my life’s purpose rose towards the sun.   

        C.S. Lewis was inspired by a fellow writer whom he even once praised with a compliment of  “master”, so inspired by his writing.  I love this thought as it captures each one of us on such a personal level.   

        “I would rather be what God chose to make me than the most glorious creature that I could think of; for to have been thought about, born in God’s thought, and then made by God, is the dearest, grandest and most precious thing in all thinking.”  ~ George MacDonald 

       With so many years now, in my growing season, I have come to appreciate that I was made by God- I am His seed. By a miracle and love I was planted deep within the dark earth of the gospel.  Gratefully, there are many moments when I know He has whispered words to encourage my growth. Words that warm my soul and make me burst with joy and color.  In all truth I want to grow and thrive and forever bloom - just the way God intended me too.  

       I love snap dragons, and memory moments in my childhood garden. Once again, in my garden I can cherish the time when young hearts bounce with enthusiasm and ask, “Can I please pick some a snapdragons from the garden.”  We pinch it’s face and make it talk, and snap away. I giggle, for I know that the seed has been planted once again, and the love will continue to grow. Perhaps I shall have memory moments for my seeds, and seedlings. I’m sure there must be snap dragons in heaven, for they beckon me to squeeze. 

Enjoy your Sabbath 

With Love Always, 

Shauna