Bev Psalm 44: Journey of Light

When I was a little girl age seven,

My friends across the street

Invited me to their church.

In Sunday School the room was filled

With children and a golden light

Shined through the windows.

One window square was bright yellow.

Then I saw a blue one, bluer than the sky.

Another red, glowing there caught my eye.

This was the beginning of my love for

Colored light and stained glass windows.

Simple squares.

Morning sunlight shining through them.

Symbols of Christ’s love beaming down on me.

This plain and simple thing brought about

A grand theme in my life.

Jesus is the light of the world

His light blesses me then and now

When you walk in God’s light

You can see more clearly how

He directs your path through the years

Of art and pain,

Leading to a teacher showing me the way

To create stained glass windows, and then

On an island shore far away, many years later

To honor and remember those who died in

A WWII battle there 50 years before,

It opened the eyes, blinded by war, that

Death is a reality no more.

The Window I designed for WWII memorial
in the Island Chapel. Me with the male
model for the kneeling soldier in center circle.

Bev Psalm 43: Abide With Me

Walking, talking, breaking bread with me

Jesus leads me gently along the covenant path.

It’s the Lord’s way.

In my revelatory recliner, no longer able

To walk or run or kneel in prayer,

He still abides with me.

My heart burns as the scriptures are read;

My testimony, my talks are now on social media.

Technology provides me with a platform to share

The knowledge that we don’t walk alone.

Every Sunday I meet with other disciples via Zoom.

My ministering elder brings the sacrament;

He shares his insights and I share mine.

Together we are building Zion.

Growing in our ability to change and repent,

To become like Christ so that when He comes

Again, we will know Him and He will know us.

Through His comforter, the Holy Ghost,

We know God’s will, what we should do and say,

Think and act,

Treasuring the fact that when we obey,

We will be with Him one day.

In my revelatory recliner: Joy!

Bev Psalm 42: My Friend

Gone, Gone, Gone,

My friend has moved away and

   left memories behind.

A laugh, a smile and all awhile

   just across the way,

Running, jogging, swimming,

Sometimes one foot on a

   colorful, small skateboard

Racing down the sidewalk.

Always a smile so wide,

A true friend at my side

Now, gone, gone, gone.

Am I alone?

Yes, but not lonely.

I have another friend;

My constant, loving friend.

Jesus is my friend:

Arms outstretched,

He hugs me close and

Tells me that I’m cherished.

Friends, silver and gold.

Make new friends, but

Keep the old.

Friendship is eternal.

 

Bev Psalm 41: Hastening and a Miracle

Hastening is a word that really matters.

Moving quickly, accelerating, even urgency is

   the Spirit of Gathering.

Miracles happen daily.

Our gratitude to God’s tender mercies and blessings

   is profound.

We joyfully prepare for the Lord’s Second Coming.

We seek to prepare the world for that glorious day.

Missionaries invite, teach, serve and testify of

   Jesus Christ.

His coming may not be today; it may not be tomorrow.

   But it is going to be some tomorrow.

Knock, knock, knock!

Who is it? I say from my recliner.

Missionaries! Just a minute...

I open the door.

“We are from the Church of Jesus Christ of

   Latter-day Saints.”

Me, too! I say to myself, “How beautiful upon the

   Mountains are the feet of those who are still

   Publishing peace.”

His new convert companion says, pointing to the Elder

   In his white shirt and tie, “He’s a family history champion!”

Me too!!!!

Are you a member of a group? The Elder asks.

Yes, I am. It’s called Peace of Mind.

Wow, he says, my dad’s a member of that group.

   There must be at least 50 members in it.

I respond, there are many, many more than that.

Hey, I’ll look it up on my FamilySearch app.

97 you are right!

In the over 340 million people in the United States,

   and over 400 apartments in my complex, what

   are the chances that you should knock on my door?

A miracle! One in 97 and you found ME!

I was wondering if God saw me and my neediness.

Yes. He sees me and let’s me know that I, who am

   just a little nothing, is indeed His everything.

He loves me!

Bev Psalm 40: A Modern Liahona?

There it sat, in the sand, at his doorstep

   and of curious workmanship.

Tell us which way to go, which path to take

   in the wilderness.

North, South, East or West? Right or wrong

   or stand still? Question asked; answer

   sought. What will God reveal.

In that day two thousand years ago, there

   were no satellites or GPS, no Google

   Earth or Atlas maps, much less telegraph

   or telephone.

The digital age brought much, much more,

   on our wrist, in a pocket or in the palm

   of our hand, texting with thumb and fingers.

Take one more step into the future;

   AI answers questions, yes.

   Artificial Intelligence is at our beck and call.

There it sits, in our hand, of revolutionary

   craftsmanship: iPhone or Android, we can choose.

Tells us which way to go, reaching a destination

   quickly; but safely?

In the wilderness of cyberspace, questions asked;

   answers sought. Do we question what AI reveals?

Trust in a device made by man and designed by

   logic and from facts already known?

Or do we trust in faith to answers from our

   God that’s loved and known?

Ah, yes, our modern Liahona works by

   faith and prayers.

It’s personal revelation given to His child,

   who He knows by name.

Answers sought, then revealed, in

   God we trust, our destiny, His will for

   Us be done in all things.

Guided, step by step in perfect harmony.

   Celestial glory is our goal. We join with

   Him, walk with Him. He knows our name;

   we’re not alone.

We know His Name, Jesus Christ. We worship

   Him, deliberately and always.

Bev Psalm 39: My Remote Controller

Click, click, click

I slap the remote controller against my hand.

Again, slap, slap, slap, click,click,click

Nothing.

Maybe it’s the batteries.

Two AAAs are replaced; last two in old 14 pack.

Click, click, click. Nothing.

Went shopping, bought small pack of AAAs.

Got home. Replaced the batteries, not expecting a change.

Thinking probably need a new remote controller.

Click…what? It works!

Don’t throw away a device because it stopped working.

Change the batteries.

Don’t discard the person when they struggle, help them.

AA: Attention and Affection

AAA: Attention, Affection and Acceptance

C: Compassion

D: Direction

And if they still don’t shine, sit with them.

Just be there, still and quiet.

Shinning for them.

A light of God’s love to encompass them

That they may see your good works

And glorify your Father in which is in heaven.

Bev Psalm 38: Alone

 Alone I awake. Tiny steps I take, walking

   room to room, to my revelatory chair.

Writing lines of psalms, insights to share.

Life is not black or white, right or wrong.

It is all those choices that make us strong.

To rhyme or not to rhyme as I write is not

   the question I ask each time I look into

   the mirror and say, “Who am I?”

I see the note taped there: “You are cherished”

   and I say in response, knowing that is true,

   it helps, but I AM alone.

Alone does not mean lonely. Well, that’s

   also true, sometimes.

Friends visit for reasons I’m grateful for,

   care given, dishes washed, laundry done,

   bed linen changed, sacrament given and more.

Daughter comes to cheer and hug and help

   me solve puzzles galore.

Three hours there, one hour here and

   two hours more.

Maybe weekly, sometimes not. Yet, I am

   not lonely, just alone.

I pray. Angelic visitors come. Earthly videos

   viewed are on the same theme: prayers

   answered. The Holy Ghost comforts and

   it seems love surrounds me.

My heart overflows with joy.

Then I remember, Jesus alone, in that garden

   so long ago. Angels descended to strengthen

   Him but His work was done alone.

“Father, where art Thou?” silence from heaven.

“Not my will, but thine be done.” His work alone.

Alone is sacred. Whether in a wilderness, a

   Garden or in a revelatory recliner.

There is wisdom given as we walk slowly the

   paths of mortal life, if we intentionally make

   moments of silence, stillness and quiet,

   praying to know our Father’s will for us.

Ours only is to act and say, “Thy will be done.”