Bev Psalm 30: Patriarchal Blessing, Promises to Me

 In 1968, I received my patriarchal blessing.

Quite frankly, it didn’t seem meaningful.

Twenty-three years old, so naïve.

If you are young, take heed

Learn from my mistakes.

That paper copy became lost.

Then came the BIG repentance at age 32.

Ordering a new copy when my life had fallen apart

And in flux. I asked what God wanted from me.

The Brethren, prophets and leaders said,

“Keep a journal,” so, being visually oriented, I began.

At first it was sketchy, sparse and infrequent.

But I was doing it. Trying several different sizes and

Pretty professionally produced volumes,

I finally settled on a 3-ring notebook, a binder format of

Individual lined notepaper, letting me write for my posterity

Including all sorts of fun paper memorabilia in the pockets.

Mainly it was notes, thoughts, and insights as I studied

My scriptures and General Conference talks.

What about my own personal scriptures?

My Patriarchal Blessing!

I retyped and reformatted it making it easier to read:

One paragraph became one chapter;

One sentence became one verse.

One chapter per page and finally in sheet protectors,

I placed these at the front of my journal for a year.

In November, I would prayerfully read and reread it daily.

An amazing thing slowly began to happen: a word or phrase

Would pop out at me. I wrote them down.

Finally a theme or focus became clear. Then I would move

These pages to the front of the journal, design a cover

In keeping with the theme. This location at the front of my journal,

Gently reminded me to read my personal scripture often.

Over the years, certain verses became apparent within talks that

I heard, because they’d become familiar to me and this

Often prompted deeper study of doctrine and gospel principles.

My life purpose and work crystalized! What a Joy!

The Chiastic center of my blessing (Bev 5:2) tells me that

In the House of the Lord, I’ll receive covenants, promises

And blessings, that previously I’d never contemplated.

The Spirit of Elijah has filled my heart. Diligence and obedience

To this sacred doctrine resulted in thousands, yes, thousands,

Of ordinances performed for my ancestors on the other

Side of the veil. Then I added stories, attached sources for proof.

It’s true! Joy and peace are found in this vicarious work.

Now that you’ve read an old-fashioned form of the current

Social media communication platform, you’ll note I’ve chosen

No ads. I am the curator of the content I wish to share.

I own this permanent place. It’s my choice of passions, and

I determine how I present the themes of a week, month or year.

This year my format is Psalms.

Tricky, since I’m better at visuals than writing. But I’m learning.

Using more modern words and from the viewpoint of a 

modern day disciple of Jesus Christ. 

He is my Reason! He should be your Reason!

Focus on Christ!

He told your patriarch exactly what you need to know for your

Successful life in mortality. Find God’s will for you. Begin today!

 

Bev Psalm 29: Life Isn't a Bowl of Cherries

Ode to a song sung sad

Written in the 1930 depression years

“Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries”

“Don’t take it serious, it’s too mysterious.

We’re not here to stay; we’re on a short holiday”

I say, Holy days!  Those lyrics even ask:

“Why are we here? Where are we going?”

That bowl of cherries is full of fallen berries.

We live in a fallen world.

But how sweet it is to know, that Christ came

Long ago, and taught His Plan:

The Plan of Happiness.

Come to earth and gain a body

Complete with spirit, making a soul.

That answers the question of: Why?

And thanks to his atoning sacrifice and

The restored truths about that Stem of Jesse

We can know where we are going.

Firmly attached fruit, we labor in his orchard,

A world asking these same questions.

There are answers.

He lives! Our Redeemer Lives!

By faith, repentance, baptism we walk

In obedience the covenant path

To return to live with our Heavenly Father

In His Celestial Kingdom

God’s mysteries are revealed, our purpose here

Made clear. He loves us, His children dear,

and wants us near, to enjoy perpetual Holy Days. 

 

Bev Psalm 28: Hands Raised Up

 It began with Moses at a battle long ago

when the Lord said the Israelites would win

if he kept his arms held high.

As he tired, Aaron and Hur came to sustain

him, holding up his arms.

What many did not notice was that

Moses held a rod in his hands.

This rod is the symbol for the word of God.

In our day, Presidents Eyring and Christofferson

Sustain our prophet Dallin H. Oaks

with their words and actions, speaking for

Christ, "for by the mouths of my servants,

it is the same."

My artistic spirit wished to enter a churchwide contest

to illustrate D & C 81:5,  "lift up the hands which

hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees."

My hands hung down with age and my knees were feeble.

I envisioned little babies arms weak and helpless.

I saw children with deformed arms, feeling hopeless.

I beheld the family whose teenager, killed by accident,

their hands hidden by broken spirits,

arms clasped around each other,

fallen on bended knees, tears falling on a grave.

Finally were the widows, tears past, years gone,

loneliness settled in and solitude descending

upon their world of reduced circumstances.

The Saviour walked the same earthly paths,

one by one He ministered, clasping firmly 

by His hand, pulling them upright from feeble knees;

encircling the one in His arms, 

warmly at His breast, assured them of His love.

The Savior was there in His solitude, bearing the pain

and anguish, grief and sin for all of those

whose hands and arms hung down. 

An angel ministered to Him in that garden,

sustaining Him until it was done, 

when His arms raised up, were nailed upon the cross.

Earthly angels follow His example,

Ministering today, one by one, by phone call,

or visit, bringing the sacrament to the invalid,

texting questions, "How are you doing today?"

Letting the one know they are not alone,

they are loved and cherished children of

a Heavenly Father who loves them and

knows their every need, desiring to bless them.

Solace is found in the words of the prophets, old and new,

and in the loving ministering angels from heaven and earth,

Lifting the arms that hung down

with sacred hands that lift up.

Bev Psalm 27: Continuing in My Place

Lorenzo Snow’s words, “We are engaged in the work of God. 

The prospects before us are glorious, but, let us be impressed

in every work of our hands, that we are the servants of God

and doing His will. Let not our integrity be impaired,

but our faith be continually increased as we proceed through life.”

Lift my Spirit, continuing, he and I, too, “...would (will) be satisfied

to act where Providence has placed me, and ask God, the Lord,

what I can do to aid in building up the kingdom of God in that place.”

Uplifted, encouraged and inspired by Snow's urging,

I will continue to Pour Forth Love,

As I explore my human experience with God,

Writing Psalms that praise,

Psalms of Sorrow, Grief, Sadness and Lament,

Psalms of Gratitude, and Friendship, and

my personal Devotion to God and His Son.

I write Psalms of Wisdom to share.

Because I feel that pure love of Christ,

in the core of my heart,

and I shout Hallelujah,

My Psalms will Pour Forth Love.

Bev Psalm 26: Stand Still and See

Thou hast guided me in Thy mercy and strength

To the Celestial Kingdom where thou dwellest.

Thou hast stretched forth thy right hand,

Clasped me, embraced me with love,

Offered me health in my core,

Strengthened my bones and joints

that age has weakened.

Thou hast parted the fogs in my mind

And led me along dry land

A pillar of light behind me

Protection from the adversary, wishing to destroy.

Thy breath didst blow with Thy wind.

Thou art glorious in holiness.

I upholdest thee in awe and reverence.

Thou performest great wonders in my life

And I know thine eye is upon me,

Thy daughter, a dust mote, in Thy universe.

Thou hast loved me from the beginning

And leadest me along my days.

Thou hast purchased me

with the blood of Thy Son.

Thou hast made for me a sanctuary

in Thy mountain.

I will there go up to worship Thee

and see Thy hand in mine every need.

I shall stand still and see thy salvation.

 

Bev Psalm 25: Splash Down

Three parachutes open, slow down descent,

April tenth 2026, into San Diego’s sea,

At 5 PM and 7 minutes, ending a 256,756 mile

journey past the moon;

man going further into space than ever before.

Now deep dive into my memory to

One July day of 1969, in a hotel lobby,

Just near the main plaza, Mexico City.

I watched the grainy black and white

image of man’s first small step off the ladder,

and one giant leap for mankind.

Space has always fascinated me.

Planets, Stars, Comets, and the Milky Way.

God created them for signs and seasons.

In 1975 I was in Downey, California

Where the Apollo Command Module was built.

Art and Technology collaborated there.

Science and creation to the glory of our

Great Creator and I initiated it.

Going further back in my memory to childhood,

Another splash down: It’s getting dark,

I’m having such fun playing, then I hear Mom call,

“Come in. It’s time for bed.” “No!!!”

Kicking and screaming then undressed for my bath.

Splash down: warmth surrounded me.

I didn’t want to get out!

That’s what life is all about.

We come into a cold world, kicking and screaming,

But, at the end, we don’t want to get out.

And like Artemis II, it’s a perfectly planned mission,

We have untold questions that only God can answer.

He’ll tell us His secrets and reveal the mysteries

Of His Godliness, and eternity.

He wants to share with us, we are His children,

Bathed and clean, every wit,

A giant leap for mankind; yes, everyone who desires

To ascend to the highest degree of His

Celestial Kingdom, there to inherit worlds without end,

Spirit children to create, and heirs to family forever,

His perfectly executed Plan for Happiness!

Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls 

Bev Psalm 24: The Cherry Harvest

I love trees, especially the ones I plant

in the wilderness of cyberspace on FamilySearch,

there to be harvested by descendants who will

gather the fruit of my labors,

Fruit of Jacob’s olive tree, the anointing oils that 

fill our lamps, bless our children and our lives.

The harvest of souls is the great work

of the Master Gardener.

He has planted us on this earth to see

Whether we choose Him and eternity,

will remain unshaken in our faith,

firmly attached as we grow or

ripen in iniquity and fall far below.

The stem of Jesse is Jesus the Christ.

Just as the ethylene weakens the connection

between a ripe cherry and it’s stem,

disobedience, doubt and fear weakens 

our connection to Jesus allowing us to be

easily shaken and separated from Him.

Therefore, take heed, pray always lest you

fall into temptation.

Regular prompt, daily repentance liberates

and ennobles us.

Seek revelation and recognize God’s hand

in your life; give thanks, expressing your gratitude

and the witness of the Spirit will bring

hope and joy, as well as strength to overcome

with confidence in Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.

Yes, we avoid becoming ripe for destruction,

truly unshakable, and reconciled to God through

Christ’s infinite atonement in that garden long ago.

Our unshakable faith like the ripe cherry, held firmly

To the Tree of Righteousness.