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 37: A

 Alpha and Omega, Christ is the beginning and

   the ending; Psalm 119 begins it’s 8 verse stanza,

   each line or phrase begins with that letter.

   Hebrew to English, that’s not recognizable, but a

   pattern is established! Let’s see how I do.

Alone, I find myself as David and others must have,

   in the solitude of study, searching scriptures both

   ancient and modern, gleaning gems of wisdom to share.

Although the circle of my influence is very small,

   Noah must have thought that same lonely idea,

   but had faith in the Lord’s promise of a flourishing

   future. I feel hope.

Ark or arc of influence, nevertheless, it’s God’s

   commandment obeyed that brings perspective.

   I explore here my own human experience with

   God, He who loves me, guides me and inspires

   me with His eye single to my eternal life and joy.

Advancing one step at a time, He leads, I follow.

   Little by little I learn of the doctrine of Christ.

   It’s easy! Faith, repentance, baptism by immersion,

   receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost from authorized

   hands, and enduring to the end.

Actions required to progress or endure are easy, too:

   obey His commandments, pray always, give service,

   testify often, again and again.

Actionable faith is what this is called. The five wise

   virgins, had sufficient oil. Today we live in tumultuous

   even terrible times, let us pour oil on troubled waters.

   May we hold up our lights to shine forth, leading

   others as examples of kindness and Christ-like

   lives of charity.

Angelic protection is promised and I’ve called upon

   this blessing often when I’ve walked in uncertain

   steps, pain and sorrow. Quiet moments of assurance

   and healing, able me to feel His peace, the peace

   that surpasses all our understanding.

  

      

Bev Psalm 37: C

 Calendar years come and go, but this year was a

   culminating convergence of 65 years of high school,

   friends, memories, photos and finding lost or

   deceased classmates for an April reunion.

Cardinal was the name of our yearbook. Seventeen

   Pages of Senior photos; 357 people. Some I knew

   And others I did not. Serving on the committee for

   3 years, my goal was to find them all. A skill as a

   Family history researcher helped.

California was the starting point. Ancestry.com

   provided the 1961 yearbook photos from ClassMates.

   A 1959 city directory for Pomona placed parents

   in the right location, Then the 1950 census put a

   child with parents. There I was with my family! Cool!

Curiosity helped me solve mysteries. It didn’t kill this

   cat! Yes, I love cats. Whether short or long hair,

   Siamese, Norwegian Forest or Maine Coon cats

   I could spend hours watching their antics.

Control is required if I’m to center my life in Christ.

   I didn’t study to become a veterinarian; so, with a

   cheerful heart, the focus turned to caring, and

   serving others with the gifts God gave me.

Confident that God would guide me, I noticed that

   children and youth were consistently connected

   to my church callings: Primary, Young Women, even

   in my profession as a director in the field and at camp.

Creativity became the gift used to serve others: games,

   Arts and craft ideas, etc. When I was an art museum

   Curator, I created exhibits, designed flyers, catalogues

   and compiled press kits, and news articles. This is my

   Christlike connection to the Chosen One, Creator of

   the World.

Bev Psalm 37: H

 Handmaiden of the Lord, here am I writing

   psalms of praise and joy to Thee.

Hosanna to the Highest, every breath He

   brings to life His harvest of souls unto

   the Father, who’s will He performs.

Hymns of honor, hail His godly heritage

   and ours as beloved children of God.

   our Elder Brother, heart of the plan: to

   bring the worthy heirs back to their

   Heavenly home.

Hens gather their chicks under their wings

   to protect them hovering, hiding them from

   danger. Christ’s example, His words, the

   Holy One of Israel came to earth with

   healing in His Wings.

Hope in Him and His gift of salvation

   highlights that hour when everything

   changed for the whole universe: for

   all mankind.

Hinge point in history when He arose from

   the tomb. Every person shall rise on that

   day of judgement, the body and spirit,

   rejoined to be judged when the world’s

   purpose is accomplished.

Happiness and joy now reign as Christ has

   restored His church on earth again. Hail to

   His name: The Church of Jesus Christ of

   Latter-day Saints. His help to join families

   healed, back again to their heavenly home.

Hearken! Our High Priest, the Hand of the Lord,

   We shall wave white handkerchiefs, no longer

   To hunger. Ahhh, honey, in the desert,

   Gathered by Thy bee, Beverly.

 

Bev Psalm 37: J

 Journals and letters preserve mankind’s

   experiences with God, give us His

   commandments and trace genealogies.

Jehovah of the Old Testament oversaw the

   preservation of the Creation story and

   His chosen people, the Hebrews. Abraham,

   Issac and Jacob raised up posterity, and

   kept sacred records.

Jaredites left the Tower of Babel, and their

   Story is known only because a prophet

   could translate records that they could no

   longer read. The confounding of languages

  had become complete.

Just think, we’d have no scriptures without

   scribes copying old papyrus scrolls over

   and over again. To safeguard fragile media

   from decay, like the Dead Sea Scrolls, more

   durable page material must be found.

Jerusalem of old kept sacred writings engraved

   on plates of brass. Each family’s patriarch

   possessed them, added to them and thus the

   learned men became skilled in engraving.

Judged from the Book of Life, an example for

   us to follow, we record birth, marriage and

   death in the books of this age. From these

   we will be justified or not.

Joined to our ancestors by their records left

   behind, we attach these sources to individual

   progenitors and their stories unfold. They

   become individual, unique people, not just

   names.

Jesus is central to the joyous plan of happiness

   linking families by covenant back through

   time in over 300 temples dotting the earth,

   no longer separate pieces of a jigsaw puzzle,

   but a completed beautiful eternal portrait.

Bev Psalm 37: K

 Knowledge is crucial to a human life.

   Babies learn more in their first year.

   The brain doubles in it’s capacity or

   synaptic connections in order to process

   sight, sound, language, and motor skills.

Kids can learn something new in minutes,

   faster than adults. That allows them to learn

   more efficiently and absorb huge amounts of

   new information at once.

Keeping this learning process current is our

   adult goal. Because teen years start with

   emotional development, resilience, and the

   ability to communicate feelings more clearly.

Kindness and kinship knit together; thoughts

   of identity and a spiritual side of self, who we

   really are, “A Child of God,” emerge.

Kneeling in vocal prayer, fourteen-year-old

   Joseph Smith wanted to inquire of the Lord,

   Which of all the religious sects was right?

   The Father and the Son appeared above him

   in a pillar of light. The answer, surprising: none

   of them. “They draw near to me with their lips;

   but, their hearts are far from me.

Knowing that they teach for doctrines the

   commandments of men, having a form of

   godliness, but they deny the power thereof,

   allows Joseph after seven years had passed,

   and his brain matured, to be led humbly by

   angelic teachers, to restore Christ’s true church

   as it was in the meridian of time.

Knew it! And I knew that God knew it and I could

   not deny it, neither dared I do it; the vision was

   true! If I should deny it I would offend God, and

   come under condemnation.

Kingdom on earth restored. King of Kings governs it.

   The Lord Jesus Christ and His Father are two

   Separate beings. Truth revealed, all because a

   Fourteen-year old read James 1:5 and knew that

   If asked, God would answer.

Bev Psalm 37 L

 Love is like a lovely look into your heart.

   It’s all encompassing and overwhelming

   When it is that perfect love of Jesus Christ:

   Charity.

Listen carefully, You’re not alone anymore;

   loneliness is abolished from your life.

Liberated from a load of self-doubt, because

   now you know that you are cherished.

Lightened from this burden, no longer

   limping from fear or longing, we are open

   to acts of service from, and improved acts

   of service to others.

Leaning on the Spirit, we begin to see our

   unique place within our sphere of friends,

   neighbors and fellow Saints.

Learning from the Lord’s point of view, we

   are aware of our meaningful purpose

   here on our patch of His wheatfield.

Little pieces, we covenant-keeping disciples

   in every nation of the world, are hidden

   until the whole is raised by our influence.

Leaven in God’s bread of life, the lamb

   will lay down with the lion and Lucifer will

   lose his power; peace, truth and

   Righteousness will reign as Lord of Hosts.

  

 

 

Bev Psalm 37: M

 Mystery, a Hebrew term referring to the

   Mysteries of Godliness, not to the ones

   Sherlock, Poirot, Longmire or the

   Grantchester’s team draw me into nightly.

Murder mysteries or whodunnits keep us

   guessing, trying to puzzle out the killer’s

   motive, finding clues that banish red-herrings,

   revealing the innocence of flawed suspects.

Mystical is not to be confused with mystery,

   even if this word does point to another

   worldly realm.

Masterful minds dive deeply into the moments

   of motivations overwhelming us on our

   life’s spiritual journey. God grants us a

  guide to solving eternal pathways.

Most of us miss the inspired nudges because

   we are lazy in our study habits, lackadaisical

   and unmotivated to put in the time, yes, hours

   to show our God that we REALLY want to

   Know His way.

Magnifying glass in hand, symbolically speaking,

   we enter into the Mountain of the Lord’s House,

   where our souls are lifted towards heaven and

   answers to prayers received. We learn the

   Mysteries of Godliness there.

Motivated on this mountain habitat, measuring

   heights of soul-stretching that occurs, we align

   our will to God’s, and a mighty change takes place.

Majestic moments, when the mantle falls upon our

   shoulders to mold us into new creatures, born

   again, we minister with love: Our life’s mission!

 

Bev Psalm 37: N

 Nancy Drew I’m not, but magnifying glass

   in hand, I’ve discovered that during many

   hours of scripture study, I find patterns.

Now, as I seek, ask and knock, a most

   remarkable thing occurs and I recognize

   the Holy Ghost has unquestionably helped

   me discern connections, previously not seen.

Numbers have recently popped into my

   peripheral view. Not clearly in focus yet, but

   immerging. Are they signs God is pleased

   that I’ve noticed?

New information of a death today. He was age

   60 and died 06 06 2026. Seems an unlikely

   age and date, yet it draws my attention.

Neighbors saw him slumped in a chair on the

   back patio. No family or friends found; he’ll

   be buried as indigent in an unmarked grave.

No name, needs unmet, neglected and yet he

   is known! By whom you ask? He is a child of

   God; his Father in Heaven, father of his spirit,

   knows him well; watched over him for years.

Noticing this death, my heart is overcome with

   grief. Such a tragedy that narrowed down

   nature to this final farewell. I pray for him,

   mourn for him and write this psalm for him.

Nurtured by the numbers that led to my noticing,

   I’ve received the Comforter as promised to me

   at baptism and confirmation. Peace nourishes:

   A peace that surpasses all understanding,

   not as the world gives, but as Christ gives.

Bev Psalm 37: O

 Offering a little more tithing this month and an

   extra fast offering. My tithe money goes

   towards building the temples that I love.

O God, the Eternal Father accept my widow’s

   mite. Use it to feed and clothe the poor and

   needy around the world.

Obeying is an easy principle for me. My heart

   is filled with gratitude for grocery lists of

   onions and olive oil, orange soda and smelly

   old blue cheese. I live in plenty on that monthly

   Social Security check.

Organized spreadsheets have led to paid-off

   credit cards and bills. I live in an ongoing

   oasis of plenty.

Owe nothing, out of debt was my motto. Now

   I find fulfillment in time of my own to study

   the scriptures, meditate and pray often, even

   hourly if I want.

Obtaining God’s will and favor are my goals.

   Oh sure, I do other things too for hobbies

   like family history research and Jig Saw

   Puzzles, that bring me delight.

Open communication with my Savior is an

   Ongoing dialogue in my mind and heart.

   Thankful for this, my gratitude overflows.

   The windows of heaven open wide.

Our God wishes to pour out these tender

   mercies, blessings to obtain, for sure.

   Does it occur to you He outperforms us all?

   He is the Origin of all we have or need.

   Praise be to God Almighty.  

 

Bev Psalm 37: P

 

Patriotic Sunday, March 31^st, kicks off a year of

   celebrating the 250^th anniversary of our nation’s birth.

Past weekend, Memorial Day remembrances set the

   tone of reflection. Men and women served in military

   action from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, World

   wars and recent conflicts.

Praises sung, flags flown, marching bands signal the

   thrill of triumph; the living celebrate, while comrades

   died for our freedom.

Parade of centuries, history honored; stories told of

   heroes who persisted in duty to country, portrayed

   their country’s pride, when they really didn’t want such

   public acclaim, yet the price was paid.

Preservation of a promised land foretold by prophets, a

   land of freedom where God has led people,

   persecuted for their beliefs, to lay a foundation where

   the gospel in its purity could be restored in 1830.

Profound thoughts engage my soul in gratitude for those

   who came before. Christ’s pure church now on earth

   blesses us with power because patriot’s perseverance

   means we live in peace.

Ponder that precarious state in a world rife with wars and

   rumors of war. These wars have a purpose: scatter

   refugees to lands of freedom to be gathered into

   Christ’s gospel net, like at the ancient sea of Galilee.

Prayer for our nation and it’s leaders, as well as for the

   poor and needy, O Jehovah, may Thy work roll forth in

   power and majesty to prepare a people for Thy Second

   coming, a land promised to be fruitful in the knowledge

   of the Lord.

Bev Psalm 37: Q

 

Quiet moments of reflection allow the Spirit

   to testify of God’s great love for me.

Questions about what’s next for me to do

   that I might know God’s will for me today.

Quickened with a solemn understanding

   I move slowly toward revelations:

Quality time with family and friends is the

   answer; ministering and testifying by

   my words and actions.

Quartz crystals, gems and minerals collected

   and passed on to a grandson that he might

   study the bounty of this earth.

Quest for seashells from the Pacific Isles

   over years, ranging in size from tiny to large,

   so numerous, they bring delight to another

   grandchild living far inland from any sea.

Quantum connections with my daughter.

   unspoken yet quiet communications to

   solve life’s puzzles making complete a

   picture of perfect unity.

Queens we may become, to our God with the

   Quintessential queries posed in His temple;

   To reign with our King of Kings forever and ever.