I know blogs are usually put out on different media sites for others to read which is great! I started doing this back in April because I wanted to follow what my church leaders had told us to let our voices be heard. However, I have found that this blog is not read by many including many of my family; so I was thinking, why am I doing it? It was then that I realized that since starting the blog I have been able to focus on what is really important in my life as I look for topics to write about. When I do write, the words that come out and the way that they do make me realize that they are truly messages not just for others but for myself. It is almost like I am learning from my true self, my eternal being that is my soul or spirit! Many may not understand what I mean but I do and that is what counts here because the things my soul is teaching me are the ingredients to a happy and meaningful life. Never did I believe that this is what the blog was all about because I was truly writing to help others know what life was about. My blog, Celestial Journeys, is more than that for me now. It is my tool to learn and to grow by listening to myself and reading the words over and over again until they become a part of my life.
My experience this past week has been eye opening to me. My life has been wonderful and I have truly been blessed even during the hard times. My Father in Heaven has never left me alone for a minute. He has always been there when I have needed him. Let me share a few experiences:
My dear sweet Mother passed away in April 1990 from Parkinson’s Plus. It was the Monday directly after Easter morning that year. It was a hard time for me because I had a fight the weekend before with her about something silly. Luckily, our arguments never kept us apart. All my life I had wanted her to be my best friend like I felt she was to my sister. It wasn’t until that Monday morning that I realized she was my best friend and I was going to miss her so much. During that week, it was a flurry of funeral preparations, family visiting and of course some family drama; but in the end it was me and Dad and my brother, Tom, and his wife and daughter. Oh how I missed her phone calls at work and when I would get down on my knees I would beg my Father in Heaven to tell me WHY he had to take her home at the age of 60 years old. WHY?? I had a big hole in my life that could not be filled by anyone I thought. She had called me every day just to see how my day was going and I would spend each evening with her. How I loved her!! Now I couldn’t put my arms around her and tell her that I loved her any more; but I did the night she passed away. I didn’t think my life would ever get better and that hole would just stay there. The following year my father moved down to Georgia to be with my sister and to get to know her sons better. While he was in Georgia, he met his beautiful wife, Lethia, who has now been with him for 23 years. Another hole to my world with Dad now in Georgia! Now I decided I could take a new job and I could move to Colorado Springs, Colorado with MCI and I would be fine. I started going to church at the Colorado Springs 6th Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. About 6 or 7 months later, the Bishop of our Ward called me and we talked about a new calling which he called me to … Young Women’s President. I accepted and over the next two and a half years, I served the Young Women of our Ward, ages 12 to 18. Each Sunday, we would repeat the Young Women’s Theme which started with “I am a daughter of God who loves me and I love Him.” When I was released from this calling, I realized that my heart did not hurt any longer. My Father in Heaven had heard my pleas and had healed my heart through service to these beautiful Young Women and by repeating the Young Women’s theme I started to understand who I really was.
Another experience happened a few years after I had moved to Georgia! I had been at work late down at the Ravinia Tower on I-285 and was driving a car with a standard transmission and had to come to a full stop near Peachtree Industrial on I-285. Before I knew it, a younger woman had rear-ended my car causing her air bag to deploy. We pulled our cars over and she had to be taken to the hospital because the air bag had broken her arm. I went home feeling my head and neck starting to hurt. My pups ran over to give me love but no one else was available to come over at that time. I remember sitting in my lazy boy recliner and saying a little prayer that my Father in Heaven would just put His arms around me and give me a hug and let me know that I was loved. I ended my prayer and just cried. Not even 5 minutes later my doorbell rang! I went to the door and who stood there but our two Sister Missionaries that had been assigned to my congregation in Suwanee (Collins Hill Ward). I asked them in and they told me that they had been driving by my neighborhood and had the distinct impression that they needed to come by to see me and then they said, “Can we give you a hug?” Now some people may not understand what was happening but I did. My Father in Heaven sent His angels to give me a hug to let me know I was loved.
Life brings along many difficulties but there are so many beautiful treasured moments in life that can be described as tender mercies and you know they were meant only for you. You also receive answers for prayers that were for you and you alone to understand. As I look back at my life, I see so many experiences now that maybe were not evident to me before. However, during this past week I have been spending time with my memories and letting my true self teach me about what is most important. For me one thing is for sure…and that is I know that my Father in Heaven knows me and knows me by my name and that He loves me with an unconditional love for which I will forever be grateful for. Knowing these truths from life’s experiences truly brings me JOY!
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