Happy Easter

 

About 25 years ago I was making Easter eggs for the kids from a kit that my mom had sent me.  We were spending the day getting ready for Easter which was the next day and having a good time, when I received a phone call that would forever change the way I celebrated the Easter holiday.  My sister called to tell me my Mom had had a stroke and was in a coma.  I was shocked and Tom and I made arrangements for me to fly to Florida from where we where living in Utah so I could be with my family.  It was a time that we as a family grew closer together as we talked of our Mom and her wishes and our memories of her.  Mom died a few days later.  In talking about mom we decided that she probably picked Easter as her time to leave us; as a way to comfort us as we all believe in Jesus Christ and his redemption and resurrection.  What a wonderful comfort that was to us as a family to share that kind of testimony of Jesus and all of us be able to comfort each other with this knowledge.

Since that Easter I have not dyed Easter eggs but we have had baskets and goodies, but they never had the importance to me that they once did.  Now the significance of the holiday; the atonement, the death and the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ holds number one priority in my heart.

Today was especially tender for my heart as my friend Marsha died just last week, it being close to 25 years since my Mom died and today was General Conference (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) from Salt Lake City and many of the talks by the general authorities, the apostles and the Prophet centered around Easter and the resurrection.  The choir even sang my all time favorite hymn "I Know That My Redeemer Lives".  What could have been a sad day of grieving was instead a day of inspiration, peace and comforting.  I am so grateful for my knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

My wish for you is that on this day you could feel the peace that I have felt, no matter your beliefs or religion.

Now living fearlessly - Excuses Begone!

I just started reading Dr. Wayne Dyer's book Excuses Begone! for the third time.  Each time I get more and more out of it and more and more determined not to let excuses get in the way of my becoming the full and complete person I am supposed to be.  My Mom died at Easter time with so much left to give, with so much talent still left bottled up inside.  She was still so much afraid of life and what she had to give.  Dad gave her a necklace for her birthday that said "live, love, laugh" something I think she was learning it was missing from her life and was trying to put that philosophy into her life.  She made my sister, Pam, promise to give it to me when she died because she felt that of all her children I was the one missing that philosophy the most.  Mom received the necklace in January and died in April, not much time for her to use it.  I wore it for a long time, then put it up and only recently got it back out again.  It's time for me to use it to the fullest; to "live, love, laugh" to become the person I am supposed to be; to fearlessly live to leave the excuse behind so I don't die afraid of life with all my talents left bottled up inside.  This message seems to be coming from all sides, finding the necklace, finding the book, a receptionist who reminded me that I didn't want to die with my talent bottled up inside, to the unexpected death of a friend my age, to the anniversary of my mother's death. Serendipity coming into my life once again.
I edited and will print up this photo to remind me to live life fearlessly, to keep up my current zest for life.  The clouds are exploding out from behind the dark trees that had been hiding them and lighting them up on the way.  The clouds also remind me of the Pheonix's flames from which I can burst forth reborn.  (PLEASE CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE MESSAGE MORE CLEARLY)

Good-bye Marsha

I just learned today that one of my long time friends died a day or so ago from a medical mistake.  I have many fond memories of my sweet friend who gave me a hug every time she saw me.  I will miss her very much.  She loved and collected hummingbirds so here is one last hummingbird for you, Marsha.