On Serving

"Many HANDS, make light work"
~John Heywood


"When ye are in the  SERVICEof your fellow beings

 ye are only in the SERVICE of your God.” 
Mosiah 2:17 


"Am I too busy in the THICK of THIN things?"

"Too often we spend most of our time
taking care of things which really do not matter
much at all in the grand scheme of things,
neglecting those most important causes.
~President Thomas S. Monson

 LOVE...true disciples LOVE
"By this shall men know,
ye are my disciples,
if ye have  LOVE one to another."
~Love One Another

The Lord has blessed me greatly.
I put a much time into making that blessing
something others might enjoy.

I am sure there will be many moments
to put my HANDS to HIS glorious work.
I hope I am in tune enough
to balance
that which is of GREAT WORTH
with that which is a necessity,
with that which is of little value
in this
WALK WITH JESUS.

NOW,
it is time to press forward.

Heaven is for REAL Jesus

There are a handful of movies,

I have awaited 

and placed on my list of

"MUST SEE"

Heaven is for Real

is based on a true event.

A young boy's appendix burst.

Though he does not die,

he visits Heaven.

As I viewed this movie,

I found it interesting that

so many believe in Jesus...

in His hope...

in His mighty miracles...

in life beyond the grave...

until someone has an actual miracle.

Then the miracle

is debased to

an act of

hallucination,

craziness,

devil worship,

the impossible...

Do we forget the core of our belief,

that with GOD

nothing is impossible?

A young girl having a similar experience,

returns to earth and paints the face of JESUS

SPOILER ALERT

Heaven is Real

God is Real

His love is Real

and I am the absolute most blessed

for knowing and understanding what REAL is.

"THAT'S HIM"

Feed My Sheep

Choosing to walk the path of discipleship,

striving to follow in the Lord's footsteps,

hoping to become like Jesus

brings with it great responsibility.

The Lord, as my Shepherd

has asked

the question 

to all followers of Christ

"Lovest thou ME?"

"Feed my SHEEP !"

In John 21:15-17

Jesus asks of His beloved Peter...

not once,

but three times

The Shepherd loves all His SHEEP.

He knows them by name

and longs that not a single one,
  lost from His fold.

How do we FEED HIS SHEEP?

service

encouraging words

a smile

a prayer

a listening ear

fellowship

unconditional love

just by being aware of another's needs.

Yea Lord,

I love thee.

Whom shall I FEED today?

15 ¶So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, 

Simon,son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? 

He saith unto him, 

Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. 

He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

 16 He saith to him again the second time, 

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? 

He saith unto him, 

Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. 

He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

 17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? 

Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, 

Lovest thou me? 

And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; 

thou knowest that I love thee. 

Jesus saith unto him,

Feed my sheep.

Remove the Beam

In Matthew 7:2-3

Jesus delivered a Sermon

that would serve

me well today.

3 And why beholdest thou the MOTE that is in thy brother’s eye, 

but considerest not the BEAM that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, 

Let me pull out the MOTE out of thine eye;

 and, behold, a BEAM is in thine own eye?

The whole BEAM - MOTE idea 

reminds me of a story

I heard long ago:

A young couple had moved into a new neighborhood. 

The first morning, while they were eating breakfast, 
the young woman observed the neighbor hanging up the wash outside.

"That laundry is not very clean," she said, 

"she doesn't know how to wash correctly. 

Perhaps she needs another laundry soap."

The husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang out the wash, 

the young woman would make the same comment.

About one month later, 
the woman was surprised to see nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband,

"Look! She has learned how to wash correctly. 

I wonder who taught her this?"

Her husband said, "I got up early this morning and washed the windows."

And so it is with life: 

What we see while watching others depends

 on the purity of the window 

through which we look through.

It is especially difficult to see truth,
when objects in the distort
reality.

REMOVE THE BEAM

Perfect Judge

Simply put

by 

Lynn A. Mickelsen

What should we do when we have knowledge of others’ problems?

1. 1. Don’t judge. Leave judgment to the Lord, the perfect judge. Let us not examine or explore others’ sins but look to their divinity. It is not ours to delve into others’ problems but rather to perceive the breadth of their goodness.
3. 2. 
   We must forgive. Although we may have been personally wounded, the Lord said, “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.” ¹¹
4. 3. Forget. A relentless memory can canker the most resilient spirit. Leave it alone; lay it down; put it away.
5. 
   

   

   
   

   

   
   

Judge Not

Could it not be said,

He or She that is without sin,

can point their finger to blame another,

focus on another's faults,

and be the JUDGE of their actions?

Who am to JUDGE another,

when I myself

is

imperfect?

(RP) reminds the reader of the

woman taken in adultery

and

Jesus masterful and pure response;

"He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone."

John 8: 10-11

If a person is so consumed with the shortcomings of others,

then that individual forgoes an opportunity

for improvement.

Rather than focusing on others,

 look within.

God gave us weakness, 

that we might be humble and look to Him

to be our strength...

not to JUDGE another

for the personal mission and trials

that were designed for that man, woman or child.

I see multitudes of stones daily.

I have ten fingers...

Rather than cast stones and point fingers,

may they be purposeful reminders to me

How can I be better?

JUDGE not.

Matthew 7:1

"Go and sin no more"

Quoteables of Quoteables

"We live our lives most completely 

when we strive to make the world better and happier."

--President David O.McKay

How will I make the WORLD a HAPPIER place ?

"Selflessness is putting the needs of others first. "

--Webster's Dictionary

"The best way to accomplish this divine attribute,

is to always put the Savior first.

--Rena Peterson

"Unselfish and noble actions are the most radiant pages

in the biography of souls."

--David Thomas

*These are quotes that (RP) selected to describe selflessness

in her book,

"Walking With The Savior"

My Favorite ANYTHING and EVERYTHING Person

I had a week's worth of reflection.

Enduring a particular challenge
has tested my faith to umpteenth degree.

Like Corrie ten Boon,

trying desperately to be grateful...

yes,

even for my fleas...
I continue to press forward
hoping to discover
the hidden blessings
in this affliction.

As a result.

this book was created

in efforts of bringing

joy and peace

during times of

frustration and discouragement.

I selected works of Art
in a variety of medias
that represented the tender feelings
of my words and emotions
of
my favorite 
ANYTHING and EVERYTHING person

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/invited/4608409/7a65fed12abf6688792bbfcc6b2648db268fbc22

*Most of the images were found on google.
I tried to credit the Artist of each masterpiece.
I thank the Artists for sharing their renditions
their gifts and talents.
Each piece has been an inspiration.

Sculptor

The natural man,

privy to 

pride,

anger,

selfishness,

sinfulness,

being judgmental,

immoral,

and

imperfect...

like a hardened stone.

With the help of

a  SCULPTOR

to chip away at the 

impurities

and imperfections,

something wondrous awaits.

The SCULPTOR

has the vision

of what that stone can become.

And so the process

of 

chipping,

smoothing,

scraping,

begins.

At times,

very painful

and yet the beauty that

awaits

is well worth the distress.

One of the great SCULPTORS

Michelangelo

believed that every stone

had a marvelous

SCULPTURE

just waiting to be set free.

Likewise,

the Master SCULPTOR

has a vision

of what each individual

 can become.

 With Heavenly tools

and

the heart and hands

of the

SCULPTOR

a wonderful work

is

inherent...

If the stone is willing....

willing to submit to the guidance

and tutelage

of the Master SCULPTOR.

He will aid in eliminating

all ungodliness.

Trust in the SCULPTOR.

Patience with His timing and lessons

until

the magnificent wonder

and true beauty 

is unveiled.

I can hardly wait.

Treasure Seeking

What TREASURES do I seek?

A question certainly worth pondering.

I fell in love with

the fashionable moving charm necklace

that a few colleagues were wearing.

Each person selects little charms to create a personal

necklace depicting stories or moments that person cherishes.

There are many charms in which to choose,

but the necklace will hold about nine at most.

As I carefully pondered over my choice of charms,

I uncovered some of my precious gems.

Rhinestone Circle Locket: Life Eternal CIRCLED in Heaven's bright stars

Silver: Every cloud has a SILVER Lining

Letter "g" : for Groendyke and God... names I bear

3 White Pearls: "but do you really love me?

 Then give me your PEARLS"

( a story my father shared with me long ago and has come to mean a great deal to me )

3 for the Godhead and for my family unit

Wedding Ring: ETERNAL  Marriage to Rick

Garnet: Rick's BIRTHstone

Amethyst: The BIRTHStone of Noah and me

Princess Charm: I am a ROYAL Daughter of God

Camera: My GIFT in preserving memories with pictures,

bringing joy through sharing those pictures,

contributing to a bit of family history

Gold Plate "family": My GOLDEN  TREASURE

 is my FAMILY

immediate

extended

humanity

eternal

Length of Chain: Long enough to reach my HEART

I am searching for the perfect charm to symbolize ?

"JUST JESUS"

What do you TREASURE

Jesus taught

an eloquent Sermon,

"Lay not up for yourself treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt,

and where thieves break through and steal..."

Can any of my TREASURES be ruined by moth, rust, or theif ?

"But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, 

where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt,

and where theives do not break through or steal:

For where your treasure is,

there will your HEART be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

Know Christ Better

"We must know Christ 

better than we know Him;

*Painting by Jeffrey Hein

We must remember Him

 more often than we remember Him;

We must serve Him

 more valiantly than we serve Him."

~President Howard W. Hunter

How do I know Him better?
Keep walking by His side. 

Hymns of Praise

My son had friends over.

They listened to "Happy" while visiting.

It played over and over again in my head.

I caught myself singing without realizing.

Sometimes calming music

will be playing in the background while others work 

quietly.

Once awhile one of those calming songs

reminds me of a time of sadness.

The moment I hear the song,

I feel a sense of darkness and gloom.

I passed by the Choir room

"mi ma mi ma moooooooo"

before I knew it,

I was singing the scale as I passed to by next class.

After a difficult class

working on difficult tasks,

I felt zapped of every ounce of energy.

As I returned to home base,

Mrs. P. had her itunes playing in the hallway between breaks.

Immediately,

my disposition changed.

I danced.

I sang.

I felt energized.

As I reflected on those times,

I am able to acknowledge the power of music.

Getting back on course

will require me to utilize the vast array of tools

that are available to me.

HYMNS:

Words of truth, encouragement, comfort,

even scripture

put to lovely harmonious melodies

truly have the power to help me.

As difficult choices come,

temptation arises,

or darkness befalls me...

what Hymn will I have ready

to hum and sing?

What Hymn will bring me closer to my Savior?

I Need Thee Every Hour

"I need Thee every hour,

Most gracious Lord.

No tender voice like Thine

Can peace afford.

I need Thee every hour,

Stay thou nearby.

Temptations lose their power

When Thou art nigh.

I need Thee every hour

in JOY or PAIN.

Come quickly and abide,

Or life is vain.

I need Thee every hour

Most Holy One.

Oh, make me Thine indeed,

Thou blessed Son !

(Chorus)

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;

Every hour I need Thee !

Oh, bless me NOW, my Savior;

I come to Thee !

Words by Annie S. Hawks

Music by Robert Lowery

Selah~ Part The Waters/I Need Thee Every Hour, Your Are My Hiding Place

Obedience in All Things

Getting back on course will require

OBEDIENCE.

Jesus,

my greatest example of OBEDIENCE

 loved all,

even those that betrayed, mocked, scorned

and

crucified

Him.

Art by George Rouault

With no need for
baptism,
He lead the way.

The Lord has prepared this course for me.

He will guide me and help me

with all that is required of me.

Doing only a few of the things

will not get me to my destination.

I must be OBEDIENT to everything God commands.

even,
and most especially those things
that may be lowly, menial, and difficult.

(RP) quotes a hymn sung by many.

"I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord...

I'll be what you want me to be."

Hymn Page 270
Words by Mary Brown
Music by Carrie E Rounsefell

As I reviewed the words of this hymn,
I was reminded of a scripture from my youth:

" I ^awill go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no ^bcommandments unto the children of men, save he shall ^cprepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

1 Nephi 3:7 of The Book of Moromon

Where are we going today Lord?

What do you want me to say?

Who do you want me to be?

Back On Course

Interestingly enough,

Spring Break one and two,

Noah being off track,

birthdays, visiting teaching, illness,

missionary catch up,

laundry, yard work,

other blogs and picture editing,

showers, Easter parties,

resulted in putting off the very thing I need most:

TIME WITH JESUS

I opened up my manual to the next lesson

which just happened to be

"Getting Back on Course."

More than just a coincidence,

for I took a few steps off course to be productive in other ways

and those little missteps have cost me

a few degrees of direction.

President Uchtdorf enlightens one on 

A MATTER OF ONLY 

A FEW DEGREES

In 1979 a large passenger jet with 257 people on board left New Zealand for a sightseeing flight to Antarctica and back. Unknown to the pilots, however, someone had modified the flight coordinates by a mere two degrees. This error placed the aircraft 28 miles (45 km) to the east of where the pilots assumed they were. As they approached Antarctica, the pilots descended to a lower altitude to give the passengers a better look at the landscape. Although both were experienced pilots, neither had made this particular flight before, and they had no way of knowing that the incorrect coordinates had placed them directly in the path of Mount Erebus, an active volcano that rises from the frozen landscape to a height of more than 12,000 feet (3,700 m).

As the pilots flew onward, the white of the snow and ice covering the volcano blended with the white of the clouds above, making it appear as though they were flying over flat ground. By the time the instruments sounded the warning that the ground was rising fast toward them, it was too late. The airplane crashed into the side of the volcano, killing everyone on board.

It was a terrible tragedy brought on by a minor error—a matter of only a few degrees. ¹

Once again,

I must get back in touch

with my tower of operations:

JESUS

He has outlined the course and path for me.

(RP) has exhorted this weekly challenge to ponder and explore

"I will ponder how being of course by just a "few degrees" can make a dramatic difference in my life.

I will seek to be aware of the small 'missteps' I make with obedience to the Lord for the entire week."

-Walking With the Savior, Page 42

Even the Fleas

"In the feeble light I turned the pages. 'Here it is: "Comfort the frightened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all...'" It seemed written expressly to Ravensbruck.

"'Go on,' said Betsie. 'That wasn't all.'

"'Oh yes:'..."Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.'"

"'That's it, Corrie! That's His answer. "Give thanks in all circumstances!" That's what we can do. We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!' I stared at her; then around me at the dark, foul-aired room.

"'Such as?' I said.

"'Such as being assigned here together.'

"I bit my lip. 'Oh yes, Lord Jesus!'

"'Such as what you're holding in your hands.' I looked down at the Bible.

"'Yes! Thank You, dear Lord, that there was no inspection when we entered here! Thank You for all these women, here in this room, who will meet You in these pages.'

"'Yes,' said Betsie, 'Thank You for the very crowding here. Since we're packed so close, that many more will hear!' She looked at me expectantly. 'Corrie!' she prodded.

"'Oh, all right. Thank You for the jammed, crammed, stuffed, packed suffocating crowds.'
"'Thank You,' Betsie went on serenely, for the fleas and for--'

"The fleas! This was too much. 'Betsie, there's no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.'

"'Give thanks in all circumstances,' she quoted. It doesn't say, 'in pleasant circumstances.' Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.

What FLEAS will I be thankful for today?

Good Medicine

Image found on Google

I have enough.

I have my love for the Savior.

Image found on Google

"A merry heart doeth good like MEDICINE..."

(Proverbs 17:22)