Seeking "Home"

Our Easter Sunday was Stake Conference as well. Walking into the church, FLOODS of memories, good memories, came back to me as I saw many familiar, well-established faces.  It made me happy to be home.  The thought of being "home" sparks a myriad of feelings and memories for people, and for me, "home" is any place where I feel there is love - not that superficial love, or basic well-meaningness, but real enjoyment of the people and surroundings.

I've come to realize how important this is for me now that my daughter is on her way with my husband overseas.  Over the course of Stake Conference, my thoughts reflected on times when I've recognized feelings of "home".

When I met my husband, he felt like "home".
When he and I moved to Georgia, the Church helped me feel at "home"
When I was in the hospital, the priesthood blessing of comfort I received allowed me to feel "home"
Whenever I read the scriptures, I feel "home"
When I attend the temple, in any capacity, I feel "home"

Re-hashing. Literally.

Now that life has somewhat calmed down (4 years later), I feel like resurrecting the interwebbing of my thoughts and opinions on all sorts of wonderful and practical things.  Surely, this is not done for anyone's ultimate benefit (for that would be just silly), but for sheer entertainment value (much more useful). 

I've taken a recent interest in Pinterest for recipes.  A dangerous undertaking not for the feint of heart, but in light of the "Pinterest-fail" threads, I felt it almost a challenge to amuse my scientific-now-turned-domestic-engineering mind by authenticating Pinterest pinnings--at least when it comes to food.  I'm no Alton Brown, but my years studying under some of the best chefs of traditional Southern cuisine I feel doesn't leave me completely helpless in the kitchen.

Poetry Corner

     His Eye Is On the Sparrow

 Why should I feel discouraged? 
 Why should the shaddows come? 
 Why should my heart be lonely 
 and long for heaven and home, 
 When Jesus is my portion? 
 My constant friend is he: 
 His eye is on the sparrow, 
 and I know he watches me. 
 
 I sing because I'm happy, 
 I sing because I'm free, 
 for his eye is on the sparrow, 
 and I know he watches me. 

 Whenever I am tempted, 
 whenever clouds arise, 
 when song gives place to sighing, 
 when hope within me dies; 
 I draw the closer to him, 
 from care he sets me free: 
 His eye is on the sparrow, 
 and I know he watches me. 

 I sing because I'm happy, 
 I sing because I'm free, 
 for his eye is on the sparrow, 
 and I know he watches me.

 "Let not your heart be troubled," 
 his tender word I hear, 
 and resting on his goodness, 
 I lose my doubts and fears; 
 though by the path he leadeth 
 but one step I may see: 
 His eye is on the sparrow, 
 and I know he watches me.  

I sing because I'm happy, 
 I sing because I'm free, 
 for his eye is on the sparrow, 
 and I know he watches me.

      -Civilla D. Martin 

What it's all about...

     There is a story told of a man who asked the Savior what the difference between heaven and hell were.  The Savior lead the man to a door and opened it.  
     Through the door, the man saw a large, round table with a large pot of stew in the middle of it that smelled delicious and made the man's mouth water.  Around the table were people who were sickly and thin.  They had long-handled spoons strapped to their arms and while they could dip their spoons into the pot of stew, they could not bring them back to their mouths.  The man was grieved by their suffering.  The Lord informed the man, "This is hell."
     The Lord then lead the man to a second door.  He opened it and the man saw a scene similar to the first.  There was a large, round table with a large pot of stew in the middle of it that smelled delicious and made the man's mouth water.  The people around the table had the same long-handled spoons strapped to their arms, but they were plump and well-nourished, laughing and talking.  
     The man cried, "I just don't understand!"  
     The Lord replied, "It is simple.  The people in the second room have learned to feed each other, where as the greedy think only of themselves."

                                                                           - Author Unknown

I love this story. How often my life has been enriched and truly blessed because of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and his infinite Atonement.  My life has revolved around helping others, in much part due to my mother's teachings, my father's example, and the subtle enticings of the Spirit.  Rarely am I happier than when I serve someone else and pass the love of Heavenly Father on to them.  It is amazing to think how such an act, be it small or large, can quickly lift the human soul.  We may not see the results of such engagements immediately, but the effects are still there.   Just like in the parable of the laborers found in Matthew 20: 1-16, we're all in this together, we're all going to the same place, we're all literal children of a very loving Heavenly Father, and the reward offered for obedience and sacrifice is the same to everyone.

So why not help a brother along?  It's what its all about anyway...