Bonding Balm of Brother/sisterhood

Kent,  Clark,  Boyd, (Neil missing:/)
Malinda,  Marium,  Mechel,  Marie,  Melonie

When a trial or difficulty arrises, it is much easier to pass through if you have loved ones around.  I have missed much of my family the past years with all of us living in many different parts of the country.  Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Hawaii and from Santaquin to Salt Lake City.  It has been many years since we have all been together.  I have missed my sisters who live far away. 

 And then I moved REALLY FAR away- Maui!!

I have shared many memories this week with all of us together, sharing stories of our youth growing up.  We have laughed and laughed,...and then cried, and cried some more.  It has been a difficult thing to watch a healthy father who has never been sick to suddenly go from a hospital visit to diagnosis of stage 4 cancer, and then unable to hardly talk or walk 2 weeks later.  

It has all ben very unexpected and sudden.

We are ever so grateful though for the time we have had to say goodbye and to bond and heal each others wounds through being together as brothers and sisters.  What a healing balm this has been.  Each of us has such different personalities and strengths that we have been able to draw from.  

I am ever so grateful for the message I received from my scriptures, 

Mosiah 2:26-29 just after I arrived at moms.  

We were all deciding when to come and I was given this message for us all. 

28 I say unto you that I have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together that I might ^arid my garments of your blood, at this period of time when I am about to go down to my grave, that I might go down in peace, and my immortal ^bspirit may join the ^cchoirs above in singing the praises of a just God. 29 And moreover, I say unto you that I have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together, that I might declare unto you that I can no longer be your teacher, nor your king;

We have all come to assemble together.

What a blessing and a gift from God!  It has all happen so quickly.  I am glad I did not miss a moment with all of my brothers and sisters to heal and share in this bonding experience.  We will miss our dad as a father and a teacher, for he has taught me much, but we have come together and are here for him to support and love our parents through this trial.  We are all the stronger.

May the bonds of love stretch far and wide and the healing continue even when we are apart again!  I love my family.

God is Never Wrong

Melonie and My Dad, Sam

God is Never Wrong

A king who did not believe in the goodness of God, had a slave who, in all circumstances, said: "My king, do not be discouraged, because everything God does is perfect, no mistakes!"   One day they went hunting and along the way a wild animal attacked the king.

His slave managed to kill the animal, but could not prevent his majesty losing a finger. Furious and without showing his gratitude for being saved, the nobleman said "Is God good? If He was good, I would not have been attacked and lost my finger." The slave replied: "My king, despite all these things, I can only tell you that God is good, and he knows the "why" of all these things. What God does is perfect. He is never wrong!"   Outraged by the response, the king ordered the arrest of his slave.

Later, he left for another hunt and was captured by savages who made human sacrifices. In the altar, ready to sacrifice the nobleman, the savages found that the victim had not one of his fingers, so he was released. According to them, it was not so complete to be offered to the gods. Upon his return to the palace, he authorized the release of his slave that he received very affectionately.

"My dear, God was really good to me! I was almost killed by the wild men, but for lack of a single finger, I was let go! But I have a question: "if God is so good, why did he allow me to put you in jail?"  "My King, if I had gone with you in this hunt, I would have been sacrificed for you, because I have no missing finger, therefore, remember everything God does is perfect. He is never wrong."

Often we complain about life, and negative things that happen to us, forgetting that nothing is random and that everything has a purpose. Every morning, offer your day to God, don't be in a rush. Ask God to inspire your thoughts, guide your actions, and ease your feelings. And do not be afraid. God is never wrong! Perhaps you know why this message is for you, or soon you will discover why.  I do not know, but God knows, because he never makes mistakes....... The path of God and his word is perfect, without impurities. He is the way of all those who trust in Him.  May God put in your heart the desire to trust His will and  inspire others to trust His will. God knows why He choose you to receive this message. God is never wrong.

Thank you Crystal for giving me this message at this time.  I trust in God and know his ways are better than I can see, and know he has a plan that is better than what I had 

thought. 

 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,"

 declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth,  so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

 God's ways are not our ways.  God has a new  plan for me.  It will be without my dad in the physical form I see him in now.  I trust it will be better than I could have imagined and I will see the wisdom in His perfect plan!   My dad will still be here, just differently.

I love you dad!   You have been a wonderful example to me.  Enjoy your tour!

Gifts Amongst Trials

 

My dad has 4 stage cancer and the Doctors have all released him.  The oncologist will not operate on the obstruction that is in his small intestine.  It is too far progressed and in-operable.  We are grateful for the care and knowledge of the Doctors, but after a week of being in the hospital mostly fluids, we are now happy to be leaving.   He is going home with hospice and to be with his family around him.

I realize now that there are many gifts of understanding occurring in the midst of trials.  They have helped me to see that the hand of the Lord is involved, and that alone has helped me to accept and not try to change the outcome.

I so wanted a miracle if it was Gods will, but now I see it is not.  Thank you God for giving me understanding and helping me to know where to put my efforts.  I can focus on helping him to have quality of life with all of his family for whatever time the Lord will allow and enjoy each moment, for now each moment is a gift.

• "This is your tutorial."
• No darkness just "bright light".  
• Intercessory prayer, symbol: ping pong ball   
• "You are needed on the other side."  
• Dreams and visions: Mission, short time
• Pinedale, AZ and caskets 
• Buddy passes!
 

 

Life Can Change in a Minute-My DAD

Wow, where to begin.  It has been a whirlwind of a week.  We found out Easter weekend my dad has pancreatic cancer.  He had been on a liver cleanse and thought that was the culprit for his discomfort and went in finally after several weeks to get a stool sample.  The Dr. then found the cancer on a ultrasound and he was then admitted to the hospital.    I had just seen him 3 weeks before when he was sick but still drove to see me in AZ when I was there for Leticia's baby.  This was a complete shock!

 

 

 After an MRI was given, the cancer was then found to be in several other organs, liver, gallbladder, prostate, and the mass was now growing into his small intestine area and there is a blockage there too.  I realized time was not in his favor and if I wanted to have some good time with him I had to go now.  I left on Wed. and arrived Thurs. morning.  I was so glad to see him!  It was a surprise to him I was coming!

We are trying to be patient with him being in the hospital and all the tests.  I know they have to be done to assess the situation and get the diagnosis, but being on clear liquids for all the tests when you have already lost 20 lbs is not helpful and continues to make him weaker.  But now we understand why he has been so nauseated and unable to eat.  His bile duct was blocked and they put in a shunt in to help it drain.  This was the only procedure they were willing to do.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mariah, Allie and Jared visiting with grandpa before I got there.  Happy news amongst the sad, Allie and Jared are engaged!!!

 

Passover and Seder

We went to a presentation of Seder at a local Christian church on Easter Sunday. 

 I wanted to give my children a perspective of what Easter means through the eyes of Jewish tradition and better understand Christ.

It was given by Henry and Darlene Matarrita who are originally both from Maui, Hawaii.  They  started a World Mission Outreach (www.wmoutreach.org) and shared a vision: "Our one purpose in life is to help  people find a personal relationship with God, which comes only through knowing Jesus the Messiah."   

They teach the Jewish roots of the Christian faith and have a ministry to reach out to the lost, both Jews and Gentiles. 

Since 2004 they have lived in Jerusalem, Israel and lead teams to minister throughout the world, bringing the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."  (Romans 1:16)

The photo has deep symbolic meaning:  The red wine (grapejuice), herbs, bitter and sweet, and the Bread-unleavened, (without sin), stripped rows (whipped) and holes (pierced).  From dipping the parsley in salt water to folding the napkin, it all has special symbolic meaning.

It was an inspiring night of learning.  What a wonderful way to honor Christ on His Birthday.

Easter Sunday, April 8th

I have been waiting for Easter to be on April 8. 

 This is a special Easter Passover.

I was out doing some pruning of some way overgrown hibiscus flowers, which were now trees.  The buds on everything were coming out and putting forth new growth.  I love Spring!  I came to a hibiscus and was just about to cut off a branch, when a tiny beautiful green bird fluttered and started making a loud and much frenzied chirping noise.  I thought "I must have frightened her", but then it was so frenzied and she did not stop that I then began to realize she must have a nest close by.  I tried to calm her and then realized as I went to cut the limb again that her nest was hanging just under the branch I was about to cut.  3 small eggs were inside and I had almost destroyed the limb that was holding the nest!

I gave a lesson today to my children about Easter and wanted them to associate true symbolism about Easter.  I wanted to teach them about symbolism in nature as it applies to the Resurrection and the Passover.  About rising in 3 days, coming forth out of darkness from the tomb,

God had given me a perfect, beautiful visual for the lesson.

This is the meaning of Easter.  The shell is shed as the chick breaks forth into a new life out of darkness.  It is a difficult task, but helping the chick can put the chick in danger of not being strong enough to survive. The bulb that was buried in the fall comes up as the first sign of Spring,  with the warmth of the sun bringing new life as it pushes up out of the earth when the ground is warm and springs forth into beauty.  God is alive!

 I can feel a warm change in me, just as  the sun warms the earth for new growth after the Winter.  I want to bury my old self;  my seeds of self-destruction, and shed the cold hard outer covering to die,  and become a new creature, to come forth with new life, “re-born” through Christ.

It is also my dads 70th birthday today.   HAPPY BIRTHDAY dad!  Change is happening for all of those who desire change.  Endure the test, hope you start feeling better dad.

Change is coming, Spring is near.

1 Peter 1:23

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

 

The Cycle of a Seed

We have been learning and asking for God to bring us to where we need to be to stand worthy in His presence.      The old self must die and pass away before a new creature can be re-born.

 When a seed is put in the ground and buried and “dies” it then can be transformed and bring forth much fruit. We die in Christ and are “re-born” as a new creature, we carry a resemblance, but have been changed to much more than just a “kernel” (corn) of wheat.  The old self has shed its covering of skin as it has been buried in the earth, that the fleshy parts of the natural man be cast off to die, only to break forth and spring into new life!  We have then borne fruit and become new through Christ.  This is the message of Easter.

John 12:24
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone:  but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."

Laneah (7) has been learning about the life cycle of a seed and how it changes into a new plant.

As a seed changes into new life, it then can produce a whole tree or a whole bush of beans or stalk of wheat.   He is  Lord of the vineyard and will prune us till we have grown into the fruit producing tree He needs us to be.   His ways are not our ways, Trust in Him.

1 Corinthians 15:36    “Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:”

The old dead wood must needs be cut away to make room for new growth in areas we did not imagine.  He is the Master Gardener and will do the pruning as he sees fit, for our best and highest good.

 We went on a hike to Olinda Forest on Good Friday.  In hopes of learning something I prayed to be taught today as we were out in nature.  I had written some of the scriptures and ponderings  for a lesson on Easter (above) I wanted to give to the family,  and then on the hike I saw this.  It was the message in a visual I was wanting to teach to my children for Easter.

New llife springing from the old after a prunning.

God is good and Mercyful.

Leticia-My First Baby! (Dec. 2, 2012)

It's Leticia's Birthday!  Dec. 2, 2012  and she is in Hawaii with us!  Leticia is my first baby, and Ohhh, what special memories those are!  The first time you feel life moving within your belly is like nothing you can describe.  It is the miracle of creation!



(Elder Hatch, Abyssinia, Anthony) 

We threw a party and invited some wonderful, musically talented friends from the island and the missionaries even came!

Anthony plays the Didgery-Doo and the nose flute. He can play the brass bowls at the same time! Abyssinia plays the harp, flute and drums. 

Both are very well known on the island.  Reggie came with his guitar too.




There are wonderful memories with family, friends and all who join us

on special occasions like this. 

She now has 3 babies of her own, but this photo is of Leticia with her first baby.  Children are such a joy.  Leticia has always been a deep thinker.  She knew her alphabet, #s, colors and was potty trained when she went to nursery!  Well, I soon found out that was not normal when the next 2 boys came along.  Potty training was another story! 

 

(Kathleen, Aimee, Anthony, Josh, Kaeliya, Leticia, Melonie)

 But she has never been "normal" and was too smart for me to keep up with. Her search for Truth and her wisdom is a joy to me as a mother.                     Happy Birthday to you, my first one! 

 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk

in truth". 3 John 1:4