"Seek ye out of the best books" (D&C 88:118)

A couple of years ago I realized that some of the novels I was reading wouldn't pass muster as a movie i.e. I was tolerating language and other inappropriate behaviors in the books I read that I would have walked out of had it been a film.  It was then that I decided to upgrade the quality of books I was willing to read.  Consequently, I put several of my favorite authors on the "do not contact" list among them Clancy, Lincoln and Childs, Flynn, and Grafton, just to mention a few. 

After purging my bookshelves of these and other offending authors, I was at a loss as to what to read.  So, remembering the counsel of the Lord in D&C 88:118 I sought divine guidance in discovering authors that would entertain but not contaminate me. It took some effort and false starts but here are some writers that I have come to enjoy:

--Alexander McCall Smith:  wrote several series including the highly acclaimed "The #1 Ladies Detective Agency"

--Jan Karon:  well known for her delightful Mitford series which tell of the fortunes/misfortunes of Father Timothy Kavanaugh, an Episcopal priest, and his quirky parishioners

--Louis La Amour: best western writer ever

--Chris Stewart: one of the best LDS fiction writers in today's market, wrote the Great and Terrible series of six books dealing with the last days--riveting!

--Joel C. Rosenberg: penned a four book series, also on the last days from a Christian (non-LDS) point of view beginning with "The Last Jihad". 

Hopefully these and other authors will continue to publish so that I and others can continue to "seek...out of the best books"

Memorial Service

This morning we attended the memorial service for 15 year old Haley Nicole Moss, daughter of a soldier friend of ours.  Since birth Haley had suffered from congenital heart disease and over her life had had 8 procedures, 3 open heart surgeries and over 30 treatments for an accelerated heart beat.  The LDS chapel in Lakewood was filled with family, friends, students and soldiers.

My feelings and thoughts:
--So impressed with this young lady--she loved the Lord and had a firm testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ
--One brother gave the opening prayer; her other brother spoke, sharing funny anecdotes that helped us through our tears
--Her father Dave, who had been part of the family home evening group we held each week in our home the two years we were in Korea, also spoke.  He talked of Haley's love of school, family and church, illustrating each with several touching and often humorous examples.  How he could get through that without totally breaking down, I'll never know.
--The ward Young Women sang Haley's favorite church song "I love to See the Temple"--that really cranked up the water-works as did a later song by a mother and daughter who sang "Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer"
--What impressed me the most, however, was the sweet, tender spirit that accompanied the entire service.  As sad as this was, it was in no way tragic.  Just the opposite.  Her family feels that Haley's life was actually extended through what they consider several miraculous incidents.  Plus, they have strong testimonies of the enduring nature of the family unit--that families really can be forever.  This gives them much comfort and solace during this difficult time.

I'm glad we went--I came away having been blessed, reassured and uplifted by the Spirit.

God's Building Plans

I've been thinking a lot lately about the trials, adversities and "speed bumps" that come to us on life's journey.  However, it hasn't been my difficulties I've pondered but those of my children and their families.  Like all of us some trials are self-imposed by our choices, and some by the choices of other people. And, like it or not, sometimes life is just really tough.  As the bumper sticker says, "Life is hard--and then you die."

But I also believe that at times our Heavenly Father, in His wonderful and often unexplainable way, will provide us personal tutoring so that we and our families might grow in wisdom and holiness.  The great Christian thinker and writer, C.S. Lewis, likened it to "God's building plan" for us.  Here's what he wrote (I apologize if this is a redo but it's been on my mind as I've read some of your heart wrenching blogs):

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on. You knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised.

But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is he up to? The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of—throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards.

You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage, but he is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it himself."