Temple Trip June 12, 2010

Something I love to do and don't get to do near enough? Go to the Temple!!!! But I got to go this month and it was as wonderful as it always is. I am always excited when I make it past the front door. Welcome to the Temple Sister Green, oh how those words make me want to jump for joy. I get to enter the house of the Lord and that makes me so happy. Once inside I find a peace like I have never known before at anytime or at anyplace in my life. It's almost as if time stands still in the Temple,there's no clock, no rushing to get to work or to your next appt. Its calm and relaxing. I wish I could stay there forever but I know that my family is here at home waiting for me to return to them and I am grateful that they are.But on this last Temple trip I had a revelation. You see non-members are not allowed inside the Temple so even if my family(with the exception of Angel cause she's a member) came to the Temple with me they could not enter.How sad huh? But I realized something on this last Temple trip and that is that if we all do not accept the Lord as our savior we will not be entering into the house of the Lord when we leave this Earth. I am not saying that we all have to become of the Mormon faith, I am just saying that you must know Him and endure till the end. It is my prayer that we can all someday enter the house of the Lord in the sky and that we don't have to leave any of our family members outside the door. Now the ordinances of the Temple make perfect sense to me!!!!!

I AM NOT A MORMON!!!!!

So I have been a member of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints for almost three years now and I have loved every second of it. I love the people,the doctrine,the feeling I get when I walk into the chapel and know that my spirit is about to be lifted. As I have studied the doctrine(baptisms for the dead) I decided that is something I wanted to do that for all of my family members who have passed on. I chose one name and for the past three years I have prayed and fasted about that name and have even sent that name to the Temple twice. For some reason her name never makes it there. The first Saturday in May all of the women in Relief Society had a garden party. The food was great and the sisterhood was amazing!!!! After lunch was served we were asked to meet in the next room to make a craft. We had each been asked to bring a picture of a deceased loved one to share and to make an ornament.I made mine with attention to details and even added a yellow button to it. I wanted mine to be extra special because she was extra special ( I know that all of the photos hung on that tree are special)
On my way home I prayed again for an answer and I asked her if she wanted me to take her name to the Temple and anyone who knows about prayer knows that the answer doesn't always come right then. My prayer certainly did not get an answer right then but I got my answer the next day. I walked in the Relief Society room and there was a beautiful white Christmas tree with the faces of those who have passed on smiling at me. I could not find my picture,it had fallen off the tree. I knew right then that she is not ready and that it is time for me to focus on another name. Tears filled my eyes not because I was sad or hurt because I am not I cried because I had finally recieved my answer. I now know that we ALL have free agency even on the other side. I wanted to do her work so much but I know in my heart shes not ready yet but when and if she ever is I hope I am worthy to do her work.

Sacrament Songs

Oh how I love Sunday's. It's the day I get to go to church,to feel the spirit,to reflect on the past week,to find some peace in a world of chaos. This past week I had the priveledge of sitting with the Blake family ( I usually sit by the wall,they sit in the middle) I had no idea all of the wonderful things you can witness from the middle row.As we sang the sacrament song I saw the power of the words and the truth behind my religious beliefs.
We sang the song "Families Can Be Together Forever" I watched as my Bishop and his wife Aurie made eye contact. You could see the love between them and the peace upon each of their faces as they sang. They have a knowledge that most pople do not and that is that love does not end at death,it goes with you. When the precher marries you that is what he says till death do you part, I am so grateful for the knowledge that our love doesn't have to end there. Sunday was certainly a day for families at church. Mark Blake and his son Alex got to bless the sacrament together wow what a memory for their family. As Denise feels the spirit this week and faces her struggles ( trust me she has plenty) she can reflect on the sacrament and have peace knowing that she has two worthy men in her household. I would love to have just one. My life is blessed as well and I NEVER forget that. As I sang that song I reach over to hug the beautiful young lady who stood next to me. My daughter Angel and one of the three reasons I am so grateful for eternal families.

Humbled By Three Pennies And A Snow Cone Truck

This week has been a real test for my family just look at my money blog if you don't believe me. Feels like payday may never come. Last night Mark asked me to fix him a pot of Ramen noodles which is a staple I usually have on hand at all times but things have been tight and I only had one package of Ramen noodles. I decided to go to the Family Dollar store and buy a pack. Once inside I realized that I only had a roll of pennies, three dimes,three nickels and two pennies...the noodles were $1.00 a pack. I was 3 cents short. I sat in my car and almost cried. It's not even that we NEEDED the noodles but it was sad that we couldn't even come up with enough to buy a pack. I bowed my head in prayer and in answer to my prayer in the front floorboard of my car sat Mark's change jar and in it were three of the most beautiful pennies I have ever seen. I guess I was afraid the dollar store would charge tax on them so I drove across town to Kroger,which costed me more gas and more time.But, I also gained something as I turned the corner to leave the dollar store and that was to be humble,grateful and content at all times. There was a snow cone truck parked in the street and a rather large group of children had gathered around it. I watched as each child recieved their treat and left with a smile. On the sidewalk stood two little girls who just watched the truck but never approached it. I am assuming they had no money. My heart almost leapt from chest as I watched them continue to play with one another and they both continued to smile and have a great time. I am sure they would have loved to have had a snow cone as much as any other child would but neither of them let it bring them down. I never saw either of them shed a tear. They had a cheerful heart and were content with what they had as well as what they didn't. I sure wish I could be more like them. That was the day I was humbled by three pennies and a snow cone truck.