Day 97 of 365 days of Solace: A gift without strings

    My daughter has been assigned to give secret gifts to a "sister" at church.  That sister just happens to be part of the sadness I feel.  And yet, I feel absolutely no hard feelings toward her.  I feel justified to feel anger, resentment, hostility. or a myriad of negative emotions toward her- and yet, all I feel toward her is love (okay, and some worry of being stung again.). I really do want her to be happy. I want her to feel joy and contentment in life.  She doesn't have to like me, appreciate me, or understand me, but I feel those positive things toward her, and  I hope to help brighten her life with our thoughtful gifts.

     I was writing in my journal a few minutes ago that it's truly a miracle. Years ago, I was anything but forgiving of others. l was judgment, critical, and difficult.  But through the power of Jesus Christ I have become a new person! Truly a woman who can love and give and have no other string attached. I just want to share the love of the Lord. I don't need to understand someone, or why they do what they do because I know that as He did with me, he can take spots of weakness and help them become strong.

I can respect the time that others need to learn and grow because I took most of my life to figure out how to grow better and happier. God took my hard, unfeeling, and unforgiving heart and taught me to see and feel forgiveness where I've been hurt or wronged, and He's granted to me a vision to see life with a resonating love for others, no matter who they are. It's glorious! (Think David Archuleta! :) How thankful I am!

     I am so excited for my daughter to give her these special gifts we made together for her- during a week at camp. The gift of vintage fabric hot pads/table pads made from dearly departed Grandma's unfinished quilt pieces are the part I'm most excited for her to get. They are large and shaped like flowers and we

sewed 2 layers of heat resistant fabric, sandwiching "warm and natural batting" so that they are a nicer thicker quality than the store.

I need to get to sleep, but here is a scripture I read, which always helps my heart rejoice with optimism in the work of the Lord!

 "... shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. ^aCourage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into ^bsinging. Let the ^cdead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the ^dKing Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to ^eredeem them out of their ^fprison; for the prisoners shall go free."

Doctrine and Covenant 128:22

Let's move on in courage, my friends~

Christine