l'annee de bonheur

Saturday, October 13, 2012

A Chapter Is Ending

A chapter is ending for Celina - and WHAT a chapter it's been --

more than two years with the children and teachers at Rising Star Outreach school for children from leprosy-affected families in India. She gave them her whole heart and energy, and all her considerable talents and determination. In return, they embraced her. As she wrote on her blog, "These people own next to nothing, yet they give me everything."

Way to go, Celina Ma'am. You have changed these children's lives forever.

I was so fortunate to visit Celina at Rising Star for her birthday. This photo taken on her birthday. She was inundated with love and little homemade presents and cards.

Assembly on Indian Independence Day.

Christmas card photo in her first year.

Two who are expecially close to her heart.

I absolutely loved my time there.

Celina with the housemothers who lovingly cared fot the children (and her).

We took a day off and went to Ideal Beach

www.celinadowntheelephanthole.blogspot.com

Two years already

It's been two years since John received the joyful calling to serve as stake patriarch of the Crestwood Kentucky stake. He has had the privilege of voicing blessings for over ninety people so far, and he is always amazed at how inspiration flows on behalf of each person receiving the blessing.

Patriarchal Blessing

                                           by Darlene Young


              The boy, sixteen, is taller than his mother, taller than
              the creaky man with shiny eyes and trembling hands.

             Mother comes fasting, something she's good at,
              years of honing her physical yearnings
             into empty bowls to catch spiritual manna.
            And now she is empty of all but her hope
            of hearing the voice of God through this old man.
             Her son, the first-fruit of her labors,
            a rought-cut stone but the best she could do ---
             and would God touch this stone with his finger?

              Her son folds into the chair with a quick glance
             at her, an echo of the glance he gave her long ago
             the day he stood to join his father at the font.

             And maybe now the father will join them
              in spirit? She, longing, glances to the corners of the room.
              The trembling hands are stilled on the boy's head,
              as if the words of power give them weight ---
              the words that dart like lightning in the air
             and dance upon her eyelids. She opens them
              to watch the old man, ageless, shine like sun,
              his voice a whisper still but piercing bright.

              The mother sits and holds the hand of God ---
             for once she feels she's truly not alone
              in her sweet knowledge of her son's good heart.
              She weeps to hear God tell her of the man
              he will become, this boy she's nursed with blood
              and milk, and tears,
              this boy, a shining sword, a man of God.

              And in the silence when the blessing's done
             the son stands up and shyly takes her hand.
             The old man, feeble now, stands at the door,
              winking in the glitter of the stars.
              For days those flashing words will dance like sparks
              around her ears, behind her eyes and in the air ---
             as if she walked with diamonds in her hair.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Some titles I've enjoyed in the last while

Friday, September 14, 2012

Harvest

         " In fath we plant the seed, and soon we see the miracle of the blossoming. Men have
    often misunderstood and have reversed the process. ... They would have the harvest before
        the planting, the reward before the service, the miracle before the faith."

         I have long liked this quote from Spencer Kimball, "Faith Precedes the Miracle"