What is Truth?

 I have been contemplating many things lately.  One of them, which keeps popping into my head is the dilemma we are dealing with in our country...in fact in all of the world... right now, on the subject of TRUTH.  There are so many voices out there.  Some of them shouting!  Some of them very calmly proclaiming their own version of their own truth.  Some of them preaching truth.  Some of them sneering that their version on truth is the ONLY TRUTH.  What is one to do?

With all of this noise and confusion all around me, I am reminded of a story that has been told in my Church, TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of a young boy who heard confusing voices all around him in the year of 1820.  They were attempting to sway people to join the various churches looking for members.  He was a boy who had been taught by his parents to search the Scriptures.  One day, as he was reading in the Gospel of John, he came across a verse that read, "...if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth liberally and upbraideth not."

The boy pondered these words and decided to put then to the test.  He walked into a wooded area near his home in Palmytra, New York, found a quiet, secluded spot and knelt down to pray.  He didn't expect what happened next and he was really surprised to find himself surrounded with light and directly in front of him, it was brightest of all...and there, in a pillar of light stood two personages.  And they spoke to him!  One introduced the other as His beloved son and said, "Hear Him!"

The boy's name was Joseph Smith and he had just seen a vision of the Father, who pointed to the other and called Him His beloved Son! This is a truth that I. know, because the Holy Ghost has testified the truthfulness of it to me many times.  And I cannot deny that Spirit.  Nor can I deny the burning within me that testifies truth.  This is a gift that has been given to me!  This is a gift I treasure.

There is a Hymn in our Hymn Book that asks, what is Truth?  The title of this Hymn is "Oh Say, What is Truth?"  From this hymn, I learn a great deal and it helps me find the answers to many of my questions.    It describes Truth as "the fairest gem"that the richest of worlds cannot produce.  Think about that for a moment.   Think about all of the principalities of the world and what they tell you that they say is their truth.  Is it?  Is it the fairest of gems?    Test it!  Next to truth, all of a "Monarch's diadem is counted as dross and refuse."  Truth is certainly a rare gem!

The second verse calls truth the "brightest prize."  When you find it, hold on to it, because you have certainly found a prize!  Mortals and Gods aspire to possess this truth...this rich prize.  To possess it is "an "aim for the noblest desire."

Truth overcomes evil.  I include the entire third verse here.  "The septre may fall from the despot's grip.  When with winds of stern justice he copes.  But the pillar of truth will endure to the end, and its firm rooted bulworks outstand the rude blast and the wreck of the fell tyrant's hopes."  

This verse pretty much tells it all, if you follow a court case (as we have witnessed recently in the impeachment trial of our past President, Donald J. Trump!)  Truth wins in the end!  There were so many conflicting voices and the lies were brought to the forefront.  But still, those who lied believed their lies so profoundly, they were turned into tyrants!

On to the last verse...truth 'tis the "last and fir first."  "Tho the heavens depart and the earth's fountains burst, TRUTH , the sum of existence, will weather the worst, ETERNAL, unchanged, evermore."

So, when you are confronted with confusing voices, put their words to the test..do what Joseph Smith did....Pray, and measure those confusing voices against their value and endurance.  Are they eternal?  Good words, these!  Put them to the test.

For me, the test is eternal.  I measure good against evil and "GOOD" comes out on top every time.  I also have the gift of discernment, a gift I earned after many trials of choosing between good and evil in my life.  The Lord knew I had to earn it and I am so grateful He stuck with me as I traveled that difficult road.  It is a precious gift and I don't ever want to lose it.  

My Savior.  He IS "The Last and the First," The Alpha and Omega!

He is my True North.

He is the compass by which I navigate my life.

Without Him, I could not discern what is TRUTH!

Getting along and Getting by...

 As I journey forward into this new year, the year of our Lord, 2021, I am finding myself in awe at all that I have experienced in my lifetime!  The progress (and sometimes regress) of mankind has been astounding!  And still, mankind is struggling with this phenomenon of getting along and learning to love one another.  Control and greed seem to creep into every aspect of our lives.

Though I have been oblivious for the better part of my life, of how government has crept into the simplest acts of controlling everything, to dedicating their missions to make sure we are constantly under their thumb.  It has been a slow process, so most of us haven't even noticed it.  For the most part, my life has been full of happiness and peace, but last year was a nightmare and this year is looking to be more of the same, if not worse.

Now, while all of this has been going on, I have also noticed another phenomenon taking shape.  More and more of my friends, myself included, have been turning their attention to a higher power.  We are turning to prayer and the scriptures and developing a stronger relationship with our God, the Creator of the Universe and all that in it lies.  He is ultimately in charge-- and this thought gives rise to peace in the soul.

The month of January is closing and February will soon be upon us.  As I look toward the rest of this year, I pray that hearts will come closer and be more in tune with the spirit of love--brotherly love--and turn away wrath.  May we be more understanding of the needs of others; more compassionate towards those who are finding their livelihoods disappearing; more helpful to those who need a helping hand; and more ready to pray with a brother or sister who is suffering through loss.

I pray that the Virus that has plagued this land for a year will burn out its engines and move out of the atmosphere.  And I pray that we will be more ready for the next epidemic to come our way.  We have the science to understand these things and I pray that the good minds will work diligently to find cures and vaccines and may government step out of their way so they can do their work.

Ah!  So many problems and so many loving people working on solutions...if only government would allow them to work!  People are out of work because of government!  People are suffering because of government.  But good e\people are waking up and beginning to speak up and fight against the corruption and control that we find ourselves in.  If we let God help us and not become angry mobs, we will be able to accomplish great things.

I love my life!  I love my Country!  I love my family!  I love my God!  I pray every man, woman and child in this land of ours will be protected throughout these coming months and this coming year.  Be not discouraged!  Be not dismayed!  Cultivate Faith and Hope and most of all Charity!

GOD BLESS AMERICA! 

View The World Through Someone Else's Lense..A Short Story...

Several years ago, I received my first Cornea Transplant.  I never troubled myself with whether or not the surgery would be successful (although looking back, perhaps I should have!), but rather what would it be like to view my world through someone else's cornea?  I conjured up any number of imaginary scenarios such as being able to see my world exactly as the former owner of my cornea would have seen it.  Would I be color blind?  Unlikely, because the corneas don't control the ability to discern colors.  More likely, would be an enormous amount of astigmatism!  Yikes!  I already had enough of that.

But, that was another story for another day and I have already told it adnauseum!  No, my focus for this piece is finding the ability to see and understand another's world as they see, live and understand it.  A challenging task, at best, and daunting, at worst.

I have recently been sharing an experience with a long-time, very dear friend of mine who has fallen into a trap of being taken in by a much younger man.  I shall call her, Julie, to protect her and any and all friends involved.  Julie and I grew up together.  We attended the same Church.  We went to the same School.  We sometimes liked the same boys!  We hung out in each other's houses and got to know each other's families very well.

After High School, we just sort of drifted apart.  I went off to College and she went through a couple of marriages.  I reconnected with Julie when she moved to a nearby town and we ran into each other quite by accident.   Over the next several years we shared each other's stories and picked up our long-lost friendship again.

Once again, however, I moved away and we only occasionally kept in touch.  Until one day about 5 months ago when she called me and her voice had an almost giddy quality about it.  She said, "You will never guess where I am."  Of course, I couldn't.  The last I knew, she was still in that little Podunk town where I left her when I moved.

"I am in Texas!"  I said, "What on earth are you doing in Texas?"  "Oh," she said, "I have so much to tell you!  After Jack died, I was so lonely, and I met the most amazingly beautiful younger man!"  Well, that piqued my interest.  "And I thought because of all of your experience with your current husband, who is also younger than you, I thought you might be able to give me some advice."

It was true.  After my husband died, I had married a younger man and over the years we don't even notice the difference any more.  Julie certainly sounded happy, so what did it matter?  And so, we left that first conversation at that.  I told her, "Good luck with that!"  And we didn't speak for another week or so.

The next time Julie called, she didn't sound as happy as that last phone call.  In fact, she was crying.  This "gentleman" friend (and I use the term loosely) just dumped her in a run-down rental (after she paid the rent) and took off  in her car to find a job and the communication scanty  She was alone in a place where she knew no one, without a car, and very little food or furniture.  I tried to console her the best that I could, but just about every other word or sentence out of her mouth was to his defense.  In my mind and heart, my concern was for her safety...and a feeble attempt to bring her back to reality.

We talked for probably an hour, and then I told her she needed to rest and try to get some sleep.  Things might look better in the morning.  I said a prayer for her.  I guess I watch too much TV and have heard about all of these horror stories about younger men preying on older women, taking whatever money they had and then moving on to their next victim.  I prayed Julie wasn't another one of these statistics.

I didn't hear from Julie for months after that, although I did worry about her.  All attempts to call her had failed.  I learned later that she couldn't pay for her phone bills, so she tuned it off.  She had found some help from a local church which managed to get her a bus ticket home.  When she called me, she seemed more like her old self.  She had left the promise of a better future behind her and she had moved on.  It was a hard lesson, and she thanked me for helping her to see through my eyes what she had been unable to see with her own.  I love my friend dearly, and pray for her daily that she will one day find peace and tranquility in her life.

 GOOD-BYE 2020,

HELLO 2021!

I HONESTLY CANNOT SAY THAT I WILL MISS THE YEAR 2020!  IT HAS BEEN A YEAR OF UPS AND DOWNS, HILLS AND VALLEYS DARKNESS AND LIGHT! BUT, I CAN SAY THAT WE ALL WEATHERED THE STORMS AND CAME OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE STRONGER AND BRAVER AND BETTER FOR THE EXPERIENCES.

WE TRAMPLED THROUGH THE TROUBLED FIELDS OF A DEVASTATING VIRUS THAT TOOK HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF LIV4ES AND LEFT MILLIONS WITHOUT THEIR BUSINESSES OR JOBS.  ONE TRIP TO THE MARKET GIVES ONE THE VISION OF HUNDREDS OF MASKS THAT REALLY DON'T BELONG THERE AND FRIGHTENED FACES UNDERNEATH AMOST OF THEM.  FROM JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER, WE HAVE LIVED IN FEAR OF AN UNSEEN ENEMY AND STILL HAVE NO REAL ANSWERS.  WILL IT EVER GO AWAY?  I CAN ONLY VENTURE A GUESS!  SOME OF US HAVE LOST LOVED ONES AND WILL FACE A NEW YEAR WITHOUT THEM.  BUT, THE LIFE CYCLE GOES ON AND NO ONE CAN EVER CHANGE THAT.

ON THE UP SIDE OF IT ALL, I HAVE WELCOMED INTO MY FAMILY THREE BRAND NEW GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTERS.  THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL AND A WELCOME SIGHT FOR THESE AGING EYES.  CONGRATULATIONS TO ELISSA, KELLIE AND MCKENZIE!  LIFE IS GOOD!

DEAN'S FATHER'S HEALTH IS DECLINING, BUT HE HAS LIVED A VERY LONG, GOOD 93 YEARS.  DEAN GOT TO FLY TO SEATTLE AND THEN TAKE A BUS TO TACOMA AND SPEND 3 WEEKS WITH HIS DAD DOING ALL OF THE HARD CHORES IN THE YARD.  IT WAS A WELCOME TRIP FOR BOTH OF THEM.  I GOT TO TRAVEL TO LAS VEGAS FOR A BABY SHOWER FOR ELISSA AND LATER TO ST. GEORGE FOR A FUNERAL OF A COUSIN AND A WELL-EARNED VISIT WITH MY SISTER, CHRISIE.  SHE RETURNED A TRIP TO PRESCOTT VALLEY FOR CHRISTMAS!  FAMILY IS THE BEST MEDICINE FOR AILING HEARTS!

THE POLITICAL SCENE IN OUR COUNTRY HAS TURNED A SOUR FACE TOWARD THE AMERICAN CITIZENS AND THERE IS UNREST BREWIING IN THE WINGS.  WE CAN ONLY GUESS WHAT THE NEW YEAR IS GOING TO BRING...AND PRAY FERVENTLY FOR HEALING FOR OUR COUNTRY.

I WISH I COULD REPORT MORE OF THE UPS, BUT RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY THREAD THAT IS HOLDING US TOGETHER IS FAMILY.  I HAVE BEGUN TO REALIZE JUST HOW IMPORTANT FAMILY IS AND I HOLD TIGHT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF MINE.

AS I WRITE THIS, MY SON-IN-LAW, KENNY'S DAD IS VERY CLOSE TO DEATH, ALONE IN A HOSPITAL IN CALIFORNIA.  TOMORROW THE FAMILY WILL MAKE THE HARD DECISION ABOUT WHAT TO DO NEXT AND HE MAY NOT BE WITH US THROUGH THE WEEKEND.  MAY GOD BLESS THE ENTIRE MESSICK FAMILY.  IT WILL BE A TIME TO GRIEVE.

AND A THOUSAND MILES TO THE NORTH, DEAN'S DAD HAS JUST BEEN SENT HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL ON PALLIATIVE CARE.  WE ARE HOPING FOR A FEW MORE MONTHS WITH HIM AS THE HEAD OF THE MICKELSON FAMILY.  

THESE ARE HARD TIMES...BUT WITH THE HARD, THERE IS ALSO THE GOOD AND MAY WE ALL BE CONSOLED BY THE GOODNESS IN THE WORLD.  MAY WE SEE THE RAINBOW AT THE END OF THE RAINY DAY; THE SILVER LINING IN EVERY RAIN CLOUD; THE BRIGHT SUNLIGHT IN THE EARLY MORNING SUNRISE; AND THE LIGHTHOUSE GUIDING THE WAY ON A STORMY, ROCKY SHORE.  IT IS MY PRAYER THAT WE WILL SEE MORE GOODNESS THAN DARKNESS ON THE HORIZON FOR THE NEW YEAR, WHICH IS 2021.  GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERYONE WHO VENTURES TO READ THIS BLOG.  I COUNT YOU AS MY FRIENDS, MY FAMILY AND GREAT CONTRIBUTORS TO THE RICH HAPPINESS THAT HAS FILLED MY LIFE.

HAPPY NEW YEAR ~ 2021

GIFTS...

 I have had such a full life abundantly overflowing with a plethora of amazing gifts.  My heart is filled with gratitude.

My father was the best gift-giver.  His first gift to me was my mother.  He was a young man of 19 when hemet my mother.  He swept her off her feet on a dance floor when she was barely 17.  They were married on her 18th birthday and 5 years later, together, they gave me the gift of life.

As I grew, he discovered one of my favorite gifts was anything sweet.  He gave me the gift of a piano, followed by 9 years of piano lessons.  He gave me the gift of dance lessons--also for 9 years.  He gave me the gift of his wisdom.  

    --Correcting me when I made mistakes.

--Praising me when I made good choices.

He gave me the gift of patience.  Waiting for me to fund the rught way, and nudging me along the path.

He gave me the gift of  unconditional love.  I never understood that, until I had children of my own!  I knew he loved me when, one day, I asked him, "Daddy, you have given me so much all my life==what can I give you in return?"  I can see him still, dressed in his white shirt, white pants, a white apron tied around his waist, stained with the juices of meat and food preparation, and a white envelope hat on his head decorated with the little "pickle" pin which was the symbol of his restaurant.  

He was sitting on one of the 4-legged stools at one of the long tables at the restaurant.  His simple, yet profound answer to my question was this, "The only thing I ask of you in return is that you will always remain as good as you are right now."

That simple response brought tears to my eyes.  I leaned down to give him a kiss on the cheek and one of my tears rolled out of my eye and down his cheek.

I loved my dad dearly.  I can't say that I was always good--or that I always made good choices--but my dad's gift of forgiveness was always a given.

Writing about my earthly father gets me thinking about my Heavenly Father--the Father of my Spirit.  He has been the best bestower of the greatest gifts--and the list is long!    The first gift He gave me, like my dad, was the gift of my life.  And with that gift  came the gift of my parents.  I shall forever be grateful for them both.

My Father in Heaven gave me one brother and two sisters.  They have blessed my life in countless ways.  He also sent Angels to me, called "friends"--each in their own season--some still grace my life.

He gave me many talents--some I have already discovered, some I am still discovering, and  some I am yet to discover.

He gave me the gift(s) of my own family(s).  First He sent me Gerry Henderson, a Graduate Student at BYU, who swept this little Freshman of barely 18 off of my feet, just as my dad had done with my mom all those years ago.  We were married the following June.  Then came five beautiful children, each one a treasured gift.  Growing old together was not in the cards for us.  Gerry went to live with Heavenly Father  much too soon!  

Six months after Gerry's death, I met Dean Mickelson.  He was charming, a great talker.  We met on "The Love Boat!"  It was crazy--and this young man truly was an answer to a lonely widow's prayers. He truly was a gift from God.

My next gift was our son, Billy.  He, too was an answer to many prayers.

Heavenly Father gave to me the gift of music. He gave me fingers to play the piano and ears to hear the music, and a heart to feel it in my soul.  He gave me feet to dance to the music.  I heard the rhythm to keep the beat and a body to move with it.  I feel the music throughout my whole being.  He gave me a voice to sing through both my heart and soul.

These gifts  were only for a season.  I can no longer play the piano because my eyes are growing dim;  I can no longer dance because my body no longer moves the way it used to; my voice is no longer sweet and pure.  But I am grateful for the years I could do all these things.  Now, I have ears  to hear the music and I can close my eyes and visualize the past.

So many gifts --too numerous to list----my Heavenly Father has bestowed upon me!  So much to be grateful for.  These are certainly note-worthy  gifts in my life--but the greatest gift of all is the gift of a tiny baby, born in a stable long, long ago in the town of Bethlehem.  The Father gave us the gift of His Son.  And His name was called, Jesus Christ.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." (John 3:16)

The Father gifted The Son--The Son gifted to us Eternal Life.

So many gifts!  So much LOVE!

                                                Keep on Giving!

                                                Merry Christmas!

Through The Eyes of a Dreamer...

 I have always been a dreamer.  Even when I was a very small girl.  I remember lying on my back on our front lawn and, looking up at the clouds, I would dream of being able to fly up there in that vast expanse and sit on the very top of one of them.  I imagined that I saw many different shapes in those clouds...shapes like animals or people or castles in the sky.  I don't know where I got my imaginative power; I only know that it has been with me for a very long time.

I believe that is where my writing skills were born.  Making up stories and/or poems has been something I have dabbled at for decades.  Mostly, I do it for my own pleasure, but I have occasionally done it for publication.  I have several books of poems that some of my works have been published in and a very real recognition (to me, at least) by a Poetry Society.

I wrote a short story about the life of my father's adventure in the restaurant business in Santa Monica, California.  His restaurant was called "Pickle Bill's Barbecue," and so I titled my book, "Memories of a Pickle Kid."  It sold over 100 copies!

My husband and I are both retired now--Dean after 41 years as a Pharmacist, and I after 35 years as an ICU/ER/Flight Nurse.  We both needed something to fill all those empty hours in the day, so we have launched a new project called Healthy Sense Living.

Now, here I am, with my husband, putting together a Website that deals with products which enhance our five senses.  Let me explain.  The Website is called HealthySenseLiving.Com.  We search for products that are for sale on our site that are pleasing to what we SEE (Visual), what we HEAR (hearing), what we SMELL (Aromatherapy), what we FEEL (touch), and what we TASTE (through healthy eating).

Here is an excerpt from our "About Us" page:  "As two healthcare professionals with combined medical experience spanning 76 years, we have become more keenly aware of the benefits of preventative medicine regarding stress reduction for better health.

"We all, in our busy lives, need some 'settling down' time.  Settling down to what?  To your body, mind and spirit on this user friendly website in order to fulfill your needs in your healthier living environment."

Now, you might be asking, "What has all of this got to do with my imagination and writing?  Well, let me explain.  I believe that it takes imagination to venture out into any new project in life.  I have filled my cup with my writing; I have filled my soul with writing my stories and poems; now my husband and I are imagining something new and different.  Will we succeed?  We hope so.  But that is not the important part of this new adventure.  We want you to succeed.  We want you to find fulfillment through your five senses, just as we have throughout our life.

I am inviting you to visit our website and browse through the offerings there.  It is only the beginning, so come back often to see what we might have added to or taken away from the site.  We are hoping that through this new adventure we can bring some insight into your lives about what it feels like, smells like, looks like, sounds like, or tastes like to slow down a little and find peace to your soul through Healthy Sense Living.

   

Visit us at HealthySenseLiving.com

Catching Up...and Moving On...

 Every day I sit for awhile and ponder my life.  I have experienced many ups and downs...some of my own creation...others leveled upon me without any help from me at all.  I wanted to record the progression of my aging process so that my children could get a glimpse at what they might face when they have lived as long as I have.

I have a talk with my body every once in a while, just to check in to see how it is doing.  For a woman my age, who has pushed my body through ma y rigorous activities, like ballet and toe dancing for most of my young years, hiking steep trails into mountains, swimming rivers and lakes, skiing and water skiing, a little golf (I never was very good at it!) and yes, even playing the piano.  Plus, I bore 6 children!  All of these should have left me with a ton of arthritis, but what little I have is endurable.  The only bone I ever broke was a toe when I was 13-\ years-old...and, oh yes, a chip fracture in my thumb after our automobile accident last September.  I have been pretty good to my body over the years and it, in turn, has been good to me.

I have had 3 abdominal surgeries, 5 eye surgeries, a bore-hole craniotomy for a head bleed, and most of my teeth pulled.  It could have been much worse.  My vision is crappy!  I inherited my dad's Glaucoma and my mom's Macular Degeneration.  Because of this, I don't drive anymore.  I have a difficult time reading anything unless the font is THIS BIG!  And I can't do any kind of close work,  My hearing us awful,  EH?  And my feet have lost their feeling...Neuropathy...also inherited from my mother.  But my body tells me that if I don't give up on it, it won't give up on me...just yet!

I have been so blessed to have my cognitive abilities still intact.  My memory is sharp, my ability to reason is intact, and I recognize everyone in my life still.  Sometimes, if I haven't seen them for a long time, I have a hard time realizing that that little girl I used to brush her hair as a child has grown into a mature, lovely woman!  Recognizing that they age too, throws me sometimes!  For these blessing, I am eternally thankful, because so much of my brain power could have been wiped out when I suffered my head bleed in 2012.

Why am I writing this?  I think it is because I wanted to keep a Diary or Journal, if you will, to help me track any signs of decline.  I am soon to be 81-years-old.  My mother lived to be 86 and in the last few years of her life I watched her body dwindle down to a frail 86 pounds and her cognitive abilities only slowly decline.  In the end, she didn't know my sister.  I tell myself it was because she couldn't take care of her and we ad to put her in a Nursing Facility.   She was nearly blind and needed a walker to take the few steps she was able to take.

So, over the next months and years, I shall check in here and leave a "progress (or regress) report" so those who come after me can read it.  This is my life!