Easter Sunday

   "Grandma, if you are coming to our house on Easter, how will we do our egg hunt at your house?"
   "Grandma, D. is really anxious about the fact that we are not coming to your house for an Easter egg hunt. How will we do that this year?"
    These questions came to me by phone several hours before we were due to Easter dinner at the Music Man's house this year. I had to reassure them that indeed we could do a hunt, even at their house.

                                                 Who is hiding here, Miss Maggie or the egg?

                              Finally, A. found one, after feeling like he would never get his own egg.

                                            Papa hid them in open view, if you had eyes to see.

                                         Some eggs became part of their natural environment.

                                                     
                                                  The hiding master with his accomplice.

At last, all the eggs are found and all the children are happy that this tradition was not lost in the change of venue.

Book of Mormon Sunday II- Alma 49-55

   The voice of Mormon is throughout these chapters and I see that he makes assumptions of what is motivating the people. I can't help thinking that he views this story about Captain Moroni through his experiences with being the leader of the Nephites in his own day. His people lack the faith to trust in God and he marvels at the power granted to Moroni's followers to overcome their enemies.

    Alma 49:27 "Yea, he was exceedingly wroth, and he did curse God, and also Moroni, swearing with an oath that he would drink his blood; and this because Moroni had kept the commandments of God in preparing for the safety of his people. And it came to pass, that on the other hand, the people of Nephi did thank the Lord their God, because of his matchless power in delivering them from the hands of their enemies."

   Mormon has the ability to see both the past and the future. Here he is testifying to us, his readers, about the connection between prosperity and keeping the commandments as he sees prophecy fullfilled in this time of the Nephites.

    Alma 50:19 "And thus we see how merciful and just are all the dealings of the Lord, to the fulfilling of all his words unto the children of men; yea, we can behold that his words are verified, even at this time, which he spake unto Lehi, saying: Blessed art thou and thy children; and they shall be blessed, inasmuch as they shall keep my commandments they shall prosper in the land. But remember, inasmuch as they will not keep my commandments they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord."

  Unfortunately, the Nephites, as a whole, did not continue to keep the commandments. There arose contentions among God's people.

  Alma 51:9 "But behold, this was a critical time for such contentions to be among the people of Nephi;"

 Alma 53:9 "And thus because of iniquity amongst themselves, yea, because of dissensions and intrigue among themselves they were placed in the most dangerous circumstances."

   The Lamanites, with help from dissenting Nephites, became bold enough to attack the cities. This called for more resources and the people of Ammon felt they should arm themselves and help in the defense of their brethren.

   Alma 53:15 "And Helaman feared lest by so doing they should lose their souls; therefore all those who had entered into this covenant were compelled to behold their brethren wade through their afflictions, in their dangerous circumstances at this time."

  To preserve the covenant their fathers made to never again raise their swords against another, the sons of Ammon unite to go with Helaman and fight. These young lads are protected as sign from God that He keeps his side of the covenants we make with him. One thing I have learned from the Book of Mormon is that keeping covenants is everything to God. We are helpless, in many ways, in this mortal life to control our fate, but we do have power to stay true to our covenants. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ we receive enabling power to live with adversities, and  that power increases through keeping our covenants.

Weekend Breakfast

   I puttered around in my pajamas way to long this morning but that is fun once in a while. Breakfast was so visually appealing.

   
     Then on to make Hot-Cross Buns for Easter Dinner, minus the cross, with a little candied ginger and coconut.  They turned out great and I like the punch of the ginger.

   Lastly, before the day gets fully engaged, I gathered some spring blossoms for the table. I love my yard, unruly, even as it is.

Bringing Nature In

I am sitting at my kitchen table, my Early Morning Guests have just left, and I am thinking how beautiful this Easter weekend is, already.

The daffodils in front of me are reaching their heads towards the light and straining to add even more sunshine to their expanding arms. I feel an unmistakeable surge of joy and on this feeling it is worth meditating.

   When other things in life seem out of control I turn to my faith in Christ and in the signs in nature which he provides that testify that he lives and can renew my very being.

 
   A still life, a life where we bring the natural world into our hearts and homes is in itself worth living.
So many of us lean on others to give us joy and suffer from disappointment when we are left alone. It is within ourselves we find solace from the Holy Spirit and he makes it possible to extend our hearts to the others we want in our lives.

I am not alone, someday I may be, so I want to learn now to draw on my inner joys to bring me peace. Beautiful music to play, inspiring words to read, (like Isaiah), and examples of nature around me, that makes me a more social and peaceful person.

Here is a new beautiful book I am looking at this weekend.

Where Do All the Colors Come From?

Where do all the colors come from?

    Who makes up colors and then gives them names?  I'm aware of the Pantone color system and know that every year they choose some new colors which designers use to create their sensations. 

   "The Pantone Color Matching System is largely a standardized color reproduction system. By standardizing the colors, different manufacturers in different locations can all refer to the Pantone system to make sure colors match without direct contact with one another."

    So what colors do you love right, now? I am fascinated with the color Rhapsody.

    I found some sights around town that seemed to fit the color. Isn't color amazing when you open your eyes to it's treasures?

    Passed this mailbox on my way and had to back up to get a little shot. Is this Rhapsody in Mail?

    One of my students looked so lovely in this color playing at the piano. Perhaps she is playing a rhapsody, I can't remember.

  

      A recent purchase of a children's book made all the colors come alive.  How about Tangerine Tango or Pillow Purple?

  There is so much more than red, yellow, and blue. We live in a world of variations and subtleties. 

Spring Offerings

    Aren't we all going outside, as soon as it stops raining, and observing the offerings of Spring? I took a distressed flower pot with thyme on my porch and added a splash of sunshine.

                                            Emmaline found cilantro to pick and gather.

                                                My Red Rhody is ready to burst it's seams.

                                The Music Man's house is sprouting springlings all along the driveway.

                                       I am so grateful for the color and textures of Spring

Book of Mormon Sunday II- Alma 41-48

   After the inspiring words to his sons, Alma continues to be active in preaching and sustaining his people as the Zoramites combine with the Lamanites to come against the people of God. A military leader comes to the forefront who approaches Alma to inquire of the Lord as to how to most effectively defend themselves.

   Alma 43:24 "And it came to pass that the word of the Lord came unto Alma, and Alma informed the messengers of Moroni, that the armies of the Lamanites were marching round about in the wilderness, that they might come over into the land of Manti, that they might commence an attack upon the weaker part of the people. And those messengers went and delivered the message unto Moroni."

   The next part of the Book of Mormon are chapters I have often skipped over in the past. They are filled with war and death but over time I have come to see many inspiring examples of overcoming adversity in these pages. The "good guys" have lessons to teach about maintaining spirituality under the worst circumstances. Moroni is a charismatic leader who has many important defensive strategies. One is to protect his soldiers with armor.

 This gives them the advantage and in a bloody battle they surround the leader of the opposition.

    Alma 43:53 "Therefore when Zerahemnah saw the men of Lehi on the east of the river Sidon, and the armies of Moroni on the west of the river Sidon, that they were encircled about by the Nephites, they were struck with terror. Now Moroni, when he saw their terror, commanded his men that they should stop shedding their blood."

   Zerahemnah is completely set against the religion of these Nephites and even with threat of death will not lay down his sword to make promises of peace.

   Alma 44:3 "But now, ye behold that the Lord is with us; and ye behold that he has delivered you into our hands. And now I would that ye should understand that this is done unto us because of our religion and our faith in Christ. And now ye see that ye cannot destroy this our faith. Now ye see that this is the true faith of God; yea, ye see that God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we are faithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we should fall into transgression and deny our faith."

   Some of Zerehemnah's men put down their swords and make a covenant of peace, but not their leader and he continues to fight resulting in his death. This victory for the Nephites does not end the aggression of the Lamanites. They are bound and determined to extinguish the whole Nephite tradition.

   Alma 46:23 "Moroni said unto them: Behold, we are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; yea, we are a remnant of the seed of Joseph, whose coat was rent by his brethren into many pieces; yea, and now behold, let us remember to keep the commandments of God, or our garments shall be rent by our brethren, and we be cast into prison, or be sold, or be slain. Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph; yea, let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold, he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was preserved and had not decayed. And he said -- Even as this remnant of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall perish, even as the remnant of his garment."

    The remnant of the coat of Joseph becomes the symbol of tenacity to maintain the covenant and Moroni prepares his soldiers to defend their families and their religion. Perhaps, we need just such a symbol to fortify us against the worldly attack on God and his commandments. Our enemy is subtle and is leaving messages all around us that there is no Savior, Jesus Christ, and he does not have power to lift his people back to our Heavenly Father. But, it is not so.