Have You Been There?

I would feel like a fraud if I said I wrote this poem.

Just over a week ago I woke up with some of these words in my head.  It started with the repeated refrain, "Have you been there in that place?" and the general feeling of how we can lift others by the things we say.  The more I thought about it more words came, and as I wrote them down, more.

While I slowly woke up a few days later, I realized they were running through my mind again, only this time with music.  While I thought about it, more little snippets came.

This may not be the finished product, as I'm pretty sure there is one more bit that needs to get in there, but this is what I quickly polished this morning when I remembered that I had planned on sharing it in our homeschool group today because it fit so well with the topic.  To prepare for class today we had read the talk "Before I Build a Wall" by Loren C. Dunn (April 1991 general conference) and studied Al Fox, then took that study further in our own personal way.

Have You Been There?

We have a gift

We have a choice

Our simple words

One little voice

How we use that

Shows our heart.

Have you been there

In that place?

Those little words

Can bring a smile,

Can cause a tear

Or lift a trial.

Such simple words,

Moment in time,

Will heal a heart.

What is your choice? 

All need our love,

Crave heaven's light.

Have you been there

In that place?

Come, be my friend.

I like your smile!

Can we just talk

A little while?

I need your help.

Have all you need.

Here, hold my hand.

Such little seeds!

These words of love

Can overpower

The dark around us

Every hour.

Have you been there

In that place?

Words spoken true

Can bring a smile,

Can make one hurt,

Can lift a trial.

One simple phrase,

So little time.

What little "place"

Will you create?

Help them see

The Savior's face.

Have you been there

In that place?

Will you take them

To that place?

"Filled with..."

In Moses 8:28 & 30 it mentions that at Noah's time before the flood, the earth was "filled with violence."  What a sad thing to look around and see that the earth now is much the same.

I brought up the idea of being "filled with" during family home evening a few weeks ago after Erin led us in talking about Joseph of Egypt.  We made a chart comparing what Joseph was "filled with" vs. his brothers.  Joseph's list had things like love, patience, forgiveness, and faith, and the brothers' list had revenge, anger, and violence.  At one point Melanie mentioned that towards the end of Joseph's story the brothers were filled with repentence.  I really liked that.

In our ward we've had some unexpected happenings recently.  A few weeks ago our neighbors had a fire in their home, and yesterday a different family had their washer flood 2 1/2 rooms in their home.  Ward members reacted quickly, and lots of help was both offered and given in both cases.  On a more personal level, after Isaac was born we got the standard 2 meals set up by the Relief Society, but then over about the next 6 weeks we received a call almost every week from someone saying they were bringing dinner.  What a blessing to closely associate with so many people that are filled with love and service!  In true "pay it forward" fashion, it makes me want to give random service more myself.

A search from this last conference mentions being "filled with the spirit," "filled with faith and hope,"  "filled with people who desire . . . to keep the commandments," "filled with potential and grace," "filled with this love," "filled with gratitude," "filled with love for the Savior and the loving father who sent him," "filled with the rich blessings of priesthood power," and "filled with love and courtesy and the spirit of The Lord."  Wow! The conference before that adds in filled with light, compassion, peace, joy, hope, miracles, courtesy, harmony, emotion, and (ha!) food.  What a great list!  

Besides making me want to be filled with all those things, it makes me think of Matthew 7:16-18, 20, which talks about knowing people by their fruits.  What wonderful fruit this gospel brings!  Gives a deeper meaning to "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteouness: for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6).

Flashes of Intelligence

I just noticed that over the past four months I've got a lot of draft posts and very few completed and published posts.  I feel like all I've got right now are flashes of intelligence.  I can't keep a thought long enough to write it down since it seems I'm always in the middle of something.  What I do get jotted, there's not much time to carry them further.  But for a bit I enjoy pondering the flash.  If it does make it to a beginning blog post, my arms and hands are busy with baby (which they most definitely enjoy and should be) so sitting where I can focus and type very long doesn't happen often.

A few examples...

The Golden Rule is "Do unto others as you would have them do to you."  Do you know there is also a Silver Rule?  "Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you." Isn't the difference interesting?  Very simplified, "Treat people nice" vs. "Don't be mean."  Would you rather live Golden or Silver?

What I learn from babies - this list could go on and on if I would write them down the moment it comes.  I hope most are written in my heart somewhere.  The biggest overriding lesson is to enjoy.  Enjoy every sweet little moment.  While I've done that this time around I've noticed a lot of determination in this guy.  Maybe it's been there with all of them and I wasn't paying enough attention, or just don't remember.  It's so interesting watching him learn.  Working and working to control those little arms and hands, trying to get them to go where he wants them to.  The past week he's been very interested in looking around.

Fear stinks.  Every time I realize I'm fearing something, I run 2 Timothy 1:7 through my mind to start thinking how I can instead react with power, love, and a sound mind.  Just found this talk by President Hinckley that looks like a great one to study on that.

Here's to more flashes.  Hopefully they'll get more intelligent.  :)