Week #12

I gotta admit that all of these LOOOONG weekends are making me feel...

 well, a little bit like this word scramble.  

We love long weekends, duh, of course we do! 

But they mess with the energetic FLOOOOOW of things.

Which means that getting "On task" seemed a little "Off task---ish" this week.

No worries though because next week we have a full week.  

(Then a half week again for MY favorite holiday, Thanksgiving!)  

I think the thing I will remember the most about this week is

seeing Madi today before she moves to Texas.  

This was a sad day, but I appreciated the big smile she put on her face for us. 

She is one MIGHTY spirit.

She never ceases to amaze me.  

Today I appreciated your open hearts as we talked about trials.
Remember that seminary is a "safe place" where we often share meaningful life-lessons.
It's very important to protect the purity of these stories by not sharing them with others inappropriately.  Please never cast these pearls (of trust) before swine.
I love our class.  I love the beautiful souls in it.  I love the honesty.
Please be worthy of the trust we place in each other.   

I thought I would share with you my favorite poem that my Sunday School
teacher shared with me when I was just about your age.
I was going through a particularly difficult time.
What the heck- I think I was just about in the 7th grade!  LOL!!
(Thank heavens we all made it past that age!)

It's called "Good Timber"

The tree that never had to fight

Fun sun and sky and air and light, 

But stood out in the open plain

And always got its share of rain, 

Never became a forest king

But lived and died a scrubby thing.  

The man who never had to toil

To gain and farm his patch of soil,

Who never had to win his share 

Of sun and sky and light and air,

Never became a manly man

But lived and died as he began.

Good Timber does not grow with ease:

The stronger wind, the stronger trees;

The further sky, the greater length;

The more the storm, the more the strength.

But sun and cold, by rain and snow,

in trees and men good timbers grow.

Where thickest lies the forest growth,

We find the patriarchs of both. 

And they hold counsel with the stars

Whose broken branches show the scars

Of many winds and much of strife, 

This is the common life of life. 

We will miss Madi.

Please keep her in your prayers.

Transition can be hard- 

Hopefully she leaves us with more strength to conquer the winds
of life than she had before. 

I know that I'm personally stronger because of her example to me.

I have been changed for good.  

Your love and testimonies were felt today.  

Thank you!

*If you're reading this from your phone you won't see the cool youtube video below.
"For Good"