Blessings of Scripture Study

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Based on CFM Old Testament – Nehemiah 8

  • For generations in captivity, the Jews had limited access to “the book of the law of Moses.” Nehemiah 8:1
  • When the people gathered to hear the scriptures, they were united and eager to hear God’s word.
  • “All the people stood up” (v. 5) They showed reverence and respect for the scriptures.
  • “They bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord” (v. 6) The scriptures led them to humility and worship.
  • “All the people wept, when they heard the words of the law” (v. 9) Their hearts were touched and changed by God’s word.
  • “They understood the words… [and] rejoiced greatly” (v. 12) Understanding God’s word brought them joy and strength.

The Scriptures are a Gift from God and these people rejoiced to finally have God’s word in their life. Do we show gratitude for the Word of God in our life?

Family Devotional – BLESSINGS OF SCRIPTURE STUDY

Scriptures will GUIDE YOUR WAY, FILL THE PATH WITH LIGHT. “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path”, offering guidance and daily wisdom.” Psalm 119:105

Scriptures can HEAL THE WOUNDED SOUL. “And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul.” Jacob 2:8

Scriptures LEAD US TO CHRIST. “I did read many things unto them which were written … that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.” 1 Nephi 19:23

Scripture TEACHES DOCTRINE of how we receive exaltation through Christ. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16

Spiritual metaphor… SCRIPTURES FILL OUR SOUL with the word of Christ which will TELL US WHAT WE SHOULD DO. “Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” 2 Nephi 32:3

“Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked — And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven.” Helaman 3:29,30

I initially only found 2 blessings in this verse. See how many more BLESSINGS there are when we dig deeper?

  • “Which is quick and powerful” God’s word is living, active, and has power to change us. (“Quick” in older English means alive.)
  • “Shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil”. Scripture helps us recognize deception, discern truth, and protect us from temptation.
  • “Lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course” Scripture guides disciples along the covenant path and directs them toward Jesus Christ.
  • “Across that everlasting gulf of misery” The word of God helps us navigate the spiritual dangers of mortality and remain on the path that leads to salvation.
  • “Prepared to engulf the wicked” The scriptures protect us from deception and help us avoid spiritual destruction by leading us to Jesus Christ.
  • “At the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven” Scripture leads us toward the ultimate goal of returning to God’s presence through Jesus Christ.

Family Work – We’re All in This together!

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I was searching for a specific quote/story today on this here blog and realized how much I appreciate having these words to look back on. Not the most raw journaling record (as it’s public and all), but it’s something. Wanted to share today’s thoughts on Family Work… on contributing to home and family. It’s been a real struggle.

Family Dynamics are altered so much as each kiddo heads off into the adult world of college. We’re about to lose Max an we’ll have only 3 at home. Every kiddo is so different and oldest kiddos vs younger kiddos also has it’s own distinctions. But anyhoo… these are the current priorities… reminding us that we care enough about one another in our family to think of others more than our own comfort.

We are all a work in progress, aren’t we?

Mogi das Cruces – April 29: BYU Wind Symphony Brazil Tour

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These 5-star hotels are going to spoil Abe. He may never want to stay in a Hampton Inn with the family again. lol. Same hotel in São Paulo, but this day was spent in the suburb of Mogi das Cruzes.“Just got back to the hotel, it’s midnight here. Concert was great! We also gave a masterclass to some trumpet students! The trumpet teacher is goated bro, he has insane lead chops!” AbeNext up: Fortaleza

São Paulo – April 26-28: BYU Wind Symphony Brazil Tour

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Abe has been traveling in Brazil with his BYU Band the past 2 weeks. I believe he’s enjoyed it more than he anticipated. It’s nerve-wracking to go to a new country with different sites, sounds, smells, food, language, culture. But what an adventure!!I don’t have many of the trip details as they have been busy from sun-up to sun-down. Running on little sleep, delicious and exotic food, and plenty of social interaction, they are busy & full! Salsa Dance lessons, a Service Project in the community, a band masterclass for younger kids. I love the purposeful activities that they are involved in.They are performing in magnificent venues. Abe has never performed for a more grateful & happy audience. They were thrilled to meet the BYU musicians. Language barrier has been an issue, but smiles and waves can connect hearts as well.“Music transcends language by acting as a universal form of communication that expresses emotions through rhythm, melody, and harmony rather than spoken words. It bridges cultural divides, allowing listeners to connect with shared human experiences—such as joy, sorrow, and comfort—regardless of their background or understanding of the lyrics.” Peter Reuell (Harvard Staff Writer)
I don’t know how often people see the real Abe in his photos… but the photo above touched my heart because THIS IS ABE! His sincere smile, his love of music and sharing it with others. This is how he shares his faith and heart.Abe’s cousin Ben is in this same band and is Abe’s hotel roommate. Occasionally they even socialize. Here they are at the São Paulo Temple Visitor’s Center.Traveling to a foreign country sure opens your eyes to the different, and sometimes difficult, circumstances that people endure. A favela is a low-income neighborhood commonly found in Brazil, often built along hillsides. With nearly 23 million residents, São Paulo ranks among the 10 largest metropolitan areas in the world. Incredible!The kids may not love the ai edited pics, but Eliza and I have had fun trying the new filters. Next up: Mogi das Cruces!!

She is a Light!

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I met Mary last July at church. She was new and I decided I should introduce myself. She immediately told me her birthday was coming up in the next week. Jimmy and I took her a little gift and got to visit for a few minutes with her dad. They brought us cookies and her mom mentioned they were looking for a caregiver for Mary, and if I knew anyone at church who would be interested. I share this because I find it an inspired situation. I had been thinking about offering to hang out with Mary once or twice a week as respite for her parents. Hmmm (Heather thinking, thinking) I told her I might be interested.

It’s the perfect situation for me to be able to earn a little extra money each month. I go to her home twice a week for 6 hrs at a time, receiving $18/hr. I do her schedule with her. Chores, homework, exercise, reading, arts and crafts, baking, etc. Her mom teaches online school from home and dad is retired and working around the house.

I seriously love Mary! Oh my goodness. She makes me laugh, even when she is cranky. She tells me randomly that she loves me. So I think it’s been a good situation for both of us. I never considered that I would enjoy or have a job like this, but with this situation and family, it seems such a blessing.Recently Mary broke her foot (sneaking crackers from the pantry on a stool) and was in a boot for 6 weeks. A European vacation was already booked so for the past month we’ve tried to get her in shape and strengthen her ankle to handle all the many, many stairs. We have been walking at the Harbor because it has stairs and ramps. Plus it is by the lake and the mini lighthouse. Anyhoo… here’s a pic of us on our walk (in watercolor… ewww, fancy! lol) Mary endures the walk better with music so she uses her cd player to listen to Beach Boys or some other classics.I’m grateful for this opportunity to learn more about Mary and her special nature!

Honeysuckle & Fireflies

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After a dinner of Chicken Fajitas, most of us went on a walk to the park. We wanted to escape the contentious one and enjoy the nice weather (questioning the nice weather part – it was 87 degrees at 7 pm with 66% humidity). Aside from smelling like mosquito repellant, and sweating, it was a great walk. Scotty brought a basketball and he and Jimmy shot some hoops at the park (after the ball rolled into the muddy ditch… one of those things a parent sees coming but the 11-year-old didn’t consider when rolling the ball on the downhill sidewalk).

Max, Eliza, and Scotty went on the park swings. I educated them on the benefits of swinging as a child which helps regulate their vestibular system (not sure what that means … something about movement awareness or balance… maybe… the things you learn from instagram that you should probably verify before teaching your kids.)

On the way home, we spotted fireflies in the forest. Scotty educated us on the mating rituals of fireflies which was … educational. haha. I didn’t grow up with fireflies in dear ol’ Idaho, so I think they are extra spiffy. We walked through the backyard gate by all the honeysuckle (also something I didn’t grow up by). Jimmy taught Scotty how to taste the nectar from the honeysuckle flower.

We heard from Abe who is in Sao Paulo Brazil during our walk, which was reassuring to know he’s still alive on his first day on BYU Band Tour. He lives! And I hope he has a wonderful experience.

These pics are from 2016 when the kids first learned about honeysuckle and fireflies. I miss those days though I remind myself the past wasn’t all ‘cookies, and milk, and yellow balloons’ all the time, either. As Emily Freeman shared in her recent Conference address. We have good days… and we have bad days. But life and testimony are forged throughout each day.

How to Change!

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Just a few notes and thoughts from “He did deliver me from Bondage” book by Colleen Harrison. It used to be a resource in the church’s addiction program until they wrote their own program. I love that it’s full of study of the Book of Mormon. It addresses any challenge we might have that make us feel out of control or unable to govern ourselves. Learning to completely humble self and rely wholly on Jesus Christ for strength will change our hearts, our vision, and our choices. I’m at the very beginning, again, because I started it 2 years ago and only got to page 13. Once I got to the “action”part, I pooped out. Oops. This time I’ve got this!!! I’d recommend this book to anyone who emotionally eats, has or knows someone with an addiction, or anyone striving to have a better balance of life activities or choices. Thanks to @snyderem for sharing this book a few years ago.

Smith Family Sacrament Meeting

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Today Eliza gave a sacrament meeting talk on Love. It was so cute helping her write it. It was just her style and very sweet. She colored each time Love was mentioned.

For Sunday School, Hannah, Max, and Abe each prepared 2 sections of the first Preach my Gospel lesson. They taught about God, Jesus Christ, the apostasy and Joseph Smith’s Revelation, and receiving answers to prayer. I’m grateful for the opportunity we have to do church at home. I love that we can pick the topics, that each one in our family participates in some way every week, and they are learning how to teach, share testimony, and give talks. Each are things we try to teach but having more family time actually makes it possible. I love that bonus to this Corona Quarantine time. I’ve also loved having Abe and Max blessing and passing the sacrament. What a sacred ordinance to be a part of in our home.

Words of the Year 2020

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Eliza and I have been doing a 3×5 art-card-a-day project. Wanting to think on a solid topic that had been in my mind, I thought I’d digitally create word art. Not very artsy but it’s important to my heart so I’ll count it.

FAITHFUL…. Not just faith, but one who is full of faith, one who acts in faith. I gathered Bible Dictionary definitions, gospel topic’s reference, scriptures, and conference quotes for the compilation (nothing referenced, sorry!).

FAITHFUL led to HOPE which led to LIGHT and then LOVE. They are basic principles of the gospel, but when my heart is discouraged or feels dark or depressed, I need these simple truths to relight my attitude and perspective … like Spiritual Affirmations.

Each word is something I am striving to be in these specific circumstances of 2020:

  • Be faithful to the truth I know through study and prayer.
  • Focusing on Hope in Christ to bring Joy to dark days.
  • Looking to the light and acting in ways that bring light, doing things to fill my soul with light.
  • Love. Praying with all my heart to be filled with the Love of God to manage my own emotions and mental health, mothering kids of all ages, as well as loving and teaching one with unique brain differences.

#faithfulness #hope #light #love

#GodsLove

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