FREE to be Me ...

Come little leaves said the wind one day,

come o'er the meadow with me and play.

Put on your dresses of red and gold,

for summer is gone and the days grow cold.

Ov'er the brown fields they danced and flew,

singing the sweet little songs they knew.

Soon as the leaves heard the wind's loud call,

down they came tumbling one and all.

Laughing and twirling the little leaves went.

Winter had called them and they were content.

Soon fast asleep on their early beds,

the snow laid a coverlet over their heads."

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me,

Fluttering from the autumn tree."

Faith - The topic of many Sacrament Meeting talks and Sunday School Lessons gone by. And I am ashamed to admit that when I heard that word "Faith" this weekend, I thought something like "Here we go again.." with the assumption that I would merely hear a repeat of words I have already heard.

I was QUICKLY humbled by an awesome discussion. It was able to penetrate my inattentive mind and found it's way to touch my anxious spirit. Although indeed a repeat of words I have already heard I am I EVER grateful for the repetition and reminder of this principle. What a blessing it was to hear it again - to consider how it relates to me at this particular time in my life - to ponder it's prominence in my current decisions.

I hope that when I look back on this post I will be able to remember the feelings and ideas about faith that have been so beneficial to me in the last few days. So by way of note-taking and memory jogging here are a few of the scriptures that really guided my train of thought....


*Remember that without faith you can do nothing (D&C 8:10)

*By Faith all things are fulfilled (Ether 12:3)

*Exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you (Alma 32:27)

Today my thoughts combine to conclude that Faith in God is the strength that can accomplish things that we find ourselves too weak to follow through with.

With each concern that arises in me this week, I hope that the first thing I do is to have faith in God's will (instead of turning to my own plans.) I hope that when a step seems really big I will go ahead and start the process having faith that He will be there to help me finish it (rather than hesitating to do hard things because I think I have to succeed on my own.)

I appreciate (so dearly) the gentle way in which I was re-taught these things. I know that every time I trust my Heavenly Father with my thoughts and actions, He will allow an increase of my faith which will further my progression. I am infinitely thankful to know the importance of my Faith in God - and my total reliance on Him as my friend and Savior.

...you have to decide; Make decisions for yourself

...you must feel confident enough within yourself to follow your own sense of direction.

...you must be willing to make sacrifices

...you must be capable of changing and rearranging your priorities according to what you actually believe in

...you must challenge your familiarity and comfort.

...you need to be strong enough to take the chances that might make your good life even better

...you are independent enough that you don't need to settle for less just to get by under the radar

...you can allow yourself the opportunities to grow, develop, and learn - by admitting to yourself and to others that you don't already know everything

...you can't stand in someone else's shadow and let them tell you how it is.

...you must work hard at what you like to do AND what you do NOT like to do.

...you should laugh at your mistakes and be grateful for your compass that lets you recognize them as mistakes.

...you don't need to be afraid to show your emotions if they are truly you.

...you absolutely have to show your friends and family that you love them with your entire being.

There are times when you must make of yourself what you want to be.