Prairie Daydreams

We are often counseled to be patient.  To trust the Lord and His timing and to know that promised blessing will come, if not now, then eventually.  What we often don’t hear, I think because of our own willfulness, is that there will be times that the blessings we receive aren’t the blessings we want.  Even harder than waiting, is letting go and remembering that despite all of our planning and wishing and hoping, the Lord quite possibly, probably, definitely knows things we don’t and a little faith may be in order.  Even though I have heard people talk about plans changing and detours in life, it has taken me almost thirty-four years to understand the value of unwanted blessings. I did not come to Kansas willingly.   I won’t say I came kicking and screaming.   Angry, bitter, hurt, and figuratively under the threat of death would be closer to the truth.   From the day I arrived, I started counting down the days until I could leave.   Not even two ...

  Circling the wagons is an Old West cliché and a historical fact.   Wagon trains would “circle the wagons” around the campfire for protection at night.   Today, the phrase is used anytime a group comes together to defend or protect each other.   There were four of us growing up.   We grew up away from extended family or steady connections.   We were Army Brats and that was fine.   Growing up like that though, you learn to depend on each other in a different way.   You circle your wagons.   We did it often and there were times that we survived because we came together and supported each other.   Life was better, the family was stronger.   As adults, we continue to circle our wagons and support each other as much as we can.   Of course, we’ve added family members since then, a sibling, spouses, and children, but that’s the great thing about circles, they grow. As a teen, the best friends I had where those who came together...

  Waking Up From History (Lyrics are from “Right Here, Right Now” by Jesus Jones) I was alive and I waited, waited I was alive and I waited for this Right here, right now If you ask anyone, any generation, for a memory, a historical event that shaped them, molded their experiences or defined their youth, you will get almost immediate answers and often they will be very similar.   My mom for instance will mention the moon landing first.   But she also talks about the Kennedy assassination, the Beatles, and Vietnam.   I asked my son, who still has a lot of life left to live, what he felt was important, prior to the Covid pandemic, and he mentioned the election of Obama.   How these events affected the world, their world, may vary, but they did.   A woman on the radio talks about revolution When it’s already passed her by Bob Dylan didn’t have this to sing about You know it feels good to be alive The first major historical event I remember is...

It’s a fairly well known and often taught story.  The woman is caught in the act of adultery and is brought to Christ to be judged and stoned.  Christ’s response: let he who is without sin cast the first stone.  The now very uncomfortable crowd disperses leaving just Christ and the woman who He treats with love and compassion.  This is of course a very abridged version of a very complicated and important story.  There are valuable principles that can be learned about judgment, compassion, and the Atonement.  Please understand, what follows is not a theological essay in anyway but rather, very personal reactions to and struggles that have come from this story. My first reaction has always been one of gratitude and love towards the Savior.   There was no lecture, no degradation. He already knew her heart and her feelings at that moment and spoke what she needed to hear.   When you are truly trying to repent, or pulling yourself back up after you’v...

 How do you describe lonely?  To be alone?  Does it mean to be without company? To be without companionship?  There doesn't seem to be one answer, not even for each individual. It's easy enough to think of being lonely when you are literally by yourself.  No one around.  There were Christmas Days like this when both of my children were gone.  It was miserable.  But other times, not at Christmas, I enjoyed the time to myself. I was alone, but not lonely. Same for eating alone.  I actually love taking a book, music, and headphones and just spending time by myself.  Lonely?  Not a chance.  It's great to have that time to put things aside and just enjoy myself.  No interruptions, no worries, no stress. I had to learn to do other things alone without being lonely, going to the movies, shopping, small things in life that are easy to take for granted.  Some were easier than others.  On that note, you'd be surprised the ...

  A very long time ago, I owned a dress, the dress.  It was the most amazing dress I ever owned or wore.  It was red and full of fire.  It was a dress meant for dancing and laughing and living.  Every time I wore it, I felt beautiful and amazing.  If you’ve ever heard the song “Lady in Red,” it was like that.  It wasn’t that I felt I was the most beautiful woman in the room, but that I was worth noticing. Clothes often reflect or affect our moods.  If I’m feeling lazy or depressed, you’ll often see it in how I dress.  This doesn’t necessarily mean jeans and t-shirt, but if you look, you’ll know.  Boots make me feel sassy. My purple work shoes are my rebellion. And jewelry, well, that’s my happy place of clothing, where I feel most free to express myself and particular brand of life on any given day.  A sure sign it’s not a good day is a lack of jewelry. On the other hand, it’s hard for me to get motivated while in my pajamas.  ...