There’s a lie when it comes to grief. We think grief should be done and over with quickly. Others tell us to just move on. And life dictates we keep going, jumping back into our routine after a brief pause to say goodbye. And that’s the lie. Grieving in all reality is a complicated mess. A sticky, gooey mess. In “A Grief Observed,” the quintessential book on the subject, C.S. Lewis describes just how messy grief can be. “They say…
FOR THE GOLD STAR FAMILIES By Les Patterson Upon the altars of Freedom Their lives young and Old Willingly given as a lasting Sacrifice By the courageous and the Bold In honor and eternal Memory May we forever never Forget If not for their sworn Allegiance Each of us would face the Threat We stand today in solemn Honor In frigid weather or sweltering Heat Even in pristine and ideal Conditions Our circumstances can not be Beat We live today…
I spent Father’s Day weekend focusing on the three R’s – Reading, Writing, and (instead Arithmetic) Rejuvenation! It was perfect! READING The reading focused on finishing (almost) Uncommon Type, a collection of short stories by Tom Hanks wherein each story features, to some degree, a typewriter. The second short in the book, “Christmas Eve 1953” resonated quite deeply while “Alan Bean Plus Four” left me searching for the missing lines. WRITING My own words are often inspired by the words…
When you feel distant from God, who has done the moving… You or Him? As for me, I know it is I who has done the moving. God is steadfast, unmovable, an anchor to our souls. I loved this simple counsel from the Book of Mormon prophet Ether. “Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to…
Analyze, if you would please, the leaf diagram pictured. What do you notice? Perhaps you are wondering, as I did, what tree each leaf comes from. Trees are generally classified as either deciduous or coniferous. Deciduous trees change color and lose their leaves in the fall, such as Sugar Maples and Black Walnut. Coniferous trees have needles instead of leaves and do not change color or lose their needles in the fall, such as Fraser Firs and Redwoods. There is…
Few messages have touched the heart of mothers worldwide as beautifully and as powerfully as did “Behold Thy Mother” by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “No love in mortality comes closer to approximating the pure love of Jesus Christ than the selfless love a devoted mother has for her child,” Elder Holland shared as he paid tribute to mothers in General Conference of October 2015. From their long-suffering love when first bearing their children,…
Elisa and I have both been blessed with mothers who filled our souls with sunshine. Through their abundant love, their forever quest to nurture their children has blessed us, our siblings, their grandchildren, and many others. That blessing extends to you today as we share their love of music. My mother, Carolyn Christiansen Patterson, enjoyed singing and was blessed with the soft beautiful voice of an angel. She and her sisters enjoyed singing together and we’re often compared to the…
In honor of Mother’s Day coming up, I share with you a simple poem I wrote for a friend who was remembering her mother. Actually, it’s kind of a weird poem. If you know me at all, or at least know my writing, it may not seem that weird at all. But, if you don’t know me, don’t say I didn’t give you fair warning! MY MUDDER By Les Patterson Perfectly imperfectly Her voice guided me In life Now from…
When Naomi Randall wrote “I Am A Child Of God” in the middle of the night in 1957, she had no idea the impact it would have on millions of people. Translated into more than 90 languages, millions of children around the world have sung it and discovered the eternal truth they are children of God. That truth has created comfort and peace for Elisa and me. For Elisa, it was simply knowing an eternally loving Father also watched over…
From the darkness of Golgotha on Good Friday, to the miraculous triumph of Resurrection Sunday, we celebrate with you the gift of Easter, the gift of hope and everlasting peace brought to each of us through the Atonement and Resurrection of our Beautiful Savior Jesus Christ. 🎼🎼🎼 Fair is the sunshine, Fairer the moonlight And all the stars in heav’n above; Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer And brings to all the world his love. 🎼🎼🎼 When the sting of…