Music gets me up.

I must preface all of this by saying that I have a gift of humming that my mother had and her mother before that. Songs come to me and I find myself humming them. It drove my mother crazy at times because she would get a piece of the song and not be able to finish it. I have found that the songs are inspired for my life. I hum it until I figure out what the tune is and often I find the message in the song. Years ago when I was feeling sorry for myself the song would be: "O Susanna". If my thinking was way off track, it was "Oh, my darling Clementine, you are lost and gone forever." Immediately I would repent of my thinking and get back on track.

Yesterday evening I called my friend Jeunesse and told her the story behind the two poems I had written: Spring and The Spirit's Whisper. She and one of her sons were in the dream that prompted the poem about miracles: The Spirit's Whisper. I told her I would meet her this morning at the church when she took her son, Skye, to early morning seminary.

Last night I had trouble sleeping because of the pain. I was awake at 3 AM and then again at 5 AM. When I roused a little bit later, I thought about sleeping in completely forgetting about Jeunesse. Instantly a song came to mind, "O My Darling Clementine". Since I try so to keep my thinking on track that one has not been around for years. I instantly repented and started to get out of bed. The song changed to a hymn: "How gentle God's commands; how kind his precepts are; Come cast your burdens on the Lord and trust his constant care." The time was about a quarter after six. It was then that I remembered the reason I needed to get up: Jeunesse. If I had not gotten up then I would have missed it.

Dream about miracles

This morning I was dreaming about miracles when I woke up at 4:45 AM. I remember telling a friend that a miracle can begin with a habit. As I thought about it after I woke up, a poem began to form. Now I know why yesterday's poem filled me with the Spirit. It was a message that the storm is over and Spring has begun with its miracles. I realized that the miracles have already begun.

The Spirit's Whisper

The Spirit stirred my heart today,
Whispering: a miracle is on its way.
I may not see it for a day or a year
But my heart will be of good cheer.

I will exercise faith in His Word
And believe what I have heard.
I may not know exactly when
But to His word I add amen.

I claim the promised miracle now
And before His throne I humbly bow.
I give Him my heart and soul
And He will make me whole.

The world will keep going around
But in me the miracle will abound.
Through my faith it will grow
Until one day the truth all will know.

They will see what I see now
And before His throne bow.
Miracles, you see, often begin
With the Spirit's whisper within.

23 Apr 2009 Suzanne Halliday

Spring

I was taking a nap and dreaming about spring. Words began to come so I woke up and repeated the first two lines to myself until my computer was up and running.

Spring

Spring has closed winter's door;
The flowers are here once more.
Gone is the cold bitter night;
Here to stay is the sun so bright.
As the days grow longer,
All nature grows stronger.

Most of winter's damage done
Will be healed by Spring's Sun.
Spring will everything review
And in her glory grow anew
Leaves destroyed by a late frost;
All is not forever lost.

22 April 2009 Suzanne Halliday

The Savior is smiling.

My son Steve has been waiting for weeks to know the results of his recent teaching evaluation. Sunday night he told me that the evaluator was going to meet with him on Monday. I remembered about 9:30 last night and since he had not called me. I called and left a message. He called me back about 10:30.

The news was good. She told him that she was going to recommend that he be rehired for next year. He was concerned about the comments she made about areas he could improve on. I prayed for him and then I felt the Savior smiling down on Steve and knew all would be well. This morning I awoke with gratitude in my heart. This enabled me to write the poem: "The Sun Is Shining."

A Miracle

I had a miracle. I have been in pain in my right hip and lower back since the wind started the 2nd of March. Sometimes I am real stiff and I limp. My doctor moved last June and I have not been to see him since. I did not want to stay with the office where he was because of my thyroid medication. The doctor that replaced him likes to change things around and I do not want to try someone knew. Yesterday I decided I was going to have to try to make an appointment. The receptionist said I would be considered a new patient and she would send a note to Dr Aranda to see if he would take me. I was concerned and felt trapped into a place I did not want to be in. I prayed that Dr Aranda would want to take me. This morning he called and was very concerned about me and my problem. He asked if it could wait over the weekend. I said yes. I get to see him on Tuesday. I hope he orders tests to see exactly what is going on.

For a couple of days I have been feeling discombomulated. Sometimes I felt I had lost my mind somewhere. Other times I felt I was being to brisk with some people. I just did not know exactly who I was or if I was giving the right answers and doing the right things. Then one daughter in law called me out of the blue and told me how much she appreciated me. She said she felt impressed that I needed to hear that. Last night it was cold so I made a pot of hearty chicken soup with cheese. I heard this small whispering to take some to a neighbor. It was very cold out and I tried to talk myself out of it because I thought she had probably already eaten but I put some soup in a container and went out anyway. To my surprise she had not had her dinner or decided what to cook. I was thankful that I had listened and I knew God had used me as his instrument. It helped me to see that I am becoming who I truly want to be: an instrument in his hands to do much good. The following poem is an attempt to capture my feelings.

Who Am I?

Who am I today?
It is hard to day.
Is my life on track
Or am I walking back?
Today I might feel strange
But everyday I change.

Everyday I do my best
To pass life's test.
Sometimes I feel behind
Or that I've lost my mind
Until God steps in
And I feel the Spirit within.

When I make the choice
To follow the still small voice,
God opens my eyes to see
Who I am meant to be:
A servant of God above
To show others His love.

15 April 2009 Suzanne Halliday

1 John 3:2, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."

An arm and a leg

I am making these Nona Easter breads. I only had 15 eggs. 3 eggs went into the batter and 12 were colored. I accidentally cracked a green one while dying it and fried it for Missie. Borrowed one from a neighbor but did not notice that I had to beat an egg to glaze them. So I was one egg short. My husband said he would go to the liquor barn to see if he could get a dozen. I said he might have to pay an arm and a leg up there.

He said he thought we could afford it.
He came back a few minutes ago and said that it only cost him an arm. He had his left arm tucked into his coat and in his right arm was my carton of eggs.