Hitting the Nail

I was up at 4 am, which I often am. Most of the time, I can get up, do dishes or some other chore and then get back to sleep. This morning I stayed in that half awake state just trying to get the sleep I needed for a day I knew was going to start at 5:50 am since two of my boys have weights today. While I was in that half-asleep state, I saw a hammer and a nail. I didn't see my own hands, but I knew I was wielding the hammer, and I wanted the nail to be strong and straight to hold some part of our house together. I watched the hammer as it hit the nail exactly sideways. Normally, the nail would bend and not go in firm and straight. As hard as the nail was being hit and all in the wrong direction, that nail should not have gone in straight and true, but it did. As I lay there pondering on what the image meant, I suddenly understood that when we put in our best effort, even if it is exactly the wrong direction, the Lord consecrates our efforts and makes it exactly right. What a powerful image. What a powerful lesson. When I am on the Lord's errand, and I'm doing things exactly wrong, the Lord will fix it and make it exactly right. I'm grateful for the Savior who is the one that fixes my broken effort and consecrates them for the good of me, my family, and those around me. May the peace of the Savior stay with you this day, and may you, too, be blessed with knowing your best efforts will be consecrated for your good.
Roseanne

I had the most amazing experience, so I had to get up and write. I hope I can remember it all. In the meantime, I'm going to share one of my favorite scriptures: Moroni 10:3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.
For those of you who don't know, that verse comes in the very last book in the Book of Mormon. Truth beckons all to come and see for yourself. May we all have the strength to look past the lies in our lives and see through to the truth. Truth matters, my friends, and it wants you to find it, wherever it is. I know my Redeemer lives. He loves you. May you find the joy in knowing that eternal truth.

Service, not hate, will fix this country

Thanks to my sister, Nadine Evans Lovell, for this thoughtful post:
Warning: Conservative, gun-loving, God fearing, right-winged rant coming on. Step away from the post if you are none of the above.
We need a President that will lift us and unite us. I'm tired of his rhetoric. And using a funeral where people are mourning to push his agendas? Disgusting. Sorry, not sorry that I can't hold back. He needs to quit fanning the flames of hate and discrimination when we live in one of the best countries in the world!
Everyone is discriminated against or misjudged in some way whether you are ugly, beautiful, thin, obese, black, white, Hispanic, old, Muslim, Christian, Jew, LGBT and the list goes on. I'm a Mormon. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has had its own history of discrimination- tarred and feathered, forced out of established communities, extermination order from a Governor, and we still suffer from discrimination and hate. Can I change what others think of me and my beliefs or how they treat me? No. I can only change ME. I can work on loving others. And believe you me I'm working on loving our President every d$@# day. I'm far from perfect. As just demonstrated.
If this country would focus on what I can do better instead of what everyone else can do better for me we will see some positive changes taking place. This is the message the President should be spreading. Take responsibility for your own actions and quit placing your discontent on others. Even better -love and take care of others and you'll forget about your own problems.
Our country is great! We have more rights, freedoms and opportunities than most countries in the world! If you feel picked on, discriminated against, or in general life is not fair to you then read some great historical novels or biographies and you will realize that your so called hard situation is really not so tough. You could start with the book, "I am Malala" Try living in Pakistan and being shot in the head because you're a girl that wants to be educated. Or read "The Boys in the Boat" and see what working your ever-living behind off really looks like to get an education. We have it great here. Stop whining, shouting, hating, wallowing, gossiping and instead go do something good for someone else. It's called service. It's what the Master teaches and tells us to do.
Finally, my rant is almost over, thank you to our wonderful law enforcement officers!! You have the toughest job in our country today. Remember that MOST Americans respect you, are appreciative of you, and pray for your safety!
Have a beautiful, wonderful, free, safe, American day! Be the good! Serve someone today!