Monday Twilight

Ahh, and what a beautiful night it is :)

It could be getting back from the weekend, and today was merely a trial of getting back into the school week, or it could also be the combination of choices and consequences (Greek, followed by The Secret Life) on tv on mondays, or some other reason, but I like it.

I would have no problem only writing once a week, as long as it was progressive.
It seems to be that way.



And the tree was happy.

Yes :)

So, here's the lowdown...Last week...nothing too interesting...but the weekend...yes.
I talked to Alena late into the night, each night, and it was great.
Sunday was the Stake Conference, and against all odds, Teagan sat next to me ;D

(I felt that feeling...the irrepressible somersault...) But it went by fast, and John Bytheway is a wonderfully talented speaker. (ooh...............................it's so hard to resist saying it.........)

But, while there, I got the stake president to sign my seminary release form for next year for early morning seminary. I also stacked chairs with connor and daniel for teagan's sudden disappearance......

And not for that reason...I was sucked in. The night claimed me, and I let it go out of control. It wasn't good. It was bad.

It was even worse because it took me until the following night to repent of it.
But I am. HOPEfully the repenting part is gaining ground...we'll see.

"But time went by."

"And the boy grew older."

"And the tree was often alone."

"Then one day the boy came to the tree and the tree said, "Come, Boy, come and climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and eat apples and play in my shade and be happy."
"I am too big to climb and play," said the boy. "I want to buy things and have fun. I want some money. Can you give me some money?"
"I'm sorry," said the tree, "But I hav eno money. I have only leaves and apples. Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in the city. Then you will have money and you will be happy."

And so the boy climbed up the tree and gathered her apples and carried them away.

And the tree was happy......(about 10 pages later).....but not really.






Those lines, from The Giving Tree, have some of my happiest moments, of when Mom would come in, into me and Mitchell's room. Sometimes I would shift the bunk bed to a couch, sometimes mitchell would sit with us, sometimes he'd be on top. Sometimes I laid down too, because I was tired and sick.
But Mom would come, and read us stories, EVERY night. She always did. And I can never love her enough for it.

Today in seminary, a particularily rowdy day, and it was tricky to feel the spirit, Bro. Miller talked more about planting a seed. He gave us a 6th period cup, and told us about the scriptures where it talks about, and he planted a seed in me.

This seed wasn't noticed until late on Monday Twilight.

But it sprouted.



And it has brought forth a good seed.




(Because I won't have a soon enough chance for a testimony meeting, especially like the one we shared with the teacher's quorum, I wanted to write this down. To always remember it.)

As i prayed over my scriptures (directly on) I asked forgiveness for my sins, help in my trials, and expressed thankfulness for the seed of the word of God planted in me; I prepared for two things. One, about what I was saying and what it meant, and Two, of how I should open my scriptures to be directed.
Opening my eyes, instead, I stood up, and walked to the family room.
I recited this phrase as I walked, which we were memorizing in seminary that day, just before the lessons about the tree.

Alma 37: 6-7
Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me, but Behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise; And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes' and by very small means the lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

And just as I finished, I knew which book my hand was led to.






The Giving Tree

It is the story of a boy, and a tree. This boy, he loved the tree. And the tree loved the boy. They played, and swung, and ate, and had fun together.
But then, the boy left. He didn't come back for a long time, but, the tree was happy.
(I wondered, oh I must be the tree, I am the 'bridge' between my friends, 'the peacekeeper' of my brother and sister, the 'wise' one...)
The boy came back. He was a teenager now. He didn't want to play with the tree. He wanted to buy things, and have fun. So the tree gave him all its fruit. And the tree was happy.
(wait...I'm not the tree...am I the boy? could someone be the tree? Teagan? Alena? Connor? Hudson? My parents and family?...)
The boy grew older.
(The picture is of now the tree having two notches, one of the Boy and the Tree, and the Boy and the Girl lying under the tree next to him. that was answered. But...who's the tree?)

But the boy stayed away for a long time...and the tree was sad. And then one day the boy came back and the tree shook with joy and she said, "Come, Boy, climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and be happy."
"I am too busy to climb tree," said the boy. "I want a house to keep me warm," he said. "I want a wife and I want children, and so I need a house. Can you give me a house?"
"I have no house," said the tree.
"The forest is my house, but you may cut off my branches and build a house.
Then you will be happy."

And so the boy cut off her branches and carried them away to build his house.
(...The boy...He...comes to the tree only when he needs it. Is he selfish? Is he rude? Is it right that he is so busy? Why must he be so busy? Can't he give time to the Tree?
The Tree? That would give us anything, and everything for us?)

And the tree was happy.

But the boy stayed away for a long time. And when he came back, the tree was so happy she could hardly speak.
"Come, Boy," she whispered, "come and play."
"I am too old and sad to play," said the boy. "I want a boat that will take me far away from here. Can you give me a boat?"
"Cut down my trunk and make a boat," said the tree.
"Then you can sail away...and be happy."

And so the boy cut down her trunk and made a boat and sailed away.
(But, But! The boy- He- He's now so old, and has made many mistakes, and yet now continues to come to this tree...by now, the tree is only a stump. Forgotten, left only with Me and the Tree, hearted out into its trunk.........
The Tree gave its entire self. It gave away its apples. She gave away her branches and leaves. HE. He gave his trunk to the Boy.)

And the tree was happy...but not really.
(No! The tree was always happy, wasn't he? Always happy to see the boy? He would do everything for the boy!
But then again...the boy only comes for what the Tree can offer...Only a long time ago, did he help the tree to be happy. And he comes infrequently, and after long times too...)

And after a long time the boy came back again.
"I am sorry, Boy," said the tree, "but I have nothing left to give you-
My apples are gone."
"My teeth are too weak for apples," said the boy.
"My branches are gone," said the tree. "You cannot swing on them-"
"I am too old to swing on branches," said the boy.
"My trunk is gone," said the tree. "you cannot climb-"
"I am too tired to climb," said the boy.
"I am sorry," sighed the tree. "I wish that I could give you something...but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump. I am sorry...."

"I don't need very much now," said the boy, "just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired."
"Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could,
"well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest."



And the boy did.







And the tree was happy.

The End.






:) Jesus Christ has sacrificed and is sacrificing himself for us. For every person's sins, he has felt the pain, and can and has and will bear it for us, if we just ask and listen and do, as he commands.
He will always forgive, and will always be there for us, in times of sadness, and need, and grief, and fear, and love, and of being tired.
Never forget our Lord, even as he will never forget you.

I say these things, in the name of Our Savior, Our Redeemer, Our Tree; Jesus Christ.
Amen.