Living my Religion

My dearest Abigail

My dearest Abigail,
Last week I wrote a whole post just for you 
after you sarcastically questioned what I do all day.
It took me an hour to write.
In detail I explained how my life revolves
around task completion.
80% of those tasks,
I do just for the happiness of my husband and kids.
When I switched from my laptop to my phone
to add this cute picture of your baby sister Caroline
(because it captured what I love about being a mom)
I lost the whole post.

I think God was watching out for me
because I intended to enter that post in an essay contest.
A few days later I thought of something better.
So instead of boring you with what I do all day,
here are my deepest thoughts about motherhood.
These are the thoughts I was too afraid to pen the first time
because I didn’t think I could do the topic justice.
How privileged we are to share the sacred name of mother.
Joseph Smith once said,
 “A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.”

I cannot explain myself without this quote. I am at a loss of words to communicate the depth of motherhood. The sanctity of it. The power and pride I feel at being among some of the most noble humans on earth. 
I have been pondering motherhood for several weeks now and writing an essay that captures my thoughts is daunting. Yet, that quote by the wise Joseph Smith explains so simply exactly what I concluded.
Motherhood isn’t limited to those who have given birth. It isn’t even limited to a certain sex or age. Motherhood is a noun, but like it’s counterpart charity, it’s also a verb. In fact, motherhood is charity. Charity at its purest. You know how the Bible teaches that God is love. Well, I am here to tell you that motherhood is love.
Another wise prophet said that 
“motherhood is the highest, holiest service assumed by mankind.”
Let me put this in math terms for you my dear Abigail
since it’s one of your best subjects.
God is love.
Motherhood is the closest we come to godhood.
a=b, c=a, therefore c=b.
I am chuckling at myself because 
I don’t even know if those equations are correct,
but you will.
I look forward to you correcting or congratulating me.
Isn’t it amazing that I am your mother,
but you are smarter than me at math?
That’s another thing about motherhood,
that I can’t go into today.
Let me just say this:
anyone can be a mother.
Anyone can give love.
Anyone.
And everyone should
because love is desperately needed by so many.
Nothing is more disturbing than a mother without love.
I would like to tell you 2 of my most beloved family stories.
One is about my grandma and one is about my mom.
These stories capture motherhood.
I hope to be just like the women I came from.
I hope that for you too.
They are the closest thing I have on this earth
to know what God is really like.
If I want to know how I can be like God,
all I have to do is think about my mom and grandma.
My first story is one the greatest stories of the life of my Grandma Dorothy.
Years ago, in the 60’s,
there was a department store clerk who was really rude to her.
Her two daughters were outraged.
This was an outing they had scrimped and save for.
They were going to buy their mom her first item of clothing
from a nice fancy store.
Grandma walked them out of that fancy smanchy place
and took them down the street.
She purchased a cheap scarf and a box with a bow
at the corner Woolworth’s.
The corner five and dime was a place 
where she shopped the most comfortably.
She took the gift back to the rude sales lady
and said,
“I thought you must be having a really hard day,
and I wanted to cheer you up.”
The woman started to cry
and told my grandma, mom, and aunt
that she had been so grumpy ever since her husband had died
and felt like nobody cared about her
and she apologized.
My grandma gave her a mother’s hug
and told her that people did care.
My mom and her sister Shirley
stared on in awe of their amazing mother
and her humility, grace, and love.
It’s women like Grandma Dorothy that
truly make this world a place worth living.
Their accomplishments aren’t even recognized by the world
like those of politicians, athletes, scientists, and authors
but they mean everything to those who need it most.
Knowing what kind of woman my Grandma Dorothy was
will help you understand the kind of woman my mom is.
In 1985 or so another family legend occurred.
My mom and dad and my six brothers and sisters and I
were leaving Chuck E. Cheese.
We walked out into the parking lot to find an ensuing gang fight.
Weapons were drawn.
My mom walked right up to the two kids in the front
and said,
“Boys, why are you fighting?
It breaks our hearts.”
She then turned to my dad and said,
“Rick, buy these boys some pizza.
They fight because they have nothing better to do.
And they need to know that people care.”
To me, there will never live greater heroes then my mom and dad.
As I watched my dad (with so many mouths to feed already
and a limited paycheck) fork out the cash to feed
20 gang members I was in awe.
Even more inspiring was the sight of my mom seating all those rivals
across from each other in the showroom.
She so easily spoke to each one,
bantered with them, and loved them into their seats.
They had put their weapons away
and were anxiously waiting for their pizzas as the big gorilla sang
“so happy together.”
I watched with a little trepidation but mostly I was beaming with pride.
Especially as I saw my oldest brother,
(your Uncle Erick)
who was a little younger than these boys
follow in the foots of his parents
and sit down with the kids to chat.
As you know Erick is now a football coach and a teacher.
He loves on big tough kids every day.
I personally think he would be very smart if he tries to live his whole life
for just one moment like that from long ago.
And I think that he is living his life for that.
He wants to be embody the finest of motherhood.
(Don’t tell his football team that.)
Is motherhood not loving the forgotten and the unlovable?
My mom is loved by so many.
Many many times as a teenager
I would come home to see someone else’s kid
sitting at our kitchen table.
My mom would be wrapping up her pep-talk
telling them just how loved they were
and how capable and blessed.
She expected the best from everyone’s kids.
She did this because if she knew one thing in this world
it was that love conquers all.
Love makes the world go round.
Love is all you need.
Grandma Dorothy didn’t think she was defining motherhood
during that simple little act of service
given in that small frame of time
in a place that no one noticed.
She was just being the person that she always was.
She was being a person who loves.
She was being a mother.
My mom didn’t love on kids because
she wanted some kind of recognition,
she did it because love was instilled in her
by her mother.
Forty something years later
because of this story
Grandma Dorothy’s grandaughter (me)
would hand over the fresh flowers she had just splurged on
to the cashier at Wal-Mart.
The elderly cashier had just confided
that she was feeling lonely this holiday season.
It would be her first without her husband.
I told her, “Please take these flowers;
I really feel like your husband wants you to have them
as a reminder that he loves you and is watching over you.”
Tears filled both of our eyes.
Motherhood was revealed in this tender exchange.
Motherhood and love.
Yes, my dearest Abigail, motherhood is a verb.
It is love.
Someday in the near future
(maybe even today)
I imagine you reaching out
to someone in need:
a kid at school who is obviously neglected, a homeless person,
a friend who is lonely, a new neighbor, or the sick, poor, elderly, downtrodden.
I imagine the smile that will cross your face.
It will be exactly like that smile you got in the car
that day when your buddy Ryan revealed he
got a rose at school from a secret admirer.
He was so happy and dumbfounded.
He had no idea it had come from you
because you had noticed that he didn’t get anything.
I will never forget your smile.
I made sure to see it in the rear-view mirror
while driving home the carpool.
You probably thought I was looking at Ryan,
but I was really looking at you.
In that moment, in you,
I saw my mom and my grandma.
I saw the face of God.
The face of love.
Yes! a=b, c=a, b=c.
Even if that isn’t correct math
my dearest Abigail,
I hope you will always remember
that motherhood is love.
And you can be a mother
at all times, in all places, and in all things.
And nothing will make you happier.

This post was written for my dearest Abigail and the nienie “motherhood is” essay contest
and anyone else who will be inspired to be a better person by my amazing mom and grandma.
Thanks be to God for giving me the inspiration and the courage to write it.


I just read that I was limited to 500 words, here’s the short version. Not as good.

My dearest Abigail,
Motherhood isn’t limited to those who have given birth. It isn’t even limited to a certain sex or age. Motherhood is a noun, but it’s also a verb. Motherhood is charity. Charity at its purest. You know how the Bible teaches that God is love. Well, I am here to tell you that motherhood is love.
Let me tell you two of my most beloved family stories to illustrate my point.
Years ago, in the 60’s,
there was a department store clerk who was really rude to my Grandma Dorothy.
Her two daughters were outraged.
Grandma walked them out of that fancy place
and took them down the street.
At the corner Woolworth’s,
she purchased a cheap scarf and a box with a bow.
She took the gift back to the rude sales lady
and said,
“I thought you must be having a really hard day,
and I wanted to cheer you up.”
The woman started to cry
and told my grandma, mom, and aunt
that she had been so grumpy ever since her husband had died
and felt like nobody cared about her
and she apologized.
My grandma gave her a mother’s hug
and told her that people did care.

Next, around 1985 another family legend occurred.
My mom and dad and my six siblings and I
were leaving Chuck E. Cheese.
We walked out into the parking lot to find an ensuing gang fight.
Weapons were drawn.
My mom walked right up to the front kid and said,
“Boys, why are you fighting?
It breaks our hearts.”
She then turned to my dad and said,
“Rick, buy these boys some pizza.
They fight because they have nothing better to do.
And they need to know that people care.”
How inspiring was the sight of my mom seating all those rivals
across from each other in the showroom.
She so easily spoke to each one,
bantered with them, and loved them into their seats.
They had put their weapons away
and were anxiously waiting for their pizzas as the big gorilla sang
“so happy together.”
I watched with a little trepidation but mostly I was beaming with pride
as the power of loving others burned into my heart.
Yes, my dearest Abigail, motherhood is a verb.
You are the best of motherhood.
You proved it the day you
got a rose at school for your buddy Ryan.
He hadn’t received any all week
and you sent him one as his secret admirer.
I will never forget your smile
as he showed us his rose on way home from school.
I made sure to look at you in the rear-view mirror
while driving home the carpool.
You probably thought I was looking at Ryan,
but I was really looking at you.
In that moment, in you,
I saw my mom and my grandma.
I saw the face of motherhood.
The face of God.

The face of love.

Jesus Said Love Everyone
The other day at work one of the students asked me 
how I was always in such a good mood.
Why not?
I have so much to be happy about.
Like this for example.
Last week, as I was reading,
I heard Caroline break out into a song.
It was a song I had not taught her.
She must have learned at church it in nursery.
And she sang every single word
out of the blue
while playing with her puzzles.
See.
So much to be happy about.
Toddler Translation:
Jesus said love everyone.
Treat them kindly too.
When your heart is filled with love,
others will love you.
Caroline just reminded me:
Look mom, that’s me.
I’m naked.
{smiles}
Yes it was during bathtime
that I remembered to pull out the camera.

Baptizing the Dead

Yesterday, I received an e-mail from a good friend inquiring about the practice of baptism for the dead. This post is my response to her and I’m posting it here for all inquiring minds.

I know it may sound creepy to you, but really it is mercy at its finest. As a practicing Mormon, baptizing for the dead is something that I have participated in, and I can honestly say that it is a beautiful thing.

We don’t expect other people to understand. It’s not really surprising to us Mormons that the media has been using the practice as a way to criticize the church. In fact we expect this to happen. Believers have expected such ever since the days of the Savior himself. Look at how they mocked the Savior of mankind. Don’t you think that the mainstream will be mocking his followers still today? When my church is mocked, I actually accept that as further evidence of its truthfulness.

Go here for the church’s explanation of baptizing for the dead, but I would like to take just a minute to explain the practice of baptism for the dead from my own perspective.

Three doctrines that must be understood to even begin to wrap your mind around this practice are:
1- We believe that we are eternal spiritual beings having a most vital mortal experience. We lived with God as spirit children before we were born on this earth and our whole goal and purpose of this earth life should be to prove ourselves worthy to live with him again someday.
2- Our eternal glory is tethered to how we act on this earth. It is vital for our eternal salvation that we be baptized (as Christ was to show us the way.)
3- It takes a body to exercise our true God given agency and that is the purpose of this life, for our spirit to prevail over our body that is vulnerable to mortal temptation.

So, essentially, you were a spirit child of God that was sent to earth as a testing ground. You are given commandments from God to 1- assist you in your journey and 2- to prove your faithfulness.

Baptism happens to be a vital “must-accomplish” commandment in order to enter into the kingdom of God.
Christ taught in John 3:5 “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God while in our mortal tabernacle of flesh.”

The next obvious question is, “What about the people who never heard of this commandment of baptism, how is that fair for them in the next life?”

This is where baptisms for the dead comes in. The practice of baptism for the dead is for these very people. Worthy mortal beings can act in proxy for those who are without their bodies. (Because it takes a body to baptize and to make that choice).

I sometimes wonder if people think we go around digging up dead people to baptize them. The answer is NO. That would be creepy. We just get baptized in name only for those who have died and God has worked it out somehow that this practice counts as real baptism in their behalf.

Another thing that needs to be understood. It is our belief that as members of Christ’s church that this our responsibility, to provide salvation for all mankind. That is why we have different missions in our church. We perfect the Saints for our own salvation, we proclaim the gospel for the salvation of the living among us, and we perform temple work for the salvation of those who have gone on before.

Our beliefs drive our actions. In the temple, we don’t just baptize people for the dead, but we also, in proxy, provide the sealing ordinance (which is required for families to live together forever). We do this because we do not want to deny anyone from the blessings that God has so abundantly shared with us. With greater wisdom comes greater responsibility. We also do it because we believe that there will still be a chance in the next life for those who have never heard the truth on earth or who are repentant from their disbelief (to a degree I don’t understand).

We believe it is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance, therefore as a merciful God, Heavenly Father will give all his children as many chances as it takes for them to be taught before the final judgement, which means that he will give all his children the same opportunity. (This last sentence is making me laugh because I guess in this way God is more of a Democrat than a Republican).

For those of you  who are still confused. Consider this verse in the New Testament.

1 Corinthians 15:29
Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they baptized for the dead?

I love this verse as it is such a testament to what those who have the Bible alone are missing. This is the only time that baptism for the dead is mentioned in the New Testament and it leaves one to wonder why Christ would not have taught more about this for those that follow the Bible alone. What if he did teach more and you are just missing it because in the many many translations of the Bible parts went missing? What if the only way to have ALL of God’s practices is through modern revelation or further scripture? These are areas of question  that my religion can also answer.

We believe that baptism for the dead was a practice in the ancient church also. And apparently so do other Christian scholars.

The thing that has been making a lot of fuss in the news lately is Jewish people were upset that this work was done for victims of the Holocaust. They wanted the work abolished all together. I think it was very very classy of our church leaders to go ahead and erase the work that had been done in order to satisfy the Jews’ insistence that their ancestors don’t need it nor do they want it. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints clearly bowed out in order to be at peace with the Jews.

It is and always has been our stance the we do the work as called to do and that the deceased will have the option of accepting or denying that work for themselves from the spirit world. Therefore, we aren’t forcing the work on anyone including the victims of the Holocaust.

I have done this work for many people and I can honestly say that I had some amazing spiritual experiences that let me know that the people accepted the work on the other side. Sometimes I don’t experience anything and I am left to assume that these people didn’t want the work to be done.

Now that you understand baptism for the dead and a little more about the work done in the temple, you will also understand why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is known throughout the world for having the most extensive genealogy library and database ever. Yes, as members of the church we seek out our dead. We trace back our family lines as far back as we possibly can: preferably all the way back to Adam and Eve. We want to know of every living person who ever lived on the earth and it is our goal to provide the gospel for every single one before the earth is destroyed and sanctified by fire.

We daily fulfill the prophecy in Malachi 4:5-6

Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

I could go on all day, but I will stop there. I hope this helped you understand my religious practices a little better. I am sure that some haters out there will leave their opposition in the comment section, but I invite those of you with further questions to feel free and ask away or click on over to mormon.org.

And if you are extra curious, I would love to mail you your own copy of The Book of Mormon, just send me your name and address via e-mail or FB message.

True Joy
Evan and Leah Wampler are friends of ours in Kingsport, TN.
They had little baby Liam a while back.
He weighed just a pound and has been confined to the NICU
for many long weeks
as he grows strong enough to meet the outside world.
Our prayers have been mighty on behalf of Liam
and we have been so pleased that
by the grace of God he has grown and developed.
The wonderful world of facebook 
has kept us updated every step of the way.

Leah posted this picture the other day.
It had the caption
Evan feeding Liam with a bottle for the first time.

It struck me profoundly.
What a beautiful beautiful moment.
How many times have I fed my four children
and never gave it a moment’s notice?
This photo so perfectly depicts 
one of the way God works in our mortal journey.
It’s a hard lesson to swallow
yet so necessary:
God lets us suffer
so that we can truly enjoy the non-suffering.
If we didn’t know the pain,
we couldn’t enjoy the joy.
I am so grateful for all the hard times I have endured
because those hard times
make my normal and even somewhat insignificant life
seem like such a miracle every day.
Thank you God
for my trials
and for Liam.

Boundaries
Abigail is gonna kill me for sharing this photo.
I’d like to entitle it
For The Love of Bacon.
This girl can actually out-eat her mom
when it comes the Western Bacon Cheeseburgers.
She also happened to get Straight A’s last term.
It was a big deal
because we didn’t require it of her 
or offer any rewards or anything.
She just decided she could apply herself better
and she did.
We were so proud.
But, this post isn’t about that.
I just wanted to explain why I bought 
her a Western  Bacon Cheeseburger.
We were celebrating

her awesomeness.
She makes us so proud
in so many ways.
I had a profound experience yesterday
and while I was just showering it dawned on me
that I was able to apply the lessons I have learned
about boundaries.
It also donned on me that boundaries
are really just agency.
God has taught us all about agency.
I thought about how so many people don’t get how 
to utilize the principle of agency in their lives.
They let people intrude on their agency
and they intrude on others’ agency without knowing it.
Yesterday I dropped Abigail off at a Valentine’s Party.
It was at the home of a boy that I don’t know at all.
When I dropped her off, 
I walked her in and met some of the kids.
I was especially interested in the host.
He explained that their chaperon 
for the night was his 25 year old brother.
I immediately cringed and questioned,
“Is he a good 25 year old brother or 
is he the kind that is going to buy you beer as soon as I turn my back?”
The kid’s reaction was very telling.
He looked shocked and said, “No way, he’s not that kind.”
I reminded Abigail to have fun.
I silently checked to make sure I had covered 
all the lecture bases on the way over.
Don’t go anywhere alone. Check.
If there is anything inappropriate 
and I find out later that you didn’t call 
with the key emergency word 
which means to come and get you now 
then you will not be trusted 
to go to other parties in the future.
Check.
You do remember the emergency word?
You do remember what things are inappropriate?
Yes mom. I know.
But I still had an uneasy feeling.
I sat out in the car and texted Abigail and told her how I felt.
I asked her if she would go in the bathroom 
and pray about whether or not I should leave her there.
She texted back and said “I am staying.”
I then went to the neighbor across the street 
that showed signs of a bunch of kids living there 
and questioned them if they thought I could trust this boy and his brother.
They assured me that they were “good people.”
I prayed and felt o.k. and then I called LG and he said he felt alright.
So I drove home.
Later in the evening, when we got the low down from Abigail 
about the party I asked her,
“Did you really go in the bathroom and pray?”
She surprised me and said, 
“Yes I did mom, and I felt o.k. about staying.”
I was floored. Was she just telling me what I wanted to hear?
I do believe she was telling me the truth.
I thought about that this morning.
I thought about how I didn’t intrude on my daughter’s agency.
I thought about how I acted like God.
I was a concerned parent, I communicated those concerns,
but then I laid the decision making where it belonged:
in my daughter’s lap.
I thought about how I was proud 
that I had taught her how to pray 
and listen for the still small voice to communicate with her.
LG and I have taught her to go to the ultimate source of wisdom:
not him and I, but to our loving and all-knowing God.
I then thought of all my friends who control their kids.
Who don’t let them utilize agency.
Who don’t allow them to grow and learn.
Which in turn keeps them from seeking out God in their lives.
And also in turn makes them want to rebel against being controlled.
I thought even deeper about why God gives us agency.
He wants us to learn to be like Him.
He doesn’t want to control us.
Because He knows that would make us resentful.
He has a perfect knowledge of boundaries,
and he doesn’t intrude on our boundaries.
And he doesn’t let us intrude on His.
Agency was awesome last night.
I am sure there will be days when my kids will choose wrong,
and I will dislike agency,
but I will come back to this post
and remember this incident
and know that agency is vital
and that agency is awesome
because it’s only the agency
that we can see our kids grow up
and make their own great decisions.
Don’t control people.
Do this.
“Teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves.”

Kid Nativity
Today at Cub Scouts
we will be talking about the ways we worship.

While I give a lesson about how
as members of
The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints
we worship our Savior Jesus Christ,
the boys will be keeping their hands busy with this project.

Thanks Aunt Rosemary for the great idea.
And thanks cousin Ryan
for making this so very lovely
twenty years ago.

Nothing better than a vintage art project.
I believe this would make even Martha proud.
Martha Stewart and Martha in the Bible.

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Memorizing Scripture
After the last general conference
one of the things
we decided to work on as a family
is memorizing scripture.
Richard G Scott gave a great address
on scriptures being our friends.
It got me thinking about how many times
God has spoken to me through a verse
of scripture running through my head.
I thought I better work harder at giving scriptures
to the girls so that in their time of need
God will be able to speak to them through
the scriptures that are stored in their brain.
We started with my favorite scripture.
This verse has been there with me
through a whole lot of hard stuff.
Proverbs 3:5-6
We all took a turn writing a line.
Caroline even got a turn.
As we all cited the scripture together
for the first time
Caroline was quick to correct us that
after path
we are all to say
scribble scribble scribble
circle.
How dare we leave out her part?
How many of you bet
that someday in the near future
God will speak to my girls
by letting them hear
the words
scribble scribble scribble circle
in their minds and hearts
when they need it the most?
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Living a Consecrated Life

Every 6 months Mormons gather worldwide

to hear from the latter day prophets and apostles.
You may think that sounds crazy,
but trust me, if you were to peek in,
you would be astounded.
Astounded like you were at the feet
of Moses or Noah or Peter, James, or Paul.
For me, every time, the experience is life changing.
This last session in October was especially so.
I wrote down a list of personal questions
that I have been seeking God for answers about
and then I prayerfully listened 
for communication from God
through His messenger The Holy Ghost.
1-How can I know my purpose or mission in life?
2- How will having my own personal goals make me happier?
3-How can I become more physically/mentally healthier? To what level should I commit myself?
4-Why has it been so hard for me to find a job?
5-What about more kids? I want to be done and I want to know now.
6-How long should I wait to finish my education?
7-How can I get more disciplined and make living the gospel priority #1?
8-What do I need to change as a wife and a mother?
I got a whole composition book
of notes
on personal guidelines
for my life.
I hope to share some.
Ian S. Ardern gave a particularly helpful talk.
It was entitled A Time to Prepare. 
Listen to this:

Mastering the techniques needed to
reach our goals includes becoming
the master manager of our time.
Our greatest happiness comes as we tune into the Lord and to those things which bring a lasting reward….Take those things that rob us of our precious time and determine to be their master, rather than allowing them through their addictive nature to be the master of us.

He also said: “Grind distractions to dust.”
This talk answered a whole slew of my questions.
From this talk I made myself some new goals
that would assist me in showing God
by the way I use my time
that He is my first priority.
1-Quit wasting time on the computer and looking for validation online.
2-Make a goal to run a 5k.
3-Pray and study every day.
4-Follow the promptings of the spirit on a daily basis.
I’ve been using my time much more wisely, and I feel a million times happier.
Living a consecrated life isn’t a sacrifice, it’s one of God’s very best blessings.
He looks after each of us individually and speaks to us.
He knows what we need.
I have found that seeking out the Lord in my life
always leads to greater personal satisfaction.

The Miracles of Life

I have tried to capture
a good photo of the moon
for as long as I can remember.

I have never had a real nice camera
and keeping it steady enough
to get a focused photo
is really tricky at night.

On Halloween,
I finally got my shot.
I looked and looked for
an inspiring quote to go with it
but I couldn’t find what I was looking for.

So I made my own.

I loved the story that I read by
Thomas S. Monson.
He is an inspired man of God
and his address titled
Finding Joy in the Journey
from 2008
is something that will get you
looking at your life
from a whole new perspective.

Many years ago I was touched by the story of Borghild Dahl. She was born in Minnesota in 1890 of Norwegian parents and from her early years suffered severely impaired vision. She had a tremendous desire to participate in everyday life despite her handicap and, through sheer determination, succeeded in nearly everything she undertook. Against the advice of educators, who felt her handicap was too great, she attended college, receiving her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Minnesota. She later studied at Columbia University and the University of Oslo. She eventually became the principal of eight schools in western Minnesota and North Dakota.
She wrote the following in one of the 17 books she authored: “I had only one eye, and it was so covered with dense scars that I had to do all my seeing through one small opening in the left of the eye. I could see a book only by holding it up close to my face and by straining my one eye as hard as I could to the left.”
Miraculously, in 1943—when she was over 50 years old—a revolutionary procedure was developed which finally restored to her much of the sight she had been without for so long. A new and exciting world opened up before her. She took great pleasure in the small things most of us take for granted, such as watching a bird in flight, noticing the light reflected in the bubbles of her dishwater, or observing the phases of the moon each night. She closed one of her books with these words: “Dear … Father in heaven, I thank Thee. I thank Thee.”
Borghild Dahl, both before and after her sight was restored, was filled with gratitude for her blessings.

We have so much for which to be grateful.
I know a God of miracles.
And I love Him with all my heart.
Dear Father in Heaven,
I thank thee also.
For all the miracles in my life.