The Refiners Fire

I've seen this story many times on the internet but have yet to find the author.  I looked up and added scriptures to go along with the thoughts in this story.  It is a good reminder to me to remember that the Lord is in charge.

Purifier of Silver (Malachi 3:3) Author Unknown

There was a group of women in a Bible study on the book of Malachi. As they were studying chapter three, they came across verse three, which says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.

That week this woman called up a silver smith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the silver smith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot - then she thought again about the verse, that he sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding thesilver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver were left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.  (1 Peter 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ)

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silver smith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy--when I see my image in it."  (Alma 5:14, 19   And now behold, I ask of you my brethern of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God?  Have ye received his image in your countenances?  Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?  I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?  I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?")

(Psalms 12:6 "The words of the Lord are pure words:  as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.")

(Psalms 66:10  "For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.")

(Doctrine & Covenants128:24  "Behold, the great day of the Lord is at hand; and who can abide the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appeareth?  For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the son's of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-Day Saints offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation.")

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that you are in God's hand, He has His eye on you, and He will keep holding you and watching you until He sees His image in you.

Tell Last - Please pass it on

Many years ago when I was dating my husband, I'd cook for him and his friends. His dad was single at the time and so my cooking was appreciated. I was young and didn't have much experience and teenage boys don't express their feelings one way or the other; they're just happy to be fed.  

I was visiting with one of these boys' mom and she told me that she wanted to tell me a "Tell Last". I'd never heard of such a thing. She told me that a "Tell Last" is when you share something kind that you've heard about another person. She said that this group of friends were over at her house and were talking about food (not surprising). My husband didn't happen to be there. One of them said that I was really good cook and they all chimed in that they agreed.  She wanted me to know that.  Being young and insecure, especially about my domestic skills, this meant the WORLD to me!  I was so appreciative and I've tried to pass it on over many years. 

 

It seems to be human nature to share the bad news or the unkind things we've heard someone else say. I've found that usually, the person saying the unkind thing is venting and with further reflection, they feel different. Rarely does anything good from sharing those statements.  

On the other hand, how fun is it to see the delight in another person's face as you tell what kind thing you heard another person say about them. It's wonderful to be instrumental in strengthening a relationship. Thank you, Glenda Benson, for teaching me a beautiful principle.

One of my favorite quotes talks about this idea....

“A friend is one to whom one may pour out the contents of one's heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that gentle hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.” 

― George Eliot

Remember "Whose" You Are

Many years ago, I was praying to Heavenly Father and this poem came to me.

You are my Child

By Barbara J. Bennett

You are my child. 

I know the curve of your face.

I know what makes you laugh.

I know the sound of your laughter.

I know what makes you feel strong.

I know your self-doubts.

I see when you smile through your tears and your fears.

I weep with you when you cry.

I know your secret dreams.

I know every one of the lines on your face etched from worries and from smiles.

I love it all.

I am always here for you.

Come to me.

I want to hear everything.

Don't hold anything back.

You are precious to me.

You are my Child.

I am your Father.

                                                                     

I am your God.

Heavenly Emergency Numbers

Emergency Numbers

Emergency numbers may be dialed direct. No operator assistance is necessary. All lines are open to Heaven 24 hours a day! Feed your faith, and doubt will starve to death!
 
Emergency Phone Numbers:

1.      When in sorrow, call John 14.

2.      When men fail you, call Psalm 27.

3.      When you have sinned, call Psalm 51.

4.      When you worry, call Matthew 6:19-34.

5.      When you are in danger, call Psalm 91.

6.      When God seems far away, call Psalm 139.

7.      When your faith needs stirring, call Hebrews 11.

8.      When you are lonely and fearful, call Psalm 23.

9.      When you grow bitter and critical, call 1 Cor. 13.

10.  When you feel down and out, call Romans 8:31-

11.  When you want peace and rest, call Matt. 11:25-30.

12.  When the world seems bigger than God, call Psalm 90.

13.  When you want Christian assurance, call Romans 8:1-30.

14.  When you leave home for labor or travel, call Psalm 121.

15.  When your prayers grow narrow or selfish, call Psalm 67.

16.  When you want courage for a task, call Joshua 1.

17.  When you think of investments/returns, call Mark 10.

18.  For Paul's secret to happiness, call Col. 3:12-17.

19.  For idea of Christianity, call 1 Cor. 5:15-19.

20.  For a great invention/opportunity, call Isaiah 55.

21.  How to get along with fellow men, call Romans 12.

22.  If you are depressed, call Psalm 27.

23.  If your pocketbook is empty, call Psalm 37.

24.  If you're losing confidence in people, call 1 Cor. 13.

25.  If people seem unkind, call John 15.

26.  If discouraged about your work, call Psalm 126.

27.  If you find the world growing small and yourself great, call Psalm 19.

28.  If you want to be fruitful, call John 15.

Author unknown

Characteristics of Very Happy People :-)

This is part of an article that is in the LDS Church News... to read the entire article, click here - The Science Behind Supremely Happy People

Kate Bratskeir, a happiness researcher, took data from multiple happiness studies from the past 40 years and put together a list of what she called “The Habits of Supremely Happy People"

Ten things that supremely happy people do:

1.       Happy people surround themselves with other happy people. Joy is contagious. People are four times more likely to be happy in the future with happy people around them.

2.       Happy people try to be happy. When happy people don’t feel happy, they cultivate a happy thought and smile about it.

3.       Happy people spend money more on others than they spend on themselves. Givers experience what scientists call the “helper’s high.”

4.       Happy people have deep in-person conversations. Sitting down to talk about what makes a person tick is a good practice for feeling good about life.

5.       Happy people use laughter as a medicine. A good old-fashioned chuckle releases lots of good neurotransmitters. A study showed that children on average laugh 300 times a day versus adults who laugh 15 times a day.

6.       Happy people use the power of music. Researchers found that music can match the anxiety-reducing effects of massage therapy.

7.       Happy people exercise and eat a healthful diet. Eating a poor diet can contribute to depression.

8.       Happy people take the time to unplug and go outside. Uninterrupted screen time brings on depression and anxiety.

9.       Happy people get enough sleep. When people run low on sleep, they are prone to feel a lack of clarity, bad moods, and poor judgment.

10.   Happy people are spiritual.

Victor Frankl from his book Man’s Search for Meaning: “Even the helpless victim of a hopeless situation, facing a fate he cannot change, may rise above himself, may grow beyond himself. He may turn personal tragedy into triumph.”

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Re-introductions

I'm been thinking a lot about re-introductions. That probably isn't a word but I think it will become one in my personal vocabulary.  I'll share a story to illustrate.

When I was a child, every year I grew older, I was a different person than I had been the year earlier. Starting in my teen years, I went through approximately 20 years of chronic pain. After surgery corrected the problem, my personality was very different as a person living without chronic pain.  

I think it's common as we grow up, become adults and move away from each other, we cement the memory of a person in our minds and expect them to act a certain way. We also sometimes will treat that person as if they were the person they used to be. I've fallen into that rut with others as well as have had others treat me as if I'm someone I no longer know. 

I want to give myself the gift of getting to know someone for who they are today.  

"Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions."

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Not Perfect - Perfectly Wonderful

Two stories that help me to remember that what each of us have to give is enough.

From Music and the Spoken Word:  Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell

Cracked Pots January 21, 2007   #4038

Sometimes we think we can’t help, give, or do because we can’t help, give, or do perfectly. Maybe we think our house isn’t clean enough to invite someone inside, or we can’t cook well enough to have someone over for dinner. Such feelings of inadequacy can become crippling. Not only do they keep us from nurturing loving relationships, they also keep us from recognizing and receiving blessings.

The story is told of an elderly Chinese woman who walked to the well each day with two large pots hung on the ends of a pole she rested across her back. One pot always delivered a full pot of water to her home; the other pot had a crack in it. It dripped water the whole way home, and the most it ever brought to the woman was half a pot of water. When asked why she continued to use the cracked pot, she pointed to the trail of flowers that grew along the path. Years ago, when she first discovered the crack, she planted flower seeds alongside the path where the pot dripped. Before long, she began to enjoy fresh flowers all the way home. The cracked pot, though imperfect, was as valuable to the old woman as the pot without flaws.

And so it is for us and our offerings to each other. A windowpane marked with the fingerprints of children can be more beautiful than a window that is spotless. A simple sandwich shared with a friend can be more nourishing than lunch at a fancy restaurant. A love song from a devoted and aging husband, though perhaps a bit off key, can be more meaningful than a flawless performance of that same song on the radio. When our offerings to each other come from the heart, they are all that is needed.¹

¹See Luke 10:42. 

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2015/01/a-potato-for-the-teacher?lang=eng

A Potato for the Teacher

By Bonny Dahlsrud

---

I learned that I don’t have to give grand gestures of service every time. A small gesture of love is just as nice.

Photograph by Feng Yu/iStock/Thinkstock

As an elementary schoolteacher of more than 25 years, I have received a lot of interesting things from my young students. Silly notes, drawn pictures, and imaginative crafts are common gifts. Last year, however, was the first time I had ever received a potato.

“A potato for the teacher,” young Emma said proudly when she came to my desk, “because I didn’t have an apple.” It was a medium-sized potato, scrubbed clean, and beautiful as far as potatoes go. I thanked her and placed it on my desk. I saw Emma’s large blue eyes shine with pride whenever she looked at it throughout the day.

After school, when I was working at my desk, I couldn’t help but regard the potato with a tender smile. Children see things so simply, and with that common potato, Emma taught me something important. I left it on my desk for over a week because it served as a reminder to me.

As a visiting teacher and a sister in my ward, I wanted to serve others, but I was always waiting for an “apple” before I took time to help. If I was busy and couldn’t make an extra casserole or if I wanted to give a special flower but didn’t get to the floral shop, I ignored the still, small voice of the Spirit whispering of someone who needed my service.

“I’ll do something this weekend, when I have time,” I would convince myself. “Nobody needs me today.”

But what if someone really did need me? What if I hadn’t ignored the promptings to visit an elderly neighbor or the young widow who had just lost her husband? Could I have helped or served, even with what I could offer then—a “potato”?

I learned a great lesson from Emma that I am trying hard to put into practice. If I don’t have an apple, I give a potato instead, and I do it now. I don’t wait to make a casserole or my special lemon cream pie; I buy a box of cookies instead. I don’t often get to the florist, but I can drop in for a chat without the flower. A homemade card would be great, but so would a quick phone call. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture of service every time. A small gesture of love is just as nice.

I have the potato at home now, but I don’t think I’ll ever eat it. It serves as a constant reminder to serve when I’m prompted. I give what I can now instead of waiting until later. A potato for the teacher really was the nicest gift.