God

Everywhere I look there is evidence of a masterful, brilliant, artistic God. I love this shot below that I caught as we were awaiting the arrival of a client for a beach photo session. The layers of light rays exploding from the full-bellied heavens and the alternately shimmering and shadowy ocean are just stunning. The stark contrast between darkness and light is so poetic and appropriate. Wherever light is, darkness cannot be. And wherever darkness is, it is not by its own merits but due, rather, to the absence of light. Essentially, the light in each of our lives is there because we consciously seek it out and nurture it. Darkness advances only because we allow it to through the abandonment of light.

Not profound, I know, but captivating nonetheless.




This is another source of brilliance and creativity the Lord has provided. People. Humans. Us. My father has always been an avid researcher of the profundities of the human body. I suppose that interest rubbed off a bit on me. I don't research the way he does, but I am fascinated by bits of random and phenomenal information all the same. Really, though, I am deeply grateful that the Lord created us in His image - man, with body and flesh. I am grateful to know that I have a Father in Heaven, all-powerful and all-knowing, who loves me as my potentially-perfect-though-perpetually-imperfect self. I am grateful He has blessed me with the opportunity to be a mom and bring His spirit children here to earth to receive their own bodies and fulfill their own missions here on earth. I am grateful He has provided me with an outlet for the love He instilled in me.

I really love this quote from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's General Conference talk last week:

"God the Eternal Father did not give that first great commandment because He needs us to love Him. His power and glory are not diminished should we disregard, deny, or even defile His name. His influence and dominion extend through time and space independent of our acceptance, approval, or admiration.

No, God does not need us to love Him. But oh, how we need to love God!

For what we love determines what we seek.

What we seek determines what we think and do.

What we think and do determines who we are—and who we will become.

We are created in the image of our heavenly parents; we are God’s spirit children. Therefore, we have a vast capacity for love—it is part of our spiritual heritage. What and how we love not only defines us as individuals; it also defines us as a church. Love is the defining characteristic of a disciple of Christ.

Since the beginning of time, love has been the source of both the highest bliss and the heaviest burdens. At the heart of misery from the days of Adam until today, you will find the love of wrong things. And at the heart of joy, you will find the love of good things.

And the greatest of all good things is God."

I know this is true. I know it. With all my heart and soul, I know it. This blog will have to suffice as my virtual "rooftop" as I shout this knowledge to the world. I know this is true!

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