The Boat

Red Fishing Boat at Cape Croker, originally uploaded by Bobcatnorth.
I owned a little boat a while ago,
And sailed the morning sea without a fear,
And whither any breeze might fairly blow
I steered my little craft afar and near.

Mine was the boat
And mine the air,
And mine the sea,
Nor mine a care.

My boat became my place of mighty toil,
I sailed at evening to the fishing ground,
At morn my boat was freighted with the spoil
Which my all-conquering work had found.

Mine was the boat
And mine the net,
And mine the skill
And power to get.

One day there came along that silent shore,
While I my net was casting in the sea,
A Man who spoke as never man before.
I followed Him; new life began in me.

Mine was the boat,
But His the voice,
And His the call,
Yet mine the choice.

Ah! 'twas a fearful night out on the lake,
And all my skill availed not, at the helm,
Till Him asleep I waked, crying, "Take
Thou the helm--lest water overwhelm!"

And His the boat,
And His the sea,
And His the peace
O'er all and me.

Once from the boat He taught the curious throng
Then bade me cast my net into the sea;
I murmured but obeyed, nor was it long
Before the catch amazed and humbled me.

His was the boat,
And His the skill.
And His the catch,
And His my will.

"The Boat" by George Macdonald from The Master Library, Volume III, copyright 1927, by The Master Library Company, formerly The Foundation Press.

Photograph by Bobcatnorth.

Tapestries of the Divine

"Now, as you and I look at our lives . . . we sometimes do not understand that through which we are passing, but, being submissive, we can trust Him.

"The day will come, brothers and sisters, when the tapestry of your life will be unfolded, and you will see divine design all through it, and praise God for the experience and the tutoring which, in His goodness, He has given you" (Neal A. Maxwell, "Willing to Submit" [address given at BYU-Hawaii devotional, 9 Feb. 1988, p.8).

A thank you to SullyT64Photography for the picture.

Fire and Water

Fire and Water
Originally uploaded by peasap

I awoke in a deluge of painful memories and tears.
I am trying to remember that what burns also purifies.

The photographer commented regarding this picture:
"It's just a small flame, with Flood added to make the reflection.
The shape makes me think of an angel."

Thank you, Father,
For pushing me down,
And scorching the dross.

Healing Hurts.


Thank you peasap for sharing.

Burdens and Blessings

Heavy burden
Originally uploaded by villoks

"But the tests of life are tailored for our own best interests, and all will face the burdens best suited to their own mortal experience. In the end we will realize that God is merciful and that all the rules are fair. We can be reassured that our challenges will be the ones we needed, and conquering them will bring blessings we could have received in no other way."

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Ensign, October 2006, 15

Thank you to villoks for sharing this photograph on flickr.

A Ballerina's Feet

A ballerina's feet
Originally uploaded by dsorine

The dance of life:

Three steps forward
Two steps back

Painful

Paradoxical result: beauty

Thank you to dsorine for sharing this photograph on Flickr.

Moon-set Sunrise

Moon-set Sunrise
Originally uploaded by BY-YOUR-⌘

The sun will rise.

For They Know His Voice

ST JOHN

CHAPTER 10

1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the ^asheep.

3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his ^avoice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and ^bleadeth them out.

4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they ^aknow his ^bvoice.



Thank you to LDS.org for the scripture passage online.

Thank you to this photographer for the sheep.

Resurrection