Thoughts and stories, by Pal

Helpful ideas, to keep us feeling peace and hope.  Often we are harder on ourselves than we are on others! Goal for the New Year: Stop being Mean to Yourself By Maurine Proctor  · December 28, 2016  Sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please  CLICK HERE I have a portrait of me on the wall in my home office when I was four-years old. It is an old portrait, hand colored, and the child pictured there has precise, shiny ringlets topped with a large turquoise bow. This was a little girl, well and perfectly cared for by her mother—and I keep the picture where I see it every day to remind me of her. I remember the day that photo was taken. I sat nervously in the studio, worried about how to smile just right. Worried at four years old because I wanted to do well! But my mother was there to reassure me and the world was always right wherever she was. Yet, there has been a bonus at having the four-year old me sitting on the wall n...

This insightful article was the second most read article in Meridian Magazine this past year!  Great article, which can bring a lot of happiness into your marriage. The Marriage Miracle That  Can Improve Your Marriage, but Only Few Will Try by Joni Hilton  | Nov. 14, 2016 Makes You Think Mormon Life I watched a young woman lift her crying baby from the stroller at the airport. Her husband began to fold the stroller up for stowing, and she said, “You don’t have to fold it up, yet. Not until we’re He stopped, puzzled, but pushed the empty stroller along. “We should get some bottled water,” he suggested. “No, I just want to get to the gate,” she said, jostling the baby to quiet her down. “They’ll have water on the plane.” Again, a little more defeated, he fell into step with his wife. “Do you want me to try?” he asked, reaching for the infant. “No way,” his wife said. “That’ll just make it worse.” I hear banter like this all...

                       Another keeper!  How I love being the "old tree"!   Being the “Link” Between Your Grandchildren and their Ancestors By Richard and Linda Eyre  · December 27, 2016 Sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please  CLICK HERE Editor’s note: This is the third article in a three part series on “Mormon Grandparenting”. The first two articles can be  read  here .  Because of the popularity of the series the Eyres may continue it and write additional installments. If you would like to see that happen, hit the “comment” button and express your feelings. Our Experience On the wall of our vacation home, where we gather our family from far and wide each summer, is a very large oil painting (a product of some art classes I (Linda) took once. It is a large tree with lots of branches and lots of roots. It is painted so that there is an abo...

Great article, with many helpful suggestions for those with depression.  Holidays can be depressing for some, and this may help! 15 Powerful LDS Resources for Battling Depression by Seth Adam Smith  | Dec. 10, 2016 Mormon Life The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy, but for many, it can be a time of intense depression.  Seth Adam Smith,  author of   Marriage Isn't for You   and the new novel,  Rip Van Winkle and the Pumpkin Lantern,   shares some of the most helpful LDS resources he's found to help him manage his longtime battle with depression. As a Mormon who struggles with chronic depression, I’ve spent a lot of time searching for LDS resources on depression and suicide prevention. Listed below are some of the most helpful talks and articles that I have found. Before you read or listen to them, I want you to know that I have used these resources  in conjunction with proper medical...

                                      This is a fascinating article!                                                               Photo of Petra WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE WISE MEN – WHO CAME TO HONOR JESUS? Written by Dr. John L. Lund December 6, 2016 When you go to Israel, also plan a stop at Petra, Jordan.  It may be the home of two of the “wise men”. No one knows for sure how many wise men went to Bethlehem to honor Jesus as the newborn king of the Jews. Tradition says there were three wise men and there may have been. We do know that the wise men came from the east of Bethlehem “following yonder star.” However they did not arrive on the night that Jesus was born. The New Testament was originally written in Greek....

Beautiful thoughts to keep our minds on the true meanings of life and what our Heavenly Father wants us to do . December 24 Caring for Parents SCRIPTURE OF THE  DAY  Matthew  19:19 "Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." QUOTE OF THE DAY Spencer W. Kimball "This is very important, and I hope you will not forget it . . . remind your people that they should take care of their fathers and mothers, no matter if they do become senile, no matter if they do become difficult to handle. They should be taken care of; that is a part of the program of the Lord established when He first organized this world" ("Loving One Another,"  Ensign , November 1976 ). December 23 Peacemaker SCRIPTURE OF THE  DAY  Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." QUOTE OF THE DAY Ha...