Perfect Timing

Ever wonder why we stress so much about time? I mean we learn in the Scriptures how time is measured differently to Heavenly Father than it is to us. Some of us know this is true when we get these amazing patriarchal blessings and then get frustrated when the blessings don't come into our lives for years or even in this lifetime.

This past Sunday I woke up an hour after I should have been at church. When I asked my daughter why she didn't wake me up, she said she had but I told her I wasn't going, that I was too tired. (I don't remember any of that conversation.) After getting my slew of kids together we raced off to church for the last hour and a half.

Although the Relief Society lesson was that we need not let our fears keep us from sharing the Gospel with others, the lesson I learned was to have faith in Heavenly Father to know there are reasons for being late, sometimes ones we never know about. After church we stayed for a baptism, and it was tough on my two year old. I know there would have been no way we could have stayed if we had gotten to church on time.

One time I took the Greyhound cross country and the whole trip was one big frustration, with waits as long as 8 hours.  During our journey, we got stuck in the traffic of a major accident where an oil truck had exploded and killed those nearby. If we had been on time we would have been caught in that terrible tragedy. After seeing that happen, it really calmed me down and I felt a humble gratitude to Heavenly Father for knowing and having the perfect time schedule to keep me and my children safe.

This week, after struggling for two years to come up with a design I love for my website, I finally was able to create it. It all happened because I had an unhappy customer who had bought one of my workshops and didn't see any of the templates that she liked that were for free in a certain design. So instead of getting frustrated at her moans, groans, and negative complaints, I set out to design it for her free of charge because I knew she was on a set income. And boy has it blessed my life! I even came up with a beautiful redesign for my spiritual strength page with wonderful quotes to boot. If you get a chance check it out at www.ruoiled.com/my_spiritual_strength.html.

I have a testimony that we are always on course as long as we strive to keep Heavenly Father the center of our thoughts and actions. May we always find the way to stay focused on that instead of any set time is my prayer for us!

~Linda

Bible Videos

As many alread know, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has been releasing new Bible videos since Christmas of 2011. I am so amazed at how well these movies are made. They portray the sacred events of the New Testament so simply, but yet so powerfully.

Many members saw the videos played in the 2011 First Presidency Christmas Devotional when they were released. However, lots of movies have been made since then that haven't been advertised quite as well. So, I just wanted to use this post to get the word out there that tons of new movies have been made, and they can all be viewed for free at biblevideos.lds.org OR http://www.lds.org/bible-videos/?lang=eng.

I highly encourage you to check out the website. All the movies use dialogue left as close to the King James Version of the Bible as possible. The graphics are amazing, and really help the stories come alive. These movies would be an excellent addition to Family Home Evening or scripture study. Here is one of my favorites. In this film, the story of the woman who touched the hem of Christ's clothing and was heald from her "issue of blood" is portrayed. I hope you enjoy it.

Sincerely,
Sal

How to Be Featured in Treasuries

Would you like to be featured in many treasuries, especially in those with high views? Here are some tips to increase your chances of that happening:

1. The better quality photos you have, the more likely you are to be featured in a treasury and the more likely people will view the treasury.
2. The more shop items you have, the more likely you will be featured in a treasury.
3. Increase your circle. Many Etsians make treasuries using shop items from their circle of friends. And if you feature your friends and favorite shops in a treasury, they are more likely to return the favor.
4. Join a treasury or promotion team. Teams often make treasuries featuring their members, as our team does, and some require that you comment on treasuries posted before yours in discussion threads. They also have other categorized threads for you to post your items, making it easier for members to find things to put in their treasuries (our team does that too!).
5. Promote treasuries you are featured in. Heart it, comment and say thanks, and share it with your teams. I know I'm more likely to refeature a seller who appreciates my treasury than one who does not, no matter how awesome their shop is or how many circles they are in.

Happy treasury making!

Nearer, My God, to Thee

One of my favorite songs is "Nearer, My God, to Thee." It holds such a powerful message. I love the humility that it shows in praising our Father in Heaven.

For centuries, this song has been cherished my many people who desire to live their lives in a way that is pleasing to God. According to hymnalaccompanist.com, It was written by Sarah Flower Adams. Along with her Sister, Eliza, she composed many different songs. Here's the rest of the story.

One day [Sarah and Eliza's] Pastor, the Rev. William Johnson Fox, asked these two exceptional sisters if they would aid him in the preparation of a new hymnal he was compiling for the congregation. The two sisters soon became busily involved and committed to this project. Together, they contributed thirteen texts and sixty-two new tunes.

One day the two sisters were busily involved with their pastor in completing the final details for the new hymnal soon to be published, The pastor remarked that he wished he could find a hymn to conclude a sermon he was preparing on the account of Jacob and Esau as recorded in Genesis 28: 10-22. Sister Eliza interrupted enthusiastically, “Sarah, now there’s a excellent idea for a new hymn for our hymnal. Why don’t you write your own hymn about Jacob’s dream?”

“Splendid!” replied the pleased pastor. Later that day, after spending much time in studying the Genesis account, and feeling the dramatic movement of this Old Testament narrative, Sarah began to write. Soon she had versified the complete Biblical story in the five stanzas still in use today.

The text for this hymn is based on Genesis 28 and the dream that Jacob had in the desert when he was fleeing as a fugitive from his home and his brother Esau. Upon awakening from his dream and seeking the ascending and descending angels, Jacob called the place “Bethel” - “The House of God.”

With this account in mind, let us consider part of Jacob's account in regards to his dream. In Genesis, chapter  verse 15, it reads: "And, behold, ^aI am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will ^bbring thee again into this ^cland; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of."

Jacob was in distress. He was returning to the land of his Father without knowing what was going to happen to him and his family. As far as he knew, his brother, Esau, was planning to kill him. Jacob must have been terrified. However, knowing that the Lord had commanded him to return, he went forward with faith. How at peace Jacob must have felt as he heard those words or reassurance and love.

In our lives, there are many days when we too go through hard things. I know that as we turn to God and strive to live "nearer to Him", he truly won't leave us alone. He will keep His promises to us, stand by us, and never forsake us. He is standing waiting to put His arms around us and lead us safely home. All we have to do is turn to him.

In closing, I'd like to share the words of the hymn we have discussed.

Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!
E’en though it be a cross
That raiseth me.
Still all my song shall be

Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

Though like the wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone,
Yet in my dreams I’d be

Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

There let the way appear,
Steps unto heav’n;
All that thou sendest me,
In mercy giv’n;
Angels to beckon me

Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

Then with my waking thoughts
Bright with thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be

Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

Or if, on joyful wing

Cleaving the sky,

Sun, moon, and stars forgot,

Upward I fly,

Still all my song shall be

Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

Featured Member: Sal from Simply Sal Boutique

This week's featured member is Sal from Simply Sal Boutique. She participates in the team forums and writes for our blog on Fridays. Here is a little more about her in her own words.

I got started on Etsy last December when I was trying to earn enough money for a better camera. I wanted to sell some of my photos and hair clips online. A friend in my ward had told me about Etsy a few months prior, so I decided to look into it further. After researching many websites, I chose Etsy because it provided a venue in which I could sell my work online without a lot of upfront fees.

I have been doing photography for about 2 years. Photography helps me see things from a new point of view and realize the details in the wonderful earth we have to live in. My favorite things to photograph are flowers, animals/bugs, and temples. Through my experience in natural photography, I have learned that indeed "all things testify of Him." Each detail in nature truly is a witness of God's love for us. Through photgraphing temples, I have learned that the temple is a happy place where we receive the light of Christ more fully in our lives. Because of this, I try to include light as a key aspect in all my temple pictures.

The gospel greatly influences my work. I strongly believe that all things testify of our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. I try to portray that through my photographs. I also love creating Young Women value bows because they hold such deep meaning. I hope that my creations help to share the gospel and remind others of God's love for them.

Check out her shop for more amazing photography, lesson handouts, and Young Women's values hair clips.