The Rainbow Connection



Idea credited to Ashley Larson :)

A rainbow from Stirling.

I miss you Scotland. Today more than anything in this world.

Love, Sunshine

with a Cloud on her head

You Are Special.

He walked up the narrow path to the top of the hill and stepped into the big shop. His wooden eyes widened at the size of everything. The stool was as tall as he was. He had to stretch on his tiptoes to see the top of the workbench. A hammer was as long as his arm. Punchinello swallowed hard. "I'm not staying here!" and he turned to leave. Then he heard his name.

"Punchinello?" The voice was deep and strong. Punchinello stopped. "Punchinello! How good to see you. Come and let me have a look at you."

Punchinello turned slowly and looked at the large bearded craftsman. "You know my name?" the little Wemmick asked.

"Of course I do. I made you." Eli stooped down and picked him up and set him on the bench. "Hmm," the maker spoke thoughtfully as he inspected the gray circles. "Looks like you've been given some bad marks."

"I didn't mean to, Eli. I really tried hard."

"Oh, you don't have to defend yourself to me, child. I don't care what the other Wemmicks think."

"You don't?"

“No, and you shouldn't either. Who are they to give stars or dots? They're Wemmicks just like you. What they think doesn't matter, Punchinello. All that matters is what I think. And I think you are pretty special."

Punchinello laughed. "Me, special? Why? I can't walk fast. I can't jump. My paint is peeling. Why do I matter to you?"

Eli looked at Punchinello, put his hands on those small wooden shoulders, and spoke very slowly. "Because you are mine. That's why you matter to me."

Punchinello had never had anyone look at him like this--much less his maker. He didn't know what to say.

"Every day I've been hoping you'd come," Eli explained.

"I came because I met someone who had no marks."

"I know. She told me about you."

"Why don't the stickers stay on her?"

"Because she has decided that what I think is more important than what they think. The stickers only stick if you let them."

"What?"

"The stickers only stick if they matter to you. The more you trust my love, the less you care about the stickers."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"You will, but it will take time. You've got a lot of marks. For now, just come to see me every day and let me remind you how much I care." Eli lifted Punchinello off the bench and set him on the ground. "Remember," Eli said as the Wemmick walked out the door. "You are special because I made you. And I don't make mistakes."

Punchinello didn't stop, but in his heart he thought, "I think he really means it."

And when he did, a dot fell to the ground.

 You Are Special by Max Lucado

Radiant Tales: Chapter Eleven

(this is what I would have posted in June :) deal with it.)

Soooooooooo . . .  Once upon a time . . .

I went on a date. T'was a splendid date - - with a splendid boy of course :)

but.

After he dropped me off, I flounced into the house, talked with my parents for a while, and bounced into my room,

and then stopped dead in my tracks.

The determinant of my college career in biology was sitting peacefully on my pillow.

You know, I've never liked english, but this was the biggest juxtaposition I have seen all summer.

Pillows and AP Results do NOT go together.

After staring at it, heart beating and all, I picked it up . . .

Got ready to bite . . .

And then stopped.

WHAT?????

I flipped it over again and again in my hands, wondering, could this be possible? Is it actually happening???

Yes, my dear scholars. The

 has made a big mistake and professed it to the entire country. Believe it or not, these ADVANCED PLACEMENT adjudicators might need some help of their own.

I couldn't contain myself and burst out laughing :P

 Forget us students, someone needs to inspire them to check their envelopes before they print five billion copies.

The front of the envelope was printed upside down. Not only that, but the envelope itself was made wrong.

Five minutes later.

. . . . . . .

Should I open it?

I thought about ripping it up, seeing as I didn't want to worry about biology in the middle of the summer.

in the words of a dear pirate pal of mine:

"I DON'T WANT TO SPEND ALL OF SPRING BREAK IN THE GILDED AGE!!!!"

ok. it's not spring break, and it's not the gilded age I'm talking about. But while we are on the topic of gilded, this envelope, quite unlike a gilded object that actually looks beautiful on the outside,

this envelope had pssibly just told me the truth of what was inside.

Do I want to spend all of summer worrying if I ever passed my test?

Hardly.

Furthermore, do I trust this Reversely gilded envelope?

. . . it's difficult to say. . .

Love,

Sunshine

The Book that Changes My Life

Today I read a book.

No, no, it's not what you think.

It wasn't a fairytale or a science-fiction novel dominated by some supremely cliche love story.

...not that those are bad :)

actually, you're probably not thinking that. You're probably thinking, "Oh. My. Goodness. She's writing about her religion. again." (roll of eyeballs.)


....yes.



YES. I am.

oh well.

Today I read about Alma and Amulek in Ammonihah. They taught some of the most beautiful sermons I have ever heard. Everything about hope, the Saviour - who they knew would come, and that through faith and repentance, you can have eternal life. There is wonderful counsel about humbling yourself . . . something I wish I was better at. They even caution us saying that by wresting the scriptures, we are causing ourselves to become weaker.

And some people didn't believe them. They hated them.

Some people laughed at them, then bound them - with strong cords, and led them to the chief judge who repeatedly slapped them and cursed them for the messages they carried.

Then, the chief judged and his wicked men took the women and children who believed Alma and Amulek's message and cast them into a fire . I could hardly keep my voice calm as I read aloud about these women and children who are martyrs. And they did not back down. All they had done was believe and try to follow God.

And they were killed.

I started to cry.


"And Amulek said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore, let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames."
"But Alma said unto him: the Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord recieveth them up to himself in glory."

He would have saved them. But he couldn't. He couldn't save them. Can you imagine the pain you would feel, watching someone die for what they believe in? And it wasn't like they'd believed the gospel for their whole lives. This was only a couple days after they'd heard it, if even that.

and they were willing to die. that's how much they trusted in God.


Now, I know that this is a sad post. But the truth is, for the first time in a long time, I understand now. I understand that our ways are not His ways. I understand that sometimes God permits suffering and sadness. and heartache. and pain.

but do you know what?


That doesn't mean God doesn't love you.

That's what Satan wants you to think. He is the father of all lies, and this seems to be one of the greatest and most common ones I hear:

What kind of a person would allow you to suffer and cry at night? He's not your friend. He can't love you because he watches you suffer like this.


Satan couldn't be more wrong.
Looking back, I see more benefits than losses from the trials in my life. I see myself as someone who has become stronger and I know it's the same for you, if you just take a moment to look. :)


Then, after a series of events, Alma and Amulek were able to leave this city. But Amulek, "having forsaken all his gold, and silver, and precious things, which were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word of God, he being rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and his kindred;
Therefore, after Alma having established the church at Sidom...
Took Amulek and came over to the land of Zarahemla, and took him to his own house, and did administer unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord."

And through all our trials, through all of everything hard in life, God blesses us with friends. And when maybe they aren't around, One always is. Always.

And I know I write about this a lot, but I just can't help it.

It's not that I seek to boast -  in fact, that thought never crossed my mind.

I find myself more like Nephi and many other of the Book of Mormon prophets who say that they are weak in writing and speech. I have never been blessed with that talent of saying cute and witty remarks or posting cute blog stuff :) when I do speak, words tumble out of my mouth as if I'd just opened the flood gates of a cumulonimbus cloud and all the little water molecules are bumping into each other and then they splat! get plastered onto the surface of the earth.

yep, that'd be my number one weakness. I am a girl " Nephi."

But you see, this Book can change my life there too.

"If men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." Ether 12:27 (emphasis added)

note: Grace is the enabling power of Christ to make you more than what you are.


So I leave you with those thoughts because they have been much of my thoughts of late.


And I just heard thunder which means we're in for a storm!!!


Which also means that there will be puddles. lots and lots of puddles.


thanks for listening. These posts seem to be more for me than whoever reads them. Sometimes, that's when answers and peace come to me -  when I take the time to sort it out.


with love and hope,

Sunshine

Esther. The Angel.

I miss you!