Sundays are for Reflection

Today I was grateful first of all to sit by my mother in Relief Society and talk about the Creation. I often think about how the Lord is the Ultimate Designer and how grateful I am that I have the ability to even BE grateful for the things he's given us. Shauntell Partridge brought up a good point that Heavenly Father has given us the essentials to survive, but also given us SO many extras in addition to the things we need.

As I'm thinking about the importance of the Creation today, I was reflecting on my trials in life....this poem by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr. came to mind. It's a new found favorite I thought I'd share.

The Oak Tree
A mighty wind blew night and day
It stole the oak tree's leaves away
then snapped its boughs and pulled it bark
until the oak tree was tired and stark.

But still the oak tree stood its ground
while other trees fell all around.
The weary wind gave and spoke
How can you still be standing oak?

The oak tree said, I know that you
can break each branch of mine in two
carry every leaf away
shake my limbs and make me sway.

But I have roots stretched in the earth
growing stronger since my birth.
You'll never touch them, for you see
they are the deepest part of me.

Until today, I wasn't sure
of just how much I could endure.
But now I've found, with thanks to you
I'm stronger than I ever knew.