Lady Cady

Faith * Family * Life

Remember

Do you ever feel forgotten by Heavenly Father or the Savior? Or that they could never care about you because of choices you’ve made? Maybe you feel like they love everyone else but you? Well friends, I’ve been there too and it’s hard but this is exactly how they do NOT feel! I think someday we will humbled and amazed beyond words at the love they have for each of us. It takes courage and lots of faith to believe in their love (especially when things are hard!) but it is worth it!

When you feel sorrow and regret
When you feel shame or are upset
When you are weighed and dragged right down
When your smile is kidnapped by a frown

Don’t ever forget that help is near
Don’t ever forget the Lord is here

When you aren’t quite sure just what to do
When you encounter something new
When you feel helpless and afraid
When you feel the weight of mistakes you’ve made

Don’t ever forget you can make it through
Don’t ever forget the Lord loves you

When hope has left its place with you
And there is no sunshine through the dew
When you feel alone and forgotten too
The Lord is still right there with you

He humbly waits to be let in
He calmly waits to take your sins
His power is greater than you know
So take that seed and let it sow

The Critic or the Friend

I caught myself recently being critical of someone. Was there any need for me to be judging them? Nope. Maybe I was right, maybe I wasn’t but the truth is it doesn’t matter what I think. It matters what Heavenly Father thinks and He loves us all despite each one of our flaws. So I stopped myself and decided I’ll take my imperfections and try once more to be better. 🙂

It’s easy to be the critic.
It’s easy to be the crowd.
It’s easy to be a complainer.
It’s easy to be proud.
It’s harder to be different.
It’s harder to be kind.
It’s harder to look for the good
And embrace what you may find.

But at the end of the dusty road,
Or the end of one more day,
Someone will affected
By the words you chose to say.

So let the Savior be your guide
In everything you do.
Let him do the work to change your heart
From Hard to Something New.
Then little drop by little drop
Your life will change you see.
And if you quietly embrace it
Soon you’ll be who you’re meant to be.

Courage

In my humble opinion, courage takes many forms and looks different for each one of us. It’s not always what you see in movies or on TV. Most of us are much more courageous then we ever recognize or give ourselves credit for. What are the hard things you do that no one knows about? What about the hard things others do that you don’t know about? We all bravely carry burdens. We are all asked to do hard things in our own way so why not have courage and take a moment to think the best of someone else.

I might not be a person
You’d expect to do hard things.
I’m quiet and uncomfortable
If I’m ever asked to sing.

And if the crowd becomes to large
My peace gives way to fear
And I’m searching for an exit
That is never, very near.

I’d much prefer to stay at home
And wear my favorite jeans.
But sometimes what you think you see
Isn’t what it seems.

I bravely had four surgeries
To bring my babies here.
I’d bravely do it all again
To bring them all so near.

I’ve spent most of my whole life
Without having any mother.
But with my faith I know someday
We’ll again see one another.

I sacrifice much of my day
To teach each of my kids
And leave behind the list of things
That other mothers did.

I quietly sit back
And watch my family grow
While I do much of the clean up
And serve more then they know.

Carefully I carry
A sleeping baby all day long
And with my teen I listen to
“Just one more” of his songs.

I help my husband quietly
Do his best to serve the ward
As he does his best to lead them
And humbly serve the Lord.

I try to spend much of my time
Reading scriptures everyday
Even when I don’t quite
Understand just what they say.

And while I’d like to have
A lot of money in the bank
I spend much of my free time
Serving those who never thank.

Heavenly Father and the Savior
Are the only ones who know
Exactly all the hard things
Even the ones I never show.

For Bravery isn’t always
A thing you think it is
But being willing to do the work
That is His and only His.

So while I might not be a person
You’d expect to do hard things
(And I’m quiet and uncomfortable
If I’m ever asked to sing…)

And when the crowd becomes to large
My peace will change to fear
And I’ll be searching for an exit
That probably won’t be near.

And I still prefer to stay at home
And wear my favorite jeans
Sometimes what you think you see
Isn’t what it seems.


When I Sit Beneath This Tree

Several years ago, my little family and I were lucky enough to find our perfect house on the outskirts of town. The best part (besides the number of bathrooms) was it is surrounded by several acres of Pacific Northwest woods. For this girl who grew up in the wide open Southwest desert, surrounded by dirt and rocks (also beautiful in their own way 🙂 ), I feel so lucky to now be living somewhere surrounded by beautiful trees. It is somewhere I always dreamed of living when I “grew up”. Whenever I’m having a bad day, all I need to do is go outside and take a walk and I feel so much better. Whatever your nature is where you live, look for its gifts and relish how much it can calm your soul and uplift your spirits.

When I sit beneath this tree
A peaceful calm envelops me.
I close my eyes, lay back my head,
And listen to what all is said.
Quiet noises can be heard:
The simple melody of a bird,
The softest rustle of the leaves,
The gentle buzzing of some bees.
The playful noise of kids nearby
As they throw a ball up high.
Quiet chatter as two friends talk
As they take an evening walk.
The gentle babble of a brook,
The quack of ducks who take a look.
And then a breeze blows across my face
And I know how much I love this place.
How lucky is the person who
Loves nature like it’s something new.
Recognizes that it’s a gift
To help and calm and give a lift.
Treats it with much love and care
And enjoys the peace that comes from there.

What is Compassion?

At times the world can be a bleak place. I for one, am an optimist and believe in the power of kindness. When you give it a chance, you will be surprised where it may take you! And not only will it change someone else’s life, it will change yours as well.

What exactly does compassion mean to you?
Is it helping someone up who is feeling rather blue?

Holding hands with someone who is feeling quite upset?
Or helping someone older do their best not to forget?

Perhaps it’s full forgiveness when someone did you wrong.
Perhaps it’s full acceptance of someone else’s song.

Is it searching for the good in a person you just met?
Or searching for the good in someone you’d rather soon forget?

Perhaps a home-cooked meal for someone lost in grief.
Or an afternoon spent raking someone else’s leaves.

Perhaps it’s patience as you quietly sit listening to a tale.
Perhaps it’s patience as you follow someone driving like a snail.

Is it seeking understanding in a world you don’t quite get?
Is it offering forgiveness to a choice you much regret?

Perhaps it’s lots of patience for someone older than you.
Perhaps it’s lots of patience for someone younger than you.

The kind place of compassion has many, many faces
And when you let it fill your heart, it will take me many places.

The kind place of compassion will never steer you wrong
For the kind place of compassion is where we all belong.

First Aid

My toddler has recently gained a love for Band-Aids. “Mama, Band-Aid, Band-Aid!” he says to me when he gets a “bonk”. Even when there is no need for one and I try to explain this to him, he won’t let me rest till he has a little Band-aid where his “bonk” is. I remembered this poem the other day (in just such a situation) that I wrote when my older two kids were in this phase and decided to share here for all the other parents out there who can nod their head knowingly and laugh along with me. 🙂

On my elbows,
On my knees,
On my  head,
And on the trees.
On my fingers,
On my toes,
On my stomach,
And on my nose.
On my ears
And on dad’s car
–All the places
Band aids are.