Give Me a Sign

     Last month I had the opportunity to visit the Sacred Grove. Now, for those that are not of the LDS (Mormon) faith, the Sacred Grove is the place where Joseph Smith (our founding prophet) received an answer to his prayer of what church he should join. He was not sure which church was the true church of Jesus Christ and desperately wanted to know, so he could join the correct one. He was visited by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the woods outside of his home, where he was praying. This place is now called the Sacred Grove and it's visited by thousands of people every year. (For more information about this historical site and Joseph's miraculous experience you can go to The First Vision: Journey to the Sacred Grove.)
    
     Before we got to the site I was extremely excited and anticipated that it would be a beautiful, spiritual experience for me. I prayed to God that he would give me a sign to confirm to me that the words of Joseph Smith were true: 

                         I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me... I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! (Joseph Smith - History 1:24)

     I wanted to know, without a doubt, that Joseph really did see, and talk with, God and Jesus Christ. I was certain that my prayers would be answered and that I would indeed receive a sign.
    
     As I began walking through the Sacred Grove, with my oldest son, the beauty of the sun shining through the trees was awesome. I felt the excitement of being where Joseph had been. I felt humbled that this hallowed ground had been visited by my Father in Heaven and my brother, Jesus Christ. My son and I barely spoke. We listened to the birds in the trees and occasionally passed other visitors on the path. We talked about how amazing it would've been to have been a young boy of 14 and experienced such an event. It felt incomprehensible. We sat on one of the benches, that were placed in the grove in various places, and took it all in. I waited for my sign. It felt peaceful there. I felt that this indeed was a sacred place, but I wanted my sign. Nothing came.

     We decided to start walking back to the car, and I was feeling a little bummed out, but not extremely discouraged. It wasn't as if this sign that I wanted was going to make or break the testimony that I already had of the truthfulness of Joseph Smith's words. And then it hit me upside the head, I got my answer:

                         "You already know it is true. You have had it confirmed to you many times. There is no reason for a sign. He knows that you know it is true."

     I actually laughed at myself a little. How silly for me to ask of God for such a thing. The Spirit I felt at that moment was obviously, absolutely correct. I did and do know that the things that Joseph Smith saw and experienced are true. It has been confirmed to me by the Holy Spirit many times throughout my life. I needed no other sign than that.
    
     President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, the second counselor in the First Presidency of LDS church, stated:

                         "Is it possible to find truth? The purpose of my remarks is to proclaim the joyful message that God Himself—the Lord of Hosts who knows all truth—has given His children the promise that they can know truth for themselves. Please consider the magnitude of this promise: The Everlasting and Almighty God, the Creator of this vast universe, will speak to those who approach Him with a sincere heart and real intent. He will speak to them in dreams, visions, thoughts, and feelings. He will speak in a way that is unmistakable and that transcends human experience. He will give them divine direction and answers for their personal lives. Of course, there will be those who scoff and say such a thing is impossible, that if there were a God, He would have better things to do than hear and answer a single person’s prayer. But I tell you this: God cares about you. He will listen, and He will answer your personal questions. The answers to your prayers will come in His own way and in His own time, and therefore, you need to learn to listen to His voice (Receiving a Testimony of Light and Truth, Liahona, Nov. 2014).

     It is possible to find truth. God has spoken to me in His own way. It IS unmistakable. I know God cares about me and listens to my prayers. I know He answers them, as well. I am grateful for my experience in the Sacred Grove. I am thankful for the "sign" that I did not receive, for I received something far greater - the realization that I already have a belief in, and testimony of Joseph's words. I know his words are truth. I now feel that I should testify of that. I shall put my voice with his in declaring that God and Jesus did visit him in the Sacred Grove and that "all the world could not make [me] think or believe otherwise" (JSH 1:24).

Landon and I in the Sacred Grove.

 

I STOOD

It was another life
A time when I didn't know
I could
I learned from them all
I cracked, broke, shattered
I was raw, standing exposed
At the crossroads of it all
My time had come
Into myself I searched
Wrenched, stretched, clawed
Finally realizing it was
In me
I stood
I am
I will

-Jackee

My Builder

He is gathering up the pieces of my heart.

With each day that goes by, he puts the pieces into place.

I let him in and he is careful; he knows this is the last chance.

I know no other way than to let him in, trust his words, and

let him take care of me once again.

My heart belongs to this builder; my one and only love.

-Jackee

Forces of Nature

a sea of tears have filled the tomb where my heart hides
protected from forces that fail to see
what a shame
the feeling is overwhelming
scared to break free from the catacombs
scared to stand exposed and unprotected
will he keep me safe
will he handle with care
my heart cannot know but will trust him once again

-Jackee

Forward

the pulling is exhausting
am I coming or going
one step at a time - forward
don't want to look behind
why is it on my heels
breathing down my neck
strange how I run faster
but it always catches up

it must grow tired someday
I will never falter
already traveled that road
left me in the black
resilient and surviving
never going back
keep your hands off me
take your words back
I am persistent
I am strong
quit pulling on my mind
my heart belongs to him

-Jackee

"I knew all the rules, but the rules did not know me."

-Eddie Vedder

LONGING

She’s delicate
Sensitive
She longs to feel
To be touched
Deep within her soul
Her heart pains to be one
Devoted to her love
She is special
She knows
But cannot make it so
Why does she wait
She does not know
She needs be held
She wants to feel safe
Encircled by his desire
For her sacred power
To accept her beauty within

-Jackee

Where Can I Find It?

The questions are heavy on my heart
The darkness sucks the breath from my lungs
My thoughts race, I cannot hold them
My flesh calls out for the razor’s edge
The relief is within but too far to reach
If I go now, it will never come…

-Jackee

My Schedule

The nerve.... Inviting me down there - on such short notice! Even if I wanted to go my schedule wouldn't allow it.

4:00: Wallow in self pity.
4:30: Stare into the abyss.
5:00: Solve world hunger, tell no one.
5:30: Jazzercize.
6:30: Dinner with me - I can't cancel that again.
7:00: Wrestle with my self-loathing...

I'm booked. Of course, if I bump the loathing to 9... I could still be done in time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness.

-The Grinch

THE MASK

No one ever acts themselves,
it's always a mask.
Whenever you see a face,
it's always a mask.
I wonder who they really are
behind that mask.
I wonder if they're really happy
behind that mask.
I don't think anyone knows me
because of my mask.
I don't think they really care...
as long as their mask is there.

-Jackee

The Win

The time fades away slowly-
The pictures go with it.
Each passing day is a triumph;
If there is no pain it's a victory.
The days will get shorter,
The road remains long-
But if there's no pain it's a victory
And if the pictures fade away
I have won.

-Jackee

The Decision

 

Yellow flowers from her past

A love grows weaker, fading fast

Her brown eyes wet with sting of tears

She wonders how she got through years

If only he had seen her there

She wouldn’t sit here now in fear

Wondering which step to take

Knowing all there is at stake

Help her Lord to do what’s right

Keep her strong all through the night

Guide her feet along the way

Help her choose to go or stay

-Jackee

Her Hero?

Bubbling

Festering inside

Things he said

She cannot compute

Raging waters of selfish pride

They wash over her

One cannot predict the devastation

Only partially revealed

She’s swimming

She’s sinking

He cannot compute

Will he realize?

Will he reach for her?

-Jackee

Games People Play

Head games.

What is this about?

Not doing this again;
It is hard to understand.
Love doesn’t come in small packages.
Who knew?
Last played,
Not long ago.

My turn to go first.

One foot in front of the other?

Heart hidden.

-Jackee

 

What's in a Name?

Landon: Mama, I don't want you to call me Landon anymore.
Jackee: Why?
Landon: Because there are too many Landons in the world.
Jackee: Oh ya?
Landon: Ya, I don't think that you and Dad picked a good name. You should call me something else.
Jackee: What should we call you?
Landon: Batman.

Tangled Mess

I'm NOT because I'm KNOT.

-J and J

"The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts."

-Marcus Aurelius

The Most Powerful Force in My Life

The most powerful force in my life has always been God. Whenever things in my life become too difficult for me to handle I know that I can ask him to help me through. He has never left me alone - even in my darkest hours. I'm not really sure how this has shaped the person that I am other than the fact that His "force," His power, His love, I cannot deny. I wish I did embrace God more than I do. I wish that I would turn to Him more - thanking Him for all that He does for me; praying more for the answers I seek and the comfort I long for. Even though I know that He's there, I don't turn to Him or embrace Him enough. I let feelings of pride or unworthiness get in the way. I guess if I embraced Him the way He wants me to I would feel more happiness, healing, and peace in my life.

SELF

"The greatest battle of life is fought out within the silent chambers of the soul. A victory on the inside of a man's heart is worth a hundred conquests on the battlefields of life. To be master of yourself is the best guarantee that you will be master of the situation. Know thyself. The crown of character is self-control."


-Unknown

The Guys

Loren and Landon were driving around the remote control monster truck and Landon was so worried about it crashing. I love his face. So cute!

Reruns

Cloudy lenses
Growing dark
Aching pit
Falling apart
Going nowhere
What to do
Fighting demons
Pushing through

-Jackee

Scrappin' all the Day!

Synchronized Swimmers

This is one of my favorites! These are some of my friends at a talent show. It cracks me up every time I see it.

“Dreams are like stars...you may never touch them, but if you follow them they will lead you to your destiny.”

My Sunshine

I did some scrapping for my sister:

My Baby and Me

The quote under the picture says,
"Children are a gift from God."

Here's My Baby!

Scrappin' Again!

 

HOPE

"The message of dawn is hope."

                                    -Winston Churchill

A STUMBLE IS NOT A FALL.

I AM HERE NOW

I never thought I would be here, in this place, of inner-peace. So many years I have struggled. I do not write what I am about to say as a way to boast of myself but to tell myself how proud I am of that girl who has traveled so far.

I never loved that girl; I hardly even liked her. Inner criticism was a daily norm. In my mind, I was never worth anything other than what was dealt to me. I didn’t think I had the power to overcome the pain that I held inside. I was betrayed so many times in my life by those who were supposed to protect me and love me. I was betrayed by my own self; by my own decisions and my own actions because I didn’t know how to stand up.

So often the darkness seems to consume me. It is a hard thing for people to deal with or even understand – especially those closest to me. They don’t want to hear it or see it. I do not blame them. It is exhausting. I would spend the better part of my days just trying to mask it so that people wouldn’t have to see. It never worked for long and when it came to the surface there was no stopping it. The confusion and frustration of those around me would be justified because, to them, it seemed to come out of nowhere. I am sorry for this.

I feel the highest highs and the lowest lows – it is a blessing and a curse. It is something that my mind just does and it is a daily struggle to find a balance.

I recently read a quote somewhere that said, “You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present.” In that instant I felt a change in me that I will never forget. Somewhere down inside, deep beneath all the abuse, all the pain, and all the sadness that had piled on this little girl’s soul for so many years, was a spark of hope.

I am standing now. I am doing it. I am finally living for me. I am finally sticking up for me. It is such an amazing, and yet, foreign place to be. I am proud of how far I’ve come. I am finally giving this girl credit for surviving. I am finally feeling things, for the first time in my life, without waiting for the other shoe to drop. I can make my own path and I don’t have to let life happen to me. I’m not afraid anymore. I am truly free and I am truly thankful…

You know you're in love when you don't want to fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams!

-Dr. Seuss

TURN YOUR WOUNDS INTO WISDOM.

-Oprah

I Have Learned...

I always thought I knew what true love was. I had no idea. So many times I have tripped over love but had never been caught when I fell. Now, I have fallen and been caught. I know without a doubt that I have found true love. A love that is persistent and forgiving. A love that's been through fire but has come out as pure and strong as ever. A love that looks beyond today, beyond the years, to eternity. I am happier, stronger, healthier, and more in love than I ever thought possible. My love is here to stay. I am his forever. We don't make excuses or turn our backs when things are tough and seem too great to overcome. When it feels as if it's too much, we just dig in deeper. We resolve to do better, be better; not just try, but DO. I am amazed at what we have become so far and am excited for our future. I love, my one, my true love...

Music is what feelings sound like.

Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness.

~Maya Angelou, Gather Together in My Name

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

~Berthold Auerbach

A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence.
~Leopold Stokowski

Don't Forget...

HOUSE

IT IS TIME

The Past

Overcoming the Odds

On a Crumpled Piece of Paper

The dark place
I'm here again
It is so familiar
Each time gets more painful
each time I see
the defective one is me

Why do I let them near me
How do I get caught up
Their lies cover my eyes
I cannot see
They whisper in my ears
Cloud my mind with manipulating words
I am powerless for a time
I struggle to take back what is mine

-Jackee

We're All Fine

They turn away
It’s uncomfortable
They don’t want to know
They don’t want to witness
Pretend innocence
Ignorance
They didn’t see what they saw
They didn’t read what they read
They don’t know anything
Everything is fine
We’re all fine
Phony inhabitants
It is all so nauseating
Everyone is too afraid
Say what they think
Tell the truth
Authenticity has vanished from their worlds
True, raw emotions are nowhere to be found
Just keep pretending
The shocking, yucky things don’t exist
Not in their homes
Everyone is fine
We’re all fine

-Jackee

He Loves Me Not

She sat across from him

There was nothing left to say

They stopped looking

They stopped trying

He got up and walked away

She fell...

-Jackee

Daydreaming

I want to walk through one day where the images are not permitted. Where the sensations and thoughts of him are not intruding on my body. I want to forget. I want to slice it away, chop it up, and observe as it soars away on the breeze of forgetfulness, to a world that I know nothing about.


-Jackee

RANDOM

Protection

Have it Your Way

Turn Around

Go Away

I Can't Keep Up

Smile

I am Ready

You are Blind

It's Almost Over

Goodbye

-Jackee

Haunting

Sometimes I can't sleep. The images of what happened that night play again in my mind. I did everything wrong. It still scares me. The nightmares make me sweat and sometimes I feel like I want to cut the image out. I cannot. I must face it.

He was strong. His hand came out of nowhere, as did his anger. I felt the sting on my face and the piercing of his words in my ears. I reacted quickly, but punching him in the face only made it worse. His hands came at me and I laughed at him while he was choking me. "What are you going to do, kill me?" I asked him.

That is all I want to tell.

I didn't cry until much later... I couldn't believe what I'd gotten myself into. I blamed myself and felt that I deserved everything I got. I had bruises and my body ached. I should have told but I couldn't. I was so ashamed of what had happened.

I still blame myself. I should've known better. I still feel afraid sometimes. Some might say that I should be proud of myself for fighting back. I did fight...hard. I still am...

-Jackee

There is Life After You

All the pretty words flew right out the door
You pushed me away

You said I was too much; I was so emotional
In the beginning the word was passionate

I was once special
In the end I was just mental

You just can't handle all that I have to give
Never satisfied anyway

You want a puppet to play in your movie of life
Do your own thing and then it's on to the next

I hate how you stripped me down
I was naked and you saw all of me

Took the memories from my mind
Kept me vulnerable for your pleasure

I never suspected
So naive to your cunning

Instead of taking responsibility for your actions
You blamed me

I never asked to be saved
I never once misbehaved until your selfishness took over

You had to have an excuse for your behavior
So that you could keep the truth undercover

I was left alone without a word
Thrown away, just like the others

I will never be deceived again
I will survive, as I have many times before

I can overcome your betrayal
But you will never be loved again like I loved you

I am more than you deserve
And you will never have me again

So many lies; so many tries
Full of disrespect and never thinking of another

You have no compass to keep you well
You are no better than them

You will one day atone for what you have done
But my heart and mind will have already won

I'm the best thing...
YOU'LL WISH YOU STILL HAD


-Jackee

STAND IN THE RAIN

 

She never slows down
She doesn’t know why
But she knows that when she’s all alone
It feels like it’s all coming down

She won’t turn around
The shadows are long
And she fears if she cries that first tear
The tears will not stop raining down

So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it’s all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won’t drown
And one day what’s lost can be found
You stand in the rain

She won’t make a sound
Alone in this fight with herself
And the fear’s whispering
If she stands, she’ll fall down

She wants to be found
The only way out is through everything
She’s running from
Wants to give up and lie down

So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it’s all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won’t drown
And one day what’s lost can be found
You stand in the rain

-Superchick

Great Idea?

Landon: Mama, we are going to get some tractors and destroy our house.
Jackee: Oh ya?
Landon: Ya, that way we can build an air station and a Lego superstore. Then we can have all the legos and build everything.
Jackee: Well if we destroy our house where are we going to live?
Landon: In the air station.
Jackee: Where will we sleep?
Landon: We can build our beds out of legos.
Jackee: What about a bathroom?
Landon: Don't worry we can build lego bushes too!

Surf's Up!

Landon: Mom, do you know how to surf?
Jackee: No.
Landon: I actually do.
Jackee: Oh ya?
Landon: Does Dad know how to surf?
Jackee: No.
Landon: Well I certainly do and I can teach you guys.

My Guy!

Landon: Mom, guess what?
Jackee: What?
Landon: I'm spiderman and you're my girl!

The Upside of Being BORDERLINE

A person with BPD always wants to be with the ones they love.
A person with BPD is chameleon-like and adapts easily with different types of people.
A person with BPD is spontaneous.
A person with BPD has a high tolerance for physical pain.
A person with BPD experiences more intense feelings of love, happiness, and joy than a person without.

Eureka!

If I don't stand up for myself, who will?

NOBODY.

I KNOW NOW

I never knew that I was special
I never knew that I should be treated like a princess
I never knew that showing affection in public feels reassuring
I never knew that making love could be mutually fulfilling and rewarding
I never knew that I was good enough
I never knew that I was needed
I never knew that I could be myself
I never knew that I could feel comfortable in my own skin
I never knew that curves could be so sexy
I never knew that I could feel so great laughing out loud
I never knew that spontaneity is actually a strength
I never knew that communication is the key to any relationship
I never knew that it’s okay to ask for what I need
I never knew that it’s okay to ask for what I want
I never knew that it’s okay to be angry and to show it
I never knew that what I had to say was important
I never knew what it felt like to be wanted
I never knew what it felt like to be needed
I never knew that I would share all my secrets
I never knew that I would share my deepest hurts
I never knew that anyone would care
I never knew what it felt like to love myself
I never knew how strong I was
I never knew… UNTIL NOW.

-Jackee

I CAN'T HOLD ON

I SAW YOU
I LISTENED
I NEVER JUDGED
I KISSED YOU
YOU SPOKE BEAUTIFULLY
I WAS HESITANT
I WAS SCARED
YOU PURSUED
BROKE THROUGH
I TRIED TO TELL YOU
I TRIED TO EXPLAIN
YOU LOVED ME
HELD ME
I OPENED UP
DESPITE THE FEAR
SHE WAS ANGRY
SHE WARNED US
YOU NEVER LET HER WIN
I WAS HAPPY
YOU WEREN'T
YOU PULLED AWAY
SHUT DOWN
I WAS CONFUSED
WHAT HAD I DONE
YOU WERE HESITANT
YOU WERE SCARED
I SPOKE BEAUTIFULLY
YOU KISSED ME
I NEVER JUDGED
I LISTENED
I WAITED
I'M DONE

-JACKEE

Unknown

"Honesty opens the door to change. Dishonesty keeps it locked."

"All healthy, personal change begins with knowledge."

December 1, 2009

Empty. I feel nothing. I have no motivation. I have no opinions. I have no standards. No rules. Who am I? Who do I want to be? What do I want? I don't know. I REALLY don't know. I have no goals. I believe in nothing. I push myself to live. I live for my son. I do what is expected of me. I do what sounds good at the time. I attach no thoughts to actions. Whatever happens, happens. I never look beyond the moment. I have no control. I have no desire. I want to feel love. I want to be loved. I love. Then I hate. I love. I hate. I hate myself the most.

I'm tired. Why do I have to be this way? I try so hard not to be. I am trying so hard to use effective coping skills. I am trying to learn all that I can and do the things that I learn. I am exhausted. I am tired of fighting the urges. I am tired of sliding backwards and feeling like I have no control. It is my own personal dysphoria.

I have no direction. I am here without a compass. I'm just so tired of fighting to stay afloat. There is no land in sight. No boat, no raft. Just me in a sea of shark infested waters with an anchor strapped to my leg. I am stuck. I am drowning. I am gasping and it is getting harder everyday. I feel so weak. I feel so heavy. I feel surrounded. I am so tired. So tired.

What is Borderline Personality Disorder?

The one word that best characterizes BPD is "instability." Their emotions are unstable, fluctuating wildly for no discernible reason. Their thinking is unstable - rational and clear at times, quite psychotic at other times. Their behavior is unstable - often with periods of excellent conduct, high efficiency and trustworthiness alternating with outbreaks of babyishness, suddenly quitting a job, withdrawing into isolation, failing.

Their self control is unstable - ranging from the extreme self denial of anorexia to being at the mercy of impulses. And their relationships are unstable. They may sacrifice themselves for others, only to reach their limit suddenly and fly into rageful reproaches, or they may curry favor with obedient submission only to rebel, out of the blue, in a tantrum.

Associated with this instability is terrible anxiety, guilt and self-loathing for which relief is sought at any cost - medicine, drugs, alcohol, overeating, self-injury, suicide. Sadly, oddly, self mutilation is discovered by many individuals with BPD to provide faster relief more than anything else - cutting or burning themselves stops the anxiety temporarily.

In addition, individuals with BPD show great difficulties in controlling ragefulness; they are unusually impulsive, they fall in and out of love suddenly; they tend to idealize other people and then abruptly despise them. A consequence of all this is that they typically look for help from a therapist and then suddenly quit in terrible disappointment and anger.

Underneath all these symptoms, therapists began to see an inability to tolerate the levels of anxiety, frustration, rejection and loss that most people are able to put up with, an inability to soothe and comfort themselves when they become upset, and an inability to control the impulses toward the expression, through action, of love and hate that most people are able to hold in check. And, furthermore, what most defines BPD is great difficulty in holding on to a stable, consistent sense of one's self: "Who am I?" these people ask. "My life is in chaos; sometimes I feel like I can do anything - other times I want to die because I feel so incompetent, helpless and loathsome. I'm a lot of different people instead of being just one person."

*From BDPResourceCenter.org

Landon's Question

Landon: Mama?
Jackee: Yes?
Landon: When can I see?
Jackee: See what?
Landon: All the things in my world.

Somewhere I Have Never Travelled

somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond
any experience, your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which i cannot touch because they are too near

your slightest look easily will unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skilfully, mysteriously) her first rose

or if your wish be to close me, i and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;

nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility: whose texture
compels me with the colour of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing

(i do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens; only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands

-E.E. Cummings

Huh?

Right question.
...Wrong answer.

Where are you?
On my way.

What time is it?
Time to get a watch.

Stop answering inquisitions
with things that make no sense.

Get off the cord,
Get on the ball.

- J.J.

Ballad to a Rockstar

Rock, paper, scissors
Truant, tardee
Just plain unpunctual
Will you ever modify this conduct?

Life is a time piece
And every piece of time
Should be held with tender gloves
(I mean mittens)

Tough love
Tough meat
Thick skull
A hammer cannot infiltrate

Pound pound pound
Like the beating of a drum
Going going...
Rock, paper, scissors

- J and J

Jackee

Just a girl
A wife and mother
Courageous
Kind
Easy to please
Eternally loved

Landon

Loves life
Animated
Never bored
Daddy's boy
Or Mama's baby
Nuts about books

Transforming

What is the opposite of pride?
Submitting yourself with nothing to hide.
It is having a heart that is lowly and meek,
Praying to God for the answers you seek.
Humbling your soul as you fall to your knees,
Forsaking all sin and asking Him, "Please..."

by Jackee

Anger

Wrath, rage, or fury
Gets your blood boiling in a hurry.

by Jackee

Military

Defend, shield, shelter, and protect
Those who provide these, deserve our respect.

by Jackee

Concealed Within

They see beauty
I see ugly
They see confidence
I see self-doubt
Under the image she masks her true self
It's dark, black, and corrupted
They see cheerfulness
I see weakness
They see spirituality
I see sin
Under the painted on portrait is the demon within
She is lost, discarded, and worthless
They see beauty
I see disgrace

by Jackee

Inside My Heart

A garden, where once wildflowers grew in every color
Where trees and shrubs grew geen and were full of life
Now, they're all dead, brown and dry
The sky is gray and the clouds are still dark
A storm as black as night has just blown through
Bringing with it harsh winds and hail
The garden is cold now

As I walk into the garden I feel sadness come over me
Where did the gardner go?
What has happened here?
This garden needs love and caring
It needs water and light
I feel overwhelmed thinking of all that needs to be done
All the work and time that need to take place
To make this a beautiful garden once more

by Jackee

Beauty From Pain

The lights go out all around me
One last candle to keep out the night
And then the darkness surrounds me
I know I'm alive
But I feel like I've died
And all that's left is to accept that it's over
My dreams ran like sand through the fists that I made
I try to keep warm but I just grow colder
I feel like I'm slipping away

After all this has passed
I still will remain
After I've cried my last
There'll be beauty from pain
Though it won't be today
Someday I'll hope again
And there'll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain

My whole world is the pain inside me
The best I can do is just get through the day
When life before is only a memory
I wonder why God lets me walk through this place
And though I can't understand why this happened
I know that I will when I look back someday
And see how You've brought beauty from ashes
And made me as gold purified through these flames

After all this has passed
I still will remain
After I've cried my last
There'll be beauty from pain
Though it won't be today
Someday I'll hope again
And there'll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain

Here I am at the end of me
Trying to hold to what I can't see
I forgot how to hope
This night's been so long
I cling to Your promise
There will be a dawn

After all this has passed
I still will remain
After I've cried my last
There'll be beauty from pain
Though it won't be today
Someday I'll hope again
And there'll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain

By SuperChick

Forgiveness

"A common error is the idea that the offender must apologize and humble himself to the dust before forgiveness is required. Certainly, the one who does the injury should totally make his adjustment, but as for the offended one, he must forgive the offender regardless of the attitude of the other. Yes, to be in the right we must forgive, and we must do so without regard to whether or not our antagonist repents, or how sincere is his transformation, or whether or not he asks our forgiveness."
-Spencer W. Kimball

I Need Thee

Guide now my feet-
Keep me from former snares.

-I Need Thee Every Hour, Hymn

Psalms 25:16-18, 20

Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.

The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.

Look upon mine affliction and my pain: and forgive all my sins.

O keep my soul, and deliver me:

Pirates Beware

Ahoy Matey!

Scrappin' Away