Reflections on Life

by Sarah Hinze

Sometimes I think of myself as another person that I am viewing from afar. Maybe in becoming the mother of nine children, I have had a permanent out of body experience, I don't know. For example today we had two daughters,two sons, and eight grandchildren over for breakfast. We served homemade whole wheat waffles, ham and cheese omelets, and orange juice. My husband and I like to just sit near-by and watch all of them interact with one another. There is way too much talking for us to get a word in edgewise.
They all enjoy each other so much. I never dreamed it would all turn out as well as it has. When they were little, there was a lot of noise, but not always the good kind. I wondered if they would ever speak to each other when they grew up. Not only do they speak--they can't wait to get together often throughout the week.
Maybe this is the way life is. Some of the things we worry about never happen.
By the end of this day, I am reflecting on my blessings and the ups and downs of life that I have experienced. I am grateful for all of it. I have learned that we need to jump into life, embrace friendships, cherish family, warts and all.
As you probably know, I write non-fiction. I also love non-fiction and rarely read a fiction book. Recently my friend Char, who is 85 years young, called me one day and said,"You have to get this book. It is called Light in the Wilderness: Explorations in the Spiritual Life by M. Catherine Thomas. I liked what Char read to me over the phone, several exerts from the book. For example,"And so it seems that the Lord says to each of us,"My spirit is in you, urging you to move to your full potential. Now if you'll start working with your resources through governing your mind and body, through unlocking the love in your soul, I'll open things up for you and give you more light, so that in time, you will know and do everything I know and do. You don't have to depend on me to initiate and augment the powers;the power is already in you. Yes, there is already a good deal of Me in you that you've not yet scratched the surface of."
I like those thoughts. I need every bit of light and spirit of the Lord I can collect to give me wisdom and insight as I finish my new book The Memory of Angels.
It is hopeful for me to reflect on the fact that the power is in me to do the work I have been called to do. The same for you too, sisters. The Lord wants us to be successful in our endeavors and will guide us along as we do our part.
Sister Thomas is a BYU professor and will be speaking in Gilbert on the evening of February 14 at a LDS Church in Gilbert. I will share the time and place when I find out.