Author: Angela

I write so my family will always have letters from home.

Rejection

Mark’s photo of the Northern Lights from Bornholm, Denmark

Rejection is one of the greatest teachers in life. Mark is experiencing it as a missionary, and you can probably recall a time when you’ve been rejected. I think of a small rejection I faced just last week and ouch, it still hurts.

Rejection makes us see that we aren’t going to be chosen every time; we can’t all be the favorite; the gifts we prepare won’t always be appreciated; and sometimes, the precious things we share with people will be ignored.

Let’s remember that poor reception from others can’t obliterate our efforts. We haven’t failed if we have loved, sacrificed, and shown the courage to share. And if we are unable to accomplish the big things we hoped, let’s remember that our identity and our worth in God’s eyes have never been a matter of popularity, outward measures, or appearance.

…for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7

What can we do when we experience rejection? It’s tempting to get discouraged, feel like a victim, or become angry. But Jesus knows a lot about rejection, and he met it with love and truth, whatever the personal cost.

Today, I am going to keep facing the winds of possible rejection and keep loving, serving, and sharing. I also take comfort that in some things, such as temple work, we see things as they really are:

There is value in giving, even if we don’t see an immediate result.

happy salad

I made this salad a few times this week, and it nearly made me forget that it was January. It’s tangy, crisp, savory, sweet, and satisfying. This isn’t a food blog with pictures, so you’ll need to imagine a colorful salad. The recipe is adaptable, so don’t overthink it. The apple was my favorite part.

Ingredients I had this week:

a handful of greens, such as spring mix with spinach

1/2 apple, diced

1 carrot, diced or shredded

A spoonful of beets, diced (I used picked beets)

A spoonful of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

feta cheese

Chicken leftovers, chopped

sunflower seeds

a little chopped fresh parsley

dressing: two parts olive oil mixed with one part balsamic vinegar*, a spoonful of dijon mustard, and a drizzle of honey

*I had lemon-infused olive oil and a fig balsamic vinegar on hand from a foodie friend, so I used these. Yum. Any vinaigrette will taste good, though.

This salad is a mood booster, for sure. 😄

new to me

Text: Ellis Reynolds Shipp (1837-1949); Music: Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625)

Gradually, our church is rolling out new hymns, so it’s becoming more common for me to hear unfamiliar music at church. This hymn was sung in my parents’ sacrament meeting on Sunday and although it isn’t new, it was new to me.

It’s a beautiful prayer, and it was written by a woman I admire, Ellis Reynolds Shipp, an early female medical doctor in Utah.

Some of my favorite lines,

Calm the surges of the soul,

Bid the dark waves backward roll,

Let us all thy mercies feel,

Thru the pow’r thou dost reveal.

The storms we face are usually hidden in our souls, with dark waves and uncertainty that can feel consuming. This verse reminds me that we can ask our Heavenly Father to calm our storms. Jesus Christ showed us that He is really good at that.

Sanchez homecoming party

My parents are getting settled after their mission. Today they spoke in church about their experiences and then we gathered in their home to enjoy a meal. The young cousins (not pictured) joined one another in the usual arrays to play while adults settled into conversations long overdue. Sunlight reached inside to illuminate a very nice family gathering. My parents are themselves, and more tender and refined because of their missionary service.

More disciples needed

I sat with a wise friend this week and we went deep about life in our 50’s, this tugging, expanding, reinventing phase of life. There are many possibilities at this age, and an innate need to mentor, serve, and teach. Our friends scatter to many pursuits.

Balancing her concerns about current events and her desire to do something about it, my friend observed that the world doesn’t need more angry people, it needs more disciples of Christ. She’s decided that discipleship will underscore her service and mentoring in her 50’s and beyond.

I told you she was wise!

Something that helped me this week

In my personal study of the Creation, I looked at each day and pondered what the Lord was revealing about himself.

For instance, on day 2, He created the heavens. Here were some of my thoughts,

God is aware of our specific temperature and oxygen requirements. The atmosphere protects, insulates, provides rain. = He doesn’t intend for our lives to be uncomfortable all the time. God is our protector and aids our every breath.

He prepared the atmosphere to sustain life. He prepared Jesus Christ to give life.

He provides a Comforter to be with us. During mortality, we are engulfed in heavenly help, just as we are encircled by the heavens.

Perhaps this exercise would be helpful to you. What is the Lord revealing to you about Himself through His creations?