Heaven on Earth

Who cannot think that the Lord doesn't love them when they get such direct answers to the things that worry them, and are on their mind the MOST! I was reading over President Monson's conference talk from Sunday morning and ran across MANY aspects I liked, but may I write about the one that spoke straight to my heart, to the very core of my heart. Heavenly Father loves me, He does.
President Monson quotes Sarah Ban Breathnach:
Said one well-known author: “Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend . . . when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.”

The ancient Roman philosopher Horace admonished, “Whatever hour God has blessed you with, take it with grateful hand, nor postpone your joys from year to year, so that in whatever place you have been, you may say that you have lived happily.”

I am sad to admit this but I have been quite frustrated with some aspects of my life since a month or two into chemo. What I thought was going to be a few month challenge turned into a longer challenge and a longer battle. A battle it is, but I am learning to love the battle. What makes it hardest to me is that I feel that many of my favorite things in life have been 'put on hold until further notice.' These things that used to be standard, staple activities in my life before. The longer it continues to stay on hold, the longer my patience has been wearing thin.

This past Monday was about the roughest of days as they've been for a while. BUT as Tuesday morning broke I woke up a new woman. My prayer of pleading the night before had again been answered. I was reminded again that our Heavenly Father loves me, and all of his children. He helped me that morning and life continued to improve this past week, culminating with reading President Monson's talk and that quote--this one which has changed my life, and especially my outlook on life, now and forever on. May I share my favorite part here again: when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.”

It is a CHOICE! We CHOOSE to not focus on not that which we may not have at the time being for whatever reason, but we can focus on that which we DO have! THE WASTELAND OF ILLISION FALLS AWAY, and HEAVEN IS ON EARTH! Heaven IS on earth. It is all around us. It is in the world created especially for us. When have you experienced heaven on earth? It is real. Heaven does exist here. May we all feel of the Lords arms of love everyday, because I do!