I love the hymns of the church. So many times, they are sermons unto themselves. There is a hymn with these words:
Sweet is the peace the gospel brings to seeking minds and true,
With light refulgent on its wings it clears the human view.
Its laws and precepts are divine and show a Father's care.
Transcendent love and mercy shine in each injunction there.
Faithless tradition flees its pow'r, and unbelief gives way,
The gloomy clouds which used to low'r, submit to reason's sway.
This past weekend, Mark, Allison, Glo and I headed to Philadelphia one last time. It was ultimately for one more lesson with Amy, but we turned it into a mini-party seeing as it was Markie Boy's 24th birthday, and Glo's graduation weekend.
Goodness, it was so good to get away and have a little bit of fun!
We shopped at King of Prussia mall for Mark and Glo. Mark got Levi's from an actual Levi's store (and yes, they actually carried a couple of pairs in jeans with a 36' inseam!), and Glo got a new Swatch watch from the actual Swatch store that she picked herself :-) Then, it was on to dinner at Melting Pot, but we only had a little over an hour there. Our waiter was the BOSS, keeping us on time and getting us out of there at the actual appointed minute. Then, we headed to the Philadelphia temple to do baptisms and initiatories.
This is where the song comes in. The opening line speaks about the gospel, but in my mind, I picture "Sweet is the peace the temple brings to seeking minds and true..." Really, if you reread the lyrics with the temple in mind, they work perfectly.
I love seeing my kids in the temple! I don't believe many things make me happier. And over the past few months, the Philadelphia temple has come to mean more and more to me. It's so beautiful and peaceful inside (I've never been there when it's busy which is a good thing for me but a sad thing for the temple). I can now see why Johannah has decided that it is the temple where she wants to get married <3
Too, going there enough, I now recognize some of the temple workers. The temple matron however is my favorite. She is younger than most, and she has a smile for miles. Even though she doesn't remember me from the thousands of people she's met, I always remember her and run up and hug her like an old friend. And this past weekend, when I saw her, I could hardly contain my excitement about Allison being down in the baptistry doing baptisms. And then, of course, I had to tell her about Allison and her joining the church, and about Mark and her. And then I asked her about couples who have families who can't come in the temple, and she had the loveliest ideas about how to make that wedding day feel special to everyone.
Talk about "clearing the human view!"
After we left and went to the hotel (yes, for the first time in seven years, we stayed overnight in a hotel), I headed back out so that I could talk to John on the phone privately, and where do you think I ended up? Back on the temple grounds again, but this time in my yoga pants and Traverse City t-shirt :-) It didn't matter though--all I wanted to do was sit in the garden and stare up at the temple as I spoke to my eternal honey.
I honestly can't wait for Allison and Mark to go to the temple together and be sealed for time and all eternity. I felt like I could see them in the Philadelphia temple, making that all happen, but I know that whatever temple they choose, it will be a wonderful day.
It's always a wonderful day at the temple!
Sweet is the peace the gospel brings to seeking minds and true,
With light refulgent on its wings it clears the human view.
Its laws and precepts are divine and show a Father's care.
Transcendent love and mercy shine in each injunction there.
Faithless tradition flees its pow'r, and unbelief gives way,
The gloomy clouds which used to low'r, submit to reason's sway.
This past weekend, Mark, Allison, Glo and I headed to Philadelphia one last time. It was ultimately for one more lesson with Amy, but we turned it into a mini-party seeing as it was Markie Boy's 24th birthday, and Glo's graduation weekend.
Goodness, it was so good to get away and have a little bit of fun!
We shopped at King of Prussia mall for Mark and Glo. Mark got Levi's from an actual Levi's store (and yes, they actually carried a couple of pairs in jeans with a 36' inseam!), and Glo got a new Swatch watch from the actual Swatch store that she picked herself :-) Then, it was on to dinner at Melting Pot, but we only had a little over an hour there. Our waiter was the BOSS, keeping us on time and getting us out of there at the actual appointed minute. Then, we headed to the Philadelphia temple to do baptisms and initiatories.
This is where the song comes in. The opening line speaks about the gospel, but in my mind, I picture "Sweet is the peace the temple brings to seeking minds and true..." Really, if you reread the lyrics with the temple in mind, they work perfectly.
I love seeing my kids in the temple! I don't believe many things make me happier. And over the past few months, the Philadelphia temple has come to mean more and more to me. It's so beautiful and peaceful inside (I've never been there when it's busy which is a good thing for me but a sad thing for the temple). I can now see why Johannah has decided that it is the temple where she wants to get married <3
Too, going there enough, I now recognize some of the temple workers. The temple matron however is my favorite. She is younger than most, and she has a smile for miles. Even though she doesn't remember me from the thousands of people she's met, I always remember her and run up and hug her like an old friend. And this past weekend, when I saw her, I could hardly contain my excitement about Allison being down in the baptistry doing baptisms. And then, of course, I had to tell her about Allison and her joining the church, and about Mark and her. And then I asked her about couples who have families who can't come in the temple, and she had the loveliest ideas about how to make that wedding day feel special to everyone.
Talk about "clearing the human view!"
After we left and went to the hotel (yes, for the first time in seven years, we stayed overnight in a hotel), I headed back out so that I could talk to John on the phone privately, and where do you think I ended up? Back on the temple grounds again, but this time in my yoga pants and Traverse City t-shirt :-) It didn't matter though--all I wanted to do was sit in the garden and stare up at the temple as I spoke to my eternal honey.
I honestly can't wait for Allison and Mark to go to the temple together and be sealed for time and all eternity. I felt like I could see them in the Philadelphia temple, making that all happen, but I know that whatever temple they choose, it will be a wonderful day.
It's always a wonderful day at the temple!
The temple really is the best place to be and it's even more special when you're there with the ones you love. The peace and happiness I feel in the temple are like nothing else.
ReplyDeletethat is a sweet post about a sweet hymn about a sweet place!
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