Grateful for Tender Mercies of the Lord

While I was taking down my Christmas tree I was watching or listening to movies and their music.
I often need a movie or music in the background to keep me going (if I'm not studying seminary lessons).

I started with Moana - it has some fun music.

I watched the most recent Beauty and the Beast.  Some of the music in these movies are just fun, and others have lyrics that inspire.  Great listening!

[Verse 1]

How does a moment last forever?

How can a story never die?

It is love we must hold onto

Never easy, but we try

Sometimes our happiness is captured

Somehow, our time and place stand still

Love lives on inside our hearts and always will

[Chorus]

Minutes turn to hours, days to years then gone

But when all else has been forgotten

Still our song lives on

[Verse 2]

Maybe some moments weren’t so perfect

Maybe some memories not so sweet

But we have to know some bad times

Or our lives are incomplete

Then when the shadows overtake us

Just when we feel all hope is gone

We’ll hear our song and know once more

Our love lives on

[Verse 3]

How does a moment last forever?

How does our happiness endure?

Through the darkest of our troubles

Love is beauty, love is pure

Love pays no mind to desolation

It flows like a river through the soul

Protects, persists, and perseveres

And makes us whole

[Chorus]

Minutes turn to hours, days to years then gone

But when all else has been forgotten

Still our song lives on

How does a moment last forever
When our song lives on

~ ~ ~

November and December are wonderful times of the year when we have holidays that help us remember the important things in life.    I feel blessed to have my darkest, most sorrowful moment (that of my husband passing away) be surrounded by these two holidays - Thanksgiving and Christmas - because it helps me, or almost makes me feel the love of God.

Still it is a solemn time of year for me and in the background of this wonderful time of year there is sorrow.  I am so grateful that even with that deep sorrow, there is still a great amount of joy - knowing that we have been promised to each other for eternity.  I do have much to look forward to. I know I sound wishy-washy but it really is a back and forth time of year for me.


With the mixed emotions I certainly had while taking the lights off my tree I heard something on Beauty and the Beast that pierced my heart.

It was while Belle and her father were in the dungeon with the beast, and Belle offered to stay there forever if the beast would let her father go free.

She was asking for a minute to say good-bye before her father was released and the beast didn't seem to think it was necessary.  Belle didn't give up, and replied;

"FOREVER CAN SPARE A MINUTE"

Wow!  I need to remember this!
Our time on earth is but a moment compared to our Heavenly Father's time - eternity.  So every suffering or sorrow we endure here on earth is but a minute to Him and we can endure it with His help.

In seminary we are studying the stories about Alma and Amulek (including, but not limited to Alma 14) and this quote, FOREVER CAN SPARE A MINUTE, is perfect - reminding us that any trial on earth, even all of our time on earth, is but a minute and we must continue in faith, with patience and hope of the blessings we will receive in eternity.

I was the one who had it all

I was the master of my fate

I never needed anybody in my life

I learned the truth too late

I'll never shake away the pain

I close my eyes but she's still there

I let her steal into my melancholy heart

It's more than I can bear

Now I know she'll never leave me

Even as she runs away

She will still torment me

Calm me, hurt me

Move me, come what may

Wasting in my lonely tower

Waiting by an open door

I'll fool myself, she'll walk right in

And be with me for evermore

I rage against the trials of love

I curse the fading of the light

Though she's already flown so far beyond my reach

She's never out of sight

Now I know she'll never leave me

Even as she fades from view

She will still inspire me

Be a part of everything I do

Wasting in my lonely tower

Waiting by an open door

I'll fool myself, she'll walk right in

And as the long, long nights begin

I'll think of all that might have been

Waiting here for evermore

~ ~ ~

Such a long post to say what I felt, and I'm not sure I've done it justice.  I'll just say - I am so grateful for tender mercies of the Lord to remind me of the important things in life and encourage me to move forward in faith.

Sometimes simple phrases in songs or movies can encourage and uplift and enlighten. They are a reminder to the heart, mind, and soul that all is or will be well, in the Lords time.



And I'll add one last song - by Josh Groban, I Believe