Having a Heart

I listened to a lecture today for my Psychology class: about a man who has had multiple heart surgeries and was not supposed to live past his first day of life, because his heart did not have the aortic functions one needs to survive without intervention. I listened to the stories of all of his scary and successful surgeries which put pacemakers in him. I learned the joy of having a functioning, fully capable heart is a pure blessing in my life that I have been taking for granted.

I can breathe without the help of a pacemaker or heart surgery. I do not have 10 cancerous tumors in my liver like Randy Pausch had, who was a man who grew from his illness and became stronger, grew in his faith and taught others to achieve their dreams and follow their hearts.

I feel so fascinatingly blessed in this moment, right now, in the present!

I have my family and my home, my loving friends and church community and I have my health.
I have no major health concerns which would take my life.
I have a fully functional brain, mind, and body with no set backs in their functioning.

Life is lovely!
I have many projects and papers to write, Powerpoints to complete and a few Final Exams and a Comprehensive Exam for 7 courses to take. But you know, that's okay! I can do it!

What really matters is the relationships I have and how I act and choose to live my life.

Thank heaven and my Heavenly Father for the divine gift of my body with no disorders or illnesses and the compassion, love and empathy I can emulate from him. I hope to gain more humility and charitable attributes from my Father in Heaven, as a result of finding out more about the important people around me.

Chelsea Merkley

Favorite talks from LDS Conference

Love your enemies; bless them that curse you, pray for them that hurt you, pray for them that despitefully use you.
The pure love of Christ removes the scales of resentment and wrath. Flawed and imperfect mortals who have potential and worth, because God loves us so much, we must love and FORGIVE each other.

Do you Gossip? Even when what you say is true? Do you exclude, push away or punish others because of something they have done?
Do you wish to cause harm to someone? Stop it!
He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone. Let us put down our stones. Be kind, forgive, and talk peacefully with one another. Give and it shall be given unto you. Show

Kindness, peace and charity, return good for evil. Do not seek revenge or wrath for others. If thine enemy hunger feed him, if he be thirsty give him drink, be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good. It is the merciful who obtain mercy.

- Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
My favorite talk from General Conference!

Russell M. Nelson-

My wife and I Express our Gratitude and love to you.

My wife and I visited an Aquarium with lots of colorful vibrant fish. I asked who feeds them. A young women replied; I do. Have they thanked you? She indicated;  Not yet. Likewise, there are people oblivious of their Creator. Who live their lives each day without believing in their Creator, or they believe the earth was a result of a big bang somewhere. Can a printing press print a book by a big explosion? Wouldn't it be wonderful if all the children of God could be aware of God’s providence and love? Let us give thanks to God. God is the Father of our spirit. He has a glorified perfected body of flesh and bone. We were created in the image of God. The necessities of food, water and air were given us as gifts from our Heavenly Father. For these gifts-Thanks, be to God. Marriage and Family are ordained of God. The family is the most important social unit of the kingdom of God. The plan of happiness addresses-the natural yearning for endless association with beloved members of one’s family. My work and my glory is to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man. Whoso believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting his life. Jesus Christ came to redeem the Lord’s children. Ressurection and immortality became a reality. I am the resurrection and the life, he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. For he that believeth in me shall never die! Thanks be to God!

Our Heavenly Father loves each of his children.

Gift of your own Physical Body, eyes are connected to the brain, the heart, the bodies defense system. In response to infection, responds with antibodies. The body heals its cuts bruises and broken bones. Capacity for reproduction is one of the sacred gifts of God. Great spiritual strength is given to many who are frail and have physical changes. If the body’s capacity for normal function, our creator provided for aging, death is part of life. To return to God through the gateway we call death, is a joy for those who are prepared to meet him. Bodies and spirits, limb and joint will be united again never to be separated again. Our spirits lived in the pre-mortal realm and exists after the body dies; it provides the soul with animation and personality. Your spirit has; love, compassion, kindness, forgiveness. Spiritual strength is Baptism, The gift of the Holy Ghost, The Covenant of Eternal Marriage in the Temple. God is our eternal Father. His son Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. For these Spiritual Gifts, thanks be to God.

Dispensation given by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Jesus Christ. We are under covenenant to teach the gospel to every nation, tongue and people. King Benjamin’s Address--Believe in God, that he is, he created all things in Heaven and in earth. Repent in your sins and forsake them, ask in sincerity in your heart that he forgive you. If you believe in them, see that ye do them.

Access to the atonement helps us to live eternally with God, Jesus Christ and our Families.

For these gifts and covenants-, Thanks be to God.

Ronald A. Rasband- Paxton our Grandson was born with a chromosomal deletion. For reasons unknown some persons are born with disabilities, all of our bodies are subject to disease and death. A perfect body is not needed in this life. Some of the sweetest spirits are espoused in frail frames. With infinite love and everlasting compassion, Heavenly Father loves you and your precious one. Why must we send our loved ones home early? Plan of Happiness, this life is training for eternal exaltation. That process means tests and trials. Trusting in God’s will is central to our mortality. We draw on Christ’s atonement when there are questions and few answers. Have ye any that are sick or afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither, I will heal them. Are there any of you who are afflicted in any way? For I have compassion of you, my bowels are moved with mercy. All the multitude went forth. He did heal them every one as they were brought forth to him. God’s works are being manifested through them. I have a great appreciation for those loving parents who bear heartbreak who has developed a serious mental or physical disability.

The parents submit cheerfully to all the events of the child’s life. The worth of this tiny soul is so great-- to those who were so carefully watching over him. Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. What the worth of the soul is both physically and spiritually to God.  Mortal Angels and Immortal Angels- being interested in the lives around us. Praying for each other, bringing over meals, doing laundry, taking siblings to their activities, offering hugs and kindness. The overwhelming joy that service and love. One cannot participate in helping others, without experiencing a rich blessing himself. Our caring, loving savior will always be there for us. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

We are all enlisted till the conflict is o’er

Happy are we, Happy are we.

Soldiers in the army, there’s a bright crown in store.

We shall win and wear it by and by

Reach out to those who are afflicted or hurt in any way.

President Monson- Eternal Truths, which will enrich our lives and save our home. People are in a hurry, jet powered air packs, vacations are enjoyed & familes visited. Roadways and railways everywhere carry people everywhere who seem to rush about the business of the day. What should we have for dinner. Should we sign Johnny up for soccer? Slow down and Enjoy life.

Our family is what is really important we can sense it.  This grandmother got her hair done twice a week and cherished her earthly prized possessions. She had little time for her grandchildren, so concerned about her prized possessions. Her mortal life was in jeopardy, she realized what was most precious to her. What matters in our lives how we live it. Lay not for yourselves treasures on earth, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is there will your heart be also. The soul of man reaches heavenward in our times of need. Where did we come from. Why are we here. Where do we go after we leave this life? These questions transcend mortality. We are the offspring of God. The Lord has declared that the spirit and the body are the soul of man. The spirit is the offspring of God. The Father of Spirits. The spirits of all man and others; women and children. Wordsworth; our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting, the soul that riseth with us hath elsewhere setting another star, we come from God who is our own. Heaven lies about us in our infancy. Parents ponder their responsibility to reach and inspire their children. Children and youth ask the question why am I here? We gain an opportunity to prove ourselves in order to qualify for all God has prepared for us to receive. Been given a body of flesh and bones, and the gift of agency. We discern between good and evil. There are consequences attached to our actions. Obedience to God’s commandments, in my father’s house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am there shall ye be also. The need to reach heavenward for assistance. God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord have marked the way to perfection. Beckon us to the eternities and to become perfect as they are perfect. Let us run with patience the race that is before. The prize belongs to him who endures to the end.

We have been provided divine attributes to guide our journey. We have been given the power to think, reason and to achieve. Receive from our Heavenly Father Guidance to insure our safe return. The words of the Lord and the words of the Prophets to help us successfully cross our mortal mission. The pain of sickness, the failing of summer, the approach of autumn, the chill of winter, and the experience of death. If a man die, shall he live again? The question always return. Death comes to all mankind. Comes to the aged. Sometimes it hushes the laughter of little children. Is death the end of all?

It is she, and yet it is not she. It is changed, she is not the same. What could be gone, if it not the soul. Death is not what some people imagine. It is like going to another room. Where we greet our brothers and sisters and friends who have gone before. The spirits of all man, whether they be good or evil are taken home to that God that gave them life. The spirits of the righteous are received in happiness called paradise, where they shall rest from all their troubles, care and sorrow.

Why seek ye the living among the dead. He is not here for he is risen. We shall all be resurrected. Celestial Glory we seek, the presence of God we desire to dwell, a forever family in which we want membership.

LDS Conference Weekend

I am watching LDS General Conference today and tomorrow.
If you are interested in my faith or have questions about what we believe,
I invite you to watch,  or listen to answer your questions.

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch?lang=eng

Have a great weekend!

Chelsea Merkley

Doldrums

It's the end of March. I graduate on May 4! I love school, but I'm tired!
The beginning of the term and in the winter I am usually very excited about projects and papers.
Right now my motivation seems to have gone!
I am almost at the end of my Undergraduate Career.
I feel like a part of me has died.

I have loved being in school and learning.
I really like the adult socialization, with others my age, (and younger)- especially the girls.
I have always been a very social person, and since High School it's been hard to keep in touch with my friends and actually go see them and do things with them, since I've been married and had a child.

My spontaneous personality has had to be tamed. Needless to say I still want to go to California and Washington D.C. or NYC every few weeks, but my insatiable desire for escape does not help me stay in reality sometimes.

I just wrote a paper for a course and before I started it I had a headache, not sure why.
I figured out I have 10 Chapters to read, and more pages in another book before writing
and Internet Discussion due by March 31. Which is soon!
I would like to pursue a graduate degree in Psychology or Education eventually.
I know I'm silly! But, I would love to go Educational Psychology and get a Teacher's License
for K-6! Here's the kicker, it takes 3 years!

Anyways, I liked how the day started this morning with sunny weather and seeing my gorgous flowers, watering them and playing with my son. But the gloominess of the ominous, black clouds outside seems to have gotten to my emotions. I hope the sun returns soon!

Happy Thursday!

Chelsea Merkley

Talk to God like he is there, I know he's there

I love this song and this video; Hello World Lady Antebellum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al2DFQEZl4M&ob=av3e

Chelsea

Night Terror

My poor sick boy has suffered from Croup
For a few days. He woke up screaming that
There were spiders all over him and biting him.
He thought they were flying around our house and
crawling all over hIs hands, in his sweatshirt pocket & on all the walls.
I explained to him that he was pretending to see the spiders.
There are no real spiders. "Yes they are they're on your legs too and on my bed!"
Aggggggggggh Spiders Spiders Spiders! Help me!"
"Get them off!"

I held him & comforted him. I rocked him.
I told him the Spiders he was seeing are a dream.
I told him he was using his imagination to see them.
That they were fake. He was pretending & thinking it was real.
The episode in it's extreme state lasted 30 minutes. The calmer, more sparratic outbursts lasted 40 minutes. This all started at 3:40 am with him jumping out of bed screaming there was a spider in his sweatshirt pocket & crawling all over him. The odd thing, is that his eyes were wide open the whole time & he was crying. He was so terrified. It broke my heart.
It calmed him down some when I sprayed "Gone Spider Potion" all over his room & on his bed. On Dad & on Christopher.
Which was actually a spray bottle with water in it.

I also gave him some toddler cough medicine to calm him and ease his fears. I hope it helps his throat & nose too. His Dad sat with him in bed for a while and let him listen & watch Dinosaur books on his Ipad.

I have a video but my Iphone won't let me post it.
It's quite sad, but funny too.I sure hope these sort of waking bad dreams don't become a habit.

Chelsea

Spring Break

The weather has been really nice the past few days so I have been outside playing
With my som on the swing set, taking pictures of him playing in the sandbox & the leftover
Snow that hasn't melted yet.
I will include the pics later.


Robert and I finished all our homework & Exams last night!
I hope we did well! I won't hear what score I got until March 19!

it has been an adventure trying to potty train Christopher for the past 9 days.
lots of wash has been done, but he is getting better at trying.
The trick so far is making him think it's his idea that he needs to go.
He's stubborn, so this definitely will take some time!
Could use some prayers for me to have patience and deal with long-suffering better!

Christopher is refusing to nap now, which is really hard-- because I need a rest too.
We are taking him outside on his balance bike when he wakes up!

Chelsea