One final thought for the night....

It's late and there's a good chance that some of you are already convinced that I have no life and that is why I blog so much. While that may be partially true, today has been a great day and I can't help but want to share my experiences. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I attended Music & the Spoken Word today. I haven't gone for a few months and had been looking forward to going this morning for a few days now. Friday evening I started getting sick and spent most of Saturday moping around my apt wishing I could sleep but couldn't. Work Saturday night was anything but enjoyable but I knew that today was Fast Sunday and not only would I get to reap the benefits of hearing the testimonies from those in my ward, but also I would get to attend Music & the Spoken Word. I woke up this morning early despite being sick and found myself wishing I could sleep yet again. I opened up my computer and read some blog posts, talked with my best friend who is one of my roommates for a bit, and then spent some time determining if I felt up for going to up to Temple Square 2 1/2 hours before church or not. I decided to go. As I sat in the Tabernacle listening to them rehearse, I was amazed with the strength of the spirit that filled that tremendous hall. As I glanced over the program and learned that the choir would be performing "My Shepherd Will Supply My Needs" my heart instantly filled with emotion and my excitement and anticipation grew. I looked down to where an orchestra should be to accompany the choir for this song and saw nothing. My heart was almost broken. Shortly after, as the program was about to begin, three women made their way to the stage with a flute, an oboe, and a harp. This song would be complete. The program began and this was to be the second number that the choir would perform. As they finished their opening song, I felt my emotions began to swell. I quietly turned on the bench in the balcony where I was sitting so that I was facing the pipes. I knew what was coming and I wanted minimum exposure. As the harpist began to strum the strings of that beautiful instrument, and the oboe gracefully joined in, my emotions overflowed. I was so overcome with the spirit and the love that my Heavenly Father has for me that I lost it. I tried to discreetly wipe the tears from my eyes but I couldn't keep up. As the tears ran down my cheeks, I no longer cared who saw. I knew at that moment that I was loved. I knew why I was at that meeting. I knew that I mattered. There wasn't anything that anyone could say or do for that moment that would make me think otherwise. How grateful I am for music. How grateful I am for a loving and caring Heavenly Father that has chosen to bless me, and so many others, with his spirit to help us remember that we are indeed his children and more importantly, that he loves us. My trials and struggles didn't seem any less today but I felt less alone. As I read the lyrics to that wonderful song, I couldn't help but want for everyone to have a similar experience. The lyrics are below for your benefit and while the music isn't here to accompany the lyrics, I am sure at one point in time or another, most everyone has heard this great choir sing praises through this song:

1. My Shepherd will supply my need:
Jehovah is His Name;
In pastures fresh He makes me feed,
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back
When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy's sake,
In paths of truth and grace.

2. When I walk through the shades of death,
Thy presence is my stay;
A word of Thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.
Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,
Doth still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows,
Thine oil anoints my head.

3. The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may Thy house be my abode,
And all my work be praise!
There would I find a settled rest,
While others go and come;
No more a stranger, nor a guest,
But like a child at home.

May we all find the blessing that is ours of feeling "like a child at home" with our Heavenly Father.