Scares on the surface

Yesterday was our daughters birthday, can't believe she's 46 & that's exactly where I was just yesterday. I looked at my hands yesterday & thought to myself wow they look like an old woman's hands, then a peek in the mirror that night I realized I am getting there. I'm so thankful the dear Lord let me stay just a bit longer here on this earth. A couple of nights ago we attended the 3rd ward's temple night a dear sister was sitting in the front seat with me & sister Smith was in the back seat, the light was green so we weren't slowing down any, there was a car to my left when I noticed him stopping so I slowed & stopped farther in the intersection than the car to my left when a car came through the red light going at least 45 or 50 it never even tried to stop, we were within inches & I know I'd never have lived through that & probably not the other sister in the front seat either. I seen the headlines flash through my mind, in the newspaper headlines reading, two sisters killed in a t bone car crash one from Utah the other from Plano Tx. I sat for a moment in the middle of the intersection as did the other car & heard the phone call to my daughters. Do you know Connie Putnam? We are sorry to have to tell you that she was killed in an auto accident tonight. We experience so many things in a life time which was brought to my attention this week when I received a small package from my niece, inside was another heart shaped rock which she has sent me quite a few beautiful heart shaped rocks over the last 5 years. Her note read, thinking of you this morning, on my walk, I wished for a heart shaped rock to send you I found some extremely imperfect ones, which made me think, we don't all have perfect hearts and...I suppose we can't be too critical when we are trying our best. I finally spotted a plump heart shaped rock, it looks like it is bursting with love. It has some scares on the surface from a lifetime of getting ran over by trucks, graters & cattle trailers. That's sort of how each of our hearts are, scares from a lifetime of experiences. What a lesson & I've pondered all week on my own heart & came up with, sometimes its so soft, tender & so full of charity, other times it's hard almost like it has a shell around it to protect it from being bumped, hurt or damaged. This week for a moment take a look at your own heart & the lifetime of scares it has on it then hopefully we can all fill our own hearts with a little more love & charity for others. I know my own heart is full of gratitude & thankfulness for a little more time to finish up some unfinished work I have. I guess you could say I have some matters unorganized. Last week brought to the surface of my mind just how fast our life can be over & how truly precious it is. Lets all try a little harder to make each day count & do something good in our world today. The thought I received this week & have pondered it "One dreamed of becoming somebody. Another remained awake and became." The scripture is D&C 84:36-38. I want each one of you out there family, friend or acquaintance to know I love you & am so thankful to have had our lives cross paths with each other, I've learned from each one of you & thank you for your friendship. Have a great week & love one another...Sister Putnam