THREE RED MARBLES

This story first appeared in the October 1975 Ensign Magazine.  It's one of my favorites for it exemplifies the power of Christlike love.  Enjoy! 

One day Mr. Miller was bagging some early potatoes for me. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas.

      I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.

      Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller and  the ragged boy next to me.

     "Hello Barry, how are you today?"

     "H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas ... sure look good."

      "They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?"

      "Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time."

      "Good. Anything I can help you with?"

      "No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas."

      "Would you like to take some home?"

      "No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with."

      "Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?"

      "All I got's my prize marble here."

      "Is that right? Let me see it."

      "Here 'tis. She's a dandy."

      "I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort  of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?"
      "Not zackley ... but almost."

      "Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble."

      "Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller."

      Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me.  With a smile she said, "There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one,  perhaps."

       I left the stand smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering.

      Several years went by, each more rapid that the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his viewing that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them.

      Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could. Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts ... all very professional looking.

      They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes  followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

      Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and mentioned the story she had told me about the marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket. "Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size ... they came to pay their debt."

       "We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world," she confided, "but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho."

      With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband.

      Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

By W. E. Petersen

    "...love one another; as I have loved you.... By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."    John 13:34-35

WHEN HAPPINESS COMES CALLING

LIFE IS TOO SHORT to be anything but happy, considering we have been given endless possibilities for a happy life.  

Happiness is a creation of ones perception, it can be very small or enormous in size, depending on our thoughts. It can be found in the darkest of times, when all seems hopeless, or in a small ray of light coming through the window pain.  The journey to happiness begins with a single thought, for one will never be happier than they expect to be. If you are unhappy, change your expectations.  

True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, rather through fidelity to a worthy cause. 

Anyone can create happiness by learning to enjoy the simple things in life: laugh out loud, compliment others, cherish memories, follow your heart, sing in the rain, embrace opportunities, create kindness, believe in miracles, smile, hum a melody, smell the fresh air, share, listen to the birds, walk in the park, help others, wave to a neighbor, hold open a door...the possibilities are endless, but remember, happiness is a choice in life and not a chance or accident.  It's practiced, it's planned and it's entirely intentional! 

Happiness allows one to profit from their highest thoughts, wisdom, emotions, common sense and intelligence. It is the soul purpose and aim of human life, and it come readily when we appreciate what we presently have and not when we are in want.  Happiness increases when its given to others and consequently, it doesn’t come from materialism, it comes from doing and sharing. 

The greatest part of happiness isn't in the circumstances, its in the attitude, because happiness is not a yearning destination, but the way we perceive the journey.  It is created when we think through our heart and not through our mind and it begins to develop when we plan for the best possible outcome.  "Happiness is the simple harmony between what we are and what we are to become." ( I dedicate this to my daughter, Christa, who exemplifies the word happiness in all that she does.) Written by Linda Sumner Urza for: onefineday11.blogspot.com

DOWN IN THE TRENCHES

Yesterday, I attended a conference with the women of my church.  The previous week had been an extremely difficult one for me and I was looking forward to replenishing my spiritual reservoir.  I sat down next to a lady I had never seen before and proceeded to listen intently to the speakers.  I don't know if anyone else ever feels the way I do, but it amazes me how spiritual talks always seem as though they were meant just for me.  Almost as if the Heavens know exactly what I need in my life and delivers it first class.

Toward the end of the program there was a beautiful musical number by a young lady.  I was caught up in the rapture of her amazing voice, until the lyrics hit a tender nerve.  I felt the life begin to slowly seep out of the cracks and crevasses of my heart and I fought to hold back the tears.  Then thoughts of despair overcame me.  Would I ever be good enough, I thought to myself?  My mind shifted back to all the burdens I had to bear for decades and suddenly life seemed cruel and unfair, especially for someone who had been so devoted to serving the Lord.

My faith was replaced with doubt and I could feel the ego mind twisting my thoughts into a contorted piece of metal.  I lamented on the thousands of hours of service I had spent to be right with the Lord and wondered if I would ever quite measure up.  Had I done something wrong in the preexistence to deserve this many trials, I wondered?  And, I had certainly had my share of them.

My dad passed away when I was much too young to be without a father figure in my life. His death was proceeded by that of my sister's, followed by the death of my mother. Somehow, through the all the difficulties, I managed to hold onto the iron rod and my faith continued to increase. 

I married when I was 22 and began a little family.  This brought more joy into my life than I had room to receive, but it was short lived.  In 1982, my daughter passed away in my arms and I felt an emptiness that was beyond description.  Three days later, I found myself in the Alpine cemetery standing beside her grave.  I wondered how life could require so much, yet render so little.  Later that day, I went home and hid away in the shower where no one could see or hear me cry out.  In the loneliness of my empty arms there was no comfort to be had.  I tried to wash away the unbearable pain, but it was impossible to conceal.   The next day I pretended everything was going to get better, until finally one day it did.

A few years later my daughter married a young man that turned our lives upside down with his drug use, alcohol abuse, lies and deceit.  We spent the next seven years begging her to leave him, until that day came when she gained enough courage to move forward.  Not long after that,  I found out my sons was suffering from a mental illness.  He had worked as an executive for Charles Schwab and suddenly he snapped from all the pressures in his life.  The doctors diagnosed him with schizophrenia, accompanied by sever manic depression.  He refused to take medication and a few months later he just walked away from his life, his job, and our family.

My family spent the next eleven years trying to get him the assistance he needed, but he had resorted to living in the streets.  I couldn't take it anymore and I demanded the civil courts get involved.  I quit my job managing at dental office and spent the next three years working with doctors to restore his health.  Today, he is living a happy and fulfilling life.

There is an old saying that tragedies have a tendency to come in threes and that's exactly what happen a few years later.  Three untimely deaths of loved ones left me wrenching with heartache in 2011.  My sister died of heart complications followed by the tragic death of my grandson, and then that of my best friend of nearly 40 years.

As I sat in the chapel that day thinking back over the years, it was more than I could comprehend.  I listened as the lady finished her musical number, but then my head dropped in exhaustion from my relentless thoughts.  At that very moment I heard the voice of a higher source calling me by name, it was as if it were brail of the heart and although it was not audible to others, it was perfectly clear to me.

"Linda, you have been down in the trenches serving the Lord; not once were you a spectator sitting on the grassy hillside.  You were always willing, without hesitation, to assisting those whom others would readily abandon, and never afraid to march into battle."

As I heard this message my entire spirit was filled with gratitude.  Gratitude for the assignments that I'd been given, gratitude for the challenges I had learned to overcome, and gratitude that the Lord found me willing and ready to serve.

At that moment, I realized that the trenches in life had sealed my testimony to the Lord.  Just as Jesus had given His life for me, I too was given the opportunity to show my commitment to Him.  I testify that the trials that are given is the road back to a loving Heavenly Father, a Father who loves you and knows you by name.  Written by Linda Sumner Urza for:  onefindday11.blogspot.com