The touch of the Master's hand.

Going to the temple always brings blessings to my life. I am grateful for the time that I took to go to the temple yesterday. I received a lot of peace, and some answers, and I am just mainly very grateful for the love of my Father in Heaven. It has been quite a week, and though it didn't go the way that I wanted it to, I know that it went the way that it was supposed to. Though I don't know what the future holds in store for me, I know that as long as I take time to strengthen and develop my relationship with my Savior and my Heavenly Father, everything will eventually fall into place, and things will work out the way that they're supposed to. 

I am pretty sure that I received some revelation this weekend that is going to be challenging for me to follow. But that is the way that it is. Receiving revelation isn't always going to be comfortable. In fact, most of the time, it's not going to be comfortable at all. Change is HARD. Change can be painful. But He will help you find a way to achieve the change that you need to grow and progress and be better. 

Every week, I make mistakes, and every week I must try again. I am grateful for the love of a Savior who supports and sustains me when I am broken and unable to do so myself. Some days are harder than others, but as long as I have the support of my Savior and Heavenly Father, I will not fail. 

There is this poem that I LOVE and Kyle read it in sacrament meeting today, so I was thinking about it all day, and I wanted to share it with you. 

The Touch of the Master's Hand

~

'Twas battered and scarred,

And the auctioneer thought it

hardly worth his while

To waste his time on the old violin,

but he held it up with a smile.

"What am I bid, good people", he cried,

"Who starts the bidding for me?"

"One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?"

"Two dollars, who makes it three?"

"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three,"

But, No,

From the room far back a gray bearded man

Came forward and picked up the bow,

Then wiping the dust from the old violin

And tightening up the strings,

He played a melody, pure and sweet

As sweet as the angel sings.

The music ceased and the auctioneer

With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said "What now am I bid for this old violin?"

As he held it aloft with its' bow.

"One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?"

"Two thousand, Who makes it three?"

"Three thousand once, three thousand twice,

Going and gone", said he.

The audience cheered,

But some of them cried,

"We just don't understand."

"What changed its' worth?"

Swift came the reply.

"The Touch of the Masters Hand."

"And many a man with life out of tune

All battered and bruised with hardship

Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd

Much like that old violin

A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,

A game and he travels on.

He is going once, he is going twice,

He is going and almost gone.

But the Master comes,

And the foolish crowd never can quite understand,

The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought

By the Touch of the Masters' Hand.

- Myra Brooks Welch

The message of this poem is so beautiful. It's an analogy for us. We might seem, feel, or be broken, bruised, and worthless...but in the hands of our Father in Heaven, and in our Savior...we can become beautiful, whole, and priceless. It might seem like we are far beyond His reach, and that we can never return, and that we can never be whole or clean again, but that couldn't be further from the truth. It might take time, but He will tighten up our strings, tighten up our bow, and–if needed–restring and repair the violin and bow, and He will use us to make the most beautiful and mesmerizing melody. 

Kyle also said something that I absolutely loved...He said, "Where justice and mercy meet is the love of Christ." I loved that. The Atonement of Jesus Christ, and His love for us, is the balance of justice and mercy. He gave it all so that we could return to live with our Father in Heaven again. 

It isn't always easy to come back, but it is so easy to find Him. You just have to look. He is a part of our every day life and we shouldn't be afraid to look for Him. He is not just in our lives once every few pages. He's consistently there, and recognizing Him in our lives brings us joy. 

I know that God has touched my life in the most beautiful ways. I know that I haven't always done what He has wanted me to do...but He has blessed me anyway. As I have tried to live my life as He would have me do, I have felt His hand. I have felt His inspiration, and His loving touch. I have felt Him tighten my strings, and restring me when I was broken. I am practicing each week and He is tuning me up. He is preparing me for the final concert, and I know that with His help, I will be ready. 

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Mine is going to be long and very exhausting but I have faith that I can make it to the end! God loves you and so do I!

Xoxo

Mattie