brains and prayer

Dear friends

I wanted to share this so I don’t forget.  And I wanted to write it so I remember. 

It’s a short passage from Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons.  Leonardo Vetra is explaining prayer to his daughter, Vittoria:

He took a model of the human brain down from a shelf and set it in front of her.
‘As you probably know, Vittoria, human beings normally use a very small percentage of their brain power. However, if you put them in emotionally charged situations – like physical trauma, extreme joy or fear, deep meditation – all of a sudden their neutrons start firing like crazy, resulting in massively enhanced mental clarity.’
‘So what?’ Vittoria said.  ‘Just because you think clearly doesn’t mean you talk to God.’
‘Aha!’ Vetra exclaimed.  ‘And yet remarkable solutions to seemingly impossible problems often occur in these moments of clarity.  It’s what gurus call higher consciousness. Biologists call it altered states. Psychologists call it super-sentience.’  He paused. ‘And Christians call it answered prayer.’ Smiling broadly, he added, ‘Sometimes, divine revelation simply means adjusting your brain to hear what your heart already knows.’

And then, this weekend, in preparation for a lesson, my dear husband shared this quote with me, from February 2003 Ensign, James E. Faust (belated Apostle):

“An important part of the spiritual being within all of us is the quiet and sacred part from which we may feel a sanctification in our lives. It is that part of us wherein no other soul may intrude. It is that part that permits us to come close to the divine, both in and out of this world. This portion of our beings is reserved only for ourselves and our Creator. We open the portals thereof when we pray. It is here where we may retreat and meditate. It is possible for the Holy Ghost to abide in this special part of us. It is a place of special communion. It is the master cell of our spiritual battery.”

I know that that part of us where no other soul can intrude is within us all; it’s part of who we are as human beings, and probably part of that portion of our brain that lies dormant so often. 

I believe we can all do much to adjust our brain, come close to the divine and receive the personal messages that Father wants to tell us. 

Palmyra lost

Dear friends

I’m sorry to read today – BBC news article – about the destruction of the temple at Palmyra, Syria. It seems insane, to me, that historical buildings and art work should become targets. But I suppose that is part of any ideological war.

I’m working on qualifying as a conservation architect and I love the care that can be found in older artefacts. This summer we visited a Gothic church (or two!) in France – those vaulted ceilings are an inspiration. 

Why did they build like that?

One of our dear children asked me.  To glorify God, I explained – they were building the best for God. 

Those buildings, constructed following a simple belief system of worshiping Deity, are marvels in whatever culture, because of the belief of those that caused them to be built.  I’m sure there were some unrighteous happenings during their construction – slave labour, exploitation, corruption – and there was death and injury.  For those reasons too we should never forget – that construction may be their only legacy.  I find when visiting such historical places that my mind reflects on the people of that time.  My spirit is touched by their lives.

So I’m grateful for those that work hard to record buildings, edifices, so we can visit, reflect and grow. 

they’re back…

It always feels so much better when family is together again 🙂

missing them…

Dear friends
Our two eldest children are spending the week at FSY – For the Strength of Youth. It’s like a 5 day youth convention for LDS youth, 14-18 years, from half the country, held every two years. They come back on Saturday.
The house seems so quiet and spacious.  As my dear husband noted:

Four less feet…

It’s been a chance for Daur2 to shine and do the washing up every day. For Son2 to shine by emptying the bins. And for us all to reflect on how much we miss the teenage banter 🙂

blogging… et al

Dear friends

I’ve been having a bit of a blog designing session – and it’s all left me feeling exhausted.  It began yesterday with Daur1 designing a blog logo/ banner and has ended with me trying on and off various themes to find one that I feel portrays me!  For a designer of buildings, I’ve found it difficult to get my head round why certain themes don’t do certain things and although there’s probably some add-on/ plug-in that can be done, I’m not into the technological aspects that badly.  I simply want it to be attractive, easy to read and navigate, and reflect a part of me. What do you think?

I return to work tomorrow after two weeks on leave so that is probably adding to the exhausted and stressed feelings.  Although, it is all change in a few weeks; the assistants will go back to university and we will have at least one new one.  And a couple of the projects were at feasibility and concept design stage so it will be good to work a little more conceptually while others are still on holiday.  Despite my moans about work, I do enjoy being an architect!

I’ve had quite a few thoughts about what I want to write about – there’s clearly the whole death of a lion issue versus death of a negro; I’ve been doing family history and have been thinking on how I bear the signs of yesteryear; a new shopping centre has received planning permission and it looks like another ship (I need to do a blog on how many buildings in our town look like ships).

I think I’ve shared this scripture before but it does seem very appropriate for all the eclectic thoughts going round my mind, from Mosiah chapter 4, verse 27, King Benjamin’s words:

And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.

back home

Dear friends
Arrived back from holiday in France, yes, we were affected by the trouble in Calais but not so much to spoil holidays away.  However, we were all glad to be back in our little home. And this quote from Thomas S Monson, #LDSconf, #LDSprophet, which I saw on Facebook was a reminder of what it should all be about.  And why we can’t be on holiday every day! 🙂

A home is much more than a house built of lumber, brick, or stone.  A home is made of love,  sacrifice and respect.