Heaven's Campus

Sometimes in life we lose a loved one and no matter how hard we try we cannot make sense of the loss. I offer this as a source of comfort that we may all know that Heavenly Father sees the bigger picture.....

We would have held them closely.
To hold them gently here
But, it wasn't meant to be
And . . . now we struggle through our tears.
We know that one day later
We'll see them endless times
But, for now, they are just healing
In the arms of the divine.
We cannot know the answers
To every question asked
So, for now we each must labor
To accomplish our own tasks.
May Father heal our wounded souls
And bless our minds to see
The essence of their spirit
That blessed our lives so perfectly.
May we be given solace
Father loves us each, you see
He knows the tests He gave us
To cloak us for eternity.
So, while we miss our loved one
Who has left us for a while
May we listen for their echo
Heard on our mortal mile.
Then, when we've learned the song
Father saved for us to sing
May we take it home with us
As our gifts from life we'll bring.
May we learn our lessons well
While Father teaches them above
Then one day in heaven's classroom
We'll find the circle of God's love.
-Shanna C. Hugie

Gospel's Vacancy

Sometimes we watch loved ones struggle. Sometimes we struggle. I wrote this as I reflected how sometimes the prayers of another can and does make all the difference . . .

I was born into the Gospel
And baptized then at eight.
I was taught the many truths
That the way I could locate.
As I grew I came to question
All that I had learned
I found no testimony
In my heart that burned.
I felt hope slip away
The world seemed dark and gray.
The sadness of this life
Filled my heart with deep dismay.
No longer did a sunrise
Stir my heart to fill
Gratitude escaped my being
As my spirit became ill...
My essence became vacant
As I drifted time to time
I forgot that I was precious
In the image of divine.
It was easy to despair
And impossible to dream
I started living counterfeit
As I fulfilled a black hole scheme.
Yet - - - someone from beyond
Kneeled down upon their knees
Praying fervently to Father
To throw a line to me.
My hands were thrashing wildly
In the darkness I was in
I felt a chord - I grabbed it firm
Then . . . I was lifted up to Him...
-Shanna C. Hugie

Shoes of Time

As I finished watching the first two sessions of October 2009 LDS Conference and felt a new resolve to "be in touch" and "run the Lord's Errand" daily, I thought of my family as they have given service in their lives. I wrote the following. Although it is about serving an LDS mission, that's really what life is all about----service...


Lord, you called me on this mission
Then, I started to prepare
The earthly things I needed
To give my service there.
The “to dos” seemed overwhelming
As I planned what I would need
Clothing, books and all supplies
That would help me to succeed.
From the time that I was small
My parents helped me to
Prepare my inner spirit
To give my all to You.
My spirit had been clothed
With a testimony strong.
The spirit blessed me often
To choose the right from wrong.
The clothing purchased carefully
Would announce me to the world
That they might know in spirit
I would share a treasured pearl.
For my outer self must reflect
What my spirit had become
So my message could be heard
I was there to find someone.
My clothing started new
My shoes were tight at first
Yet, walking on the Lord’s path
Worn soles and seams did burst.
Although I had been careful
And my clothing lasted well
My shoes wore out quite often
As I walked the service trail.
May my feet be led in wisdom
Down the pathway I am led
May my footsteps wear out the shoes of time
That Father’s children may be fed.
-Shanna C. Hugie