Susan McCloud THE JOY WITHIN ME NOW It is WINTER in FULL FORCE . . . which, here in Utah, means as much RAIN in the Valleys as possible, and deep white snow in the mountains . . . with the prayer that it will melt slowly to accommodate our water supply. Is CHRISTMAD becoming a memory. What area the things WE LOOK FORWARD TO in our days . . . Watch for my new BLOG and my coming PODCAST!! Adventures -- GIVE AWAYS!! -- POETRY and the WAYS and NEEDS of WOMEN BEAUTY DISCOURAGEMENT QUESTIONS HOPES LOVE 2023 Let us become BETTER ACQUAINTED . . . and JOURNEY TOGETHER . . .

Susan McCloud THE JOY WITHIN ME! I am fast approaching the yearmark for my hip replacement surgery. How entirely, last March, did my life very suddenly change. I lived on the couch in the family room. I watched every DVD in my generous collection. i read dozens of books -- most of which i had read before either once or twice.

I did much thinking and pondering. I learned new meanings for the word Patience. I found myself feeling grateful for every little blessing or kindness that came my way. I felt the Presence of many of those I love who have gone before . . . new gentle understandings were given to me. I opened my heart, and I began to feel LOVE in many new, gentle, quite precious ways. And I wrote a NEW BOOK. I did not feel ready. my body was not strong enough. Long hours of sitting at my desk would not be good for me. Late hours looking up sources --agonizing over sources -- getting far less sleep than I needed in order to heal . . . But SUSA! I had wanted to write about Susa for many long years. So, through the grace of He who is always willing to help us -- to empower and magnify us -- WOMEN of POWER was born. LUCY BIGELOW had a rare and powerful gift of healing. SHe did not worry about what she was getting from life, but what she was able to give. SUSA YOUNG GATES had to grow up and learn from many things that she suffered. But she loved truth. And she loved and trust her father, Brigham Young, and her mother. She was vivacious, hard-working, and possessed a faith that helped her to Serve and to pay honor to her Heavenly Father, even when experiencing the loss of her precious children.

SUSA was born in the LION HOUSE-- the first child born there-- pictured her with her Father, BRIGHAM YOUNG To COMPLETE this POST I am going to share with yhou a QUOTE from CHARLES DICKENS "Nothing vanishes from the eye of God, though much might pass away from the eyes of men. The children that we were are not lost to the great knowledge of our Creator. Those innocent creatures will appear with us before Him, and plead for us. What we were in the best of our generous youth will arise and go with us, too. The purest part of our lives will not desert us at the pass to which al of us here are gliding. What we were then will be as much in existence before Him, as what we are now. SO much BEAUTY and WISDOM in the WORLD! SO many REASONS to REJOICE!! S \\

This Is My Day

Susan McCloud THE JOY WITHIN ME! THIS IS MY DAY-- that is how my bog started out. The JOY WITHIN ME is the second try. BOTH come from songs I have written either for the Church or my own projects. It is TIME to get some new things posted here! This is a hopeful experiment to see if I am able to use this site at this time . . .

Susan McCloud THE JOY WITHIN ME! THIS is a late Christmas posting. I know this Christmas has been different from any other. We have experienced more fear, more frustration, more anger, more loneliness than ever before. We have also felt more of an awareness of our Selves -- of others -- of the world around us -- of the joys and blessing of our lives -- of the marvels of human existence. I would like to share my CHRISTMAS POEM with you: She who belongs to every woman's heart, She alone whome gods and goddesses cherished and loved -- And He, who would lean on her care Until he drew his last breath . . . Without the aid of his Father and his God. But she was there: She who was flesh of his flesh, She -- who had given Him life -- Sat beside Him in death.

Susan McCloud THE JOY WITHIN ME! The BIRTH of a BOOK is much like the birth of a child. Before the EMERGENCE into reality there are months and months of effort,patience, hard work -- months of hopes, frustrations -- months of walking into the unknown, holding onto what, for a time, is only a drean. TODAY a new book has come to light: WOMEN of the RESTORATION. It was my honor to reserach the lives of TWELVE remarkable early Women in the History of the Church: to tell their stories, their heartaches, their fears, their faith, their triumphs. I feel their Spirits in the pages of the books, and I believe the readers will, too. Leave a COMMENT. Contact Cedar Fort Publishers for a discounted copy. CHRISTMAS is on its way. I PROMISE you that you will never regret the enrichment that will come into your lives by getting to know these Women--as friends from a time not forgotten nor lost!

Susan McCloud THE JOY WITHIN ME! It is NOVEMBER: we are nearing the end of this Yer Out of Time -- and we feel it now, because November is neither Autumn nor Winter. Have you ever thought about that. Autumn very quietly fades, and begins to withdraw, and Winter has not opened his bag of snow and ice . . he is slow and thoughtful . . and thus we draw our breaths, and Use November: For What? Cleaning up yard, garage, even the crowded storage in the basement. Completing our canning of tomatoes and peaces, or fruited jellies-- even lavender jelly and dandelion jelly . . . We feel Peace. We feel a bit of a pausing. I watch my trees, and do what I can to help them before the frost comes and the snapping cold. What do you think of November? I hope it awakens something that is deep and ancient within you. I hope it brings you days of wonder, days of good work, days of joy.

AUTUMN MUSINGS

Susan McCloud THE JOY WITHIN ME

After a long, strange summer, autumn is slowly spreading the splendor of her quiet beauty-- not only in the mountains, but here on the valley floor. On Center Street, when I am out watering or working with my flowers, people pass--walking dogs, or walking their children. There is a quiet peace and comradeship as we greet one another. Most of the people pause to look at the gruesome faces on our tall old trees--Halloween creatures left over from last year, but the children love them, and beg to be held up to touch them. Many lovely parents and children whom I do not know spend long make-believe moments there. PUMPKINS, and yellow leaves, and a slow growing toward Halloween night.

PROGRESS! The first podcast is up and available at: https://xro5wbyx.pages.infusionsoft.net there will be a place asking you to Subscribe. just scroll down to where it says: Listen without Subscribing! I believe you will enjoy the lives of these three women and the beginnings of life and settlement in the SALT LAKE VALLEY

GREETINGS! Just a reminder to check out my podcast -- the firstis of the three original WOMEN who entered the Salt Lake Valley with Brigham Young. There will be another PODCAST in two weeks -- another two weeks later! SITE: https://xro5wbyx.pages.infusionsoft.net/ Please JOIN US. I think you'll like what you hear!

GREETINGS!!




A simple shepherdess: quiet and peace

This is the first POST I have written in several years, and I am excited to be back in the medium:  Look up my Instagram account, which is:
susanevansmccloudauthor -- that should be easy to remember.

The little shepherdess above, by Bouguereau, has long been one of my favorites.              PEACE.   We have felt isolation -- boredom --
                                          worry -- loss -- but not peace in
                                          these months since March.

It IS in our hearts and our hands to Do It -- if we will.
            Wayne Dyer's words are so true: they both frustrate and
            assure us. He says: PEACE is the result of re-training your
            mind to process Life As It Is . . . rather than as you think
            it should be . . .

BRIGHAM YOUNG was not quite 43 years old
when the Prophet JOSEPH was killed in Carthage
jail.   Suddenly HE was responsible for thousands
of people who were being driven from their fine
homes and farms -- and once again starting out
with nothing but their faith -- not even knowing
where they were going . . .
It was all in his hands          but he knew by now
how to call upon that power, the only Power that
could uphold and direct himself and the Saints.
They did not have "Life as It Should Be" -- save
where THEY themselves made it true.


WE feel distressed and uncertain in our world -- and rightfully so. But
in a few days we will be celebrating those people who made it from Nauvoo
to Winter Quarters . . . to the Great Salt Lake . . . leaving many lonely
graves behind them . . . suffering, suffering . . . and still going on!

         WE have So Many Reasons to    REJOICE!
                   Let us take them.
                   Let us open our hearts and be grateful and glad.

That is My Word for the day.  Those who went before are still
                         watching us. Make no mistake about that.
They are loving -- and yearning  --  and helping, wherever they can.


              LET'S THINK BEYOND -- and GRASP what is
                                  WAITING FOR US!

We've been given GIFTS we don't always recognize:
Siegfried Sassoon said: Quietude is essential to human happiness.
       This fact needs to be comprehensibly re-discovered.



       And SISTERS: what about this, from a DAR toast in 1910:
         
              What did they do, our grandmothers, as they sat
               spinning all the day -- are we not, ourselves, the                                      web they wove?
 
 
 
 
 
 

                               

                 The Web they Wove . . .

Let us weave these days we have been given with all the beauty we can
            learn and discover within our Selves . . . IT IS THERE.
                 We will be ASTOUNDED at these beauties, and
                       the ways they begin to bless our lives . . .

                     
    "THIS and MY HEART" . . . as Emily Dickinson said . . . "and all
                           the bees, and all the meadows wide . . . "

                This -- my first renewed posting:   SUSA 2!