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| https://vimeo.com/208431172 |
Dearest Beus Children,
Two years ago your sweet cousin Holly had recently lost the twin baby boys (see post here) and came to visit me with an idea. Our conversation was deeply comforting as we felt the tender principle of the eternal nature of family love surrounding us. She wanted to make a video for me of what I felt would be a specific message I would want to leave with my children and grandchildren.
One of my 'famous' sayings is "The Key to Happiness is not in having what you want, but in WANTING what you have!" I also love the life lessons we can learn from gardening in general! The story of "The Currant Bush" popped into my head as one of the best illustrations of this truth and as I told it to Holly, I think we both saw the possibility of this becoming one of her legendary videos. She took me outside with her camera, eventually brought her extremely artistic and equally talented friend, Tessa, on board and worked her magic! I'm more than grateful she would give us this gift and hope it can help any one feeling hurt or disappointment at life's strange and unexpected twists and turns.
A principle I added to the story is the idea that if you fill your garden with flowers the weeds cannot flourish. Fill your life with all the good things you can and you won't have time for or space for the bad. You will find it's easier to focus your attention and energy on things that bring you joy instead of stress.
Another principle I added and have found to be true is that The Gardener has a lot of effective tools. I have been the recipient of those tools. He's shoveled and planted me different places, teaching me tolerance and love throughout our moves around the country. Fertilizing goes without saying... I've had my share of it. Now, the pruning part of my life has come as pieces of me get cut off and cut out. Whatever beauty I thought I had once is gone, haha! Like the little currant bush, I'm not tall, elegant or stately. I'm wrinkly and scarred, round and getting rounder- but full of spiritual fruit - fruit that only I could have created and share! I'll take it! Heavenly Father is the one I REALLY want to love me and if He makes me, I can trust that it's going to be totally awesome! Learn to love the fruit that only YOU can create and trust that you will become EXACTLY what the dear Lord wanted you to be. 
I am grateful to have learned very early on not to compare myself to others... especially my worst against their best. In the video, the little currant bush compares itself to others and gets pretty angry at The Gardener but I have to tell you, I haven't felt much anger in my life about Heavenly Father's plan for me. I have been led into paths that brought out my happiness and encouraged a forgiving nature. Left on my own for a bit, I usually forget whatever it was that made me upset and find something to be happy about more closely at hand. It is a gift from God and I acknowledge it as one! One of the best! Now as I face this next period of endurance, I trust this gift to serve me well.
Her talents are well-established in the Vimeo world and I feel it is my great honor and privilege to share Holly' Dustin Richin's latest video production - a gift to our family.
"Happiness is Wanting What You CAN have."
Please enjoy this beautiful masterpiece! Please share it with someone who is in the pruning process. Tell them whatever trial they are facing, the Gardener is in charge and they will turn out EXACTLY how they are meant to be. TRUST the Gardener and everything will work out.
