milk & honey mamas

Prayer for the mess

Written by Kristen

Ah, Tender One, holder of the flames, 

speak peace to my ache tonight. 

I pray for the Moronis of this world, so certain and steadfast and hot in defense of good. There are times to tear things down, to raise our banners, to be certain we are right. And Moroni was so certain he was right. I pray for his heat, his heart, his good and his rash sweep of protectiveness. 

I pray for the Lahonitis, who do not want a fight. I pray for the fortressed ones, the ones who let their guard down for a sweet talker, the ones who will not see the wolf in the garden. There are times to stay put, there are times to broker deals, there are times to get out of a fight. 

I pray for the Amalickiahs, so hungry for power it hurts. I pray for the ache of inflated pride, desperate to be filled with proof, and for the numbness to human causality. I pray for the ravening ones, the ever and always feasting ones, the ones who think the world is full of plenty when their own belly is full. 

I pray, Tender One, for the mess of all this together. We are all yours. We are all desperately yours. I pray for the clash of certainties, of ways firm and unyielding. I pray for the agony of dashed hopes regardless. For the ones that see the world burn, the unnamed ones who bear the weight of these competing powers, Merciful One, I pray hot tears of fire. I pray an iron shield in our midst. I pray to see the mess for its messiness, to see the weaving paths of good intentions, certainty, choice, consequence, and evil. I pray to see myself, a weaving path too, intersecting every one. 

I pray for the tragedy that is this story, the way it all ends in blood and agony and confusion. I pray for the beating wings of hope over this mess, carrying the song of all she has seen over the horizon. 

Ideas for Play

Contributed by Kristen

• Read the Book of Mormon Storybook!

• Watch the Book of Mormon video about Moroni 

• Act out the Moroni story

• What does it mean to see Moroni as a full person? Do we sometimes pedestalize him as a perfect saint? Might his story and life be better honored by seeing the complexity of his strengths and weaknesses? What does it mean to call him a scripture hero?

• Title of liberty coloring page

• Make your own family title of liberty. What do you stand for? What are your values?

• Listen to Into the West 

• What does it mean to have hope even when things don’t work as we’d wanted?

Artwork

Compiled by Caroline

Poetry

Compiled by Caroline

To fight aloud is very brave – (138)

By Emily Dickinson

To fight aloud, is very brave – 

But gallanter, I know

Who charge within the bosom

The Calvalry of Wo – 

Who win, and nations do not see – 

Who fall – and none observe – 

Whose dying eyes, no Country

Regards with patriot love – 

We trust, in plumed procession

For such, the Angels go –

Rank after Rank, with even feet –

And Uniforms of snow.

Music 

Compiled by Caroline