October in Review

Heavenly Mother and Father love us, created all, forgive us, give us revelation, hear our prayers, heal us, and guide us.

This has been a big month for talk about Heavenly Mother.

Sarah wrote Half Doubting, Half Hoping at Feminist Mormon Housewives, which touches on how it's an uncomfortable place to be in to not know more about Heavenly Mother.
Like Unto Eve wrote a post titled, I Need my Mother. She also wrote My Facebook Coming Out: Seeking Revelation.
Daughters of Mormonism did a podcast entitled, "If Any of You Lack Sophia," in which Julene discusses the Divine Feminine.
Whoa man at the Exponent wrote a poignant piece called "Dear Mom."

Something is telling me I missed a really important one from earlier this month- have you seen any? Link in the comments!

I'm a Pilgrim, I'm a Stranger

This might sound silly, but I wanted to find a "Halloween-y" hymn. I think the first two verses of I'm a Pilgrim, I'm a Stranger are actually pretty spooky (if you're in that mind set). It's actually a beautiful hymn for non-Halloween times as well. I changed "Father" to "Parents" and also added "Mother" to the third verse.

I’m a pilgrim, I’m a stranger
Cast upon the rocky shore
Of a land where deathly danger
Surges with a sullen roar,
Oft despairing, oft despairing,
Lest I reach my home no more.

Misty vapors rise before me.
Scarcely can I see the way.
Clouds of darkest hue hang o’er me,
And I’m apt to go astray
With the many, with the many
That are now the vulture’s prey.

O my Parents, I entreat thee,
Let me see thy beck’ning hands;
And when straying, may I meet thee
Ere I join the silent band.
Guide me, Mother, guide me, Father,
Safely to the promised land.

Jeremiah 17:14

This was shared at a church meeting on Sunday and I liked it. I added the Lady.

14 Heal me, O Lord and Lady, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.

Secret Prayer

I added "and Lady" in the third line of the first verse where "I go" is and you have to stretch the syllables, but I think the meaning is preserved. Once I included the Lady by name, I used "They" and "Their" to take the one syllable position of "God" and "God's".

There is an hour of peace and rest,
Unmarred by earthly care;
’Tis when before the Lord and Lady
I kneel in secret prayer.

The straight and narrow way to heav’n,
Where angels bright and fair
Are singing to Their praise, is found
Thru constant secret prayer.

When sailing on life’s stormy sea,
’Mid billows of despair,
’Tis solace to my soul to know
They hear my secret prayer.

When thorns are strewn along my path,
And foes my feet ensnare,
My Savior to my aid will come,
If sought in secret prayer.

Chorus
May my heart be turned to pray,
Pray in secret day by day,
That this boon to mortals giv’n
May unite my soul with heav’n.

Amos 3:7

Scripture mastery time! I added the Goddess and made the scripture gender inclusive.

7 Surely the Lord GOD and Lady GODDESS will do nothing, but they revealeth their secrets unto their servants the prophetesses and prophets.

Gods, We Ask Thee Ere We Part

I'm not sure what to do with the one syllable of "Lord" to include Heavenly Mother, so I used "Gods." In the fourth verse, I changed "Lord" to "please" because it fit and the reference from "Father" to "Parents" in the third verse gives the fourth verse direction, so I didn't really need to re-name the recipients of the hymn.

Gods, we ask thee ere we part,
Bless the teachings of this day.
Plant them deep in ev’ry heart,
That with us they’ll ever stay.

In the innocence of youth,
We would all thy laws fulfill.
Lead us in the way of truth.
Give us strength to do thy will.

Parents, merciful and kind,
While we labor for the right,
May we in thy service find
Sweetest pleasure, pure delight.

All our follies, please forgive.
Keep us from temptations free.
Help us evermore to live
Lives of holiness to thee.

Sing Praise to Them

We sang Sing Praise to Him today and I had never heard of it before. I loved the analogy of God as a mother and enjoyed inserting the gender-inclusive language. "Him" to "them" and verb tense changes. I changed "Lord" to "Parents" or "Gods" and added "Lady" once as well.

Sing praise to them who reign above,
Parents of all creation,
The source of pow’r, the fount of love,
The rock of our salvation.
With healing balm my soul they fill
And ev’ry faithless murmur stills.
To them all praise and glory!

What their almighty pow’r hath made
Their gracious mercy keepeth.
By morning glow or evening shade
Their watchful eye ne’er sleepeth.
Within the kingdom of their might,
Lo! all is just and all is right.
To them all praise and glory!

Lord, Lady- never far away,
But, thru all grief distressing,
An ever-present help and stay,
Our peace and joy and blessing.
As with a mother’s tender hand,
They lead their own, their chosen band.
To them all praise and glory!

Thus, all my toilsome way along
I sing aloud thy praises,
That all may hear the grateful song
My voice unwearied raises.
Be joyful in the Gods, my heart!
Both soul and body bear your part.
To them all praise and glory!

Conference-style

There was one mention of "Heavenly Parents" during General Conference and I thought I'd share it here. I didn't have to modify anything! It's taken almost exactly from the Proclamation to the World, but still a mention! This is from Elder Randall K. Bennett's Sunday afternoon talk.

Each of you—as we have been taught this conference—is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents. You do have a divine nature and destiny.