Emily Belle Freeman



When August Comes

Summer of Many MerciesAlma 44:20 - Alma 47:4

When August comes in my little town We sit out and then hear the summertime sounds slowly fade away Like an old parade All in slow mo...

Peter Breinholt, When August Comes

It is August, and in my little town it was one of those summer nights.

There were children chalking big hearts and stars on black asphalt.

Others played kick the can in the middle of the circle.

Neighbors sat on porches and soaked it all in...the running feet, and the laughter, and the crickets.

I love these nights.

There just aren't enough of them.

This was one of those nights when you find you are grateful for the little things.  The things you maybe take for granted.  Like chalk.  An old soup can.  Crickets.

It's after listing the small things that the list begins to grow.  You add things like friends, neighbors, family.

Home.  Religion.  Country.

The stuff that's important.

It's good to remember these blessings.  To stand up for them.  To fight for them.

Like Moroni did.

"And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it ––In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children ––and he fastened it upon the end of a pole...and he called it the title of liberty...and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren..."  (Alma 46:12-13)

I wonder if it was an August night?

Maybe today we can remember what is most important to us.  The things we are most grateful for.  The mercies He has bestowed upon us.

Perhaps tonight we could bow ourselves to the earth, and pray mightily unto God.

In gratitude.

And to ask that the blessing of liberty will continue to rest upon us.

So we can have more August nights like this one.