A Christmas Story - Angels at Bath & Body Works

A Christmas Story

Strangers Turned Angels at "Bath & Body Works"

"I felt immediate relief as complete compassion was shown by this wonderful employee. 
There was no frustration, only concern and love."

Joshua and Selma.
We always loved being together!

How can I adequately express my gratitude and tenderness for the countless kindnesses given to me from people I had never met before.  But who quickly became friends with treasured memories. 

Bath & Body Works

It was Christmas 2003.  I was shopping with Joshua, Jeremy and Jeremy’s friend, Brett Sorensen.  Joshua  was still recovering from his two broken jaws, and so we brought him to the Mall in his wheelchair.  Joshua loved the Mall.  There were so many people to say hi to, give high fives and many smiles.  With the usual Christmas list, we decided to go in Bath & Body Works.  This was tricky with Joshua as the wheelchair fit down the aisles, but the displays were well within reach of his long arms.  While exerting much attention and strength to make sure his long arms did not throw a lotion or soap, It seemed like everything would be okay and I thought we had made it through without incident.

But then suddenly Joshua had a grand mal seizure right next to a nice display of various bath and body items.  

As is usual during a seizure, his body can flail and his arms began knocking down the items and sent many of them crashing on to the floor.  Jeremy and Brett were helping as best they could, as we tried to hold his thrashing body, keep him safe and lessen the amount of items crashing to the floor.  Of course, this caused quite a ruckus in the store, and a store employee quickly appeared. 

I felt immediate relief as complete compassion was shown by this wonderful employee.  There was no frustration, only concern and love.  We all worked through the seizure, protecting Joshua, soothing him, and after the seizure subsided, and as soon as possible, we were able to leave the store.  

The focus and attention from the employees of the store were to make sure Joshua was safe and taken care of, before anyone worried about cleaning up the mess in the store.  There was no guilt or blame as they were left with this extra work and expense, only complete empathy and understanding in helping us to be okay.  #bath&bodyworks

This was a priceless moment.

This was a gratitude moment.

This brought the true spirit of Christmas.

The Storms of Life ... The Symbolism of Lighthouses

The Storms of Life ...
The Symbolism of Lighthouses ...

I reverently touched the lake water, so symbolic of the living water. I gently looked up at the light of the lighthouse, so symbolic of the light of Christ. 

Marblehead Lighthouse 2013

Marblehead Lighthouse 2018 - Mark Larson

My brother ... Mark Larson

In a 2013 trip to Ohio to visit my brother Mark, we were able to visit the Marblehead Lighthouse.  When we first drove up to this lighthouse, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the lighthouse and surrounding area.  It is located on Lake Erie, which is so large, it actually looks like the ocean.  The landscaping was incredible.  There was a beautiful grassy picnic area, large rocks and an area with a lot of trees.  It was truly stunningly peaceful and beautiful.  We walked around each of these areas, enjoying every moment of the beauty of our surroundings. 

Me enjoying this incredible state park!

Within a few moments, the raindrops began to fall – at first they were small, and we were able to still enjoy our visit.  I reverently touched the lake water, so symbolic of the living water.  I gently looked up at the light of the lighthouse, so symbolic of the light of Christ.  The rain began falling harder, but I wanted to stay, and bask in the warmth and symbolism of this experience. 

The lighthouse through the windshield in the pouring rain!

But the rain suddenly became a downpour – harder than any rain in Utah!!  I still stayed for just a few moments, and finally began running back to the car.  By the time I reached the car, I was literally and completely soaked through!  As we sat in the car, I kept looking at the lighthouse, with the windshield wipers on.  The rain was so intense that I could not always see the lighthouse, but I knew it was there!  I kept looking, wanting to get in every glance that I could.  I wanted to stand closer, and visit longer.

This was such a sweet experience as the symbolism of lighthouses have given me much needed strength through the trials of my life.  For the past 15 years I have collected lighthouses, as that is when the storms of my life were the most intense and severe.  The storms of our broken family, of Joshua's disability, his many injuries and heartbreaking changes and challenges in our life.  There were many days that the storms seemed to rage from every direction possible.  I know that the light of our Savior strengthened me, carried me, inspired me, blessed me, and gave me much needed hope and love during these intense, long and ferocious storms.  Every lighthouse is a treasure as the reminder is beautiful, is comforting and warms those cold places that the ferocious winds bring in.

Me - Santa Cruz Lighthouse 2006

Shortly after Joshua died, my siblings, Vickie and Mark, treated me to a trip to Santa Cruz.  The family time together was such a blessing.  All of us loved Joshua with all of our hearts, so we remembered and mourned and laughed together.  We stood at the feet of the Santa Cruz lighthouse, watching the crashing waves, feeling the beauty of this earth, and looking at this grand lighthouse.  They left me some moments by myself, time to ponder with gratitude on the Light!  How thankful I am for the presence of the light of the Savior present in the storms of our life, if we let Him be there.  He is always there for us - we need to always  have our hearts open to Him.

Santa Cruz Lighthouse - Vickie, Me, Mark

Throughout the years, I have loved looking at pictures of lighthouses with the waves crashing into the shore, or against the lighthouse, with the lighthouse standing strong, giving its light, and showing the way for all travelers still in the midst of the storm.  One of my favorite scriptures that has given me hope and light in facing the storms of life is 1 Nephi 17:2-13 (see below). 

We all have our journeys, our wildernesses, and our storms to pass through, and we are promised the light of the Savior through these wildernesses and dark times of our lives. I know that as we look to Christ at all times, and in all places, and all things, we will feel and see His light, and we will be led, guided and loved with the purest and most joyous love we have ever felt.


1 Nephi 17:2-13, The Book of Mormon

2 And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea, even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings without murmurings. 

3 And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness.

4 And we did sojourn for the space of many years, yea, even eight years in the wilderness.

5 And we did come to the land which we called Bountiful, because of its much fruit and also wild honey; and all these things were prepared of the Lord that we might not perish. And we beheld the sea, which we called Irreantum, which, being interpreted, is many waters.

6 And it came to pass that we did pitch our tents by the seashore; and notwithstanding we had suffered many afflictions and much difficulty, yea, even so much that we cannot write them all, we were exceedingly rejoiced when we came to the seashore; and we called the place Bountiful, because of its much fruit.

7 And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been in the land of Bountiful for the space of many days, the voice of the Lord came unto me, saying: Arise, and get thee into the mountain. And it came to pass that I arose and went up into the mountain, and cried unto the Lord.

8 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters.

9 And I said: Lord, whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship after the manner which thou hast shown unto me?

10 And it came to pass that the Lord told me whither I should go to find ore, that I might make tools.

11 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did make a bellows wherewith to blow the fire, of the skins of beasts; and after I had made a bellows, that I might have wherewith to blow the fire, I did smite two stones together that I might make fire.

12 For the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make much fire, as we journeyed in the wilderness; for he said: I will make thy food become sweet, that ye cook it not;

13 And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.