“Psalm of Darrel”

Hammon November Poetry Month, Day 1

Since today is Sunday and we have been studying the Old Testament, I thought I would share a psalm that I wrote after the lesson on Psalms.

Sunset, Spokane, Washington

“Psalm of Darrel”

Call to praise.

 Praise be to my God, the Redeemer of my soul. I will sing praises daily, on bended knee, in the quietness of the grove, wherever my body and mind may be.

Happy am I to be in Thy presence as my words ascend to Thee, happy to kiss each new day as I rise from my bed where dreams overtake me and send me into darkness; yet, I know that Thy hand is stretched out still to pull me back into Thy loving embrace where I may feel anew and sing praises to Thy name.

Yes, I will praise Thee forever and forever.

God’s attributes

The greatness of thine excellency encircles Thee and extends to me through Thy loving kindness, Thy graciousness that emanates from Thy constant embrace and loving hands, Thy sweet understanding that always overlooks my challenges and shortcomings.

May I sing glory, glory, glory as I bask in Thy redemption and be made clean through Thy Atonement so graciously and painfully given to all of us, especially me during any challenging time.

As I praise Thee, words of love and gratitude shall escape my lips and hiss to the far ends of the earth until they touch the ears, hearts, minds of the world. 

Recall specific acts

Thou has opened my eyes through the beauty of Thine creations, from the sand shores of exquisite beaches to the might and sacred Redwoods to the lofty clouds that saunter across the sky, including those who are boisterous with rain and laughter and ominous threats, to the hay fields of my youth and the mighty Buttes, surrounded by the great Snake River, where my life flowed until they encompassed Thee, and showed me the way along the Covenant Path and find Thee clamoring my name to come and see and do.

Can there be anything more divine, wonderous than finding Thee, aligning myself with Thee, feeling Thy gracious love distilling on and around me on so many occasions?

Yes, Thine arm is outstretched still, touching me at the right moments, regenerating new life each day, elevating me to where I can see beyond my puny self.

Closing vow of thanks.

My soul delighteth in Thy constancy, Thy forgiveness, Thy spiritual nourishment.

May my eyes see, my heart feel, my mind be clear and understand the mysteries of Heaven that my soul be redeemed, that I may be an instrument in Thy Holy Hand.

May eyes and ears and heart and mind raise praises to Thy Name.

May I become a holy seed, a righteous son, and stand at Thy right hand where I may reign with Thee forever and forever more. 

Our transition from Provo to Spokane

Our transition from Provo to Spokane

We have moved a bit in our lives, mostly because of job moves or missions. This move was for an entirely different reason. We moved to be closer to Hailey and her family.

Our Spokane home

The transition has been an interesting one. Living in Washington is just a different state, just like living in Montana was different, just like living in Wyoming and California was different, and living in the Dominican Republic was definitely different. Each place of residence has been full of both positive and negatives qualities and characteristics.

Sunset from the front of our home

When our family transitioned from Lewiston, Idaho, to Miles City, Montana, we read together the book Who Moved My Cheese by Dr. Spencer Johnson who also coauthored The One-Minute Manager. It is a book about change, something that happens to everyone during their lives. His premise hinged on the attitude you have during the change. Our attitude when we moved was that it was going to be an adventure, and it was every single time. We admit, though, that all moves were challenging and taxing, but we somehow survived and thrived simultaneously!

Sometimes you have to give up a few things along the way during the transition, but you gain so many more along the way!

Sunset on Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho,
just about an hour from our home

For example, I gave up teaching Institute classes at the Utah Valley Institute. I loved teaching on Fridays, seeing students’ testimony grow and develop.

I gave up serving in the Provo City Center Temple, and I miss being a sealer. Of course, there is a temple here in Spokane. We were living in Lewiston when it was announced and dedicated. Beautiful temple. We enjoy attending each week. We look forward to serving in the Spokane Washington Temple, too!

Spokane Washington Temple

We have given up our doctors and dentist. This is always a challenge when you move, especially at this stage in our lives. Finding good doctors who are attentive and have openings for new patients can tax one’s patience.

Our friends have remained in Utah, although we can still communicate through social media. We are finding new friends here. Our neighbors have been spectacular! We have received cards, flowers, goodies, visits, lists of places to eat, etc. People love to stop and chat when we are out walking the neighborhood or in our yard.

Our water feature in the front

Changing wards (congregations) can be challenging. Our new LDS ward is great. Lots of people have reached out. Our bishop’s wife called out to us to say hello in Winco just the other day. We are going to be speaking in Church this month. Cannot wait for that….

For us, though, transitioning to a new place has always been an adventure! New surroundings, new places to go and visit, new restaurants, new friends, new everything pretty much. But it is about your attitude, the way you look at things and situations, the choices you make, and then doing something positive about them.

Sunset from our deck

Remember: You are the product of the company you keep, and we choose to keep good company and be good company!

Our family--the company we keep!

And away we go!

Welcome to our home!

"Come Let Us Adore Him!"

"Come Let Us Adore Him"

Christmas 2025

What a glorious season we are in, one that draws us closer to each other and to our Heavenly Father! Usually during the Christmas season With Wondering Awe, we listened to the young children–yes, truly "Angels We Have Heard on High"–sing hymns and carols that radiate "Joy to the World"....” We listen to talented ward and community members who “touch their harps of gold” and let “their heavenly music float/O’er all the weary world.” Today, and the rest of our lives, we must allow “the Dear Christ in.” We all must sense something burn within us. That is the spirit of Christ.

In the precious Christmas hymn "Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful" that we sing at least once or twice at Christmas come three wondrous strains: “Come, all ye faithful,” “Come, and behold Him,” and “Oh, come, let us adore Him.” I sincerely believe that each of these phrases deserves special treatment and explanation.

“Come, all ye faithful”

During this Christmas season, the faithful followers of Christ congregate to sing joyous hymns to Him as we have done today. Note that the Lord did not say, however, “Come, all ye faithful” for just this season. Instead, the words merely state, rather succinctly, “Come, all ye faithful.” The Lord wants us to choose to be faithful every minute of the day, every day of the week, and every week of the year.

Thankfully, at Christmas time, we tend to listen to our hearts more than to our heads, the spiritual more than cerebral, the perennial more than the ephemeral. We seem to want to fix our lives so that they are in accordance with the Lord's. Yes, we tend to “come unto Christ and adore Him.” Wouldn't it be nice if every year we had twelve Decembers? Then we wouldn't have to be trying to repent every 12th month or trying to add kindness to our repertoire of Christmas thoughtfulness.

“Come, and behold Him”

The shepherds “came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger” (Luke 2:16). After the shepherds had seen the Christ child, they returned to their flocks, herds, and families, “glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen....” (Luke 2:20). There also came “wise men from the east to Jerusalem” (Matthew 2:1) and began asking about: “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). And we know not how many others came to “behold him” as he lay in the manger or worked by His father’s side.

Often, we believe that to “behold God” we must be completely spiritually pure. In one sense that is correct, but in another, we can behold God–through daily communion with Him and understanding who He really is. Plus, our hearts can be filled with Him always if we but “yield our hearts to God” (see Helaman 3:35).

“Oh, come let us adore Him”

What does it really mean to “Come and to adore Him"? According to that great Old Testament prophet Isaiah, He is called “Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace....(Isaiah )...the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity.... and President Hinckley added: “Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning” (President Gordon B. Hinckley, “At the Summit of the Ages,” October 1999).

The ancient Prophet Moroni, as he ended his work and closed the abridgment of the record of God’s dealings with His people, which is the Book of Mormon, that glorious book that teaches gospel truths, called upon all who read his ending passage: “Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ” (Moroni 10:32).

Conclusion and Christmas Challenge

Thus, the challenge: “Come, all ye faithful....come, let us behold Him...[and] come let us adore Him.” The real goal is to “Come Unto Christ.” May we accept the challenge and experience the glorious days that the Nephites of old had with the Savior that we may at some time "thrust [our own] hands into his side, and ...feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet...[that we may] see with [our own] eyes and...feel with [our own] hands, and...know of a surety and...bear record, that it was He, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come...[that when we have] all gone forth and...witnessed for [ourselves], [we] can cry out with one accord, saying: Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And then [we will] fall down at the feet of Jesus [our Savior and Brother], and...worship him” (3 Nephi 11:15-17)….

Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever” (Alma 26:16) who is the Truth and the Light and the Prince of Peace is my Christmas challenge to all!

Merry Christmas and 

a Happy New Year!

“We are all influencers!”

Sunday, November 30, 2025--Poetry Day 30

Lone tree in Utah Lake

“We are all influencers!”

I am convinced we are all influencers
in some way because, like Benvolio,
we are in the “public haunt of men….
[where] all eyes gaze on us….”

What we do affects people—
knowingly and unknowingly.

Often, and much to our chagrin,
many people watch and imitate us.

Our positive self-influence propels us
and others to remember who
and whose we are, always striving
to live elevated lives, no matter
what we are doing or where
we find ourselves in life’s journey.

The key hinges on becoming
what we want to become
and then live and act accordingly.

It’s the little things that we do
or say that make the difference.

It’s about caring and kindness
and compassion and being diligent
in being astute, aware, and anticipatory.

As we trundle through life’s challenges,
embrace the power of your influence
in your own life and the lives
your families, friends, co-workers,
or anyone within our sphere of influence
and never underestimate your influence.

The Redwoods

"Early dusting of snow"

Saturday, November 29, 2025--Poetry Day 29

First snow, Mt. Timpanogas

"Early dusting of snow"

It happened sometime
during the night,
maybe early morning.

The temperatures dropped
during a rain storm
just enough to turn
droplets to snowflakes,
blanketing the high points
and the crevices of the mountains.

The smattering of snow
during the night was seen
by no one until the early light
of morning erupted
through the low hanging clouds.

And I looked
and was mesmerized
by the contrast of green
on the ground before me
and the white cover
on the yonder mountain tops.

Another one of God’s creations
flattering us vividly
with beginning of winter
and lovely white snow.

“Funerals: A confluence of past, present, and future”

Friday, November 28, 2025--Poetry Day 28

Three women in the a.m., Dominican Republic

“Funerals: A confluence of past, present, and future”

Funerals are those events we attend to pay
respects to the family, knowing
they are inevitable in all our lives.
Most that I go to are upbeat and peaceful,
full of passion, laugher, tears, happy vibes,
revelations, a few surprises in stories,
and a sense of humanity and healing.

Children give remarks about the goodness
of their parents, stories of birds, fishing,
them coming to every game and event,
funny sayings that they shared,
and other memories that usually draw
laughter, sometimes surprises, and tears
from both the speaker and the audience.

Talented children and grandchildren sing
lovely and poignant hymns or songs,
some they wrote for this occasion,
on guitars, pianos, cello, violins, and flutes.

Outside in the foyer, delightful old photos,
paintings, drawings, cool memorabilia
and a PowerPoint presentation loops
through the life of the deceased.
We all stop and watch, mesmerized
with the changes over time, knowing
these same changes are happening
in our own lives, more quickly than we want.

As we sit in the pews, our eyes focused
on the front where the casket waits
patiently to be transported somewhere
close by to an open grave surrounded by turf,
we wonder to ourselves what our funerals
will be like, what our families, friends,
and speakers will say about us,
what hymns or songs will be played or sung
or what stuff our children will drag out and showcase.

Perhaps, we shouldn’t worry
so much about that as we should worry
about how we are living today,
right now, and change anything
that might startle the mourners at our funerals.

Towering Redwoods

“Funerals: A confluence of past, present, and future”

Friday, November 28, 2025--Poetry Day 28

Early morning, Dominican Republic

“Funerals: A confluence of past, present, and future”

Funerals are those events we attend to pay
respects to the family, knowing
they are inevitable in all our lives.
Most that I go to are upbeat and peaceful,
full of passion, laugher, tears, happy vibes,
revelations, a few surprises in stories,
and a sense of humanity and healing.

Children give remarks about the goodness
of their parents, stories of birds, fishing,
them coming to every game and event,
funny sayings that they shared,
and other memories that usually draw
laughter, sometimes surprises, and tears
from both the speaker and the audience.

Talented children and grandchildren sing
lovely and poignant hymns or songs,
some they wrote for this occasion,
on guitars, pianos, cello, violins, and flutes.

Outside in the foyer, delightful old photos,
paintings, drawings, cool memorabilia
and a PowerPoint presentation loops
through the life of the deceased.
We all stop and watch, mesmerized
with the changes over time, knowing
these same changes are happening
in our own lives, more quickly than we want.

As we sit in the pews, our eyes focused
on the front where the casket waits
patiently to be transported somewhere
close by to an open grave surrounded by turf,
we wonder to ourselves what our funerals
will be like, what our families, friends,
and speakers will say about us,
what hymns or songs will be played or sung
or what stuff our children will drag out and showcase.

Perhaps, we shouldn’t worry
so much about that as we should worry
about how we are living today,
right now, and change anything
that might startle the mourners at our funerals.

Towering Redwoods