I want to comment a bit more about Esther. You hear those verses and her story referred to frequently in church, but I think there is a real power when you read it.
As a teen of the 80's, I had 6 years of Young Women themes referring to my generation as a chosen or royal generation. The kids my age were saved for this time because of our strength, righteousness, or whatever that could make it through this increasingly wicked world. We had an important work to do in the latter days. It wasn't by chance that we were born at this time.
Naturally, I don't mind being a Totally Awesome Person : ) but we see more generations are still coming to earth so it is not like my generation has heralded in the 2nd coming or something. As we've grown up and had our own children, we've seen our children's strong personality and thought they were definitely held back until the last days. I heard one time that those that are really strong will be really strong in whatever they do---they'll either be against the church or be able to be stalwart in the church. Not so wishy washy as other generations are able to be. These kids will have to choose sides and take a stand.
The world is still getting worse; families are unraveling, the pace of life keeps going faster, truth gets muddled, and it's easier then ever to turn away from righteousness. So, it is easy to think maybe I wasn't part of a royal generation after all. I'm not special. I'm not important.
All of those negative feelings go out the window when I read Esther 4:14..."Who knoweth whether thou are come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" We each have things to do while we are here on earth. I'm not sure what all of the stuff I am suppose to do is, but it probably isn't to get favor with a king or save a nation. I think it is probably something much more quieter regarding individuals instead of an entire people, but when I read about Esther, I feel the power there saying we each need to stay strong, have faith in God, and press forward. Our life is not an accident.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
To participate
I'm writing in purple today in honor of Esther. Purple is associated with royalty and Esther was a Queen.
We had a great lesson in RS yesterday! The Bishop taught a combined RS-Priesthood lesson cause it was the 5th Sunday.
Bishop Huntington pointed out Esther 4:14 where Mordecai tells Esther if she doesn't go in and talk to the King about saving the Jews then relief and deliverance will come from another place. I bet you never noticed that before, but you read it!
"But thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
So Mordecai knows that the Jews will be saved by God. Maybe not even right now since he says thy father's house shall be destroyed, but he knows that God's work will still go forth. If not right then, then later with someone else.
My Bishop said that is the way it is with us. God's work will go forward. It is up to us whether we participate in it or not. There are things for us to do--like Esther--but if we don't step up and do it, it doesn't stop God's work. He will find others that will keep it going.
Worth pondering.
We had a great lesson in RS yesterday! The Bishop taught a combined RS-Priesthood lesson cause it was the 5th Sunday.
Bishop Huntington pointed out Esther 4:14 where Mordecai tells Esther if she doesn't go in and talk to the King about saving the Jews then relief and deliverance will come from another place. I bet you never noticed that before, but you read it!
"But thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
So Mordecai knows that the Jews will be saved by God. Maybe not even right now since he says thy father's house shall be destroyed, but he knows that God's work will still go forth. If not right then, then later with someone else.
My Bishop said that is the way it is with us. God's work will go forward. It is up to us whether we participate in it or not. There are things for us to do--like Esther--but if we don't step up and do it, it doesn't stop God's work. He will find others that will keep it going.
Worth pondering.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
A beautiful visual
This is the handout from our lesson this past Sunday. It is from President Uchdorf's talk in this last April's conference about waiting on the road to Damascus.
"The truth is, those who diligently seek to learn of Christ eventually will come to know Him. They will personally receive a divine portrait of the Master, although it most often comes in the form of a puzzle. One piece at a time. Each individual piece may not be easily recognizable by itself; it may not be clear hot it relates to the whole. Each piece helps us to see the big picture a little more clearly. Eventually, after enough pieces have been put together, we recognize the grand beauty of it all. Then looking back on our experience, we see that the Savior had indeed come to be with us---not all at once, but quietly, gently, almost unnoticed."
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Is the gospel Chocolate or whole grain wheat bread?
I found this post in my "draft" folder dated in March. Since I've been talking about making scripture reading delicious to my soul, it might be a good time to go ahead and finish this thought since it deals with food also.
John 6:24-71
Are we clueless to the power of God around us?
After you have your testimony bolstered and you are feeling that strength and courage, don't you just feel filled? It is a great feeling. And yet, it is easy to forget how great that feeling is and instead turn our focus to other stuff. Sometimes we don't even realize what we are missing until we are filled again and compare the difference.
The people that were following Jesus at this time were the same people that had participated in the miracle of the bread and fishes the day before. What a miracle and yet they were thinking of it as only a meal. JST on verse 26 says "Ye seek me, not because ye desire to keep my sayings, neither because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled."
The people say said their ancestors had been given bread from heaven before when they ate manna in the wilderness. I guess they weren't thinking beyond their next meal. It must have been a great "filling" since they are still following him and talking about it.
When they tell Jesus there has been bread from heaven before (so does that make it less wonderful?!) Jesus corrects them by saying "Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the World."
Then said they unto him, Lord, give us this bread.
And Jesus said unto them, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.....Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die."
But lots of people stopped following him then. (v.66)
I guess that is why we are told to seek Jesus daily. So we don't forget what it is like to be filled by Him. So, we can understand that ball games, rainy weather, obnoxious people, etc. aren't the most important things in life. We need to spend more of our time seeking after the Real bread. The bread that will stick by us, fill us, give us the nourishment we need.
John 6:24-71
Are we clueless to the power of God around us?
After you have your testimony bolstered and you are feeling that strength and courage, don't you just feel filled? It is a great feeling. And yet, it is easy to forget how great that feeling is and instead turn our focus to other stuff. Sometimes we don't even realize what we are missing until we are filled again and compare the difference.
The people that were following Jesus at this time were the same people that had participated in the miracle of the bread and fishes the day before. What a miracle and yet they were thinking of it as only a meal. JST on verse 26 says "Ye seek me, not because ye desire to keep my sayings, neither because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled."
The people say said their ancestors had been given bread from heaven before when they ate manna in the wilderness. I guess they weren't thinking beyond their next meal. It must have been a great "filling" since they are still following him and talking about it.
When they tell Jesus there has been bread from heaven before (so does that make it less wonderful?!) Jesus corrects them by saying "Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the World."
Then said they unto him, Lord, give us this bread.
And Jesus said unto them, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.....Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die."
But lots of people stopped following him then. (v.66)
I guess that is why we are told to seek Jesus daily. So we don't forget what it is like to be filled by Him. So, we can understand that ball games, rainy weather, obnoxious people, etc. aren't the most important things in life. We need to spend more of our time seeking after the Real bread. The bread that will stick by us, fill us, give us the nourishment we need.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Complicated
The last month or so, I've come to realize that I have complicated my scripture reading. In my effort to really study and "feast on the word" I've made things harder for myself.
I don't want to read unless I have my notebook with to take notes. Or unless I have time to blog about my thoughts. Or unless I go in and look up where I was before--I can't just pick up the scriptures and start reading anywhere. It has to be "in the right place."
It is just excuses. All of them. It's kind of like the Zoramites that think they can only pray from the Rameumptom and that you have to have great clothes and be looking perfect in order to go to church. It IS nice to have a quiet place to pray (maybe that is where the idea came from) and it IS good to wear your best before the Lord. But, that all becomes bigger then it needs to be and you lose sight of what is really important.
Alma tells the poor people that don't have nice enough clothes to be allowed into the synagogues:
I say unto you, do ye suppose that ye cannot worship God save it be in your synagogues only?
And moreover...do ye suppose that ye must not worship God only once a week? (Alma 32:10-11)
I think to me, Alma would say, "What? You can only read the scriptures when you have your little gospel study notebook poised to take notes? Does reading scriptures and not blogging about it mean you don't get wisdom and peace from reading? Can you only read scriptures between 9 and 10 in the morning on days that the house is quiet and peaceful?
Silly, huh?
I'm going to try to do better.
I don't want to read unless I have my notebook with to take notes. Or unless I have time to blog about my thoughts. Or unless I go in and look up where I was before--I can't just pick up the scriptures and start reading anywhere. It has to be "in the right place."
It is just excuses. All of them. It's kind of like the Zoramites that think they can only pray from the Rameumptom and that you have to have great clothes and be looking perfect in order to go to church. It IS nice to have a quiet place to pray (maybe that is where the idea came from) and it IS good to wear your best before the Lord. But, that all becomes bigger then it needs to be and you lose sight of what is really important.
Alma tells the poor people that don't have nice enough clothes to be allowed into the synagogues:
I say unto you, do ye suppose that ye cannot worship God save it be in your synagogues only?
And moreover...do ye suppose that ye must not worship God only once a week? (Alma 32:10-11)
I think to me, Alma would say, "What? You can only read the scriptures when you have your little gospel study notebook poised to take notes? Does reading scriptures and not blogging about it mean you don't get wisdom and peace from reading? Can you only read scriptures between 9 and 10 in the morning on days that the house is quiet and peaceful?
Silly, huh?
I'm going to try to do better.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
We are afraid
Alma 32:28
So, a month or so ago, in teacher development class, we read this scripture in Alma. It is about how faith is like a seed that can begin to grow if we nourish it. On that day, the part of the scripture that I noticed as "...If ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that you will resist the Spirit of the Lord, it will begin to swell..."
I thought, "this is how my child is right now----Just resisting the Spirit of the Lord so they don't have to deal with promptings and whether they are doing things right or not."
They could be strengthened by the lessons they here and the things they see and have their testimony stronger and more sure. Instead, they resist the whisperings of the Spirit and try to push those thoughts away so they don't have to deal with all the effort it takes to live the gospel as we are told.
And I thought about pointing this out cause I felt like I had pegged it so accurately.
I don't remember what I was thinking about exactly when I was driving a few days later, but it was probably my struggles to read the scriptures consistently. Anyway, this scripture popped in my head again and I thought YOU are resisting also just because you don't want to deal with things. How many times have I been heading into bed and thought "I still need to read scriptures." And immediately, I try to chase that thought away with something else because I don't want to read scriptures. I want to lay in bed and read fluff. So, I studiously ignore that thought in my head and say something like "I do better reading in the morning, so I'll work on that tomorrow."
What seeds are you resisting? What whisperings come to your mind that you don't dwell on but quickly push away because the whisperings are telling you something that you need to work on, or take time for, and you just don't feel like it?
Each of us have different things that are struggles for us. Sometimes we work on it, but then we get tired or busy or lazy or whatever and stop the effort. Cause it is so much effort! And there are lots of other things calling for our attention so it is easy to push stuff away that we don't want to take the time to focus on.
The rest of verse 28 has a great promise though.....
...you will say within yourselves---It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me. "
I know reading the scriptures daily helps me. I know it makes my life better and it makes me better. I've felt the swelling inside as I read things and study things and it becomes a part of me. I feel so much more through out the day! I feel closer to Heavenly Father. This lasts all day sometimes and it feels great!
However, it has never become delicious to me. My soul has been enlarged, my understanding has been enlightened, but it is not delicious. Delicious is curling up with a fun story that you are trying to devour as quickly as possible because you just can't wait to see what happens. Even when you aren't reading it, part of your mind is thinking about when you can get back to it. Delicious is something like high quality chocolate after a long day. You stop moving and stop thinking for a few moments and just feel the good, happy, feelings going through your body as you savor the flavor.
I have stopped my consistent effort before it became delicious. It's amazing to think scripture reading could be delicious to me. If it was delicious to me, it would be something I would look forward to instead of something I do because I am suppose to. If I keep trying and keep working on it, I have faith that Alma's promise will happen to me. Delicious. Surely, I will be a Spiritual Giant by then!
They could be strengthened by the lessons they here and the things they see and have their testimony stronger and more sure. Instead, they resist the whisperings of the Spirit and try to push those thoughts away so they don't have to deal with all the effort it takes to live the gospel as we are told.
And I thought about pointing this out cause I felt like I had pegged it so accurately.
I don't remember what I was thinking about exactly when I was driving a few days later, but it was probably my struggles to read the scriptures consistently. Anyway, this scripture popped in my head again and I thought YOU are resisting also just because you don't want to deal with things. How many times have I been heading into bed and thought "I still need to read scriptures." And immediately, I try to chase that thought away with something else because I don't want to read scriptures. I want to lay in bed and read fluff. So, I studiously ignore that thought in my head and say something like "I do better reading in the morning, so I'll work on that tomorrow."
What seeds are you resisting? What whisperings come to your mind that you don't dwell on but quickly push away because the whisperings are telling you something that you need to work on, or take time for, and you just don't feel like it?
Each of us have different things that are struggles for us. Sometimes we work on it, but then we get tired or busy or lazy or whatever and stop the effort. Cause it is so much effort! And there are lots of other things calling for our attention so it is easy to push stuff away that we don't want to take the time to focus on.
The rest of verse 28 has a great promise though.....
...you will say within yourselves---It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me. "
I know reading the scriptures daily helps me. I know it makes my life better and it makes me better. I've felt the swelling inside as I read things and study things and it becomes a part of me. I feel so much more through out the day! I feel closer to Heavenly Father. This lasts all day sometimes and it feels great!
However, it has never become delicious to me. My soul has been enlarged, my understanding has been enlightened, but it is not delicious. Delicious is curling up with a fun story that you are trying to devour as quickly as possible because you just can't wait to see what happens. Even when you aren't reading it, part of your mind is thinking about when you can get back to it. Delicious is something like high quality chocolate after a long day. You stop moving and stop thinking for a few moments and just feel the good, happy, feelings going through your body as you savor the flavor.
I have stopped my consistent effort before it became delicious. It's amazing to think scripture reading could be delicious to me. If it was delicious to me, it would be something I would look forward to instead of something I do because I am suppose to. If I keep trying and keep working on it, I have faith that Alma's promise will happen to me. Delicious. Surely, I will be a Spiritual Giant by then!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
stealing
YM and YW are having a Passover Seder dinner tonight for their activity. Do you think they stole my idea? : )
Hopefully not----so there's will probably be much more "authentic". We do have a Jewish Passover expert in our ward (at least he is Jewish and a professor for the church---so I figure that makes him an expert) so maybe he is coming.
K doesn't want to go, but I told her the "bitter herbs" tonight probably won't be as bitter as mine (homemade, super strong horseradish) so maybe she'll like it. Either way, there's no dinner at home. : )
Hopefully not----so there's will probably be much more "authentic". We do have a Jewish Passover expert in our ward (at least he is Jewish and a professor for the church---so I figure that makes him an expert) so maybe he is coming.
K doesn't want to go, but I told her the "bitter herbs" tonight probably won't be as bitter as mine (homemade, super strong horseradish) so maybe she'll like it. Either way, there's no dinner at home. : )
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
I am amazing!
Look! I did it!
I made a page for my FHE lesson. I thought I would relaly have to post all 5 pages to the regular blog and people would just have to wear out their finger paging down through the whole thing. But, I finally (kind of accidentally) figured out how to do it.
I feel amazing!
I made a page for my FHE lesson. I thought I would relaly have to post all 5 pages to the regular blog and people would just have to wear out their finger paging down through the whole thing. But, I finally (kind of accidentally) figured out how to do it.
I feel amazing!
A Symbolic Passover Dinner
I hate to say aloud I did a Passover dinner in case some Jewish person accidentally came across it and is offended.
However, for Family Home evening last night, we did a sort of Passover type dinner. I butchered the whole Kosher / Unleavened Bread type thing. I skipped around in the order of things so it made more sense to me. I also put in plenty of Christianity beliefs and truths we know through modern day revelation. I probably shouldn't even call it a passover.
We didn't eat the right foods at the right time or any of that, but we did discuss what it was all about. If my children ever go to a real Jewish passover, they would at least have some idea of what it is all about. Hopefully, they just won't say anything about "When is the bacon dish coming out?" (part of my main dish last night!) I'll stress that part next year.
I'm attaching the file I typed up telling me what to do for the lesson / meal last night. Hopefully it will be here on the side (we'll see if I know how).
I put a tablecloth on our table (with the leaf in it) and set the table with my china, goblets, etc. I have huge stemware that I used for ice water and smaller glasses for the "wine" (Of course, we used juice instead of wine: cranberry pomagranite, sparkling cider, and milk).
This was a last minute idea for me, so I used my regular menu items---a Meat & Bean dish and cornbread as my main dinner. In addition to the regular dinner, I also put out the following on each plate:
While eating our regular dinner (after all the special stuff) we talked about the Hebrews getting quail and bread from heaven. We talked about how it didn't need to be cooked because God took care of them so it would taste good to them as it was. We talked about Cornbread being made from grains of the earth and how the Egyptains had stored grain to get through the famine, etc.
I think with this lesson written out now, next year I will be able to put more focus on the food and know my Exodus story in more detail. March is a good month to read directly from the Bible about this time. There is a lot I had forgotten or didn't see the symbolism of it like I do now as an adult.
However, for Family Home evening last night, we did a sort of Passover type dinner. I butchered the whole Kosher / Unleavened Bread type thing. I skipped around in the order of things so it made more sense to me. I also put in plenty of Christianity beliefs and truths we know through modern day revelation. I probably shouldn't even call it a passover.
We didn't eat the right foods at the right time or any of that, but we did discuss what it was all about. If my children ever go to a real Jewish passover, they would at least have some idea of what it is all about. Hopefully, they just won't say anything about "When is the bacon dish coming out?" (part of my main dish last night!) I'll stress that part next year.
I'm attaching the file I typed up telling me what to do for the lesson / meal last night. Hopefully it will be here on the side (we'll see if I know how).
I put a tablecloth on our table (with the leaf in it) and set the table with my china, goblets, etc. I have huge stemware that I used for ice water and smaller glasses for the "wine" (Of course, we used juice instead of wine: cranberry pomagranite, sparkling cider, and milk).
This was a last minute idea for me, so I used my regular menu items---a Meat & Bean dish and cornbread as my main dinner. In addition to the regular dinner, I also put out the following on each plate:
Spinach leaf in Salt Water
Lettuce leaf with a dollop of horseradish (Bitter herbs)
Granola
Slice of hard boiled Egg
Cracker
Monday, March 28, 2011
Suggestions
With time at a premium and no one else participating in this blog, how do you suggest I find time to post AND to read scriptures?
Friday, March 18, 2011
Reading versus Feasting
I keep a "scripture writing journal" where I make notes in it as I am reading. You pay attention more when you are reading because you look for things write down. This has helped me feel like I am "feasting" better. Instead of just reading to get done, I am reading and looking for things. Things that give me a purpose for reading that day.
Even if you don't want to blog, a scripture journal is a worthwhile thing. I just use a small, cute little notebook and keep it with my scriptures.
Lately, I've been trying out the LDS.org study guide section. You log in and go under Tools and "My study Notebook". Then you can read scriptures, the Ensign, conference articles or whatever, and highlight, bookmark, copy and paste, etc." as you go and keep everything online. The nice thing about that is when you are out of town, you don't use the excuse that you don't want to read scriptures cause you don't have your scripture reading journal to keep notes in. (Yes, I have thought that before and used that as my excuse).
The have a section for a "journal" also and you can have multiple journals---scripture reading one, personal, or whatever. The problem is, I am not sure how much personal stuff to put in there. Will I be able to print it out eventually? That is the unknown right now with these new options online.
Even if you don't want to blog, a scripture journal is a worthwhile thing. I just use a small, cute little notebook and keep it with my scriptures.
Lately, I've been trying out the LDS.org study guide section. You log in and go under Tools and "My study Notebook". Then you can read scriptures, the Ensign, conference articles or whatever, and highlight, bookmark, copy and paste, etc." as you go and keep everything online. The nice thing about that is when you are out of town, you don't use the excuse that you don't want to read scriptures cause you don't have your scripture reading journal to keep notes in. (Yes, I have thought that before and used that as my excuse).
The have a section for a "journal" also and you can have multiple journals---scripture reading one, personal, or whatever. The problem is, I am not sure how much personal stuff to put in there. Will I be able to print it out eventually? That is the unknown right now with these new options online.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Matthew 13:8
I remember someone pointing out that some seeds fall into good ground and bring forth 30 fold, some sixty fold, and some 100 fold. There is a big difference there between yields. There is not difference though, in the quality of the fruit. Only in how much one can give.
We are all at different places in the gospel and sometimes I forget that. I can be impatient with what others "give". Why can't they sacrifice 3 hours that week, like I am? They've made the same covenants that I have in the temple. Because they aren't that developed right now. And some never will be.
There are people that are lazy, distracted, or just not that "into the gospel" in their life. But, this part of the parable isn't about them. Some people are full size apple trees and some are dwarf apple trees. No matter how old the dwarf trees get, they will never be able to produce as many apples in a year as the full size tree can. That isn't because the dwarf tree is lazy or unrighteousness or selfish. It is because they are meant to fulfill the measure of THEIR creation....not the full size tree's creation.
That's where President Hinkley's "Do your best, but make sure it is your very best" comes into play. Who knew you could get so much out of just 3 line verse? : )
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Fertile Soil
So, I have been gone the last 2 weeks from church, but I think this Sunday's lesson is #11 about Matthew 13.
I think I am going to use the idea for "family discussion" in the little SS study guide but do the Parable of the sower instead of the wheat & the tares for our FHE. The wheat & the tares seems to be more about the world, the 2nd coming, judgement, etc. The sower seems to be more of what relates to my family right now.
The question in the study guide is why do you think the parable focuses more on the ground than the sower or the seed. As my children age and start developing their own testimonies (or not), I am fully aware that the soil really is the thing that matters the most. A boring sacrament talk, a blow off Youth Conference, or whatever isn't nearly as important as the person's soil that is listening to these things.
When your heart is in the right place, you can still pick up nugget of wisdom or feel the prick of the spirit regardless of the quality of the speaker or the spiritualness of the activity. Parents, teachers, etc. can dump compost into our soil, water the seeds, etc., but it is really up to agency and personal choice as to what we do with these things.
What kind of soil are we?
Stony? not a lot of soil to grow in. No roots so when the sun comes out they get burned and die. Both adults and kids are often living off someone else's testimony and not developing their own. So, when something happens--whether to the other's strong testimony or to your relationship with that person--you lose your testimony also.
Thorny? getting choked from the thorns. Is that temptations and the world that they succumb to?
Good ground? bring forth much fruit. You can look around at families that pretty much never prepared their kid's soil (church attendance, FHE, etc.) and yet these kids grow up, go on missions, marry in the temple, etc. Their soil was good soil even though their parents may have had stony or thorny soil. It is what each individual person is willing to hear. "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
Did we fall by the Wayside when planted? Are we those that hear but doesn't understand? Have we taken the time to try to understand? Do we have any desire to understand or do we flat out just not want it?
Just like the glass half full or half empty, I think everything in life is what you are willing to see and put into it.
The same person can be snobby and friendly. The gospel can be your wings or your shackles.
Members of the church can be your strength or your downfall. It is YOU. Your heart. Your prepareness. Your willingness to receive.
I think I am going to use the idea for "family discussion" in the little SS study guide but do the Parable of the sower instead of the wheat & the tares for our FHE. The wheat & the tares seems to be more about the world, the 2nd coming, judgement, etc. The sower seems to be more of what relates to my family right now.
The question in the study guide is why do you think the parable focuses more on the ground than the sower or the seed. As my children age and start developing their own testimonies (or not), I am fully aware that the soil really is the thing that matters the most. A boring sacrament talk, a blow off Youth Conference, or whatever isn't nearly as important as the person's soil that is listening to these things.
When your heart is in the right place, you can still pick up nugget of wisdom or feel the prick of the spirit regardless of the quality of the speaker or the spiritualness of the activity. Parents, teachers, etc. can dump compost into our soil, water the seeds, etc., but it is really up to agency and personal choice as to what we do with these things.
What kind of soil are we?
Stony? not a lot of soil to grow in. No roots so when the sun comes out they get burned and die. Both adults and kids are often living off someone else's testimony and not developing their own. So, when something happens--whether to the other's strong testimony or to your relationship with that person--you lose your testimony also.
Thorny? getting choked from the thorns. Is that temptations and the world that they succumb to?
Good ground? bring forth much fruit. You can look around at families that pretty much never prepared their kid's soil (church attendance, FHE, etc.) and yet these kids grow up, go on missions, marry in the temple, etc. Their soil was good soil even though their parents may have had stony or thorny soil. It is what each individual person is willing to hear. "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
Did we fall by the Wayside when planted? Are we those that hear but doesn't understand? Have we taken the time to try to understand? Do we have any desire to understand or do we flat out just not want it?
Just like the glass half full or half empty, I think everything in life is what you are willing to see and put into it.
The same person can be snobby and friendly. The gospel can be your wings or your shackles.
Members of the church can be your strength or your downfall. It is YOU. Your heart. Your prepareness. Your willingness to receive.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
post cruise entry
I bet you think I haven't read scriptures since my last post, but that is not true. I actually read multiple times in February, but I didn't have time to post. The thought of taking the time to write up what I was thinking and feeling was overwhelming! February was a crazy busy month! I forget to grab the travel size BoM out of the van in California, so I didn't read any on the cruise.
I was really irritated at how I was going on a cruise---something I have been dreaming of doing for 30+ years and I was too stinking busy to get ready for it. Crazy! It's not like I thought the whole world would stop for me to prepare for my cruise, but I guess it would a little. Naturally, since I control my world, it didn't stop cause I had scheduled way too much stuff for myself! It took about 3 or 4 days of being gone before my body really slowed down and relaxed, I think! Starting about Wednesday, I started sleeping really sound and heavy. I was more content to sit and feel the sun on my face instead of feeling like I had to be something a little "productive"--even if it was reading. It was so very good for my body to have this big SLOW DOWN time. It's kind of unsettling and even a little scary to realize how hard it is to really relax when you live a lifestyle like mine.
So, I have returned a kinder, gentler woman. (Good thing Mike doesn't read my blog---He'd roll his eyes and be like, "Oh boy! Here we go again.) But I mean it!
So far this week---starting on Monday---I've done pretty good. I'm actually struggling today a bit---hopping around with posting here, cleaning the kitchen, ripping stuff out of newspapers, making notes on my RS agenda notes and stuff. See, that is BAD, BAD, BAD!
The reason I've done good on Monday and Tuesday is because I didn't try to do anything extra. I worked on unpacking, doing the errands that needed to be done, unpacking some more, laundry, cooking dinner, doing car pool, scripture reading (2 days!) and stuff like that. I did not start listening to phone messages (15 of them) or check emails (156 of them) until late yesterday afternoon. That's a little where the frenzy is starting because I have responses to make and such. But, I am working hard at self talk here to keep me in line. "No. Focus on one thing at a time." "Finish the post and then go back to the kitchen." (cause I started on the kitchen when I was talking on the phone since I couldn't type then). Stuff like that.
I am really beginning to see that taking GOOD care of your family & home takes more time then I was giving it. If I am planning meals, shopping for the right stuff, cleaning the house if they kids don't, being ready for my RS meetings, having time to listen to my children, helping them get caught up with homework, etc. then I don't have a lot of extra time for all these other things that I am always trying to slide in there......PTA, city events, and all this other stuff.
So, I am working in earnest on being choosier with what I do with my time. I think if I could do that for a month or so, I would feel so much more in control with my family, home and church life and be able to add in a few things wisely. Wisely. That's the ticket.
Well, this isn't really a post about reading scriptures. I guess I could throw something in about "Be Still and Know that I am God" or "To every thing there is a Season" or something, but I won't for now. I started this blog with the hopes that ward members would see my struggle and join in with their own struggles while feeling better at the realization that "everyone else" isn't doing things perfectly. I was thinking someone else could be blogging on here about their efforts to have FHE each Monday or not yell at their kids or whatever they wanted to work on. That hasn't really happened, but the license was out there for their to be blogging about more then scripture reading. So, I am covered with that. : )
Next post, scriptures.
I was really irritated at how I was going on a cruise---something I have been dreaming of doing for 30+ years and I was too stinking busy to get ready for it. Crazy! It's not like I thought the whole world would stop for me to prepare for my cruise, but I guess it would a little. Naturally, since I control my world, it didn't stop cause I had scheduled way too much stuff for myself! It took about 3 or 4 days of being gone before my body really slowed down and relaxed, I think! Starting about Wednesday, I started sleeping really sound and heavy. I was more content to sit and feel the sun on my face instead of feeling like I had to be something a little "productive"--even if it was reading. It was so very good for my body to have this big SLOW DOWN time. It's kind of unsettling and even a little scary to realize how hard it is to really relax when you live a lifestyle like mine.
So, I have returned a kinder, gentler woman. (Good thing Mike doesn't read my blog---He'd roll his eyes and be like, "Oh boy! Here we go again.) But I mean it!
So far this week---starting on Monday---I've done pretty good. I'm actually struggling today a bit---hopping around with posting here, cleaning the kitchen, ripping stuff out of newspapers, making notes on my RS agenda notes and stuff. See, that is BAD, BAD, BAD!
The reason I've done good on Monday and Tuesday is because I didn't try to do anything extra. I worked on unpacking, doing the errands that needed to be done, unpacking some more, laundry, cooking dinner, doing car pool, scripture reading (2 days!) and stuff like that. I did not start listening to phone messages (15 of them) or check emails (156 of them) until late yesterday afternoon. That's a little where the frenzy is starting because I have responses to make and such. But, I am working hard at self talk here to keep me in line. "No. Focus on one thing at a time." "Finish the post and then go back to the kitchen." (cause I started on the kitchen when I was talking on the phone since I couldn't type then). Stuff like that.
I am really beginning to see that taking GOOD care of your family & home takes more time then I was giving it. If I am planning meals, shopping for the right stuff, cleaning the house if they kids don't, being ready for my RS meetings, having time to listen to my children, helping them get caught up with homework, etc. then I don't have a lot of extra time for all these other things that I am always trying to slide in there......PTA, city events, and all this other stuff.
So, I am working in earnest on being choosier with what I do with my time. I think if I could do that for a month or so, I would feel so much more in control with my family, home and church life and be able to add in a few things wisely. Wisely. That's the ticket.
Well, this isn't really a post about reading scriptures. I guess I could throw something in about "Be Still and Know that I am God" or "To every thing there is a Season" or something, but I won't for now. I started this blog with the hopes that ward members would see my struggle and join in with their own struggles while feeling better at the realization that "everyone else" isn't doing things perfectly. I was thinking someone else could be blogging on here about their efforts to have FHE each Monday or not yell at their kids or whatever they wanted to work on. That hasn't really happened, but the license was out there for their to be blogging about more then scripture reading. So, I am covered with that. : )
Next post, scriptures.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Sunday School reading
Our wards RS theme this year is "Receive the Gift." In Section 88 of the D&C it talks about the different areas of heaven and who will go to the celestial, terrestrial, etc. It says we will be quickened according to the glory that we are receiving. EVERYONE will have their bodies changed to their particular Glory. But verse 32 says some will return to their old self because that is what they are comfortable with and "willing to receive". It all comes down to our own choices.
We will choice what we are most comfortable with even though we have all the options available to us!
Our Sunday school reading assignment is John 3. So, John is saying that Jesus wasn't sent here to make everyone feel bad but so everyone could be saved. But some people don't want that. Verse 20 says they don't want to feel guilty for the sins they committed so they don't come to the light.
I think lots of us need to kick ourselves out of our comfort zone and be willing to be a bit more "uncomfortable" so we can get the get we really need. And that is to be comfortable with light and spiritual things and goodness. Whether it is serving the Lord in positions we don't love or kicking our own favorite sin to the curb, I bet we all have things we can improve on. This puts us closer to the Light and more comfortable with Christ.
We will choice what we are most comfortable with even though we have all the options available to us!
Our Sunday school reading assignment is John 3. So, John is saying that Jesus wasn't sent here to make everyone feel bad but so everyone could be saved. But some people don't want that. Verse 20 says they don't want to feel guilty for the sins they committed so they don't come to the light.
I think lots of us need to kick ourselves out of our comfort zone and be willing to be a bit more "uncomfortable" so we can get the get we really need. And that is to be comfortable with light and spiritual things and goodness. Whether it is serving the Lord in positions we don't love or kicking our own favorite sin to the curb, I bet we all have things we can improve on. This puts us closer to the Light and more comfortable with Christ.
Your child's choice
You know how when you are kids, things are pretty black and white. People are either good or bad. Choices are either right or wrong. As we get older, we start putting in lots of shades of gray. We tell ourselves that things are sorta right or only partially wrong.
Yesterday, the BofM reminded me that one of the reasons we should try to be like little children is because they know the truth. And yes, as our children grown they often stop choosing righteousness. None the less, there are only 2 choices:
I paraphrased Alma 5:37-48 with what I might say as a parent to a child choosing to rebel. I left out the verses and such to make it easier to read, but each verse is a different paragraph. Starting with verse 37:
Hey! I'm talking to those of you that think you are so smart. You think you understand the way the world works. You say that you know what's right, but you have gone astray. You are like a sheep having no shepherd. The shepherd has called you and is still calling you, but you don't listen.
The Good shepherd is calling you. You recognize His voice; you know it is Christ, but you will not listen to him. He is calling you by name. "Beth, come here!" he calls, but you don't want to be His sheep so you don't listen.
If you aren't going to be the Good shepherd's sheep, then who do you want to belong to? The devil has to be your shepherd then and you belong to him. No one can deny this. Who ever tries to deny it is a liar.
Because what ever is good, comes from God. What ever is evil comes from the Devil.
If you are doing good things and there are good consequences, you are listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd. If you bring forth evil things, you are a child of the devil. You listen to his voice and follow him.
You will receive the consequences from whomever you choose to follow. If you are receiving the consequences of sin, then you choose death. This is the death of your spirit and soul to all good opportunities and good works.
Beth, I speak with all the energy in my soul, all of my passion. I am speaking as plainly as I can so you do not misunderstand. I am only saying what God has said Himself in the commandments.
As your mother, I am called to speak to you like this. It is my responsibility to try to teach you. It is my duty to testify to you the things which we have been promised will happen.
How do you think I know these things? For I promise that I DO know these things! How do I know for sure that they are true?
I know because the Holy Ghost told me. I have fasted and prayed many days so that I can know these things for myself. Now I do know for myself that they are true. God has told me so through his Holy Spirit. This is the spirit of revelation.
The things that your parents, church leaders and the prophets have said are true. I know this by the Spirit of God.
Whatever I say to you about the future is true. I KNOW Jesus Christ shall come. He is the Son, the only begotten of the Father. Christ is full of grace, mercy, and truth. He is the one that will take away my sins and everyone else who steadily believes in Him.
Repent and receive that mighty change in your Heart that only Christ can give.
Friday, January 28, 2011
The gift of the Holy Ghost
We started 1 Nephi, chapter 3 for Family scripture study this morning. Mike only read a few verses before I interrupted and pointed out the wording of verse 1--- "Speaking with the Lord" instead of praying. We talked a minute about what that would be like---how you get that kind of relationship with the Lord so that you describe your prayers as "speaking" instead of praying.
Then I asked "what does it sound like when the Lord talks to you?" and we talked about that that for a minute. I asked by show of hand if they had ever actually heard a voice. No one had except me. About 14 years ado, I was in the temple and a sentence came to my mind plain as day. As if it was spoken out loud. I tried to ask a question back and heard no more words, only the thought that everything would be o.k. I came out of the temple filled with resolve on what I had to do. That 6 or 7 word sentence has only happened one time in 42 years of praying.
Mostly, the Lord talks to use through feelings, impressions, and emotions. Michael said when we were living in Minnesota and the opportunity came to move to Utah, he KNEW it was the right thing. I talked about that strong feeling I had when I prayed about us moving into this house. How I thought it was totally unnecessary, but that sure, strong feeling that it was the right thing to do. When friends were having a fit and falling in it, how I would have to remember that feeling and surety I had, so I didn't get too confused or discouraged.
I talked about my experience with having another baby (Landon) and how I was out for a morning walk and came home to tell Michael I was ready to have a baby. How it was the right thing for us to do and we would name her Kit. (Landon got it as a middle name).
I shared a couple other experiences like those types of things. Experiences where I hear no voices, but I know just as surely that it is the Holy Ghost guiding me.
Scripture reading was pretty much nil today. But, it was one of the best family scripture reading that we've ever had. The Lord's Spirit can do that. I didn't want it to end.
Then I asked "what does it sound like when the Lord talks to you?" and we talked about that that for a minute. I asked by show of hand if they had ever actually heard a voice. No one had except me. About 14 years ado, I was in the temple and a sentence came to my mind plain as day. As if it was spoken out loud. I tried to ask a question back and heard no more words, only the thought that everything would be o.k. I came out of the temple filled with resolve on what I had to do. That 6 or 7 word sentence has only happened one time in 42 years of praying.
Mostly, the Lord talks to use through feelings, impressions, and emotions. Michael said when we were living in Minnesota and the opportunity came to move to Utah, he KNEW it was the right thing. I talked about that strong feeling I had when I prayed about us moving into this house. How I thought it was totally unnecessary, but that sure, strong feeling that it was the right thing to do. When friends were having a fit and falling in it, how I would have to remember that feeling and surety I had, so I didn't get too confused or discouraged.
I talked about my experience with having another baby (Landon) and how I was out for a morning walk and came home to tell Michael I was ready to have a baby. How it was the right thing for us to do and we would name her Kit. (Landon got it as a middle name).
I shared a couple other experiences like those types of things. Experiences where I hear no voices, but I know just as surely that it is the Holy Ghost guiding me.
Scripture reading was pretty much nil today. But, it was one of the best family scripture reading that we've ever had. The Lord's Spirit can do that. I didn't want it to end.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Learning grace upon grace
D&C 93 is John talking about Jesus being the Word and creating the earth and all things, etc.
v. 12-14 gives me chills.
v. 12-14 gives me chills.
13And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued fromagrace to grace, until he received a fulness;
I AM a daughter of God, and I can continue grace to grace too. Line upon line. Even Jesus had to learn and be taught a little at a time. (Naturally, his little was probably like an entire book of scripture in one setting, where mine is like one verse, but STILL! )
I just think that is cool.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)