"For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so...
righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness or misery, neither good nor bad...."
If not for opposition, agency could not exist. We are often reminded that agency is not free. Agency allows me to participate in the testing process that is a fundamental part of this earthly life. There is a cost associated with agency- the cost is personal- it is damnation or salvation, depending on how I choose to use my agency. My choice is clear, but I often ponder as to why a person would choose to become an enemy to righteousness.
Satan himself was endowed with this beautiful gift of agency, yet he stands today as an enemy, an adversary to all that is good and right.
I love this reminder from Peter, stating
"Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." Peter 5:8
So, I find myself feeling amazed at the right that I have to agency, overwhelmed at the thought of all that I am capable of gaining if I use that agency properly-
and- because I am human- and also because I happen to be in the process of raising children- I often find myself wondering how my Father in Heaven could trust me with this gift of agency-
as a mom, I want to believe that my children will always make great choices- and then there are days when I wonder WHY that is an option for them- I would rather make that choice for them, because I believe I can see the consequences much more clearly than they can, or because I don't want them to suffer, or hurt, or feel sadness.
Surely my Father feels the same with me as I wander through this life of opposition- as I use my agency, as I succeed and fail and learn.
He must trust me immensely, and see more in me than I see in myself- and with that example in mind I will try to be a better person, and a better parent!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The Worth of Souls
Yes- the topic is having a repeat visit- for 2 reasons.
1) I have been assigned to talk specifically about self-worth at an upcoming leadership meeting. (I have complained plenty about this- WHY give me this topic- nothing could be more difficult for me than self-worth)
2) After my original post on "the worth of souls", a sweet friend thanked me for reminding her of her worth, and invited me to not forget my own worth. (Dang- I had not thought of that- I was basking in the worth of others!)
I have been considering this, my own worth- since then.
If I had to come up with a list of things that I cannot do well, I could manage to have a pretty lengthy list. But to consider myself worthwhile? HMM
It is so easy to find worth in others. Not so easy to find it in ourselves.
This speaking assignment is beginning to feel impossible! SERIOUSLY!
I have a thought that I am trying to put into words- let me know what you think, PLEASE!
Suppose I handed you a piece of cloth. It is paper sack brown and corse (think of one of those old potato bags)- and if we had the responsibility of making this cloth into something beautiful, say an evening gown- what would come to your mind. I'll start- just in way of cutting out a pattern and sewing- this cloth would be
DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH
and wearing it- some descriptive words that come to mind-
IRRITATING
PRICKLY
UNCOMFORTABLE
The gown itself, as a finished project, may be considered
PLAIN
NO PERSONALITY
UGLY
Basically, using this type of cloth for something it was not intended to be used for can make the cloth itself seem unsuccessful.
BUT- If I were to use it as it was intended, say, for a potato sack, the words to describe it would change- the cloth would then become
STRONG
DURABLE, or capable of enduring
PERFECT, really-
And on the other hand- if I were to take a beautiful piece of satin or silk- and try to make a pair of winter stockings out of it- that cloth would be-
UNWILLING TO STRETCH
it could SNAG, or RUN EASILY
it would be COLD,
SLIPPERY,
Unworthy of winter sock wear- but in the event that I used that cloth to make something beautiful- a dress, frilly pajamas even, that cloth would be
COMFORTING
SOFT
DELIGHTFUL
So my thought is this- aren't we all somewhere in the process of becoming what we were intended to become. When all is said and done- I believe that my Father in Heaven intends for me to be Strong, capable of enduring, Comfortable with who I am, Delightful even- but for today, I am caught somewhere in the process of trying to become what he intended for me to be. Some of those descriptive words, whether I like it or not, may be who I am. Prickly, irritating, hard to work with, plain, ugly, cold, slippery- I suppose I even run into a snag here and there. These descriptive words are harsh- hurtful even- which makes me wonder if I ever used one of these words to describe another of my Fathers children.
If so, I have been so wrong- they too are in the process of becoming what they were intended to become- maybe they are in the prickly part, or the unwilling to stretch part. We must remember that we are all working to become what we were intended to be .... BEAUTIFUL!
1) I have been assigned to talk specifically about self-worth at an upcoming leadership meeting. (I have complained plenty about this- WHY give me this topic- nothing could be more difficult for me than self-worth)
2) After my original post on "the worth of souls", a sweet friend thanked me for reminding her of her worth, and invited me to not forget my own worth. (Dang- I had not thought of that- I was basking in the worth of others!)
I have been considering this, my own worth- since then.
If I had to come up with a list of things that I cannot do well, I could manage to have a pretty lengthy list. But to consider myself worthwhile? HMM
It is so easy to find worth in others. Not so easy to find it in ourselves.
This speaking assignment is beginning to feel impossible! SERIOUSLY!
I have a thought that I am trying to put into words- let me know what you think, PLEASE!
Suppose I handed you a piece of cloth. It is paper sack brown and corse (think of one of those old potato bags)- and if we had the responsibility of making this cloth into something beautiful, say an evening gown- what would come to your mind. I'll start- just in way of cutting out a pattern and sewing- this cloth would be
DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH
and wearing it- some descriptive words that come to mind-
IRRITATING
PRICKLY
UNCOMFORTABLE
The gown itself, as a finished project, may be considered
PLAIN
NO PERSONALITY
UGLY
Basically, using this type of cloth for something it was not intended to be used for can make the cloth itself seem unsuccessful.
BUT- If I were to use it as it was intended, say, for a potato sack, the words to describe it would change- the cloth would then become
STRONG
DURABLE, or capable of enduring
PERFECT, really-
And on the other hand- if I were to take a beautiful piece of satin or silk- and try to make a pair of winter stockings out of it- that cloth would be-
UNWILLING TO STRETCH
it could SNAG, or RUN EASILY
it would be COLD,
SLIPPERY,
Unworthy of winter sock wear- but in the event that I used that cloth to make something beautiful- a dress, frilly pajamas even, that cloth would be
COMFORTING
SOFT
DELIGHTFUL
So my thought is this- aren't we all somewhere in the process of becoming what we were intended to become. When all is said and done- I believe that my Father in Heaven intends for me to be Strong, capable of enduring, Comfortable with who I am, Delightful even- but for today, I am caught somewhere in the process of trying to become what he intended for me to be. Some of those descriptive words, whether I like it or not, may be who I am. Prickly, irritating, hard to work with, plain, ugly, cold, slippery- I suppose I even run into a snag here and there. These descriptive words are harsh- hurtful even- which makes me wonder if I ever used one of these words to describe another of my Fathers children.
If so, I have been so wrong- they too are in the process of becoming what they were intended to become- maybe they are in the prickly part, or the unwilling to stretch part. We must remember that we are all working to become what we were intended to be .... BEAUTIFUL!
Sunday, April 1, 2012
2 Nephi 26:32
"And again the Lord commanded man........................ That they should not envy......"
Oh, there is much more to this scripture that I should not do- But I recently found myself in need of this commandment- "They should not envy."
I was sitting in Cafe Rio in St. George at lunch time- carefully guarding a table for my little family. The previous night had been one of those sleepless nights that I often have, so I was tired. My family had been enjoying the warm sunshine and the beautiful scenery filled with two days of long hikes. I also knew that my sweet sisters would be meeting today for lunch in Salt Lake to plan a very important event. I had been invited, but was out of town and couldn't attend.
So as I looked around, I began to envy the three year old little girl who was still dressed in her purple footie pajamas. I doubt that one person looked at this beautiful little girl and thought "Why is she still in her pajamas?" She was smiling and happy and completely enjoying her food and family. Envy came creeping in- and I thought- I wish I were in my purple footie pajamas (and yes, I do have a pair)- my hair a mess and a huge smile on my face- I envy this little girl.
My envy was disrupted by loud laughter- and I looked at another table where three older women sat- all laughing. It was obvious from their matching white hair and their lipsticked smiles that they were sisters. I envy you three cute women, I am missing my sisters.
That's when my own eight year old nearly knocked me off my chair- he had been talking and I obviously was not listening.
But this little moment of envy threw me off a bit. I am not usually one to want what others have. I have always thought it a sweet blessing that my nature is to be very content with where I am- with what I have. I felt even more concerned for my soul when I found little to no direction on the subject of envy- does this mean I am hopeless? Helpless?
Coveting seems a bit dramatic of an explanation and I don't feel that the description of coveting really applies here- " to have an eager, extreme or ungodly desire for something."
In fact, the desire to be comfortable, surrounded by the people that I love and admire- it doesn't seem such a bad thing to wish for. And when i finally snapped out it, I realized that is exactly what I had at my little table at Cafe Rio- My cute family, whom I love and admire!
Oh, there is much more to this scripture that I should not do- But I recently found myself in need of this commandment- "They should not envy."
I was sitting in Cafe Rio in St. George at lunch time- carefully guarding a table for my little family. The previous night had been one of those sleepless nights that I often have, so I was tired. My family had been enjoying the warm sunshine and the beautiful scenery filled with two days of long hikes. I also knew that my sweet sisters would be meeting today for lunch in Salt Lake to plan a very important event. I had been invited, but was out of town and couldn't attend.
So as I looked around, I began to envy the three year old little girl who was still dressed in her purple footie pajamas. I doubt that one person looked at this beautiful little girl and thought "Why is she still in her pajamas?" She was smiling and happy and completely enjoying her food and family. Envy came creeping in- and I thought- I wish I were in my purple footie pajamas (and yes, I do have a pair)- my hair a mess and a huge smile on my face- I envy this little girl.
My envy was disrupted by loud laughter- and I looked at another table where three older women sat- all laughing. It was obvious from their matching white hair and their lipsticked smiles that they were sisters. I envy you three cute women, I am missing my sisters.
That's when my own eight year old nearly knocked me off my chair- he had been talking and I obviously was not listening.
But this little moment of envy threw me off a bit. I am not usually one to want what others have. I have always thought it a sweet blessing that my nature is to be very content with where I am- with what I have. I felt even more concerned for my soul when I found little to no direction on the subject of envy- does this mean I am hopeless? Helpless?
Coveting seems a bit dramatic of an explanation and I don't feel that the description of coveting really applies here- " to have an eager, extreme or ungodly desire for something."
In fact, the desire to be comfortable, surrounded by the people that I love and admire- it doesn't seem such a bad thing to wish for. And when i finally snapped out it, I realized that is exactly what I had at my little table at Cafe Rio- My cute family, whom I love and admire!
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