You Wild Child!

Have you ever danced on the wild side?  Was it thrilling?  Scary?  Did you feel daring and dangerous?  Did you feel brave or feel like a trailblazer?  

Or did you feel something different?  Did you feel alone?  Scared? Without hope? Did you feel isolated from the people around you?

Me too.

At first it was freeing-- less rules, or at least fewer that I was obeying or paying attention to.  I felt very grown up and mature about making 'my own life' and it was, for a time, very thrilling.....until I realized all I was giving up to be 'free'.  

Sometimes, if we grow up in a place and time that we don't understand, we try out new things, new paths, and new vistas.  But if they don't work out, we usually just move on, hoping that the next 'new thing' will offer what the last 'new thing' lacked.  We eventually realize that what is lacking in our lives isn't what is, or is not, on the outside-- it is what isn't in us anymore on the inside, and that lack, is what can be the difference between a meaningful life, and an empty one.

Knowing who we are-- having an absolute, supreme understanding of that, will change us forever.  If we are a musician, we will play until our fingers are numb-- and it will bring us joy to keep on playing.  If we are an artist, to create will be our driving force-- it will define our environment, and if they let us-- everyone else's environment too. 

 When we find our identity, we are in a perfect spot to make something of ourselves...... and no matter what anyone else says or thinks, we will continue with our passion-- because it is our passion in life.

Which brings me to the 'wild child'.  In 2 Nephi 15:4, it says, "....Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, it brought forth wild grapes."  Sometimes we walk on the 'wild side' because we don't know yet who we are.  We may have been told we are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, but being told isn't the same as knowing it.  When we lack the pure knowledge of our divine heritage, we are not going to behave in the same manner as we would otherwise.  We are going to make more mistakes and make decisions that in retrospect bring tears of sadness when we look back at them.

But when that moment of understanding comes....our hearts will leap with joy.  "...yea, my soul delighteth in his grace, and in his justice, and power, and mercy in the great and eternal plan of deliverance from death."  2 Nehpi 11: 5

Walk in joy.  Be your best self. 

Eat the good grapes.

Heavenly Father loves you.

Are your windows clean?

I was washing dishes one morning, when the doorbell rang.  When I answered it, a young man stood at the door, asking if I would like my windows cleaned.  I looked over at the glass in the living room, and thought to myself, 'They look clean.'-- so I told the nice young man, 'No thank you', and he left.  

Six months later, the same nice young man came again.  'Would you like your windows cleaned?' Again, I looked, and knowing I had just used Windex less than five days ago, I said, 'No thank you'.  

This time, after he left, I stood inside my living room, and looked out.  I examined my windows around the house, I walked slowly past each one, and really looked.  You know what?  My living room window was sparkling clean.  My kitchen windows were pretty clean, but in the rest of the house.....those windows weren't so clean and sparkly.  They had smears, cobwebs and dust in the corners, and there was a dead fly in more than one window in the back of the house.

Maybe I should have said, "Yes."

 

How often do we take the time and energy to clean what can be seen by others on our public image, but leave our private, and personal areas less than clean and tidy?   Do we allow the dust and dirt to build up over time, or even worse: do we purposefully add to the grime?  I am speaking of living our lives in such a way as to have our public and personal identity be equally full of integrity-- of honestly living what we claim to hold dear.

Our eyes are the windows to our soul.  But sometimes our 'windows' get a little dirty.  It can be hard and difficult to stay close to our Heavenly Father if we are trying to see Him in our lives with dirty windows.  Things get clouded, and dull.  We can no longer see clearly, or even see and understand His directions for us if we choose not to consistently clean our act up.  

What does it mean to 'clean up'?  It means saying 'No,' a lot. It means saying, 'No,' to such public poisons like porn.  It means saying, 'No,' to big and little lies.  It means saying, 'No,' to acting in anyway contrary to what you know to be right.  It means keeping your private life just as clean and tidy as your public one.  

Wouldn't that change so many dynamics in our society if everyone did this?  

Cleaning our 'windows',  also means saying, 'Yes' a lot.  Yes to all the good things around us.  It is choosing people over things.  It is choosing to allow the Atonement of Christ to actively work in our lives.  It means us personally taking responsibility for keeping our eyes on the things that bring peace, hope, and faith.  

We are all sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, and as such, we have the divine right to inspiration and guidance from a loving Heavenly Father.  However, we must not forget what Peter Parker learned, "With great power, comes great responsibility."  We need to speak up, and speak out about what we are choosing for ourselves.  We don't get to sit down on the couch and expect everything on the T.V. to be a perfect fit for us-- and we certainly don't have to applaud those shows or movies that have so many people enthralled, if we know that there are going to be parts in them that we know will add grime to our souls. Instead, we take responsibility for what our eyes will see, and what our ears will hear.  

Here is a line I came across this week:  The real life we are preparing for, is eternal life.--  President Henry B. Eyring.   

I want to see life-- and I want to see it clearly.  

Pass the Windex.  

Faith Vs. Doubt : the winner is.....?

Most of us at some time or another have doubted.  Whether it be doubting ourselves, our abilities, others, or any one of a million things-- we have had moments of doubt.  But what good did that ever do us?  Honestly, did doubt ever help us win a race?  Ace a test?  Get a job?  In all the self-help books out there, is doubt listed as a great asset to building character, developing skills, or appreciating self-worth?  No, no it's not.  

And there is a reason why. 

Doubt is the oppressor of all our good intentions.  It sticks to our mind like mud, and is just as helpful. 

Then why would anyone ever doubt?  That is the ultimate question.  I can tell you why I doubt--  sometimes I think that I'm too small in the big scheme of things for me to really matter-- or even that what I do is going to really matter.  Sometimes I honestly forget that God knows a plan for me to do it-- and so I forget to try to figure out what that plan or way is.  Sometimes I am so overwhelmed by what lies before me, that I take it more seriously than I should.  Sometimes, I let the seeds of doubt take strong root over my mind...... but that is just the 'mud' talking. 

But I'm not alone.   There were (a long time ago-- but not in the next galaxy), four brothers who were in a tough situation.  And their prospects of coming out of it-- alive-- were not so good.  In fact, in the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi chapter 3, verse 31 it says: "...Laman and Lemuel again began to murmur, saying: How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban into our hands?  Behold, he is a mighty man, and he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?"    These brothers were men-- not young children, and yet they were overcome by doubt.  They had allowed the 'mud' to cloud their thinking.

We need to take the 'mud' seriously if we are going to overcome it. 

Faith, on the other hand, works miracles.  It channels the Power of God into our mortal selves, and brings us to a higher playing field.  When we allow faith to work within our hearts, we are also forming a partnership with God--  and that is when the miracles start to happen.

In  the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 3:7  it says: "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."  *

If God gives a commandment, God is going to make a way for it to be possible.  Our part is to have faith that this is so.  God loves us, He wants us to succeed, but we must have faith in this-- because when we have faith, He can channel His grace, His glory, into our hearts.  When we are working to do our best to have faith-- and not give power to the muddy doubts-- we are able to think more clearly, take stock of our possibilities, and move forward with our lives to make the most of them.



*If you have a Book of Mormon handy, check out the location of these two scriptures-- you will find they are on page 6 and 7..... facing each other, eternally as polar opposites.

  

Honesty

Honesty is being true, speaking truth, and acting true.  It doesn't actually cover all of that in the BYU-I Honor Code-- it mostly is about not cheating, not making up references, and giving credit where credit is due.   

 

But here's the thing: honesty is so much more.  It is about having what is in your heart and mind match with what is coming *from* you-- written word, spoken word, or actions-- and having all of that match what you know to be right and true.    There are times when I've been immensely overwhelmed with things in life, and I have thought: does it *really* matter if I just  _______?   So, depending on how in tune with the Spirit I am, will determine who I am listening to-- Satan or the Holy Spirit.  

 

The Holy Spirit does not lie.  It can't.   But if we choose to listen to the other guy, well...... he lies all the time.  But he is tricky about it-- because he knows we are smart, so he doesn't always outright lie, he weaves truth and lies together; he mixes it up.  And if we are leaning into his temptations, we are giving him control-- over many parts of our lives, including our own honesty-- remember even Adam and Eve went and hid in fear-- so they were trying to conceal things too.  The Holy Spirit, by contrast, likes us to share -- that we may share one another's joys, but also that we may share one another's burdens, too.

 

I think real honesty comes in those moments when we are living what we know to be good and true, and when those moments come, they come with joy-- joy of not only knowing that we are acting with true and honorable integrity, but also I think we feel the joy that comes from our Savior who is thrilled when we are following Him.  He knows what we need, and when we are acting in accordance to that truth, we feel the joy that He has for us.  The more we act honestly with what we know to be right and true, the greater our opportunity for joy.  

Between You and God

Between You and God

by J. Wester

A new twist on my favorite quote by Mother Theresa

 

 

There may be a day when all the seeds you plant will either rot, wither, or get eaten;

Plant anyway.

 

There may be a day when you are asked to do something above and beyond your skills;

Try anyway.

 

There may be a day when a friend needs more than you think you can give;

Give anyway.

 

There may be a day when no one smiles back at you;

Smile anyway.

 

There may be a day when you fear the coming day;

Greet it anyway.

 

There may be a day when you give your heart away and it may be broken;

Love anyway.

 

There may be a day when your faith in humanity is shaken to the core.

Hope anyway.

 

There may be a day when you wonder if prayers are answered;

Pray anyway.

 

There may be a day when you are struggling to know if God knows you;

Believe anyway.

 

 

"You see, in the final analysis, it's between you and God;

It was never between you and them anyway."

'Twas the day before Christmas (2014)

'Twas the day before Christmas,
And all thru the house,
Not a creature was stirring--
Thank goodness no mouse!
All the stockings were hung,
All the presents were wrapped,
The music; the mayhem--
All the fun, while I napped.


For tonight I must stay,
Awake at the helm,
For magic awaits,
in Mischief's sweet realm.
The toys and the glitter
Are sweet but sub-par,
For Mary's baby
got his own shiny star.


And when I ponder
Just what that gift means
To my soul and yours--
Well, it's more than it seams.
It's all about giving--
the best that you've got.
It's not about size,
or color, or shop.


A baby was born--
Heaven's best gift,
To show us a path,
And our burdens to lift.
No wrapping required,
'though I hear cloth was used.
And I've heard all the stories
of crowns that abused.


So on the 'morrow,
there'll be magic and tree.
Mixed all together
in exuberant glee--
But tonight is the time
By candle's bright light,
We gather to read,
Of that First Christmas Night.

Lights

I am sitting here at my desk at six on a Sunday morning.  My husband and children are asleep, while I have some time to 'just be' by myself.  I am used to this pattern.  I usually have an hour or so before anyone starts to wake up.  I can't claim I use this time to clean (I don't), or to prep for the day (not usually), but as the house is so still, this is the time where my thoughts tend to drift into the deep waters.......

Last night when we were driving home our daughter asked if we were putting up Christmas lights on the outside this year.  It was a logical question-- a few of our neighbors had already done so, and December was moving along.  My response was: "YES! I love Christmas lights!"  I don't actually love the take-down, but the putting them up part can be fun. Ok, sometimes it's frustrating, and it can turn into family 'discussions' if everyone is tired, but-- it's like magic....When all was dark, and suddenly there are lights-- which if you ask me, from a distance look like they are floating in the air-- and suddenly the world at is darkest, most lonely part of the year..... becomes filled with hope and filled with joy.  Who can say no to that?!

Those lights are symbolic because-- for me-- those lights represent not just a holiday filled with presents and cookies (which are nice and wonderful in their own right), but they represent the beginning of time when God said: Let there be Light, and there was Light..... The lights also remind me of how there was a time when God so loved the world (yes, this crazy, mixed up, often insane world), that he gave His son.... his baby boy-- to us-- US!--and once again, this place was filled with Light. 

Have you ever noticed how many traditions are filled with light?  Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas are the most familiar, but there are so many that stretch back in our human history. 

Living in darkness is not where we belong.  We belong in the light-- in light that brings people together in joy and gladness. Just like the lights on a house, or the lights from a candle-- when there is light, there is hope.  There is peace of heart, and a willingness to make room for another in the warmth of the flame.

There is LOVE.

Are we putting up lights?  YES.