For instance, my little girl, Evie, has a stuffed turtle with a shell that projects the stars and moon on her ceiling. Last night, she was holding it in her hands and she started looking through the little star shaped holes directly at the light bulb in the shell. As soon as I told her not to do it, she of course tightened her hold on the turtle and stared more fiercely into the light. I explained to her that staring directly at light bulbs hurts your eyes. Did that stop her from wanting to do it? No. Same thing with walking in the street. I explain to her that it is dangerous to walk out into the street because cars drive on the road and they don't always see people walking. Basically, getting hit by a car would hurt really bad. "Big Bonk" in 2-year old language. Does she still try to spend a lot of time playing in the street. Yes.
So while the whole turtle light bulb situation was happening, I was thinking to myself, "She is so stubborn! Why would she consistently choose to do something that I tell her is not good for her eyes. That can hurt her. And then why, when she does get hurt in these situations (like when I tell her not to stand in her booster seat at the kitchen table because she could fall and hit her head....and then she falls and hits her head), why does she look at me with tears running down her cheeks as if I was the reason she fell?" Those are the thoughts running through my mind.
And then suddenly, I see myself in her. I do the same thing, all the time. Like parking in a place I shouldn't park because it's convenient--thinking this time I won't get a ticket even though I've been ticketed every other time I've parked here. And then when I get the ticket, I curse the guy who gave me the ticket. The same thing is true for me with spiritual principles--with commandments that come from Heavenly Father. And suddenly my relationship and interactions with Evie are juxtaposed with my relationship and interactions with God...except this time I am still the child. And He is telling me things He has always said--things like, "Keep the Sabbath day holy. Make it a day for spiritual things and for serving and helping others (because when you do that, you are serving and helping Me). And on this one day of the week, when you can, refrain from the normal weekday work that you do and the normal weekday recreation. And if you do this, you will be better and brighter and happier." (see Isaiah 58:13-14) And I look down and find myself wanting to tighten my grip on the silly fluff of a book that I am currently reading or wanting to sleep all day rather then put down the book or get out of bed to go do something for someone else or even just to spend quality time with my family. Things like that.
I love this quote from a talk given in a recent church conference:
"God will not act to make us something we do not choose by our actions to become. Truly He loves us, and because He loves us, He neither compels nor abandons us. Rather He helps and guides us. Indeed, the real manifestation of God's love is His commandments."
"Free Forever, to Act for Themselves"
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
I am finding this to be more and more true in my life. That God's love is manifest in the commandments He gives and in always giving us the choice to obey them or to not obey them. And then He further manifests His love in giving us someone, a Savior, who understands us perfectly and can help us up and heal us when we fall out of the chair that we deliberately climbed despite the countless warnings about the damage it would do. I am trying to love and trust my Heavenly Father the way I hope my daughter can love and trust me.
And here's a video I really like:
-Elin
Who wishes she could become an official namer of streets. How does "turn right on Whistling Wood" and "make a left on Rhododendron Way" sound? I think I have a real aptitude for that kind of work.
Another thought-provoking quote if you are still even reading this....
"To those who believe anything or everything could be true, the declaration of objective, fixed, and universal truth feels like coercion--"I shouldn't be forced to believe something is true that I don't like." But that does not change reality. Resenting the law of gravity won't keep a person from falling if he steps off a cliff. The same is true for eternal law and justice. Freedom comes not from resisting it but from applying it. That is fundamental to God's own power. If it were not for the reality of fixed and immutable truths, the gift of agency would be meaningless since we would never be able to foresee and intend the consequences of our actions. As Lehi [a prophet in the Book of Mormon] expressed it: 'If ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act or to be acted upon..(2 Nephi 2:13).'"
"Free Forever, to Act for Themselves"
Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
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