He Thinks In Secret



Sometimes I don't know what I am going to write about, so I ask Elin. She said, "Write about that poem you always recite." I don't always recite it, but it is the only poem I have memorized at this point. And I am not sure it is a poem, exactly. Oh well. It comes from James Allen's book, "As a Man Thinketh," which is based on the scripture Proverbs 23:7:

Mind is the master power that moulds and makes;
and Man is Mind, and evermore he takes
the tools of Thought, and, shaping what he wills,
brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills.
He thinks in secret, it comes to pass;
Environment is but his looking glass.

(As that was from memory it might have a mistake or two. Also, I am not sure of the structure and punctuation. I just put what seemed right to me.)

This poem, or whatever, basically means that our thoughts shape our lives and world. The penultimate line is my favorite. While I don't believe in any kind of mind-reading, I do believe that our secrets become known because eventually they turn in to actions. A scripture from the Book of Mormon supports this idea:

But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.

We have to watch ourselves, thoughts, words, and deeds. Thoughts eventually become words, which eventually become deeds. If I find that my actions aren't what I want them to be, then I need to go back to the source. It is tempting to say that I can't control my thoughts, but that isn't true. It may be that  thoughts jump into my head upon seeing or hearing something, but I can choose to move on from them immediately. God has blessed us with that ability.

Forrest
--Who is thinking about an extended weekend!

Ponder the Path of Thy Feet

"Ponder the path of thy feet" (Proverbs 4:26). 

Do you ever have moments when everything feels surreal? And you wonder how you ever came to be where you are. And for a small moment, you feel like the you from 15 years ago, and as you look at your life it just amazes you (in a good way or bad way or both). I have those moments from time to time and they are a bit jarring for me. Sometimes it is in a loud or quiet moment at home and I look at my husband and think "I can't believe I am married...and have been married for almost a third of my life....and it just feels funny." Or I look at my children and think "when did this happen? Are these kids really mine?" Like I am looking at everything with fresh eyes. Or the other day, my friend (who is 5 or 6 six years younger than me) emailed me a picture of us she took when we were out together and I looked at myself and thought "Who is that? I look so old!"

These moments don't occur very often, but when they do, they usually lead to some reflection about where I am in my life and what I am becoming. This life is a tricky one. It is so easy to get caught up in all the everyday things that have to happen. You know what I mean: meals, sleep, school, diapers, work, cleaning ourselves, the house, the yard, the cars. And so hard sometimes to remember why we are really here and who we can become, even while doing all the necessary, everyday things.

We are reading the New Testament for our Sunday School study this year, and the phrase that keeps getting caught in my brain is this: come, follow me (Luke 18:22, John 21:22, Matthew 16:24, Numbers 32:11, Omni 1:26, Moroni 10:32).

The video I posted at the beginning of this post gave me new insight into the story of the rich young ruler who "comes" to Christ and asks Him what he needs to do to have eternal life.  The young man had faith enough in the Savior to come to Him. The fact that He sought Jesus out shows that he believed He had answers. But after the young man affirms that he has kept the commandments throughout his life, and is then counselled to sell what he has and follow Jesus, he cannot make the commitment. So he turns around and goes his way, and Christ and His disciples (those who follow Him physically and are attempting to follow spiritually) go another way. 

That visual image of the young man turning and walking away is poignant to me. It doesn't mean that the rich young ruler was never able to give up his material wealth and follow the Savior. But in that moment, he could not commit. So he walked away from the one person who could show him what it means to reach your true potential--what it means to really love someone--what it means to know yourself and to know God. 

So this week, I am going to try a little harder to "follow Him", even while I walk through the everyday necessities. I can't physically walk beside Him and watch the way He interacts with people and love them and heals them. But I can read about it and try my best to do things the way He would. Doing this, I believe, will help me know myself better and to know my Heavenly Father better.

-elin

Who is going to have a hard time "following Him" while I plan out meals for this week. I actually enjoy cooking...but I hate having to plan out meals and think of new things that are not only tasty but actually healthy...grrrrr...And I hate ironing clothes....

Some Great Thing

 

Here is a quick summary of the story of Naaman in the Old Testament (2 Kings 5:1-14): Naaman was the captain of the Syrian army, enemies to Israel. Pretty powerful guy. He suffered from leprosy, and was therefore slowly decaying. He sought out the prophet Elisha to be healed, and Elisha counseled him to bathe in the Jordan River seven times. Naaman was not happy with this counsel, probably for a variety of reasons, and "went away in a rage." A wise servant told him this:

 

My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?

 

Naaman humbled himself, washed, and was healed.

 

So many great things to consider in this story, from the goodness of God, the role of prophets, the humility of Naaman, to the confidence of his servant. Read it yourselves and you'll see. 

 

This passage of scripture came up in my church class a few weeks ago, and we discussed application to our own life. As we did so, it occurred to me that I had been neglecting small things while searching out great things in order to help me through a trial. I really related to Naaman.

 

As Naaman's servant suggested, Naaman probably was prepared to do almost anything to rid himself of his leprosy, even some great thing. So why should a simple solution upset him? (At its root is pride, I think, but that isn't what I want to get into.) From my perspective, I can see him having thoughts like these (because I have had similar thoughts myself):

 

I've washed a billion times! Before, during, and after getting leprosy! What difference would washing here, now, make?

My problem is way, way too big to be solved with something so simple.

Professionals (doctors, leeches, healers, whatever they would have been called) have come with better methods than this!

 

And so on. In the end, of course, Naaman did the simple thing and was healed. So what are simple things that I should be doing? Praying, studying scripture, obeying God's prophets, attending church meetings. Why should those things work for overcoming a trial, especially since I did them before and continue to do them during the trial? The most simple answer is because God has asked that I do them. Done in faith and humility, compliance with God's will brings His blessings. That is what healed Naaman. It certainly wasn't seven more baths. He did what God directed him to do, through the voice of a prophet, and received the sought-for blessing.

 

 

 

Forrest

--Who bathes at least seven times a week, (almost) always.

 



I Know You Better Than You Know Yourself

First attempt at painting toe nails

My recent posts, despite their irregularity, seem to be focused on parent/child relationships. Here is another one in the same vein. A week or two or more ago I found myself once again in the companionship of Evelyn, our 2.5 year-old. I can't remember now the exact circumstances, but she wanted something. In response to her request (or demand), I told her no, and then proceeded to elaborate on what she would do if I did what she wanted. I'm sure I was very wise about it. And I ended my speech by telling her, "I know you better than you know yourself." She probably hadn't been listening for most of the time, and even if she was she probably didn't understand what I meant by saying I knew her better than she herself did.

I feel like I am right about knowing her better than she knows herself. I have observed her and watched her develop, seen her personality take shape, and witnessed her responses to different situations. Which isn't to say I know her perfectly, because certainly she still surprises me, and frequently, but my position relative to hers enables me to know her better than she knows herself. What do I have going for me? Mostly time, which includes my own experiences, plus a higher capacity to reason and remember. I've been watching her respond to things since the moment she was born, and although she experienced those things, she can't recall them, and can't necessarily apply them, either.

As I made the statement, "I know you better than you know yourself," I couldn't help but think of God, my Heavenly Father, saying the same thing to me. He knows me better than I know myself. What does He have going for Him? A lot of time and experience, plus a higher capacity to reason and remember. He's been watching me respond to things since the moment I was spiritually and physically born, and although I experienced those things, I can't always recall them, and certainly can't (and sometimes won't) apply them, either.

Jeremiah 1:5 is a great example of God's knowledge of me, and each of His children:

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee.

It's as simple as that. Since being spiritually created, by God, He has known us. I don't know how much time that is on an earthly scale, and it doesn't matter really. It is safe to say that He knows us not only better than we know ourselves, but also perfectly. So when I ask for something and don't get it, or try to determine how things should happen and then they don't, I need to remember that God knows me and knows what is best for me. Because of that He can say things like:

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Patience

"Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith." (Mosiah 23:21)

When I came across this verse while reading the Book of Mormon the other day, I realized that this is my life. My patience and my faith are constantly being tried through daily life experiences. Ten years ago it was making it through my sophmore year of college. Five years ago it was almost losing myself in debilitating anxiety. Two years ago, it was my husband's brain surgery. Today, it is taking care of two beautiful children after a sleepless night. Who knows what next year's test will be, or even tomorrow's.

But I am realizing that this is what it boils down to: Will I turn to Heavenly Father and do life His way, relying on the help and grace of His son, Jesus Christ? And then will I be patient as I go through each day and trust that He is answering my prayers and delivering me from my own forms of bondage, even if I don't see the results right away?

It is so hard sometimes to remember, to keep that perspective. So I appreciate the reminder that is in the story of Alma and the members of the church during his time (story found in the book of Mosiah in the Book of Mormon). They had all recently heard the word of God, first through the prophet Abinadi, and then through Alma, who had listened to Abinadi's words, felt their truth, and then repented and with the Savior's help, changed his way of life. Many people listened to Alma and felt the truth of his words and underwent the same transformation. They had willingly chosen to turn away from past ways and turn toward God and His way of living, when another group of people found them and essentially subjugated them. Seems a little strange that God would reward the people who turn to Him with physical defeat and subjugation.

However, Alma and his people did not despair. They simply prayed -- I imagine they prayed more fervently and frequently and:

"And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord. And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage." (Mosiah 24:15-16)

The Lord did not remove the burden right away, but He did strengthen them and their ability to function with the burden still on their backs. I don't know how long Alma and his people had to live under the dominance of another government. But however long it was, they remained faithful and true to the God to whom they had pledged themselves and eventually, their faith and patience was "so great" that the Lord completely delivered them out of physical bondage.

To have that kind of faith and patience--the kind that draws power down from heaven--the kind that brings deliverance. That is the kind of faith and patience I want. But it seems you only get that kind of faith and patience through difficulty and struggles and heartaches. Consider Abraham and Sarah who wanted a child. Consider what Abraham was asked to do once he had the child. Consider Job. Consider Noah's family on that long ride in the ark. Consider the widow and Elijah. Consider just about every story in the scriptures--every life story, in fact.

I had the privilege of knowing a wonderful man who, like all of us, had experienced difficult things in his life. But it was amazing to watch the way he devoted just about every scrap of time to trying to help others. I remember one story that I heard him tell multiple times. Every time he told it, I wondered why he kept repeating it. I thought he might be going a bit senile. It was a simple story that went something like this: At church one day, he noticed a woman he knew become very emotional. When he approached her to ask if he could help her in any way, she merely said that she was fine. That God had just recently answered a prayer that she had been praying for 20+ years.

I am beginning to understand why that story deserves to be repeated. That woman is the epitome of faith and patience.

One last thought: Later on in Alma's story, the "immediate goodness of God" is mentioned in relation to his people's deliverance from bondage (Mosiah 25:10). But the thing is, they weren't immediately delivered. They had to endure the burdens for awhile before deliverance came. So though escape from sorrow and pain and trial did not come immediately, it was still evident to them that God was immediately good. He is always immediately good, even if we don't recognize how the situation we are in will ever be for our good.

I have so much to learn about patience and faith.

"Paul, speaking to the Hebrews, brings us up short by writing that, even after faithful disciples had 'done the will of God,' they [had] need of patience' (Hebrews 10:36). How many times have good individuals done the right thing only to break or wear away under subsequent stress, canceling out much of the value of what they had already so painstakingly done? Sometimes that which we are doing is correct enough but simply needs to be persisted in patiently, not for a minute or a moment but sometimes for years. Paul speaks of the marathon of life and of how we must 'run with patience the race that is set before us' (Hebrews 12:1).  Paul did not select the hundred-meter dash for his analogy." Neal A. Maxwell, Patience, BYU Devotional, November 1979

-Elin
Whose 2 year old just voluntarily went and took a nap. Miracles happen.

"There is also a dimension of patience which links it to a special reverence for life. Patience is a willigness, in a sense, to watch the unfolding purposes of God with a sense of wonder and awe, rather than pacing up and down within the cell of our circumstance. Put another way, too much anxious opening of the oven door and the cake falls instead of rising. So it is with us. If we are are always selfishly taking our temperature to see if we are happy, we will not be.

When we are impatient, we are neither reverential nor reflective because we are too self-centered. Whereas faith and patience are companions, so are selfishness and impatience. It is so easy to be confrontive without being informative; so easy to be indignant without being intelligent; so easy to be impulsive without being insightful. It is so easy to command others when we are not in control of ourselves."

Neal A. Maxwell, Patience, BYU Devotional, November 1979

Little Children

Recently I have taken on more responsibilities regarding our 2.5 year-old daughter, due to the fact that we have a new baby in the house. For the most part, this has been an enjoyable experience. Entirely, it is a learning experience. One of the great things about being a parent is the perspective it gives about my own parents, including my Heavenly Parents, and my relationship with them.

A few weeks ago around bed time my daughter was putting up a fight and she dropped her water bottle, which she is very attached to (fortunately it is nearly indestructible plastic; one of the great advancements of our age). In her highly emotional state she cried for me to pick it up for her. The bottle was probably six inches from her foot. All she had to do was bend over and pick it up. Because it was so easy for her to do, I declined to do it for her and told her to pick it up. And she really hollered about it. At this point we were both feeling stubborn, I suppose. I was irritated that she was having such a meltdown over something both insignificant and easily remedied. I'm not sure what she was feeling, except that she didn't want to pick up the bottle.

In my head I was thinking, You silly child, the bottle is RIGHT NEXT TO YOU! Just PICK IT UP! At the same time I had to wonder how many times Heavenly Father has had similar thoughts regarding me and my behavior (although certainly His thoughts are more loving than mine were). How many time have I just needed to reach out and grab whatever it was I was looking for, but didn't because I was distracted by emotions or other temporal needs and desires? And how often have I demanded His help when He has already provided whatever I need? More often than I can imagine, I imagine.

One of the reasons I don't see or comprehend or accept His offers is explained by these verses in Isaiah 55, which I have used before:

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.


It's my continued responsibility to seek to understand His ways and thoughts, in order to become more like Him.

Forrest
--Who is glad for a day that actually feels like winter, but hopes it doesn't last very long



Evie and her water bottle

Imagine a World Where It Is Never Too Late

Imagine a world and life in which you can make mistakes, experience physical, mental, and emotional pain, and make some really poor choices and have the effects (not necessarily the consequences--but the effects of the pain and choices on our bodies and spirits) entirely erased. You would still gain all of the learning and wisdom and experience that come from mistakes and pain and choices...but any negative effects would not be permanent.

That is, in fact, what our Heavenly Father promises if we turn to Him in faith. If we love Him (which means we will strive to keep his commandments (John 14:15).

He tells us that "[. . .] all things work together for good to them that love God [. . .]" (Romans 8:28) Not some things. Not just the good choices we make. All things work together for our good.

This is possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ--through His mortal life, His suffering in Gethsamane, His death on the cross, and His resurrection, 3 days later.

"Jesus was . . . a being of flesh and spirit, but He yielded not to temptation (see Mosiah 15:5). We can turn to Him . . . because He understands. He understands the struggle, and He also understands how to win the struggle. . . . The power of His Atonement can erase the effects of sin in us. When we repent, His atoning grace justifies and cleanses us (see 3 Nephi 27: 16-20). It is as if we had not succumbed, as if we had not yielded to temptation. As we endeavor day by day and week by week to follow the path of Christ, our spirit asserts its preeminence, the battle within subsides, and temptations cease to trouble."

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "That They May Be One in Us"

The more I live and make mistakes, the more grateful I am for my life and the learning experience it is for me--the more I am grateful for the love and mercy of Heavenly Father and His Son--the kind of love that turns darkness into light (or scarlet to white (Isaiah 1:18) and can pull beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3). So if I have anything to say today and hopefully every day, it is this: It is never to late. You and I have never gone too far. God can make all things work together for your and my good. He can "erase the effects of sin" in you and in me.

Last of all, awhile ago, I put together a little picture montage to go with my favorite arrangement (arranged by Rob Gardner) of my favorite hymn. The words to the song are below.

Come, ye disconsolate, where'er ye languish;
Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel.
Here bring your wounded hearts; here tell your anguish.
Earth has no sorrow that heav'n cannot heal.

Joy of the desolate, Light of the straying,
Hope of the penitent, fadeless and pure!
Here speaks the Comforter, tenderly saying,
"Earth has no sorrow that heav'n cannot cure."

Here see the Bread of Life; see waters flowing
Forth from the throne of God, pure from above.
Come to the feast of love; come, ever knowing
Earth has no sorrow but heav'n can remove.

Text: Thomas Moore, 1779-1852. Verse three, Thomas Hastings, 1784-1872

Elin
-who wishes she could sing like the girl in the video and compose music like Rob Gardner....