If you have ever been in the midst of affliction (and, really, who hasn't) it almost always feels like your being afflicted because God must hate you. Why else would you have to experience that? I recently watched "Little Rascals" again, and the quote from Alfalfa always sticks with me: "What else could possible go wrong? And then the clouds parted and God said, 'I hate you Alfalfa.'" This quote makes me giggle, but a little sad inside as well.
I have studied a bit about the afflictions of the righteous. The scriptural account that comes to mind is that of Job. He had everything taken from him, including his family and his attitude was ,"though [God] slay me, yet will I trust in him" (Job 13:15). A few versus before, he said, "let come on me what will" (Job 13:13)!
Those afflictions of the righteous are for experience, discipline and instruction.
Friday, April 22, 2016
Saturday, March 19, 2016
being happy
I love TEDtalks! I've been purging some of our "stuff" and came across the following notes from Jane McGonigal's talk "The Game That Can Give You 10 Extra Years" in June 2012.
She mentioned "5 Regrets of the Dieing" that hospice workers remember. They are:
1. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.
2. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
3. I wish I had let myself be happier.
4. I wish I had the courage to express my true self.
5. I wish I had lived a life true to my dreams, instead of what others expected of me.
She also mention "5 Traits of Post-Traumatic Growth". They are:
1. My priorities have changed -- I'm not afraid to do what makes me happy.
2. I feel closer to my friends and family.
3. I understand myself better, I know who I REALLY am now.
4. I have a new sense of meaning and purpose.
5. I'm better able to focus on my goals and dreams.
She also mentioned "4 Resilience Traits" that people can exercise. They are:
1. PHYSICAL Resilience: Be active and move!
2. MENTAL Resilience: snap 50 times to boost will power.
3. EMOTIONAL Resilience: journal 3 positive things and 1 negative thing.
4. SOCIAL Resilience: get strength from touching someone.
This is such a tender mercy from my Father in Heaven! I have been studying and praying all I can about forgiveness and being happy. I can definitely relate to most of the post-traumatic growth and want to stay away from the regrets.
She mentioned "5 Regrets of the Dieing" that hospice workers remember. They are:
1. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.
2. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
3. I wish I had let myself be happier.
4. I wish I had the courage to express my true self.
5. I wish I had lived a life true to my dreams, instead of what others expected of me.
She also mention "5 Traits of Post-Traumatic Growth". They are:
1. My priorities have changed -- I'm not afraid to do what makes me happy.
2. I feel closer to my friends and family.
3. I understand myself better, I know who I REALLY am now.
4. I have a new sense of meaning and purpose.
5. I'm better able to focus on my goals and dreams.
She also mentioned "4 Resilience Traits" that people can exercise. They are:
1. PHYSICAL Resilience: Be active and move!
2. MENTAL Resilience: snap 50 times to boost will power.
3. EMOTIONAL Resilience: journal 3 positive things and 1 negative thing.
4. SOCIAL Resilience: get strength from touching someone.
This is such a tender mercy from my Father in Heaven! I have been studying and praying all I can about forgiveness and being happy. I can definitely relate to most of the post-traumatic growth and want to stay away from the regrets.
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Monday, February 29, 2016
be perfect
There are two scriptures that tell us to be perfect.
Matthew 5:48
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."
3 Nephi 12:48
"Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect."
Notice the differences?
When Jesus Christ is commanding us to be perfect, he is not telling us that we need to bake a million cakes and cookies for the bake sale, be a specific size, volunteer for every little shin dig, have perfect little children who sit perfectly still in church.
Jesus is inviting us to be with him and our father in heaven. And the only way we can make it back to them, to live with them in the Celestial Kingdom, is through the atonement and by being resurrected. Resurrection means finished, complete, whole, fully developed. Being resurrected equals perfection!
Matthew 5:48
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."
3 Nephi 12:48
"Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect."
Notice the differences?
When Jesus Christ is commanding us to be perfect, he is not telling us that we need to bake a million cakes and cookies for the bake sale, be a specific size, volunteer for every little shin dig, have perfect little children who sit perfectly still in church.
Jesus is inviting us to be with him and our father in heaven. And the only way we can make it back to them, to live with them in the Celestial Kingdom, is through the atonement and by being resurrected. Resurrection means finished, complete, whole, fully developed. Being resurrected equals perfection!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)