Tuesday, April 15, 2008

heartsore

As my family and I sat around the table, having just finished reading Mormon 3, I had everyone flip back to the 7th, 8th, and 9th verses.

"I think it's interesting," I said, "that even though people are wicked, they can still succeed. On the other hand, we see all the time that even though people are righteous, things are still hard. I think it goes to show that God doesn't always work in a way that makes sense to us mortals. The bad guys won't always be punished and the good guys won't always get the easy road. Not temporally anyway."

I have been having a mysteriously hard time lately. To the point that I am getting off of a certain medication to see if it's getting my hormones off-kilter. I need some time to relax and recenter, but if I don't keep busy, then all the whiny, stupid, pessimistic bits of my brain start talking Really Loudly. (Kind of like when people are saying mean things about you, but not to you, but they talk loudly because they want you to hear anyway.) The inside of my head hasn't been the usual comfy, sunshiny place I've come to know and love, to say the least.

I've prayed about this, and sought guidance and comfort in the scriptures. Previously I've gotten messages like, "Sweetie. Keep doing what you're doing, and when something needs to change, I'll let you know." But continuing to what I'm doing hasn't really fixed anything.

This brings me back to the aforementioned scripture, and, in turn, an Elder Maxwell quote, about how sometimes enjoyment just needs to be deferred. People who do good things aren't always going to have a good time. Just because I'm paying my tithing and reading my scriptures and working and trying to be there for my friends doesn't mean that everything will always be great. In short, just because I'm doing my best doesn't mean that Heavenly Father will give me what I want when I want it.

Just because Heavenly Father doesn't bless me in specific ways does not mean I have to be afraid that He doesn't love me. On the contrary...maybe right now He's showing me what I really do want most of all: peace. A steady, strong relationship with Him. Faith. I know He loves me, and it's not like He's trying to be mean. There's something here to be learned, a way to grow.

I leave for school on Friday and I'm sure that to some degree, things will change. Classes will be nice, as will having more people on hand to spend time with. But the change I want most is for all of this to make sense...for me to find peace and joy in the Lord once again.

"Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed. " D&C 123:17

So in the meantime all I can think of to do is to keep trying and keep praying, and keep loving the Lord the best I can.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

1 Corinthians 2:14 reads, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know then, because they are spiritually discerned."

The message of the day: I am a dumb mortal. It's okay if I don't get it. It's also okay if I don't like it. I'm so glad God is not a dumb mortal. Instead He is an infinitely intelligent, perfectly loving, absolutely individual God who uses all of His goodness and power (wow ALL OF IT?) to help ME, the aforementioned dumb mortal.

I want to be like Heavenly Father when I grow up!


Today has been a wonderful, wonderful day: I make myself laugh. I get to watch Conference with my family. I had a fabulous conversation with my favorite person in the world. I went to a great movie. I caught up with a friend. I hung out with my mom and sister. I ate clouds. (Oh yes... have you ever had yoplait whips??) I came home to my two favorite kinds of e-mails: an Interesting Conversation opener, and a newsy, loving update full of concern and questions.

God is so generous and giving...He gives me these kinds of days to slow down, take a deep breath, remember my child, life is good.

Life IS good. I am so deeply blessed.

Thank you, Father, for this day.