The Path
I have had the opportunity the past few days to talk about individual struggles. I have been enlightened. It was not until those struggles or concerns were verbalized that I realized there was a struggle. I don't know that my insight will help, but I now know that I need to try. I hope that in the future, other struggles and concerns will be verbalized so that we can attempt to find resolution to them together.
So anyway, there is what I am thinking.
Today was dumpster day. The city or county brought these big dumpsters and planted them just outside our front door. Though we did not get all the stuff we wanted cleaned up, we were able to start the de-mucking. While we were doing so, I happened to make several passes of our yet to be planted garden. Though we have not planted anything in it this year, there seems to be several things growing in it. Have I ever mentioned the lack of fun I find in weeding. I do it, but I have noticed that there is not a great deal of fun in the activity.
When I have to do it, I find myself looking for ways to make it fun. I download music, talks, stories, or something interesting to me on my MP3 player and listen to them while pulling weeds. I try to involve people I like to be with and make a game of it. I challenge them to see who can pull the most, clean out a spot the fastest, or sink the most baskets into the dumpster. Then there are times that I have to figure out how to reward myself or those helping me when I am done, or when I have completed a certain section.
I put all this effort into, feel good about it, and then with in a few weeks, the little buggers are growing back. I find myself starting over again. I know that it is just part of life. It is part of the plan. I do my best to learn from the experience.
Once I have it clean enough, I start the planting. Every year, I find myself looking a back on the experiences of last year garden and try to figure out what worked and what did not work. I try to figure out how I can make it easier, more productive, and something fun to do. Some of my ideas work and some of them don't. What have I learned? Gardening is work.
I love pulling fresh produce from my own garden and eating it or adding it to the evening meal. I love seeing the results of many long hours of work. Then Fall comes. Again I have to apply new work methods to clean up the garden, put it to slumber, and start the process over again the following Spring.
Everything we do in life is that way. The best things are the results of hard work, long-suffering, and patience. Sometimes we experiment. Sometimes we go with tried and true methods that always work. Either way, there are always times that it just does not go the way we planned. When that happens, we should look at the positive results and seek ways to improve the less positive results the following year. In this process we develop attributes that are admirable in the sight of God. We continue seeking ways to improve, even when last years crop seemed to be the best there ever was.
In April 2009, Elder Uchtdorf refers to this path. Take some time to read his talk. I is inspiring.
So anyway, there is what I am thinking.
Today was dumpster day. The city or county brought these big dumpsters and planted them just outside our front door. Though we did not get all the stuff we wanted cleaned up, we were able to start the de-mucking. While we were doing so, I happened to make several passes of our yet to be planted garden. Though we have not planted anything in it this year, there seems to be several things growing in it. Have I ever mentioned the lack of fun I find in weeding. I do it, but I have noticed that there is not a great deal of fun in the activity.
When I have to do it, I find myself looking for ways to make it fun. I download music, talks, stories, or something interesting to me on my MP3 player and listen to them while pulling weeds. I try to involve people I like to be with and make a game of it. I challenge them to see who can pull the most, clean out a spot the fastest, or sink the most baskets into the dumpster. Then there are times that I have to figure out how to reward myself or those helping me when I am done, or when I have completed a certain section.
I put all this effort into, feel good about it, and then with in a few weeks, the little buggers are growing back. I find myself starting over again. I know that it is just part of life. It is part of the plan. I do my best to learn from the experience.
Once I have it clean enough, I start the planting. Every year, I find myself looking a back on the experiences of last year garden and try to figure out what worked and what did not work. I try to figure out how I can make it easier, more productive, and something fun to do. Some of my ideas work and some of them don't. What have I learned? Gardening is work.
I love pulling fresh produce from my own garden and eating it or adding it to the evening meal. I love seeing the results of many long hours of work. Then Fall comes. Again I have to apply new work methods to clean up the garden, put it to slumber, and start the process over again the following Spring.
Everything we do in life is that way. The best things are the results of hard work, long-suffering, and patience. Sometimes we experiment. Sometimes we go with tried and true methods that always work. Either way, there are always times that it just does not go the way we planned. When that happens, we should look at the positive results and seek ways to improve the less positive results the following year. In this process we develop attributes that are admirable in the sight of God. We continue seeking ways to improve, even when last years crop seemed to be the best there ever was.
In April 2009, Elder Uchtdorf refers to this path. Take some time to read his talk. I is inspiring.
Comments