Making the Best of our Promised Lands
I know I sent some of a scripture this week. It has been on my mind a great deal this week.
Deut. 11:26-28. It is something that is always been on my mind. I am never far from this blessing or this curse. I guess none of us are. It saddens me to see how some use this gift that has been given to us. It is hard to see people struggle with it everyday. I don't like the internal struggle that I go through everyday as I face it as well. It relates to everything I/we do.
Howard W. Hunter said:
"That is the choice the Lord puts before us as we face our own promised lands and our own bright futures. We are given the knowledge, the help, the enticement, and the freedom to choose the path of eternal safety and salvation. The choice to do so is ours. By divine decree before this world was, the actual choice is and always has been our own.
"Let us be conscious of the fact that our future is being fashioned by the decisions we make. May we exercise our faith and our agency in choosing the blessings God has set before us in the great gospel plan of our Savior" ("The Golden Thread of Choice," Ensign, November 1989).
Many times, the minute we start using scripture and quoting general authorities, some of us suddenly become deaf, blind, and mute. We don't want to hear it, see it, or talk about it. We don't think that it applies to us. But this message is more than about just keeping the commandments of God. (They are important, don't get me wrong.) This blessing and/or curse applies to everything we do, every choice we make, every aspect of our mortal and immortal lives. We have to choose.
The question is: What promised lands are we choosing?
Are we always looking at the grass on someone else's hill and thinking that it is greener? Are we making the best of the landscape we have been given? What is your landscape? Is it your home, your family, your job, your school, your ward, your stake, or your team? Are you making it a blessed place or a cursed place?
There are things that happen in life that require us to keep adapting to the landscape before us. Sometimes there is drought, fire, hail, extreme heat, torrential rainfall, flooding, mud, or just plain and simple weeds. We have to choose not only how we are going to deal or not deal with these forces, but most importantly our attitudes while doing so.
Are we going to let them stop us from being happy? That is the question. That is sometimes the hardest part. A wise man has been heard to say, "You have the same clothes to get glad in that you got mad in." It think it applies here. We have a choice, glad, happy, optimistic, dry, cool, smoky, joyful, hopeful, or faithful or mad, sad, pessimistic, wet, hot, burnt, depressed, dismal, or faithless. We have each been given one birthday suit. Wear it well.
So, how has your week been? Full of choices?
Our has been good. We have all felt the growing pains of getting back into a school season routine. Our bodies have not wanted to get up or go to bed early. For some it requires us to be on our feet all day and others in a chair most of the day. Then there are those of us who just miss the frequent sightings and conversations of the day. We will figure it out.
The Queen continues her studies and is now adding thoughts of Christmas to her activities. Is it even Fall yet? She has ideas, it is just a matter of finalizing them.
The Professor is conditioning her legs and feet again. Spending most of the day on her feet is always an adjustment. The early to bed and early to rise has its challenges as well. We will see how this week goes and she adds a regular night class to her plate for the next year or so.
Tall Man is in the heat of play practice. We have seen him a few times this week, as he seeks ways to accessorize his or a fellow actor's wardrobe.
SnackPack did the Last, First Day of Public School this week. It started way early, but he looked sharp. He is taking his new responsibilities seriously. I notices a large pirate flag has been added to the back seat of Elsa. He is always prepare to raise the "Jolly Roger".
It has been an exciting week here in our little neck of the woods - murder, lock downs, psychic readings, detours, and pet cemeteries in the most unusual places.
Elder B. came home, packed up his trombone and is already off to school. Bro. T has been called to the High Council, that makes 4 from our ward. Bro. W is back with the YM as ScoutMaster. He has missed it.
Lots of growth and development all over the place. We maybe a real live city before long. We just need a Walgreen's on the corner. (yep coming soon to a corner near you)
Deut. 11:26-28. It is something that is always been on my mind. I am never far from this blessing or this curse. I guess none of us are. It saddens me to see how some use this gift that has been given to us. It is hard to see people struggle with it everyday. I don't like the internal struggle that I go through everyday as I face it as well. It relates to everything I/we do.
Howard W. Hunter said:
"That is the choice the Lord puts before us as we face our own promised lands and our own bright futures. We are given the knowledge, the help, the enticement, and the freedom to choose the path of eternal safety and salvation. The choice to do so is ours. By divine decree before this world was, the actual choice is and always has been our own.
"Let us be conscious of the fact that our future is being fashioned by the decisions we make. May we exercise our faith and our agency in choosing the blessings God has set before us in the great gospel plan of our Savior" ("The Golden Thread of Choice," Ensign, November 1989).
Many times, the minute we start using scripture and quoting general authorities, some of us suddenly become deaf, blind, and mute. We don't want to hear it, see it, or talk about it. We don't think that it applies to us. But this message is more than about just keeping the commandments of God. (They are important, don't get me wrong.) This blessing and/or curse applies to everything we do, every choice we make, every aspect of our mortal and immortal lives. We have to choose.
The question is: What promised lands are we choosing?
Are we always looking at the grass on someone else's hill and thinking that it is greener? Are we making the best of the landscape we have been given? What is your landscape? Is it your home, your family, your job, your school, your ward, your stake, or your team? Are you making it a blessed place or a cursed place?
There are things that happen in life that require us to keep adapting to the landscape before us. Sometimes there is drought, fire, hail, extreme heat, torrential rainfall, flooding, mud, or just plain and simple weeds. We have to choose not only how we are going to deal or not deal with these forces, but most importantly our attitudes while doing so.
Are we going to let them stop us from being happy? That is the question. That is sometimes the hardest part. A wise man has been heard to say, "You have the same clothes to get glad in that you got mad in." It think it applies here. We have a choice, glad, happy, optimistic, dry, cool, smoky, joyful, hopeful, or faithful or mad, sad, pessimistic, wet, hot, burnt, depressed, dismal, or faithless. We have each been given one birthday suit. Wear it well.
So, how has your week been? Full of choices?
Our has been good. We have all felt the growing pains of getting back into a school season routine. Our bodies have not wanted to get up or go to bed early. For some it requires us to be on our feet all day and others in a chair most of the day. Then there are those of us who just miss the frequent sightings and conversations of the day. We will figure it out.
The Queen continues her studies and is now adding thoughts of Christmas to her activities. Is it even Fall yet? She has ideas, it is just a matter of finalizing them.
The Professor is conditioning her legs and feet again. Spending most of the day on her feet is always an adjustment. The early to bed and early to rise has its challenges as well. We will see how this week goes and she adds a regular night class to her plate for the next year or so.
Tall Man is in the heat of play practice. We have seen him a few times this week, as he seeks ways to accessorize his or a fellow actor's wardrobe.
SnackPack did the Last, First Day of Public School this week. It started way early, but he looked sharp. He is taking his new responsibilities seriously. I notices a large pirate flag has been added to the back seat of Elsa. He is always prepare to raise the "Jolly Roger".
It has been an exciting week here in our little neck of the woods - murder, lock downs, psychic readings, detours, and pet cemeteries in the most unusual places.
Elder B. came home, packed up his trombone and is already off to school. Bro. T has been called to the High Council, that makes 4 from our ward. Bro. W is back with the YM as ScoutMaster. He has missed it.
Lots of growth and development all over the place. We maybe a real live city before long. We just need a Walgreen's on the corner. (yep coming soon to a corner near you)
Comments