Fortifying Now Will Eliminate Famine
Here we are again; either ending or starting another week. I hope both to be adventurous.
Our week here has been good. It has had it's ups and down, but we survived. Sadly, we hear report that another loved one has passed beyond the veil. He will be dearly missed by all. I have reflected much the past few days upon the associations I shared with a good Uncle. Our thoughts and prayers weigh heavily in favor of the Hansen's as of late.
I find it interesting how such happenings affect our thought and pondering. Questions of fear, faith, and hope arise as we ponder that which is not completely understood by us in this mortality. We find ourselves trying to look beyond that moment of last mortal breath to the next. We wonder what awaits us there. What will be familiar? What will be new? Will we be surprised or delighted? These are just a few of the questions that fill the mind.
In my own mind I often wonder about what questions and concerns will fill my head as I pass beyond. Will I have the same concerns for those left behind as I move on. Will I be able to assist, comfort, strengthen and up lift through the familiar, new, surprise, and delight?
So, the King of Egypt, that is where my mind ended up as I pondered Amos 8:11-12 this week. I wonder how many of us will pass beyond that moment seeking instead of hoping. My thoughts are filled with questions of what it is we will be craving. Will we find ourselves healthy or destitute from famine?
Then arises the question of what it is that will make us healthy? This morning, one answer came to me as I meandered down stairs to find an adult size blanket fort that had been constructed. My mind will fill with memories of my own youthful creations built in similar form. Sometimes they were constructed in the family room. Then there were those times I found myself in a root cellar, a horse trailer, up in a tree, deep into the woods, buried in bundles of stacked hay, the rafters of a barn, or the darkest corners of a basement. The things I/we imagined as we started our creations.
As I reflected on these memories, a thought or similarity crossed my mind. Not that it is bad, but because of where my thoughts have been I honed in on it. I found it interesting that when ever one of these creations was being developed, the goal was to hide from the world around us. Blankets were hung, cracks were filled, windows were covered, entrances masked, and our clubs/hideouts/forts became secret. What is it that we were trying to get away from?
I wonder about those who are discussed in Amos 8:11-12. I wonder if the famine is/was self inflicted. Do/did they hide themselves from that, which in the end, they found/find themselves craving, seeking, or desiring more than life itself? In these verses, it talks not just about physical, but spiritual nutrients. We need both to survive.
There is an excellent article in the Ensign this month that addresses those things that will help us remain spiritually healthy for that moment of crossing. I hope that we do not find ourselves lacking when the time comes. I hope that we understand that now is the time to be building up our storage, becoming healthy and fit. It will not be something that comes easy if we are not preparing for it now.
Just some thoughts.
As I was saying before, it has been a good week.
The Queen has been counting down the days to vacation. Though the last few days of the week were spent training, she has been needing a period of rest from the monotony of the daily grindstone. She is looking for something new. We will see what we can find for her.
The Professor has been dabbing in the ideas of becoming a caterer. I don't know that she will pursue that career path, though she would be good at it. She said it would be too stressful. I wonder how it would be any different from the daily lesson planning she goes through each day.
Tall Man has had a week of high hopes and dashed dreams, but took it in stride. He learned that sometimes the advertisements are just too good to be true. He will know better next time. On the high note, he was reunited with his Ehl-Bo, who is a contortionist I learned and able to sleep anywhere when tired enough.
SnackPack passed a milestone of events this week as he registered for Selective Services. He celebrated with over a gallon size helping of 7-11, Dew, Vines, and Friends. We were all there supporting him as C-Town Polo swept the tourney from both sides. It was an intense weekend. Ask him about it.
Our week here has been good. It has had it's ups and down, but we survived. Sadly, we hear report that another loved one has passed beyond the veil. He will be dearly missed by all. I have reflected much the past few days upon the associations I shared with a good Uncle. Our thoughts and prayers weigh heavily in favor of the Hansen's as of late.
I find it interesting how such happenings affect our thought and pondering. Questions of fear, faith, and hope arise as we ponder that which is not completely understood by us in this mortality. We find ourselves trying to look beyond that moment of last mortal breath to the next. We wonder what awaits us there. What will be familiar? What will be new? Will we be surprised or delighted? These are just a few of the questions that fill the mind.
In my own mind I often wonder about what questions and concerns will fill my head as I pass beyond. Will I have the same concerns for those left behind as I move on. Will I be able to assist, comfort, strengthen and up lift through the familiar, new, surprise, and delight?
So, the King of Egypt, that is where my mind ended up as I pondered Amos 8:11-12 this week. I wonder how many of us will pass beyond that moment seeking instead of hoping. My thoughts are filled with questions of what it is we will be craving. Will we find ourselves healthy or destitute from famine?
Then arises the question of what it is that will make us healthy? This morning, one answer came to me as I meandered down stairs to find an adult size blanket fort that had been constructed. My mind will fill with memories of my own youthful creations built in similar form. Sometimes they were constructed in the family room. Then there were those times I found myself in a root cellar, a horse trailer, up in a tree, deep into the woods, buried in bundles of stacked hay, the rafters of a barn, or the darkest corners of a basement. The things I/we imagined as we started our creations.
As I reflected on these memories, a thought or similarity crossed my mind. Not that it is bad, but because of where my thoughts have been I honed in on it. I found it interesting that when ever one of these creations was being developed, the goal was to hide from the world around us. Blankets were hung, cracks were filled, windows were covered, entrances masked, and our clubs/hideouts/forts became secret. What is it that we were trying to get away from?
I wonder about those who are discussed in Amos 8:11-12. I wonder if the famine is/was self inflicted. Do/did they hide themselves from that, which in the end, they found/find themselves craving, seeking, or desiring more than life itself? In these verses, it talks not just about physical, but spiritual nutrients. We need both to survive.
There is an excellent article in the Ensign this month that addresses those things that will help us remain spiritually healthy for that moment of crossing. I hope that we do not find ourselves lacking when the time comes. I hope that we understand that now is the time to be building up our storage, becoming healthy and fit. It will not be something that comes easy if we are not preparing for it now.
Just some thoughts.
As I was saying before, it has been a good week.
The Queen has been counting down the days to vacation. Though the last few days of the week were spent training, she has been needing a period of rest from the monotony of the daily grindstone. She is looking for something new. We will see what we can find for her.
The Professor has been dabbing in the ideas of becoming a caterer. I don't know that she will pursue that career path, though she would be good at it. She said it would be too stressful. I wonder how it would be any different from the daily lesson planning she goes through each day.
Tall Man has had a week of high hopes and dashed dreams, but took it in stride. He learned that sometimes the advertisements are just too good to be true. He will know better next time. On the high note, he was reunited with his Ehl-Bo, who is a contortionist I learned and able to sleep anywhere when tired enough.
SnackPack passed a milestone of events this week as he registered for Selective Services. He celebrated with over a gallon size helping of 7-11, Dew, Vines, and Friends. We were all there supporting him as C-Town Polo swept the tourney from both sides. It was an intense weekend. Ask him about it.
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