Hit by My Own Stumbling Bricks
I am going to start my message off with a little confession. I know you probably don't want to hear about my weaknesses and such, but I have felt impressed to share today.
First the history - We have had the opportunity of sharing all three of our boys mission experiences. Each of them have been a little different. Some were trained in Provo and others in Mexico. Each of their experiences have been unique. As a parent, it has been such a blessing to get pictures and notes from members in the missions where they have serve, exchange emails each P-day, and receive the occasional handwritten letter. We have been blessed to see them grow, learn, struggle, and overcome different challenges. It has been fun to compare not only their individual experiences, but also to compare them to my own experiences many years ago.
Well, on Monday, P-Day, I found myself chatting back and forth with one son while anticipating the opportunity to do the same with the other who resides in a different time zone. Mondays have become a day of light and refresh as we learn what they have been up to and to know that they are still alive and being taken care of. As one signed off for the day, the other seemed to sign on. I was ready for news updates and such. Unfortunately, it did not go as I had envisioned.
The first email I received was entitled, "Bad News". Our young elder went on to explain that in his mission they were not supposed to spend their allotted time "Chatting" with friends and family. They were only supposed to send updates and such. To be truthful, I was heart broken. I find myself looking forward to these short spans of "Chatting" to be one of the great highlights of my week. I could not understand why there would be such a rule. It ruined my day. I found my mind being filled with questions, frustration, anger, and even ill wishes. Yep, I am weak. It did not make sense to me and I was immediately looking for ways to work around this rule. I will admit that I even went as far as to create fake email addresses with pseudo names so that if anyone ever looked at his email chains, they would not see him "Chatting", but instead simply replying to several different emails from different people. I found myself trying to figure out why anyone would make such a rule to take this time away from ME.
After I had created about three fake email addresses, I probably even sent a couple emails from them before I was hit with the thought of this month's message from the First Presidency - The Blessings of Obedience. I found myself suddenly conflicted. How could I do both?
Our elder wanted to be as obedient as he could, so he started his emails by telling us that we should not do it anymore. I wanted to him to be obedient, but I also wanted the cherished moments of exchange with him. What was I to do?
One justification, besides the fake emails, was to just not send as many emails back and forth. I decided to reply to his email, send words of encouragement, and be as supportive as I could be. To get my mind off of the situation, I decided to jump on the treadmill and run out my frustration. I popped in the ear buds and started running. (Note: I listen to conference talks while I run)
As I started running, I found myself trying to figure out loop holes to this newly learned rule. I was hardly listening to the messages coming through my ear buds. Then the brick had to be dropped. The first talk I really listened to that day was from Quentin L. Cook - Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus. The words that I kept hearing over and over again was "Stumbling Blocks". (The Brick had to be thrown pretty hard)
Was this becoming a "Stumbling Block" for me? Why was I letting it be such a big deal?
After I completed my run, I jumped back on email to see if he was still around. I sent an email or two while continuing to run questions through my mind. I even found myself sending texts to Songbird to see if she had any ideas about "Loop Holes". It was clear that she didn't like the idea any more than I did, but she said she was going to do her best to be obedient. Wow! Maybe I should be doing the same.
I found myself taking a knee or two and asking "Why?". Though the answer was not what I wanted to hear it came slowly and continues to flow into my mind as the days press forward.
The first message I heard was, "Jesus Christ". Was that my answer? It was not making sense to me. I was still frustrated and decided that maybe I should continue through my routine of study, pondering, and maybe get some more email time going.
I started with this weeks scripture verse - 2 Nephi 2:5-6
"And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil..." Ok, that makes sense, we are all given the Light of Christ. "...And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified;..."
What? I had to read that part again a couple of times. "no flesh is justified". Flesh - the natural man. By the law the natural man is not justified. Is that what that meant?
I have been pondering this over and over again all week. Was I letting the natural man in me justify this new rule/law? But why would we be given such a rule/law. It did not make sense to me. Again, the words came to me, "Jesus Christ"
That is when I jumped down to verse 6: "...Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for He is full of grace and truth."
Yes, we are all instructed sufficiently to know good from evil, but sometimes we let the natural man get in the way and we try to justify doing something that is not completely evil, but that may lead us away from the Redeeming power of the Atonement, Jesus Christ.
This is where my thoughts have been going since then.
I don't understand all the rules, laws, commandments, and reasoning behind them, all the time. However, each city, county, state, nation, country, people, or land have different rules, laws, and commandments. Why do they have them? So that the natural man in us all cannot justify serving ourselves over others/the whole.
The Plan of Happiness/Salvation is set that we all might return to our Father's presence. I begin to wonder if He knows each of us well enough that He has sent us to lands where some of these rules, laws, and commandments are more stringent that others to help protect us from the natural man within.
I needed to learn a lesson.
Is email "chatting" evil? No!
However, I needed to that obeying, sustaining, and adhering to priesthood leaders is more important that understanding the reasoning behind it. Right now, our son has accepted a calling to serve and help others come unto Jesus Christ. When he accepted the calling, I committed to support and sustain not only him, but the leaders that he would serve under and the leaders from whence the calling came. Trying to justify a way around the established rules was not doing that. In fact, it was leading me away from doing exactly what he was called to do. I need to come unto Jesus Christ through supporting, sustaining, and obeying those leaders. I need to trust that the reason for such rules are just, whether I understand them right now or not. And as I was later reminded, his focus should also be on coming unto Christ, not thinking or learning about ways to be disobedient from his father.
Wow this is another long message!
Well, that thought has continued all week long. We had Stake Conference this weekend. The theme you ask? "Come Unto Christ" (The brick was pretty big as well)
Everyone who spoke was talking about how we can be better at "Coming Unto Christ". I know I have a long path ahead of me. I need to be better at overcoming the natural man within so that I may Come Unto Christ more fully. I hope that you have been able to get something from my ramblings. I have learned a great deal this week and look forward to further instruction in the days to come.
On with my week. It was pretty much an average week.
We all worked.
The Queen continues to keep busy outside of her normal employment getting ready for the holiday season. I realized that it might be time for me to start doing the same if I am going to keep up with her.
The Professor has been battling a bug of some sort all week long. Each day has been a challenge, but she had endured.
Tall Man is hot and heavy into his current production at the theater and working when he is not.
Ehl-Bo continues to expand her creative talents each day creating new wearable designs and is working when she is not.
Songbird wrapped up the first term of the year. It sounds like it was stressful there towards the end, but she did it with flying colors, now on to the next. We had a wonderful visit with her and her Mother this evening.
Life is good!
First the history - We have had the opportunity of sharing all three of our boys mission experiences. Each of them have been a little different. Some were trained in Provo and others in Mexico. Each of their experiences have been unique. As a parent, it has been such a blessing to get pictures and notes from members in the missions where they have serve, exchange emails each P-day, and receive the occasional handwritten letter. We have been blessed to see them grow, learn, struggle, and overcome different challenges. It has been fun to compare not only their individual experiences, but also to compare them to my own experiences many years ago.
Well, on Monday, P-Day, I found myself chatting back and forth with one son while anticipating the opportunity to do the same with the other who resides in a different time zone. Mondays have become a day of light and refresh as we learn what they have been up to and to know that they are still alive and being taken care of. As one signed off for the day, the other seemed to sign on. I was ready for news updates and such. Unfortunately, it did not go as I had envisioned.
The first email I received was entitled, "Bad News". Our young elder went on to explain that in his mission they were not supposed to spend their allotted time "Chatting" with friends and family. They were only supposed to send updates and such. To be truthful, I was heart broken. I find myself looking forward to these short spans of "Chatting" to be one of the great highlights of my week. I could not understand why there would be such a rule. It ruined my day. I found my mind being filled with questions, frustration, anger, and even ill wishes. Yep, I am weak. It did not make sense to me and I was immediately looking for ways to work around this rule. I will admit that I even went as far as to create fake email addresses with pseudo names so that if anyone ever looked at his email chains, they would not see him "Chatting", but instead simply replying to several different emails from different people. I found myself trying to figure out why anyone would make such a rule to take this time away from ME.
After I had created about three fake email addresses, I probably even sent a couple emails from them before I was hit with the thought of this month's message from the First Presidency - The Blessings of Obedience. I found myself suddenly conflicted. How could I do both?
Our elder wanted to be as obedient as he could, so he started his emails by telling us that we should not do it anymore. I wanted to him to be obedient, but I also wanted the cherished moments of exchange with him. What was I to do?
One justification, besides the fake emails, was to just not send as many emails back and forth. I decided to reply to his email, send words of encouragement, and be as supportive as I could be. To get my mind off of the situation, I decided to jump on the treadmill and run out my frustration. I popped in the ear buds and started running. (Note: I listen to conference talks while I run)
As I started running, I found myself trying to figure out loop holes to this newly learned rule. I was hardly listening to the messages coming through my ear buds. Then the brick had to be dropped. The first talk I really listened to that day was from Quentin L. Cook - Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus. The words that I kept hearing over and over again was "Stumbling Blocks". (The Brick had to be thrown pretty hard)
Was this becoming a "Stumbling Block" for me? Why was I letting it be such a big deal?
After I completed my run, I jumped back on email to see if he was still around. I sent an email or two while continuing to run questions through my mind. I even found myself sending texts to Songbird to see if she had any ideas about "Loop Holes". It was clear that she didn't like the idea any more than I did, but she said she was going to do her best to be obedient. Wow! Maybe I should be doing the same.
I found myself taking a knee or two and asking "Why?". Though the answer was not what I wanted to hear it came slowly and continues to flow into my mind as the days press forward.
The first message I heard was, "Jesus Christ". Was that my answer? It was not making sense to me. I was still frustrated and decided that maybe I should continue through my routine of study, pondering, and maybe get some more email time going.
I started with this weeks scripture verse - 2 Nephi 2:5-6
"And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil..." Ok, that makes sense, we are all given the Light of Christ. "...And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified;..."
What? I had to read that part again a couple of times. "no flesh is justified". Flesh - the natural man. By the law the natural man is not justified. Is that what that meant?
I have been pondering this over and over again all week. Was I letting the natural man in me justify this new rule/law? But why would we be given such a rule/law. It did not make sense to me. Again, the words came to me, "Jesus Christ"
That is when I jumped down to verse 6: "...Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for He is full of grace and truth."
Yes, we are all instructed sufficiently to know good from evil, but sometimes we let the natural man get in the way and we try to justify doing something that is not completely evil, but that may lead us away from the Redeeming power of the Atonement, Jesus Christ.
This is where my thoughts have been going since then.
I don't understand all the rules, laws, commandments, and reasoning behind them, all the time. However, each city, county, state, nation, country, people, or land have different rules, laws, and commandments. Why do they have them? So that the natural man in us all cannot justify serving ourselves over others/the whole.
The Plan of Happiness/Salvation is set that we all might return to our Father's presence. I begin to wonder if He knows each of us well enough that He has sent us to lands where some of these rules, laws, and commandments are more stringent that others to help protect us from the natural man within.
I needed to learn a lesson.
Is email "chatting" evil? No!
However, I needed to that obeying, sustaining, and adhering to priesthood leaders is more important that understanding the reasoning behind it. Right now, our son has accepted a calling to serve and help others come unto Jesus Christ. When he accepted the calling, I committed to support and sustain not only him, but the leaders that he would serve under and the leaders from whence the calling came. Trying to justify a way around the established rules was not doing that. In fact, it was leading me away from doing exactly what he was called to do. I need to come unto Jesus Christ through supporting, sustaining, and obeying those leaders. I need to trust that the reason for such rules are just, whether I understand them right now or not. And as I was later reminded, his focus should also be on coming unto Christ, not thinking or learning about ways to be disobedient from his father.
Wow this is another long message!
Well, that thought has continued all week long. We had Stake Conference this weekend. The theme you ask? "Come Unto Christ" (The brick was pretty big as well)
Everyone who spoke was talking about how we can be better at "Coming Unto Christ". I know I have a long path ahead of me. I need to be better at overcoming the natural man within so that I may Come Unto Christ more fully. I hope that you have been able to get something from my ramblings. I have learned a great deal this week and look forward to further instruction in the days to come.
On with my week. It was pretty much an average week.
We all worked.
The Queen continues to keep busy outside of her normal employment getting ready for the holiday season. I realized that it might be time for me to start doing the same if I am going to keep up with her.
The Professor has been battling a bug of some sort all week long. Each day has been a challenge, but she had endured.
Tall Man is hot and heavy into his current production at the theater and working when he is not.
Ehl-Bo continues to expand her creative talents each day creating new wearable designs and is working when she is not.
Songbird wrapped up the first term of the year. It sounds like it was stressful there towards the end, but she did it with flying colors, now on to the next. We had a wonderful visit with her and her Mother this evening.
Life is good!
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