Restored to NOW.
Good Afternoon/Evening/Morning...you know, where ever you are and what ever time it is when you read this.
I hope your week has been filled with newness and adventure. Remember, adventures come in small packages as well as big packages. Just make it enjoyable.
My week has been filled with many adventures. Every day has brought something new and that is good. One thing that has started happening in our High Priest Group, is that our leader makes a point to ask each of us each week if we would like to share any spiritual experiences that might have occurred in our lives during the week. It is an interesting question. It has given me reason to ponder. I wonder how often I overlook or brush off those moments where the Lord communicates with me or those around me. I have been trying really hard to stop and make note of them. I don't always share each of them, but some I do. I would encourage each of you to do the same. Many of my moments this week have come while reading from the church magazines. There is gold in those pages, we just have to seek for them.
My verses of scripture this week comes from Alma. Interestingly enough, my personal study of the Book of Mormon consisted of the same chapters as my verse. Alma 11:44-45.
There is a load of stuff in these verses to ponder, but my mind has honed in on the word RESTORED. How is it written..."...but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God..."
Often times we think about this statement as something the we will be healed of all infirmities, breaks, and more, but is that what it says? That is not what I read this week. It says that it shall be restored to perfect frame, as it is NOW, or in the body.
How is it NOW? Are you where you want to be when you are brought before the bar of the Eternal God to be judged? As I pondered being restored to this state. I wondered, (SIDE BAR - this is just me thinking out loud, not gospel or doctrine), if when we die, our spirits return to a spiritual plane, free from cares and worries. Many people call this Heaven or Paradise. Some may not be free from cares or worries, as they will be in Hell or Prison. So, what if, in the resurrection, we are restored to the body, with all the desires, appetites, and vices that it has NOW. Is that what we will take with us when we are put before the bar of God?
What will it be like? Do we really think about it? Should we?
We are told over and over again that this life is a time of probation, preparation, testing, improvement. It is a time to overcome or master those desires, appetites, and vices so that we will not have to suffer them in the eternities. This has given me much to think about. As the verses continue to tell us, "...the whole becoming spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption." Once we are resurrected, I do not believe there will be place for us to entertain any vice that is contrary to the Will of God. Do any of us have such vices? What will we be craving or missing through out the eternities?
Will it be the next season of our favorite TV show? The next book in a series of literature? Will it be a computer game, a drug, an image, a drink, a movie, or whatever vice that is contrary to God's Will? (Not that all of these things are bad things, but are they things that draw us closer to being like Him?)
I guess that is the question that comes to mind. Are the things we are doing now leading to or from the path to Heaven? What can we do NOW, so that when we are resurrected, that restoration will be something we are pleased to bring before the bar of God.
Aren't we here to improve? Are we? Are we a little better each day?
Today is one of the speakers in Sacrament talked about Elder Ballard's talk on goal setting. Are the things we are doing helping us improve? When we go to school, are we coming back each day better or are we restored to old habits, what about each day at work, after our personal prayers, scripture study, missions, or callings that we receive? Are they helping us to be better? Are we learning to Master this mortal and preparing for the immortal?
It has given me much to think about it. My NOW is not where I want to be. Hope it gives you something to ponder as well.
On to adventure -
It has been a week. We celebrated the 4th by working and then going to a movie. YEP, we went to a movie theater. I know it is hard to imagine. It was fun to get out. The rest of the week has been work, event planning, and work. That is what we do right now.
Event planning has been fun. It takes us out on little mini adventures that are always fun. Sometimes they end in good food as well.
The Queen is heavily involved in many projects. It seems she is training more and more and will be head out in the next couple weeks to do some more. It looks like she is going to be doing a little bit of travel here and there to the hubs.
The Professor is trying to not be a Professor this week. I am not sure it really worked. It seems that almost ever waking moment she is on her laptop planning and preparing for her class next year, that start in a week by the way. She also has been substituting in the local institute.
Tall Man has popped in here and there. It sounds like he is in a down time while Ehl-Bo has started rehearsals for her next performance. They take it one day at a time.
We know that Puddin and Lady Hawkins are out there, but we don't seem to see much of them. They took advantage of the holiday this week to float a river and then this weekend supposedly headed south to the desert to greet a returning missionary. We hope they are safe. I think the only day we saw them this week was Thursday. Puddin pops his head in like Tall Man, but mostly to eat, shower, and sleep occasionally.
We were able to attend a Tuttle meeting. It was good to see him. He starts a new adventure on Wednesday. While we were there we got a fast glimpse of Songbird. It sounds like she is super busy. June was filled with tour, SBO, Camp and now she has returned to reality and working the grind. It sounds like most shifts start early, like 6 a.m. and some times go late until 11 p.m., but she likes the money.
That is it from our perspective. Hope the rest of you are well and enjoying the small adventures every day.
I hope your week has been filled with newness and adventure. Remember, adventures come in small packages as well as big packages. Just make it enjoyable.
My week has been filled with many adventures. Every day has brought something new and that is good. One thing that has started happening in our High Priest Group, is that our leader makes a point to ask each of us each week if we would like to share any spiritual experiences that might have occurred in our lives during the week. It is an interesting question. It has given me reason to ponder. I wonder how often I overlook or brush off those moments where the Lord communicates with me or those around me. I have been trying really hard to stop and make note of them. I don't always share each of them, but some I do. I would encourage each of you to do the same. Many of my moments this week have come while reading from the church magazines. There is gold in those pages, we just have to seek for them.
My verses of scripture this week comes from Alma. Interestingly enough, my personal study of the Book of Mormon consisted of the same chapters as my verse. Alma 11:44-45.
There is a load of stuff in these verses to ponder, but my mind has honed in on the word RESTORED. How is it written..."...but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God..."
Often times we think about this statement as something the we will be healed of all infirmities, breaks, and more, but is that what it says? That is not what I read this week. It says that it shall be restored to perfect frame, as it is NOW, or in the body.
How is it NOW? Are you where you want to be when you are brought before the bar of the Eternal God to be judged? As I pondered being restored to this state. I wondered, (SIDE BAR - this is just me thinking out loud, not gospel or doctrine), if when we die, our spirits return to a spiritual plane, free from cares and worries. Many people call this Heaven or Paradise. Some may not be free from cares or worries, as they will be in Hell or Prison. So, what if, in the resurrection, we are restored to the body, with all the desires, appetites, and vices that it has NOW. Is that what we will take with us when we are put before the bar of God?
What will it be like? Do we really think about it? Should we?
We are told over and over again that this life is a time of probation, preparation, testing, improvement. It is a time to overcome or master those desires, appetites, and vices so that we will not have to suffer them in the eternities. This has given me much to think about. As the verses continue to tell us, "...the whole becoming spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption." Once we are resurrected, I do not believe there will be place for us to entertain any vice that is contrary to the Will of God. Do any of us have such vices? What will we be craving or missing through out the eternities?
Will it be the next season of our favorite TV show? The next book in a series of literature? Will it be a computer game, a drug, an image, a drink, a movie, or whatever vice that is contrary to God's Will? (Not that all of these things are bad things, but are they things that draw us closer to being like Him?)
I guess that is the question that comes to mind. Are the things we are doing now leading to or from the path to Heaven? What can we do NOW, so that when we are resurrected, that restoration will be something we are pleased to bring before the bar of God.
Aren't we here to improve? Are we? Are we a little better each day?
Today is one of the speakers in Sacrament talked about Elder Ballard's talk on goal setting. Are the things we are doing helping us improve? When we go to school, are we coming back each day better or are we restored to old habits, what about each day at work, after our personal prayers, scripture study, missions, or callings that we receive? Are they helping us to be better? Are we learning to Master this mortal and preparing for the immortal?
It has given me much to think about it. My NOW is not where I want to be. Hope it gives you something to ponder as well.
On to adventure -
It has been a week. We celebrated the 4th by working and then going to a movie. YEP, we went to a movie theater. I know it is hard to imagine. It was fun to get out. The rest of the week has been work, event planning, and work. That is what we do right now.
Event planning has been fun. It takes us out on little mini adventures that are always fun. Sometimes they end in good food as well.
The Queen is heavily involved in many projects. It seems she is training more and more and will be head out in the next couple weeks to do some more. It looks like she is going to be doing a little bit of travel here and there to the hubs.
The Professor is trying to not be a Professor this week. I am not sure it really worked. It seems that almost ever waking moment she is on her laptop planning and preparing for her class next year, that start in a week by the way. She also has been substituting in the local institute.
Tall Man has popped in here and there. It sounds like he is in a down time while Ehl-Bo has started rehearsals for her next performance. They take it one day at a time.
We know that Puddin and Lady Hawkins are out there, but we don't seem to see much of them. They took advantage of the holiday this week to float a river and then this weekend supposedly headed south to the desert to greet a returning missionary. We hope they are safe. I think the only day we saw them this week was Thursday. Puddin pops his head in like Tall Man, but mostly to eat, shower, and sleep occasionally.
We were able to attend a Tuttle meeting. It was good to see him. He starts a new adventure on Wednesday. While we were there we got a fast glimpse of Songbird. It sounds like she is super busy. June was filled with tour, SBO, Camp and now she has returned to reality and working the grind. It sounds like most shifts start early, like 6 a.m. and some times go late until 11 p.m., but she likes the money.
That is it from our perspective. Hope the rest of you are well and enjoying the small adventures every day.
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