Doesn't that picture of my daughter represent how life feels sometimes? Just drop wherever you are. Wrap you head up in the safety of a blanket and just check out for awhile. I mean, the middle of the staircase is just as good as any place, why not? Sometimes your world just needs to get really small for awhile. You need to feel like no one can see you even though you are in plain sight. The path seems too hard to continue your journey. This particular journey had 10 more steps to make it to the top.
I was feeling much like that picture of my daughter after watching a news program yesterday morning. I decided that I needed some extra help to make it thru the day so I listened to conference while taking my dog for a walk. Walking in my neighborhood is not that exciting. There is nothing much to look at aside from the paved path in front of me, dirt, and tumble weeds. It's a pretty barren view.
The path towards our country's future looks pretty bleak, like the trail I walk each morning. The past few years I feel like I am hanging out in limbo. I don't know how much to plan for, what exactly to plan for, etc... We keep moving forward despite the feelings of limbo. All we can do is plan for the worst and expect the best, but it's difficult. Especially being in the medical field.
After 5 years of trying, we finally refinanced our house. We built our house at the absolute worst possible time. It lost value while we were building it. It's a big nice house and there are no programs to refinance homes for people who have a jumbo home loan. I wasn't very eager to run the necessary circles to get the refinancing. Our economy is a powder keg waiting to explode. Who knows if anyone will be making mortgage payments in the next few months or years. Nate also just ordered me a new vehicle. It will take 6-8 weeks to get here. I didn't want it, but he needs my old one for his marketing person. After hearing news about gas prices and interest rates and the domino that's about to fall, I thought again that the new car was pointless. In a normal world a new vehicle would be exciting - we're not normal. Our world is crazy town. Just look at the east coast and their expected feet of snowfall. The mayor of NY is basically inciting panic telling everyone to get to the stores tonight (last night) to get stuff. How funny is that? If you believe in being prepared for any eventuality by having food storage, that equals crazy town. But, if you panic and go out and stock up the day before a disaster, that equals smart.
On my bleak walk it was very appropriate to be listening to a Prophet of God, Thomas S Monson "Ponder the Path of Thy Feet." He reminds us that we are not left to find the path and follow it without direction. He reminds us how we get that direction. In these turbulent times we need to figure out our purpose and direction to make it through - although it has always been the goal, we just have more motivation when life is rough. "What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am" 3 Nephi 27:27 Eliza R Snow reminded us that "He marked the path and led the way." The money quote of the president Monson's talk was; "...physically walking where Jesus walked is less important than walking as He walked." He then reminded us of the paths that Jesus walked while on His mortal sojourn which was an excellent reminder that He knows what we are going through because he's been there.
What I found most inspirational is that the very next talk at general conference was about how we can "stay in the boat and hold on." Talk about inspired placement. In order to stay on the path/in the boat you have to know 1 thing. "...God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are at the helm and will guide us right..." If you know this 1 thing, staying on the path or in the boat becomes easier even though the storms are swirling. Sure, sometimes you are still going to need a moment to regroup (while on the boat, not off of it) with a blanket over your head, but then you can get up and keep on moving. You can do this because you have faith and trust in the person at the helm. Just remember the rules that Elder Ballard told us about. First, stay in the boat. Second, always wear a life jacket. Third, hold on with both hands.
This journey is a tough one. We have been given much and therefore much is required of us. We've been called to the work. We need to be a light in the darkening world around us. Acquiring that light takes effort and can only be gained by rising to the call of the Savior to "come follow me". Keeping strong on this journey takes courage and faith and someone who is continually converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We've been given the tools we need but we have to be willing to use them. We can't know what we don't know and it's time to know. I don't know about anyone else, but I want to be a river guide, not the unexperienced tourist.
No comments:
Post a Comment