I go to the grocery store and buy way too much stuff only because I forgot to bring the list of groceries I wrote down which I left at home hanging on my refrigerator. I usually come home with too much stuff when I forget my list, and many items that I probably don't need, and some items that I didn't remember to write down, but now I have doubles. But when I remember my list, I love coming home and cooking and then eating. Remembering is the greatest thing to do when grocery shopping. Remembering is wonderful! I think that is why is it put in the scriptures so many times.
Remember. I love remembering. I love remembering birthdays, especially if I am able to pull of some sort of surprise and it lifts someones spirit. One birthday to remember all year long is the birth of Jesus Christ. We can remember this birth every time we partake of the sacrament. Some may think I should be thinking of His death, yes, that is included, but His birth, or resurrection is the greatest hope for all of us. It is a new birth, each week for each of us as we renew our covenants that we "are willing to take upon [us] the name of [Jesus Christ] , and always remember Him and keep His commandments which He has given [us]" (D&C 20:77, 79). We are promised in return that we "may always have His Spirit to be with us" (
D&C 20:77, 79). These are powerful promises for remembering.
Remembering a grocery list is one thing, but remembering Christ is another. How does one remember Christ daily? Hourly? Minute to minute? He has asked us to "always remember Him" (see D&C 20:77, 79, Moroni 4:3, 3 Nephi 18:7) not just sometimes. This is a powerful thought, to always think of Christ. There is power in thinking of Him. We can't always be thinking of Him, can we? I believe there is a way, to help us, to direct our thoughts towards Him, and help us remember Him. Paul taught it very simply and beautifully. He said, "Finally, brethren [and sisters], whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Philippians 4:8 bold added). When we are focused on these things that are good, we are focusing our thoughts on Christ.
One of the greatest places to receive these pure, lovely, good, things of virtue and praise is in the scriptures. O how I love the scriptures. They are "the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe" (1 Thessalonians 2:13). When we "hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, [we will] never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower [us] unto blindness, to lead [us] away to destruction" (1 Nephi 15:24). We are given power and strength beyond our own when we remember to "feast upon the words of Christ" (2 Nephi 32:3).
Even though we may forget the grocery list, we do remember to eat every day. We may forget from time to time somethings, but we can remember Christ as we eat from the scriptures daily, even just a bit, and He will feed us, and protect us, lift us and strengthen us. This I testify.
Showing posts with label Eating. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eating. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
"I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12)
Okay, I love sugar cookies with frosting that is almost as thick as the cookie. I can usually find these kind of cookies at the store. I could eat about a bazillion of them in one sitting. Well, maybe not a bazillion, but I do eat a lot of them. They are filled with sugar (it's the first ingredient) and bleached white flour, and fat. They are so enticing, looking so pretty with sprinkles on top and have absolutely no substance. But I sure think they taste good, until I eat too many of them. What does eating super fattening cookies have to do with Jesus Christ you may ask? or living the gospel? Well, actually, a lot. Let me explain.
Adam and Eve were created "...and the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Genesis 2:16-17). Eating cookies isn't going to make me die, but it does make me think about what is good. It is my choice to "partake" or not. Just as it was for Adam and Eve to partake or not to partake of the tree of knowledge. This was the plan, for Adam and Eve to have a choice as to whether or not they would partake of the fruit. "...even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter. Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other" (2 Nephi 2:15-16 italics added). Every day we are "enticed" by something, whether for good or bad. The beauty of the whole things is that we get to choose what we want to "eat", whether or not we will be enticed, or yield to those enticings.
Being enticed, what exactly does this mean? Enticed means: "to attract artfully or adroitly or by arousing hope or desire: tempt" (Merriam-Webster). Being enticed is a good thing because "...man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other" (2 Nephi 2:16). The Lord Himself said, "And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves; for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet- Wherefore, it came to pass that the devil tempted Adam, and he partook of the forbidden fruit and transgressed the commandment, wherein he became subject to the will of the devil, because he yielded unto temptation" (D&C 39-40). It is through this process of being enticed that we are able to learn for ourselves what is good and what is bitter (see Moses 6:55), or what is "light" and what is "dark". We get to choose whether or not we want to follow the Light or the dark (see John 8:12). We must be careful to not call dark light, or light dark. We are warned: "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter" (Isaiah 5:20)!
When we have experienced "light" or "tasted this light" (Alma 32:35) there is a difference in the way we can see, behave, think, and act. Light lets us see, be, think, act good, because "whatsoever is light, is good" (Alma 32:35). Think about when you have been in a room and the lights are brightened ever so slightly. You might notice it at first, but when your eyes adjust, you don't really notice. But, turn the lights out, you are in the dark. Then you really notice the marked difference between the light and the dark. When the lights come back on, you think it is very bright. The Lord has blessed us to be able to discern between good and bitter a little at a time, "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little" (2 Nephi 28:30) so that we aren't blinded by the light and close our eyes to all truth, for "truth is light" (D&C 84:45). If we eat all the cookies, all at once, we get sick. They wouldn't taste so good. Truth is taught a bite at a time, or a "light" at a time. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalms 119:105). The words of the Lord, or the scriptures are little lights, or cookies if you will, that lead us in our path to Him. They illuminate our way as we read, study, act, follow, as we "taste this light" (Alma 32:35). They will lead us to Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ said, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). With these words of hope, He was desiring to entice us to follow Him and walk in light and walk in truth. There will be people we come in contact with the won't be able to discern light, or even be enticed by it, even when it is right before them (see John 8:13). But that isn't our worry or concern. We can choose to "press forward, with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men" (2 Nephi 31:20). We get to choose to be enticed and "taste the light", those wonderful, delicious "cookies" that will fill us up and always make us feel good.
Adam and Eve were created "...and the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Genesis 2:16-17). Eating cookies isn't going to make me die, but it does make me think about what is good. It is my choice to "partake" or not. Just as it was for Adam and Eve to partake or not to partake of the tree of knowledge. This was the plan, for Adam and Eve to have a choice as to whether or not they would partake of the fruit. "...even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter. Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other" (2 Nephi 2:15-16 italics added). Every day we are "enticed" by something, whether for good or bad. The beauty of the whole things is that we get to choose what we want to "eat", whether or not we will be enticed, or yield to those enticings.
Being enticed, what exactly does this mean? Enticed means: "to attract artfully or adroitly or by arousing hope or desire: tempt" (Merriam-Webster). Being enticed is a good thing because "...man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other" (2 Nephi 2:16). The Lord Himself said, "And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves; for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet- Wherefore, it came to pass that the devil tempted Adam, and he partook of the forbidden fruit and transgressed the commandment, wherein he became subject to the will of the devil, because he yielded unto temptation" (D&C 39-40). It is through this process of being enticed that we are able to learn for ourselves what is good and what is bitter (see Moses 6:55), or what is "light" and what is "dark". We get to choose whether or not we want to follow the Light or the dark (see John 8:12). We must be careful to not call dark light, or light dark. We are warned: "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter" (Isaiah 5:20)!
When we have experienced "light" or "tasted this light" (Alma 32:35) there is a difference in the way we can see, behave, think, and act. Light lets us see, be, think, act good, because "whatsoever is light, is good" (Alma 32:35). Think about when you have been in a room and the lights are brightened ever so slightly. You might notice it at first, but when your eyes adjust, you don't really notice. But, turn the lights out, you are in the dark. Then you really notice the marked difference between the light and the dark. When the lights come back on, you think it is very bright. The Lord has blessed us to be able to discern between good and bitter a little at a time, "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little" (2 Nephi 28:30) so that we aren't blinded by the light and close our eyes to all truth, for "truth is light" (D&C 84:45). If we eat all the cookies, all at once, we get sick. They wouldn't taste so good. Truth is taught a bite at a time, or a "light" at a time. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalms 119:105). The words of the Lord, or the scriptures are little lights, or cookies if you will, that lead us in our path to Him. They illuminate our way as we read, study, act, follow, as we "taste this light" (Alma 32:35). They will lead us to Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ said, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). With these words of hope, He was desiring to entice us to follow Him and walk in light and walk in truth. There will be people we come in contact with the won't be able to discern light, or even be enticed by it, even when it is right before them (see John 8:13). But that isn't our worry or concern. We can choose to "press forward, with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men" (2 Nephi 31:20). We get to choose to be enticed and "taste the light", those wonderful, delicious "cookies" that will fill us up and always make us feel good.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
"If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land" (Isaiah 1:19)
I hate it when I burn food. It stinks for a really long time, and nobody wants to eat it. And it's even worse when I have spent a lot of time preparing what I thought would be a great meal...and then I burn it, or I don't add the right ingredients, or my family tells me it tastes gross, or they refuse to eat, or they have even said that they are full. I tend to get mad. I try not to, but the natural woman comes roaring out of me, or sometimes tearfully out of me and things just fall apart.
Sometimes...things just fall apart. Sometimes the food does get burned and I can't fix it. Sometimes people really are full and don't want to eat right then. Sometimes the food really is gross. And sometimes, I do act like a maniac and behave badly. But all is not lost (even though at the moment I may feel that it is).
We all make mistakes. Everyone of us. Heavenly Father knew this from before our birth. That's why He had this great plan in place for us to follow if we choose (see Moses 6:62; 1 Cor. 15:22; Titus 1:2; Alma 42:8). It is hard not to get upset with ourselves or others when things don't go as planned, or when mistakes happen, or when tragedy strikes. It doesn't feel good to be out of control. But there is a plan in place and we don't have to be out of control. It does take faith..."For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7) to believe that our Father in Heaven can see far beyond our own natural vision. And it does take faith that He can make burned food not burned.
The plan is made clear in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has made food from nothing that we might follow Him. He did this more than once with the loaves and the fishes. He fed five thousand men, this doesn't mention how many women and children were among them. (see Mark 6:34-44) and again he fed "four thousand men, beside women and children" (Matt. 15:32-38). Both times there was food left over. He can take our "burned food", or our mistakes, our sins, our wrong doings and make them whole. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). The next verse relates perfectly with food..."If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land" (Isaiah 1:19).
If we are willing, we can eat whole food~ eat the food that Christ offers us. It isn't burned or gross. It might take some repenting (meaning turning of the heart and will to God and renunciation of sin (see Bible Dictionary)), but the well cooked food, and the clean smell in our house from the mess being cleaned all up, is so worth it! We all make mistakes, but we don't have to continue to live in them. This I testify is the "good of the land" (Isaiah 1:19). Come, let's eat!
Sometimes...things just fall apart. Sometimes the food does get burned and I can't fix it. Sometimes people really are full and don't want to eat right then. Sometimes the food really is gross. And sometimes, I do act like a maniac and behave badly. But all is not lost (even though at the moment I may feel that it is).
We all make mistakes. Everyone of us. Heavenly Father knew this from before our birth. That's why He had this great plan in place for us to follow if we choose (see Moses 6:62; 1 Cor. 15:22; Titus 1:2; Alma 42:8). It is hard not to get upset with ourselves or others when things don't go as planned, or when mistakes happen, or when tragedy strikes. It doesn't feel good to be out of control. But there is a plan in place and we don't have to be out of control. It does take faith..."For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7) to believe that our Father in Heaven can see far beyond our own natural vision. And it does take faith that He can make burned food not burned.
The plan is made clear in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has made food from nothing that we might follow Him. He did this more than once with the loaves and the fishes. He fed five thousand men, this doesn't mention how many women and children were among them. (see Mark 6:34-44) and again he fed "four thousand men, beside women and children" (Matt. 15:32-38). Both times there was food left over. He can take our "burned food", or our mistakes, our sins, our wrong doings and make them whole. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). The next verse relates perfectly with food..."If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land" (Isaiah 1:19).
If we are willing, we can eat whole food~ eat the food that Christ offers us. It isn't burned or gross. It might take some repenting (meaning turning of the heart and will to God and renunciation of sin (see Bible Dictionary)), but the well cooked food, and the clean smell in our house from the mess being cleaned all up, is so worth it! We all make mistakes, but we don't have to continue to live in them. This I testify is the "good of the land" (Isaiah 1:19). Come, let's eat!
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