The other day, I showed up at my mom's house to see what I could do to help get my sister-in-law and 10 of her 14 children ready go to the airport. When I arrived I asked what I could do to help and my sister-in-law took me to the laundry room, showed me two boxes that were, in my opinion, already full and then said she needed my help loading the rest of the clothes from the dryer, a laundry basket, and a drying rack. Now, these clothes weren't just socks; they were jeans, and sweaters, and sweater dresses, and bulkier clothes. The thought ran through my head of, "there is no way these things are going to fit", but I didn't verbalize it. I just said, "Okay" and she left the room.
Sometimes, we are asked to do things that seem impossible. They might be minor tasks but are truly life saving for someone else, and we feel completely inadequate, insecure, and unsure of our abilities. Gratefully, the Lord knows better. He always does. The Lord has promised us that He will sustain the righteous. For forty years he sustained the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. "Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not" (Nehemiah 9:21). He not only sustains the righteous, but also will carry their burdens: "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved" (Psalms 55:22). What great comfort in a world where there is turmoil and challenges to be faced, great and small, on a daily basis.
As I looked at the boxes I knew my sister-in-law needed them filled. I then said out loud, and kind of to myself, "Okay, if the Lord can feed five-thousand and have baskets of food left over, He can definitely help me make these clothes fit. I need a miracle". I then silently prayed for a miracle to make it all fit. I just got to work. I rolled clothes, jeans, shirts, dresses, socks, more jeans, and more dresses. I opened the dryer and was surprised how many clothes there were in there. But I just kept working. My sister-in-law came in and put a hairdryer and a cosmetic bag in of the boxes. She even brought in more socks and undergarments from some where else. All the clothes fit, and more. I called for my nephew to come and help me tape it shut. I call it the miracle of the boxes.
Sometimes I do feel very inadequate, and I am. I am not saying that I don't have talents or that I am not good at things, that's not the point. The point is, He makes up the difference because He is the difference! We all have weaknesses and need the Lord's help no matter who we are and whether or not we recognize it. The pride of man makes us think we can do it all on our own; that we can be perfect, or that we can handle it all without help, even the day to day stuff. Thankfully, we are so loved, that we don't have to, nor are we expected to do it alone. "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them" (Ether 12:27). When we are called to serve or do what seems to be an impossible task, He is the One that will fill the already full boxes just as surely as He fed the five thousand with two barley loaves and five fishes and "filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten" (John 6:5-13).
Showing posts with label Grace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grace. Show all posts
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Friday, January 06, 2012
"The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works" (Psalms 145:9)
I am so grateful I find peace when I am so angry I could rip someone's head off...okay, not literally, by reading the scriptures. We have a child that has a mild form of autism. We just recently learned this and it has been a blessing to receive this knowledge. The scriptures helped me to have the strength and understanding that we will be able to help our son regardless of how blind others choose to remain. I know that anger isn't a way to solve a problem. It isn't the way to relieve frustration, even though it may seem to be a quick fix. Anger usually just causes more pain (and I was pretty angry at how close minded/blind people can be). I am so grateful for the example of prophets and apostles, living and from the scriptures, because they testify of Christ and teach me how to handle challenges and affliction, or perhaps just deal with my anger and therefore "...the grace of God" may be and [and is able to] abide in [me]" (see Ether 12:41).
I had never really noticed all these years that I have read The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ that Nephi, a prophet, starts by not only saying he was raised by "goodly parents", but that he had "seen many afflictions in the course of his days" (1 Nephi 1:1). Even prophets are not exempt from trials and afflictions. The last verse of that same chapter explains how Nephi sees and learns from his afflictions. He says, "I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance" (1 Nephi 1:20). Nephi doesn't say that the problems went away, but that he focuses on the "tender mercies of the Lord". Tender mercies come in all shapes and sizes, sometimes making us "mighty even unto the power of deliverance"; other times, giving us the power to endure and to make our burdens lighter, so much so that the Lord will "strengthen [us] that [we can] bear up [our] burdens with ease, and [we will] submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord" (Mosiah 24:15).
Sometimes the tender mercies lead us to deliverance by giving us the strength to endure, not necessarily taking the problem away. Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, "The Atonement ...gives us the strength to endure 'pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind,' because our Savior also took upon Him 'the pains and the sicknesses of his people' (Alma 7:11). Brothers and sisters, if your faith and prayers and the power of the priesthood do not heal you from an affliction, the power of the Atonement will surely give you the strength to bear the burden" (He Heals the Heavy Laden). Over the years I have prayed for understanding, wisdom, knowledge, guidance, help, and much more as a parent. Being able to help a child who needs some extra attention, but not knowing what we were dealing with has led to a lot of frustration and anger. As times, I thought I would have to just give up, but that isn't a good solution, nor is it an option. In the end, I have always been given the strength to endure. As parents, we need strength to endure all things because, truly, "we believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things" (Article of Faith 13). The only way to be able to endure parenting with joy, or any trial for that matter, is to rely upon the Savior.
As a mother with a child who has autism, unbeknownst to me, but I knew that something wasn't "right" with my child, I have struggled and struggled for years to "help" him. It hasn't been easy. People expect him, and I expected him, to act like my other children in various situations, and he didn't behave/respond the same, no matter how many times we asked, threatened, helped, encouraged, taught, loved, him to do differently. The tender mercies of the Lord have been with us the whole time as we have tried to guide our son. He is an incredible child of God. He is loving and kind, brilliant, and filled with joy and enthusiasm for life. The wonderful mercy that has been given us wasn't having our son changed to "normal" (whatever normal is), but having us change, and continue to be changed. We are more patient (and get to learn more patience as we help others learn to help our son), more understanding of other people and the challenges they are faced with, more forgiving. I'm not a perfect parent/person, and I continue to learn every day and pray as the Psalmst, "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions" (Psalms 51:1), because boy do I make a lot of mistakes trying to help my children. And God does hear and answers my prayers. He loves His children- "The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works" (Psalms 145:9). I am so grateful for the grace of Jesus Christ. Without it, I don't know where I would be. I realized one day that I do my best as a parent and then I have to leave the rest up to Him (see 2 Nephi 25:23). That is grace in full action! What a tender mercy to give to all His children- grace.
There are times in our lives when we are like Nephi and are asked to "return to Jerusalem" (1 Nephi 3:2) even when we already left everything behind (see 1 Nephi 2:4), or so we thought. Sometimes, we have to "return" because we have more to learn, things so precious that it effects our future and the future of our children (see 1 Nephi 3:19-20). Life is guaranteed to have affliction. We are told, "Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days" (D&C 24:8). We can be as Nephi who responded with "I will go and do" because, just as he had faith to go, we too will "know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them" (1 Nephi 3:7). The way is prepared...Jesus showed us the way, because He is "the way" (John 14:6). We can do it, even on the days that are really hard, and those days we are really angry. "His tender mercies are over all His works" (Psalms 145:9) ~this includes you and me. This I testify.
I had never really noticed all these years that I have read The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ that Nephi, a prophet, starts by not only saying he was raised by "goodly parents", but that he had "seen many afflictions in the course of his days" (1 Nephi 1:1). Even prophets are not exempt from trials and afflictions. The last verse of that same chapter explains how Nephi sees and learns from his afflictions. He says, "I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance" (1 Nephi 1:20). Nephi doesn't say that the problems went away, but that he focuses on the "tender mercies of the Lord". Tender mercies come in all shapes and sizes, sometimes making us "mighty even unto the power of deliverance"; other times, giving us the power to endure and to make our burdens lighter, so much so that the Lord will "strengthen [us] that [we can] bear up [our] burdens with ease, and [we will] submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord" (Mosiah 24:15).
Sometimes the tender mercies lead us to deliverance by giving us the strength to endure, not necessarily taking the problem away. Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, "The Atonement ...gives us the strength to endure 'pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind,' because our Savior also took upon Him 'the pains and the sicknesses of his people' (Alma 7:11). Brothers and sisters, if your faith and prayers and the power of the priesthood do not heal you from an affliction, the power of the Atonement will surely give you the strength to bear the burden" (He Heals the Heavy Laden). Over the years I have prayed for understanding, wisdom, knowledge, guidance, help, and much more as a parent. Being able to help a child who needs some extra attention, but not knowing what we were dealing with has led to a lot of frustration and anger. As times, I thought I would have to just give up, but that isn't a good solution, nor is it an option. In the end, I have always been given the strength to endure. As parents, we need strength to endure all things because, truly, "we believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things" (Article of Faith 13). The only way to be able to endure parenting with joy, or any trial for that matter, is to rely upon the Savior.
As a mother with a child who has autism, unbeknownst to me, but I knew that something wasn't "right" with my child, I have struggled and struggled for years to "help" him. It hasn't been easy. People expect him, and I expected him, to act like my other children in various situations, and he didn't behave/respond the same, no matter how many times we asked, threatened, helped, encouraged, taught, loved, him to do differently. The tender mercies of the Lord have been with us the whole time as we have tried to guide our son. He is an incredible child of God. He is loving and kind, brilliant, and filled with joy and enthusiasm for life. The wonderful mercy that has been given us wasn't having our son changed to "normal" (whatever normal is), but having us change, and continue to be changed. We are more patient (and get to learn more patience as we help others learn to help our son), more understanding of other people and the challenges they are faced with, more forgiving. I'm not a perfect parent/person, and I continue to learn every day and pray as the Psalmst, "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions" (Psalms 51:1), because boy do I make a lot of mistakes trying to help my children. And God does hear and answers my prayers. He loves His children- "The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works" (Psalms 145:9). I am so grateful for the grace of Jesus Christ. Without it, I don't know where I would be. I realized one day that I do my best as a parent and then I have to leave the rest up to Him (see 2 Nephi 25:23). That is grace in full action! What a tender mercy to give to all His children- grace.
There are times in our lives when we are like Nephi and are asked to "return to Jerusalem" (1 Nephi 3:2) even when we already left everything behind (see 1 Nephi 2:4), or so we thought. Sometimes, we have to "return" because we have more to learn, things so precious that it effects our future and the future of our children (see 1 Nephi 3:19-20). Life is guaranteed to have affliction. We are told, "Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days" (D&C 24:8). We can be as Nephi who responded with "I will go and do" because, just as he had faith to go, we too will "know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them" (1 Nephi 3:7). The way is prepared...Jesus showed us the way, because He is "the way" (John 14:6). We can do it, even on the days that are really hard, and those days we are really angry. "His tender mercies are over all His works" (Psalms 145:9) ~this includes you and me. This I testify.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
"...My grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me..." ( Ether 12:27)
I don't know if you noticed that I have on my profile that I am a practicing Christian, not a prefect one. I would really like to be perfect, but that isn't the case at all. I get mad at my children (unfortunately, even when I say I am not going to, and I repent of it every day:) I yell at the drivers of cars even though they can't hear me (my kids remind me of this). I make mistakes and say things that I wished I hadn't, and I hope that people know the intents of my heart, but more than likely, all they heard were my words. So, I resort back to asking for, and praying for patience and of course I get more opportunities to practice learning how to be patient. It is a lot of work. There are some things in my life that are just meant to take more time than I would like, and getting patience is one of them.
There are actually many things in our lives that we haven't received but would like that are righteous desires...or perhaps we are receiving them a little at a time and we just are not aware of them. The Lord says: "But all things must come to pass in their time" (D&C 64:32). All things must come to pass in their time, not our time. Sometimes we may feel like we are in limbo not knowing if something is going to happen or not, and we really want it to happen or work out. But the thought came to me today that we are not in limbo, we are in God's time. "Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us" (Psalms 62:8). He does know exactly what we need, including patience, mercy, marriage, or increased faith, humility, or diligence, children, or perhaps even "the trial of your faith" (1 Peter 1:7). He "knows our needs before we ask" (Elder Henry B. Eyring).
He also knows what we are capable of becoming. His complete work is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). He want to bless us with immortality and eternal life, not just immediate gratification. Immediate gratification only stunts our growth. We may think that it is really the best thing ever, but in the long run we don't learn patience, a true godly characteristic. Think of how patient God truly is. If we are to follow Jesus Christ, then instant gratification isn't His way. He says: " Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great" (D&C 64:33). We can't give up on practicing being good Christians. We are laying the foundation of a "great work", us! We are God's greatest work, and out of our small efforts to continue to keep the commandments to love God and love our neighbor (Matt. 22:37-40) are great things happening~us becoming more and more like our Savior, even Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, "Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect" (3 Nephi 12:48; Matt. 5:48). He does have very high expectations of us. He wants us to be perfect. But He also knows we can't be perfect on our own. That's why we have grace, "divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ" (Bible Dictionary). He told the prophet Moroni these very comforting words and they are for us, "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them" (Ether 12:27). We all have weaknesses, we all need Christ. And through His grace He can and will make us sufficiently strong as we turn our hearts and minds to Him. "What doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes"( Deuteronomy 10:12-13).
As we keep the commandments, love God and love our neighbor, and continue in our imperfect, but practicing ways of following Christ, His grace is sufficient for us. "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is His grace sufficient for you, that by His grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God" (Moroni 10:32). You and I will be able to see that His time is the right time as we turn our hearts to Him. He knows exactly what He is doing because He is the Master of all creation (see Lord). And we are "the crowning creature" of all He created (Elder Bruce R. McConkie).
We can go forth, with faith in Christ, "having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men" (2 Nephi 31:20)...practicing His ways, and being perfected in Him in His time. This I testify is the way to truly live as a practicing Christian.
There are actually many things in our lives that we haven't received but would like that are righteous desires...or perhaps we are receiving them a little at a time and we just are not aware of them. The Lord says: "But all things must come to pass in their time" (D&C 64:32). All things must come to pass in their time, not our time. Sometimes we may feel like we are in limbo not knowing if something is going to happen or not, and we really want it to happen or work out. But the thought came to me today that we are not in limbo, we are in God's time. "Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us" (Psalms 62:8). He does know exactly what we need, including patience, mercy, marriage, or increased faith, humility, or diligence, children, or perhaps even "the trial of your faith" (1 Peter 1:7). He "knows our needs before we ask" (Elder Henry B. Eyring).
He also knows what we are capable of becoming. His complete work is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). He want to bless us with immortality and eternal life, not just immediate gratification. Immediate gratification only stunts our growth. We may think that it is really the best thing ever, but in the long run we don't learn patience, a true godly characteristic. Think of how patient God truly is. If we are to follow Jesus Christ, then instant gratification isn't His way. He says: " Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great" (D&C 64:33). We can't give up on practicing being good Christians. We are laying the foundation of a "great work", us! We are God's greatest work, and out of our small efforts to continue to keep the commandments to love God and love our neighbor (Matt. 22:37-40) are great things happening~us becoming more and more like our Savior, even Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, "Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect" (3 Nephi 12:48; Matt. 5:48). He does have very high expectations of us. He wants us to be perfect. But He also knows we can't be perfect on our own. That's why we have grace, "divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ" (Bible Dictionary). He told the prophet Moroni these very comforting words and they are for us, "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them" (Ether 12:27). We all have weaknesses, we all need Christ. And through His grace He can and will make us sufficiently strong as we turn our hearts and minds to Him. "What doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes"( Deuteronomy 10:12-13).
As we keep the commandments, love God and love our neighbor, and continue in our imperfect, but practicing ways of following Christ, His grace is sufficient for us. "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is His grace sufficient for you, that by His grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God" (Moroni 10:32). You and I will be able to see that His time is the right time as we turn our hearts to Him. He knows exactly what He is doing because He is the Master of all creation (see Lord). And we are "the crowning creature" of all He created (Elder Bruce R. McConkie).
We can go forth, with faith in Christ, "having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men" (2 Nephi 31:20)...practicing His ways, and being perfected in Him in His time. This I testify is the way to truly live as a practicing Christian.
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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)