Thinking...always thinking.

Eternal Laws

2009-02-21T09:48:00.000-08:00

As I proceed down the road of self discovery, I frequently entertain some mental rhetoric about my past, my progression, and my passions. I find myself butting up against some hard eternal laws. I ask myself why am I not more successful in more avenues of life. Why am I not a better athlete? Why am I not a world class pianist? I wonder why I don't have a rich house on the hill, a fancy car, and a myriad of other things. More importantly, I ask myself why have I not applied myself to the very basic, fundamental things? Things like: why don't I have such-n-such job, or why am I not married, etc? I wonder is there a way to get around these laws and still obtain the reward some other way?

Well... a couple of things come to mind. "There are NO short cuts," "you've got to pay the price," and "its about a life style." In addition, there are laws upon which blessings are predicated, and when we obtain any blessing, its because we have obeyed the laws in which it was predicated. Unfortunately I haven't always had this view or at least remembered it when the going gets tough. Somehow I feel like I have just flaked out just before the growth came, just before the reward was given.

I have been reading from Stephen Covey's book First Things First, and I feel like he explains things very well in an example he calls the Law of the Farm.

"In agriculture, we can easily see and agree that natural laws and principles govern the work and determine the harvest. But in social and corporate cultures, we somehow think we can dismiss natural processes, cheat the system and still win the day. And there's a great deal of evidence that seems to support that belief. For example, did you ever "cram" in shcool- goof off during the semester, then spend all night before the big test trying to cram a semester's work of learning into your head?

Can you imagine "cramming" on the farm? Can you imagine forgetting to plant in the spring, flaking out all summer, and hitting it hard in the fall - ripping the soil up, throwing in the seeds, watering, cultivating - expecting to get a bountiful harvest overnight? Cramming doesn't work in a natural system, like a farm. In the long run, the Law of the Farm governs in all areas of life. How many of us wish now we hadn't crammed in school? We got the degree, but we didn't get the education. We eventually find out there's a difference between succeeding in the social system of school and succeeding in the development of the mind- the ability to think analytically, creatively, at deep levels of abstraction, and the ability to communicate orally and in writing, to cross borders, to rise above outmodded practices and solve problems in newer, better ways."

There are many facets of life that apply to the Law of the Farm - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. We reap what we sow. The price needs to be paid, there are really no short cuts. Just hard work. There are a lot of things that I desire to have and to know, and I shouldn't expect things to magically appear and happen. I know in the end I can't side step eternal laws, I have to live them, and not only live them, but to come to love to live them.

"All kingdoms have a law given; And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions. All beings who abid not in those conditions are not justified" (Doc& Cov. 88:36, 38-39). How can we expect to live and be with God if we don't like living like He lives and doing what He would have us do? "For he who is not able to abide (live, keep, tolerate) the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory. And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory. And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory" (Doc.& Cov. 88:22-24).

" If you wish to go where God is, you must be like God, or possess the principles which God possesses, for if we are not drawing towards God in principle, we are going from him and drawing towards the devil. Search your hearts, and see if you are like God. I have searched mine, and feel to repent of all my sins." Joseph Smith

Beware the "Dog"matic Ideas

2009-02-02T13:35:00.001-08:00

I was looking at the KSL website and they had some things about Prop 8, and details about those who donated to the cause. I noticed that there were also a number of people who had blogged for and against the cause. I naturally looked to read some of the entries. http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=5479915 I admit that I have learned a lot as I have looked over the ideas that have been presented. I am grateful for the priviledge to have associations with some who struggle with SSA (Same Sex Attraction). I appreciate their perspective, and feel grateful that its not an issue that I'm directly combating and wrestling (Eph. 6:10-12).

Too many people argue "who is right", when what really needs to be discovered is "what is right". The dogmatic ideas of men, and perspectives of the world continue to create waves on the seas of life; finding many "tossed to and fro,and carried with every wind of doctrine (Eph 4:14). My question is.. has God been created by man, or was man created by God? Was religion created to become a cruch- to believe whatever we want in the name of God, and do whatsoever thing under the sun that fits our fancy? Or is there truth? A reality? A God- with real, tangilble, unarguable attributes? The answer is Yes!

I can't help, but to see things in a view and perspective in light of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. A view, a vision if you will of the Father and the Son, as was given to the Prophet Joseph Smith. They appeared to the Prophet Joseph, and they have made themselves known to others throughout time. (Titus 2:13-14) There is a truth. God is real- tangible, and assessible. He has and will give to us "liberally", when we really want to come to know Him and "the" truth (James 1:5). He wants us to know the truth.
Two scriptures come to mind:

Doc & Cov 93:24
"And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;"

Jacob 4:13
"...for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls."

I suppose some would say is easy for me to know and believe, having been taught since my youth. But God is "no respecter of persons", (Acts 10:34-43) he has a pattern (Doc & Cov 52:14-19), he has a way for all to know. It is all over Holy writ! and should men and women have an inclination to view and hear it, he and she will know it!

The Lord has called witness from the beginning, even Adam, until now, and He has commanded them to teach His true ways and commandments. Then as we come to know the truth, we can act and live according to it. The truth will set all men and women free. (John 8:32) That freedom may or may not come in this life, but to quote Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come."

"Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth..." (2 Nephi 2:8)

Work or Be Worked

2009-01-26T15:04:00.000-08:00

I have come to realize how much working benefits man. Not only from the financial or social-economical stand point, but in also in an emotional and pschological stand point. Really what I'm saying is the lack of work can make a person go crazy. I think not working, provides the mind too much idle time. Time to rehearse weekness and failures of the past and projected failures of the future. We can work, or be worked by our own conscience.

" I believe in the gospel of work. Work is the miracle by which talent is brought to the surface and dreams become reality. There is simply no substitutue under the heavens for productive labor. It is the process by which idle visions become dynamic achievements. I suppose that we are all inherently lazy. We would rather play than work. We would rather loaf than work. A little play and a little loafing are good. But it is work that spells the difference in the life of a man or a woman or boy or a girl." - Gordon B. Hinckley

Additionally, I would like to make a contribution to society, I want to feel that the things I do really matter to people, that they really matter in my mind and the minds of others.

I have been reading through some words written by the former President Gordon B. Hinckley in his book Standing for Something. I'm again impressed by his view and words:

"It is not enough for any of us to get a job and feverishly work to produce income that leads to personal comfort. We may gain some recompense in all of this, but we will not gain the ultimate satisfaction... Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves. By and large, if we complain about life, its because we are thinking only of ourselves. In the long run, it will not be enough for anyone who desires a sense of fulfillment and purpose to be an able lawyer, a practitioner of medicine, a skilled architect, a proficient engineer, or whatever. We need an other dimension in our lives, a compelling need and drive within each of us to feel that somehow we have made a difference-that our lives have mattered.

It is not enough just to be good. We must be good for something. We must contrubute good to the world. The world must be a better place for our presence."

What do you think?

2009-01-23T16:01:00.000-08:00

Here are some different quotes I feel describe me, or at least provides a look into the way I view the world. I also chose these quotes because they need very little commentary. The last quote I felt was very fitting and sometimes I truly wonder...

“Man's greatness lies in his power of thought.” -Blaise Pascal

“These thoughts did not come in any verbal formulation. I rarely think in words at all. A thought comes, and I may try to express it in words afterward.”-Albert Einstein

“I think-therefore I'm single” -Lizz Winstead