Patience and a Sense of Humor

Patience and a sense of humor

When you sit back and look at people in the world and the crazy things they do and say, it hits ya that God for sure has some serious patience and a sense of humor. I mean I'm a bone head and do some things and have done things that would for sure be classed as pure stupidity at the least. So you may see where one could look at some one doing something and say Yeppers there's another one. Take for example some crazy young feller's riding a bicycle created from broken parts from the trash dump and jumping off a ramp build with scrap lumber taller than most of them and hoping for favorable results. While this crazy is happening the big man upstairs is sending a few extra guardians too ensure there is nothing serious but maybe so bumps, bruises, and a little road rash. He probably shakes his head and wondering how much until they get it but knowing some peeps are just real hard headed. But young and hard headed is great if it doesn't stay in to the later years of life.

 I use the example on a neighbor I had in the past that I'm sure is a member of the 1000 chances club. I don't think in any way God would give up on any one but some peeps I think if he wanted to would be one of the first in line for the spank'n machine. When you get hit by something and ya go back for more and God doesn't call you out on it with that whooping he could dish out then you can bet he is very patient. When you continue to use substances with liver damage and cancer while telling everyone you can't quit. I would be thinking Yeppers God is patient with him but I think God is holding out on him letting him live because maybe the All Powerful One is not ready to deal with him yet. I remember one day I hear a cement mixing unit clanking along next door. I just happen to be in the tool shed close enough to see and hear well. The neighbor was drinking down a few and leaning on a shovel. I hear him yelling at the mixer using a long string of verbal expressions and referencing the heaven and everything else on the earth too. I hear the mixer jam and drive belt squeal. He beats at it with the shovel yelling more color. It doesn’t move and he shoves the digger in the mixers mouth. Instantly the mixer moves with the shovel caught at this point and spinning it wildly. He makes an attempt at retrieval of the tool missing and have’n it boldly clock him aside the head. He sprawls out on the ground face sputtering in the dirt.

 You honestly couldn’t tell that God was thinking the humor in quieting the old heathen. Honestly he has to have a sense of humor or some peeps would be struck down. He has to be patient for sure. It makes me wonder if he sits up there with a large drink, popcorn, and candy and get a laugh watching the show many of the world put on as they show how much they just don’t get. I hope I have been able to taper some of my stupidity to a smaller amount of a show. I fall down a few stairs now and then and bite my tongue from saying any thing bad. But now I too get to see the show with my kids and grand kids. Hopefully they all shorten their show having a lot to learn from the generations of the past.

 This reminds me of the out of the blue head smack by Gibbs on the show NCIS. Many a person has gotten the smack but mostly Tony. A bit of a shock at first for most of the people it happens too but mostly it happens when someone does or says a bone head thing. It’s kind of like that with us I think too.

Agency and Choices

Agency and Choices

We are all given a gift called agency. What we do with our gift is what defines us. We can choose to follow laws whether they are of nature, God, man, or governments. Some laws if not adhered to bring with them painful if not fatal consequences. Some of these consequences are not so easily seen for a fair part of our lives. We sometimes pass the consequences down for others to deal with for some generations to come. There is another part of us as humans. We are natural in our actions, desires, passions, and thoughts. It has been reference many times as the natural man (Mosiah 3:19). We very often use this natural man part of us in our use of agency and carry out actions that trap us. Too often when we get trapped we want to justify our actions to displace our thinking and conscience to change how we feel. For example if we run for a few miles knowing we are out of physical condition and nearly pass out. Then we say we will never do that again ever because we almost died. Then tell ourselves we didn't die so we should do it again but the same time remembering how stupid we may have been the first time. We try to justify our actions but question ourselves at the exact same time. Consider the actions we may justify for any given reason. Addictions, thievery, murder, lasciviousness, and riotous living to name a few. We can justify ourselves to hell and back from our actions but it doesn't make them right or correct. 

Having had a very personal connection with addictions I know justifying the actions that come with them. We try to say it is OK and hurts no one else but seeing the picture from inside the frame we don't get it. I have pondered much about the challenges we each have in this life. Granted we all think ours is the worst and maybe the hardest. Think about any and all that we could have to face it is what we do in life with those challenges and how we use our agency that defines the type of person we are. I add to this the challenge for some of same gender attraction. Some would say wait a minute but I was born that way. Good point and I was born with the challenge of being a substance addict. Some may also voice I can't help it, it is what I am. Yes that maybe true, once an addict always an addict. I ask can we be better as a person. Or must we give in to the natural man and be something less than what we can be. Are those that give in to the natural man horrible persons? No. The definer is if we act upon it. We are all children of a loving God that must learn to except that we are not in any way close to perfect. But we can and should not look past the fact that we can still be so much more than we are. For me to just give in to the over thinking of things and say I'm an addict and cannot be anything greater than that. Thinking also that all I can be is a mere junkie is selling me short of the top of the mountain. Those who say we don't have a choice are selling a short load on truck bigger than they want to load by themselves. The path of life is hard and when traveled alone has darkness, fear, uncertainty, and challenges that look so ominous we couldn't possibly get past them. I have walked on the dark side of the fence. I have felt darkness of soul, depression, fear, shame, feelings of uselessness, and those feelings of giving up life. Having been there and knowing what I know now and the hope that fills me rather than fear. I much prefer to hold to the rod of iron that follows the path to the tree of life and yes liberty. Holding to the rod will not be easy and not popular but safe in knowing what God wants of me. We are all given a choice but cannot always choose the consequences and extent of those consequences whether good or bad. We are also given multiple opportunities to change. The power of the atonement extends far beyond repentance.

 Don't ever think that making a choice is final and you have no way to choose differently because nothing is final. And I know that everything will be in some way made right in the next phase of our existence. The imperfections I have now will be made whole and perfect. My pains and character flaws will be taken. But some of that may in part depend on me and the choices I make to overcome them as best I can in this life. Yes life is not fair nor should it be. We are here to test our agency and to choose. When we act with our agency in a correct manor we find blessings. When we act with our agency against correctness we find pain and disappointment. It is easy to see that picture when you have stood on both sides of the fence. Siding with modern day Prophets and Apostles will always leave little room for doubt.

Deep spiritual enlightenment.

I'm reminded of a truth that I faced some years ago. We each must find our faith over fear. Find ourselves in deep spiritual enlightenment. Some may come to that point by small and simple fashion but many of us traveled through some deep canyons of hell and rock bottom to fully understand. Stumbling and falling is not fun but the lessons learned are very much priceless indeed. Finding the solid foundation in a loving Savior and know him personally to know where we ultimately choose to be in our life. Rarely do we find other people that except us the way the Savior does. God is great and loves us! It took me a long time to learn this and I can honestly say that I have so much more to learn and understand of how the power of God can and does work in our lives. I admit that it is very difficult and fear filled to turn our lives and our will over to the trust and care of God. But that willingness can change us by helping us to change our flaws of character and makes us in to something more than we could do on our own. Have a blessed day. Many fight the Devil/Dragon in fights for their souls. Much of these battles are not seen but others yet are real just the same. I pray daily for those that battle with the dragon in their lives to win. Put on that armor and yield a sword. And Fight! Have a great day friends!