Red ball and dark chocolate

I once talked about this subject with sin in mind, I now am thinking of the other side of that coin. I want so much to remember the Savior like a red ball and remember the feeling like warm melting chocolate. I want so much to yearn for the sweet taste of redemption, the visual of His face. They say when you root out wicked things, you should seek to put righteous things in their place. I dwelt on what not to do so long that I forgot what to do. I fear that others do the same. May we take the time to make new habits, new goals, perhaps renew our love for the Lord through good thing that lift the heart and soul. Be good, God is ever watching.

God hears and sees

 Hagar was alone in the desert when an angel appeared and promised a blessing on her child, naming him Ishmael, which means “God hears.” Hagar responded with, “You are the One who sees me,” and even gave Him a name, El Roi, which means thus. 

God is ever near and watches and hears all our prayers and cries. He sees our struggles but remembers, he has said that he will temper us as steel and refine us like silver. There will be emotionally, physically, and spiritually hot days, days of intense pressure. There will be days of intense sorrow and pain. We must pass through these experiences so that we can understand and come to God as He is attempting to come or reach out to us. Now we must also know there will be times of immense joy and gladness to match that pain because we are, that we might have joy. The rollercoaster of life has highs and lows, times of screaming fear, and laughter. Know this, God knows the length of the ride and you will not get off till it ends. You will have a great experience if you see it as thus.

God is looking for his face in the refinement that is our lives. When silver is made pure the refiner can see his face in the silver, he then knows it's ready for greater things. Wait too long and it ruins the silver, so also is removing it too soon. So are our lives in so many ways. The constant heat and tempering seem overwhelming at times. Trials long and short, spiritual and physical can overwhelm some but if we endure it well, we will be fit for the kingdom. We will have been perfected and exalted one day at a time; making us whole and complete through the Savior. 

We can endure this life. Life is like a garden, the Lord removes the rocks and puts up a fence but we then are responsible to weed and taking care of it. If we breach the fence and low bad things in our lives it is on us, not the Lord. While the Lord set up our garden or life to go one direction, He knows you and I to are gardeners and influencers in our lives. We choose some of the outcomes too. We may not choose the consequences of our actions, the weeds, brides, and thistles but we choose at times what goes in our garden like friends and lovers, the neighborhoods we live, the car we drive. In the end, it is a culmination of the two of us, the Lord and I that looks at my garden and sees what fruit and vegetables I produced, am I bitter or sweet, and I desirable or must I be cast off like dross, good for nothing because I wasted my time, talent and energy on crap, on weeds.

Hagar recognized the Lord, we should too. May we see as He sees and hear as He hears so that we can be one who lifts a button and extends a helping hand. May we be endurent for the things we cannot change and not just so but with gladness. It is a hard thing we are called to do but it is worth it, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Esau tears and porage decisions

As I have been studying the story of Esau I have come to realize there is a difference between straightway doing the Lord's will and making impulsive postage decisions, taking a spiritual thing second to the will of the flesh first. I wonder how many times I have done this thing and how many blessings I missed because I desired vanity or I wanted to gaze upon lecivitiness or coveted something; little sins that deprived me of a blessing because of my impulsiveness. I am sure it's like a check-out at the store. The candy is tempting and would please the tongue but we are asked to bridal out passions like a dieter from the things that would easily beset us. 

Esau took the things of this world as a greater value than the things of God and it cost him a blessing. Now I worry about my impulsivity and how much it may hurt me or my family. I would say "don't worry" but the echo of the pebble is not fully seen till it's too late. May my children find God faster and better than I.

The redemption of Lot

At times I feel as Lot did as Sodom was carried off, alone and afraid. I wonder at times am too far from my Redeemer. My wickedness besets me and I become alone, naked, and afraid. Then in my weakness, a light shines forth, and the heavens open with trumpets and chariots. The Redeemer of the world with His angels, events, and stripping warriors race in or the Holy Ghost testify that I am His and if He is mine, we will be one, John 10:30; Isaiah 43:1-7.

God loves not just us collectively but me individually. My faith and hope in my Savior have been a trip! Trials of faith and hope have shaken off the shackles of sin through redemption. And like articles on the bilge (bottom of the boat) when I have learned sailing through life I need to clean my hidden places or unseen places. Those parts of my life that have dark memories need to be acknowledged so that they will not strive to come to the surface. I am not perfect or an I?

Be ye, therefore, perfect is the advice of the Savior to the apostles and Jehovah to Abraham. He meant whole or complete. When we are given comfort by the Spirit we become exalted, whole, or complete. We just need to realize it.

God loves us he sees us and hears us in our trials as Hagar realized (Gen 16:13). God help us to realize as she did I hope in the name of Jesus Christ, Anen

A fathers rant

At times I forget how tender and impressionable my family is and while studying the scriptures I was brought to remember how important it is to be a shepherd to my lambs and protect them as the Savior does to me. It is not enough to have a prayer in your heart or testimony in your heart but to bear it and share it. Your family needs to be strengthened by you and those around you. Bring good into your home and work to keep wickedness out. With the rise of the flu, I realize that sickness seeps in from outside influence so the need to be both spiritually, morally, physically, and mentally strong and then strengthen your family, friends, and neighbors are vitally important. Sometimes I do not feel that I have been vigilant in the call. People make their own choices but I feel personally responsible at times. If you are reading this, be better than you were yesterday. Remember God loves you and the Savior seeks to redeem us all.