Prayers are often answered in the most unexpected ways. Preconceived notions can cause us to miss the answer when it comes. Therefore, we must always be receptive and alert. Most especially, we should be grateful, regardless of how the answer is delivered or by whom. The Lord will send us angles and answers to our prayer, but we must be willing to receive them.
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Do I accept the quiet of my mind, or do I try to form a thought? I think I will allow the quiet to win…
New Year’s resolutions are made during a nighttime of boisterous revelry when merry making is more important than real reflection. Maybe a better time for making a change might be on Easter morn when the spring sunshine invites calm introspection and the abundance of new beginnings is evident all around.
Take the time to reflect on the hard work you have done today.
Take the time to reflect on the many blessings you have received through your hard work.
Take the time to reflect on the All Mighty who gives you the opportunity to work, the ability to work and the blessings you receive from that work.
In His name, have compassion for those who do not have the opportunity to work, have not been taught to work, or do not have the ability to work. In His name, all things are possible, but without compassion, in other words – charity, nothing good is possible.
Take the time to reflect… and when you are done be grateful.
Crying, when life is hard, is not a bad thing, as life can look amazing through sparkling tears. Like the rain is needed for the rainbow, tears are often needed for the return of the smile.
We are taught to be grateful for the things in life which are pleasing, beautiful and seem easy, but if we try to have gratitude for the things which cause us discomfort, stress or seem hard, we may just find life to be filled with less anger, discord and frustration. We may even find ourselves growing in ways unforeseen. Learning to be grateful for the unpleasant aspects of life can often reveal unexpected treasures.
A great moment in homeschooling: when you kids get old enough for most of their lessons to come from the world around them rather than from books. It’s like harkening back to the days when they were little and all their lessons came from the world around them instead of from books.
While losing power for twelve hours is not on my list of fun ways to spend a family evening at home, it does have some positive attributes. Yesterday a vicious wind blew up from the south. The wind never really stops on the Eastern Plains of Colorado, a reality one learns quickly if they want to prosper here. My daughter, a much heartier soul than I, considers most of our light gales to be nothing more than pleasant breezes.
The wind and weather can come from all directions: blizzards from the north, rain from the east, and hail from the west, but it is the wind from the south that is to be feared. Barns blown over, trees uprooted and shingle roofs shredded, these are commonality not rarity with winds from the south.
Yesterday’s wind began with blustery force. Hair had to be re-combed at church, even super-hold hairspray and gel withered under the assault. The drive home was a challenge for the newbie behind the wheel. No drivers ed course could prepare the novice for the head wind he faced, but luck was with him and the dust cloud arose only after he had safely made it home. One new driving challenge faced, one saved for a future day.
By 5pm the wind was gathering strength, but animals still needed care. The stalwart, hearty daughter braved the crossing of the yard, only to become imprisoned with her wards in the rabbit house. A decade of living on the plains has taught us to build strong, permanent shelters for our animals. Our rabbit house was built with the knowledge that our daughter would also spend many hours inside it. When the full force of the angry wind struck, we knew she was safe. When the power went out from multiple power lines being blown down, we knew she was prepared with emergency light.
The wind raged, escalated and began to sound more dangerous than anything we had heard before. The power went out. We heard sounds of crashes and wondered which yard items had been destroyed. Then as if the wind knew havoc had been rendered, it died down returning to the soft gale my daughter calls a breeze.
Dinner was jelly beans, Oreos and cheese. Lap tops provided a few moments of entertainment, books emerged and the piano was played as darkness settled in for the night. Baseball caps equipped with LED lights donned the heads of one and all. Quiet pursuits and conversations, calm thoughts and contemplations, broken periodically with laughter were the activities of the evening.
The power seldom stays out this long and we are prepared for emergencies. We could have cooked a warm meal, we could have lit a lamp, but the peacefulness of a simple evening was too inviting. The blanked quite of the night calmed our minds and gave us rest; a break from the world, the blessings of a blackout.
Worries, sorrows and pains are frequent characters in life’s ever unfolding drama, often making our days feel more like a tragedy rather than a romance or comedy. They stand in our way, trip us up or block our view. They discourage us and prevent us from searching out the light, laughter and love that is just beyond the gloom. They encourage us to follow their lead or worse, simply be the audience and not the director of our own play.
These actors of drama and tragedy are essential to our play of life, but they should not block us from the other actors essential for a balanced performance. Pushing past these dramatic characters requires effort. Just beyond their shoulders, we can find opportunities for the joy they are trying to hide from us. Sometimes it takes work to pull back the curtains of trouble and reveal, through service, the joy and laughter we seek.
A great man taught this principle two millennia ago. Whether you believe him to be a savior or simply a prophet, he taught that the trials of life could be lessened by learning of him, of the things he did, and the promises he made. His mission was one of service and his lessons taught compassion over worldliness. Our worries, sorrows and pains, or in other words, our burdens would be made light if we emulated him and served our fellow man. He did not promise they would be removed, just that they would be made more bearable.
He said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”*
*Matthew 11:28-30, Bible, King James Version
Often the greatest burdens in life are also the greatest blessings, or result from the greatest blessings. Just like there is a fine line between genius and insanity, there is a fine line between burden and blessing. Hope for days more blessed than burdened, and remember without burdens life would be boring.
Pithy Ponderings 