My shift is 3-11pm with a long hour drive to and from work. As I drive to work I take time to think about the events around me. What may be going on at work itself, whats going on with my kids and home, and about the world today and things we face. Sometimes I may be having personal issues and need to focus and ponder on my faith and making it greater that I may understand my weaknesses, trials and tribulations, or sometimes I may be struggling to understand a principle or just why the world is such the state that it is.
On the way to work I spend a lot of that time talking to Heavenly Father. I have my prayers in the morning upon waking, but on that drive many times, its just a talk that I need to have with him, for things that I question or problems that need solving and often times its about scriptures or things that I've read to help me to better understand.
My drive home is usually spent streaming the Mormon Channel from my cell phone (yes I'm a Mormon) and I like to listen to stories and examples and teachings that help to guide and give me strength; however, there are also those times when I leave it quiet. When there is no streaming and no sound for the entire hour and its just me inviting the spirit in and listening. I think about things I've read, the questions of my heart, or maybe I'm trying to wrap my mind around a concept or principle and often during this time, an answer will come, an understanding will be made clear, or a blog will pop into my mind and I am filled with great gratitude for the communication we can have with our Father in Heaven.
After arriving home and setting down; then is the time for my daily reading and study. I have to take the time to have that Heavenly end, if you will, to my day. I want the last thoughts I have before closing my eyes to be that of the Lord, so I end the day with a prayer and open my scriptures.
In doing this I rotate my study between the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants and as I read I refer to references in each; ie cross referencing verses in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants with verses in the Bible. In doing so I see how they all fit together and I gain a greater understanding of the information and instruction that Heavenly Father would have me learn.
This week my studies took me to the Book of Mormon and these are the thoughts that came to my mind.
The words "Secret Combination" in the Book of Mormon mean to conspire
to do evil, to make a pact and secretly destroy for personal gain. The book of Mormon and the Bible are replete with example of secret combinations that have come down from the begging of time, even from Cain himself as he conspired with Satan. It is also full of words from prophets preaching, guiding and instructing not only those of their own day but also we in our day about repentance and how to guard and protect ourselves from "Old Scratch". Their teachings help us to learn to stay clean and stay with God. They tell us to choose carefully the things we would do and say for the Devil even that old serpent is sly and cunning and his ways will devour us and we will not even know that he has done so until it is too late.
When we as a people think of secret combinations, conspiracy, or evil I think we automatically think of the Mafia, Gangs, Politics, the Government, things that are or have become plainly evil in our day. However I believe there is more to it and there are secret combinations right in front of us that are more successful in destruction yet, they have become so common place we don't always see them.
This morning I was listening to a Professor of Ancient Scripture from Brigham Young University speak on just this subject and he said that when he talks to his class and explains secret combinations he asks them how many of their family or friends have been killed by the Mafia or Gangs and maybe one now and then will raise a hand. Then he asks how many of them have had family or friends lives destroyed from Alcoholism, Pornography or Tobacco and almost every hand goes up. He then explains that the producers of many socially acceptable things are far more effective at destroying lives than some of these other groups. The way they, the sellers of these products, do business with callous disconcern for people is destroying to get gain, therefore they fit the profile for being a secret combination, a destructive force in society. So then we can say, a secret combination can be an organization or institution, but the attitude of gaining for oneself by preying on others is also very much a secret combination.
Through the scriptures the words of the Lord have warned us:
"Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: in consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you....." Doctrine and Covenants 89:4
I believe that for today we must think about those things that we participate in, that we agree with, that we make a part of our lives, and choose carefully. Even everyday things that we might not think of as being destructive could very well be. If we prayerfully approach our daily decisions and live so that we may invite and retain the spirit with us always we can be protected from these forces that the world sees as normal but the Lord has warned us is not.
Satan is cunning this is something we should remember as we search our lives and make choices. I hope and pray that I will be able to always remember this and will make those decisions that will be good in the eyes of Heavenly Father, I pray I can have my eyes wide open at all times and withstand the evil for myself and help my famiy to do so also..... and, I hope you the reader will too.....
With Love from Dixie
Showing posts with label struggle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label struggle. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Do I Really?
We are challenged to
daily evolve and become more Christ like in our natures, our decisions,
our life. I use the word evolve because the change that takes place in
us as we choose to become Christlike is a growth. It is a time-consuming event that does not happen in one day but over time as we strengthen our testimonies and desires to life the Gospel.
As I sat in preparation for this weeks blog I thought to my self, what can I say to those who read that will make an impact that may help them in their lives, and what can I study for myself that I too will grow and be better and strengthen. I watched last night an episode on CNN called finding Christ. This episode discussed Judas and his betrayal to the Lord, but it also brought note of the great love Christ had for Judas even in knowing that he was betrayed. It made me think of when Christ was on the cross. There were many who treated him so badly, and his heart and mind as well as his body must have surely been hurt to the point of unbearable grief, yet his prayer was forgive them father for they know not what they do. Is it not also true in our everyday lives, that there are many who know not what they do, for one can hardly know without a true testimony. Even those among us including ourselves, most likely know not what we do until a lesson is taught to us and we then gain a missing perspective. This thinking led me to View Matthew 5:
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitfully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect"
So I asked myself, "who are mine enemies?" and I knew immediately who they were for I have struggled with them greatly.
I don't hate my enemies on the contrary I love them, very much so, yet I am afraid of them for the pain they cause me is unbearable. My enemies are someone I gave my heart to and trusted and accepted as my family, they are someone whom I loved and would do anything for; yet they curse me, and hate me, they lie about me and to me, they hurt my children and family, they make me feel like trash, and when they are near I am lowly to the point of physically keeping my head bowed while sitting in a corner, and I, I am afraid of them. Even at my age of 49 I feel as if I am being bullied and backed into a corner. Yet my prayers are for them, they are for us both. I wish them no harm and truly pray for their needs yet I can't talk to them and be around them so I asked myself, " am I truly loving my enemies?"
I read in 1 Samuel 25, where David demonstrated that he would be kind to Saul, who had tried to kill him then later David and his men asked for some supplies from a man named Nabal; Nabal treated them rudely. In response, David and his men prepared to attack. Nabal’s wife, Abigail, heard about what was happening and acted wisely to keep David from attacking and killing her husband. In the process, David realized his revengeful actions were not right. A short time later, Nabal died and the problem was solved anyway. After Nabal’s death, David married Abigail as one of his wives.
Then I was listening to a conference talk by Howard W Hunter where he said: “How are we supposed to act when we are offended, misunderstood, unfairly or unkindly treated, or sinned against? What are we supposed to do if we are hurt by those we love, or are passed over for promotion, or are falsely accused, or have our motives unfairly assailed?“Do we fight back? Do we send an ever-larger battalion? Do we revert to an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, or … do we come to the realization that this finally leaves us blind and toothless?” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1992, 23; or Ensign, Nov. 1992, 18).
After reading these I realized that I was not so bad, I wished them no harm, I do them no wrong, If they call or need me I am there, and I say nothing about the hurt, pan and anguish. When I have to see them or they are in need of my help, I always hope that this is the time when things shall pass and we can once again be family. So yes I say that I do love my enemies but am I wrong because I can't be around them, because I don't call them or visit them, as when I do things go south in a hurry; so I further studied.
I decided to visit the church website lds.org, and I put in the search engine Bullying. I did this because I do feel, even at my age, that I have been bullied and it does continue on certain levels. I have been a victim of bullying since grade school so I am no newcomer to it and the feelings are the same, so I thought there might be some insight with this search. What I found made me know that the spirit does work and talk to us in all answers we desire.
The article I read had advice on what to do if your being bullied, and though geared for youth I felt it was most important in adult life too. It says, "if your being bullied to try to appear calm and confident. Try not to react, because a reaction is what most bullies are hoping for. First try to simply walk away. To walk away from trouble is not a sign of weakness." By this I felt that I am not wrong in staying away, I am simply avoiding explosive, hurtful situations that can cause more trouble. When needed I am there and act in a loving Christlike manner to the best of my ability, but I try to avoid all situations that have the potential to be bad. So in this sense I feel that yes I do love my enemies but can I do better? The next section I read answered my question.
Forgiving a bully does not mean thinking that what he or she did was okay. Nor does it mean you shouldn’t stick up for yourself or that you should pretend the bullying never happened. Forgiving does mean letting go of feelings of bitterness and anger—feelings that will damage you far more than they will affect the bully. The Lord said, “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men” (D&C 64:10).
And so I had my answer. I need to let go of the hurt and pain, that's where my fault lies. The bitterness at what was done to me and still continues to be done to me is so hurtful and I've held onto that hurt for far too long. If I am truly going to follow Christ as I wish to do, then I must let it go and Let God.......
I must rely on the Savior. His love, and the knowledge that I am a child of Heavenly Father, is my greatest source of self-worth. The Savior knows what it’s like to be beaten and spit upon, but He never forgot who He is—the Son of God. Because of the Atonement, He understands perfectly the hurt I feel, and He can heal me. And now my prayers will indeed be for that healing.
Not only though, will my prayers be for my own healing but they will be also for my enemies healing and for me to be a better Christian. It will be my prayer that I will hopefully never hurt anyone as I have been hurt and that I will be more mindful of myself while working and living in the world in terms of how I act, what I say and what I do. We are in the last days after all, and satan is at his best; it is my prayer that we lean not to his cunning ways.
As I sat in preparation for this weeks blog I thought to my self, what can I say to those who read that will make an impact that may help them in their lives, and what can I study for myself that I too will grow and be better and strengthen. I watched last night an episode on CNN called finding Christ. This episode discussed Judas and his betrayal to the Lord, but it also brought note of the great love Christ had for Judas even in knowing that he was betrayed. It made me think of when Christ was on the cross. There were many who treated him so badly, and his heart and mind as well as his body must have surely been hurt to the point of unbearable grief, yet his prayer was forgive them father for they know not what they do. Is it not also true in our everyday lives, that there are many who know not what they do, for one can hardly know without a true testimony. Even those among us including ourselves, most likely know not what we do until a lesson is taught to us and we then gain a missing perspective. This thinking led me to View Matthew 5:
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitfully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect"
So I asked myself, "who are mine enemies?" and I knew immediately who they were for I have struggled with them greatly.
I don't hate my enemies on the contrary I love them, very much so, yet I am afraid of them for the pain they cause me is unbearable. My enemies are someone I gave my heart to and trusted and accepted as my family, they are someone whom I loved and would do anything for; yet they curse me, and hate me, they lie about me and to me, they hurt my children and family, they make me feel like trash, and when they are near I am lowly to the point of physically keeping my head bowed while sitting in a corner, and I, I am afraid of them. Even at my age of 49 I feel as if I am being bullied and backed into a corner. Yet my prayers are for them, they are for us both. I wish them no harm and truly pray for their needs yet I can't talk to them and be around them so I asked myself, " am I truly loving my enemies?"
I read in 1 Samuel 25, where David demonstrated that he would be kind to Saul, who had tried to kill him then later David and his men asked for some supplies from a man named Nabal; Nabal treated them rudely. In response, David and his men prepared to attack. Nabal’s wife, Abigail, heard about what was happening and acted wisely to keep David from attacking and killing her husband. In the process, David realized his revengeful actions were not right. A short time later, Nabal died and the problem was solved anyway. After Nabal’s death, David married Abigail as one of his wives.
Then I was listening to a conference talk by Howard W Hunter where he said: “How are we supposed to act when we are offended, misunderstood, unfairly or unkindly treated, or sinned against? What are we supposed to do if we are hurt by those we love, or are passed over for promotion, or are falsely accused, or have our motives unfairly assailed?“Do we fight back? Do we send an ever-larger battalion? Do we revert to an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, or … do we come to the realization that this finally leaves us blind and toothless?” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1992, 23; or Ensign, Nov. 1992, 18).
After reading these I realized that I was not so bad, I wished them no harm, I do them no wrong, If they call or need me I am there, and I say nothing about the hurt, pan and anguish. When I have to see them or they are in need of my help, I always hope that this is the time when things shall pass and we can once again be family. So yes I say that I do love my enemies but am I wrong because I can't be around them, because I don't call them or visit them, as when I do things go south in a hurry; so I further studied.
I decided to visit the church website lds.org, and I put in the search engine Bullying. I did this because I do feel, even at my age, that I have been bullied and it does continue on certain levels. I have been a victim of bullying since grade school so I am no newcomer to it and the feelings are the same, so I thought there might be some insight with this search. What I found made me know that the spirit does work and talk to us in all answers we desire.
The article I read had advice on what to do if your being bullied, and though geared for youth I felt it was most important in adult life too. It says, "if your being bullied to try to appear calm and confident. Try not to react, because a reaction is what most bullies are hoping for. First try to simply walk away. To walk away from trouble is not a sign of weakness." By this I felt that I am not wrong in staying away, I am simply avoiding explosive, hurtful situations that can cause more trouble. When needed I am there and act in a loving Christlike manner to the best of my ability, but I try to avoid all situations that have the potential to be bad. So in this sense I feel that yes I do love my enemies but can I do better? The next section I read answered my question.
Forgiving a bully does not mean thinking that what he or she did was okay. Nor does it mean you shouldn’t stick up for yourself or that you should pretend the bullying never happened. Forgiving does mean letting go of feelings of bitterness and anger—feelings that will damage you far more than they will affect the bully. The Lord said, “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men” (D&C 64:10).
And so I had my answer. I need to let go of the hurt and pain, that's where my fault lies. The bitterness at what was done to me and still continues to be done to me is so hurtful and I've held onto that hurt for far too long. If I am truly going to follow Christ as I wish to do, then I must let it go and Let God.......
I must rely on the Savior. His love, and the knowledge that I am a child of Heavenly Father, is my greatest source of self-worth. The Savior knows what it’s like to be beaten and spit upon, but He never forgot who He is—the Son of God. Because of the Atonement, He understands perfectly the hurt I feel, and He can heal me. And now my prayers will indeed be for that healing.
Not only though, will my prayers be for my own healing but they will be also for my enemies healing and for me to be a better Christian. It will be my prayer that I will hopefully never hurt anyone as I have been hurt and that I will be more mindful of myself while working and living in the world in terms of how I act, what I say and what I do. We are in the last days after all, and satan is at his best; it is my prayer that we lean not to his cunning ways.
“It
should come as no surprise that one of the adversary’s tactics in the
latter days is stirring up hatred among the children of men. He loves to
see us criticize each other, make fun or take advantage of our
neighbor’s known flaws, and generally pick on each other. …
“When we truly become converted to Jesus Christ, committed to Him, an interesting thing happens: our attention turns to the welfare of our fellow-man, and the way we treat others becomes increasingly filled with patience, kindness, a gentle acceptance, and a desire to play a positive role in their lives.” —Elder Marvin J. Ashton (1915–94), of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Tongue Can Be a Sharp Sword,” Ensign , May 1992, 19, 20.
Today
my new leaf turns and my prayers being for healing, and as I heal I
hope they too will heal. For you my friends that are reading, I wish
you the same, rely on the savior for all your needs. Let us strive
daily to become more like our Savior. Just imagine what the world will
be like when we all do.....
With Love,
Dixie Dawn
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)