Sep 19, 2016
The Road to Celestial Glory
A few years ago I was asked to give a talk at a baptism for a new converting member to our church. My talk was on baptism which the scriptures state as the first necessary step we all must take in order to return to live with our Heavenly Father again. In my preparations I quickly came to realize that my talk needed to center on the duties, requirements, and goals for this individual after they had passed through the gate of baptism.
Unfortunately, many in today's world feel that if they are baptized they are automatically saved, nothing more is required after a priest sprinkles or perhaps submerses them in holy water. I have always found this puzzling. Where does this similar line of thinking hold true and fruitful in any other area of our lives? Virtually no where.
While baptism by immersion by one having the proper authority (God's Priesthood) is an essential ordinance in the LDS faith, it is no where close to the end all be all for our path to salvation. Much more is required of us.
This is where things can get a bit "sticky'. One can truly drive themselves crazy trying to figure out how much they must do and how good they must be to return to the highest Celestial glory to live with our Father once again. The constant questions of if we have served our families, our neighbors, all of humankind in the way the Savior would want us to can keep you up at night if you let it. So how do we gage our Celestial worthiness against what seem like unattainable expectations?
The short answer to this deep question is that we will never measure up. We will never be or do enough. We will ALWAYS fall short. Now this is where perhaps another writer would then wax eloquent as to the grace of our Savior who will make up all the difference. I am not here to dispute that fact at all. He most definitely will make up all the difference - for everyone who ever has and ever will live on this planet. None of us are exempt from needing His help. In many ways that is a very comforting statement. It frees us of ever trying to reach perfection in this life because it is simply impossible.
Where it does leave us is on the path we place our feet on when we are baptized. I like to look at baptism much like a gate on the yellow brick road to Oz. We, like Dorothy, must walk that road if we want to get home. Passing through it's entrance gate only gets us so far. The real test comes in staying on the road and always moving forward, even when that forward progression seems to occur at a snails pace. Far too many of us feel that we want to take a breather in the lush green fields we see on the side of our path. We want to have a picnic and laze about the wildflowers and just relax. We can see others on the path who look like they are right with us or just a little ways up. We feel we can just simply jump back on whenever we like. The thing we forget to realize is that there will be a point where being on the road is all that will matter because like the great Master He is, Christ will one day pick up the end of that road and pull it and all who are on it to Him. How sad if we miss that journey simply because we found a pretty poppy that we wanted to smell just off the path. What a temporary pleasure we will have traded at the expense of an eternal garden full of every kind of delightful flower to smell for all of eternity.
Get on and stay on the path my friends! Simply, just keep trying to do what is right with a humble heart.
God needs you there!
God wants you there!
You are worth it!
Aug 23, 2016
Refilling My Soul
Oh dear friends, it has been a long time. Something in my hectic life had to give and this little here blog was the thing that did the giving. I'm glad it's patient with me because I do love this space and the outlet it gives me to "talk" with many of you.
If you've never had a baby, or if it's been awhile, let me just tell you that something changes in your brain when that little life is placed in your arms and it takes you at least a year to start to truly be you again. I'm still 4 months away from "normal" but I'm starting to see the surface as if rising from the bottom of a deep lake. Things are still a bit distorted but I can make out colors and shapes.
We traveled west this summer for a month. I often flee the oppressive heat of the Midwest mostly for my sanity and this year it proved to be good on so many levels, but mostly good for my soul. I came back rejuvenated and feeling very very loved. A well that had been running close to dry was refilled and I am so thankful for it.
I realized on this summer excursion, how very much I have been blessed by amazing people, and more importantly amazing women, in my life. The number of women I can look back over my life and say they have positively impacted me is countless. To associate with women who I can pick up with even though I haven't seen them for years and feel safe and loved by them is a true miracle.
This adventure has made me rethink the purpose and direction of this blog. I have tons of ideas swirling in my brain and places I want to go with these ideas. I'm still trying to find that sweet spot to jump from. It will come.
So for now, enjoy the pictures of those I will call my "soul fillers". Each one is dear to me and each will hopefully contribute to this blog at some point. The amazing thing is that they are just the tip of the iceberg. There were so many I didn't see that I wish I could have. Time is always too short.
Hugs to all!
Here are my amazing parents who give selflessly and never seem to age. On the right are my friends Kim and Jeremy. They both lived in New Jersey during my growing up years and I am grateful for the rekindled friendship. Kim is a saint and Jeremy is a clown. They compliment each other well. When are we going on a couples vacation?
Sweet, sweet Yvonne and two of her three adorable children (where was Isaac?). She recently lost her mom and I have ached for her as she's expressed how much she misses her. I don't think anyone will ever be old enough to lose their mom. Her ability to keep smiling through the pain is an example I am grateful for. I know it isn't easy.
Beautiful Brittany! I admire this woman so much and gain strength from her testimony. She is a valiant daughter of God and an amazing mother. I will always want to "grow up" to be like her.
The ageless Shaner Family. Russ was such a strength to me when I was a new missionary in a
foreign country. His letters are priceless to me. I will never forget seeing Emilie and her brother Dallin get up in sacrament meeting soon after they moved to our ward in New Jersey as they sung a
children's hymn in Norwegian. It is forever in my memories. And gorgeous Dory, who gave me courage to fight my own battles with depression and anxiety as she so freely spoke of hers in a time
when it wasn't so popular to do so. She was the last person I would have thought struggled
in that way because I have never seen a more smiley person in my life.
More of the Shaners and the rest of the crew
The larger than life Allen family. The last time I saw Jeni and Tyler they had two kids and we had none! My how things can change in 10 years! We picked up where we had left off and I left their home with a happy happy heart!! I think anyone who know them would say that is their trademark - happiness. It truly is contagious!
My "sisters" Megan and Marisa. These were some of my all time besties in college and I am so glad they remain friends to this day! They are valiant and beautiful in so many ways. Their friendship shaped me into who I am today and I consider them some of my greatest blessings!
My Em. How I love this girl! Don't let her height throw you off. She is full of spunk and is an amazing example to me of always moving forward. She shared some of the best years of college with me and I cried when I knew being roomies with her had ended.
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