FREE to be Me ...
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
God is awake
"... if we could just remember that God is the keeper of our souls - that if we can trust in Him, He will help us live joyfully... [We will live] in the great sorrows of our lives, steadily and in the small ones, patiently... at the end of each laborious day just know that you can sleep in peace, for God is awake." -- Elder Dallin H.Oaks
Monday, November 9, 2009
Love - You know what it is?
After watching a chick-flick at a friends house the other night I had love on the brain. The moral of the movie was "Don't be a jerk to those of the other gender, find real love, recognize it for what it is, and treat it right." .... Or something like that. - and you will live happily ever after.
Later, the next day, as I read my scriptures I came across this:
2 John 1:5-6
And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
I thought THAT is the real deal. Although "the big gesture" in movies is often unselfish and oh so romantic --- it is the continuous small gestures, the keeping of His commandments that endears us to each other. The common goal; the manifestation of our testimonies in every day interaction; the shared faith and shared efforts. And not just as husband and wife (although that is where I learn this lesson most effectively), but also within communities.
That night my husband woke me up to tell me that I was sleep talking. (I do this on occasion and sometimes have some crazy things to say. Mostly funny stuff.) So in my drowsy state of consciousness I asked him what I had been talking about. He said I started with "That is it. That is what it is" - naturally he was very confused and he didn't know I was sleeping at this point. So he said "That is what?" I just said "love" and he was wondering why I was jabbering while he was trying to sleep. When I muttered "Keep the commandments" he finally realized I was sleeping so he played along. (What a little turkey punk!) I guess he finally got it out of me what I meant by all the love business -- then he also told me that he got me to sing a few songs. Then we took a trip somewhere together in my dreams. hahaha.
Love. I guess it was pretty important to me, even in my sleep. I am grateful to know what it is. :)
Later, the next day, as I read my scriptures I came across this:
2 John 1:5-6
And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
I thought THAT is the real deal. Although "the big gesture" in movies is often unselfish and oh so romantic --- it is the continuous small gestures, the keeping of His commandments that endears us to each other. The common goal; the manifestation of our testimonies in every day interaction; the shared faith and shared efforts. And not just as husband and wife (although that is where I learn this lesson most effectively), but also within communities.
That night my husband woke me up to tell me that I was sleep talking. (I do this on occasion and sometimes have some crazy things to say. Mostly funny stuff.) So in my drowsy state of consciousness I asked him what I had been talking about. He said I started with "That is it. That is what it is" - naturally he was very confused and he didn't know I was sleeping at this point. So he said "That is what?" I just said "love" and he was wondering why I was jabbering while he was trying to sleep. When I muttered "Keep the commandments" he finally realized I was sleeping so he played along. (What a little turkey punk!) I guess he finally got it out of me what I meant by all the love business -- then he also told me that he got me to sing a few songs. Then we took a trip somewhere together in my dreams. hahaha.
Love. I guess it was pretty important to me, even in my sleep. I am grateful to know what it is. :)
