September 26, 2008 • 4:37 am
Life flows like a river, deep and rich, without beginning and without end. Sometimes it’s so cold that I feel the pain of it in my bones. It seems as though I will be overcome as my mind fills itself almost against my will with thoughts of fear, panic, escape. And then I, amidst the swirling anger of rushing chaos, close my eyes. I let the river flow on and I stand there. I breath in the earthy smells of mud and grass and listen to the splooshing and sputtering of never wearied currents that spend an eternity beating against rocks that spend and eternity allowing themselves to be sculpted into the beautiful glistening smooth objects that I feel beneath my no longer aching feet. There is no more fear. The river is the same but I have changed, I have adapted. The coolness of the water invigorates me with a sense of freedom that pushes me ever forward seeking the knowledge that saturates with every bend surpassed. I see only beauty as I watch sunlight dance and play on the water’s rippling surface and I wonder why I didn’t see it before.
I wrote this as I was pondering the trials we often experience in life. While we are going through difficult times we can become incredibly distracted by the pain and fear that often accompany adversity. If we can just take a moment and close our eyes to that which is distorted by pain in order seek out He who is all knowing and an endless source of peace and comfort, our vision will clear and eternity will lay itself before us.
Filed under: Uncategorized , adapting, adversity, freedom, growth, jesus christ, llife, nature, overcoming, peace, prayer, river, struggles, trials, water
September 20, 2008 • 10:19 am
I’ve been trying to find a way for us to be able to share insights on the scriptures in a format that would allow the pages themselves to be a method of studying the scriptures. This is a challenge, because pasting the chapters onto the website would be a big project, and starting from nothing and expecting everyone to pick up the idea and run with it is unrealistic.
So when I came across a site that’s already doing it, I realized that all the work needed for the project is already done! It really looks like a great site, and it’s a great opportunity to study scriptures and participate in a discussion about what you read.
I highly recommend that everyone check out readscripturestogether.com, and join in the discussions. It is set up and controlled by Tom Johnson, a faithful member of the church, and follows the Sunday School lesson schedule. It is fairly new, and this is a great opportunity to share the gospel and discuss it’s principles with other members.
http://readscripturestogether.com/
Filed under: Uncategorized , Book of Mormon, insight, lds, mormon, scriptures, study, sunday school, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, tom johnson
September 7, 2008 • 6:21 pm
We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.
-Joseph Smith, Article of Faith 2
Believe it or not, I have been reading the Old Testament with my beautiful better half for the better half of 3 years now. No, we do not read chapters at a time, and no, we did not read Songs of Solomon. However, we have read straight through, and have reached Ezekiel chapter 32 (where we will read tonight…) I always thought that with exception of the pentateuch, Isaiah and Jeremiah, there was little of doctrinal worth found in the Old Testament (excluding the occasional reference to tithing or obedience, etc…). Then, right in the middle of Ezekiel, we found chapter 18.
One of the classic tenets of Orthodox Christianity claims that because of Adam’s transgression in Eden, we are all born in sin (original sin) and thus in need of baptism at birth. Thus, it was assumed, all infants should be baptized (by sprinkling, immersing an infant is not a good idea…). This idea was so pervasive at Joseph Smith’s time, that the Lord even clarified through the prophet Mormon, in the book of Moroni, that baptizing children was repulsive to the Lord. Interestingly enough, the idea that we are judged by our own decisions and not the choices of our ancestors (Adam) is clearly laid out for us in Ezekiel 18. Near the end of the Old Testament. Where nobody reads.
14 ¶ Now, lo, if [a sinner] beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not like,
15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife, Read the rest of this entry »
Filed under: Doctrine , Accountability, Adam, choice, Ezekiel, Old Testament, Sin, Transgression
September 6, 2008 • 7:35 am
Life flows like a river, deep and rich, without beginning and without end. Sometimes it’s so cold that I feel the pain of it in my bones. It seems as though I will be overcome as my mind fills itself almost against my will with thoughts of fear, panic, escape. And then I, amidst the swirling anger of rushing chaos, close my eyes. I let the river flow on and I stand there. I breath in the earthy smells of mud and grass and listen to the splooshing and sputtering of never wearied currents that spend an eternity beating against rocks that spend and eternity allowing themselves to be sculpted into the beautiful glistening smooth objects that I feel beneath my no longer aching feet. There is no more fear. The river is the same but I have changed, I have adapted. The coolness of the water invigorates me with a sense of freedom that pushes me ever forward seeking the knowledge that saturates with every bend surpassed. I see only beauty as I watch sunlight dance and play on the water’s rippling surface and I wonder why I didn’t see it before.
