My computer is down so I am slow in posting this. I am borrowing my daughter's computer and waited until after church. I wanted to wish all the fathers in my life a very happy Father's Day. First of all, my husband, because he is the father of my children. He has always been a wonderful father and example to them all. They reach out to him for advice and comfort. He has provided for us well, even creating jobs for the children while they were in school. He has taught them the honor of hard work by working along side them. He expected them to always do better than their best. He has helped them move so many times we can't count them anymore, but he has done it willingly and with pride at their accomplishments as they go to the next part of their lives. He is a great example of a priesthood holder, one who honors his priesthood and tries to do what the Lord expects him to do. He was instrumental in having scripture study every morning at 6:00 before he went to work. Our children grew up knowing they were expected to be with us to read the scriptures every morning, to have family prayers, and to attend their church meetings. They call on him to give them Father's blessings and he is so honored when they do so. He honores his own father by following his example.
My own father is also a great father. I remember riding to high school with him and hearing him sing "I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date." (From Alice in Wonderland)He taught his four daughters to respect our mother and to exercise good stewardship over our possessions. He was a great teacher in our public school system, back when teachers were able to really talk with students and get to know them. He spent many hours in the driver's education car talking with students and helping them with their problems. He encouraged me to go to college, and then to finally finish my education and become a teacher. He was there to encourage me to get my Masters degree a few years ago. He let us live with him for several months while looking for employment and housing. He loved my mother and stayed by her side throughout her illness until she was called home to live with Heavenly Father.
My own son is a great father to his two sweet children. He follows his father's example by helping at home. He doesn't expect his wife to do more than he is willing to do. They make a great team as they work together to teach their children. He has spent countless hours of study to reach his dream of being a doctor. We were so proud of him when he graduated from medical school and now as he begins his residency at Childrens Mercy. He will continue to be a great dad and will be a great doctor.
My daugher's husband, Josh, is a great father to their three childen. The kids look up to him and love when he is around. He is working so hard on teaching his children to read the scriptures and have family prayer. He is willing to sacrifice for them as he looks for employment that will allow them to begin a new part of their lives. When Kayden was in the hospital Josh was there to help out and relieve Tammy of the burden of his daily care. He is much more confident with giving Kayden his medications than I am. When I am asked to babysit in the evenings, (which isn't very often)I rely on Josh to get the medications ready, or to give them to him. We appreciate his help around the house. Yesterday he helped Garth get the new roof on the deck, and he mows the lawn for us.
Nancy's husband, Dallas, loves her and Tyler so much. He is a good provider for them, and loves to spend time with them. He is so kind to help Nancy as she works at night, to watch Tyler and be there for him, to allow Nancy her sleep time while he plays with Tyler. I am a little worried about that motorcycle Nancy wants him to drive to work, but........We are proud of the work he does, even if we don't understand computer programming languages! We know he is brilliant in that area.
I have great brothers-in-laws who are so kind to us and who help us when needed. Each one is special to us for so many reasons.
My father-in-law was a great man, great in stature and honor. His example helped to mold my husband into the father he is. His legacy will live on through his children and grandchildren, and the many great-grandchildren.
And most of all, I love my Father in Heaven. To Him I give all my love and thanks for everything for which I have been blessed. I pray that I can honor his name and live my life so I can feel His spirit and direction in all I do. That some day I will be able to see that He is proud of me.
Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Chapter 18 The Chains of Sin
I really did a lot of thinking when I first read this chapter. It has a very graphic description of what "hell" must be like. And how easy it is to be lead down the path to hell by the little things we do. Moses 7:26 "And Satan looked up and laughed, and his angels rejoiced." How terrible that would be if they were rejoicing over something I did! Rick realizes that the flaxen cords he has seen are his own sins and pleads with Grandfather to show him how to get away from their grip. What little things are bringing us down? What do I need to let go of, what feelings and memories that can't be changed are bringing me down? Harboring feelings about the past will only weigh me down more. I need to work to be away from something that is pulling me down. I don't want to be the source of joy for Satan's angels. I would rather have the love of the Savior as I work to get rid of my sins.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Chapter 7 Forgiveness
This chapter opened my eyes to things I have been wrong in thinking. What I read here totally changed my life. I have so much underlined in my book that it is difficult to decide what to discuss here.
Ricky starts out saying that he doesn't feel the Lord is helping him out with his burdens. How often have I felt the same thing? I have so much to worry about, so much I need help to endure? Where do I begin? Grandpa helps him see that if he doesn't see the Lord helping him, he isn't looking in the right place because the Lord is there. OK..hit me between the eyes! Am I the same way? If I don't see the Lord, where am I looking? That needs to be my question. I guess I need to work on that!
Grandpa goes on to say, "Although the Lord stands before us offering the help we need, there is a condition we must meet in order to see and receive of his atonement offering." When Ricky asks what that condition is Grandpa says he has to find out himself. Through his deep thinking and contemplating, Ricky discovers that Abigail took on herself the sins of Nabal. In that act she resembled the Savior. Grandpa says he is right, but there is more to it than just that. The second thing she did was the key to understanding. "It will illuminate what it means to have taken another's sins on one's own head." As he keeps recounting what happens, Ricky realizes that Abigail asked David to forgive her own trespasses. She didn't ask him to forgive Nabal's trespasses, but her trespasses, and she had done nothing wrong.
And so it is with the Savior. "Christ did the same--that having taken upon himself the sins of those who have wronged us, Christ now comes to us and asks us to forgive him the trespasses." This doesn't strike Ricky as being right. Why should Christ ask us to forgive him? He didn't do anything wrong. He doesn't need our forgiveness. Grandpa says, "That one who didn't need forgiveness nevertheless asked for it--illuminates something very important about forgiveness. It illustrates who forgiveness is for."....."Abigail asked for forgiveness not because she needed to be forgiven but because Davd needed to forgive."
"Abigail's message was that forgiveness was for the one who was forgiving, not the one who was being forgiven. David needed to forgive so that, in the words of Abigail, 'he would continue to be found without evil, so that the Lord could make him a sure house.'" Abigail took on the sins, was willing to pay the price, so David would not sin. If he forgave her, he would be free from the effects of holding grudges.
"The Lord, by taking the sins of our Nabals upon his head, extends us the same mercy. 'Upon me let this iniquity be,' he pleases. "let me deal with it if there is any dealing to be done. But you, my dear son or dear daughter, let it go. Let me take it, as I alreay have done. Forgive.'"
We know that the Lord isn't actually asking us to forgive him, but the atonement is like that is what he is asking. "Inas much as you have done it (or not done it) unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me."
This is what struck me so hard: "When we withhold forgiveness from others, we are in effect saying that the atonement alone was insufficient to pay for this sin. We are holding out for more. We are finding fault with the Lord's offering. We are in essence demanding that the Lord repent of an insufficient atonement. So when we fail to forgive another, it is as if we are failing to forgive the Lord--who, as you already rightly said, needs no forgiveness." (p. 66)
"You must repent of your own sin of failing to forgive." "The Lord has already forged forgiveness for her. What more could your forgiveness add?" "The atonement applies as much to (others) as it does to you, my son. I have claimed (their) sins and taken them upon me. Let it go." "You should consider how your failure to forgive is in effect a withholding from the Lord--he who has claimed and atoned for the sins and weaknesses in (others) that you insist on carrying with grudge." So what if the other person doesn't forgive you.....it doesn't matter. Not forgiving them is not really an option if we want to be free from sin. Although we can't be completely sinless in this life, we can at least work toward it.
Christ will show us what pain others are feeling. He wants us to see others as he sees and loves them. "He begs you not merely to ungird your sword but to ungird your heart. If you do, the miracle of his atonement will flow freely, and you, like David, will put down war and take up bread and drink and sheep and figs."
Here are some key points to remember:
1. The Lord has taken the sins of others on his own head.
2. He has atoned for those sins. Our failure to forgive is, therefore, in essence a witholding from the Lord.
3. If we grant this forgiveness in full, he atones in full for the pain and burdens that have come at others' hands.
4. He will bless us with his own love, his own appreciation, his own companionship, his own strength to endure.
If we have these, what more do we need?
I am far from perfect, and I have been "accused" (I say that lovingly) in my own family of too often saying, "Just forget what the other has done." Maybe I really knew that this is how true forgiveness can come. You can't feel good with yourself if you aren't willing to forgive. Withholding forgiveness causes us pain and suffering, heavy hearts, and saddness. We don't need that. The Lord has paid the price for the wrong they did to us. We need to forgive. For our own sakes. This is so important, but so hard.
I have been so blessed that some members of my family have learned to love this message, this book, as much as I. I feel our family relationships have improved so much. There are still others I pray will be able to see the importance of forgiving. It is not just for us, but for others as well. And in forgiving, we are so blessed. Everyone needs blessings. We shouldn't deny ourselves this freedom from the sin of not forgiving.
I am so thankful the Lord has blessed me with some amazing insights into the atonement. I have so much more to learn, but I feel I am beginning to see a little bit of what it really means.
Ricky starts out saying that he doesn't feel the Lord is helping him out with his burdens. How often have I felt the same thing? I have so much to worry about, so much I need help to endure? Where do I begin? Grandpa helps him see that if he doesn't see the Lord helping him, he isn't looking in the right place because the Lord is there. OK..hit me between the eyes! Am I the same way? If I don't see the Lord, where am I looking? That needs to be my question. I guess I need to work on that!
Grandpa goes on to say, "Although the Lord stands before us offering the help we need, there is a condition we must meet in order to see and receive of his atonement offering." When Ricky asks what that condition is Grandpa says he has to find out himself. Through his deep thinking and contemplating, Ricky discovers that Abigail took on herself the sins of Nabal. In that act she resembled the Savior. Grandpa says he is right, but there is more to it than just that. The second thing she did was the key to understanding. "It will illuminate what it means to have taken another's sins on one's own head." As he keeps recounting what happens, Ricky realizes that Abigail asked David to forgive her own trespasses. She didn't ask him to forgive Nabal's trespasses, but her trespasses, and she had done nothing wrong.
And so it is with the Savior. "Christ did the same--that having taken upon himself the sins of those who have wronged us, Christ now comes to us and asks us to forgive him the trespasses." This doesn't strike Ricky as being right. Why should Christ ask us to forgive him? He didn't do anything wrong. He doesn't need our forgiveness. Grandpa says, "That one who didn't need forgiveness nevertheless asked for it--illuminates something very important about forgiveness. It illustrates who forgiveness is for."....."Abigail asked for forgiveness not because she needed to be forgiven but because Davd needed to forgive."
"Abigail's message was that forgiveness was for the one who was forgiving, not the one who was being forgiven. David needed to forgive so that, in the words of Abigail, 'he would continue to be found without evil, so that the Lord could make him a sure house.'" Abigail took on the sins, was willing to pay the price, so David would not sin. If he forgave her, he would be free from the effects of holding grudges.
"The Lord, by taking the sins of our Nabals upon his head, extends us the same mercy. 'Upon me let this iniquity be,' he pleases. "let me deal with it if there is any dealing to be done. But you, my dear son or dear daughter, let it go. Let me take it, as I alreay have done. Forgive.'"
We know that the Lord isn't actually asking us to forgive him, but the atonement is like that is what he is asking. "Inas much as you have done it (or not done it) unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me."
This is what struck me so hard: "When we withhold forgiveness from others, we are in effect saying that the atonement alone was insufficient to pay for this sin. We are holding out for more. We are finding fault with the Lord's offering. We are in essence demanding that the Lord repent of an insufficient atonement. So when we fail to forgive another, it is as if we are failing to forgive the Lord--who, as you already rightly said, needs no forgiveness." (p. 66)
"You must repent of your own sin of failing to forgive." "The Lord has already forged forgiveness for her. What more could your forgiveness add?" "The atonement applies as much to (others) as it does to you, my son. I have claimed (their) sins and taken them upon me. Let it go." "You should consider how your failure to forgive is in effect a withholding from the Lord--he who has claimed and atoned for the sins and weaknesses in (others) that you insist on carrying with grudge." So what if the other person doesn't forgive you.....it doesn't matter. Not forgiving them is not really an option if we want to be free from sin. Although we can't be completely sinless in this life, we can at least work toward it.
Christ will show us what pain others are feeling. He wants us to see others as he sees and loves them. "He begs you not merely to ungird your sword but to ungird your heart. If you do, the miracle of his atonement will flow freely, and you, like David, will put down war and take up bread and drink and sheep and figs."
Here are some key points to remember:
1. The Lord has taken the sins of others on his own head.
2. He has atoned for those sins. Our failure to forgive is, therefore, in essence a witholding from the Lord.
3. If we grant this forgiveness in full, he atones in full for the pain and burdens that have come at others' hands.
4. He will bless us with his own love, his own appreciation, his own companionship, his own strength to endure.
If we have these, what more do we need?
I am far from perfect, and I have been "accused" (I say that lovingly) in my own family of too often saying, "Just forget what the other has done." Maybe I really knew that this is how true forgiveness can come. You can't feel good with yourself if you aren't willing to forgive. Withholding forgiveness causes us pain and suffering, heavy hearts, and saddness. We don't need that. The Lord has paid the price for the wrong they did to us. We need to forgive. For our own sakes. This is so important, but so hard.
I have been so blessed that some members of my family have learned to love this message, this book, as much as I. I feel our family relationships have improved so much. There are still others I pray will be able to see the importance of forgiving. It is not just for us, but for others as well. And in forgiving, we are so blessed. Everyone needs blessings. We shouldn't deny ourselves this freedom from the sin of not forgiving.
I am so thankful the Lord has blessed me with some amazing insights into the atonement. I have so much more to learn, but I feel I am beginning to see a little bit of what it really means.