The Hits Don't Stop

Life is a giver.  It dishes out blessings and laughs by the boat loads,  and it dishes out tragedy and disappointment in equal amounts.  Men being who they are,  ego maniacal beings, we look right past the blessings as if they never happened and scream to the skies "WHY ME?!?!?!" at the first sign of tragedy.  I apologize if I am a bit presumptuous in assuming that we all act this way,  but I have seen this over and over from those close to me and I have done it myself on numerous occasions. 

Life is a game.  A game that doesn't seem fair.  A game that seems like it is stacked against you.  A game that seems as though it favors everyone else at times.  The funny thing about that,  is that someone right now in your darkest moment,  is thinking about you and saying "so and so gets all the breaks".  Without the proper insight we assume that everyone else we know has it perfect.  Their game is going perfectly while we can barely stay a part of the game.  It's funny how life works. 

I have heard on many occasions someone say (and me at times) life isn't fair.  Want to know whats funny about that?  Life is fair.  Life is all too painfully fair. In your time of greatest triumph and happiness, someone some where is suffering.  In your darkest most desperate times,  that same person could be experiencing their greatest success.  A friend of mine tells me all the time that we don't know when and what people are dealing with all the time.

I have often thought about this and have had the philosophy that so much depends on how we react to those things we face.  Charles Swindoll said "The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes."

While this is a small consolation,  I have thought about this since it was first shared with me when I was a young missionary for my church.  It doesn't make things easier,  it won't stop the trials,  but it  reminds me that I can choose how I react to those things that are thrown my way.  Now with 4 children and a beautiful wife,  I want to live that quote.  I want to be the picture of strength and let them know that while it is tough,  it is not impossible.

 

Wake Up and Become Interested

I am sure that we have heard and know that we cannot be saved in ignorance.  While I have definitely tried to play that card once or twice, it has not worked because in my 35 years on the planet I think that I have learned (a)enough to save myself and my family and (b)enough to be left with no excuses if (a) does not happen.  

While the ignorance issue is pretty clear, I recently came across these words from Joseph F. Smith regarding the epidemic of indifference that is so prevalent in today's world:

"One of the greatest evils existing … is that of ignorance, coupled with indifference. I presume that if the ignorant were not so indifferent to these facts and to their condition they might be prompted to learn more than they do. The trouble with men and women is that they too frequently close their eyes to the facts that exist around them, and it seems to be very difficult for many of the people to learn and adapt to their lives those simple truths that should be in fact the household words and precepts of every Latter-day Saint, and of every home of a Latter-day Saint. How shall we stem the tide of this evil, this indifference, this consequent ignorance? It appears to me that the only way to do it is to wake up and become interested, or to interest ourselves in those things which are so important and necessary to the happiness and well-being of the children of men, especially that which is so needful for the happiness and well-being of ourselves individually."

There is a lot going on in that paragraph of prophetic prose.  As you read it, keep in mind that he was saying these things in 1915.  While "the facts that exist around" us might be different now than they were then, we still know people that have "closed their eyes" to them.  And the beautiful thing about the gospel is that the "simple truths" that he speaks about are the same that our prophet today is speaking about.  In fact, they are the same as ancient prophets spoke of in our holy scriptures.

Now, I have no idea what "the tide of this evil" looked like in 1915, but I can guarantee you that it has risen a bit since.  But his promise is sure.  The only way to stem the tide is to wake up and become interested.  I love how he calls a spade a spade (prophets have a way of doing that) and gives the priesthood a wake up call.  It reminds me of Jacob 3:11:

"O my brethren, hearken unto my words; arouse the faculties of your souls; shake yourselves that ye may awake from the slumber of death; and loose yourselves from the pains of hell that ye may not become angels to the devil, to be cast into that lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death."

If we likened the words of Joseph F. Smith to us today, what would his call to "wake up and become interested" really sound like:

Slow down

Turn the TV off

Do your home teaching

Go to the temple

Read and apply the words of living prophets

Serve others

Magnify your calling(s)

Read the scriptures

Testify to your children

Bless others

Share the gospel with your neighbors

Check in with your wife ("Companionship Inventory")

I don't know how you are doing with these things but for me, the call to "wake up and become interested" hits close to home and there is some room for improvement in several of these areas.  President Smith's counsel continues:

"Fix in your minds noble thoughts, cultivate elevated themes, let your aims and aspirations be high...Get the most possible service out of your time, your body and brains, and let all your efforts be directed into honorable channels, that no effort shall be wasted, and no labor result in loss or evil.  Seek the very best society; be kind, polite, agreeable, seeking to learn whatever is good, and comprehend the duties of life that you may be a blessing to all those with whom you associate, making the very most and best of your lot in life."


What a great challenge for all of us to live up to in today's world.  It looks like I have my work cut out for me.