Friday, September 4, 2009
Swimming With New Fins
I decided to put Virtus (he's earned a name for himself!) into my tropical fish tank with my angel fish, pladdys, tetras, danios and rainbow shark. I was hesitant to do so because he is a cichlid, naturally very territorial and the tank was already quite crowded. Nevertheless, my little green terror is growing his fins back healthily and is one of the most neighborhood friendly fish I have ever had. I love his strength for survival. He first came from a place of his own kind that persecuted and teased him relentlessly, to the point of near death! Now he is in a tank full of foreigners and regaining his strength, his wellness and making a home for himself. Still as his naturally passive and kind self, he is completely accepted by the others. The rainbow shark gets awnry sometimes and chases him away from "the forbidden" Amazonian plant, but that's just what the shark does, (he's quite possessive of his home).
Sometimes life throws "curve balls", foundations are torn from under us, reality becomes cold and ruthless, injustice seems to thrive more than mercy and gaping wholes of despair open up beneath our feet. Virtus is my hero right now of perseverance and strength to survive, to find healing and to learn how to swim with new growing fins. I think God has given me a few opportunities throughout my life to grow new fins. How grateful I am for the wisdom and lessons that he's taught me along the way.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Scripture and hymn of the Day
18 But abefore ye seek for briches, seek ye for the ckingdom of God.
Hymn 219
Because I Have Been Given Much I Too Must Give
Heavenly Father is REAL. He knows us. He cares for us, He guides us, He comforts us, He protects us. He Knows Us.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of ACTION and of GRACE. In DOING and ACTING, we gain more riches and blessings than we ever initially imagine. The most magnificent blessing is salvation through Christ and His great atoning act of love and sacrifice. We access this gift of grace through doing all that we can. We will always fall short, and He will always pick up our slack and do the rest. I know that's true and real. The Savior is the "Jesus of the Gaps".
Mirrors
A dear friend and mentor of mine shared an interesting observation and self analysis/ self motivating technique. Out of all of God's creations, we are the only animals that have the ability to look at ourselves from a third person point of view. When he takes a step back and experiences looking at himself from the outside, he not only gains perspective and an analysis of where he is at and what he is doing but he is also able to give himself encouraging and constructive feedback. Ok, so it doesn't sound as profound written down, but it's quite empowering when I succeed in doing it. Try it!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Cyprian Adagi Ogambi
It's A Wonderful Life
Last night, a friend introduced me to "It's a Wonderful Life", yes, the black and white Christmas movie with Jimmy Stewert. I can see now how he can watch it over and over and never be tired of it. I feel like I only skimmed the surface of taking from it all that it has to offer :-). Let me just say before I dive into one of my "oceans of profound" analogies that it was an excellent movie. Anybody who hasn't seen it is missing out... Seriously, go borrow it from your neighbor and watch it with a nice big bowl of pipoca.
In this scene George Bailey is exstatically showing the policeman the rose pedals from his daughter's broken flower that he concealed in his pocket when she asked her to "paste them back on". He's alive! He has his life back and the seemingly smallest things mean all the world to him.
Thanks to Clarence, his guardian angel (or divine tutor), Mr. Bailey realized that nothing... thousands of lost dollars, bank foreclosure, the loss of his job, the prospect of going to jail and even injustice itself was not worth loosing his dear wife and children. That amidst everything, nothing else mattered.
The relationships that we forge with people in this life, I believe, have eternal consequences and are of infinite worth, just as the individuals themselves. They are totally incomparable to amounts of money or any earthly possessions or powers.
Also, a huge message to take in from this fabulous movie is the fact (the FACT) that we have permanent effects on the lives that we interact with. We are all in this together, we are all brothers and sisters, we all have the same Father in Heaven who loves us all and wants us all to succeed. One of the most amazing ways that he blesses us is through others, both when they help us and when we help them.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
CREATE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhLlnq5yY7k
"Everyone can create.
"Remember that you are spirit daughters of the most creative being of the universe. Isn't it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God. Think about it, your spirit body is a masterpiece. created with a beauty, function and capacity beyond imagination.
You will make the world a better place.
The more you trust and rely upon the spirit, the greater your capacity to create."
-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
How grateful I am to the teachers in my life; to my ultimate tutors, the God Head, and those that I am blessed to have contact with within my own circle of family and friends as well as church leaders, strangers and acquaintances. An overwhelming lesson that I've been learning and that has been chimed and exemplified so beautifully by my sister is the realization that each of us have the power, the capability, and even the responsibility to create the world that we want to be surrounded by.
You want to be happy? Create that. See something or someone that is happy and emulate that until you begin to experience happiness within you and the world around you and then you'll know what it feels like to maintain that creation.