Finding Joy Amidst the Thorms

I was just kneeling down to pray and I felt God ask the question again:

Mary, what is it that you really want?

My answer felt immediate: to have my children come to You and know the joy that is found there.

His response? Have you found the joy?  How can your children know of the joy if they don't see any evidence of it in your own attitude?

It made me think: God promises us that our burdens will be easy and light in this life.  It doesn't mean that they won't exist.  Troubles, trials, privations, testing...they are all a part of this existence.

But if we were truly to turn to God in each and every one of those instances--through praying, scripture study, etc.--I can't think of an example in which turning to Him wouldn't make it better, wouldn't give us more peace and perspective.

We can have peace and joy now.  If we want our children to walk the path to joy through obedience, really want to, the most effective way is to show that joy ourselves.

And stop worrying about being perfect!!!!  God's promises of peace, joy and rest in this life are never based upon our level of "doing things right."  The only thing we have to do is get down on our knees, be humble and as Gordon B. Hinckley put it, "Try...but you have to really try."

I can try. I can recognize my faults.  Why is the tricky part falling on my knees more often and then just smiling when life goes as it has gone every day for the past 40 years, full of unexpected set-backs, sudden messes, and emotional instability?

If I want my children to find the joy, maybe I should spend more time thinking about my own search and spend less time hustling them on their way with urgency...rather lead like a shepherd. Joyfully and confidently.  If we know there is joy at the end of a trial-ridden path, why do we doubt?  Why do we fear?  If we know we are supposed to be tested, why do we look on those tests as marks of our inadequacy rather than opportunities to learn and grow?

Giving Our Souls Regular Care

This morning, my mind filled with all the awesome things I want to do.  Love life!

Anyway, as I excitedly began my morning, my eyes drifted to the vanity and I thought, "Oh wait...I don't think I brushed my teeth last night." (I was pretty...well, exhausted.) "I should take the time to brush them this morning so my teeth don't rot."

The logic of my mental process was inescapable and I grabbed out the toothbrush and toothpaste.

As I began to brush, I thought, What if people treated scripture reading and praying the same way they do brushing their teeth?

Instant analogies flooded my mind.
If we don't brush our teeth, cavities form which need to be filled.
If we don't connect with God, cavities form in our soul which need to be filled.

But I can always get fillings to fix the problem later, so why not look at spirituality the same way?
I can always "repent" or compensate for my spiritual neglect later, right?

Well, if we don't go to the dentist regularly, our cavities are not filled and our teeth rot.
If we don't go to church regularly (or wherever our "spiritual check-up" place is), our cavities are not filled and our soul rots.

The process of replacing teeth or root canals is a lot more painful than regular check-ups.  I would even dare say that those who have been through them would agree it would have been worth it to go more often.


Perhaps the process of repenting as sin has built up is similarly of greater magnitude of pain to remedy?


Some other aspects of our health are affected as our teeth health is not good.
Other aspects of our lives--relationships, perspective as the world seems to go mad around us, etc.--suffer when we are not keeping our souls clean by "daily brushing."

Hmmm...I bet if we tried to, we could see the same type of immediate negative effects of neglecting our spiritual hygiene as we do our dental hygiene over the course of time.  Recognize the pain, the effects of neglect...the nasty looking teeth.  (Yes, I have had some nasty looking expressions on my face when I neglect to read my scripture and say my prayers.)

Only, the effect of an "un-brushed soul" seems to have far more negative and lasting effect on those around us, far more devastating than the negative aesthetics or bad breath that comes with poor dental hygiene.

Maybe my scripture reading and prayer should become as essential to my daily routine as my dental work.  Kind of makes me think....