No room for them in the inn

I know, I know. Christmas ended like 3 weeks ago. But, since our New Testament lesson schedule is on "Unto You Is Born... A Saviour" we get to stretch out the Christmas spirit a little longer.

Anyway, I was thinking and maybe pondering on Luke 2:7 today.

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."

I was thinking of how the greatest man that ever lived and will ever lived was born in a lowly stable. And how I sometimes think I am being righteous and doing good things, that somehow that means I don't have to have trials.

For example, because we pay our tithing, go to church, read our scriptures, and serve others we should not be unemployed right now. See that?

Jesus could have said the same thing. Because I am so "insert good quality/trait here (or just perfect)" I shouldn't have had to been born where animals eat their hay.

Or Mary could have said, because I am "highly favored and blessed among all women" (Luke 1:28) there should have been room for me to give birth to my child (not to mention the greatest child ever born) somewhere other than an animal outhouse!

But the thing is, we're not here on earth to be given good things by the Lord when we obey and are good. We are here to become like God.

And giving birth to the son of God in a stable helped Mary become more consecrated. Being unemployed for roughly a year and half has consecrated us, and I feel it has moved us across the country and back and will continue to move us to where we need to be to serve God and in the end become most like Him.

So I want you to do that today. Write down an absurd sentence like because I am so good at "reading my scriptures" I shouldn't have to deal with not being able to get pregnant, or not being able to get married, or living within a strict budget. Then see how you are growing in that trial, and maybe ask Heavenly Father what you can learn and become through it. Then maybe in a few more weeks or months you can then thank him for that trial because of the stronger more dedicated and amazing person you have become.

It's about you!

I came across this quote today and although it's not scripture, it sure inspired me and I wanted to share it with all of you.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said,

“I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous.

I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized.

If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.”

New Year New You

I know. It has been over a month and a half since I wrote here. I have had good reasons, a weeklong trip to DC, moving across country, my brother's wedding and my husband's 30th birthday. Don't worry I have still been studying the scriptures, just not posting my findings. A new year is always a good time to sit back and analyze your life and set new goals to live closer to the spirit and choose greater happiness and peace.

Here is a fabulous video to remind you about just that.

Live in Thanksgiving Daily

Here are two thoughts to think about during this Thanksgiving time

Alma 34:38 says:

"That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you."

And Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin in his book Press On, pg 218 said that:

"Gratitude will make you more likeable and more at peace."

Here's to being likeable and more at peace by consciously being thankful to God every single day! I dare you to write down your MANY blessings, and even try to write a new one every single day before you go to sleep. This gratitude thing is powerful and will truly change us as we let it in our lives daily. Even if it's just a little one line sentence every day, you will notice a difference.

And if you think Heavenly Father doesn't really care if you're grateful daily or not, you might want to check out D&C 59: 21.

I'm just saying...

Jeremiah

I have something to confess, I haven't really gotten a ton out of Jeremiah in these last two weeks I have been studying him. I don't know if it's because the people he was talking about were so wicked they were going to be scattered soon so I don't feel as much hope as I normally do as i study the scriptures, or that I am not as familiar with his writing style or use of words, or just that I haven't spent as much time with him in the past as I have other Old Testament prophets. Is there anyone that can help me in this regard? What do you love about Jeremiah that I am probably missing?

O.k. but regardless of that confession, I have been gleaning little things here and there, and one of those things is in Jeremiah 31:33.

It says "33. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people."

I do love this verse and how we are told the Lord will put the words of his law in our inward parts and write it in our hearts.

I had a religion teacher once interpret these as literal words. He said, if us as mortals and our tiny understanding of how the body and brain work can look at someone's liver and notice if they were an alcoholic or not by what is written into the liver's cells, we should not doubt that those words we memorize, those scriptures and prophetic quotes that we reread over and over again also are being written somewhere that we might not be able to see yet, but we will someday.

I like that, that these inspiring words from God that we do make an effort to bring into our lives do become a very part of our being.

Why do I help thee?

In Isaiah 43:2 the Savior is talking to Israel and says:

"2.When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."

Now why would the Lord go through all our trials with us? He says in verse 4:

"4. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life."

And just to solidify how dedicated he is to us he continues:

"5. Fear not: for I am with thee."

C.S. Lewis had an insight to add on to why we as mortals and prone to so much failing are precious in his sight.

"There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship."

C. S. Lewis (The Weight of Glory)

Isaiah 40:12

"12. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?"

This verse is Isaiah's poetic way of saying that God knows us each intimately. If he keeps track of the dust of the earth and can measure the ocean, he definitely will be able to know more about me than I can know about myself.

Yet, this perfect God of infinite power gives me the opportunity to have a personal relationship with Him. To allow me to come to know Him as He knows me.

I was talking to some people on Saturday about our relationship with God. If we had children that were constantly coming to us and only asking for things, that would not build a very strong relationship, and I realized it would make me a quite annoyed mom. Although each of us do have things we need, I hope we are taking the time to be thankful and listen to what Heavenly Father is trying to tell us. I hope we are trying to serve His other children and be an instrument in His hands. I hope He can rely on me like I rely on Him.