Life is Pain, Highness

People tend to forget, outside of the moment, what the phrases 'It will be hard,' 'life is difficult,' and that the phrase "this will hurt" truly mean, and that they are quite accurate. And then, that moment comes, and they want to give up, because it is so hard.

I do this...frequently. It doesn't make a ton of sense really, yet, it is so easy to forget.

I know I tend to trivialize pain, hurt, and the general trials of life, until they come. THEN I tend to exaggerate them, unconsciously, because my focus goes entirely inward, how I'm hurting, how life's unfair, how could this happen to me?

Well, I'm here to remind myself that pain is real.

Pain Hurts. Pain Scars. And Pain Ends.
Then, it comes back in a new form.

This post isn't written with the idea that "Life is pain, highness" but, to an extent, it is. I hate it when I feel like my pain is trivialized. It is deeply meaningful to me and I feel like that should matter to the people I share it with.

Life is going to hurt more than you can possibly imagine right now. You know enough. You are strong enough, when you turn to Christ. There is something worth fighting for.

Don't give in to the appealing "easy way." There isn't an Easy Button. It is ok that it hurts. It is ok that you really are crying. It is ok that everything feels wrong, directionless, and impossible.

Hold on to whatever level of faith you can manage, and move forward through the pain. Then, when you get out, don't forget what it taught you. Let the refining fire change you into something better, something that can remember, that the pain helped shape your eternal character. Removing your imperfections is a painful process, and it is going to take awhile my friend. Sorry about that. You'll get there, and you'll be glad you did.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Are your moods correlated with the weather? Sometimes I think the weather is a better descriptor of my mood than a mood ring <--song on YouTube, unrelated to post. And For the record, I am not currently in a storm, but I have in the past noticed a strong correlation ;)

Why is the rain symbolic of sadness? Is it the similarity of rain drops and tear drops? Probably. Why are we depressed when we learn it is going to rain? Ok. Maybe you are not, but I hear it a lot, from different people, and feel the same way often. 

I think it is really interesting, because not only do we need the change to rain to appreciate the sun light, we also desperately need the rain to be just what it is, rain. It cleanses and helps the world grow and recover. 

We need rain and we need trials and sadness. Not just so we can appreciate the good times, but to help us become aware of ourselves, to help us remember what matters most and to realign ourselves with it.

So, yes. Maybe it is metaphorically and literally storming inside and outside of your heart. Let it. Let yourself feel the power of the storm and remember there is a God who not only is in complete control, but who loves you so much that He promises that the storm will end and you will be so much stronger because of it.

For the record, there is a ton of gorgeous pictures of rain. I have been reading up on copyright law, so I took them down. Sorry.

Turn to Him

In the next few paragraphs, I will be sharing some thoughts I've had while reading some General Conference talks from October 2011. Please click on the links I've provided if they are of interest to you.

Today I received, fully, a revelation that I have needed and wanted to feel for a long time. Now I am prepared to receive the strength that comes only from God. I have found peace, and I have also felt Satan's attacks to persuade me otherwise. This revelation, though incredibly peaceful and wonderful, has been overwhelming at points because I want it to be so much from God, yet I was convinced I thought of it myself. Please know that the peace I feel is such that it only can be from God. We can turn to Him when we need to heal, when we need comfort, when we need a listening ear, and then we must move on with our lives, it is so important that we live, that we do not wait for the promised blessings to fall into our laps. I believe that He spoke to me; I believe that He is telling me to go on, and trust that healing is right on its way, it will take a little while, but it is coming. I need not fear, only have faith. I have a foundation built on Christ, and I know that whatever happens, whatever course my life takes, that He will be with me, that there is so much joy, my hurt is gone and I feel truly at peace.

The work is going on. Let yourself be a part of it. Live it every day. Trust in Him, and not what you see. Listen and then go to work. He has set you on a path, now live it. Do all you can to further the work. I know this one is comparatively short, but the message is true, and so very important.

Use your time wisely. You only have so much of it. It may seem like it is taking forever, but there really is not much time for all that truly must be done and you must be ready. “Let us be as quick to kneel as we are to text” is an interesting idea. Make sure that you are praying always. You must always have the Spirit, or you are wasting your time. He will guide you in the best way, how to organize your time, what to focus on, but you must be diligent, and always do the small and simple things. Today is the day. Use it wisely. Trust in His timing as you plan out what you can. Keep the Spirit with you always, and keep preparing to meet God, to give an account of your stewardship, and your faith in Him.

My strength must come from my foundation of Christ. It is only through Him that I will be able to keep moving forward. I know it is Him whom I trust, and this can help me to never doubt or waver in my resolve to be righteous, to move forward, and to have courage to stand strong and firm, even against my own doubts. Dare to be firm, dare to be true, dare to hope in Christ, even when all seems lost. We were reserved for this time. The Lord’s timing is perfect. Make no mistake: you are marked for success if you will trust in Him. Do not give way to doubt, insecurities, fears, or misguided words. Trust in Him and His timing. You cannot afford to do anything that would separate you from the angelic help, comfort, and guidance that are waiting for you, do the small and simple things every day to keep the faith, even in the darkest of times. Ponder. Keep asking for help. We can know of the truth, even when it is hard. We can know of the truth when it seems too good to last. Have faith, you will know. You do know. Share that knowledge with others, bring joy to their lives, be true to the truth and the trust that have been given to you. Follow the light and hold it up for all to see.

 We can receive answers to so many little things; you know this to be true. Since He is involved in the small things, do not be surprised or confused when He helps you with the big things as well. Keep the faith. Ask that which is right. Trust in the answer you were given. Then, live it. Believe it. Act on it. Do your part to move the work forward. He hears and answers you. Really. Sometimes, we receive the answer “no” to our strivings. I’ve felt this a lot lately. This is a blessing. It is also a sweet blessing to know that He has been speaking to you all along, and you know the answer. My answer of late has been to wait, to trust, and to keep living righteously. I have faith in that. I have faith that He is the God of Miracles, and that He is acting in my life to help me be happy. It takes time to learn how to listen, and I do not listen always the first time. It takes practice and effort, and because of it, you will receive and develop great faith and power in righteousness. Prayer is the provider of “spiritual strength; it is the passport to peace” I know prayer brings the Spirit back into our lives and most importantly into our hearts. Trust in Him, trust in what you heard. Rest now and live it today, tomorrow, and every day. He has a beautiful plan for you. He knows and loves you so much, you must live your life in faith, but all will be made right. Continue to trust, continue to pray, and continue to live after the manner of happiness.

__________ is a Virtue

As I began thinking about this post, I kept thinking that I’m not saying anything new with this post or any of my other posts. Then, I thought about the title of this blog, it is “Remember” not “Listen to my profound new information.”

Patience is a Virtue

Sometimes I have it.

Sometimes I do not.

So, be patient with my impatience, 

...and someday I’ll get better.

Quality takes time. It is easy to tell when something has been rushed through. It is {hopefully} equally acknowledged when something is truly amazing. I’ve been thinking about this post for about a week and where that does not qualify it for a work of genius, hopefully my thoughts are better organized than they would have been without my preparation.

My earliest memory about patience comes from waiting for my grandma to make breakfast.  I must really have been bothering her because I remember her scolding me to be patient. “Patience is a virtue.” I did not like her reply and did not want to be patient. I still struggle with patience, but a couple of times I’ve been told I am patient, so I must at least be better at hiding my impatience. 

One step at a time.

Find what you need to work on, what you thrive doing, something you are weak at, find something that is important to you, and be patient in your quest. Then, take it one step at a time. Do not rush your masterpiece. This is your life, live it! Don’t waste it in your haste. Take time to make sure each piece is properly in place.

Remember, be patient with yourself as you develop patience. It does take time, but you can do it. Take the time each day to enjoy life a little more, see what is important and build on that foundation.