faith precedes miracles

I was doing my scripture study this morning and thinking of why it is necessary for faith to precede miracles. One possible reason is we shouldn't have our faith dependent on miracles. It's like a child agreeing to behave only if their parents buy them a new toy every week. That's not real faith.

Another reason is if we don't start with faith, we might not even recognize the miracle for what it is. Who knows how many heavenly messengers are employed to guide and protect us daily and we don't realize it? Each of us is a walking miracle and if we don't start with faith, we won't recognize it as such.
For example, if I don't have faith, I get up in the morning and drive to work. No biggie.
If I have a foundation of faith, I start my day by asking the Lord if he will protect me on my drive. After I arrive safely I can say a prayer of gratitude for the miracle of arriving in one piece. Seriously, who knows how many ice patches I avoided by divine intervention?
All I'm saying is maybe we are surrounded by miracles and the reason why we need faith before miracles happen to us is simply we need faith to recognize them for what they are.

Another side of Christmas

I was just thinking today about the holiday season and how people are generally happier and in a more celebratory mood. This is what makes it my favorite time of year. People aren't afraid to talk openly about religious beliefs and good will generally abounds.
I realized, though, that this can also cause a problem. Just because Christmas approaches, doesn't mean problems go away. There are a lot of people in pain in the world due to hunger, poverty, disease, death and tough family situations. Some have remedies but there are a lot of hurts that you can't fix. And for someone going through a tough time during the holidays, the hurt becomes deeper because of the pressure to be cheerful because hey, it's Christmas. No one wants to 'ruin the party' so to speak. We think of others during the Christmas season so someone hurting might think they have to put on a face for the sake of others and bottle up the turmoil inside.
I'm not saying we should be all doom and gloom during the holidays. I'm just saying it's not necessary to completely hide your feelings in order to have the "perfect Christmas."
Let's think about what Christmas is all about.
NOT a baby in a manger as many focus on, but a Savior who has given his life so we can be happy eternally.
I'll share my favorite scripture which goes perfectly with this. It's from the Book of Mormon, Alma 7:11

"And he shall go forth suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and  this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."  (emphasis added)

Christ did not suffer for just our sins. He felt every pain and sickness and infirmity we will ever feel. Whatever hard time you're going through he has felt that. He did that so he can stand there right next to you and say, "I know how you feel."
So for those who are hurting during the holiday season, don't feel pressure to run faster than you have strength. You can't run a marathon with a broken leg and God understands that.
Know that you are loved and others mourn with you during your times of trial. Take this time not to feel pressure to perform
but to be healed by Him who has the power to do so.

Paying Attention

They get so big so fast!  Can you imagine more than doubling your body weight in four months? Julia rolled over for the first time by herself today.  I put her on her back, washed some dishes, and when I came back she was on her stomach.  I thought Zach had rolled her over but he hadn't.  She must have done it by herself.  I've got to be careful or I'll miss little moments like that.  I was talking to a lady tonight who said she missed her daughter's first crawl because she was doing dishes. She felt something on her foot, looked down and her baby had crawled to her from the other room, immensely proud of herself.  As President Monson so aptly put it, "Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved."  Especially dirty dishes. :-)

Cute Things Kids Do That Aren't So Cute/Acceptable As An Adult

*Stare at people

*Drooling

*Grabbing stuff that isn't yours

*Putting everything in your mouth

*Fascination with simple objects

*Chubby Thighs

*Crying because you're hungry

*Crazy hair

*No Makeup

Life Lessons

Some I've learned from my family and friends, some I've learned by experience.

*Don't let shiny things in the store make you forget all the perfectly good things you already have at home.

*If you're sorely tempted to buy something you know you don't absolutely need, just remind yourself, "I've lived without it this long. I can keep living without it!"


*If you know you can't resist the temptation to spend money, just don't go in the store.

*Never grocery shop when you're hungry if you can help it.

*Don't worry about being the best.  There's always someone better than you and worse than you.  The only person you should be competing against is yourself.

*Empty yogurt containers work far better than gladware.  Put mismatched lids on top to remember which are leftovers and which is the actual yogurt. :-)

*Always assume the best about people.  More often than not you'll be right.

*It's okay to have different opinions and beliefs.  Just agree to disagree and we can all be friends.

*If you won't care about it in ten years, don't keep it.

*Starting a friendly conversation with your cashier can make a friend out of an errand.

*Always talk about people as if you wouldn't mind if they overheard what you said about them.

*Live with no regrets if you can.

*If you can make it, don't buy it.

*You can make a conscious decision to be happy no matter your circumstances.

*It takes two people to have an argument. All it takes to get along is one person who decides that the other person is more important than them being right.

Mind Blowing

I had a very interesting religious discussion with a friend tonight. We talked, among other things, about time. There are some pretty mind-blowing aspects of time.  Time is a man-made thing.  Out time frame is exclusive to our planet alone. God does not operate on man's time frame.  I can't even imagine what it would be like to not be limited by time.  We live our lives day by day, minute by minute and second by second.  But what if there were no seconds or minutes or hours or days? There is just eternity.  The past, present and future all melt into one with our Heavenly Father.  That is how He operates.  His time is one continuous circle.  That is how he can listen to all humanity's prayers at one time.  That is how Jesus Christ could atone for all the sins of people living not only in the past but who ever would live on the earth.   My friend mentioned that technically we could pray for our ancestors as if they're still alive.  That makes sense to me.  If God in the past knew that in the future we would pray for our ancestors, he could bless them as if we lived at the same time as our ancestors.   Mind blowing huh?

Are We Doomed? Humanitarians and Tree Huggers

I watched a documentary this past week about the supposed truth about overpopulation. Apparently some are concerned that the earth is becoming overcrowded and won't be able to support the rising population. The professor who was directing this documentary was pointing out that things are not as bad as it seems.  Overall people are having less children.  At the same time, people are living longer.  So it all balances out.  He pointed something out that really made me think.
First of all, if you could wish for one thing to make the world a better place, what would it be? The eradication of extreme poverty? A cleaner atmosphere?  Fewer natural disasters?  I think we might be looking in the wrong place for the solution to world problems.  Let's say that world poverty disappears.  Viola! Everyone has access to basic comforts and technologies.  How many more washing machines are running? How many more air conditioners and televisions and electric lights? A lot considering 21% of the world population in 2010 lived in extreme poverty (earning about $1.25 per day)(World Bank Poverty Overview, 2014).  Where does that electricity come from? With electricity usage increasing 20%, we'll have to burn that many more fossil fuels which increases global warming contributing to extreme weather conditions.   So that's not the answer.  So what if everyone stops using fossil fuels?  We can no longer drive cars, use telephones or computers or even turn on a light.  You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that wouldn't be a smart idea.  So are we doomed no matter what?
I believe the answer to our problems would be to focus more resources on clean energy.  If there would be a way to power technology without burning fossil fuels, it would be possible to eradicate many of the world's difficulties at once.  That would be my wish.