18 Random Rules

My MIL sent these to me a LONG time ago, and I've been wanting to share them:

Eighteen Random Rules of Life - Michael Josephson

I love maxims, those concise capsules of worldly wisdom. I collect them
and write them and, of course, love to share them. Here are 18 random
rules of life worth posting on your mirror or, better yet, using as
dinner-time discussion starters.

1. Find the lesson in every failure and you'll never fail.
2. The likelihood that you're right is not increased by the intensity
of your conviction.
3. Real friends help you feel worthy and make you want to be better.
4. When you're in a hole, stop digging.
5. Don't confuse fun with fulfillment or pleasure with happiness.
6. Refusing to let go of a grudge is refusing to use the key that will
set you free.
7. Hating hurts you more than the person you hate.
8. Counting on luck is counting on random chance. Your odds are much
better when you plan and work.
9. Being kind is better than being clever.
10. Don't underestimate the power of persistence.
11. The easy way is rarely the best way.
12. It's much easier to burst someone else's bubble than to blow up your
own.
13. You can't avoid pain, but you can avoid suffering.
14. Self-pity is a losing strategy. It repels others and weakens you.
15. Shortcuts usually produce short success.
16. Control your attitude or it will control you.
17. It's more important to be significant than successful.
18. The world is waiting for you to heal it.

I haven't shared this yet, because I really wasn't sure how to connect it with nurturing our spiritual growth. What I've realized, with this email sitting in my inbox, is ALL of these 'rules' can apply to our spirituality and the gospel. What it all boils down to is trying to be a little more like Jesus Christ each day. Each one gets us to be a better version of ourselves---which is one step closer to Him who we should follow.

He is our ultimate example--- our 'rule of life.'

Article of Faith 13

"We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul- We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."

I memorized this article of faith one Sunday when we had a sub in our primary class. I thought so much of myself after that because it was the longest, hardest, article of faith to memorize in my opinion. Now, having that message easily accessible to my awareness has allowed me to discover for myself in my life what is part of the gospel. Sometimes it seems increasingly difficult to decipher with so many conflicting ideas, or just thought pathways out there. Do you ever just wish you could go live in a tent in the woods and not have to hear all the fuss and the hub-bub of everything?

Sometimes I think that kind of situation might be ideal, but then I think that being alone would not be very fun either. In fact having such easy access to other people's opinions via internet social networking is quite a blessing much of the time! I am a member of a group that is about helping families who want to succeed in cloth diapering their babies. (Many people view this as quite a challenge since they are used to disposables.) It is easy for me to ask a question in this group on my computer and quickly get responses from others experiences. 

Therefore, the whole "hiding in the woods" scenario probably is not ideal for long periods of time. Maybe I will just plan a nice camping trip and feel rejuvenated when I get back. Anyway, what I would like to emphasize today in this post is that even though there are a lot of good things out there to be involved in....a lot of "praiseworthy" or "of good report" things and they totally overwhelm us sometimes....we need not run and hide in the woods from utter exhaustion of "too much of a good thing". If you are ever feeling like this, just have a moment to yourself to reflect on all the societies and peoples of the past who did not have these blessings. Think of the prophets of old who foresaw our time and probably were thinking of all the great and wonderful things that could be accomplished easily. Think of the prophets today who do what they can to spread the gospel around the world and are always relying on us to BE the gospel. They count on us to shine our light and wake up the world. 

How easy it is...

how easy!

Scars of Love

A woman told this story in sacrament meeting, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I checked it out, and it is not true. So, I like to think of it as a parable.

Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. His mother - in the house was looking out the window - saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could.

Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal and, on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mom wouldn't let go."

The woman speaking likened this story to how we should be as desperate in our attempt to follow the Lord's way. Since hearing this story, I have asked myself questions I pose to the rest of you.

Do I understand the urgency of the time I live in? Do I hold on to my values in the same dire manner? What can I do to be stronger than the alligator griping onto my salvation? How can I create a home where my children can be well equipped with what they need to fight for their own values?

Isn't it funny how all the answers to these questions fall amidst the same answers we hear every week? Isn't it also funny how we still need to hear it as much as possible?