Comforter and Forever Friend

Life isn't fair. Sometimes things suck. We can be there for people and show them that we care but we're imperfect, too. The only one to whom we can turn, who will comfort us and always be our friend is the Lord, Jesus Christ. He understands our pains, trials, sicknesses, and sins because he atoned for us. There's nothing we experience that the Lord hasn't felt. He's our Savior and Redeemer but also our comforter and forever friend.

Being religious or believing in him doesn't matter, because when we reach out to him he reaches out to us. He comforts us when nothing else can. He calms our troubled hearts and gives us peace.

Easter, the Greatest Day of the Year

This is a great video (Click Here)

To me, today (Easter Sunday) is the most important day of the year.  Some people might differ and say that if Christ was never born he would never have died; they believe Christmas is more important than Easter. I won't argue with them; Christmas is important. I guess I just choose to step back and look at the bigger picture, that Jesus Christ was pre-destined to be the Savior of the world. 

In His own words, he told Pontius Pilate, "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world." (John 18:37) Jesus Christ's destiny was to be the Savior. Therefore, if he never suffered, died, and rose from the tomb He wouldn't have fulfilled His destiny. That's why I think today is the most important day of the year.

Getting Real and Saying It Like It Is

I know I can be honest
I imagine sitting on my couch with my friend and honestly sharing from my heart. I know I can be honest because I'm just saying what *I* think. People are told not to talk about certain things because the other person might not believe the same. I think anything can be discussed as long as I speak for myself. I love people and never want to hurt them. I believe in freedom and know that everyone has beliefs. I don't say things to convince anyone to think like me but to just express myself.

I love being Christian
With Easter being this weekend I reflect on why I'm Christian not Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Atheist, New Age or something else. I'm Christian because I believe that only through Jesus Christ can I have eternal life (my greatest desire). I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because I believe that it is the only church that has the authority to give me the ordinances I need to have eternal life.

Easter is my favorite holiday
I thank Jesus Christ (in words that don't adequately express my feelings) for suffering, for atoning, for dying on the cross, and for rising from the tomb on the third day...all for me. I have no friend (except Jesus Christ) who would do those things for me and who would provide a way for me to have eternal life.

Jesus Christ wants me to have eternal life
He suffered not only for my sins but also so that he could perfectly empathize and comfort me when I suffer. He will make up the difference for me when I face God at the final judgement. God The Father said, "No unclean thing can enter heaven". There's no way that I could ever enter heaven because I'm an imperfect human and unclean (fallen). But Jesus Christ said that if I believed in him (a perfect human and a God), (tried my best to) keep the commandments, got the ordinances I needed, and remained faithful to the end I'd get eternal life. He also said that if I did those things he'd make up the difference between me and God The Father and be my advocate (plead to God on my behalf).

I love Jesus Christ's words
He said: "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." (Isaiah 1:18-20).

I'm a fallen human being-like scarlet, red like crimson and he's a perfect God-pure, as white as the snow, like wool. On one hand, if I believe in Him, want it, keep the commandments, get the ordinances I need, and remain faithful to the end I'll have eternal life. On the other hand if I don't believe in Him, rebel and don't care I won't have eternal life. Either way, the choice is mine.

Christianity will get me my goal
Jesus Christ's actions at Gethsemane, at Calvary, and at the tomb showed me that He wants me to have eternal life. I'm grateful for such a gift and I love Him. He's my savior and has redeemed me from the effects of the fall.

Why I Am Focused and Religious

I behave based on what's in my heart. The thing I want most in my heart is eternal life - I want to live again with God and JC. The first year after getting sick, I realized that I could spend my entire life focusing on things that didn't matter - things that could be taken away - and never develop (focus on) the things that DID matter and that would never be taken away - my character (see Behavior vs. Attributes in November 2009.) I decided to focus on the important things to me: my family relationships, my character, and my relationship with God.

I want my goal some day, but want to have Godly attributes in my character right now. (I could go somewhere today, get hit by a bus, and be killed. I don't know for how long my life will be - I assume, but, in truth, simply don't know. No matter for how long I live, I want to be prepared now for when I meet God.) I want to be real - not just appear real because I know that I can't fool Him; He who looks at my heart. I want to be the same...both on the inside and outside - I don't want to look nice on the outside but on the inside be filled with dead men's bones.

Fast forward to today. I'm focused and religious because I only develop in me what matters most. I've dropped the things that really don't matter and have tried to focus on the things that do matter (my character.) I'm authentic, and believe that I'm someone who could live in God's presence. I live with no regrets. I love the words to Kenneth Cope's song "Treasure the Truth" and believe what they say.

Treasure the Truth

Treasure, lost in a field.
Found by a traveler, then quickly concealed. 
Rejoicing, he gives up his all,
To have the treasure, the Kingdom of God. 

Jesus knew we were lost. 
He came as a traveler to cover the cost. 
Unfailing, He paid with His death. 
Hoping we'd join Him in the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Now truly we see what we are.
For treasure will govern the heart. 
And if His heart moved Him to die, so we could live, 
Then His treasure is you and I. 

There's treasure waiting in heaven, 
For all who follow the truths He has given. 
He bids us come, so that's what I will do. 
To have this treasure, I'll treasure the truth. 

Truly we show what we are, 
For treasure will govern our hearts. 
And if our hearts will give up all to live with Him, 
Then our treasure's the Son of God. 

Like treasure laid in a tomb 
Brought forth triumphant in glorious view. 
I pledge my faith, and all that I can do, 
To win His treasure, He is my treasure, 
To be His treasure, I'll treasure the truth.

My Greatest Hope

Today is Easter. Many people open gifts, eat candy, search for eggs, and think of the Easter Bunny. I wonder how many people think of Jesus Christ and the gift He gave us. He gave us the gift of immortality. He gave the gift to all people - whether or not they believe in him. To be saved and rise again when we die, what a gift!

I want to live with God in eternity, and I believe that I will. Some people don't believe in God, and that's okay with me. I accept them and hope they will accept me. I believe the scripture that says, "Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess to God." (Romans 14:11) and look forward to His return happening one day.

I believe with all my heart that Jesus is the Messiah, and the Savior of the world. I thank Him for suffering for me so that I can be resurrected and live with God again. I celebrate Jesus Christ today.

Guides for Living Right

People like guides; they like direction so they know they're doing it right. Unfortunately, life has no instruction manual. No document exists that tells us how to be a kid, an adult, a sibling, a spouse, a parent, or the thousand other things we are. Same with the way to be. No manual tells us how to be kind, loving, patient, virtuous, unselfish, obedient, and the thousand other ways we strive to become. Or does it?

It's no secret to anyone that I believe in a higher power. I'm thankful to have a guide in the scriptures as to how to be a good person, but that guidance won't just magically appear in my mind, it's up to me to read it; even more so, it's up to me to understand it. The scriptures are written in a way that sounds like garble-dee-gook to some people. But I believe that if a person truly wants to know what the scriptures say, it will make sense to them.

When I mention Jesus, God, or religion, some people immediately get turned off. Some people have memories of condemnation, or think that's bull-honkey, or confirm in their minds that they don't believe it. When I think of Jesus, God, or religion, I think of love, goodness, and teaching. Whatever people think about Jesus, God, or religion, is up to them. I won't judge them for their beliefs and I hope they won't judge me for mine. I like people and separate what they do from who they are. I hope my friends will give me the same courtesy and not judge me for the religion in which I believe. They can judge my religion for it's beliefs, or me for the kind of person I am (I hope they will be merciful and realize I'm not perfect,) but it's not right to judge me for what I do. 

Anyway, I'm thankful to have a religion that teaches me how to become the best person possible. My gratitude is even more present when I think about all the good people who've taught my children and blessed their lives. I think about how we do have guides to teach us how to live and be happy. One guide that I love is directed at the youth, but I believe it applies to all of us. Click here to read it. Click here to read the scriptures.

I feel gratitude and have a thankful heart knowing that guides for living right DO exist.

The Golden Rule

People SAY they believe in the the principle of the golden rule, to treat others the way they WANT TO BE treated, but they tend to believe in the principle of an eye for an eye, to treat others the same way they HAVE BEEN treated. If someone is mean to them then they are mean back.

A person can never be too nice. If they err, they need to err on the side of being nice. Being nice causes a person to love them. Whereas being mean causes a person to hate them.

Jesus was loved by many people. He was honest (to help) and always gave people the benefit of the doubt. When someone needed something he didn't act put out, but helped them. In turn, they loved him for it. Maybe they could have found the answer themselves. But he helped them when they asked and later showed them how to help themselves.

Even when people were mean and crucified him he said "Father, forgive them."

He was truly a great example of how to be.

O Holy Night

Wow! I wish I could sing like her :) This song gives me the Christmas Spirit! I wanted to share it with you today.