Clouds

Yesterday Melissa and I drove to a scenic viewpoint right before Silver Falls State Park and ate dinner in the car together while watching the sunset.

On the way there we were worried about a bank of dark and ominous clouds that might block the sun too early and ruin our plans.

However, what happened instead was that the clouds accentuated the sunset making it more spectacular and beautiful. The sun pushed through and around the clouds affording us a wonderful experience full of vibrant colors.

In life, sometimes we have clouds and darkness through various difficulties and trials. We’ve all shared in the trials of this past year with the imapcts of COVID-19.

However, maybe the pushing through and around those trials make our life more colorful and vibrant.

Maybe it is in the struggle that the light at the end becomes brighter for us.

In doing so we learn to appreciate what we do have, develop patience, align our priorities better, and increase our trust in God.

Jesus Christ and his gospel and example help to push me through dark clouds that occur in my life. Hopefully I learn from my difficult times and am able to shine forth brighter afterwards.

Opposition

As I’ve been hiking a lot more this last year, I’ve noticed that I am stronger now and better able to hike longer than I was earlier last year.

The first couple of times I was sore and could hardly move.

At first I hiked a few miles and that was it.

Then later in the year I had been on 8, 10, even 12 mile hikes and felt great afterward. I’ve realized that difficult things in our life can be the exact things that strengthen us.

Most of the attributes of Christ we learn in life come through trials and difficulties. Things such as patience, love, trust, forgiveness, and enduring to the end eventually come after hard work, trials, and sometimes difficult circumstances.

Opposition is part of Heavenly Father’s plan for us to be able to learn the things in life we need to in order for us to be the type of people that can live with Him and our Savior once again.

Dallin H. Oaks said, “Opposition is an essential part of the divine plan for helping us grow, and in the midst of that process, we have God’s assurance that, in the long view of eternity, opposition will not be allowed to overcome us. With His help and our faithfulness and endurance, we will prevail. Like the mortal life of which they are a part, all tribulations are temporary.”

Whether it’s hiking, sports, music, a career, school, or raising children, we will be faced with opposition at some time or another. Why should growing spiritually be any different?

For us to grow closer to God and Jesus Christ we must use the opposition around us to grow stronger. Only then will we be strong enough to live with God again.

What difficult things have you done that have strengthened you?

Upward Climb

Yesterday in church there was a talk that mentioned faith and repentance are not one time events but a process.

As we focus on the Savior our faith grows, we repent of mistakes we have made, and then we hopefully find ourselves at a higher place. Once again our faith grows and we see new things to repent of.

Some parts are harder than others. But this is a life-long process to become closer to our Savior and to try and align our will to God’s will for us. As we do so we become more like the Savior; loving, kind, patient, and focused on the essential things.

As I listened I thought about the hike I had taken the day before. It was a consistent, and sometimes difficult upwards incline. We came out of the forest after about 15 minutes and everyone stopped and was amazed at the view we found ourselves in (way above the clouds).

But I had been there before and knew there was so much more to see if we continued on.

Each time we rose higher there was more of a view opened up to us; yet each step did take work and a few periods of resting before we got back up and kept going.

Spiritually our life is also an upward climb. Some steps are harder than others and sometimes we need to rest and enjoy where we are at. But then we get back up and keep going to greater and greater vistas.

“Chief of all They wondrous works, O God Supreme of all Thy plan; Thou hast put an upward reach Into the heart of man.” (Harry Kemp, “God the Architect”)

Our Father in Heaven and Savior, Jesus Christ know our ultimate potential and know what wonderful things await at the top of the climb.

So lets keep growing our faith, repenting, and keep our eyes focused upward and wonderful things will happen!

Renewal

After the storm and fires there is still beauty.

This last September our area experienced extreme fires. With a strong east wind and high temperatures they raged to hundreds of thousands of acres within a few days. The skies turned orange as smoke filled the air. I watched the news in horror at the loss of peoples homes, business, and many beautiful wilderness areas where I used to go hiking.

The other day after a group of long and wet storms I ventured out to a portion of Silver Falls State Park (to a place not around the waterfalls) and took a hike for the first time in this area.

I will filled with thankfulness as I enjoyed the sunlight dappling through the trees, bright blue skies, and an amazing sunset. I even saw a few places where the fires had come right up to the edge of the State Park.

These burned areas are blackened now, but I know that soon, even within the next spring, new shoots of life will grow up out of the ground. New seedlings will have planted themselves in nurse logs and someday they will be full trees. Fires and storms in forests are a way that new plant life is renewed.

Nature reminds us that beauty can still come after the fires and the storms. Maybe it’s that the contrast allows us to appreciate that beauty even more.

In our own lives we go through times of storms and fires; spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally, and financially. Yet, we too can allow these times to be a time of renewal. We can appreciate the blessings we still have and in time look back and see the growth that we achieved during those times.

Take time to be thankful for what you do have and never forget.

Light

I have always been intrigued with light. And how such a small light can make a big difference.

I remembering being in a large dark cave in Kentucky and have the tour guide turn off the lights and it was pure darkness. You could wave your hand in front of your face and still couldn’t’ see anything. Then with the strike of one match we could see each others faces and well as dozens of feet out from the group on all sides.

Just last night I got up in the middle of the night to check on something and I used my little watch light to guide the way.

A little light can go a long ways.

In our spiritual life there is a light also.

Jesus Christ said “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

He also said we are the “children of light” and “I am the light that ye shall hold up”.

We may think we are weak or not that great or have much to offer in life, but each one of us has a light inside and no matter how small it may be it can help light the way for others during dark times.

If we follow the light of Christ we too can have a portion of that light with us.

If the savior is in front of us (ie we are following him) that light shines brightly on us and directs our way. However, If we put Christ behind us (ie. take matters into our own hands, only depend on ourself), then our shadow can block his light from reaching us.

May we all find the light of Christ and bring it into our own lives. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Here is a wonderful, touching music video about the light of the world. (FYI one of the singers was in our church when we lived in TN)

https://youtu.be/H8TmboM4rWY

Love

Love is something we can all have more of in the world today. True love is action and not just words.

We show our love to God by loving others around us and becoming more like Jesus Christ; who was the ultimate teacher and exemplar of true love.

Let’s all try and show extra love for someone this week! Here are some great quotes on love!

“For what we love determines what we seek. What we seek determines what we think and do. What we think and do determines who we are—and who we will become.” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf Oct 2009)

“Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 22:37-39, Bible)

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.” (Moroni 7:48, Book of Mormon)

Love is not just a noun, but is a verb–a word of action. The best way to show our love for others is to do something for them. It may be as easy as a smile or a prayer, or may mean service.

“True love blooms when we care more about another person than we care about ourselves.” – Jeffrey R. Holland BYU speeches Feb 15, 2020

May love fill our hearts and may we look for ways to show that love for others each and every day.

A Child

My one year old grand-daughter is walking all over the place now…but she still falls, or stumbles, or walks unsteady at times.

But don’t we all?

We fall into sin or trouble, or stumble with a trial, or don’t quite know our way through life.

But each time she falls she gets right back up, just like it’s a normal thing to fall every once in a while.

As we grow older we forget that sometimes; and when we fall we stay down, get depressed, or question life.

Christ taught us the following: “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3-4)

Let us all remember to humble ourselves as we turn to our Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ for help and strength during difficult times. We CAN do all things through them. Even get back up each time we fall.

Sunshine

The sun is always shining, it’s just sometimes there are clouds in the way.

For the last 5 days or so Salem has been foggy and overcast so today Melissa and I decided to drive to the coast in the afternoon after church. After about 30 minutes the fog began to lessen, and another 30 minutes the sunshine started to be more prominent than the clouds, and then soon there was blue sky and abundant sunshine.

At the coast (Pacific City) we enjoyed bright sunshine with a slight breeze, and wonderful ocean air as we enjoyed the creations of God.

In life many times we may also feel that we are socked in under clouds and fog. This could be loneliness, loss of a job, family struggles, or just weighed down by the rigors and responsibilities of life–but we need to remember that God and Christ are always there.

And as we work through our difficult times, little by little the fog around us can lift until we once again find the bright sunlight of joy and peace in our life.

God is always there, but sometimes we need to push through the trials of life to feel him more abundantly.