The Law of the Fast

This is my limited interpretation of the amazing talk Jen gave in Sacrament meeting on Sunday on the Law of the Fast. I wish you all could have been there! She said it so beautifully.

Before you read on, I would suggest you read Isaiah 58!

“…they seek me daily…”

“…and delight to know my ways…”

“…delight in approaching God."

"Wherefore have we fasted." 

From these scriptures, we can conclude that the children of Israel at this time were consistent in participating with the spiritual rituals of scripture study, prayer, and fasting.

And yet the Lord sends His servant to show His children their transgression- they have not appropriately been keeping the law of the fast. 

When they fast, they...

-take pleasure in their own interests and activities instead of doing the Lord's will

-are not kind to others and end up quarreling

-fast without spiritual motivation, which causes discomfort and irritability

The Lord then reveals the type of fast that He has chosen. A fast that...

 -Loosens the bands of wickedness: Jen stated that this sounds like a process, rather than an immediate release from our sins. 

Elder Worthlin:

“Fasting and prayer can help develop within us courage and confidence. It can strengthen our character and build self-restraint and discipline. Often when we fast, our righteous prayers and petitions have greater power. Testimonies grow. We mature spiritually and emotionally and sanctify our souls. Each time we fast, we gain a little more control over our worldly appetites and passions.”

 -Releases ourselves and other from heavy burdens, and lets the oppressed go free: Jen gave the following definition of oppression- "The feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions or people, and anxiety." She stated that we all have probably experiences these feelings before and suggested that we are not only to release others from their heavy load, but to enjoy the fast as a way to help free us from our own yoke.

Helaman 3:34-35:
“And they were lifted up in pride, even to the persecution of many of their brethren. Now this was a great evil, which did cause the more humble part of the people to suffer great persecutions, and to wade through much affliction. Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling theirs souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts to God.”

-Encourages us to feed the hungry and clothe the naked: Part of the law of the fast is paying a generous fast offering.

Elder Worthlin:

“When we fast, brethren and sisters, we feel hunger. And for a short time, we literally put ourselves in the position of the hungry and the needy. As we do so, we have greater understanding of the deprivations they might feel. When we give to the bishop an offering to relieve the suffering of others, we not only do something sublime for others, but we do something wonderful for ourselves as well. King Benjamin taught that as we give of our substance to the poor, we retain “a remission of [our] sins from day to day.”

-Involves spending time with family

These are the blessings that the Lord promises to those who fast in His way, rather than just as a monthly habit:

-You and your life will be full of light

-You will have better health

-It will be accounted unto you as righteousness

-The Lord will be with and protect you continuously

-You will receive answers to your prayers

-Your soul will be satisfied, even in times of trouble

-Your posterity will be blessed

I can do cute things

"I can do cute things." Sheri Dew 

Okay, so maybe the original quote was "I can do hard things" but to me cute and hard are often one in the same.

I just wanted to share my realization that it is 1) possible to create something from nothing, and 2) that confectioners sugar is not required to make frosting. I know, did that totally blow your mind? 

So I realized it was a friend's birthday today and I had nothing in the house to give to or make for her.... And I definitely wasn't going to go back out and go to the store. So I did what anyone would do at 4th down and 1.... I punted. (Right dad?) 

I found a snack size sugar cookie packet from my wedding in the back of the cupboard- you know, the ones that taste pretty gross- and was relieved when I discovered it did not require eggs. 

Here are some fun facts: 

Did you know that Dr. Seuss glasses do not make very good rolling pins? 

Did you also realize that sugar cookie dough from the packet sticks to the counter no matter how much flour you use? 

Did you know that small stars are the ONLY shapes that keep their shape even though you have already planned out a spring cookie theme in your mind? 

And do you know how frustrating it is to realize you don't have powdered sugar until AFTER you've already made those useless little star cookies? 

So here it is... A frosting recipe that you can use when you have no powdered sugar... And it actually tastes pretty dang good (if you can get over the sugar grain texture). 

INGREDIENTS: * 2 tablespoons flour * 3/4 cup milk * 3/4 cup butter * 3/4 cup sugar * 1/8 teaspoon salt * 1 teaspoon vanilla (I used almond of course)

 PREPARATION: In a saucepan add a small amount of the milk to flour then stir to make a smooth paste. Add remaining milk. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Cool. Cream butter using medium speed of electric mixer. Gradually add sugar and salt; beat well. Add cooled milk mixture. Beat until light and fluffy; add vanilla. Frosts a two layer cake.

And now for the miracle:

...... Cookies that were both taste and somewhat look-worthy of being given to a friend for her birthday! All made from random things I found in the back of various cupboards. 

See.... I CAN do hard/cute things! 

Guard the Inner Eye

 

'Welcome to Divination,' said Professor Trelawney, who had seated herself in a 

winged armchair in front of the fire. 'My name is Professor Trelawney. 

You may not have seen me before. I find that descending too often into the 

hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye.'

-Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban

 

So my mother is well-known for her consistent use of the phrases "Bless your heart" and "Oh my stars." But when difficult decisions were at hand, it was time to employ a special phrase: "Oh, I wish I had a crystal ball." Can you imagine, my mother, the clairvoyant? Washing away the peanut butter and jelly on our palms so she could read our future... checking the dregs at the bottom of our cereal bowls to see what the day had in store... reading our Go Fish cards to warn us of impending danger... 

Actually, as silly as psychic powers may seem, when you look at the root meaning of the word 'clairvoyant,' there's really nothing silly or shady about it. In French, the word 'clair' simply means 'clear' and the word 'voyant' means 'seeing.' The ability to see things clearly actually sounds like a pretty awesome gift to have. And luckily, it's available to each of us- regardless of how well we communicate with immaterial material or how in tune we are with the telekinetic energy within. 

The human eye is a pretty awesome invention. Basically, the process of seeing goes something like this... Light enters the eye through the cornea- the clear covering on your eye that protects it from foreign particles. Behind the cornea lies the iris. The iris constricts and relaxes, determining how much light will enter into the pupil at any given time. The light then passes through to the lens. The sole function of the lens is to then focus the light rays onto the retina.The retina functions like the film in a camera and then sends messages to the optic nerve so that our brain can interpret and respond to what it is we are seeing. 

To significantly over-simplify: 

Anatomy of the human eye: 

LIGHT --> LENS -->RETINA --> OPTIC NERVE

Process: LIGHT --> FOCUS --> PERCEPTION

In terms of spiritual vision, Jesus is the Light of the World after which we are to seek. As we focus upon Jesus Christ, we will perceive truth. Line upon line, our vision will be expanded. 

But just as there are physical conditions that may prevent someone from being able to physically see, we must also be aware of the potential for spiritual blindness.

Closed eyes: The simplest and most easily reversed condition causing temporary blindness is called closed-eyes-itis. This is caused when someone becomes so inflamed with fear, pride, or casualness that they either forget or refuse to simply open their eyes. Matthew 13:15: "Their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."

Blindness: There are various diseases, defects, or injuries that can cause physical blindness. For those who are fortunate enough to bypass these physical complications, Satan loves to tempt them to use their seeing eyes to watch inappropriate movies, to scan through vain magazines, to fill our minds with words from books while neglecting to ever read His words. Through misuse of our eyes, we may eventually cause spiritual blindness and find it difficult to perceive spiritual things.

Near-Sightedness: I'm not technically blind, but without my contacts, I may as well be. I am considered near-sighted, so when I choose not to wear my contacts, I am capable only of seeing things right in front of me. When we take our focus off of the Savior, how easy it is to lose sight of our eternal perspective. 

Cataracts: A cataract is a cloudy lens that must be removed in order to restore sight. Unless we cling relentlessly to the rod of iron, it will be easy to lose our way in today's mists of darkness. 

So how do we avoid or overcome spiritual blindness? There is only one Way.

In John Chapter 9, Jesus comes across a man who had been blind since his birth. Jesus then "spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle" and anointed the eyes of the blind man (vs. 6). The lesson to be learned was not that spit, mud, and water heal blindness, but rather that spiritual perception follows focus on the Savior. The man was anointed, washed, and was then obedient. This is what leads to spiritual healing and spiritual sight.  

 Mark 10:51-52:  

"And Jesus answered and said unto him, 

What wilt thou that I should do for thee? The blind man said unto him, 

Lord, that I might receive my sight. 

And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole. 

And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the Way."

"Lots" of Lessons

Two things I want never to forget when I think of Lot and his wife: 

1) The direction in which you pitch your tent really does matter. 

I am impressed by Lot's ability to still make righteous choices despite his conscious decision to face his tent door directly towards the terribly wicked city of Sodom. Living righteously in a wicked world is no doubt an achievement worthy of mention. However, did Lot realize the spiritual limits that he had placed on himself when he set his sights partially on Sodom instead of having his "eye single to the glory of God?" Did this short sightedness prevent him from seeing the effects that raising his children in this state would have in later years? 

In Ezekiel 16, it is revealed that Sodom was not only plagued by immorality (as is so clearly stated in Genesis), but also by "pride, fulness of bread, and [an] abundance of idleness (vs. 49)." Sounds to me like they had plenty of money, an abundance of food, and that they wasted a lot of time seeking pleasure instead of serving others. Wait... is this scripture about the people of Sodom, or about current day America? When I read this verse written thousands of years ago, I feel I may as well be reading the headlines in today's newspaper.

We learn when reading in 2 Peter Chapter 2 that despite Lot's description as a "just" man, his choice to live in Sodom forced him to be constantly "vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked" (vs. 7). Lot may have thought himself strong enough... are we not, after all, to shine as lights upon a hill to those who are struggling? To be in the world, but not of the world? I think it's interesting to note that Abraham, although also surrounded by wicked cities, consciously pitched his tent towards Beth-el ("the house of God"). The Lord knew Lot's tent door placement could prove to be his Achilles heel were he not given a dramatic opportunity to choose a better path, so the Lord sent a messenger to warn Lot of impending destruction. Note that when Lot was commanded by God's messengers to "escape to the mountain" (also a symbol often used in the scriptures to represent the House of God, the temple, a place that provides perspective) (Genesis 19:17), the messenger did not say "so you can be saved from physical destruction," although certainly this would be part of the blessing coming from obedience. The messenger told them to go to the mountain  "lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city" (vs. 15). So the real danger Lot was in was the potential he had for becoming "consumed" in the things of the world instead of allowing himself to be filled by the things of God. 

Here is where we see one of the major differences between the righteous Lot and the valiant Abraham. When commanded to sacrifice his son, Abraham surely grieved, but did not hesitate to obey God's commands. He trusted in God's promises and perspective and recognized his own human limitations when it came to the eternal scheme of things. Lot, however, when commanded to flee to the mountain with his family, hesitates. From the mouth of this righteous man come the words, "Please God, I recognize that you have been very good to me and am grateful that you have saved my life..." only to be followed by this admission of spiritual weakness: "But... please don't make me take my family to the mountain. Please let us stay here in this small city instead." 

For whatever reason, he just couldn't go that far. Is it possible he was tired? His life had been full of trials- the premature death of his father, the contentious separation from a beloved uncle, the worry that he must have felt trying to constantly protect not only his visitors, but his daughters from the vulgar and violent nature of his own neighbors... not to mention the recent revelation that his home, property, and all he had ever worked for was about the be destroyed. Perhaps he less worried about himself than he was about the condition of his wife, who I'm sure had expressed her own doubts and fears ever prior to her infamous "turning back." Could her faith, weakened by such devastating and impending losses, remain strong enough to carry her to the mountain? Or would that push her too far? Both Lot and his wife were painfully aware that their children and grandchildren were back in Sodom. How could they bear to travel any further without them? Maybe if they could just stay close. Was there a chance their married children would change their minds and join them before the city was destroyed? 

Were their hearts heavy with the realization that had they pitched their tent another direction years ago, that perhaps those children would never have chosen to stay behind in the first place? 

Lesson one from Lot and his wife: It matters in which direction you pitch your tent, so pitch it towards the temple.

2) Remember Lot's wife... and do so with compassion

In so many articles, Lot's wife is criticized for her selfish desires, her worldly obsessions, her willingness to give up everything just for a little look. But we sum up this poor woman's character based on only a handful of words ever spoken of her: "But his wife looked back... and she became a pillar of salt" (Genesis 19:26). To be honest, I think we've dealt with Lot's wife quite unjustly. Knowing that she was the wife of a righteous man, that she surely had close associations with the prophet Abraham, that she had more than likely participated in the religious ceremonies associated with her husband's calling in the Priesthood, and most of all that she was not only a woman, but a mother, should tell us a great deal about the more admirable characteristics she could have possessed. Is it not possible that Lot's wife may have cared little for her nice dining set or her fancy robes, but that her heart may have been absolutely torn by the reality that she would never she several of her children and grandchildren again? Isn't it the nature of a woman to feel responsible for the saving of her children and the protection of her grandchildren? Like a chicken with hens, would she not likely have been willing to sacrifice her own life in an attempt for one last pleading conversation, for the chance that she might be able to protect her innocent grandchildren from any devastating blows? 

Knowing this is a very likely possibility, I believe we need to remember Lot's wife with compassion. 

However, the Savior still did say "Remember Lot's wife" not only as a eulogy, but as a warning. I believe the details of Lot's wife's character may have been left out intentionally, so as to not take away from the truth of the situation. That is, that obedience is greater than sacrifice, that faith in the Lord's plan for you and your children is essential to the commandment to lose your life in this one, so you can find your life in the next. In direct contrast, the Bible then tells the story of Abraham and the Lord's commandment to sacrifice his son. Would this not produce similar feelings to those of Lot's wife? Devastation, confusion at the Lord's request, a desire to bargain for just a little more time, the temptation to question to Lord's promises regarding eternal families despite our testimony that the Lord has never once not kept a promise before. Yet, Abraham did not hesitate like Lot and he did not turn back like Lot's wife. He was determined that despite a depth of grief beyond description, that the Lord would keep His promises, and that perfect obedience to the Lord's commandments is what would save him and his house. Elder Holland states in this way, "So a more theological way to talk about Lot’s wife is to say that she did not have faith. She doubted the Lord’s ability to give her something better than she already had. Apparently, she thought that nothing that lay ahead could possibly be as good as what she was leaving behind." And is that not understandable?? And yet, the commandment and the promise are still the same: If you are obedient, you will be blessed beyond measure. The challenge of mortality then is to see if we will choose to be obedient, no matter the cost. Are we willing to give some things so we can receive everything?

When life stinks...

Chad came home the other day all excited to share an insight from his first week of replacing music with listening to the Book of Mormon on CD. Here it is.... from the mouth of a "babe" --

The Allegory of the Olive Tree tells the story of a man who cared very much for his vineyard. Part of taking care of the olive trees involved a great deal of pruning, digging about, nourishing, and of course "dunging." Ready for the awesome insight revealed to Chad?

Sometimes God throws crap at us, but only to help us grow.

Ah, how I love that man :)

Of Pickles & Paper Cuts

 

So in Alma 37 verse 6 it says: "I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass..."  

This scripture is so true... and this is how I know:

Because of pickles and paper cuts. 

I probably should explain... Pickles and paper cuts happen to have something in common- they are both very small and simple things! And because of God's goodness, He has used these small and simple things to teach me great lessons at different points in my mortal life. 

Lesson Number One: Paper Cuts Hurt... but who cares?

Let's just say that High School was not necessarily the epitome of a great time for me. Don't get me wrong- I learned a lot... Like which hallways to avoid if watching excessive public displays of affection makes you blush... or how important it is that you close your mouth while passing Jock Jr. at his locker lest you get a mouthful of bad cologne... or that, if you want to get to class on time, it's necessary to dress down for P.E. twice as fast as everyone else when you choose to wait in line for a bathroom stall instead of just horrifyingly stripping down in front of every one else in the locker room. Good times. 

One day, I was having what I thought was a particularly challenging day. Of course I no longer remember the details, but knowing myself, I must have gotten an A- on a test, been passed by without even a glance from the hottie of a 10th grader I had my eye on, and been humiliated by having walked into English class while the bell was ringing knowing fully well everyone must have been looking right at me and judging me for being late. I remember retreating to my locker between classes and silently saying a 16-year-old's version of a prayer of desperation. I remember telling Heavenly Father I just didn't think I could handle one more thing and would He please help me... and then, as He always does, He did.  Not even an entire second had passed after I finished saying those words when SLICE. Paper cut. Seriously? Had I not clearly expressed how my day had been horrific? Maybe God needed a little more information so he could more appropriately answer my prayer...

And then I started to laugh. A paper cut- a very small and simple thing- is all it took to wake me up to the reality of the very temporary nature of my high school drama. I had allowed myself to become burdened and bothered by things that from my current perspective now seem so irrelevant and insignificant. Yes, our temporary struggles in life may sting, but only for a moment, and we are promised that if we maintain eternal perspective and endure well, we will triumph over all of our challenges and one day be exalted.

Although I no longer worry about grades (thank heavens!), boys (I found my hottie), or being on time (yes, despite what you make think, I actually used to be very concerned about this) I still do find myself getting caught up with the temporary and insignificant things that come with being an adult woman- keeping my house clean, stressing about making my neighbor Christmas gifts as crafty and cute as the one Mrs. Jones brought last year, or excessively worrying about whether my earrings really do match the pants and the shoes I happen to be wearing that day. But if I take time to be quiet and say a simple prayer, Heavenly Father lovingly reminds me that mortal troubles are nothing more than a paper cut in the eternal scheme of things.

Lesson Number Two: Spicy Pickles are like Sin!

When I was in college, my mom introduced me to one of the greatest food inventions ever created- the spicy dill pickle. I remember the first time I tried one of those delectable pickles. Wow! What could possibly be better than a "vegetable" that has achieved the perfection of being both sour and spicy? I was in heaven.

Well, I was- until about 30 minutes later. Although my taste buds had become instant fans of this new flavor, my stomach had decided that spicy pickles were unacceptable. I remember writhing in pain, thinking to myself, "I will never, NEVER eat those again!" 

But stomach pain passes and life goes on. And then came that fateful day when I again noticed the lonely pickle jar sitting in the fridge. I suddenly remembered how awesome they had tasted and convinced myself that the accompanying pain I'd experienced may have just been coincidence... so I figured it would be okay to try them again. 

Wanna know what happened exactly 30 minutes later? Yeah, you guessed it. Pain writhing. Again. 

The saddest part of the story: I repeated this insane act at least 3 or 4 more times before I decided something had to change... and I threw that horrible pickle jar away!!

How many times in life have I felt the consequences of making stupid choices and told myself, "I will never ever do that again." But how many times have I foolishly gone right back? From the small and simple thing called a pickle, I've learned this great lesson: The true battle against sin begins not only when you decide to stop, but when you actually throw those darn sin-associated opportunities in the freakin' trash.

Our new addition

The Hotel de Ticklegrass has a new boarder. Check out the picture below to see just one reason for why I already love having him here ;)

I make dinner... the boys do the dishes. I'm loving this arrangement already!

Spiritual Gardening

In Relief Society today, I had the privilege of teaching the lesson in which we compared the efforts required in gardening to cultivating the virtue of hope. Chad and I feel very blessed because we were then able to teach a Temple Preparation lesson on symbolism to a couple who is going to be sealed to their family later this month. It's amazing to us how much God can teach us about eternal truths through our simple daily associations with common things. I thought maybe I would post the 9 S's of Successful Gardening for anyone who wants to study and ponder more on how cultivating a garden can teach us how to grow our family relationships, cultivate our testimonies, plant seeds of faith, etc.

The 9’s S’s of growing a Successful Garden (according to Rachel, whose thumbs are far from green!)

1-      Site: To avoid neglect, plant your garden somewhere you will pass each day. If it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind! 
2-      Soil: First, till the earth. Loosening the soil allows water to soak in! Next, build it up! A raised garden bed is much easier to work with. 
3-      Secure: Before you plant, place a fence around your garden to keep out any animals. Be sure to watch for signs that any pests have made their way into your garden and take care of the invasion immediately. 
4-      Sow: Plant only seeds that you are willing to harvest. When nourished properly, seeds always grow into the plant they were intended to be. 
5-      Sun: Be sure to allow your garden at least 6 hours a day of direct sunlight. 
6-      Saturate: Water your garden, but do not let it drown! Over-watering can lead to plants with shallow root systems. Encourage roots to grow deeply so that they can find water on their own! 
7-      Supplement: It’s important to fertilize your garden regularly- even if it stinks! Compost gets the plants the nutrients they need and mulch helps keep weeds out and water in. 
8-      Stick it out: Although watering, weeding, and fertilizing may become mundane, it is essential that you continue with the small daily tasks in order that your garden may reach its full potential. 
9-      Share: Harvest time will come! And when it does, sharing the “fruits of your labors” with those you love will make all of your efforts worth the work.