Happy Birthday, Finnie

   I have been remembering my visit to welcome  you to the world, little Finnie, I can't believe you are a year old.

    I did like holding you and feeling the peace you you emanated when you were snoozing.

    Now you are toddling around with your brother and sister, just one of the guys.

    Your Mom and Dad love you and that means you will get through life with their support.

Happy Birthday, baby boy.

What Can the Zoo Teach Us?

   Yesterday was my first visit to the Zoo this year. I buy a membership and then I can take all the Grandkids many times during the year. The Music Man's kids were the first to go. It was the first visit for my Moonbeam. She wanted to see tigers but was unprepared when he walked right up to the window and looked into her eyes.

    Going to the zoo often allows me to learn more about wild animals and the part man plays in their protection. Snow Leopards are rare and very difficult to track and photograph in the wild. There are two new cubs in residence. We watched as they played with the keepers, learning to pounce and jump.

    It was not all about cats, we watched many adventures in the aquarium. This was a handy place to go to when it rains. Sharks are fed at 11:00am and they dine fine. They get better seafood for lunch than I ever get going out to eat. I was transfixed with the many colors.

    The next day I was still thinking wildlife and I had a lesson to prepare from the Book of Ezekiel.  I noticed how this prophet was asked to use everyday objects to teach the Jews what God desired of them while exiled in Babylon. To get started I gave my early morning guests some stickers and asked them to create a gospel parable. Here are their creations:

    The laws of the jungle are not the ways of God. His thoughts are higher and you have to seek after him to live on higher ground. (Isaiah 55)

    Don't jump from the safety of your family den to hang out with just anybody. Choose who you will serve and keep your promises. (Joshua 24)

   My Sophomore said this was the most fun day at seminary. Hmm...should I teach arts and crafts?

Increase in Learning

I have not reviewed many books on my blog but every once in a while I find a book which has changed my thinking and has helped me move on in my mortal experience. Such is the book "Increase in Learning" by David A. Bednar. This book started me off on a new reading of the Book of Mormon last Fall. To respond to Elder Bednar's challenge to look for the strengthening power of the atonement in my reading I have found many more evidences of that power.

Elder Bednar was hesitant to write this book because he felt this type of learning could not be taught from a book. This increase of learning really comes through the Holy Ghost so reading about it might give knowledge but the Holy Ghost would be the one to teach the heart. So the writer and editors came up with a new way to present the book. Elder Bednar asks his readers many questions which they may answer in the extra large margins on the side. Accompanying the book is a CD which has a classroom of Young Adults discussing this book with Elder Bednar. They ask him questions about his writing and he masterfully leads them to answering the questions themselves. These video clips are powerful. My favorite is a clip with Elder and Sister Bednar being interviewed by Sheri Dew, the CEO of Deseret Book Co. From that clip I learned something I have struggled to understand for years. The brethren of the church have been admonishing us to look for Doctrine, Principles and then apply them in our lives. I have been trying to understand how to distinguish them apart. This task has been frustrating. Being unwise, I have even tried to teach this to my students. Well, guess what? Doctrine, Principles, and Application cannot fit into a nice clean box.

They actually intersect and sometimes are interchangeable. What is commonly an application like, go out and serve your neighbor can be a doctrinal truth as is taught in Joshua 24. In the church we teach application with a fervor because we want to increase righteous behavior. But without the correct doctrine the applications turn into a list of to-dos. If you have struggled with more dynamic learning and teaching, I recommend this book. The E-Reader format has the videos embedded and come along as you read each section. Below is another brief description of this book.

Book of Mormon Sunday II- Helaman 1-7

      The book of Helaman portrays the people of Nephi dwindling in the strength of the Atonement. Due to their hearts turned away from God, they are limited to their own strength.
  Helaman  4::12 "And it was because of the pride of their hearts, because of their exceeding riches, yea, it was because of their oppression to the poor, withholding their food from the hungry, withholding their clothing from the naked, and smiting their humble brethren upon the cheek, making a mock of that which was sacred, denying the spirit of prophecy and of revelation, murdering, plundering, lying, stealing, committing adultery, rising up in great contentions, and deserting away into the land of Nephi, among the Lamanites -- And because of this their great wickedness, and their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and smitten, and driven, before the Lamanites, until they had lost possession of almost all their lands."

  Without the grace of God, these people are left only with mortal strength which consists of might, cunning, deceit, and intellect.
    Helaman 4:26 "For behold, they saw that the strength of the Lamanites was as great as their strength, even man for man. And thus had they fallen into this great transgression; yea, thus had they become weak, because of their transgression, in the space of not many years."
  This was the spiritual condition that set the stage for the missionary work that Nephi and Lehi would do. As other leaders before them, these men left their administrative roles and went to teach individuals. And Lamanites, to boot.
 Helaman 5:18 "And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did preach unto the Lamanites with such great power and authority, for they had power and authority given unto them that they might speak, and they also had what they should speak given unto them --"
  Another great opportunity arises for the Lamanites to repent and come unto Christ and some of them have the sacred experience of seeing strength of the atonement come to the aid of Nephi and Lehi.
    Helaman 5;37 "And it came to pass that this man did cry unto the multitude, that they might turn and look. And behold, there was power given unto them that they did turn and look; and they did behold the faces of Nephi and Lehi."

   Take note that these Lamanites received power to see the physical miracle that comes over these missionaries. They see the fire of the spirit overcome the physical fire which threatened their lives.
    Helaman 5:45 "And behold, the Holy Spirit of God did come down from heaven, and did enter into their hearts, and they were filled as if with fire, and they could speak forth marvelous words. And it came to pass that there came a voice unto them, yea, a pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying: Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world. And now, when they heard this they cast up their eyes as if to behold from whence the voice came; and behold, they saw the heavens open; and angels came down out of heaven and ministered unto them."
  Unfortunately, the Nephites did not see these miracles due to their pride and wickedness.          Helaman 7:23 "For behold, thus saith the Lord: I will not show unto the wicked of my strength, to one more than the other, save it be unto those who repent of their sins, and hearken unto my words. Now therefore, I would that ye should behold, my brethren, that it shall be better for the Lamanites than for you except ye shall repent."
  The Nephites are alone again in their own strength. They have only their  plotting, coercion, and intrigue as tools to overcome their enemies. It takes faith in Jesus Christ to see the strength of his grace. Without faith the idea to lean upon God seems foolhardy when the need for power is essential. I long to be alive to that strength and to plead for it in my daily life. 

Scaling Down

   I have been spending some time on this implement lately. I have been overweight most of my life.

 

This post is not going to be pretty so if you are bored by weight loss discussions or squeamish about people talking about shame and fear, close the page now. 

If you are still here then it is true, I am going to explore the words shame and fear. After all my blog is called "Back On The Floor Again" and when it comes to weight loss I am starting over and exploring why I am in the same place, again and again. Let me start with some definitions. 

"Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging."

Brown, Brene (2010-09-20). The Gifts of Imperfection 

Shame is attached to my being overweight and it raises it's ugly head whenever I start on the path to losing weight. Fear of failure is shame's best friend and together these emotions make my process precarious, to say the least. I am presently at the end of week 3 and have lost 6 pounds which is evident in the way my clothes fit and I am allowing myself a glimpse of joy. I believe in order to fight shame and fear I need to embrace three C's:

Courage

Compassion

Connection

Today is an attempt to have the courage to be truthful about my need to loose weight to help my body be more effective. I do honor my body more than ever before. My yoga practice has enabled me to live in my present body and listen to it's needs. Now it is time to lift the burden it carries. 

While in Arizona this February I watched an episode of "The Biggest Loser".  I scoffed and made negative remarks about the commercialism of people's struggles but then I gave some place to the courage these individuals exhibited. I was impressed. To aid my staying "real"my friend and business partner kept suggesting an app to record my eating for each day. I resisted many weeks but now I see the benefit of knowing when I need to stop eating and stay within my calorie limits. My goal is not to be thin but moderately slim, 30 pounds to be exact, and I have a long way to go. Now I have recorded my story and it will be sent out to be shared. Shame does not like being exposed.

"Shame hates it when we reach out and tell our story. It hates having words wrapped around it—it can’t survive being shared. Shame loves secrecy. The most dangerous thing to do after a shaming experience is hide or bury our story. When we bury our story, the shame metastasizes. I remember saying out loud: “I need to talk to someone RIGHT NOW. Be brave, Brené!”

Brown, Brene (2010-09-20). The Gifts of Imperfection 

Be Brave and go forward, you are worthy.

A True Definition of Courage

   Two days ago I witnessed some true courage. "Courage originally meant “To speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart.” Over time, this definition has changed, and, today, courage is more synonymous with being heroic. Heroics is important and we certainly need heroes, but I think we’ve lost touch with the idea that speaking honestly and openly about who we are, about what we’re feeling, and about our experiences (good and bad) is the definition of courage. Heroics is often about putting our life on the line. Ordinary courage is about putting our vulnerability on the line. In today’s world, that’s pretty extraordinary.1"

Brown, Brene (2010-09-20). The Gifts of Imperfection  Kindle Edition.

    My daughter-in-heart had a particularly bad day and with intense struggle she made the choice to join her children at the lunch table. She could have gone to bed all day since I was there to watch the kids, but she braved the pain and took her place at the head. Some friends dropped in unexpectedly. They were full of cheer with good news, bearing gifts from the garden. They asked how she was feeling and she spoke her mind with all her heart. It was a bad day. Her body was aching everywhere. She was holding on with just a silken cord of strength. When someone is really vulnerable in our presence we often feel uncomfortable because there is nothing we can do to shore up the breach of "confidence". We want people to be fine. That is why we run through the ritual of asking, "How are you?" But why do we always have to have a brave face when there is much in life that is frighteningly out of control? When someone shows this kind of courage I say we should take heart and meet that courage with our own. That may mean doing nothing but witnessing what the person really feels. We are not perfect and most of us have some really bad days.

Book of Mormon Sunday II- Alma 56-62

   It is time for me to look back at my list of ways we are strengthened through the atonement. The war chapters in Alma are heavy with action but interspersed are always testimonies of the strengthening from God.

Recap On the Strenghtening Power of the Atonement-

The Atonement of Jesus Christ gives:

Mighty power unto deliverance from physical and spiritual bondage

Physical and Spiritual Power to do God's will

Power to receive insight and revelation about things as they were and as they are, and as they will be.

Guidance to proceed through our trials

Ability to see God's love in our lives

Freedom to Act and Not be acted upon

Power to make us clean and sanctified
Hope in the future, for us, and for our ancestors, and our posterity

Power into our soul to combat anti-Christian philosophy
Remission of sins and power to be free of the guilt
Power to affect the spiritual lives of our ancestors and our posterity
Strength through his name which we take upon us
Strength to exceed the strength we apply to seeking and calling upon him
Power to the Holy Ghost to enter our open hearts and make a mighty change
Grace to enable men and women to come into alignment with Him
Deliverance from burdens, even those given by God himself
Strength to missionaries because of the goodness of God's people
Angels commissions to talk to mortals
Power to heal
Power to lift us, upon his name
Strength against our enemies in battle
Strength to keep covenants
Grace for Grace


   The list grows and I am only half way through the Book of Mormon. 
   In this scripture block Helaman is giving account of those valiant Stripling Soldiers who have amazing strength.

   Alma 56:56 "But behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them; and for this cause did the Lamanites deliver themselves up as prisoners of war."
   As Moroni and Helaman struggled with their armies to hold the Nephite cities, they diligently prayed to the Lord for strength and direction. They followed a pattern spoken of by Elder David Bednar. They sought for assurances that the Lord was with them, they went forth and acted in faith, then testified of the evidences of the strengthening power of the Lord in their lives.
  Alma 58:11 "Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him. And we did take courage with our small force which we had received, and were fixed with a determination to conquer our enemies, and to maintain our lands, and our possessions, and our wives, and our children, and the cause of our liberty. And thus we did go forth with all our might against the Lamanites,"