So much to learn!

This is always a good day to put into writing spiritual things that are passing through my mind that I do not mind sharing publicly on a blog. However, I do have a place that I put down in a journal that speaks of things of a sacred nature, or one of private matters that only I should see. Just as I am sure you do too. I have risked my deepest feelings with some of you, that mean't I trusted you fully, but to my dismay I have found some to lack maturity in what I shared with them. So then I learn a great lesson over again on not throwing "pearls before swine". So be very careful as to whom you share things with.

So I have been studying the Savior's parables in the New Testament. They really do strengthen me and help me with the pattern of life, the ups and downs. They help me know how "to be" or letting others "just be" as they learn their own lessons in life.

I do believe in the principle of "endurance". I do believe that in the lessons of life, have much growth and learning in them that make us who we are. Often, it is difficult to see until you have gone through those hiccups or bumps in the road. I do believe I am a very happy person and a charitable one at that, I do understand that life will not all be roses, but rather ups and downs only to be experienced to become the Priests and Priestesses to our Father in Heaven. A pretty heavy doctrine. But yet so simple. I do love my family with all my heart! Every one of them has taught me some insights to fill in the puzzle. And now, with grandchildren, this is to be the most wonderful and joyful time in life through them. I believe we all deserve a piece of that joy. God gave them to me, as part of my family, for my growth and blessings. For that I am so grateful to Him, as those children and my children, though given to me to raise are not really mine, they are His. So I must be ever so careful and grateful.

So in my study of the Sermon on the Plain in the New Testament, this is what have pondered on: Luke6:20-30
1. Blessed on us who are poor in spirituality and who repent, we can obtain celestial glory.
2. Blessed are we that hunger for personal righteousness right now, for we will be filled with the Holy Ghost. And blessed are we that weep for our mistakes and sins and then repent for later we will rejoice.
3. Blessed are we when someone hates us, because we are doing what is right, and they reject you and insult or criticize you and ruin your reputation for the Savior's sake. There are those who do hate me. That is very hard to swallow, but I do know it's their problem.
4. But be happy when such things happen to you, because it will all be worth it in heaven when you get there.
5. He says woe, which is a very bad thing for Him to say, but he says woe to you that are full or those that don't think they need the gospel and laugh at righteous people and the gospel, for you shall weep later in this life or in the next.
6. He says to pay attention to his teachings, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, bless them that curse you and pray for them that abuse you.
7. And when someone hits you on one cheek offer the other. It is better to offer the other, than to revile again. It is better to suffer thine enemy to take things away from you than to contend with him. Your Father in Heaven who seeth in secret, shall bring those who do this to judgement.
8. The major message is really this: is that we must developo self control, character strength, to the point that our personalities and dispositions are not dependent upon how others are treating us.

For really if we love only those who love us what reward do we have? Or if we lend to them whom we hope to recieve it is the same as the those who doing bad things.

Now, here is something that is so helpful in the scriptures that is most often misinterpreted.

Judge not unrighteously, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not and ye shall not be condemned; forgive and ye shall be forgiven. This means that we do not judge people as to where they are going to go, that is left to God, AND we also cannot hope they don't get a second chance. It does not say we cannot make judgements every day that will protect us or our families from the things of this world which are not good for us, or those who are not good for us by their lifestyle.

I love the parables as they are a story designed to teach a specific point, all of which I need to do better. I love the fact that as an imperfect being, I am allowed space to learn and to grow, but I also can hinder some one elses' growth by how I treat them. But Christ says, the true feelings and attitudes of our heart show up in the things we say about others. Luke 6:45 I can honestly say, I really want to be more like Him! It wasn't meant to be easy, but He did promise it would, in the end be worth it. Keep hanging in there. Face the future with confidence that all will work out and that no matter how others treat us, if we symbolically build life upon Christ and His teachings, we will not be destroyed by life's troubles or by the stingy acts of others. Pretty heady stuff, we are asked to do. But I believe we can do it.