Monday, July 28, 2014

Reflections

As I sit down to write tonight's blog post, I have a lot of jumbled reflections on the day. I usually try to zone in on one and center it as my post, even if I connect it to others, but I'm not sure I can do that tonight.

I'm just so excited I'm finally caught up! What I am writing tonight will be posted tonight!

Which reminds me that blogging everyday does, at times, feel like a chore. But it is one I'm grateful for. I'm grateful I've been able to reflect on every day of this past year. I love that I have a record of my family's happenings and my children's growth. I love that I am able to put my religious insights into writing more often than I did before. And I think my political posts have remained about the same in number, that's probably good.

I feel more gratitude, even while I feel more burdened. Burdened by the chore of coming up with something to say for each day of the year. But, as Elder Eyring teaches us about journaling, grateful for the opportunities to see the hand of the Lord in my day to day happenings.

There are still so many things in regards to my study on the Abrahamic covenant and it's relation to Islam that I want to share. Today marks the end of the Ramadan, and I'm so grateful that over the course of the last few days I've been able to learn even more about a religion I admire. Modern revelation tells us that Muhammed is a direct descendant of Abraham and he was enlightened by God.

In 1978 The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints gave a statement titled "God's Love for Mankind." In it they claim, "The great religious leaders of the world such as Mohammed, Confucius, and the Reformers, as well as philosophers including Socrates, Plato and others, received a portion of God's light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals."

How amazing! What a wonderful message for Church members to embrace. God does call Prophets to lead His Church. He gives them authority to lead and bless His children. But He has also enlightened others and taught them moral truths that have blessed nations. My mind immediately went to men like Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, and others -- who clearly were inspired by God to do a great work amongst His children. Anyone, with or without the Gospel, has the power to draw closer to God and to gain His guidance, for the improvement of their lives as well as others.

The stretch of Islam has blessed nations. It's improvements to Math and Medicine are the foundation of Western Civilization as we know it, but so few people realize and recognize that influence.

Some of the other wonderful insights I gained while studying the Abrahamic covenant are that God's covenant with Abraham is available to all of us through the Temple. We are all blessed by it as Abraham's seed, but the same promises given to Abraham can be given to us through the miracle of temple ordinances that have been restored in the last days.

Today I was also reminded to choose the better part, which is ironic because I rushed over my experience as Mary of Bethany so that I could be caught up as of today. In my rush to catch up on my blog writing, make freezer meals, do the laundry, and clean the kitchen, I left my children alone to play together. Which is fine, they had fun together. But after so many hours of TV and each other they were both desperate for me. Id' been home and caring for them all day, but I hadn't been playing with them.

The things I was doing were not bad. They were good things that needed to be done. But they aren't things that last forever. Once I was finally able to sit down and really give Reid the time he needed, my heart just melted. He was so darn cute. We were building an airport out of Legos and he just had so much to say. His excitement that Mommy was finally playing with him (aka sitting in the play room doing nothing but listening to him) was bursting out of his body. It was a great reminder of what really matters. 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great post sis.

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