Tighten Up

Right now at our house is a little hectic. We are right in the middle of hay season so we are getting hay cut and baled and hauled just as fast as we can so we can get it in before the next rain storm. It has been pretty smooth until....the equipment breaks down and brings everything to a halt. It get it fixed takes a lot of time and work. This past week my dad and I were working on getting the baler fixed so that we can get it back on the road. The part that was broken required us to undo a whole bunch of other parts, taking them out and then once we get the drive line out and fixed putting it all back together. As we worked I was helping to screw a few pieces back in place. As I did an impression hit me. Sometimes in our lives we are "broken down." There are parts of our lives that have come unscrewed and keep us from living up fully to our potential. It is a painful place to be at because everything is not working properly. Those parts that have come unscrewed seem to shift our focus right to them, sometimes causing us to be a little discouraged; things that we know we should be doing but just don't seem to have time, or attributes that once we were ours that because of neglect we have lost. They keep us from progressing because we get so caught up in them. Can you think of one? I know that as this came I could think of a dozen that I needed to tighten up.

Now to switch gears a little bit. In Ether 12:27 the Lord tells us about the reason for these "loose screws" that we could also refer to as weaknesses. They are met to humble us, increase our faith, and help us to learn to rely on the Lord. In Doctrine and Covenants 121 He talks about adversity and afflictions giving us experience. I think that part of that experience is learning to recognize how to over come further challenges. Just like when we are screwing in a loose screw it might take a few times to find the right size or tool to get the job done. The best part about this is that there is someone who knows what tools we need and knows perfectly how to tighten up the loose screws. Because of the Atonement Jesus Christ knows how to over come anything that comes into our lives. Have you ever really sat and thought about that? He knows perfectly how to overcome because he already has. So what keeps us from going to him when we see that there are parts of our lives that might be a little unscrewed? I know that if we go to him with our concerns and with real intent pray to know what we need to do, or if we already do know what we need to do, pray that he will give strength and courage to do it. Then act in faith. I know for me one of those parts that needs to be tightened up is not sleeping too long in the morning. While it may not be a commandment I had recognized how much better I felt when I was productive earlier in the morning. At our house getting up early is the best time to get things done because it is cool outside, but it is the same way at night so we work late into the night and don't get a lot of sleep as a result. So mornings are hard for everyone. I know that as I have trusted in the Lord and asked for his support I have been able to tighten up that screw. 

Just like a broken down tractor it takes time and patience to get it back up and running. I know that there is someone who can help us each to know where we need to focus in order to function completely again. I would invite you to go to him in prayer and ask how and where you need to tighten up your screws, whether it be in scripture study or being on time too meetings, he will help you know. I can also promise that as you do a great peace of conscience will come to your mind. I know that Heavenly Father is not only concerned with our spiritual lives but with every part of our lives. He wants us to be the best we can be and He wants to help! 

Just Have It

My family has a family tradition that we ride from our house in Paradise to Lyman Wyoming, approximately 105 miles to the east as the crow flies. We have done this horse ride for about 16 years, since the time I was four years old. As you can imagine it is not easy and takes a lot of preparation for the horses and each member of our family. We are preparing to head out again in a few weeks so we have been riding the horses we will be taking every night this week. My Dad and I have been holding the fort down this last week while my brothers and mom were out of town. We are taking about 6 horses total on our ride...there are two of us...tak
ing them riding every night...we have a great time! When had gotten back from a late night ride a few nights ago and we decided to divide and conquer since there were still chores that needed to be done and the horses needed to be taken back up to where we were keeping them, out on grass. I volunteered to take all 6 of them back up while my dad finished the rest of the chores. For some reason all of the horses were very excited about something because I had the hardest time keeping them straight and making sure that we were all going in the right direction. I found myself getting very frustrated with them. That has seemed to happen a lot lately and I have been working on getting over that. A few days prior to this experience I had been talking to a very wise neighbor, who without really knowing, was an answer to my prayer of making sense of this time in my life. He made a comment that so often as people we either regret and flounder in the past or we worry and fear the future which leads us to totally forgetting about the present and the cycle starts all over again. I felt this had a lot to do with my question...so a few days later as I was struggling to take the horses up the hill to put them away a scripture came to mind. 2 Nephi 2:27, "Adam fell that men might be and men are that they might have joy." The last part of that scripture really struck me, "that they might have joy." It could have said anything about finding joy in the future, or even digging it up from the past, but it tells us that we are to "have joy." To me that met that I could have joy now...not later or live it in the past...but now in that moment when I was struggling up that hill to put those horses away. I was missing the moment because I was failing to allow myself to enjoy the now. When else was I going to be able to work with 6 horses at one time! Not very often!  Although there is a very important part of this joy, we have to choose to live now and have the joy that will come. Those now moments come on a daily basis and sometimes we might not even remember them, but each play a critical role in molding and shaping us into the men and woman Heavenly Father would have us be. It is in the time with family or friends that bring memories. It is in the world around us that a kind and all knowing Father gave to us to learn and to grow. It is in the rain storms that brings the green back to the ground,(or just really reminds you of Washington!:) Look around, they are everywhere! Begin today to live in the moment because they only happen once! We can have joy now! We don't have to wait for it! Just have it!