Progression
For me, the best way to keep my mind from being "cyclical" in such a way that I just keep returning to a place I've already been, is to write about it, speak about it, or replace it. Today I'm choosing to write about it. Maybe I'm doing this because we're staying in the flat but I need to share.
I was raised by a father who never stood still. It wasn't that my dad never took a break or enjoyed a quiet moment, or stopped to smell the roses. Rather, he always had objectives. Even after his early retirement at the age of 49 he never stopped. His heart surgery wasn't successful so that he could return to work and it would have been easy for many people to simply spend their days golfing or even doing something as worthy as temple work. He did both of those, and more, but, to the point, he always had projects. In the summers of Wyoming it was a garden and raspberry bushes, helping neighbors and even doing macramé. I can't imagine how many homes had one of his macramé' planters hanging somewhere. He even made them during their winters in San Diego. Every day I'd see him working on a project. His comments, at the end of the day, often included his plans and goals for the next morning. He always got up with a purpose and I think his purposes always got him going.
When I fell and broke my back the nerve damage was severe enough that my left foot has become the barometer for how my back is doing. The most comforting solution to the pain is to be rubbed or pushed against. It is primarily in my left foot but it radiates up my lower left leg and sometimes the right foot reminds me that the nerves extending on that side of my body were also damaged. So, after four years, motion is still my best solution. The mornings are normally not too bad but late afternoon and evening will find me moving about. I've always been in motion and now it seems that my future will not have many calm moments, physically. When I read the report cards of my childhood and remember my activity levels, I am certain the modern medicine would identify me as being ADHD. Now as an older man I have something that won't let me sit idly by. Pity my wife!
Now, as a summarily thought, it is a question with an eternal perspective. Why would we not think, and plan, for an eternal progression that is spoken of in the scriptures? Isn't it imperative that we should seek to become like our Heavenly Parents? Why would we think that we've "arrived" or that we can retire to a place of stagnancy? I remember when Elder Maxwell quipped that he had come to an age where he was capable of hiding his own Easter eggs. I can't imagine that wonderful man ever sitting still or thinking that he'd achieved sufficient knowledge. What can we do today to improve? What bit of knowledge can I gain or how might I increase? How might I minister more affectively?
My mother is loosing her eyesight. She loved reading books and doing counted cross-stitch and making other beautiful pieces of art. Now, she can't read and the ability to create with her hands is gone. She's 90 years old and doing relatively well. I speak with her a few times a week and it's hard for her not to be frustrated with her ability to do the two things she loved most. I try to listen and give her good reports from our mission but I always remind her how wonderful it was that she read all of those good books and made all of that beautiful art. Who knows how long we'll be able to read those wonderful words or see those glorious sunsets but, as for me, I want to see and feel everything because my "day" may come when the lens of mortal eyes will be clouded over.
In a few minutes, Michael, a young convert to the church, will be coming over. Evelyn made some chocolate chip cookies and who can pass up an invitation for those? He's only in his 20's but he struggles with many different issues. He never had the wonderful childhood that I was given and he never served a mission or knew the goodness of the Aaronic Priesthood programs but he does have the same 24 hours in each day and progression is possible for all of us. The Lord doesn't care that we haven't been in the vineyard since the morning. The worker that comes in the 11th hour is still given the same reward.
I was raised by a father who never stood still. It wasn't that my dad never took a break or enjoyed a quiet moment, or stopped to smell the roses. Rather, he always had objectives. Even after his early retirement at the age of 49 he never stopped. His heart surgery wasn't successful so that he could return to work and it would have been easy for many people to simply spend their days golfing or even doing something as worthy as temple work. He did both of those, and more, but, to the point, he always had projects. In the summers of Wyoming it was a garden and raspberry bushes, helping neighbors and even doing macramé. I can't imagine how many homes had one of his macramé' planters hanging somewhere. He even made them during their winters in San Diego. Every day I'd see him working on a project. His comments, at the end of the day, often included his plans and goals for the next morning. He always got up with a purpose and I think his purposes always got him going.
When I fell and broke my back the nerve damage was severe enough that my left foot has become the barometer for how my back is doing. The most comforting solution to the pain is to be rubbed or pushed against. It is primarily in my left foot but it radiates up my lower left leg and sometimes the right foot reminds me that the nerves extending on that side of my body were also damaged. So, after four years, motion is still my best solution. The mornings are normally not too bad but late afternoon and evening will find me moving about. I've always been in motion and now it seems that my future will not have many calm moments, physically. When I read the report cards of my childhood and remember my activity levels, I am certain the modern medicine would identify me as being ADHD. Now as an older man I have something that won't let me sit idly by. Pity my wife!
Now, as a summarily thought, it is a question with an eternal perspective. Why would we not think, and plan, for an eternal progression that is spoken of in the scriptures? Isn't it imperative that we should seek to become like our Heavenly Parents? Why would we think that we've "arrived" or that we can retire to a place of stagnancy? I remember when Elder Maxwell quipped that he had come to an age where he was capable of hiding his own Easter eggs. I can't imagine that wonderful man ever sitting still or thinking that he'd achieved sufficient knowledge. What can we do today to improve? What bit of knowledge can I gain or how might I increase? How might I minister more affectively?
My mother is loosing her eyesight. She loved reading books and doing counted cross-stitch and making other beautiful pieces of art. Now, she can't read and the ability to create with her hands is gone. She's 90 years old and doing relatively well. I speak with her a few times a week and it's hard for her not to be frustrated with her ability to do the two things she loved most. I try to listen and give her good reports from our mission but I always remind her how wonderful it was that she read all of those good books and made all of that beautiful art. Who knows how long we'll be able to read those wonderful words or see those glorious sunsets but, as for me, I want to see and feel everything because my "day" may come when the lens of mortal eyes will be clouded over.
In a few minutes, Michael, a young convert to the church, will be coming over. Evelyn made some chocolate chip cookies and who can pass up an invitation for those? He's only in his 20's but he struggles with many different issues. He never had the wonderful childhood that I was given and he never served a mission or knew the goodness of the Aaronic Priesthood programs but he does have the same 24 hours in each day and progression is possible for all of us. The Lord doesn't care that we haven't been in the vineyard since the morning. The worker that comes in the 11th hour is still given the same reward.
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