Here are some things I learned as I studied 2 Nephi 2:26-29:
Jesus Christ redeems ME from The Fall.
Redemption from The Fall means I am free.
Free Forever.
Being Free Forever is this:
• Knowing good from evil
• Acting for oneself vs. being acted upon by another
• Understanding that consequences follow laws
For right now, I am Free in the Flesh. Being Free in the Flesh means:
• I have available to me ALL the tools I need to make my choices, for my life, in whatever situation I find myself.
• I can choose LIBERTY and ETERNAL LIFE
• I can choose CAPTIVITY and DEATH
Liberty and Life; Captivity and Death. It’s what earthly war is ALL about. It is what was fought for in Book of Mormon times; it what was fought for during the Civil War. It is what is being fought for today!
It is why the War in Heaven is still in progress.
Liberty and Eternal life point to Jesus Christ.
Captivity and Death point to Lucifer.
So here are two simple things of what NOT to do if I want Liberty and Eternal Life (these are written out for me to remember):
1. Do not choose eternal death
2. Do not give into the wills of the Flesh (which will be Wednesday’s blog)
Because in so doing, we limit our potential, we limit our becoming and he who is so miserably miserable will make us miserable still . . .and I really can’t stand it when I am miserable!
And here are four things I MUST do to receive Liberty and Eternal Life (because it is just not awarded to anyone and everybody (btw – this has also been written out for me, because just avoiding the above two is not good enough)! I must:
1. Look to the great Mediator
2. Hearken to His commandments
3. Be faithful to Him and His teachings
4. Choose eternal life.
And the Holy Ghost will help me get there. I am not alone.
And that is worth a big SMILE (Spiritually Minded Is Life Eternal – see 2 Nephi 9:39).
Monday, April 5, 2010
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Happy Easter!
Of all the days that could bring mankind joy in the pain, faith in uncertainty and hope in tomorrow - it is today, Easter Sunday!
I know that Jesus lives.
His resurrection - and our resurrection, for that matter - is as sure as the sun rising.
His love broke the bonds of death.
His righteousness shattered the chains of sin.
His mercy extends beyond anything I can comprehend.
He heals. He helps. He lifts. He saves.
And I love Him.
My brother, Jesus Christ.
God's Only Begotten Son.
I know that Jesus lives.
His resurrection - and our resurrection, for that matter - is as sure as the sun rising.
His love broke the bonds of death.
His righteousness shattered the chains of sin.
His mercy extends beyond anything I can comprehend.
He heals. He helps. He lifts. He saves.
And I love Him.
My brother, Jesus Christ.
God's Only Begotten Son.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Easter Cookies
For the past several years, we have used this “object lesson” on the night before Easter, just before our children go to bed. My children look forward to the retelling of this story every Easter Sunday!
Ingredients
1 cup whole nuts (pecans or walnuts work the best)
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
1 pinch salt
1 cup sugar
Zippy bag
Wooden Spoon
Tape
Bible
1. Preheat oven to 300 degree F.
2. Put egg whites into a mixing bowl. Eggs represent life. EXPLAIN that Easter is the season we remember when Jesus gave His life for us. Read John 10:10-11.
3. Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 teaspoon vinegar into a mixing bowl. EXPLAIN that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
4. Sprinkle a little bit of salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. EXPLAIN that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers. It also can remind us of the bitterness of our own sins. Read Luke 23:27.
So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. They don’t taste very good by themselves or even all together.
5. Add 1 cup sugar. EXPLAIN that the sweetest part of this story is that Jesus died for us because He loves us. He wants us to know that we belong to Him. He wants us to live with Him again. Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16.
6. Beat ingredients on HIGH until stiff peaks are formed. EXPLAIN that the color white represents how pure we can be before God when we repent of our sins. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
7. Place nuts in zippy bag and let children beat them with a wooden spoon to break them into small pieces. EXPLAIN that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3. Fold broken nuts into the mixture.
8. Drop by teaspoons onto a wax-paper lined cookie sheet. EXPLAIN that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.
9. Put cookie sheet in oven. Close the door and TURN THE OVEN OFF!!
10. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. EXPLAIN that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.
11. GO TO BED! EXPLAIN that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers felt despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20, 22.
12. On Easter morning, open the oven! Give everyone a cookie! Notice the cracked surface. Take a bite . . .
The cookies are hollow. On the first Easter morning, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.
Testify of the sacrifice and Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Happy Easter!
Ingredients
1 cup whole nuts (pecans or walnuts work the best)
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
1 pinch salt
1 cup sugar
Zippy bag
Wooden Spoon
Tape
Bible
1. Preheat oven to 300 degree F.
2. Put egg whites into a mixing bowl. Eggs represent life. EXPLAIN that Easter is the season we remember when Jesus gave His life for us. Read John 10:10-11.
3. Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 teaspoon vinegar into a mixing bowl. EXPLAIN that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
4. Sprinkle a little bit of salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. EXPLAIN that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers. It also can remind us of the bitterness of our own sins. Read Luke 23:27.
So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. They don’t taste very good by themselves or even all together.
5. Add 1 cup sugar. EXPLAIN that the sweetest part of this story is that Jesus died for us because He loves us. He wants us to know that we belong to Him. He wants us to live with Him again. Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16.
6. Beat ingredients on HIGH until stiff peaks are formed. EXPLAIN that the color white represents how pure we can be before God when we repent of our sins. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
7. Place nuts in zippy bag and let children beat them with a wooden spoon to break them into small pieces. EXPLAIN that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3. Fold broken nuts into the mixture.
8. Drop by teaspoons onto a wax-paper lined cookie sheet. EXPLAIN that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.
9. Put cookie sheet in oven. Close the door and TURN THE OVEN OFF!!
10. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. EXPLAIN that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.
11. GO TO BED! EXPLAIN that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers felt despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20, 22.
12. On Easter morning, open the oven! Give everyone a cookie! Notice the cracked surface. Take a bite . . .
The cookies are hollow. On the first Easter morning, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.
Testify of the sacrifice and Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Happy Easter!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Book Review - "Mistaken Identity"
On April 26, 2006 a terrible automobile accident happened in Northern Michigan. Killed in the accident were five students from Taylor University. One female student survived. This book tells the story of the Van Ryn and Cerak families, both God-fearing, God-loving families who dealt with the reality that seems only dreamed up by Hollywood.
Because Whitney Cerak was misidentified as Laura Van Rynn, the Cerak family buried the girl they thought was their daughter, while the Van Ryn family camped out at the hospital for five weeks following the accident with the girl they thought was Laura
This book is a gripping, emotional reality of how each family dealt with the accident, the death and the recovery of Whitney Cerak; and how God’s hand can still be seen and felt in the most devastating of all circumstances.
I was uplifted by the faith of both families, their forgiving hearts, and deeply moved by their complete devotion to God and His will.
Whitney's sister Carly, set the stage for me when she discovered that her sister was found dead at the scene of the accident. In her own words she said:
“Okay Carly, here is the big test. Do you love God even though your sister is dead? She looked up at her friends, tears running down her face, 'God is still good,' she said. 'This accident didn’t change that at all.'”This book sustained and increased the deep awe I have for a loving, generous, merciful Father in Heaven who watches over and comforts all His children! It gave me an even deeper appreciation for the Comfort of the Holy Ghost - that He is as real as the air we breathe!
As much as this book is one of tragedy, it is an incredible story of love and hope, and of commitment to the Lord.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Love and Marriage
The other night my four year-old son wanted me to play a game of Nerf basketball with him. He wanted to go downstairs to one of his brothers’ room while I wanted to play upstairs near my husband, since I hadn’t seen him all day.
Son: But why do you want to play by where Daddy is?
Me: Because I love him!
Son (with a kindergartener taunt): If you love him, why don’t you marry him?
Me (smiling): I did!
Son (giggling): You married Dad?
Me: Of course I married Dad.
Son (still giggling): Did you marry Dad because you love him?
Me: Yes.
Son (more serious in tone): Do people get married because they love each other?
Me: Yes . . .
Son (with a face of total disgust): But I don’t wanna love a girl!
Son: But why do you want to play by where Daddy is?
Me: Because I love him!
Son (with a kindergartener taunt): If you love him, why don’t you marry him?
Me (smiling): I did!
Son (giggling): You married Dad?
Me: Of course I married Dad.
Son (still giggling): Did you marry Dad because you love him?
Me: Yes.
Son (more serious in tone): Do people get married because they love each other?
Me: Yes . . .
Son (with a face of total disgust): But I don’t wanna love a girl!
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