Wish-making 101

How do we have our wishes come true? Does anybody have the answer to that question? What can you wish for in this world that is attainable? What can you wish for outside of this world that is attainable? What are you going to do to get the answer to that wish?
When we throw a coin into a fountain, we make a wish. When we blow out candles on a birthday cake we make a wish. What are we doing exactly to make that wish come true? Usually I like to sit back and let the forces of the universe just take over. However hardly do they ever.
When ever I use to want something or go somewhere, my parents always made me work for it. They would come up with a list of chores for me to do so that I could earn the money to buy whatever I wanted or go to wherever I wanted. It was quite a feat to accomplish just to let me go to prom with a little bit of cash. But always I have had to work for whatever I wanted.
Sometimes our wishes aren't so temporal. A lot of us wish for peaceful homes, happy marriages, even answers to our prayers. All of these things listed above are very wonderful and happy things to want and would be considered very righteous desires. The wonderful thing about all of this is that we have the opportunity to receive these wishes through our own hard work.
If we want a happy home, what are we going to do to make that happen? Are we going to succumb to the usual ritual of just sitting back and letting things happen as they will? I can tell you that my sandwich is not going to just make itself! We have to work for it! There are blessings and experience that come when we are willing to do all that we can to obtain what we want or even need.
Did you know that the Bible gives us clear instruction about how to exercise our faith and wishes? In the epistle of James chapter 2 verses 17-18, James asks us, "Where is our faith without our works? Without works, faith is dead, being alone." What! A wish is dead if you don't work for it? YES!
How are you going to become a Doctor if you don't go to medical school? How are you going to get a new car if you are not willing to budget your money and save? How are you going to have a happy home if you are not willing to teach each other how to love one another?
There is nothing in this world that is out of your reach. We were given the gift of agency for a reason. Are we going to chose to act now or are we going to choose to remain complacent and upset at our current situation? What the are YOU going to do about it?
Let me tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to walk into the kitchen, pull out the bread and all the little fixins', and put that mess together so I can sit down and enjoy my sandwich! Go and get your wishes, they are waiting for you!
It really is amazing how almost everything that I write about ties right back into "faithing." If we really have the faith that we are going to have our problems solved or our desires come true, we need to work for it. Period! Emphasis on the period.
See y'all next week (if I can get around to it). Bye!

Two Mormon Missionaries

The Epic "Rage Quit" of life.

Wow! I haven't been on here for a long time! Please forgive me. Now I will write what has been on my mind for the past couple of weeks.

I have been thinking that there is a lot of things in this life that has caused us to ask, "What have I gotten myself into?" Could be a job, a sport, a relationship, commitment, even religion. We all have had this question pop up in our lives. I have found this to be a frequent question for me and in most of my efforts, I have tried not to give up.

Well, as do many know, there is a point where we have the choice to "opt out." Some of us duck out more harshly than others and have fallen victim to what is known as the "Rage Quit."

"I don't need to put up with this!"

"Why did this have to happen?"

"Who said I have to do that?"

"Wow that was annoying!"

"I am so glad I don't have to put up with that anymore!"

...

The list of pleading, whiny cries goes on! In fact I don't think it will ever end!

Why then is it so important to endure? I'll tell you why. Because it is an eternal principle! It is what is commanded of us! We are expected to push through all trials in our lives and move forward with faith.

If we are looking for the facts or the proof in our trials, or why we need to endure, little or no success will be found without faith. Without faith we cannot accomplish our goals.

When I was 11 years old, I had an experience where I went kayaking with the boy scouts in northern Wisconsin down a very rough river. We were going to go whitewater rafting but there was something wrong with the water level, so we had to use these individual inflatable kayaks instead. I was hoping to rely on others to make it to the end of the river. Instead it came down to me being left alone to conquer my trials with the raging rapids, jagged rocks, and shallow current, at 11 years old.

I got stuck, my legs were cut up from the rocks, and I was even left behind a couple of times to paddle my way back to the group. But I did not give up. Six miles later we reached the end of our trip. What an experience! Instead of giving up at the beginning because things had not gone the way I had hoped, I chose to endure. I had a very good reason to "Rage Quit," but I did not.

I had the faith that I was going to make it to the end and I did. If you look at the facts, it would have seemed impossible for me to make it down the river. But I knew I could because I believed I could.

We need to remember this when things seeming too difficult to overcome turn up in our lives. We need to have a sure knowledge that whatever has been placed before you in your life, Heavenly Father knows that we are able to overcome.

Quit your whining, you are ready for this. Don't get upset and Rage yourself to the point of giving up. Know that you were prepared for this and that you were ready to take on whatever challenge has been brought to you.

Keep on trucking. Don't let the Principle of the epic "Rage Quit" govern your life. Let the principle of having the faith to endure govern all things.

Good luck Y'all. I'll be back in a week.