Only Two Choices

    This last Wednesday, we went over to some other missionaries' house, and had a wonderfully delightful meal. The meal consisted of pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, deviled eggs, and salad. The meal was healthy, delicious, and gave me the strength, nourishment, and energy I needed. The foods we ate are full of what are called "complex-carbohydrates". Complex carbs take your body longer to break down, thus sustaining you for hours.

   Now, compare this to a meal I had had about a week before that. Let's see, I had apple pie and ice cream for lunch, and then for dessert, I finished it off with some candy. Also pretty tasty. Healthy? Not quite. Those kinds of foods are full of what are called "simple carbs". They break down quickly, causing your blood sugar to spike, and then crash. They wear your body out, and provide little to no strength, energy, and nutrition. They leave you feeling tired, unhappy, and worn out.


 


  So, what does this have anything to do with anything? Eat healthy!
  Ok, as good as eating healthy is, there is a much greater lesson to be learned from these two opposite meals. Those good foods in life that give us strength, energy, and health we can call "love". And the poor foods that leave us feeling weak, unhappy, and worn out we can call "hate", as defined as "the absence of love". When we choose love, we are sustained, and given the energy and strength that we need. It will bring us true happiness, and joy, and will leave us feeling "full" and ready for the tasks ahead.





   On the other hand, when we eat food, or make those choices, that are born of hate, or a lack of caring, we will be left feeling weak, unhappy, and worn out. So, when you are about to make a choice, remember that our choices will either sustain us, and help us to obtain happiness and joy, or they will drain us, leaving us feeling weak, and worn out. Bottom line: Choose Love!

The Worth of a Trial

Well, I wasn't sure what to write, but I decided to just start writing, and hopefully I can get my creative juices jump-started, and I can then think of something to write. I mean, it has been a while since I last posted, but now I am back, so it's all good now, right? Oh, and I wanted to let yall know (though it goes without saying) that you should share my blog with others. Anyways, now for the post:

     I wanted to tell yall about the week we had in the last week of January. We had run out of miles, so we had the opportunity to walk everywhere. Not only that, but during that week, it rained more than the rest of the month combined. Ultimately, I think that those trials were a huge blessing in my life, and I will tell you why.
 

  

   First, I realized that God never leaves us, and I know He was right there the whole time, helping me out, and giving me the strength to carry on.

  Second, I am grateful because although He never left my side, He did allow me to struggle, in order that I could learn and experience the things that I needed to. Just like parents have to let their kids struggle sometimes when they are trying to walk, so too, does God allow us to struggle sometimes, in order that we too, can walk, and find full happiness in this life.

   Third, for the many other valuable lessons I learned, I am grateful for my trials. They opened up my eyes to new insight into my life and who I am. They helped me get to a point where I was teachable. I came to realize more fully that there was more to life than just trying to get by. We can excel! We don't just endure. We endure well, and joyfully, and that is possible because of Christ and His atonement.
  
  So yeah, in some ways, those trials were a real bummer, and I was more tired and sore than I can ever remember being. But, it is when those times come that I truly come to know God. And that makes all of it worth it.



"Before the fruits of properity can come, the storms of life
need to first bring the required rains of testing, which mixes
with the seeds of wisdom to produce a mature harvest"
                                                            - Lincoln Patz