I love Sister Patricia Holland, wife of Elder Jeffery R. Holland. I've never met her. But I have heard her speak at Women's Conference and read many of her talks and also the book, "On Earth as it is in Heaven" written by her and Elder Holland. She touches my heart deeply and I feel a kindred spirit towards her.
I've read the previously mentioned book several times. It's a treasure trove of spiritual treasures. Tonight I opened it to resume reading where I left off a few months ago, but somehow I opened to this part instead, and it was perfect for this blog and the Law of Attraction perspective. It's in Chapter 4 "The Fruits of Peace" where she is talking about learning to love and forgive others. One profound thought starts with a quote from President Spencer W. Kimball:
"As we try to overlook whatever others have done to us, we will begin to let go of all that has been hard to forgive in ourselves. We will feel peace and wholeness, and we will remember that the Lord suffered for our sins so we could experience at-one-ment with him, with our neighbors, and, very importantly, within ourselves." (Faith Precedes the Miracle pg. 190-96)
Patricia says that even though we may not always see it, God surrounds us with other people whose weaknesses are like our own. "A good relationship is not one in which perfection reigns; rather, it is one in which a healthy perspective simply overlooks the faults of others."
She recommends a practice. "For one day, make a note each time you critically evaluate someone. This doesn't have to be a spoken criticism....it is important to note each time you pass even unspoken judgment. ...then the next day, see if you can go the entire day without being critical or petty toward anyone."
Then this is the part that is most relevant to BIY and LOA: "Remember that whatever you toss out mentally or verbally comes back to you according to God's plan of compensation: 'For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.' (Matthew 7:2) A critical, petty, or vicious remark is simply an attack on our own self-worth. On the other hand, if our minds are constantly seeing good in others, that, too, will return, and we will truly feel good about ourselves."
Sending out love can be very hard at times. Especially to all people, as God has commanded us, to love everyone. But Patricia says, "I bear this witness: There is in this world much that can be accomplished only with the help of God. If He tells us to love, He will give us the power to do so."
And that love will come back to us enabling us to love ourselves and others even more.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Law is The Way
This whole blog started with the inspiration that culminated for me from my own studies of the gospel of Jesus Christ into this "Law of Attraction" from the book, "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne.
I love looking up the meaning of a word when I want to understand something. I thought it was important to focus on the word "law" as part of this series, because it is a very important word. Without laws our world would be chaos. I thought it was cool in the dictionary when it said, "any written or positive rule or collection of rules prescribed under the authority of the state or nation." Yes, we need positive rules to govern our lives. The Law of Attraction is definitely a set of positive rules!
The dictionary also said that a law is "the controlling influence of such rules"....with the law of attraction it is sending out positive thoughts and feelings in order to attract them back to you. (whereas the opposite also applies that we attract negative back to us if that is what we are sending out.)
It also said a law was "a rule or principle of proper conduct sanctioned by conscience," and "a principle based on the predictable consequences of an act, condition, etc." These principles have been instilled in each of us as the light of Christ. Everyone knows good from evil and the consequences that follow our choices.
And last but not least, "a commandment or revelation from God." It even put "the law" in bold print for one definition and refers you to the law of Moses.
But the point I wanted to make, the thing that matters the most to me in contemplating any definition of "law" is that Jesus Christ is "the law"...THE law. We need Him. We need His law. Without His law there is no way. And we need a way, THE way, back home. He is the way.
"He offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law...unto none else can the ends of the law be answered." 2 Nephi 2:7
For, "there is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated---And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21
All things center in Christ. That is why the law of attraction works so well. We who choose to live the gospel work our lives to gain Christlike virtues because we want to see His image reflected in our countenances. Is that not the law of attraction? As we live those virtues: faith, patience, hope, charity, meekness, humility, long-suffering, mercy, goodness, service and so on....are we not sending out the positive which will be reflected back to us? I see it. I feel it in my life when I live it.
The Atonement helps me to hold the ground I might otherwise have lost.
The book, The Secret, implies that these things, these laws and principles have been hidden for centuries, and that people did not want to unlock or share the power that was contained within them. But all these laws and principles come from God. God would never hide them from His children. The only way they would become "hidden" is through the disobedience to His laws. But no more. God has once again sent His light to the earth.
"The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law." Deuteronomy 29:29 How sweet of a scripture and promise is that??!!
God will reveal all that we need to know. He does this in great wisdom and mercy. He gives to us as we are ready and able to live His laws. His laws are joyous unto us. And, He sent us His Son to convey and to fulfill His Law.
I'm so thankful that Jesus Christ is that law. I'm so thankful he is The Way.
No suffering lies beyond His power to redeem, no sorrow that cannot be turned into joy!
I love looking up the meaning of a word when I want to understand something. I thought it was important to focus on the word "law" as part of this series, because it is a very important word. Without laws our world would be chaos. I thought it was cool in the dictionary when it said, "any written or positive rule or collection of rules prescribed under the authority of the state or nation." Yes, we need positive rules to govern our lives. The Law of Attraction is definitely a set of positive rules!
The dictionary also said that a law is "the controlling influence of such rules"....with the law of attraction it is sending out positive thoughts and feelings in order to attract them back to you. (whereas the opposite also applies that we attract negative back to us if that is what we are sending out.)
It also said a law was "a rule or principle of proper conduct sanctioned by conscience," and "a principle based on the predictable consequences of an act, condition, etc." These principles have been instilled in each of us as the light of Christ. Everyone knows good from evil and the consequences that follow our choices.
And last but not least, "a commandment or revelation from God." It even put "the law" in bold print for one definition and refers you to the law of Moses.
But the point I wanted to make, the thing that matters the most to me in contemplating any definition of "law" is that Jesus Christ is "the law"...THE law. We need Him. We need His law. Without His law there is no way. And we need a way, THE way, back home. He is the way.
"He offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law...unto none else can the ends of the law be answered." 2 Nephi 2:7
For, "there is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated---And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21
All things center in Christ. That is why the law of attraction works so well. We who choose to live the gospel work our lives to gain Christlike virtues because we want to see His image reflected in our countenances. Is that not the law of attraction? As we live those virtues: faith, patience, hope, charity, meekness, humility, long-suffering, mercy, goodness, service and so on....are we not sending out the positive which will be reflected back to us? I see it. I feel it in my life when I live it.
The Atonement helps me to hold the ground I might otherwise have lost.
The book, The Secret, implies that these things, these laws and principles have been hidden for centuries, and that people did not want to unlock or share the power that was contained within them. But all these laws and principles come from God. God would never hide them from His children. The only way they would become "hidden" is through the disobedience to His laws. But no more. God has once again sent His light to the earth.
"The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law." Deuteronomy 29:29 How sweet of a scripture and promise is that??!!
God will reveal all that we need to know. He does this in great wisdom and mercy. He gives to us as we are ready and able to live His laws. His laws are joyous unto us. And, He sent us His Son to convey and to fulfill His Law.
I'm so thankful that Jesus Christ is that law. I'm so thankful he is The Way.
No suffering lies beyond His power to redeem, no sorrow that cannot be turned into joy!
There's no place to go but up!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
This Man Truly Believed in Himself and Others
In memory of Randy Pausch. A man who believed in himself, loved life, and living. He passed away July 25, 2008. I'm sure he is doing great work on the other side.
His "last lecture" advise was to:
Have fun!
Never give up!
Look for the good in others!
Youtube link if you want to watch it on a larger screen.
He wrote a book called "The Last Lecture." You can find good used copies at various places online like Alibris Books
His "last lecture" advise was to:
Have fun!
Never give up!
Look for the good in others!
Youtube link if you want to watch it on a larger screen.
He wrote a book called "The Last Lecture." You can find good used copies at various places online like Alibris Books
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