Silver Linings

"[to] see the stars not the darkness...[to] taste the sweet within the sour, and hear the masterpiece, not the missed notes.

I think the ability to do that - to feel joy behind the pain - is a spiritual gift..."

I read this the other day in the Mormon Times. It was little article by Jerry Earl Johnston, a regular in that section of the newspaper every Thursday.

I really took to heart what he was saying. I have been having my own life storms lately and wasn't sure how to handle them. Nothing big, just the normal trials that come with motherhood, wifehood, and lifehood.!

Sometimes I focus too much on what is not going as planned and forget to focus on what is ever so right!!! I have a loving husband, 5 great, obedient (mostly) children. I have been blessed with great friends and have the best ward ever! I was raised by awesome parents who are wonderful examples to me. They gave me 10 brothers and sisters that I love so much. I could keep going...

I realize that life will always seem unbearable if I choose to concentrate on all things I am dissatisfied with. I believe that in this life Our Heavenly Father wishes for us to experience joy. Joy comes when we choose to see our blessings rather than our misery. To quote Bro.. Johnston:

"Joy is not the same as happiness. We can be unhappy about many things, but joy can still be there because it comes from a knowledge of God's love for us..."

It is up to me whether or not I will fill my life with joy in the midst of sorrow. That is the beauty of this life. We are free to choose, but not free to choose the consequences that follow our choice.

Today I choose to find joy. The consequence of this choice? I will find it! I will find that joy I have been promised.

"How critical...that we be wise and not waste this marvelous, but challenging, opportunity to prepare and prove ourselves worthy of returning to live with Our Father in Heaven and His Son." (Sheri Dew, No Doubt About It, pg3)

"Our ability to successfully negotiate this spiritual minefield called mortality improves dramatically if we are clear about who we are and what is important." (Sheri Dew, No Doubt About It, pg9)

"though we have rightly applauded our ancestors for their spiritual achievement...those of us who prevail today will have done no small thing. The special spirits who have been reserved to live in this time of challenges and who overcome will one day be praised for their stamina by those who pulled handcarts." (Neal A. Maxwell, Not Withstanding My Weakness, 18)

"The Lord...will try us until He knows what He can do with us. He tried His Son Jesus. Thousands of years before He came upon the Earth the Father had watched His course and knew that He could depend upon Him when the salvation of worlds should be at stake... He will... continue to try us, in order that He may place us in the highest positions in life and put upon us the most sacred responsibilities." (Lorenzo Snow, Millennial Star, 24 Aug 1899, 532)

"Since immortality and eternal life constitute the sole purpose of life, all other interests and activities are but incidental thereto." (Spencer W. Kimball. The Miracle of Forgiveness, pg 2)

"If we don't have a clear sense of our identity and purpose, we are much more vulnerable to Lucifer. He of course knows this and accordingly attempts to blur our vision. He lies. He shades and obliterates the truth. Make no mistake about it: Lucifer will do anything to derail, disappoint, dishearten, discourage, and deceive us." (Sheri Dew, No Doubt About It, pg 7-8)