I can't say I'm not incredibly disappointed. I was out doing grocery shopping when I heard McCain's concession speech. I was so depressed I rented 3 feel good movies and bought food I wouldn't normally eat (not a good thing to hear while out shopping!).
As I type I feel a nervousness. A discontent. An uncertainty. Like someone just put a bag over my head and is forcing me down a path I was more than simply hesitant to go down.
I don't think the country is going to hell in a hand-basket, not yet anyway, but I do think we will be faced with some dramatic changes that will directly affect the family. For anyone who thinks that the floodgate for the disintegration of the family hasn't just been turned loose on the country, you are in serious denial. Granted, this gate may not open for years, but I promise you it will.
It is official that we live in a country where people DO know what they want. People are NOT apathetic. Lazy, yes. Greedy, yes. Want the "right" to do whatever gives them pleasure and a false sense of happiness? Yes. Delight in trampling the Word of God? Yes. For these reasons we can expect a dramatic change on views of the family and religion which were previously only building slow momentum. With each new generation, in a rapidly changing world, ideals and standards are lost until we are left with something so distorted and convoluted that no one has any idea what high standards/morality means or it's consequences. This is why arguments for them become more difficult to explain, no matter how logically or spiritually you explain them. Our fight for righteousness grows more difficult by the day.
As I was driving home thinking about these things I remembered hearing a talk about being grateful for everything by a lady from Germany who lived through WWII in a concentration camp. She spoke of how bad the conditions were. There were maggots, lice, and all manner of uncleanliness. Her mother (I think) told her and insisted that she be grateful for EVERYTHING even the maggots and lice and even though it was revolting living in those conditions. One day the guards came in to rape women in their particular cell. They ended up choosing not to because of how disgusting and dirty they were. If that doesn't change your view on how to be grateful I don't know what does! With this in mind, I've decided to try to be grateful for everything taking place right now, good and bad, because it has the potential to make me a better person even though it may be through trial.
“And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more” (D&C 78:19).
And so for those who dread the next four (maybe eight...) years I would encourage you to be thankful, grateful, and strong for what lay ahead and never to fear because the Lord is on your side.
3 comments:
The encouraging words are very much welcome. Thank you. It is frightening to think where things are headed. I only hope some good things can come out of this all.
I feel the same bad feeling about the whole thing... when I heard it was a feeling of dread that I've been trying to overcome. It really made me sick to my stomach. My roommate and I were talking about how we had both been feeling that the sentiment that shown towards the saints in Missouri and Nauvoo and Kirtland will return and its going to be a difficult road ahead. You can already see it in California with how those opposed to Prop 8 have been responding to not only those actively supporting it, but all those in the church as a whole. Its only going to get harder. Definitely a good thing that we do have the Lord on our side and we will need a grateful and humble heart to get through these last days.
Amen to it all!! Better know and believe with all our might, mind and strength who side we are on and live it to the fullest if it is the righteous choice!!
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