Living by the Gospel everyday

I did ask myself many times- How am I living the Gospel today? I always feel like I fall short. I think because it was feeling like omission. I felt vaguely some where there that I missed something very important- or I have failed to grab that chance and act as the Lord's agent. Don't you sometimes feel like that?

I did give it some thought. I already have known that the purpose of Atonement is to fill what we fall short at that day. We just need to simply fulfill what God asks of us.

It does seem pretty simple. But we are back to the same thing- much is given, much is required concept . . . The Lord expects so much of us. Thus coined a phrase like that. Because we are blessed people. We are given so much. Of knowledge, of light and many great things. We are expected to act upon that.

I suppose that we are expected to struggle, aching of our imperfections ... Praying for divine guidance. We strive stumblingly to live by the Gospel. Like a child trying to ride bicycle for first time. We have to push pedals and learn how to balance ourselves. Heavenly Father expects us to hold onto the bicycle, work on the pedals, and even though that we fall . . . Everything is all right. Because we have that desire. We want to do the right. We try and work within our limitations.

Love makes world go round.

I wanted to set aside the time to celebrate love. Tomorrow's Valentine Day. So many people have been concentrating on materialistic part like roses, chocolate, cards and cookies.

Love is a wonderful, glorious thing. It makes people feel less lonely. Babies and children thrive the best in this condition. It is a magnet for many people in relationships and families. It helps to resolve misunderstandings and offers way for people to make peace. It is all pervasive. It motivated people to do many more kind things to many others. To be honest with you, Hippie's way of defining love never sat very well on me. Why? Well, they were DOING sexual stuff without boundaries and called it "love".

As many are aware, Jesus Christ was a person who was way beyond of his time. In fact, the world is the way as it is . . . Simply because of the era of Jesus Christ and His brief life span (33 years on the earth). In fact, this is God who walked on the earth, showing us way to greater existence and life. Shaker? Yes! He shook the earth and moved it in a way where nobody is able to think the same. He provided the way so that there may be other extraordinary shakers to change the population in different parts of world to change. Why am I talking about Jesus Christ when I was beginning out with "love" topic? Well, I felt that He is the very first person to teach about love especially with the population so focused on the basis of its survival.

I felt that because of Jesus Christ, our conception of love is like that. He taught how he is no respector of persons. He taught us how to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Book of Mormon only furthered His teachings talking about the meaning of Charity as a Pure Love of Christ. "Pure Love"! A conception we wonder if we are able to fully achieve.

I loved the stories of how people with a such simple lifestyles who still found ways to serve each other. Wow. It made us to wonder and question how we are living and why we defer the opportunity of helping the others.

We have had many great representatives who showed us the meaning of love. Pure Love is truly tested when we face trials. How we act in those difficult times. How we are able to forgive afterwards. Every representatives showed us how it worked out.

I am so glad we are celebrating love on Valentine's day. I am glad it meant more than only chocolates, roses, and cards. I love romances! I love love stories. I love hearing how people showed love for each other beyond relationships and reaching out to each other when the others are troubled. I loved how neighbors are able to look over the fence and wonder how they could help their neighbors. Love, YAHOO! You are my ultimate goal.

Well, if you want to know the reason why I am too romantic those days . . . Blame it on my husband and chick flicks.

The work of the Lord transcends all

My friend and I had an in-depth discussion about God's role in our lives. I came to this conclusion that God have greater perspective to everything. I have observed so many miracles that come with birth, death, life, and healing.

An inevitable question pops, "Why?" as in "Why do I live while other die of the same thing?" "Why can't I just have baby like my friends do?" "Why did he have to die?" . . . All are heart-rending mortal cry of grief. More recent for me, "Why did He have to take my mother too?"

At the time when my mother just died, my husband came next day with children to help out with funeral and just participate. He came to me gravely and told me that he felt the angels around us, comforting us.

It recalled me to the time when Jesus Christ was in the Garden of Gesthame when an angel came to comfort He struggled under the burden of the world. Jesus Christ, at the time of darkest period of His life, wasn't alone. Neither should we be. It is choice of ours to take the helping Hand or not.

Nonetheless, the work of God is greater of all . . . Moses 1:39 "For behold, this is my work and my glory- to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."

So this is the "why" answer. It is the reason why people had to die. It is the reason why people had to live and had to be healed. God have said that there's not a sparrow that fell to ground that He didn't know about. He is omnipotent and omniscient (all powerful and all seeing). Meaning that there's not a situation in our lives is a coincidence or accidental. If necessary, He will have His angels to step in to act in an event that may interfere with His work.

The work of our God transcends all.

Parenting is an adventure

We enjoyed the film titled "Spy Kids" and one phrase struck me the most- how spies married and left this lifestyle for another great adventure- the most incredibly difficult and challenging adventure . . . Parenting.

I have wondered why parenting is a such challenging experience . . .

Kids push us to extreme point . . . You are to listen to constant whining from different sources with problems you can't fix . . . Misbehaviors you have to work on constantly everyday- even having to say things like broken record . . . Hoping one day, that concept will get to kids' head. You sometimes feel overstimulated one day or other and kids still won't stop. You have mental and physical exhaustion socking you into stomach- I say stomach because we never are prepared for it.

Adventure is defined in dictionary.com as
"1. an exciting or very unusual experience.

2. participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises: the spirit of adventure.

3. a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome."

We never have experienced parenting before when we became pregnant. We have to stumble on our own. As many have said, there's no instruction manual coming with every child. Every child is different, his/her reaction to certain situation is totally different. We never will know the outcome of our parenting because- even with the best parents in the world, you may end up with a rebellious child who is very much determined to go opposite way when he/she becomes an adult. Parenting is very exciting, unpredictable, and a BOLD AND RISKY UNDERTAKING.

I have experienced sadness, heartbreak, joy incandescent . . . I have stumbled so many times and made mistakes. I looked like a fool at sometimes- just to play with my children or with making some rash decisions when I am blinded by my emotions.

Will I repeat it? Gladly! This experience is bittersweet, you can't understand bitter without sweet. Children are a such forgiving creatures who loves you unconditionally.