3 Nephi 24
3 Nephi 24
I missed Saturday! Ah! I'll be glad for the routine of the school year!
I've got a headache right not- not the best time to be reading deep scripture...but, I am doing it anyway :)
The obvious thing that stands out is tithing, but that's not what hit me today. In verse 16 a book of remembrance is mentioned. I have often thought about the book of remembrance. I suppose if I were really motivated I could do a lot of research about it and what it is, but for my own personal purposes, I like to imagine that each of us have our own individual books of remembrance.
I often think about what my book will say about me, what will be recorded in there. Sometimes I do things that would be embarrassing to be recorded, and other things not so much. I've kept a journal since I was 12, that's 27 years ago (yes, I will be 40 in two and a half weeks.) When my children grew old enough to read, I went through all of them with a black marker. Lol. There are certain things that I simply did not want to remember, let alone my kids to know!
Some say repentance is like a pencil with an erasure, that you can make mistakes and then erase them with the repentance eraser. I wonder if that holds true for our books of remembrance. Are the mistakes and bad choices erased? Or will we be given an opportunity to go through it with a black marker before judgment?
Who knows. But one thing I do know is that knowing that my actions are (could be) recorded has helped me to be more aware of what I say and do. They say the true test of character is what you do when no one is looking. But, I think someone is always looking, and not only looking, but writing it all down.
Is my book the kind of book that I would want my kids to read? Or would it one that would be burned in a heavenly book ban? Lol.
Every day is a new day to try again. I guess that's the beauty of repentance :)
TOMORROW: 3 Nephi 25
I missed Saturday! Ah! I'll be glad for the routine of the school year!
I've got a headache right not- not the best time to be reading deep scripture...but, I am doing it anyway :)
The obvious thing that stands out is tithing, but that's not what hit me today. In verse 16 a book of remembrance is mentioned. I have often thought about the book of remembrance. I suppose if I were really motivated I could do a lot of research about it and what it is, but for my own personal purposes, I like to imagine that each of us have our own individual books of remembrance.
I often think about what my book will say about me, what will be recorded in there. Sometimes I do things that would be embarrassing to be recorded, and other things not so much. I've kept a journal since I was 12, that's 27 years ago (yes, I will be 40 in two and a half weeks.) When my children grew old enough to read, I went through all of them with a black marker. Lol. There are certain things that I simply did not want to remember, let alone my kids to know!
Some say repentance is like a pencil with an erasure, that you can make mistakes and then erase them with the repentance eraser. I wonder if that holds true for our books of remembrance. Are the mistakes and bad choices erased? Or will we be given an opportunity to go through it with a black marker before judgment?
Who knows. But one thing I do know is that knowing that my actions are (could be) recorded has helped me to be more aware of what I say and do. They say the true test of character is what you do when no one is looking. But, I think someone is always looking, and not only looking, but writing it all down.
Is my book the kind of book that I would want my kids to read? Or would it one that would be burned in a heavenly book ban? Lol.
Every day is a new day to try again. I guess that's the beauty of repentance :)
TOMORROW: 3 Nephi 25
I have been struggling with my faith because my little paycheck has been disappearing before I even get it. Lately a "once-a-month" is a hard schedule to keep! Thank heaven for food storage and the garden!
ReplyDeleteI mentioned my faith-struggle to my husband the other day and he simply said.... maybe this IS your trial. The lack of faith, I think? This chapter is a good reminder to me to be diligent in tithing.... but more than that... in offerings. I don't think it just means money either.
Our offerings can be so much more. I loved when the speaker, just returning home from his mission yesterday, said that the two years away were like tithing on his life to that point. That struck a chord with me in conjunction with this chapter. What is my daily tithing and offering to the Lord that has nothing to do with writing out a check?
I am weary of the refiner's fire in my life right now. There are a lot of spot fires to be put out and I feel surrounded most days. But I hope to focus on the opportunities to give better offerings and a better attitude - which is an offering in and of itself.
I also liked Tyler's comment about tithing pertaining to things beyond money. I think about how I tithe my daily time- I sleep about 7 hours a night (wish it was more) that leaves 17 waking hours. A tenth of that is 1.7 hours, or about 100 minutes.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the Lord expects me to set nearly 2 hours a day aside to read the scriptures, but I can spend 100 hours interspersed throughout my day reading, pondering, praying, visiting and serving others.
I like what you said about focusing on opportunities. I think if I don't pack my day full of stuff then I am more open to the opportunities and promptings that come throughout the day.
I'm sorry you are struggling my friend. If there is anything I can do, let me know. Sometimes the worst thing isn't being tight on money, but it's when our husbands are right! Lol.
This was a thoughtful post. I actually have kept a Journal for about 34 years. I missed recording a lot of things with my older children. I do think it is good to not air dirty laundry type things in your journal. However, feel that it is important for you posterity to know how you solved struggles in your life.
ReplyDeleteThere will be a season when Satan will be loosed at the end of the Millennium and those children that have not experienced Satan's influence will need to know how we dealt with these experiences.
I loved your analogy of the repentance eraser. Thanks for your insight into 3 Nephi 24.