the last day of '06

We have sickie coughers in the family so we after sacrament (where you sit with your own family and don't cough all over the kids in primary) DH took the three littles home.
Since it's a 5th Sunday we had a combined RS/Priesthood lesson which the Bishop taught and since Lucy wasn't with me I got to listen.
She's old enough for nursery but will she go???NOOO. That, however, is a different post.

We had a great lesson. He started out talking about taking his family out to a state park this past week to ride their ATV's. They had been there before and were familiar with the terrain. There is a large pond on the premises which is deep in the middle, and in which if you drove your ATV you would have to swim out and the vehicle would be stuck. So he told his kids not to go there. Bailee, their 11 year old, loved to ride around the edge getting closer and closer to the pond. Then he likened that experience to our earthly life. What kinds of things do we do that are too close to the edge and put us in jeopardy? There was a good and lively discussion about the evils of driving with a cell phone, the importance of remembering your personal worship, going to church, reading the scriptures, avoiding drunkenness and immodesty, etc.

Then we discussed things we needed to do to keep ourselves safe and on the straight and narrow.

He talked about many things. One really stuck home with me.

For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.
Alma 37:44

I think it's really easy to feel overwhelmed with all the things we need to do. I know I sometimes fall into the trap of thinking it's too hard and I'll never make it, how can I do all I need to do! Whine, Whine, Whine. It's easy to be scared about what the future holds and our ability to measure up. It's easy to think our lot is hard, the commandments unreasonable and out of date, and just too much. But the Lord tells us it's easy to listen to him. It's easy to find eternal bliss. As easy as looking down at a compass and following the way.
I felt such peace and happiness at that verse. I want it to be easy and if I rely on Him, and obey Him and place my burdens at His feet it can be. What a lovely promise. What a lame-o I am. The things we are asked to do are simple. All I need to do is take each of those simple steps each day. Yeah!!

* I don't really think it's going to be all that easy but it will be do-able and isn't that good news all in and of itself. The steps are easy. It's easy to sit and read the scriptures. The hard part is making the time to do it. Each little step is easy. Putting them together is our challenge, overcoming our weaknesses and frailties is the hard part.

Food for thought anyway!