16 Nov 2023, Thursday

 16 Nov 2023, Thursday

Prioritized Daily Task

Breeze return Flt. Provo from Orange County.     Departs Orange County SNA, at 6:18 p.m. and arrives at Provo PVO at 8:59 p.m.

Note:  A scripture I need to always remember: James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:                                                                                                           20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

An object lesson on judging:  In an affluent ward's sacrament meeting, the bishop's counselor was conducting.  The bishop was excused.  A homeless man was outside in the parking lot begging and being a nuisance.  About halfway through the sacrament meeting, he comes into the chapel interrupting the service wanting to speak.  The counselor tried at first to ignore him but he was being such a nuisance the counselor told him to come up to the stand and let him speak.  He started by taking off his hat, his glasses, and his beard.  There were ahs and gasps, the homeless beggar was their bishop.  

The James 2:9  Faith without works is dead.  Works without faith is more dead.    They must be kept in balance.  The spirit without the body cannot receive a fullness of joy so works without faith cannot receive a fullness of joy.  Some have had the experience of doing and doing that church sometimes feels like life on the chain gang.  Their works were not mixed with faith whereas if they were done with faith, infused with faith in hope of strengthening faith, mine and others; all of a sudden it doesn't feel like work any longer then, HOW SWEET IS THE WORK.

Second thought:  My 7 year old made an honest mistake that he was devastated over and it consumed him throughout his whole day and made him restless at bedtime.  I told him to leave his mistake in this day, so he doesn’t take it with him into tomorrow.

I asked him if he knew what I meant—-“sort of,” he said.  “What happens when you let go of a balloon”, I asked. —“I won’t have it any more.” “Think of your mistake like a balloon you’re holding….let it go-all this guilt and sadness and weight you had would leave with it.”  I told him it’s not meant for him to hold on to, He can let this go.

We have beautiful permission backed up by not only God’s command and role, but also the very reason Jesus saw worth dying for—to let go, to drop the weight, and allow His peace to heal and lead and lift, to be FREE, to move on, to move past, to soar higher.                           With Jesus comes change and with change comes movement.  The movement away from pain, from trauma, from heartbreak, from loneliness, from mistakes, from unfairness.  And because of Jesus, that movement is always onward and upward, “Ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins,”  POWER!  Think of it, when the man’s sins were forgiven he then had MOBILITY; Into beautiful new heights and greener pastures, to and through love,  through forgiveness, through healing.  And because of forgiveness, comes healing, inward cleansing, renewal, and revival.                                                                                                                                    It frees us.  It allows us to take our power back.  It brings peace to help us go on with life, healing and thriving in our emotional, psychological, spiritual, and physical health.  As we allow forgiveness into our souls, we are partnering to bring the Savior’s power into our lives. By embracing forgiveness, we are embracing peace, hope, gratitude, and growth,.

We can let go, we can be set free.  It’s not meant for us to carry.  There IS a love that satisfies.  His love will heal you.  His love does heal you.

I got 8 hours of sleep last night and feel good this morning.  I had my personal prayer and called Debbie.  We had prayer; she is picking up some protein drink for me from the Costco in Lehi today.  Gracie went to seminary early this morning.  Michael and I went to Life Fitness Gym and 8 am.  I used the stair stepper for 30 minutes, then weights and bars for 20 minutes.  Afterward, I showered and got in the steam room for about 30 minutes.  I did not stop for 2 hours.  At 10:10 a.m. Michael finished and we came home.   We watched TV and ate a late lunch.  I finished packing, brushed my teeth, and Michael took me to John Wayne Orange County SNA Airport.  I had a nice flight and Debbie picked me up at Provo Airport when I arrived.  We came home and unpacked the Outback Subaru.  We had prayer and got to bed at about midnight.