I heard a question this week that I want to share which reminded me about where my priorities need to be. It was this:
‘Can you make yourself do something you don’t want to do, to get a result you would like to have?’
Wrapped up in this little saying is a ton of thought provoking elements. Of course, the greatest application is in reaching our eternal goal of the celestial kingdom. But I have found that it applies in my little everyday choices as well.
Here are two of the thoughts I had…
Thought 1: Sometimes I have to make a conscience choice to be happy.
I don’t mean stand in front of the mirror and smile as big as I can until I feel happy. But rather do the things in a day that bring real joy. Not all of those things I like doing. I think it rather mundane to cook dinner night after night. But what brings me joy is in knowing I am serving my family and keeping the stress levels down in the house. Same with doing laundry (enough said).
I have found that a grateful heart has a hard time NOT being happy. I lived in Argentina long enough to have seen some real poverty. I think of the family that we had to teach how to purify their drinking water. They had no running water and had to get it from the fields or where ever else they could find it. So having pure clean running water come out of my faucet and letting it slip through my fingers is a huge blessing. I could also go on and on about hot water and indoor plumbing.
At the risk of sounding like the song from ‘Sound of Music’, I am going to list a few of my ‘favorite things’ that I am grateful for: My bed, flannel sheets, heat, a house, food to eat, food storage downstairs, a church building to attend, ability to go camping when I want, my laptop, family that supports me, friends that like me, general good health, fresh baked cookies, Facebook where I have rediscovered old friendships, the temple being only an hour away, the extra cars I have (one has a flat right now but I can still go anywhere I need!), which leads me to the 4x4 to get out of my driveway and make it to seminary on icy mornings, my chickens that give me fresh eggs, the view out my kitchen window, scriptures with footnotes, teaching 8 year olds how to find a reference in their own set of scriptures and seeing their little faces light up with a sense of accomplishment, etc. etc. How could one not be happy when there is so much to be grateful for!
Even with the trials I am dealing with currently, I can be happy and find joy.
Thought 2: I really hate hard work.
When Doug and I first married, we each took a personality quiz. I remember this one question vividly because it completely defined Doug and I. Here’s the question.
Fill in the blank: Work is___________
a. A most productive way to spend one’s time.
b. A healthy activity, which should be done right if it’s to be done at all. Work should be done before one plays.
c. A positive activity as long as it is something I enjoy and don’t feel pressured to accomplish.
d. A necessary evil, much less inviting than play.
Doug answered with (a.) and me, if you know me well, have probably already guessed that I was clearly the (d.) answer. Twenty four years later, I have moved up to somewhere between the (c.) and (b.)
Today I still struggle with daily choices between the fun thing to do and the thing that will bring me the most joy. Life is nothing if it isn’t a great balancing act.
Not everything during my mission was fun either, though I wished it so. But the point wasn’t to ‘enjoy’ every little task, rather to do the thing that was most needed. And I knew I wasn’t like Ezekiel whom the Lord sent on his mission and told him up front (and I’m paraphrasing) …’Look Ezekiel, the people don’t listen to me so I am pretty sure they won’t listen to you either.’ Who wants to start off their mission knowing they won’t get any converts! But I knew going out that I wouldn’t have it as bad as Ezekiel the prophet. And if it wasn’t that bad, some good was going to come. But the good that was coming took hard work and dedication on my part. Here’s the real reference so you don’t think I am making this stuff up.
Ezekiel 4 and 7 And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. .. But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.
Guess what I am learning? Sometimes hard work CAN be the fun part. Not 100% true, opposition in all things and such, but I am getting closer to believing that every week.
So now I ask you, ‘Can you make yourself do something you don’t want to do, to get a result you would like to have?’
‘Can you make yourself do something you don’t want to do, to get a result you would like to have?’
Wrapped up in this little saying is a ton of thought provoking elements. Of course, the greatest application is in reaching our eternal goal of the celestial kingdom. But I have found that it applies in my little everyday choices as well.
Here are two of the thoughts I had…
Thought 1: Sometimes I have to make a conscience choice to be happy.
I don’t mean stand in front of the mirror and smile as big as I can until I feel happy. But rather do the things in a day that bring real joy. Not all of those things I like doing. I think it rather mundane to cook dinner night after night. But what brings me joy is in knowing I am serving my family and keeping the stress levels down in the house. Same with doing laundry (enough said).
I have found that a grateful heart has a hard time NOT being happy. I lived in Argentina long enough to have seen some real poverty. I think of the family that we had to teach how to purify their drinking water. They had no running water and had to get it from the fields or where ever else they could find it. So having pure clean running water come out of my faucet and letting it slip through my fingers is a huge blessing. I could also go on and on about hot water and indoor plumbing.
At the risk of sounding like the song from ‘Sound of Music’, I am going to list a few of my ‘favorite things’ that I am grateful for: My bed, flannel sheets, heat, a house, food to eat, food storage downstairs, a church building to attend, ability to go camping when I want, my laptop, family that supports me, friends that like me, general good health, fresh baked cookies, Facebook where I have rediscovered old friendships, the temple being only an hour away, the extra cars I have (one has a flat right now but I can still go anywhere I need!), which leads me to the 4x4 to get out of my driveway and make it to seminary on icy mornings, my chickens that give me fresh eggs, the view out my kitchen window, scriptures with footnotes, teaching 8 year olds how to find a reference in their own set of scriptures and seeing their little faces light up with a sense of accomplishment, etc. etc. How could one not be happy when there is so much to be grateful for!
Even with the trials I am dealing with currently, I can be happy and find joy.
Thought 2: I really hate hard work.
When Doug and I first married, we each took a personality quiz. I remember this one question vividly because it completely defined Doug and I. Here’s the question.
Fill in the blank: Work is___________
a. A most productive way to spend one’s time.
b. A healthy activity, which should be done right if it’s to be done at all. Work should be done before one plays.
c. A positive activity as long as it is something I enjoy and don’t feel pressured to accomplish.
d. A necessary evil, much less inviting than play.
Doug answered with (a.) and me, if you know me well, have probably already guessed that I was clearly the (d.) answer. Twenty four years later, I have moved up to somewhere between the (c.) and (b.)
Today I still struggle with daily choices between the fun thing to do and the thing that will bring me the most joy. Life is nothing if it isn’t a great balancing act.
Not everything during my mission was fun either, though I wished it so. But the point wasn’t to ‘enjoy’ every little task, rather to do the thing that was most needed. And I knew I wasn’t like Ezekiel whom the Lord sent on his mission and told him up front (and I’m paraphrasing) …’Look Ezekiel, the people don’t listen to me so I am pretty sure they won’t listen to you either.’ Who wants to start off their mission knowing they won’t get any converts! But I knew going out that I wouldn’t have it as bad as Ezekiel the prophet. And if it wasn’t that bad, some good was going to come. But the good that was coming took hard work and dedication on my part. Here’s the real reference so you don’t think I am making this stuff up.
Ezekiel 4 and 7 And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. .. But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.
Guess what I am learning? Sometimes hard work CAN be the fun part. Not 100% true, opposition in all things and such, but I am getting closer to believing that every week.
So now I ask you, ‘Can you make yourself do something you don’t want to do, to get a result you would like to have?’