It would be nice if . . .

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At lunch this week with the dh, we were talking about kids - we talk about kids a lot - and he said, in relation to one of the paths one is pursuing, "it would be nice if . . ."  I got a little smirk on my face.  I thought to myself,

               "Yeah, it would be nice if.  It's always 'wouldn't it be nice if.'"

I got to thinking in those few seconds after he said this, how often I say or think "it would be nice if" or some version of that same thought or idea.

It would be nice if . . . .
                we had more food storage
                we could replace all the windows
                he/she would take school more seriously
                the kids helped out more around the house
                I had more ambition
                you didn't have to work such long hours
                I had a personal assistant
                I had more time to exercise and could lose 10 pounds

These five little words of mine (and other variations) imply that things are not satisfactory.  Something is wrong or not ideal with my universe.  It could be an indication of ingratitude on my part.

What are my ideal circumstances?  Is it wanting and wishing for more when there really is no way of getting more?  Is it wanting to change or control people and circumstances I can't control or change?  Or is it realizing that whatever I am doing and wherever I am right now, today - and then tomorrow - and then next week, is the ideal? It is ideal because it is all part of the refiner's fire and becoming a friend of Christ.


This does not mean, that I shouldn't take care of myself, and try to improve or change those things that I can improve or change.  It also doesn't mean that there aren't times in my life that REALLY could be BETTER.  Life is hard, but what is harder for me is to truly rely on my Heavenly Father and know that he has said,

Matthew 6: :
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Job, Paul, Nephi, Joseph Smith, Abraham and Sarah, even Adam and Eve had it much worse than I do. I look at these people and see towering, spiritual people whose lives were in concert with their God.  I want to be like them.  Then I think, do I really want to be like them? The struggles these people endured are magnificent..  The difference between them and me is that they lived these verses in Matthew.  They were able to overcome their pride and their reliance on the arm of flesh and truly rely on the Lord. 

The Lord says "take no thought."  I take too much thought.  It would be nice . . .  if I were happy where I am, doing what I am doing, with the people I love around me.  It would be nice if . . . I believed in a loving Heavenly Father who knows me; blesses me with ALL that I need to grow into the best daughter, wife, mother, servant, friend I can be.  It would be nice . . . if I had unwavering faith that the struggles, the things that I wish for and don't get, make me more worthy to be a friend of Jesus.

Comments

Laure said…
Steph,
I stumbled onto your blog again the other day, when I was lost in the black hole that is blogging. But I'm glad I did. You actually write about meaningful stuff. I LOVE this scripture. It's one of my favorites. Takes a lot of faith to believe those words...
I miss our little study sessions at your house (although I'm sure you're glad to get your house/husband/Friday nights back to yourself!) There's just something so refreshing about talking about the Truth--whatever the subject.
Anyway, hope you guys are doing well. We miss seeing you and your cute family all the time!
January 14, 2010 at 11:30 PM
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