"Labor in Sin"

Today our Sunday School teacher asked a question -- What does the scriptures mean by "labor in sin"? and the conversation went south and I put the question in the back of my mind.

Then we gathered together as women to talk about "being in the world but not being of the world". As one lady shared how challenging it is for her to do her job where she is subjected to hearing foul language that she is required to record. Another job that she has required her to record the pornography that a student was watching on the school computer. It caused her to realize that we can find ourselves in places and situations that we would not choice to be in.

With the question of "labor in sin" still in my mind I realized that true accountablity for sin comes as we labor with it. When we actively work on being sinful. So what does your days consist of? Are you actively creating labors of love or are you allowing yourself to labor in sin?

"Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward."

"But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Who are you working for? What are your wages?

In the Company of Greatness

On Saturday morning I had a good friend and mentor, Kirk Duncan talking about why he reads the scriptures... He shared of an experience where he was getting ready to share a training and got some amazing information on the way to the event. As he prepared to thank the Holy Spirit for this inspiration there was a knowing that it was indeed someone else sharing information. With a little intimidatation he asked who it was and the answer was the writer of the scriptures that he had been reading that morning.

I know that there are angels around us that have lived on this earth. The first time I experienced these angels was as a child. I was playing at playing the piano one day when I was alone in the home. All of a sudden I realize I was not alone; there was an unseen individual very close. At first I was a little scared, but I realized that all I had to do was ask in my mind who was there. The answer brought joy and love into my heart. It was my grandmother who died before I was born. She always loved music.

As Kirk's presentation continued he shared with us about his money "friends". As he shared his latest friend... Grover Cleveland there was an amazing knowing that his spirit was in the room. I realized for the first time why Kirk keeps talking about having our "friends" with us. Many of them have amazing lessons that they can teach us. That is why I now have in my phone a picture of me and Cleveland... I love the lesson he has to teach about "never giving up" and always have integrity with money.

So here the question: What company do you surround yourself with?
What books are you reading, especially just before heading to bed?

Fence Sitter

Yesterday I was given a list of  7 possible personality types to choose from that would best describe my own personality. As I was looking over those choices this morning all of a sudden I was very clear which one was mine. One of the "traps" that this type experience is "become fence-sitters". As I read this I was taken back to an experience that I had some time ago.

Two years on a Monday afternoon I was sitting in my parked car in the parking lot of the Jordan River Temple and I was pondering about the 1/3 of the host of heaven following Satan. The reason I was pondering this so deeply is that I have friends that want to believe that Satan and his followers will some day be redeemed from that choice. As I was pondering about their believe and where I stood with that I found myself being spiritually transported back to that time. The feelings that I started to feel where real and tangible. I also remembered a seminary teacher proposing that 1/3 was not an actual number but a division of group. With that in my mind I started to see realizing that there may have been indeed three division of groups as a result of the "war in heaven". Those in the LDS faith are very clear on two of the groups -- (1) The group that listened to Satan and followed him to "hell" and (2) The group that were valiant, never looking back and follow Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father and adopted the plan whole-heartedly.

I found myself feeling that I was part of a third group. Some have labeled us "Fence-sitters". Yet there was never any question of our loyality to Jesus Christ's plan of mercy. In fact, we were so enrolled in the plan that we could not help but plead for mercy for our brothers and sisters that had just been banished from the presence of our loving Father. Did he not still love them? Could there not be a way for them to be forgiven? How can there be joy in heaven with such a lose.

So while 1/3 of our Brothers and Sisters where jumping for JOY at the plan of Salvation, there was 1/3 of us that were experiencing great sadness at the lose of the other 1/3. Perhaps even judging those that could be so joyful in that moment.

How is the best way for a loving Heavenly Father to teach a soul why the choice to take away freedom was not acceptable to God? What mortal experience could one experience to see the value of freedom? Would not being placed in circumstances that denied them complete freedom assist them to realize what a gift it is?

Too often we look at circimstances as punishments, instead perhaps they are merely gifts of great learning. I am so grateful that I was blessed with a tender heart that is saddened by the natural consequences that happen by poor chooses. Though it can be a challenge to experience heartbreak, I know that I would never wish to be beyond feeling. Yet I must never let my focus be so much on the pain of another that it takes me away from the path I have choosen. The biggest challenge in life is allowing people to fall and letting them learn their own lessons.