Life, Nets & the IRS!!!

Basically if I didn't have the greatest brother in the world--I would be in trouble with the IRS--I forgot my taxes. And one of my employers forgot me... so it is a good thing that my incredibly brilliant brother--who graduated with an executive MBA in finance from the University of Penn Wharton--also skis and just happened to be at Snowbird today. I think that in the future I should best do my taxes before the 17th of April.

Today was an OK day. I spent a few hours working on a novel, recovering from the trauma of the night with the door open to my house. I got on the website for my church, and there was a quote from an apostle of God that I really felt applied to a lot of the things in my life lately:

"In the midst of the noise and seductive voices that compete for our time and interest, a solitary figure stands on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, calling quietly to us, 'Follow me.' "
Elder Joseph B. WirthlinEnsign, May 2002

Upon reading that article I was empowered to get out from some of the nets that I have gotten in lately--not that they are necessarily bad pursuits--they may have just become twisted in the not so distant past--and I needed the Lord's help to untangle them. OK, I am speaking very vaguely--I need to put my life in better priority.

My mom sent me a great article that contains excertps from "ADVERSITY CAN BRING YOU HAPPINESS" by Betty Rollin the famous author and highly respected MS NBC anchor woman who survived breast cancer, her terminally ill mother's suicide, divorce and all kinds of adversity. It helped me to really see that I have been granted many opportunities to gain insights, maturity, compassion, charity and love through some of the events that have transpired in my life and now I need not waste anytime heeding the call to follow Jesus Christ, no matter the cost.

"people grow, develop resources and gain skills, wisdom, strength they didn't know they had," Folk-man, researcher from UCSF says people facing adversity "review priorities; they have new meaningful goals; they live more in the moment." I am attempting to apply these things in my life. What good can I do? Who can I help? What talents can I utilize to serve God and man? Is there anything in my life that I need to abandon in order to attain such a consecrated life, and if so, am I willing to leave it behind? Each of the disciples had things they had to give up--successful jobs and careers, family, comforts and conveniences, leaving it behind for a life of learning and territory uncharted...

I couldn't help but think of it as leaving the nice groomed and comfortable area of a ski resort--stepping outside the bounds into a region not yet explored and without bounds or avalanche bombing, without groomed runs-This area means the greatest risk, but also the greatest possibility for adventure, for growth, for pure unabated enjoyment, and unparralleled risk--The greatest comfort--I have a guide. As we each step out into the unmapped mountains of our lives, Jesus Christ knows perfectly the region. And has given us not only his perfect example, but made available through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Other resources--A living prophet--the scriptures--safety precautions--commandments. He has helped to set the bounds by which I can live and experience joy and comfort even when i have to step out into the unknown, even when I have to experience pain, have my imperfections chiseled from my imperfect being. He has experienced all my suffering and joy, he has truly suffered all manner of tribulation and has overcome the world--he is not going to just carry me down the mountain, that would prevent me from learning to make my way down, it would reduce growth and experience, it would disable me from learning and becoming like him, it would, in the end reduce my capacity to think and feel and live and love. I would not be able to know the full measure of my potential, I would not know true joy because I would not have to act and think and work for myself. Were it not for him--I would be lost in my own personal wilderness and regardless of how well I thought I knew the area, no matter my ability or talent or perserverence, no amount of exertion on my part could prevent the inevitable--my death. I cannot do it without Christ, and luckily for me--He has overcome the world, he has conquered death and I can not only find sucess and happiness here, but I can enjoy the blessings of eternal life and exaltation.