Paine and more Pain

THESE are the times that try men's souls. 
The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to TAX) but "to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER" and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God. Whether the independence of the continent was declared too soon, or delayed too long, I will not now enter into as an argument; my own simple opinion is, that had it been eight months earlier, it would have been much better. We did not make a proper use of last winter, neither could we, while we were in a dependent state. However, the fault, if it were one, was all our own; we have none to blame but ourselves. But no great deal is lost yet . . . I have as little superstition in me as any man living, but my secret opinion has ever been, and still is, that God Almighty will not give up a people to military destruction, or leave them unsupportedly to perish, who have so earnestly and so repeatedly sought to avoid the calamities of war, by every decent method which wisdom could invent. . .
There are cases which cannot be overdone by language, and this is one. There are persons, too, who see not the full extent of the evil which threatens them; they solace themselves with hopes that the enemy, if he succeed, will be merciful. It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf, and we ought to guard equally against both.. . I thank God, that I fear not. I see no real cause for fear. I know our situation well, and can see the way out of it. . . By perseverance and fortitude we have the prospect of a glorious issue; by cowardice and submission, the sad choice of a variety of evils — a ravaged country — a depopulated city — habitations without safety, and slavery without hope — our homes turned into barracks and bawdy-houses, and a future race to provide for, whose fathers we shall doubt of. Look on this picture and weep over it! and if there yet remains one thoughtless wretch who believes it not, let him suffer it unlamented.
 -Thomas Paine, The Crisis

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you for joining me these past 40 days as I counted down toward the re-election of our President.  I have benefited greatly from striving to daily share thoughts worthy of your time, and only hope that you too have been blessed.  I will work on creating a separate blog where these posts can be found like I did with my Attitude of Gratitude should you care to refer back to them. 

Having said that, let us have some straight talk.

I was discouraged and disheartened last night.  Perhaps some of you can relate.  The climate of my soul felt very much like the weather outside my window: cold, overcast, and dark.  I felt very small and very alone.  Thankfully, I awakened to a new day, and found incredible hope and reassurance in my morning scripture study session.  If you find yourself struggling as I did, let me share with you "a reason of the hope that is in [me]" (1 Peter 3:15)


This talk:



And Alma 24-the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's.

Study these two things with a view of the day's happenings in your mind's eye.  Ponder it--the answer is there. Those with eyes will see, those with ears will hear.  We need valor and courage now more than ever.  Remember, our faith is not grounded in a man, or an office--it is centered in Christ and Christ is in control. Fear not what man can do.  May we have malice toward none, charity for all, and be banded together in mutually pledging our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor in continuing the Constitutional course. 

May God bless us! 

Hillary Calaway

Have you?

Piece by Piece

Never mind the horrible video quality, I had the last 10 seconds of this clip from the Single's Ward in my head today as I contemplated Esau (yes, Esau--these are the kind of things that keep me up at night--well that and the fact that Joe Biden is a heartbeat away from the highest office in government).
Anyway, listen for the part about the puzzle piece if you have 1 minute to waste in watching this:



I operate from the mindset that everything in the scriptures is there for a reason be it the doctrine of Christ or the seemingly inconsequential fact that Nephi's father, "dwelt in a tent" (1 Nephi 2:15).  
God is in the details. I remember as a little girl going to the Family Christmas party at my Grandma Furness's house and watching the aunts work on puzzles all afternoon.  They would search and search for just the right piece to finish their portion of the design.  
All of these details I read about in the scriptures are like those pieces of the Christmas party puzzle, and when I figure out how they fit into the picture that is the plan of happiness it brings me great joy.  The latest puzzle piece I've been working on came as I read an account about two brothers in Genesis 25.  Esau, the eldest son of Isaac and Rebekah and his twin brother Jacob.

“And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them. And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain (read perfect, whole) man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.” (Genesis 25:21-34)

I like this story. First, it is about a woman importuning the Lord for children and He grants her petition with twins. Sign me up for this treatment. Second, the account of Esau's bartered birthright is intriguing to me.  I thought growing up that pottage was oatmeal, and although I lived on the stuff through college it was curious to me that someone would trade their birthright for a bowl of the stuff.  

Well, the first thing I learned in studying this account is that the 'pottage' had lentiles, and so I'm guessing this was more of a lunch or dinner affair, which makes me wonder if Esau made the tragic mistake of skipping breakfast, the most important meal of the day. Let this be a lesson to us all--skipping breakfast can have HUGE ramifications.  Anway. . .

I also learned that Esau had red hair, and that his nickname Edom means red, which is curious because the pottage he ate was red too.  Red, red, red.  I started thinking about what is red, and blood came to mind. But, not just any blood: spilled blood.  (Colton was fascinated when I explained that the blue lines in his arms and hands are blood--blue blood--so cool to a five year old) 

I also noticed that in describing these two sons, the author talks about Esau's abilities (hunter, man of the field, and a great cook according to his Dad) but Jacob is discussed in terms of his innate qualities (plain--which in Hebrew translates as whole, complete, perfect, simple, plain.)

So here are these two very different brothers, having this exchange. We all know well that you cannot get something for nothing and Jacob is not ignorant of this fact when he agrees to give his brother a meal if Esau gives him the birthright.  Birthright as defined by lds.org is: A right of inheritance belonging to the firstborn son. In a broad sense, the birthright includes any or all rights or inheritance transmitted to a person when he is born into a family and culture. 
Esau viewed his birthright in terms of what it could do for him.  Remember, at the point of overwhelming exhaustion Esau says in essence, "Have the birthright brother.  It isn't doing me any good. Besides, I'm hungry and I'm tired.  I've been working my tail off and all I want is a good meal.  I might as well eat and drink a little for tomorrow I very well may die." 

Jacob, I would counter had an attitude of what the birthright would enable him to become.  He was well aware of and hungered after the promises given by the Lord to his grandfather Abraham:

"And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 12:2)

 
I need not expound on the fulfillment of this in Jacob's [Israel's] life.  All of us are members of his family, and have been blessed with the same promises that we too can realize as we prove faithful and true in all things the Lord has commanded us. 
I will issue this warning, however.  Many in our nation have an Esau Attitude.  It is an attitude of entitlement. 'You work awfully hard--enjoy yourself and live a little.  You're entitled to a little pleasure.  You deserve it.'  How is it the scriptures put it? Oh yes, I remember:

"there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us. And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God."

(2 Nephi 28:7-8)

A later source actually addressed this entitlement mentality by the following words:

"Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country."  -John F. Kennedy

No one gains freedom by selling themselves for a mess of materialism. Esau could have been a type of Christ.  He who was in name and color red might have been an illustrative figure of the Only Begotten Son, whose innocent blood was spilled at the hands of a guilty generation.  He could have.  But he wasn't.  He was a firstborn son saddled with a poisonous prodigal paradigm.  

So I ask as we come down to the last two days of our countdown, are we an Esau or a Jacob?  Are we more worried about what we are going to get out of this deal or what it is we have allowed ourselves to become?  Where exactly do we think real hope and change comes from?   May God forgive us for our folly, and refashion us to be a people worthy of His blessing.  Let us begin anew to restore this country piece by piece.   Let me adapt a portion of the speech referenced earlier by JFK and say that if this election goes to the Romney/Ryan ticket this will be our charge as we begin the work ahead of us:

"All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. Nor will it be finished in the first 1,000 days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.
In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than in mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.
Now the trumpet summons us again — not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are — but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation". . . In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shank from this responsibility — I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavour will light our country and all who serve it — and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.
 And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.
 My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."

On Our Way to Emmaus

Walking along a dusty road, two friends mourning the loss of a loved one exchange furtive glances as the stranger queries the source of their noticeable sadness.   

“Are you a stranger then to this region?” they rejoin, wondering how it possible that this man could be so seemingly oblivious of the grounds for their emotionally charged dialogue.  “Know you not the things which have transpired as of late here?” 

 

“What things?” he politely counters. 

“Why the matter “[c]oncerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done . . . and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.” (Luke 24:19-24)

Regardless of the outsider’s supposed unawareness concerning the matter, he demonstrates a thorough familiarity of the prophet in question when, “beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expound[s] unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning him. . .” (Luke 24:27) 

Drawing near their intended destination, they constrain the foreigner who seems intent to continue his sojourn in spite of the daylight’s termination to remain with them.  Yielding to their appeal, he joins them for an evening meal. And “as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.” (Luke 24:30-31)

Stunned, the companions glance frantically for their absent associate, stupefied at what has transpired before their very eyes.  “And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? “ (Luke 24:32)

 As we stumble down the dusty roads of this existence, lost in our loneliness and tripped up by our trials may we look to and recognize Him who has traversed all the lanes of our life.  Let us open our hearts to His ways and His words:

“I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

We who by our very nature forget so easily may find it difficult to comprehend a God that has us always before His face, yet we are for He has “graven [us] upon the palms of [His] hands; [our] walls are continually before [Him].”  (Isaiah 49:16)

For us He was battered and beaten, scarred and sacrificed.  Why do we let doubt and fear have sway in our hearts when we know firsthand the indelible mark that pain etches on the soul?  He whose “suffering caused [him]self, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that [He] might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—“  (D&C 19:18-19) cannot and will not forget us.  We are His.

“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.“ (1 Corinthians 7:23)  

Let us not be guilty of investing our spiritual capital in things of in-consequence with the same veracity and reckless abandon that our government has the dollars of its citizenry.  Let us follow more faithfully in the footsteps of our Savior as we traverse our individual trail to Emmaus. 

God and Government

There doesn't seem to be much room in this world for Jesus Christ anymore. 

Not in the halls of our government.
Not in the hearths of our home.
Not in the harbors of our heart.

Is it any wonder that God allowed the Prince of Peace to be born under such humble circumstances, knowing that from start to finish the Lord would hardly find where to lay His head.  Born in a barn, and buried in a rock His mortal sojourn was lonely and hard.

"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief"(Isaiah 53)

Thankfully, the Savior didn't let the world's rejection stop Him from accepting His role in our Heavenly Father's plan of salvation. 



Is there room in your life for the Savior?

The government has found its way into your kitchen, your car, your bedroom, and your business.

Has God?

When events like Hurricane Sandy, or 9/11 occur the question is raised, "Where is God in all of this?"

I don't know many employees that show up for work after they have been fired.

Thank heavens God doesn't work for us--we work for Him.  We may have turned our backs on Him, but He has never abandoned us.  He was there in the twin towers, He is present on the Atlantic shores, and He will be there to guide and direct us through the next four years.  Of this I am sure.

I implore you these last five days of our countdown to the election to double your prayers and perspiration in behalf of our country.