Monday, January 5, 2009

Being prepared!

I thought of something yesterday that happened when the big snow storm hit us this year. We were having trouble with getting around in our car, so Jeff decided to get out the brand new chains (that we purchased last year) and put them on the car. To his surprise and mine, they didn't fit!  Luckily we had enough food and things at home that we didn't really have to get out, but we thought that we should be prepared just in case we needed the car. We were so disappointed. We bought those chains last year when we drove to Utah to pick Brad up from his mission and even though we never used them, we felt secure that we had them if we needed them. When we went through the Blue Mountains there was a ton of snow, but our car did well and so the chains stayed safely in the trunk. I shudder to think what would have happened last year if we would have needed them to get to our destination, only to find that they didn't fit.

I thought that is a lot like life. So many times we never check to see if our equipment or ( faith ,knowledge and hope ) are strong enough to handle what road we may have to travel. In our case, we thought we were prepared but weren't ,and all that we would have had to do is...check it out before and make sure we had all the necessary things that we needed for such a trip. I think sometimes on the days that seem so overwhelming to me, it is truly because I haven't prepared properly. I haven't check to see how strong and faithful I really am. How easy it is to just coast along in life when things are going well  but when it comes down to crunch time, do we really have what it takes to walk the road ahead of us?

It was a great reminder to me, to daily do all that I can to study, pray and be proactive in taking care of my health, both mentally and physically. It seems like such a simple thing to do, but it's not.  Balance and figuring out how to put things in the proper priorities and order can be quite difficult when LIFE KEEPS HAPPENING. I mean to do  all those things but then I get caught up in something else and lose track of what I was suppose to be doing.

So with that lesson about the chains I have decided to make a much greater effort to daily get grounded, get knowledge, peace and strength so that I am ready for this journey of mine. I will try to get better prepared!

"MEDITATION IS SIMPLY ABOUT BEING YOURSELF AND KNOWING ABOUT WHO THAT IT. IT IS ABOUT COMING TO REALIZE THAT YOU ARE ON A PATH WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, NAMELY THE PATH THAT IS YOUR LIFE"-------------Jon Kabat-Zinn

"GOD GIVE US THE GRACE TO ACCEPT WITH SERENITY THE THINGS THAT CANNOT BE CHANGED; COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS THAT SHOULD BE CHANGED; AND THE WISDOM TO DISTINGUISH THE ONE FROM THE OTHER"    ---------------Reinhold Niebuhr

Good night!

P.S.  Oh, I almost forgot, here is a photo of my son and his beautiful bride. I love it that my family is growing!

Thanks Lauren, for the photo!

4 comments:

Karma said...

Gorgeous couple! And what a beautiful bouquet!

Carolyn Cox said...

I really needed to hear that Lynn, thank you. I love you, and I wish I could have talked with you when I saw you at the wedding. I sure miss talking to you.

Love,
Carolyn

Julie N. said...

What a beautiful photo!!

Lara said...

What a powerful realization, thanks for sharing. I am inspired to "recheck my chains" as it were :)