C, C and C

My understanding of communism is that it is a governmental system in which everyone is forced to share all that they have in order to achieve a situation of social and financial equality. They choose people's careers, etc, for them in an effort to create the ideal society, or to have ultimate control.

Now contrast that with the Law of Consecration, wherein everyone shares and is equal to one another by choice. They want to give and they want to share and lift others.

If these assertions are correct, then the only difference between communism and consecration is the desire behind it. With one you have the desire to do it and with the other you don't. When people are forced to share and be the same, they naturally rebel. I don't know of anybody who wants to be told what to do and how to live all the time. It goes against the root of why we came to this earth. After all, if we are here to make choices, what's the point if we aren't allowed to make them!

Now add to the mix customs. The customs of a people are the general belief and standards that people choose to live by. In ancient days, the customs of the people were often based in religion.

When to this natural basis of a custom a supernatural sanction is added by religion, and the ways of one's ancestors are also the will of the gods, then custom becomes stronger than law . . .

When the "modes of thought and action" became intertwined with religious and in turn familial beliefs, they became the law by which people lived. We still have customs in other countries today that seem strange to us, but are part of their everyday life. We also have customs here that are are thought to be strange to others. Wherever you choose to live, their are customs to be followed or ignored. However if they are ignored, the persecution a person would encounter could be fierce. Doing something that is outside the "norm" can bring ostracization from our fellow men.

So how does this all tie together? hmm, that's a good question . . .

Here's my thought. If customs are what we choose to live by and laws are what we are told to live by, and if communism is us being told how we must live, and consecration is living the way that we know we should live . . . then we will find our "Utopian" society of consecration when the laws become the customs. When we start choosing to live they way we are told because we know we should and we want to do what's right, we will achieve what communism never could. Unity.

Civilization

Define civilization. Sounds simple right? I don't think it is. In our day we think of civilization as lots of people, lots of technology and lots of conveniences. But for thousands of years it has meant something entirely different. The word has referred to a group of people choosing to live and work together towards a common goal, usually survival.

Yes, I have found something new to drown in. An eleven volume set of books called the Story of Civilization, by Will Durant. I bought this massive set of books, most of which near 1000 pages each, for David one year when he was really into history. Well, apparently he wasn't THAT into history, so they have sat on the shelf until I felt like I was mentally prepared for them and now to my joy, I am. So we begin.

With early people, i.e., Adam and Eve and descendants, the main occupation was hunting to provide food for the family. It was completely necessary to sustain life, as opposed to current times when Walmart hunts for us:)

We do our hunting by proxy, not having the stomach for honest killing in the fields; but our memories of the chase linger in our joyful pursuit of anything weak or fugitive, and in the games of our children-even in the word game.

Makes sense, doesn't it? Our society, at least here in the US, is so focused around games. Football, baseball, video games, etc, seem sometimes to hold a greater priority in people's lives than actually living. I have never really understood that. Probably because I grew up listening to my dad talk about how sports are just men(people)acting out their violent and warlike tendencies. You guessed it, he's not a sports fanatic. He is about staying healthy and encouraged us to go outside and play games, but organized publicized sporting events were not his thing. After having been married to a college football loving man for eleven years, I am still stumped. I watch my 10 year old son, while he watches football with his dad, throw his arms up and holler at the tv when something good happens, or something bad. He isn't mimicking his dad, they are like a synchronized team, who just happens to never have practiced their moves, but still are perfectly in sync. I'll be honest. I just don't get football. I know they are trying to get the ball from one end to the other. I even check a book out of the library from the kid's section to read and hopefully understand better as a way to show interest in what my husband loves. To no avail. Why is this play so great, but that one, which looked the same to me, so not great? Wow, so off track, the point is that there seems to be some kind of deeply subconscious ingrained need in some men/people, not all, to be a part of or watch the "hunt". Does that come from thousands of years of ancestors who lived and survived by hunting prey and occasionally enemies? Or is there some deeper spiritual need to survive, to endure and make it through and this is the only way they know how to express it?

I really don't know. Physical or spiritual? I would guess that it is a physical thing, though that would necessitate a very strong genetic indicator of good hunter versus lousy hunter and I don't know if there is any evidence to back that up. However since this is my own little world and I don't need to prove anything, I don't need evidence. :)

Conclusion

Such a simple word to sum it all up. It's a little more refined than "That's all folks!" I have finished Walden. This was my second journey and this time I made it through. There was a lot to learn and a lot that I missed. I admit I definitely lost interest some in the sections about the depth of the pond, though from a naturalist point of view, that would be good information.

I love the way Thoreau ended this book. He summarized with a reminder that things are really not as they seem and there is so much more to people and life than appears on the surface.

The universe is wider than our views of it.

So it is. It is comforting to know that while my view is so limited, I have access to a source that is omnipotent. So many things happen in the world in general and in my own life personally that I really do not understand, that it is of great comfort to know that Someone does have the master blueprint. There is a reason for each and every triumph and each and every disappointment. Each one is an opportunity to learn and to grow. Every individual on this planet has the same chance to explore the last undiscovered frontier: ourselves. Self examination and introspection is one of the scariest and most enlightening endeavors. It's hard to do at first, but it can change your life if you really try and enlist the help of the Holy Spirit. For me, when something goes badly, I spend time having a conversation in my head with myself to figure what went wrong. It helps me to know what I need to change, and when I need to apologize occasionally. When we begin to understand ourselves, we are on our way to controlling ourselves and getting closer to our potential as sons and daughters of God.

Humility like darkness reveals the heavenly light.

We are children of God. We have the option to become like him if we choose. Sometimes I think I am not sure if I want to become like God. Simply put, great power has great responsibility. It frightens me the level of responsibility that is attached to even a fraction of God's power. One more reason I am glad to be a woman, I'll never hold the priesthood. I am so thankful that God's power is available to me, but I am also glad that it is not my lot in life to be accountable for how it is used. There is another quote by a woman who wrote a great book on teaching children self government. She said, "Be like the Moon." I love that. The moon reflects the light of the sun and adds beauty and order. People used to mark the passing of time by the cycle of the moon. I want to reflect Christ. I want to bring consistency and beauty to my little sphere of influence. If I can do that and a few other things in my life, I will consider it to be a successful experiment.

Elysium

Isn't that just a really fun word to say? E-lee-see-um. It flows and it sounds pretty which is probably related to the fact the the actual place was supposed to be beautiful, and well, heavenly. So I just finished rereading Percy Jackson, the Lightning Thief, and I still love these books. It is nice sometimes to read something that is not as challenging, but still imparts great basic truths. So One of the biggest things that struck me this read through was this part when the heroes are in the underworld on their quest to put things right.

"There's a court for dead people?"

"Yeah. Three judges. They switch around who sits on the bench. King Minos, Thomas Jefferson, Shakespeare--people like that. Sometimes they look at a life and decide that person needs a special reward--the Fields of Elysium. Sometimes they decide on punishment. But most people, well, they just lived. Nothing special, good or bad."

Ok, now personally I can draw about a hundred comparisons between Greek Mythology and the Gospel, but this one is a little bigger. They just lived. How sad. I realized after I read that, that I don't want to just live. I want to do something! I want to make a difference and change something for the better. When my time of judgement comes as it must for us all, I want to be symbolically deemed Elysium Fields material. I want to live a good life.

But what does that really mean? I make lots of mistakes everyday. Some of which I continue to make for years at a time. For the most part, my heart is in the right place. In part my mistakes are made out of ignorance, or stupidity. Sometimes they are intentional, I just don't realize that I subconsciously meant to do something until after I have done it when it is naturally much harder to fix it. I have been through dark times in my life, bouts with depression and many of the same type of struggles that so many others face. Thankfully, the Lord has guided me through it all and led me to one simple truth of how to live that good life.

One day at a time.

Each and every moment of each and every day is a new chance to do it right. Many if not most trials and struggles carry over through many days, but every night I have the chance to go to bed with a good attitude and every morning I have the chance to look at the day with a positive outlook. It's a choice I make everyday. Sadly sometimes I choose wrong. But more often these days I am choosing right. I choose to be happy and calm. In my opinion despite my imperfections and mistakes, I think I am living a good life. Now things will be fine if I can just survive the next twenty years . . . .

As a side note, if you know anything about Greek Mythology, take a moment, if you haven't and compare things like Hercules with true history. Or the three different places you can end up when you die. Or the idea that there are children of god.

So yes, I love another kids book. I read the whole series with my 10 year old son. He loved them. The action is nonstop and the characters are faced with tough choices, and almost always make the right one. It's a great ideal for a young boy: a child of a god, with great potential and powers, who is constantly under attack from evil forces and fights for the right through all of it. Each child on this earth is a "demi-god", so let's teach them what that means and train them to fulfill their destinies.

Solitude

"I'm alone, but I'm not lonely . . . " Bonus points if you know what movie that is from. Sometimes I love to be alone. It's nice to have peace and quiet, which, my kids will tell you from many of my lectures, are not the same thing. It is in fact very common to have one without the other. I just read my husband's most recent blog posting here. Some of the best truths are learned in solitude. We can learn a lot from each other, but when it comes down to it, our best learning comes when it is just you and the Holy Spirit. Besides it's probably easier to hear when no one else is talking:)

God is alone, -- but the devil, he is far from alone; he sees a great deal of company; he is legion.

Clearly, time spent with only ourselves for earthly comfort is time well spent. Being physically alone is not the only factor here. To truly be alone we need to turn off all of our wonderful devices that talk to us in place of other humans. Sometimes I purposely leave my cell phone at home when I go somewhere, just so I can feel the disconnection. And I secretly love it when the power goes out, because of the way it cuts us off from our electronic world and gives us a little time to just breath in the solitude of it. Plus it makes me even more grateful for electricity and all my wonderful toys when the power comes back on. This is one reason we take our kids camping every year. There is nothing that can compare with sitting around a campfire in the fading light with nothing but nature all around you. Being outside, alone, is one of the most wonderful things in this world. Sometimes when I was a kid and I got stressed out I would go out to the backyard and climb a tree and just sit. Try it sometime, it's a singular experience.

Solitude is not about being completely alone. Just as the reverse is true, being in a large group of people does not mean that you are well-companioned. It is all complexly intertwined. I have felt utterly alone in a room full of people who I am familiar with. On the reverse I have been physically alone and felt more loved and accepted than at any other time.

Solitude is not measured by the miles of space that intervene between a man and his fellows.

I often find my solitude simply by following my heart and just being who I am. That of course, has taken years of figuring out exactly who I am, but I have a fair idea by this point. When my children are playing quietly and I have a great book to read, I find solitude. When I get the chance to work out in the yard raking leaves, or spreading wood chips, I relish in the solitude of physical labor out in the beauty of nature. I'm really not too much of an outdoorsy girl, but I want to be. I decided that the only reason I am not out there more is that for ten years I have had one or more little people who I cannot and should not leave unattended for long periods of time. I am greatly looking forward to the time that is fast approaching when all my children will be able to accompany me on long hikes. (oh, and I need to get into shape for those long hikes too:)) In the meantime I grab little moments of solitude.

We can't all go live by the side of a pond for two years, but I am quite sure that with a little effort each of us can find moments of solitude wherever we are.

My Favorite Dead Guy

Seriously I really think Henry David Thoreau is my new favorite dead guy. He had more common sense than the majority of the world's population.

Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand.

I strive to keep my life simple. My kids are not involved in tons of things. I am not involved in tons of things. Elder Oaks' "Good, Better, Best" talk has become my mantra of life. I admit I am also judgmental of those who complain about how crazy their lives are and yet do nothing to simplify. If you know something is wrong at least try to fix it, you know? I do still have days and even weeks when my life is much busier than I would like, but that is the exception and not the rule. This means even more to me on the eve of one of my crazy busy days. I am curious to know if anyone else thinks that this would constitute a busy day: Kids up and family scripture study at 7:30, strip beds, wash sheets, devotional with kids, visiting teaching at 930 and 1030, home for lunch, visiting teacher arriving at 1, take care of friends dog about 230, piano lesson at 330, house cleanup at 5, dinner at 6 and kids bedtime at 8. I fear that what I consider an insane day will be nothing to others, but for me tomorrow will be crazy. I much prefer my two or three kind of days.

One of the biggest reasons for keeping things simple is so I don't miss anything. I want to live and enjoy what is really important, like a three year old who loves everything, and a one year old who is growing up way to fast. To quote Thoreau:

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

I want to live. I want to rake the biggest pile of leaves, or spend a whole day just reading books outloud, or watch a baby learn to walk. There is just so much in this world. So many options. Too many in my opinion. I know I have to make hard choices about what I will or will not do and what I let my kids do. I want to be sure that I spend my most valuable time becoming better than I am, and being as goofed up as I am I have lot of improving to do . . .

When we are unhurried and wise, we perceive that only great and worthy things have any permanent and absolute existence

Slow it down people. Sometimes (like tomorrow for me) we run so fast trying to do everything we miss what really matters. After all is it more important for your child to play three sports and two instruments, or for that child to spend time with you one on one just taking a walk and talking? To me the answer is obvious. Time. For anyone who disagrees, perhaps you should take a moment and ponder on why you do not feel a desire to be with your child. I know that's a little or a lot judgmental, but honestly, why do parents schedule their children? I am not talking about situations where a child who is old enough to understand commitment and responsibility asks, begs, or pleads for lessons or a certain activity. If the child has a passion, feed it. My problem is when the parents sign up their children so everyone is running around every available opportunity instead of having any down time at home. They push their children out of a misguided attempt to better them without understanding what the child really needs to become better. They want the best for them, but they miss the point that what is best for them is being with them. I understand that it is easier emotionally to drive and drop, than walk and talk. Establishing an emotional connection with a child or any other person requires a certain level of maturity and selflessness, not to mention charity and love. It's hard, I know. I have been there. I have had and still do have times when I would really not rather have to deal with kids. It is easy to dismiss and ignore them. It's hard to care for another, but the more you do it, the easier it gets. Just like with everything worth having or doing in this world, it takes work and it's going to be hard, but the end result will be well worth it. Things that are permanent and absolute are few and far between in this temporal world of ours. Find out what those things are and you will have a clear picture of what you should be spending your time and energy on. I think that was one point of Life in the Woods. Take time away from civilization and assess your priorities. When we have our priorities in order we are more than capable of taking of our own and then extending out to help and serve others. Gotta say, loving this my new favorite dead guy.

Reality

I have been mulling over a thought concept for some time now. I thought it would be titled Perception. So I guess this really is reality or perception. What is the difference between the two?

I am reading Wives and Daughters for my new book club and I was struck today by the way the author presents certain characters. Some of the people in the book, and in many other books, just don't get it. It's like they live in this alternate world, that doesn't intersect the real world. I often see or interact with other people and I wonder (sooo judgingly) if they realize that they are functioning with a false sense of what is real and what matters. Reality (punny I know) tv shows for example. Do the people on those shows really behave that way in real life? I sure hope not. I imagine that a great deal of their drama and angst comes from knowing they are being taped and that in real life they would not be so terribly unpleasant or idiotic. Of course that leads into why we as a society have this clearly rampant desire to voyeuristicly observe other people acting like they are not acting while they clearly are? What does that say about the Human race? Where does this deep need for drama and excitement come from? Why are we so incapable of being content with where we are and what we have. Just to be clear I am not judging here, I am more than guilty of books and movies enjoyed simply to remove myself from my reality for a time. I just wonder . . .

So in dissecting the thought of how another person's perception of the world is in fact their reality, does that mean that they are not living in the real world, or that I am not? I feel that I see things much more clearly than they do, so does that mean that I understand what is real and what matters? or am I deluding myself with thoughts of my own grandeur? I think that observing life from a gospel perspective is the only way to judge. I know the gospel to be true. I know Christ was/is perfect. So if I can try to see the world through His eyes, that seems like the best possible way to determine what is reality. Of course, once I master that I will be able to stop judging people and considering myself "more real" than they are and then this whole concept of my perception vs. their perception is rather moot since it would simply become the perception of the Perfected one, which is universal and omnipotent.

Obviously (to me at least) my concerns about perception should be focused not on who is right, but on how I can help. Naturally my next thought leads me to think about how I perceive myself in an attempt to share the gospel and then begin to consider how another person might perceive my attempt to share, which could very well seem to them like I don't live in the real world, but really that is just my perception of what their perception might be based on only my own life experiences, which is not their experiences and since I have yet to discover that elusive mind reading ability, I will never truly be able to know how another person receives what I share.

It's a conundrum.

My right answer: don't worry about what other people think. Do what I know is right. Ask questions when I do not understand. Pray for guidance.

Someday I'll figure it all out.