Treasure

First I walk, then I run, Another Late night spent among real friends but soon enough early morning comes again. Hair brush, make up, purse all stuffed into my bag, no time for breakfast or a quick TV fix. IPod on, ear plugs in, door slammed behind.

I cannot break the habit. The bus is in sight; my shoe goes flying behind me as I catch my step.  Travelers begin queuing to get there ticket and take turns paying the unshaven driver, underpaid, under appreciated.
 we're all in the same boat.
 Holding the shoe and purse in one hand and my unkempt shoulder bag I run to the driver, dragging in breathes,waving my crumpled ticket. Once again my Luck precedes me.

The bus is packed, school kids, teenage mothers, old age pensioners and buggies everywhere. One seat left for me, until the next stop, I stand and an old man with a red and white knitted hat takes my place. Plugged out of reality I go to my own place, a beauty amongst the sweaty arms holding on for dear life to yellow painted poles placed in tedious places as the bus swerves and shakes. We stop again; I look out the window and what do I see… no popcorn popping just a man eating safety glass on the floor, I blink again, still there. Punched in glass off an advert board at the bus stop, cigarette holes burned into another, glass everywhere.

We are somewhere else now, A green pumpkin is rolling down the side of the road a man follows it, trying to grab at it, faithfully it continues to  rolls down the road.

Another bus, another queue but it’s there and so am I too, purse out, head phones off, wouldn’t it be nice… to be a red double Decker, but business blue for a town that does not care. Less people sit upstairs, a snoozing women on the left, a chubby bold man at the back, and a cowboy near the front.
 I take a place somewhere in the middle. So tired so bored, where’s my lunch? *sigh* what am I doing here...

Who is this cowboy? Cowboy Boots, Cow boy Hat, Bolo, he’s kitted up.  Thick accent… Is he American?

 A little portable radio is strapped to his waist, Country music, what else. Foreigners are the norm but this one is a character. I watch hypnotized by his lulling country notes, from nowhere he pulls out a bulky white tube sock, he’s humming along now. His wrinkled hand snakes its way to the bottom of the sock clasping the bulk, stuck like a monkey trap, his other hand peels away the sock and a treasure is revealed. I scour the bus, am I the only one seeing this, this is real. His eyes sparkle with the reflection of a beautiful clear cut crystal sitting in the grasp of his big boned hands. I remember to breathe once more. The dull white sock resting on his lap gets swooped up and suddenly it becomes a polishing cloth. Despite the tattered appearance of the sock it encourages more light to hit its pure stunning face and beautify the dull space of the cankering bus.

How can such beauty be found amongst such dull nothingness?

It can’t be true.

Can it?

Matthew 6:20-21

lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Whose driving that car?

Where are your friends taking you?


I remember listening to a John Bytheway talk once and something he said really struck me. He was talking about being in a car with your friends and being on a journey. He asked what is your destination? who is in control of the vehicle? who is going on the journey with you?

It made me think about how important it is to have good friends around you, as they will have an influence on you in your thoughts, decisions and in who you are becoming.

In thinking deeper about the car analogy, this i think can apply a lot to the younger generation but can still apply to every age depending on what  role our friends play in our lives.

My Family

 In the groups of friends that we have, who is/ are the ones, having the most influence on us? is this the person driving us to our destination? Is the destination a place of peace happiness and progression or are they taking us in the wrong direction towards careless choices, misery and poor judgement of others? do they encourage us to be a better version of ourselves and are they there for us in our time of need? Do they like a good catch up on gossip during the week and when you need them for support are too busy for a one to one?
 
Sometimes the best and most reliable friends we have are the ones who we are related to. I think i can count my dear sisters and my parents as the best friends that i have ever had. They sacrifice for me, they love me even when i am being down right stupid and they forgive so easily. Family is something i hope i will never take for granted.

So how do we surround ourselves with good friends?

To have good friends, be a good friend. Show genuine interest in others; smile and let them know you care about them. Treat everyone with kindness and respect, and refrain from judging and criticizing those around you. -Strength for youth. Lds.org

How much of ourselves do we give?

Personally i think that sometimes you need to spring clean when it comes to friends, if there are friends that are having too much of a negative effect on you, then maybe it is time to walk away from that friendship. I have friends that need my help and support and maybe going through a rough time and all i want to do is give them all of me, all my time attention love and care, this can be good in the right measure but too much involvement in others problems can potentially drain us and drag us down and put us in an undesirable situation. There is only so much help you can give a person, they need to do there part and if they need professional help then encourage them to seek it.

A friend in Christ

John 15:13 'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.'

Surely there cannot be a greater friend we have than in our dear brother Jesus Christ who suffered all that we might live. we have so much to learn from his example, the way he treats his fellow men. he is not concerned about surrounding himself with the most popular likeable people, he didn't care if his best friend had an indoor swimming pool or the best taste in music. He went about with his disciples and his apostles, he loved them, healed their sick ones,taught them how to gain treasures in heaven and helped them with their unbelief. Surely we have a thing or two to learn form his divine example.

That's just not fair.

Ever had one of those days where you wake up, walk into the wall, stub your toe on the door, drop your tooth brush down the toilet and stumble out of the front door then realized you've locked your keys inside the house/flat?

Then punching the air or shaking your fists you ask the common question. why me?

In a very mild and comical way i wanted to use the example of a personal day to day annoyance to  illustrate something serious and relative to all people.

One of the old age questions often asked is what is the purpose of suffering? why are there so many people suffering? why does God not interfere?

Whether it is a really awful day or depression or illness or starvation and famine we are all familiar with suffering happening around us or in our own homes.

So Whats the point of it all?

Kenneth H. Beesley tries to categorize the possible reasons in six points

1. Suffering caused by God

  There is evidence that God sometimes intervenes in the events of this world. The scriptures suggest that suffering may sometimes be a form of loving chastisement from the Lord.  but not all suffering is caused by unrighteousness. 

2. Suffering caused by our own actions

 Human error, and the violation of civil, natural, or eternal laws may frequently cause us pain.  Through rationalization, projection, or selective inattention, we so often excuse ourselves, blaming our self-induced problem on someone else. 

3. Suffering caused by others

 Less dramatic but very real suffering can be caused by an unkind word, a slight or discourtesy. A person can be hurt by an unfair or dishonest business transaction.

4. Unintentionally produced suffering

Sometimes a person may bring suffering on himself or others unintentionally. Insensitivity to the feeling of others or misunderstanding of another’s motives often is to blame. 

5. Suffering caused by an act of nature 

 Floods, earthquakes, violent storms, or other cataclysmic occurrences in nature frequently destroy property, cause injuries, or take lives. While God has at times calmed the storms, the forces of nature are, for the most part, allowed to function unhindered. 

6. Suffering caused by a mechanical failure or malfunction that causes an accident.

 Why? Did God cause it? Was it a punishment for past sins? I think not. Danger is simply inherent in this life. Still, although God seldom causes suffering, he does allow it.

God gave us all the gift of free agency, to make choices for our self without him interfering he allows things to happen and for us to go through things so that we may learn and grow from the and by using the power of Christ Atonement it allows us to change and become something more.

It is tough to accept that there is suffering and like the power puff girls that i used to watch when i was little i want to save the world and take away all the suffering just like Miss world would say.

I sometimes find myself surrounded with people i care about suffering and wanting to help them so much and to fix there problems. I weep for them sometimes not knowing what i can possibly to do help them  when i am away from them. whilst studying the Scriptures i came across a verse in  the Bible which says

<----- James 5:16

 I know that God answers even the seemingly insignificant prayer because he love us. He might not always give us what we want and when we want it but our prayer are important and effective. This has brought me a lot of comfort knowing that i cant solve every problem and take away all suffering but along with the little things that i can do, I can pray.

Something that personally keeps me going is reading Joseph B Wirthlin's talk "come what may and Love it." Especially the advice to learn how to laugh in stressful situations! 

 

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/come-what-may-and-love-it?lang=eng