Saturday, April 17, 2010

Choices



Our lives are a sum total of the choices we have made.
- Wayne Dyer

Own all of your choices.

I read quite a bit. There is a lot of truth to be found in a lot of places.
I have had this quote on a post it note in anticipation of it becoming a blog post.
I believe that our lives truly are a sum total of the choices we have made....mostly, somewhat. I also believe that, fortunately, God has contingency plans for contingency plans for contingency plans....
So, in truth our lives are a sum total of the choices we have made + gentle nudges from the Spirit that come to us and for us+ forgiveness+divine intervention+tender mercies of a loving and all knowing Heavenly Father and His Son.

Let me give an example.

Behold this sewing machine.
 (Actually, this sewing machine cabinet, but the sewing machine is in it and still sort of operational except something is wrong with the tension.)
It belonged to my Dad's mother, my Grammie Rhoda.

She purchased it in the late 1920's or early 1930's.
She was actually making payments on it and had fallen behind on her payments.
At the time she had three children but the baby, DelRoy, passed away.
They had a small viewing in their home. Grammie used this sewing machine to place the baby's body on. 

It was at this time that a man came to repossses the sewing machine. He came  into their home. Saw the baby. He could not bring himself to take the sewing machine and told Grammie to keep it. 

Coincidence?

I don't think so.
 I think it was a contingency plan for a contingency plan...
Mercy was extended to my Grandma in a difficult economic and emotional time.
If she had been current on her payments she may not have felt the forgiveness and mercy proferred in this act, and the man, whoever he was, would not have had the opportunity to extend it. Or if this man had used the classic "business is business" approach and ignored the promptings or intuition that he felt and had taken the machine, which was his right to do, I wouldn't have this beautiful piece of furniture/heritage in my home to remind me of God and his contingency plans.

I believe that we get to choose whether to accept the gifts, blessings, miracles, and even trials that come to us with a grateful heart or not. Actually, first we get to choose whether or not to even see these things.

It is all too easy to chalk things up to coincidence when in fact it is God working one of his contingency plans, for a contingency plan.......for us. For you. For me.



5 comments:

K and D Roylance said...

This makes me think of lessons in SS and RS today. Great additional story for my Sunday lessons.
Thank you.

Kazzy said...

This is so true. Father has so many contingency plans ready for us.

I think it is so cool that you get to keep that piece of furniture that symbolizes mercy, heartache, and family heritage.

I have enjoyed getting to know more about your family, and, in turn, you.

Jana said...

I love you & I loved this post. It made me cry.

Robin said...

Beautiful!

Kdeane said...

Amen! And let's not forget 'The Law of Compensation' which Elder Wirthlin spoke of shortly before he died.