There are so many good things to do, but we can’t do all of them. Our Heavenly Father is most pleased when we sacrifice something good for something far greater with an eternal perspective.
I’ve always loved this talk by President Dieter F. Ucthtdorf, entitled, ” FORGET NOT“. It speaks so much to my heart. If you know me well, you will know that I’m forgetful! I get so wrapped up in everything that I have going on that sometimes I even forget the most basic things. I need reminders often. Guess how many times the word “remember” appears in the scriptures? A lot! That’s how many. It’s worth the search. I think the Lord knows we must be reminded often.
There are five things President Dieter F. Uchtdorf wants us to NOT forget:
- FORGET NOT to be patient with yourself.
- FORGET NOT the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice.
- FORGET NOT to be happy now.
- FORGET NOT the “why” of the gospel.
- FORGET NOT that the Lord loves you.
The world is definitely a busy place. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel like I’m on a merry-go-round that won’t stop and just keeps getting more and more crowded. Ever become dizzy in your kitchen while rushing around trying to get supper on for a crew? I have – and that is sometimes what life feels like. I need reminders like this to stay focused on the most important things. Otherwise I do dumb things like put the milk away in the pantry.
I think #2 is so important. When we have our priorities straight, we are more patient with ourselves, we are happier, we understand the gospel better and we feel God’s love – because we are doing WHAT He wants us to do and HOW He want us to do it.
President Uchtdorf says:
“…forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice.
An acceptable sacrifice is when we give up something good for something of far greater worth.
Giving up a little sleep to help a child who is having a nightmare is a good sacrifice. We all know this. Staying up all night, jeopardizing our own health, to make the perfect accessory for a daughter’s Sunday outfit may not be such a good sacrifice.
Dedicating some of our time to studying the scriptures or preparing to teach a lesson is a good sacrifice. Spending many hours stitching the title of the lesson into homemade pot holders for each member of your class perhaps may not be.
Every person and situation is different, and a good sacrifice in one instance might be a foolish sacrifice in another.
How can we tell the difference for our own situation? We can ask ourselves, “Am I committing my time and energies to the things that matter most?” There are so many good things to do, but we can’t do all of them. Our Heavenly Father is most pleased when we sacrifice something good for something far greater with an eternal perspective. Sometimes, that may even mean nurturing small but beautiful forget-me-not flowers instead of a large garden of exotic blooms.”
As I sit here neglecting laundry while writing this, these words speak to me. However, I do appreciate the line “Every person and situation is different, and a good sacrifice in one instance might be a foolish sacrifice in another.” I guess it’s up to us, individually, to be directed by the spirit in how we use our time, and we can’t judge each other’s choices. If you have time and energy to stay up all cross-stitching a quote on each handout for your Relief Society lesson – power to you! But I’m sure we would enjoy the lesson even without the handout. I guess only we will know when we are spending our time foolishly, or wisely on things that have eternal consequence.
Are we like Mary, Mary Quite Contrary seeking to nurture only the showiest parts of our garden? Why is she called “contrary” anyways (besides it rhyming with Mary)? Is there anything contrary to our Heavenly Father’s will in how we are using our time? Do we worry more that our “pretty maids” are all in row for all to see? Or do we quietly go about doing good and prioritize our time in the way He would like us to? How does our garden grow? Where is our heart?
Gaging the good/better/best in our lives takes practice. It helps me to think of how my Heavenly Father sees my sacrifices. If I stop in my flurry to actually think about how He is viewing my contributions, the answers become visibly clear. Sometimes we may use our friends, family, neighbours and peers to influence us how we prioritize. However, the only pats on the back that we should seek after are ones that come from the Lord. The answers are pretty simple when we let a whole lot go and just focus on the important things.
The gospel is beautifully simple and simply beautiful.
With that in mind, it’s time to go nurture some of my rather “simple” flowers….