Living BELOW Our Privileges

      L I V I N G    B E L O W    O U R    P R I V I  L E G E S




     The story is told of an old man who cared for
years for his sick wife.  After her passing, he decided to finally go on a cruise that they had both dreamed of for years!  After years of saving he had enough for the cruise but the extras and excursions would have to be enjoyed by others.  The last day of the cruise he decided that he would splurge.  He would set aside his loaf of bread and jar of peanut butter and Jam that had sustained him all week. Today he would treat himself to the buffet!  As he tried to pay for the buffet he was told that the buffet was free it's price had been included in the price of the ticket!  He could have been enjoying the buffet all week - instead, he had subsisted on peanut butter and jam !
     What do we learn from this story? It's difficult to believe that he would have been so uninformed that he would not realize his cruise privileges  How could he have allowed the entire cruise to pass without taking advantage of all that was so freely made available?
     Before we pass judgement on this poor uninformed old cruiser, I submit that most of us "Cruise" through life without taking advantage of and enjoying many of the privileges and blessings we could enjoy, because we are uninformed or do not believe those things offered to us.
     1 Corinthians 2:9 explains-" Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard ,neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which the Lord hath prepared for them that love Him."
    Here are a few things to consider :   
  • When we were baptized we were admonished to "Receive the Holy Ghost" and were told that it could be our Constant Companion.  Have we taken the time to study and learn what that means?  Have we accepted that gift and learned how to keep that gift and enjoy that gift?  D&C 75: 10 reveals that " The comforter shall teach them all things that are expedient for them."
  •         Those who live the Word of Wisdom are promised Health and Wisdom  D&C 89:18-19 even great treasures of knowledge.
  • When we pay our tithing we have assurance that the windows of heaven will be opened and that a blessing will be poured out upon us.  Malachi 3:8-11
  • when we pray and counsel with the Lord ( Alma 37:37) He will direct thee for good and (3 Nephi 18:20 reminds us that "whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you."  Praying always" ( D&C 75:11 ) "that they faint not, and in as much as they do this, I will be with them even unto the end."
  • Even a simple thing like taking our families to church on Sunday pays big dividends.(D&C 59:9) and that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the House of Prayer and offer up they sacraments upon my holy day....in as much as ye do this the fullness of the earth is yours,..."
               We pray that our children and grandchildren " Will but learn (D&C 59:23) "that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even PEACE IN THIS WORLD AND ETERNAL LIFE IN THE WORLD TO COME."

     SO... Before we give our "Old Cruiser" too bad of a time, I hope that we will spend some time asking ourselves this question, AM I LIVING BELOW MY PRIVILEGES?
Am I content with the peanut butter and jam of life when I could be enjoying a feast?
     IF you seriously ponder these questions- you might find a few ways to make your " Cruise thru Life" a lot more enjoyable and rewarding!

HAPPY CRUISIN!    

Much Love-  The Grandparent Chronicles



































Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

YOU'VE GOT FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES !

Image
  YOU’VE GOT FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES !   Country singer Garth Brooks sings a song (written by Dewayne Blackwell and Earl Bud Lee in 1989) that was an instant hit with a cleaver tune and lyrics, he sings, “I’ve got friends in low places- where the whiskey drowns and the beer chases my blues away, and I’ll be okay.”   When I first heard that song I thought, wherever you happen to find yourself, it’s good to have friends, but wouldn’t it be better to have friends in high places? What kind of friends will you most likely find in low places? Hopefully, good ones, but most likely, not a friend with the capacity to pull you up or elevate you. In order to elevate you, wouldn’t they most likely have to be on higher ground? Friends can have a major impact on our lives- for good or bad. I’ve seen this in my own life, my children's and grandchildren’s lives as well as in the lives of countless others. I imagine that you’ve observed this impact friends can have in your own life’s exper
Read more

A GOD OF 2nd CHANCES

Image
  A GOD OF 2 ND CHANCES & THE HONORARY CHAPLAIN TO QUEEN ELIZABETH !   He was a scruffy looking guy. My 1 st impression was that he was about to ask me for money, but no, maybe a religious zealot, he did have a large wooden cross around his neck. As our eyes made contact I was drawn to his beaming smile. I had a distinct impression that this was someone I was supposed to talk to, but I was tired, it had been a long drive and I felt justified in my feelings to avoid contact. We had just arrived at our destination in Banff, Canada in the crisp clean mountain air among the majestic Canadian Rockies for a week of exploring and relaxation; that would happen, but I sensed that there was also another purpose for my being here. As the evening progressed, I couldn’t get that man off my mind. I had experienced spiritual promptings in the past and knew that I would get no peace until I resolved to follow them. As I knelt in personal prayer that night I had a conversation with my heave
Read more

JOHN LOUIS AMONETT

Image
                                         JOHN LOUIS AMONETT “All stories are powerful. Our stories help us make sense of our lives, give us hope that we will sustain and overcome, and help us predict a better future.” (Robyn Fivush- phd. Professor of developmental psychology at Emery University.) The story of John Louis Amonett is one such powerful story worth sharing. John was born in Pickett, Tennessee on May 16, 1862 to Reuben Hutchison Amonett and Cynthia Cross, the third born in a family of five children. John had french blood in his veins. His great, great, great grandfather, Andre Amonnet, was born in Paris France. The family religion at the time was Huguenots,( reformed protestants and followers of John Calvin.) To escape religious persecution the family soon fled to America. John no doubt was proud of his french heritage but equally proud of his Tennessee roots.   On July 21, 1821, at the age of 19, John married his sweetheart, Louverna Katherine Boring and together they w
Read more