Children & Christ's Atonement

Today I had the awesome opportunity to attend my cousin's mission homecoming.  Now normally I attend a Single's Ward (individuals aged 18-30 who are not married).  But today, I attended a home ward where young families abound.

What struck me, and the thought I wish to share with you today, is the love I felt as I looked around the room at the little children (some of which belong to my cousins not much older than myself, I might add).  I looked at those little children and was thinking about the Atonement as the Sacrament was being passed.  I realized the Jesus Christ Atoned for everyone, including the innocent three-year-old two benches in front of me.  Now, children are innocent and I (as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) firmly believe that if a child dies prior to the age of accountability (age 8), they have a freeway pass to Heaven.  So, knowing the Atonement takes away sin, I asked myself, "How would this innocent child utilize the Atonement when they haven't sinned?"  Well, I was quickly reminded that the Atonement is not only for the sinner, but also for the saint.  Christ Atoned for us so that we have the opportunity to return to our loving Father in Heaven.

Jesus Christ Atoned for everyone no matter their age, race, gender, or lifestyle.

On top of that, I think about the love the father has of this three-year-old sitting in front of me.  I think about the cousins closest to me in age, who now have children of their own, and I can imagine the love and pride (the good kind) they experience when they look at their child.  Take that warm fuzzy feeling of love and magnify it by infinity.  That is the love that Heavenly Father experiences as He looks down upon us.

This love is why Jesus Christ came down to this Earth and died for our sins; so Heavenly Father has the chance to be reunited with the children He loves so very much.

As I continue to look around at the children, and feel the warmth of love, the Spirit quietly whispers to me: "He doesn't love them more than you.  You are loved just as much as that small, innocent child."

The Lord loves all of us unconditionally: the sinner and the saint, the poor and the rich, the mean and the kind.  But I think He has varying degrees of (wholesome) pride when we choose to follow Him and when we think of Him and His Son.  It is similar to when a parent sees their child succeed in life.  Obviously they are going to feel a sense of pride from that child and rejoice in their successes.  How much greater could that feeling be from our Infinite Eternal Father in Heaven?  How much more are you willing to do to please Him?

When I was a child, I made mistakes.  Some of these mistakes hurt my parents dearly and I still remember the shame I felt at seeing them disappointed with me.  How is our relationship with Heavenly Father any different?  Likewise, I think when we choose a different path, stray away from Him, He feels sad and wishes we would choose differently.  But He knows it is ultimately our decision (that's why He gave us agency), but He still feels sad.

Think of the loss He would have felt during the War in Heaven, when he lost a third of children!  That's billions of children!  I easily can see Him upset at the loss (yet, having the infinite knowledge He does, He realizes the power of agency in His children).  I cannot fathom a parent who loses even one child not to experience some sort of great loss.

But that is why we are in this life.  We are here to learn and prove ourselves to Him, so that we may return to live with Him someday.

Christ sacrificed His perfect life so that all may be given the chance to succeed.  Some may not partake of His gift, others will abuse it, and yet there are many others who will cherish the gift we cannot fathom, and return gratefully into His loving arms as we fall down at His feet.

I long for that day.

"Dating: No Guts, No Glory" Book Review

Title: Dating: No Guts, No Glory: A Novel
Author: Joni Hilton
Series: N/A
Number in Series: N/A
Copyright: 1989; Covenant Communications, Inc.
Genre: LDS Fiction: Romance / Self-help/ YA
Pages:154
ISBN: 9781555033279
My Rating: 0.5 / 5
Content Rating: G

Yes, I rated this book 0.5 (a half) star.  No, I am not joking.  Seeing as relationships are an area of interest of mine (*cough*mymajor*cough*), I thought this book might be enjoyable for a quick read.  Boy, am I glad I only paid $1 for it!

There are very few books I strongly dislike; most are a result of too much swearing/vulgar language or sexuality.  However, this book had neither of those (it being an LDS novel and all), but there was one HUGE issue I had...

It lacked any kind of a story-arc whatsoever.

Where was the build-up?  When did the climax occur?  What about the conflict?  Are you kidding me?

This book revolves around the main character experiencing different relationships--none of which add anything to her character, nor do they have any significant impact on the story (in other words: the scenes existence was useless). I felt like every relationship she had could have been it's own story so-to-speak (with build-up, conflict, climax, resolution, etc.).  Instead, the author skims over them, as they are trivial to the "over all story."  Hate to break it to you, but if you want the story and characters to be remembered, make the interactions with their self and the environment meaningful.  Personally, I only recall a handful of other characters--most of which being the family members that are continuously around. 

Now, I should probably stop and tell you that Hilton often "pauses" the "story" to directly address the reader  in lecture-like format.  This really bothered me.  I felt like I was reading a nonfiction book on dating with a few fictional stories thrown in as examples of the concept being addressed.

The other huge issue I saw with this, is because it is a "novel," whenever the characters within the story quote someone (such as a general authority), there is absolutely no reference.  Isn't that plagiarism?  Now, granted this book was first published back in 1989 and rules have become stricter since then, but still!  A reference to a talk would have been nice.

I don't mean to rant on this book, but if you call something a novel, it should serve at least one basic purpose:

To tell an engaging story.

Good Omens

The other day I was on Goodreads.com and looked at my recommended books.  Needless to say, this book grabbed my attention.  I laughed out loud for a good five minutes after reading the synopsis and decided I ought to give it a read.

Not to mention it had a VERY high rating (4.5 stars out of 5) with thousands of reviews.  This book, is none other than the masterpiece entitled...

"Good Omens" by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett (1990).

Here is the synopsis straight from the back of the book:

According to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (the world's only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655, before she exploded), the world will end on a Saturday.  Next Saturday, in fact.  Just before dinner.  So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing.  Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are flaring.  Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan.  Except a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon--both of whom have lived amongst Earth's mortals since The Beginning and have grown rather fond of the lifestyle--are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture. 

And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist...

It has been quite some time since I have read out of my genre (YA paranormal/fantasy) so I figure it might be time for a change of pace.  And what better book to make the transition than this one involving the end of the world, angels, demons, and comedy?  It has been around for a long time and the story sounds phenomenal! (Hence the reason it is still around!)  I can't wait to read it this weekend!

Blurbing

I want to blog more.

Really, I do! I just caught up on all my friends' blogs and it really helped motivate me.

One of the greatest things I notice was the fact that these posts were not long posts.... Rather they were "blurbs" of some event during the day. Well, shucks, I could do that! And I think that's how blogging SHOULD be... Blurbing!!

So here is my blurb from today:

You may have not noticed the smile I had on my face as your little three-year-old raced up to the counter to purchase his beloved candy bar; his young eyes tried to peer over the vast green edge that separated us. Overly excited, he threw his money pouch on the counter and proudly exclaimed, "Here's my money!!" The two of you smiled, amused by the brightness of your child in learning responsibility so early in life (which is becoming very important with this day and age).

You sneak some bills to me while he is digging through his coin pouch for the $1.04. As I gave you back the change, you pat the child on the head and say he did a good job.

He was devastated.

Desiring nothing more than to pay with his own money.

Tears may have been close to the horizon.

Then you handed him his candy bar and he lit up all over again, his devastation a forgotten memory.

"Thank you!" he proclaimed in a cute voice, walking away with the two of you in tow.

You may have not have noticed, but my smile lasted the entire day.