Hands Which Hang Down

I've been struggling lately.

Every day I have to choose to be obedient to the principles of the Gospel and the tenets of His church.

The world's view of what an OK life is, makes that choice more difficult every day.

And even though I make the right choice every time, I'm getting tired.

I'm tired of being tested. If the lord issues a test it'll have my name on it. Oh and pop quizzes? Practically every day. You'd think I'd get used to it. But I don't.

Then one Sunday as I was watching all the perfect members in the ward being perfect. I felt a little black tornado forming over my head threatening to pull me in and away from choosing the right.

So I opened my scriptures to a favorite:

Doctrine and Covenants 81:5-7

5 Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.

6 And if thou art faithful unto the end thou shalt have a crown of immortality, and eternal life in the mansions which I have prepared in the house of my Father.

7 Behold, and lo, these are the words of Alpha and Omega, even Jesus Christ. Amen.

As I read it, instead of understanding it (as I usually do) to mean I should help those who need help, I felt something different:

Where is the someone to lift up my hands which hang down? I know that Jesus loves me. I know that His spirit can comfort me. I know He hears my prayers. But this scripture was written to members (specifically Brother Frederick G. Williams) so where are they?

Surely, I can not be the only member who is struggling. Is everyone as perfect as they appear to be? Or do they all hide (as I do) what doesn't fit into the "Perfect Mormon" mold?

I wonder. Was I the only person who had a little black tornado overhead that Sunday?

BTW, I continue to struggle. Tests keep coming. And I keep choosing to be a member of God's true church.

Flight Into Egypt

As I thought about drawing a Nativity this Christmas these scriptures came to mind:
Matthew 2:13-16
13 ... the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16 ¶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

What it must have been like to flee into the night with a new baby to a foreign land. Where would they live? Would they be safe?

We once moved from one coast of the US to the other with a new born. We traveled by VW bus and slept in motels. We were going to a state we had never been to before without knowing where we would live. It was a little scary. But we weren't running for our lives. We knew our baby would be safe.

As Mary and Joseph fled, were they led by angels? Did the Holy Ghost whisper words of comfort and courage to their hearts as they traveled. Did their hearts break for those babes that would die at the hand of the evil King Herod? I know the answer to each of these questions must be yes.

How grateful I am to these brave parents who did as their Father in Heaven commanded. Without hesitation they fled into Egypt and kept the savior safe.

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Joseph

We all know how devoted, how beloved of God, how clean and pure Mary, the mother of Jesus was. We know how devoted to Him she was. We know she loved Him, cared for Him, worshipped Him, and mourned for Him.

But what about Joseph?

Matthew Chapter 1:
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: when as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people in their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they sall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

We know that Joseph was a carpenter and so was Jesus. So Jesus must have sat by the work bench as a child and watched and marveled at Joseph's skill. He probably worked and practiced until his skills matched Joseph's. I can imagine Joseph and Jesus, not only working together but also laughing together.

Do you think they teased Mary about her cooking? Do you think they argued about the best way to shape a piece of wood. Do you think they talked of Jesus' future? Did Joseph worry for him? Did he counsel Him? Did he love Him as any father loves his children? I can't help but think so.

Although there is not a lot recorded about Joseph and his relationship with Jesus, knowing how much The Father loved His son, I can't help but think that He would choose a man that would father Jesus with love and kindness, perhaps much in the same way He would.

In a lot of Nativities you see Joseph standing over Mary and the baby as though protecting them. I think that very appropriate. In my Nativity drawing this year, I have him kneeling with Mary in love and worship...and maybe even waiting for his turn to snuggle the sweet new born king.