“Beware the busyness of life” Socrates

A few friends and I have recently engaged in lengthy email conversations about “feelings,” about serpent—like thought[s] that seem to plague us daughters of Eve that we may be wasting our time, not doing enough,  and failing to in fulfilling our mission on earth as promised. Thoughts that haunt us with “should’s” and “could’s,” always  doing more and, definitely better.  All negative thoughts!  However, if I remember correctly, [and it came directly from a prophet of God] “that which is of God is good” [positive].  So, why do we allow these labeling thoughts nestle into our hearts? Nephi begs the Lord to help him tremble even at the “appearance of sin” [evil]. These thoughts definitely have the appearance of evil, to me.

Those aforementioned thoughts my friends and I were discussing were certainly not heaven-sent!   I can just picture the Lord sliding open the viel, totally exasperated, saying, “Now listen here, you kids, this has gone a bit too far , you’ve really got to get a grip here or I’m just going to leave you to yourselves and see if you can come up with a better eternal plan to happiness.”  Yikes!  Wouldn’t that be an earth-shattering, 9.9 wake-up call?! 

   Reaching for my computer mouse I go to the book of Enos and ponder the sweet and simple , near to last phrase, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”   Call me weird but my first  visual is of a delicious, well done steak with golden brown glazed onions on it and the smell of grandma’s kitchen and her rosy cheeks.  After that appetizing victual, I reflect upon the wording.  I get a sense of finality in those first two words “well done,” and an immediate relaxation of tense muscles.  It’s a sense of conclusion, completion and fulfillment in regards to a task required.  A soft, quiet voice within recognizing  a compliment and gentle approval,, a loving acceptance  for my perseverance coming from the Lord. 

    I go to the next word, “good” and I roll up into a ball within, I start shrinking, Why? Honestly,  Mark 10:17-18 comes to mind, [17] “And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?  18And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none ^agood but one, that is, God.”

   Staying there for a while so to hopefully, gain deeper understanding, I believe He was saying “good” in the context of obedienc.e to the very best of our power and understanding. Excitedly, I realize I had just been given, freely, another compliments!  

   Taking a mental note of that, I come to the word “faithful.” I pause. Personally, this is what I call a loaded word for me.  It’s like that “golden ticket” Pete finds in the well-known story “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”  Imagine hearing Him, The  Creator, Lord of lords, King of kings, the Perfect One call little ol’ me, “faithful!” My cognitive instinct reverts to wondering in my heart, asking in my heart’s prayer, “art thou talking to me?’ I xhatise myself, “Debbie, that’s the word He carefully chose in order not to confuse us so, be a gracious receiver, used. After all, [going back to my seminary days] I’m no one to add or take away from his scriptures. {Deut. 4:2}

Lastly, the two syllable word  “servant.” {I think this helps me stay grounded, keeps my head fit through the door as they say.  I sigh in gratitude  recalling the countless times  He  referred himself as a servant?  Did He not minister and even washed  his –of the less than perfect—apostles-- feet?  I ask, “could I find a more Aristocratic associate, rank to belong to than this one?  

    And so, I return to my less than perfect environment and ask again, “am I doing enough or wasting precious time?” [a question my friends and I could battle over without  ever reaching a satisfactory answer].

But here comes  another question rising like fresh dough above that previous  unanswerable one, “ Deb, can you try to focus on having Him say “well done, thou good and faithful servant? at the close of each day,  Wouldn’t that seem, sound, and be  something He would wish you to knoe everyday ?  Wouldn’t concentrating on these seven little words encourage and keep you  enduring on even when you’re wasted and  exhausted ?”  Needless to say, I think you know the answer to these

Whomever reads this entry, let me simply confirm that I can and  “do” deeply  testify  to all, that they [those seven words] have, do and will continue to  encourage me as I gradually keep learning to receive and accept  His love, tender mercies and sacrifice for little ol’ me  more each day.  I hope they sink into your hearts, too.

 Oh! I think I just heard Him say, “Well done, end of discussion !”