“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” --Ralph Waldo Emerson
***Faith in God includes faith in His timing.***
Neal A. Maxwell
I am doubling up quotes cuz I am behind and they fit so perfectly with the week I had, the loved ones I shared it with, and the moments of grace that blessed me.
My mother was given a diagnosis of Pulmonary Hypertension 2 weeks ago, which often leads to Congestive Heart Failure; a similar diagnosis that claimed my maternal grandmother. It was scary and disappointing, especially because she was planning on attending the birth of my brother James' & his wife Sara's 3rd child. While they are still testing and determining how best to deal with her health concerns, I know she has been blessed with small mercies in these challenges.
They were struggling with severe Upper Respiratory Infections, she was 2 weeks overdue, and life was becoming untenable! My mother called on me to fly down to Dallas and stay for 6 days to help their little growing family, and fortunately God's timing matched our need. We were able to find the support we needed to allow me to leave our family (BLESSINGS!!) and she had a beautiful BIG baby boy named Royce Benson Mortensen on January 27, 12:38pm, 9lbs 11oz, 22 3/4" long, 14 1/2" head circumference. Maybe I'll figure out how to post pics, but you can try Facebook. It was a true pleasure to be of assistance, to spend time with my niece and nephew, and relish in the sweet and gentle presence of one so recently come from heaven...
The first quote is a strong reminder to me, and to all in this crazy, self-involved, ignorant world, that there IS A PURPOSE TO IT ALL...we cannot know the sweet without the bitter, we cannot solely pursue happiness as our primary goal in life for it will always elude us. Happiness is a by-product of effort, service, sacrifice, faith, accomplishment, determination, and persistence (to name a few). When I enact the guidelines of Emerson's quote I know that he was inspired because it speaks to my soul, not just my rational mind.
His words are summed up by the profound truth shared by a favorite apostle, Neal A. Maxwell. I grew up watching him, listening to his gentle voice, and enjoyed his challenging vocabulary and words of insight into the nature of God. I then remember as he suffered from cancer and watched as it eventually claimed his life. Oh, how I miss him at Conference!! Whenever I become impatient with my need to understand, by my need to have things work for my good, by my desire for guidance, and longing for peace, I recall his powerful words and the personal testimony he bore of their truth.
Good luck to you and pass this on if it helps you...
