A Celestial Being having a Mortal Experience

There are few people in the history of the human experience that keep my attention. One of these few is Hugh Nibley. Hugh Nibley was a professor at Brigham Young University, an apologist for the LDS church and known expert of ancient and modern languages. Beyond his talents was a man who was known for his peculiar demeanor and disposition. He never seemed to quite fit in with the world around him, and yet he was fine with it. The race of life that you and I seem to be deeply entrenched seemed to be nothing more than "utter silliness" to him (as he would say). Instead, he would merely observe the meager pursuits of men and draw one major conclusion. That is, that man should only be concerned with two things, learning how to forgive and learning how to repent. Quite an interesting notion considering he was a man whose occupation was in the world of academia.

Anyway, I have included a link to a brief documentary about him from the Maxwell Institute.

Faith of an Observer

Chaos Theory Nuggets

I recently watched a favorite movie of mine called Chaos Theory. The movie wasn't that big of a hit nor do I think the whole of it is anything more than average. However, I like it because of a few choice lines said between Ed, a young groom, and Mr. Allen, his future father-in-law. So, I included some passages from the script. If you will notice, I chose to include the scene prior to their conversation. This was to give some context and shouldn't be confused with the real meat that comes after. Nonetheless, I think I like it because, for me, its the conversation between the old and young that truly defines life.

There is no manual that comes with birth nor is there a checklist signed at death. There are, however, words spoken from caring predecessors who are mindful of life's uncertainty. They are eager to share their story of "getting through" and offer advice to those who seek it. Anyway, there is plenty more I could say on the issue, but I would rather have you enjoy the excerpt.

[Cut to Scene- Ed thinking in the bathroom while his friend converses through the door)

You okay in there?

I feel sick.

Oh.

You're getting nervous.

You remember last year when Jesse and

I broke up for a couple of weeks...

...and, uh, I thought she spent

those two weeks in bed...

...sad and depressed?

- Yeah.

- This morning she tells me...

...out of the blue that she spent

one of those weeks in bed with Jake Lee.

- What did you do?

- Nothing.

Good. That's good. So, what's wrong?

She slept with Jake Lee.

She slept with him for like a week.

How am I supposed to live with that?

What if all this is a mistake?

Come on,

you would've known that by now.

- Am I overreacting?

- Yes, you are.

Come on, man,

it's not like she actually cheated.

I mean, you know, you had broken up.

Right.

What would you do?

I'd be happy, man. Ha, ha.

I mean, it's Jesse.

Everyone you know wants Jesse.

- What do you mean by that?

- I didn't... I didn't...

Ahem. I didn't mean it like that.

I just, uh...

Look, you wanted this, right?

So, pull yourself together,

go out there and get married.

[Cut to Scene- Mr. Allen sitting in a bar the "MEAT"]

Ed?

Mr. Allen.

You caught me reminiscing.

A lot of memories here.

Buy you a drink?

Oh, I'd love to, Frank, but I'm kind of...

I'm in a bit of a rush.

I insist.

After all, it is the traditional function

of the father of the bride.

What is?

Keeping the groom away from back exits.

No, I was just gonna go outside,

get some air.

[Mr. Allen waves to the bartender]

Your best tequila, on the rocks.

Come over here a second.

- It's tequila, right?

- Uh, none for me, thanks.

That's great. He'll have a double.

You know, I realize that you don't

know me very well, Ed.

You and Jesse down at school,

my wife and I here, but trust me...

...you can talk to me.

Nothing really to talk about, sir.

Doubts?

No, no. No doubts.

Uh, no doubt in my mind.

I'm totally doubt-free.

I'm, uh... I'm doubtless.

Yeah.

I'll tell you what. Ahem.

Why don't we make a little list, shall we?

Let's start with doubt number one.

Uh, none.

No, I promise. None.

Uh, number one is "none."

Oh, come on, we can do better than that.

What about that thing with Jake Lee?

- She told you that?

- Two weeks, last year.

Two weeks? She told me a week.

One, two, most of Lent,

that's hardly the point.

That's not why you're eyeing the exit.

Jake Lee's an excuse.

Tell me something, Ed.

Do you love her?

Yeah, of course I do.

Then maybe, just maybe,

you're wondering...

...why it isn't pure and constant.

Why all of these ups and downs.

Conviction, then doubt?

How can something that feels

so right one moment...

...make you so queasy the next?

Relax.

Life is a mess.

All you have to do is choose to love her

the best way that you know how.

You know,

I've really gotta get out of here. Um...

Thank you for the advice and the drink...

You know, I've had a marriage

of ups and downs.

Oof.

Dazzling extremes. Perhaps you've

never heard the full account?

Frankly, Frank, another time.

- Maybe Christmas?

- Not really a Christmas story.

Tell you what.

[Mr. Allen writes on two index cards]

One says "walk."

And the other says "talk."

Pick one. You choose.

Pick the one that says "walk"

and you'll be free of me.

Pick the one that says "talk"

and, well...

You're kidding, right?

No.

ED

I get the feeling sometimes, Mr. Allen,

that you don't like me very much.

I like Jake Lee.

But my daughter loves you.

Which means you have

a great capacity to hurt her.

And you've never done a damn thing

to prove to me that you won't.

Like I said, my marriage...

...has been one of extremes.

Certainty and doubt. Deceit and truth.

But it started with truth.

And it started right here in this hotel.

In this very room.

[Cut to Scene]

... The bulk of the movie goes here and I promise, it's chaotic and mildly entertaining ...

[Cut to Scene]

You ever hear of chaos theory, Ed?

It's a science.

It tries to determine underlying patterns

in chaotic systems:

Weather, ocean currents, blood flow,

that sort of thing.

Well, it turns out

that there are few things...

...more chaotic than the beat

of a human heart.

Speeding up, slowing down.

A pretty face, a flight of stairs.

It's always changing depending

on what's happening to us out there.

It's an erratic son of a bitch.

But underneath all of that bump-a-ta-bump

mess, there is, in fact, a pattern.

A truth.

And it's love.

The most important thing about love

is that we choose to give it...

...and we choose to receive it.

Making it the least random act

in the entire universe.

It transcends blood,

it transcends betrayal...

...and all the dirt that makes us human.

And if you can figure that out...

...the Jake Lees of the world

got nothing on you.

Mousekewitz

If there is anything I have learned about writing, it is that inspiration cannot be forced. And as I have sat here for hours trying to figure out something clever to say, I have only proven my point further. So instead I thought I would post an old journal entry from when I was feeling inspired.

"I just finished a talk by Elder Hales about agency. Agency truly is the vehicle by which this plan is unfolded. It was the choice of Mary and Joseph to heed the angel so that the Savior's life would be spared. It was Joseph's choice that would bring in the Restoration of the gospel. It was the Christ's choice to be the Savior of all mankind. Ironically I just finished the book Mere Christianity by CS Lewis yesterday and the last chapter discussed much of the same topic. CS Lewis took the Savior's metaphor of salt being the savor of the world and ran with it. Allow me to illustrate his thoughts. If one were to take a bite out of a green apple, the taste of that apple would flood his tastebuds with sweet juicy flavor. If one were to pour salt on the apple and take another bite, one would think it would taste salty. On the contrary, when salt is placed on that apple, the salt draws out the flavor of the apple. It tastes more like an apple, if there is such a thing. If we relate the salt to the Savior in this metaphor, we recognize a few things. First, we may feel like we lose our own flavor (or selves) when we let the Savior into our lives. However, we always regain that which we lose. "Lose yourself to find thyself". Second, when we let our Savior come into our lives we become more of who we were meant to be- we become the better version of ourselves. Not only are we the better version of ourselves, we learn or own unique purpose in the creation. And when I say a unique purpose, I'm not talking about following the rhubric of discipleship (baptism, marriage, provide, etc.). I mean you learn that each part of a whole has its purpose and place. Likened to the body, each organ recognizes its function and its place. More importantly, it doesn't try and do more than what its designed to do. You dont see the stomach trying to take the place of the heart or brain. And you don't see the mouth take on the process of digestion by itself. And yet, how often do we try? We tend to get in the way of ourselves and try to be things we are not. Reaching for titles that are not truly ours. Our true individuality, the one the Savior knows, gets drowned underneath the layers of barrowed ideas of "what I could be or what I should become". The truth is, I can only become Richard. My place in the body of Christ is unique and no one else can occupy it. And as the Savior made choices fitting of becoming a Savior, I must make choices that allow the Savior to draw my true self out."