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."