Jonah and Eve...

I noticed a similarity between the prophet Jonah and Eve (the mother of all living) this morning as I prepared another CFM lesson. I had not even previously noticed this so, I wanted to record it while it was on my mind.

Both Jonah and Eve ended up succeeding and the reason is the same, because they both chose something other than what was asked of them.

Eve was asked not to eat of the fruit from ONE tree, and Jonah was asked to preach to the people of Ninevah. Clearly, they made choices to disobey, necessary or not is a big and other topic...so we will simply say both were disobedient. 

Exact obedience is required, but mercy has a place, one can repent (change). Such is made possible through a sinless sacrifice...whom I add was reluctant, but exactly obedient ("thy will, not mine, be done.")

It is through the sacrifice of Jesus that either could ever hope to have success. EVERYONE knows that.  But, what stood out to me this morning was that sometimes we actually need to choose wrong. There is a great video where another explains this principle so much better: 

https://youtu.be/yNQC-_srxH8

It has been so frequently taught and understood that Eve's disobedience was forgiveness actually necessary that life could be, and so as I marvel at her faith and understanding I thought, "hmmm, I bet she had learned about a Savior and thought it a neat little unnecessary thing for her, but if she truly believed it she could have the strength to risk it all that we might have a chance.... alright, that covers Eve, now Jonah.

Firstly, the story seemed too perfectly crafted to prove a point that it seems less likely to have happened, but even still what could we (my family) learn from the story?or what exactly was the author trying to convey, and I decided, it was similar to the story of Adam and Eve, if not usually understood factually it contained a great truth that regardless of what choice you make there is a way to be restored to what ought to be. And most miraculous, more so than a man surviving being swallowed by a large fish, is that despite what seemed to be a hypocritical teacher, Jonah became a successful prophet and the Ninavites listened and believed him. 

while we are putting little tags on everyone...

Whenever I start to think of what I would be right now, I begin to feel more acutely alone. I do not know if I would have fit it actually, but things I enjoyed and excelled at even if I did not become any better in the past 10 or so years. It is like I spent my every waking hour honing my skills and achieving heights practically unfathomable by those around me now. And it is just assumed that I am some interested armature at best at things I was once the champion of... it frustrates me and gives me compassion for those "non verbal autistic" children I knew. I could tell they knew far more than the average child, but could not say, but maybe it is not the same at all cause perhaps they do not even want to communicate, assigning them n similar desires is like how we "humanize" vehicles or strange jungle creatures. I have been full of the notion today that we only receive as much as we can handle, oh, then the idea that always crowds out other explanations for my "disability"...maybe, it is a blessing to loose the ability to chase and pursue a thing I already mastered. It is what I love and so it hurts to be separated,  it reminds me of my trombone/choir teacher/advisor in college who said that he had a bandectemy. When I was younger I had to actually decide not to pursue cheerleaders and dance  (which I loved) to be able to devote myself more fully to music and running....neither or which I can do now, but my father taught me a valuable lesson. He told me about this lady who became a leading expert in her field and discovered things no one else ever could about earthworms. Because, no one with her intelligence would purposefully choose to study earthworms, but she could not, for some reason, pursue her original interest and so she somehow decided on a different path... instead of one in a million  brilliant physicists she became the one and only "Earth worm Lady". I think I was supposed to focus on raising my children, it is not that I could not do anything else, But, I really shouldn't and to make sure I now could not do anything worthwhile but ensure my children grow up right. I will likely be interviewed about such a stewardship and ultimately, that pursuit will be of greater significance than being a world renowned musician. So, you see how I always end up thinking about Ludwig von Beethoven?

the Birthmark

I have been noticing alot how the closer a thing gets to it's perfection, the more correction seems so important. I call it the Birthmark dilemma, named after the short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

In the story an alchemist marries a beautiful woman who would be perfect were it not for the Birthmark on her cheek. It becomes his obsession to get rid of it, one concoction finally works and the mark fades from her cheek...our teacher suggested that the whole trial or conflict represents the ideals of romantic literature in that true perfection cannot exist in this world, accordingly the woman, after imbibing the potion, dies, and the reader concludes that if the silly man would have just accepted his wife as nearly perfect, she would not have died.

In the kabbalistic teachings (which remind me of quantum physics) a thing is desired, but once obtained no longer exists.

I was lecturing my son about this Birthmark principle when we were discussing how imperfect everyone is, but we get over that to make friends. Then, it came to mind again as I was listening to trials of the early LDS church in establishing itself independently. It is very similar to the way the Lord seems to chastened those whom he loves. It really reminds me of a time a sister I see as so close to ideal she claimed that she NEEDS the sacrament because she needs constant repentance because she was so flawed. It sure seems that the closer to perfection the more of a contrast "sin" becomes.