WHAT IF?

in light of the recent events

of sadness and tragedy,

confusion over identity,

war on religion,

the increasing division in our nation...

i had a wondering,

a thought,

a "What If"

This free photo slideshow made with Smilebox

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

The other day my son asked me…

What challenge did you get mom?

i was unclear of the question and so he said,

“you know Heavenly Father gave us a challenge to overcome a test kind of thing…”

i thought the last days would be about nuclear warfare,

but I think it is worse than that.

it might just be the catastrophic decline of our emotional state of being

confusion over our identity and soul searching purpose.

We are slowly becoming a Godless society.

without God

we are not…

there are no commandments and guidelines

no Adam, no Eve

no posterity…

but God was and is

a man and a woman were created

to bring forth the human family.

 Hence mankind unfolded.

We live in an imperfect world

desperate for an all knowing, all loving and perfect Heavenly Father

who was willing to share His Perfect and Sinless Son 

in the most painful, humiliating, and degrading way…

Why?

You!

Me!

because we needed the Atonement or we would be eternally lost.

Jesus suffered and atoned for every single pain, illness, transgression

so HE would know just exactly what we were experiencing

HE would know to the very minute detail what would be required to help us 

face and conquer our personal challenge…

Instead we choose the manner of men.

We choose to give into our challenge for a moment of pleasure

until the choice is gone.

Our challenge has swallowed us whole

and we have become a slave it.

The laughter of Satan roars in the destructive forces and calamities 

that rage upon the earth.

prophecy: a Savior would be born - Check

prophecy: a prophet would show us the way leading to eternal happiness - Check

prophecy: the Son of God would be betrayed - Check

prophecy: the very Savior of the world would be crucified - Check

prophecy: 3 days of darkness - Check

prophecy: an empty tomb - Check

prophecy: Jesus will rise again - Check

prophecy: an apostasy and darkness to cover the earth - Check

and here we are with some believing

prophecy: light and truth to be restored - Check

prophecy: His word to all the nations - in the process

prophecy: a gathering of the lost sheep - in the process

prophecy: a sifting even amongst the believers - in the process 

prophecy: works of Lucifer would increase 

prophecy: the world will become so wicked

carnal and sensual

everyone left to choose and decide their own rights and wrongs

Free agency was God’s Gift,

but not all gifts are received

cherished,

valued, and respected.

Many gifts are misused,misunderstood, abused, distorted, tossed to the wayside

to meet the convenience of the receiver

life is a gift

marriage between a man and a woman is a gift

children are a gift

self discipline is a gift

shelter and food…are gifts

choices are gifts that come with consequences

I am saddened at the controversy that exists in the world over
gender identity and same sex attraction

God said Marriage between a Man and a Woman was ordained of God.

God is perfect and I am not about to believe He is wrong.

Does He love those that have addictions and attractions not in harmony with His ways.

Yes He does. 
He loves all of His children.

He wants to help all of His children

have eternal happiness as opposed to momentary pleasure

leading to destruction.

He has the big picture.
I have come to learn for myself that

acceptance does not always equal love.

Love sometimes means saying “No.”

Should I be accepting of the child that prefers to play in the street over the lawn,
accepting of the woman starving herself to 70 pounds,

accepting of the man who wants to beat the crap out of his child fot cleaning up after playing

accepting of the child who does drugs because it feels good,

accepting of someone that takes the life of another,

or should I love them enough to say “No, no that is not okay”, 

then embrace them and tell them to pray

to seek help from the one who DOES KNOW just how to succor

that individual and their particular challenge.

God is the only one that knows.

But I wonder my part in all this.

If I say nothing and

society continues to become more accepting…
maybe someone needs the reminder
God's ways are higher than mans
and you cannot know God's ways
seeking and listening to man's opinions.

….setting all judgement aside

does acceptance enable another

to continue in a life leading to destruction?

someone needs to speak the truth

you are a child of god

you have divinity in you

it takes a man and a woman to bring life into this world

that is God’s plan

yes there are those that battle same sex attraction

just as some battle food addictions,

pornography addictions,

plastic surgery,
 body dysmorphia,

power over the life of another

hatred,

greed, 

narcisscism,

pride,

slothful,

lying,

dishonesty,

gaming,

gambling,

judging,

arguing,
poverty,
wealth,

and the list could go on…

Everyone seems to preach acceptance

but acceptance of that which goes against our divine nature

will never bring peace and joy.

it is only when we have turned towards the Master

to help us achieve mastery over hard, bone crushing, emotionally draining 

challenges, that we can know joy…

the Victory of overcoming that which is holding us bound.

if we all took an honest look at the pros and cons of our behaviors,

I think we would begin to see we are all the author of a prophecy about to be fulfilled.

2nd Timothy 3:1,2,4, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves... lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.”

2nd Timothy 4:3, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.”

Noah is right.

We all have our own battle.

I have mine and it is not a victory yet.

But I know I want to be sifted on the side of God.

I don’t want acceptance of me being less than my divine potential.

The human part of me fights the help and will try to convince the world

that this is just the way I am.

That is Lucifers version.

God’s Version

“I am a daughter of God and I can do all things

(including the hard things)

through Christ who strengthens me”

Becka’s Version

Trust God’s Ways

They ARE ALWAYS higher and greater.

MY DAD

it has been 2 years since i have blogged.

i am amazed that moments of today
have become long past yesterdays.
there have been many notable memories left unrecorded

without any acknowledgement.

today is not going to be that day.

today is another special day...father's day

a few weeks ago,

i had the opportunity

to witness a great moment. 

my father was selected to receive a prestigious honor and award.

i enjoyed the ambiance and charm of sigma chi's young and old.

for a brief moment,
i felt the unity
 that existed between this distinguished group,

especially when they joined in song.
"sweetheart of sigma chi"

the dinner and conversation did not disappoint.

i reconnected with old friends and made a few new.

i listened as one gentleman spoke of worldly accomplishments

and fortunes made. 

another gentleman

developed worldwide relationships and business successes
all most impressive and worthy of recognition.

and then the words from the emcee
..."carl lind will present our final

significant sigma chi...ray hart."

carl introduced my father
as a track star from idaho falls
bearing the coveted gold outlined tooth.

the delivery of his words were timely.

poignant moments as a sig
became *shark bait
for us hooked on carl's lines.
(another story for another day)

carl was sure to mention that ray's greatest catch
was joanne garff,

the sweetheart of sigma chi,

who just happened to be seated in the bowery.

when you love your dad, like i do
you hope the presenter
will represent him well...
carl did.

my dad, dressed in university of utah colors...
crimson red and white
and with his sigma chi pin,
took to the stage.

my dad...forfeited his written notes

calling them "long and boring."

he spoke from the heart.

his heart called for the young sigs to listen up

"as i pondered what i would say,
the thoughts of why me? 

what have i done to be selected for this honor?
came to my mind.
i remembered a certain quote

i believe being a significant sig come from abiding by these word:

'the things that you do 

that you don't have to do 

will always determine what you are 

when it's too late to do anything about it'

we all have to do things...eat, go to work, pay the bills...

but it is in doing the things we don't have to do 
that determines our greatness."

a gentleman on my left obviously intrigued...

"now say that again..."

i glanced around to see so many waiting with anticipation

"the things that you do 

that you don't have to do

will always determine what you are 

when it's too late to do anything about it"

someone else asked for clarification.

my dad shared a specific example
regarding the elegant apparel 

his sweetheart of sigma chi was wearing that very night.

my dad all but went to the ends of the earth

so my mother could have something special for this event.

(it was that very story that brought a beautiful young woman...
maybe a future sweetheart of sigma chi,

over just to meet my mom and compliment her. 

all were touched by her gesture.)

on the way home, i thought
i did not have to go tonight, but i did.
how grateful i was noah was there to hear
such words of greatness
from his significant grandfather.

i could have given the sigma chi's a plethora of "do 's" 

"do 's"  that were certainly not my dad's have to's

and yet...he did them

i wish i had had the gumption to voice

"and if you do it the ray hart way

 you do  those do 's you don't have to do ,

 like it is the most important job in the world. 

you do it to the best of your ability and enjoy it to the very core."

here's a few do 's

~he sent my mom pink keds 

(part of the reason for my existence)

~he came multiple times to my school to help sort crayons and markers and

  a "post it" note pick up when the vacuum was inoperable

~surprised me with a full tank of gas more times than i can count

~took several weeks worth of laundry several times this year, just to give me a lift

~made friends with the others at the laundormat

matched socks, hung t-shirts, straightened here and there...

~funded my future
~investied in my passions

~gave my school custodian a tip
~believied in me, when no one else did

~listened to my presentations
~watched all my smile box slideshows

~put up the student artwork for culture night

~swept the leaves, the garage, the kitchen floor, the casings, the porch
~brought chick fil a soup for the night and the night after because he knows i love it

~repaired and cleaned...not one, but three vacuums

  so that it would do an acceptable job and meet his approval

~cut, assembled, bound, paid and delivered 108 mini utah booklets

  for my 4th grade students

~took the garbage out to the garbage and then to the street

~laughied at my jokes

~sent cards at every occasion

~supplied me with every help for hope of healing

~warmed my car
~always opened and continues to open the door for my mother

~scraped my windshield

~thiought that every craft i did was the world's best

~showed up to noah's practice, games, talks, presentations

~trimmed paper beaver pelts for the 4th grade rendezvous

~made sure i had flowers for parent teacher conference

~gave me blessings
~made arrangements for my temple wedding in sweden
and a honeymoon in paris

~prayed for me to find things that were insignificant for most

  but were important to me
~drove my mom weekly from idaho falls to salt lake
so they could care for noah on fridays
while i worked as an educator

~he is an optimist and a builder...a wonderful example

he has another motto,

"leave a place better than you found it."

he always does.

you don't have to be his daughter to recieve this kind of treatment

i am a keen observer.

i have seen him in his interactions.

he is just like his name

"all HEART"
mmmmm....
i wonder what he'll
not have to do...
 but will do today?

happy father's day

mon pere