Doing and Being

I don't know if many of you followed the comments after my post about the disclaimer, but Tricia and I got into a conversation about doing and being.  She had some great insights, as always, and helped me clear some things up in my mind.    Are we always so worried about getting things done that we forget to just be in the moment.  We discussed how you become by doing, but you also know what to do if you have become.  Confusing, I know, but I've been thinking about it since.  I like having goals (as you well know) and I like working towards something, but I will admit that the goals can become a distraction from what Heavenly Father would have me be doing at a particular moment.  I liked how my friend, Deanna, phrased it here.  She said she would still have goals, but they would look different - more focused on the purpose and not on the goal.

As I've tried to figure out what this looks like in "real life", another friend sent me a link to an article.  (I love her blog, by the way, she doesn't post very often, but her posts are so wonderful when she does).  It is from a speech at BYU Idaho and it cleared things up a bit in my mind.  It is by a lady named Lili Anderson.  She wrote a book called Choosing Glory, which I may one day get around to reading if I can find it used (I have a hard time paying full price for books), the article was great, and this particular part really helped me:

Terrestrial Law

Terrestrial law might be characterized as self-control and deferred or delayed gratification. Terrestrial living requires the harnessing of the natural man and it is through obedience to the commandments of God, or even a willingness to comply with the basic rules of society, that we are able to do that. These rules and God’s commandments require that we increase the strength of our spirit over our flesh, controlling our appetites in order to refrain from hurting others and to do what is pleasing to God. Of course, human appetites are not of themselves evil, but if left unrestrained create enmity between us and God (see Mosiah 3:19) as well as making us pretty tough to live with. Living terrestrial law brings at least external peace and safety. I think it’s easy to see that if we control our desires, appetites, and passions, and those around us do the same, we can have peaceful, safe lives.

Celestial Law

Celestial law, I believe, can be defined as Christ-like being, as distinct from Christ-like behavior, which can be found at the terrestrial level. If we have self-control and we can delay gratification, we can behave like Christ, but we still are not as He is. In order to truly become as the Savior is, our heart and behavior must be integrated. That is, not only do we do the right things, but we feel the right things. We are not kind because we should be and it works better, but because we see people as God does and it is no longer in us to be unkind. The laws of God are not just observed, they are engraven upon our hearts. Coming to live celestial law is a line-on-line, precept-on-precept experience, a process dependent on our cultivating a sensitivity to the tutorings of the Spirit (see 2 Nephi 32:5). The outcomes of living celestial law are the peace that passeth all understanding (see Philippians 4:7), and creation/rebirth. This kind of creation is not only a reference to the future... but a reference to the birth of the new creature in each of us (see 2 Corinthians 5:17, Mosiah 27:26), as we are born of the Holy Ghost and sanctified (see Alma 13:12, 3 Nephi 27:20).

I realized that I need the goals to help me overcome my "natural man", but as I am able to do that better, I start to understand and see a new way of being - I start learning to "Be still and know". I start to see things in a new light - every moment is precious. I begin to see people as Heavenly Father sees them, I begin to notice the beauty in all the things around me.

I am not living in that celestial way most of the time yet - like she said, it comes line upon line, but I am starting to glimpse it's reality and I want it always.

Now, if I could just learn to overcome that natural man....

I am also learning that children need a strong "terrestrial" foundation before they can begin to see things in a celestial way. It makes more sense to me why obedience is such an important lesson for my little ones to learn, as well as learning to control their anger, the things that they say, etc. Once they understand the Christlike behaviors they will begin to learn line upon line, with the gift of the Holy Ghost, and their hearts will grow to know their Savior.

We read this scripture in Matthew 16 yesterday morning and I saw it in a new light:

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

...but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

And, just because it's so cute, here's a little poem we've memorized that goes along with this post - I had my little girl recite it (I chose her to do it because I think it's especially cute with her little lisp as new front teeth are growing in):

Go Forth to Life by Samuel Longfellow

Go forth to life, O child of earth!

Still mindful of thy heav’nly birth;

Thou art not here for ease, or sin,

But manhood’s noble crown to win.

Tho’ passion’s fires are in thy soul,

Thy spirit can their flames control;

Tho’ tempters strong beset thy way,

Thy spirit is more strong than they.

Go on from innocence of youth

To manly purity and truth;

God’s angels still are near to save,

And God Himself doth help the brave.

Then forth to life, O child of earth!

Be worthy of thy heav’nly birth!

For noble service thou art here;

Thy brothers help, thy God revere!

And just in case I haven't put enough links in here for good things to go read, here is a link to a wonderful article by Elder Bednar from this month's New Era about learning line upon line and precept upon precept.