Experience has taught me... "BE PREPARED!"

One of the quickest lessons I learned as a new mom was to be prepared! Oh those first few experiences where you're out in the big, wide world and you reach into your diaper bag for that absolutely vital thing you need and you grasp around in sudden horror as you realize it's not in the bag! Suddenly the routinely dirty diaper becomes an episode in a horror film. Things start oozing, people sense your panic and stare, the baby starts screaming, and things start crashing to the floor as you grab the diaper bag and run out of what ever wonderful place you were in.

I have many faults, but neglecting to learn from my mistakes is not one of them. For the most part, I don't repeat the same mistake. So, by my forth child I packed and carried an REI day pack. I took it EVERYWHERE I went. Oh the innocent teasing I received from my darling friends at church who bring cute purses to church! There I stand in my Sunday best, adorned with my pearls and my burnt orange pack. But, I felt great peace because I knew I was prepared for anything! For years, I could not even think about limiting myself to the capacity of a purse. I'm slowly creeping closer though. I actually even purchased a cute purse! I only take it when I'm going within a 5 mile radius of my house. Or I put my pack in the van, just in case!

My love of being prepared has been intensified because of other horrific experiences outside of the realm of mother-hood. I'm a group fitness instructor so you can imagine the intense constricting I feel in my chest if I walk into a room full of waiting people and realize I don't have my ipod or my spin shoes. A 45 minute spin class suddenly becomes a lifetime if you've forgotten your socks. It's made me resilient though. I can adapt. I'm a new age MacGyver! Like that one time I did not have my ipod and my co-worked graciously shared her's with me. Teaching spin with someone else's playlist is a great adventure. The song starts nice and easy, suddenly the music crescendos and you realize this is an intense song. So I spontaneously create a change in our terrain and we're off! I learned that I'm better at interpreting music than I thought I was. :-)

Recently, my thoughts have turned very often to pondering the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It's this event that Christians believe in, but are we watching for it? Really watching for it? I haven't been. But how can I when life is so fast paced? At this time, more than ever before since this Earth was created, there are infinite distractions that addict and compel the human mind. I'm sure any parent would teach their child not to touch their phone while driving. Focus on the road and live! How many of us use this restraint? I mean really, just drive?! Our brains are so used and addicted to constant stimuli that waiting at a stop light seems agonizing. Doesn't it?! This is something I've been really working on, re-training my brain to be still. To be at peace and not to feel anxious when it's quiet time. I use constant effort as I practice.

As I've heightened my study of the second coming I've come to some conclusions that feel good in my soul. I absolutely recognize that doesn't make them true, but for my spiritual journey they'll inch me along. For example, in my adult years I kind of decided that the Second coming probably wouldn't be in my life time. My job was to raise my posterity in a way that they keep faithful generations of Christians and that someday in the far distant He would come. Lately, I've changed that decision. I feel such an excitement and an urgency as I study this topic! Wouldn't the adversary be thrilled if I assumed it wasn't in my lifetime. How much more would I do to prepare myself and those around me if I really thought it would be soon?! Satan doesn't want that. So, I've decided, the Second Coming is soon! In my life soon, before I'm an old lady soon!! So work out and eat healthy so I can be strong and carry people up mountains soon! Here is why this is awesome even if it's not true.

Living as if He is coming super soon changes my perspective and heightens my abilities. If I think He's coming soon then I don't care about having fashionable furniture or a bigger house. What I really care about is "seeing" my family better. Looking into their eyes, connecting with them, talking about Christ with them. Life's traumas send me less into an Anne-of-Green-Gables depths of depression and I'm able to have perspective. I'm able to testify of Christ in settings where I would've been timid and more concerned about how I'm personally being perceived than convincing someone of Jesus Christ, His reality, and His marvelous power! One of the Apostles recently said,

"What if the day of His coming were tomorrow?
If we knew that we would meet the Lord tomorrow-through our premature death or through His unexpected coming-what would we do today?
What confessions would we make?
What practices would we discontinue?
What accounts would we settle?
What forgiveness would we extend?
What testimonies would we bare?
If we would do those things then, WHY NOT NOW? Why not seek peace while peace can be obtained? (Dallin H. Oaks, General Conference, April 2004"

For me, peace is what this mindset provides. Instead of worrying about myself, my issues, my 3rd hand couches, instead of fearing for my social status I can feel peace and sweet anticipation. What am I to loose by deciding He's coming soon? Nada! If He doesn't come in all His glory in my life time I loose nothing! I lived my life watching for the signs, repenting of my pride and other sins, and thinking and talking about Christ as if He's on the forefront of my thoughts. I don't see a down side. BUT, if He does come super soon, and if He's preceded by war, storms, and world wide wickedness then I will be better able to handle these events because Jesus Christ and His infinite power over everything will be in the forefront of my thoughts. Think of Christmas, how much sweeter is the Christmas season when we're prepared for it and not leaving parties early to hit a store? How much better is Christmas morning if we weren't up way too late wrapping all the presents? I want so passionately to participate and anticipate and watch instead of waking up one morning, oh snap! He's coming! Maybe I'm ok, maybe I'm not ok, but I'm definitely taken off guard and I've lost all the joys of preparing and looking forward to it! The joy that comes by seeing the signs fulfilled!

I therefore conclude, I will prepare for His coming in every way the Holy Spirit whispers to me and then I will leave it up to God, all the while partaking of the awesomeness of anticipation!