The Knowledge of the Heart

I've spent a lot of time recently thinking about the difference between knowing something intellectually and knowing it spiritually.

In the past few weeks, I've had the opportunity to discuss my beliefs with several friends who view life very differently than I do. As I've talked with these friends, I've had such a hard time describing what I mean. I keep pointing to my chest and saying, "I know it here."

I've also had the dubious honor (like many of us) of feeling much less temporally secure than I did six months ago, when my future seemed very clear and defined. It's brought me an appreciation of learning. I mean really learning. Like coming to know something in the depths of your heart and soul. So much, that in the process of learning it, you believe that it can never be shaken from you. Even Christ needed to learn this way... "that he may know according to the flesh" (Alma 7:12).

Like with anything worth having, this type of learning costs. Sometimes it costs dearly. But I'm starting to wonder, if this isn't what life is all about. This learning to give up things: your kids as they grow up, your love affair with your bank account, your supposed-self reliance. To stop clinging to things that only pretend to bring peace or security. To learn to walk the tight rope without a net, with your eyes fixed on the real goal in front of you and not on all the distractions in the circus tent. To learn what is real and what is just an ornate facade. To learn where true peace comes from and not the watered-down version that I too often settle for.

While in the past months I've felt more discomfort than I ever have in my life, it is worth the price. I still pray for a calmer economic front and peace and safety, but I'm grateful for the reminder. And I hope that once the troubled waters have calmed, (and they will calm) I'll keep with me another reminder from Alma, "if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?"

I'm glad that I am learning this lesson "according to the flesh". Now I just need to remember it.

Beagliest Losers? I Think Not!

Please take note:

Forks stayed in hand until our mission was accomplished.

Saturday, Gail, Karine and I went to Tri-Cities. We did a temple session and then had a wonderful lunch with Megan and Anne. Three hours of solid eating is probably not great for the Family Weight Loss Plan. Perhaps for this program to work, we need to take a vow that we will not see other members of the family until "the final episode." I will say, that with the way our mouths flew in conversation, we probably did burn some impressive conversational calories.

And not matter what, the laughter, the Mongolian Beef and definitely the 7-layer chocolate cake were worth the calories, the drive and the stomache ache that shortly followed the experience.

I may be chubby, but at least I've got my Sistahs with me.

Love American Style

You know, women really can not be trusted. They are greedy, grasping and you can never give them enough. They will take your soul if you let them... or apparently any other body parts that are readily available. If you've ever doubted this, I've got proof from the New York Daily News:

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A Long Island surgeon embroiled in a nearly four-year divorce proceeding wants his estranged wife to return the kidney he donated to her, although he says he’ll settle for $1.5 million in compensation.
Dr. Richard Batista, a surgeon at Nassau University Medical Center, told reporters at his lawyer’s Long Island office Wednesday that he decided to go public with his demand for kidney compensation because he has grown frustrated with the negotiations with his estranged wife.

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All the poor man wants is to leave the marriage with what he went into it with. The guy has already lost his heart. Can't he get his kidney back? or the reasonable facsimile? (which is apparently $1,500,000).

Look how sad he looks. He is obviously missing his kidney.