A Lesson Learned

Today the Lord taught me an important lesson. The lesson of listening. And the lesson of loving, even when one has been injured by another. I wish I could give specifics, but that would reveal much more than I would intend.

Suffice it to say, that someone had been unkind to me. And I was angry at them for the unkindnesses. I went to talk to them about it, to confront them, to exact of them what was rightfully mine. It would feel good to show them that they were in the wrong, I thought. I had a list of all the charges against them in my head, ready to spring them out. But yet I still prayed that God would help me say and do the right thing. I'm not sure that I realized how against God I was going by being angry. But I felt justified.

I walked in, and it was almost as if....I was a little speechless.

"Hey...how are things going?" I managed to get out.

The person's usual response followed:

"Oh life is drama, and stress...you know."

I didn't know what else to say...the anger was still simmering...but not boiling over like it had before.

"Umm...someone said that you had ___ for me?" I said, trying not to..well, who knows what I was trying to do.

My purpose was to come and get what was owed. I could stick to that purpose.

"Oh. Yeah. Let me see if I have it."

As I waited I felt the anger slip away. I cared more for this person than for what she owed me. All of the sudden, it didn't seem as important as making sure that she knew how much I cared about her. And I was disappointed in myself for having lost sight of that.

"Here you go."

"Thanks" was all I managed to say.

A silence followed as she went back to her work.

"Umm...how are things really going? You're moving back to ____ right?"

"Yeah. It's so much drama right now. You would not believe how much drama."

And she sounded so disheartened. It was heartbreaking to me. Whatever resentment I had had...was gone. I had forgotten to see her as a beloved child of a Heavenly Parent, Someone who loved her more than I could. I had let that escape me as I had traveled with anger to speak to her. It doesn't matter what she had done, I was more in the wrong for neglecting one of the greatest commandments: Love thy neighbor as thyself.

"That's the toughest, isn't it? Life is okay to handle, but drama...drama you can't control. I've always been impressed with your ability to handle life. Drama is hard...but I'm sure you can make it."

"Do you need any help?" I offered, seeing her struggling with the task at hand.

"Oh, really? I'm going to load these things in about 5 minutes. That would be great."

As I helped, I repented quite profusely. A sweet spirit overcame me as I let the beautiful truths sink into my soul. She is my sister. And I am serving her because I love her.

She thanked me so sincerely, I was unsure what to say. I've never seen her be that sincere before. And she meant every thank you. I left her, knowing that she would never have a cause to say that I had been unkind to her. That means a lot to me.

And I was grateful to the Lord for helping me to curb the natural woman within me, to nip my anger in the bud, and to remember the most important truth, that He had had my mother teach me so long ago:

People are more important than things.

Gamja

Korean Gamja-Tasty little potatoes that are soaked in soy sauce and drizzled in sesame oil :D

2-3 medium sized potatoes, onion, 2 cloves garlic, soy sauce, 1 tbs honey, 1 tbs sugar, half cup of water.

1. Peel the potatoes, wash, and cut them into 1 inch dice and make 2 cups.
2. Rinse the potato using colander in running water to remove starch.
3. Cut half onion into bite sized pieces.
4. Heat the pan and add 1-2 tbs olive oil and pour the potato into the pan.
5. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and sauté it until the potato look a little translucent, then add the onion and keep stirring it.
6. Add half cup of water into the pan, 2 tbs – 2½ tbs soy sauce (depends on your taste), 1 tbs of sugar, 1 tbs of honey and mix it and simmer it over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the liquid is evaporated.Tip: Keep checking and stirring not to burn it and to cook evenly, if it needs more water, add some.
7. When the potato is cooked, turn off the stove and add 1 tbs of sesame oil and sprinkle a pinch of sesame seeds.

The Great Storm

Alright, so maybe the title is a bit dramatic. But, it's the first winter storm that I've actually seen this winter. So, it is Great.

I woke up to at least 6 inches of snow. I had planned to go to the Temple, but when I tried to start my car, it wouldn't start. That is always a disconcerting feeling. So I checked the oil (which has been leaking) to find that it was empty. Fabulous. So I went inside, changed into some sensible clothes and started walking to the gas station (only a block and a half away). It was fun to be on an adventure....trudging through the slushy snow. The snow was in a state of half melting half freezing, so there was slush everywhere, and where there was no slush, there was water. There was water in the gutters, water flowing over the curb and onto the side walk. It was one blissful lake of slushy water.

Crossing the street proved to be the trickiest bit of business, for one could not get close to the curb without water splashing up to the ankles, let alone jump the puddle-lake. So splash and jump I tried. I got a little wet, and I pretended I was a pioneer.

When water and slush cover everything, you can't really tell where anything is. At one point on my great adventure, I mistook a gutter for the sidewalk. You can imagine the shock I received when icy water reached my lower calves and filled my boot. I laughed though. I was surprised that I laughed! This adventure was still fun.

I bought my oil and went home to fill my car.

And it still wouldn't start.

So I called a friend and begged a ride to work.

This morning I went out and tried to start my car. I was thinking that I might have to have it towed.

I placed the key in the ignition...

and turned it.

IT STARTED!

:D

Can't sleep...

I'm sick right now....so I'll try write a coherent post today, so please bear with me. I'm not sure how I even got sick. It just happened overnight. One day I'm out going to a friend's concert and eating Korean food...the next morning: Migraine. Sore throat. Coughing.

And it's gotten worse from there.

Head pounding Migraine that not even peppermint oil can help...let alone 400mg of ibuprofen. Sore throat that makes you feel like you have strep. And coughing so hard it makes you double over. And you've downed 2 quarts of Orange Juice over the past 2 days.

On the positive side, maybe this is one of those 2 day colds and tomorrow I'll be fine? Even a 3 day cold would be okay. I like to call it the fast-track cold. Hits hard and fast, but doesn't linger. Now THAT is something to hope for.

I don't understand why my body could not have waited until NEXT weekend to feel this way. It would have been so much easier to take my finals before getting sick.

And someone in the apartment above us is playing "Santa Claus is coming to town" on the Saxophone. Unbelievable. If my head wasn't pounding I would applaud them. I'm torn between being upset and laughing.

Sorry. Trying not to be negative. What if I did laugh at it? I think the Sax is a horrible instrument, but, hearing that song on it makes it seem better.

I know there's a girl that plays guitar upstairs too. You can hear her playing at 1 in the morning. What a musical apartment!

_____________________________________________________

Well that post was entirely nonsense.

I wish my hometeachers would check their messages and come over and give me a priesthood blessing....

That will make a world of difference.