BASEBALL

It is interesting to me how life has its "ups and downs." And it always tends to feel like it comes in bunches. It's not just one bad thing here and then good, but it seems to be a bunch of bad things at a time and then a bunch of good things at a time. At least for me. Right now, it has been a bunch of bad things. This time they are complete curveballs that I was not prepared to hit at. I did not see these things coming. So instead, I feel as though I'm just trying to swing but I keep missing the balls, when all I want to do is hit them right out of the park.  These are the curveballs I'm swinging at:

1.) My brother Michael, filing for emancipation.

2.) My brother Michael moving out of the house without saying bye, or giving anyway to contact him.

3.) Finding out that my senior capstone, the only class I have left to take

to be able to graduate in Dec of 2010 is not offered this coming fall, but Spring of 2011.

4.) Feeling emotionally and mentally drained from taking 19 credit hours this semester. The homework, essays, papers, and tests NEVER seem to end.

5.) Learning how to gain the confidence in myself again after being with someone who took that away from me.

But throughout all of this I am realizing a couple of things. Through all of this turmoil there can be peace. That even though I feel like I am not prepared for these balls that keep getting pitched to me, I am. Maybe not as much I would have liked or expected to be, but what a better way to know how to hit curveballs out of the park then to have them thrown at you, so you can practice and become great at hitting the ball no matter where it is thrown?

The place where I have come to find great peace and comfort is in the Lord. I was at the temple on Tuesday,I had just finished doing some baptisms, and I was walking to the visitors center to do some scripture reading when I passed by something. The temple is full of beautiful flowers, and white daises are one of my favorites. When I was walking I saw this lone daisy sticking out amoung some yellow and purple flowers. It was taller than the rest and seemed to be striving to get to the light, to stay in the light. There was so much peace in that image I saw, it was as though I was being told that if I stayed clean, and white and continually strived for the light, strived to stay in the light that I would understand. That I was being told that Heavenly Father knows me and what I am feeling, that he loves and understands me.

 I was reading my scriptures and I passed this one that seemed to stick out at me in bold letters. Mosiah 24:16. . . "And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage." 

I do not know what or why I am supposed to be learning how to hit these curveballs, but I do know that I am not alone. I have a whole team in the dugout, and on the other bases who love me, have faith in me, want me to succeed, and are counting on me. And I have my coach who is giving me the hardest pitcher because he knows I can handle him, my coach knows I am ready for it. Now I just have to know I am.

I will have great faith and patience so that I can be of good comfort, because on the morrow I will be delivered out of bondage.