Butter and Joseph

Two thoughts this morning: Butter and Joseph

Butter: I aspire to become a dedicated runner through the summer and fall. My three races in sight are: Speedy Spaniard 10K, (July 24th); Hobble Creek Half Marathon, (August 21st); and finally, St. George Marathon, (October 2nd). My eating habits aren't terrible but they could definitely use special attention. Not wanting to kill joy immediately, I've decided to taper off the bad stuff gradually by picking one thing a week to give up. This week it's butter. Of course I'm not going to refuse food prepared with butter but I won't be adding it to my oatmeal, toast, eggs, etc. So, here goes!

Joseph: Entirely unrelated to butter, I've been thinking about Joseph of Egypt. Particularly, his response to his brothers upon being reunited with them (Genesis 45) and at the time of his father's death (Genesis 50).

When we dropped Ryan off at the MTC I thought about how emotional Joseph was when he saw his brothers again after being separated from them for years. I love how strong he tries to be and then, not being able to hold it in anymore, he excuses himself to weep like a baby. After a good cry session, he puts on his game face, and meets his brothers again. But the emotion keeps creeping back and he again excuses himself to cry. After repeating this cycle several times, he breaks down in front of his brothers. Joseph's heart has a HUGE capacity to love. I imagine I might possibly be stone cold to my siblings after years of remembering their cruelty to me. But it's just so touching how difficult it is for Joseph to contain the floodgate of emotion he's held back for so long.

And then after Jacob dies and the house of Israel fear that Joseph will finally return punishment for their cruelty in separating him from his family, Joseph most anxiously sets their fears aside saying, "No! Of course not! How can I be mad? Don't you see God brought me here to save you?" He was practically thanking them! And the scripture I think of is Alma 29. I've been reading that chapter over and over and I'm beginning to see it in whole new light. This phrase:

But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with that which the Lord hath allotted unto me.

I used to imagine this chapter to be saying 'Just get over your big, crazy desires and be grateful for what you have! You have enough! You selfish girl!' But now I see it as 'What you have been given is perfect for the work you have to do, the calling you are called to fulfill, and the way you need to grow. God has the power to bless his children's lives and he'll do that as you glory in that which has been allotted to you and know that God is working through you however little you may be aware.' Joseph is a great face for this principle, I think.

Now, seeing that I know these things, why should I desire more than to perform the work to which I have been called? ...For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea in wisdom, all that he seeeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom...

My take-home message: The circumstances I find myself in, of which I commonly grumble about, are what God has allotted to me right now. And more than just "keep quiet and try to be
grateful for it" I can be excited by them and know that it's all in God's wisdom and all part of a great work.



Soooo, butter and Joseph. That's all.