Here is something I learned recently. In the hymn #193, we sing, 'I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me, confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me . . ." I've always wondered what the word proffer means. And the part about being confused . . . what's this all about? Here's what Brad Wilcox said . . . "The word confused can mean perplexed and disoriented, but it can also mean overwhelmed. Indeed, we should feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of Christ's grace. "
Proffers is more than a synonym for offers. Adding the prefix pro to offers indicates that instead of simply extending a gift to someone, the giver takes initiative to proactively place the gift before the receiver. Think of the emblems of the sacrament. They are not simply offered to the congregation. Latter-day Saints don't approach the front of the chapel to take them. Rather, the bread and water are proffered to us - literally placed before each of us individually, even when we are late and standing in the foyer (don't ask me how I know that). ?This teaches us much about how lovingly the gift of grace is given." I still have my agency. Nothing is being forced on me. I choose whether or not to partake. That's how it is with His gospel, He offers everything to us with all the love we can imagine. Will I partake? Will I take His name upon me one more week? Will I try to keep His commandments for seven more days? Yes, because the trade-off is so valuable to me - - - to always have His Spirit to be with me. Something to think about the next time I reach for the sacrament.
Sunday visit. Neal and I drove out to Maren and Greg's home to take the jam I had made for them and to see them and Taylor. We went in between conference sessions and had a nice visit with them. Greg and Maren had us go downstairs to see if we could notice a smell. I immediately smelled stale urine. Come to find out that when Maren moved Brock and Boston downstairs the two boys decided it was easier to pee in a hole in the wall rather than go upstairs to the bathroom. They have been down there for a couple months and by the time Maren and Greg discovered what was going on, the boards in the wall were soaked with urine and the pee had actually worked it's way out on the carpet. They had to rip up the carpet and Greg will have to pretty much take down the whole wall in that area and put new wood in sheetrock in there. Needless to say the two boys will be moving back upstairs again where they can be kept under closer watch. I do remember that I caught Spencer peeing in the corner of his closet and sometimes out the window. Thank goodness I caught it after he had only done it a couple of times. I just don't understand why boys would do that.
Maren and Greg said it has been a hard journey since Taylor came home. Maren said that just getting her out of bed for 2 hours a day was a real trial but now Taylor is finally moving forward with more of a positive attitude. She is going to school for two classes a day and had therapy every week where she is working hard to strengthen her body and help her to be more and more independent.
Maren also talked about her relationship with her mother and said that she was just like Taylor and would have been just as bad had her mother lived. Lots of other things were expressed but this is their story not mine. I'm just grateful that things are getting a little better for their whole family as each day goes by.
On the way home as we were coming into our complex I glanced up at Mt. Olympus like I always do and had to top and take these pictures. The mountain is absolutely breath taking.
You climbed that peak!!
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