A Wish for More Wishes--Really

Summer break at last!  This season finds me outside much more, enjoying and appreciating all the beauties of nature.  I love a fresh sea breeze and a beautiful sunset.  I love a short walk through the park or a long hike through the hills.  We have such a wonderous world!  It set me to thinking...

Any time someone asks, “If you could have any wish you want, what would you wish for?” doesn’t everyone always say, “I’d wish for more wishes”?  You don’t ask for specific stuff, you ask for the ability to get anything you want.  Well, I kind of think of this concept when I think of eternal inheritance.

In Doctrine and Covenants 84 we read about the priesthood.  Christ promises to those who obey the commandments and honor the priesthood, “all that my Father hath shall be given unto him” (v 38).

When I think about this, maybe it doesn’t mean His creations.  I mean, I would love to inherit Grand Teton National Park, or New Zealand’s South Island.  He could give me those.  They are His, right? But how could He promise those to me if someone else wants them, too?

So, maybe He doesn’t mean all the stuff. Maybe He means all the power He has.  

As a parent, rather than just giving my kids everything they need and want, I'd love to give them skills to help them become self-reliant, to help them reach their own dreams, not just the dreams I have for them.

It’s like granting more wishes.  Although He could, Heavenly Father won't give me the South Island,  maybe He'll give me the power to create my own South Island.  The power to create my own national park. The power to create whatever else I wish. 

He has already restored some of His priesthood keys to earth.  But won’t it be amazing one day to possess all His priesthood keys?  Afterall, it is through the power of the priesthood that the Lord created all that we have.  And He has promised all that He has to us.  What a wish!

PS 

I'm not saying I want the priesthood conferred upon me.  I already know I can access all the blessings the priesthood brings, and I'm so very thankful for that, for a wonderful husband and sons who hold and honor the priesthood!

Three Wishes

My husband's cancer is back.  It's a little scary, a little crazy. But if there is an upside to it all, it's that it makes us step back and refocus our priorities and what we really want.  It makes us appreciate more the little things, the important things.  I think this is part of what the Lord meant when He said we must become as little children to enter the kingdom of heaven. Children recognize those small miracles.  Their desires are pure and simple.  Let me give you an example:


A couple of weeks ago, one of my young sons asked me, "If you could have three wishes, what would they be?"


I said, "Hmmm...I don't know," (this was before we knew about the cancer).  "What would yours be?"


Here's what he said:


"I would wish:

• To have the best handwriting
• To have any Lego set anytime, all organized, and with a snap of my fingers they would all be put away
• And to have great eye sight."

Then my even younger daughter chimed in with her wishes:

"I would wish for:

• World peace
• That Mom would always be happy [yeah, I'm raising her right]
• And to be a warewolf [like I said, raising her right]."

Wow.  I'm just not even sure what to say about those wishes, or what they say about us! Wishes that don't include money, chocolate, super powers, world domination, or even more wishes.  Just the simple things like Legos and furry bodies with vicious sharp teeth.  See--it's all about priorities.  And I'm thinking ours are in pretty good order.