We started off this morning with a real bang; lots of real
bangs to be exact. We woke up to a severe thunderstorm and torrential rain. Boy,
were we glad that we got all of Friday at Nauvoo without a drop of rain! We
still had some things we wanted to do before heading home so we loaded up
everyone in the car and drove to Carthage to the historical site of where the
Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith were killed.
The tour of the jail was very emotional. I had been there
before but that was before I ever had my own children. To think of the families
left behind, heartbroken at the loss of their father or husband, was
overwhelming. I thought of all the pain and persecution that Joseph Smith had
suffered and it was as if a part of me could tune in to the experiences he had.
At one point I almost fell over from the energy I felt by being in that place.
Another feeling overcame me after that; a feeling of deep and inexpressible gratitude
for those who gave so much so that I could have access to God’s truth. Joseph
thought nothing of himself, only for God’s people and God's plan. He was a great example of
standing up for what is right no matter the consequence. I am grateful that I
was able to share that experience today with my children. I hope they will
remember this day.
As we left Carthage, we were faced with pouring rain, a lot
of traffic, and off and on construction across the entire state of Illinois.
There was flooding almost all the way across the state, not only in the farm
fields around us but even across the road in many places, causing us to have to
slow down drastically so as not to lose control from hydroplaning. We saw two
vehicles that lost control and went off the road shortly before we passed them.
I was thinking that if all that wasn’t bad enough, it would be dark soon.
Luckily for us, once we got to Indiana it stopped raining although we had even
more construction and heavy traffic and ended up in the dark.
As I thought about our travels today it made me think that
this day was very much an analogy for life. As we travel the road of life we
are faced with many trials: torrential rain, heavy traffic, and construction,
that slow us down and try to deter us from our destination. When we think that
all that wasn’t bad enough, it then becomes dark. Once it is dark we are left
to rely on small headlights to guide us through the darkness and rain.
Sometimes it might even get so dark that the headlights cannot even be seen.
Then we realize that from all the stress of the lightening and rain that at
some point we closed our eyes and forgot to open them up again. We find that
once our eyes are opened it is much easier to find the way to our desired
destination.
I am so grateful for the lessons and the road travelled
today. I am grateful to have shared this great trip with my family. I am very
grateful that I get to sleep in my own bed with my own pillow tonight! And I am
grateful that I have a loving Father in Heaven who I know watches out for me
and keeps us safe in all the storms, and even when there are no storms. :)
Have you checked today to see if your eyes are open?
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