Life Lessons...

I remember someone telling us in a teacher training class at Church that you know you are a teacher when you see life lessons in the things around you. It confirmed a truth I was already aware of in my own life. Sometimes you just look at a scene or experience something and you learn truths that stay with you.

It is not unlike the Savior using parables. They didn't have big projectors to show pictures as He taught. But He could teach using things people used everyday or experienced in their every day lives. This made the picture in their mind of what he was teaching and it would stay there a lot longer. I believe that we all have these teaching/learning moments in our lives. Sometimes they just pop up out of something very mundane. 

Monday, December 17th, as I was rushing to get to the doctor, I noticed my Peace Lily was drooping.

I stopped and had the strongest impression this was not unlike the Atonement of Christ. The Savior did so very much of each of us, individually, through his Atoning sacrifice. We are all aware of the ability to repent and our lives being made right again through His Atonement. We are also all aware of the gift we each receive of being resurrected because of His Atonement. But on an everyday basis, His Atonement also helps us be more that we could ever be on our own. His enabling power and His tender mercies are all gifts to each of us through his Atonement. When I don't allow Him to work with me, I become like this potentially beautiful Peace Lily. I droop instead of grow to my full potential. I quickly watered the Peace Lily and all my house plants. I made a mental note to take a picture after the effects of receiving water were felt by my plant.

Later, when the Peace Lily was revived I took this picture. What a difference water made to this beautiful plant. What a difference the Living Water, Jesus Christ, can make in our lives when we partake fully from that well. I learned something I already knew in a more poignant way by pausing to observe a life lesson in my Peace Lily. My testimony of Jesus Christ and his love for me and each of us was strengthened by this little moment in time. How grateful for opportunities to learn from living life and watching for those learning moments.