Burgers, Cards, and an Enthralling Blog

Today's favorite moments included . . .

. . . watching my family's eyes light up when I suggested we go to In-N-Out for dinner.

And another thing . . .

. . . this morning I attended a service activity where we made thank-you cards for families to give to the doctors and nurses who have treated their children (the cards will be donated to a group that assists families battling serious childhood illness). It was the most mentally challenging thing I have done in ages. I am not a crafty person, and though I often peeked over others' shoulders for inspiration it was a real struggle for me to come up with even simple designs that looked good. All in all it was fun, though, and we made over 100 cards. Hopefully they'll warm a few hearts.

. . . this evening I followed a favorite blog to another blog to yet another blog called (Gay) Mormon Guy. In his own words he says "I'm a stalwart member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I'm also attracted to men. Which means that life is extra rough." His blog is very honest and heartfelt, and I found it captivating.

For example, I assumed that a dedicated Mormon struggling with same-gender attraction would reluctantly resign themselves to a life of celibacy, but this writer dates often in the hope that he will ultimately fall truly in love with a woman and build a happy marriage and family with her. He is aware that it may never happen in this life, and that even if it does his temptations may still linger in the background for the rest of his life. As I read that last comment, it occurred to me that my situation is not so very different from his.

While I don't feel any same-gender attraction, I (like every other imperfect mortal) came into my marriage with temptations and faults that I constantly struggle to keep in the background for the sake of my relationship and ultimately my salvation. At my worst I'm selfish, proud, critical, and lazy--flaws which have destroyed far more lives and marriages than same-gender attraction ever has. Most of the time I keep those faults in the background, trying to feed the virtues of my character and starve the vices.

If I keep working at that and praying for God's help, I may one day vanquish those faults completely, but in the meantime I'm just working to nurture the best in me, one day at a time. Sometimes it comes easily. Other times it's very hard, but on the rare occasions when I consider what life would be like if I abandoned my faith or family to indulge my self-centered desires, I know in my heart that (paradoxically) living just for me wouldn't truly make me happier.

Incidentally, in response to Karl Marx, religion is not "the opiate of the masses." When seen for what it truly is--a guide to becoming more like God, experiencing true joy, and achieving your potential as His child--it is the greatest motivator for good the world has ever known.