Tired? Bent Out of Shape?

​Tired? Bent out of shape? Ice plastered against your side?

As I walked out of the temple yesterday, these trees grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go. I rarely take pictures, but this time, I felt I had to. As you can see, the wind has hammered snow and ice against the north side of each tree and left layers of white frozen to the trunks.

Many of us relate to these trees. We feel attacked by awful, heavy world news or local news that clings to us and hurts us. Or it may be our never-ending to-do list that clings. It may be family drama, everyday drudgery, or depression or other illness.
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I hope you're able to indulge in some simple pleasures: A good book or a movie, a chocolate bar, listening to Zen music, or hanging out with someone who relaxes you. I hope you also turn to someone who can more permanently bolster and boost you up.

Being in the house of God reminds me that for all the bad there is in the world, there's also much good. There are awesome people trying to be like Christ. There's the Spirit of God, which calms, loves, and encourages us. There's genealogy work being done as our hearts turn to our ancestors.

We are now in the week of Easter, celebrating that while "in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Cor. 15:22). We will all live again. Not only that, but Jesus has suffered the pain of our trials and our sins so that he can help us overcome them all. Do you have parents who would gladly go through your pain to help you out? Jesus did, and because of that, I am strengthened and motivated when I turn to him.

If you need cheering up, please indulge in simple pleasures and indulge in doing good. I can't even tell you how good I feel when I do good. If ice is burning into your side, try to reach out to someone you know would be cheered up by a text or a visit. Throw yourself into meaningful charity work. Smile and say hi. Do what Jesus would do, and connect with God through prayer and scripture study and doing the good things that come to mind.

He knows what it feels like to have ice plastered against his side and thorns pressing into his head. He will melt your ice and shine on your life and maybe send an angel or a legion to help you. May you find cheer and renewed energy and purpose in your life, and may we all help each other keep going through our storms. The sun always comes out. Always.

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