On a Religious Note..

Howdy!

I'm reading The Infinite Atonement by Tad R. Callister.

If you aren't in the process of reading a book right now, you NEED to read this book.

Today, this is the paragraph that struck me.

"If there had been no Atonement, the rising of every sun would be a reminder that for us it would one day rise no more, that for each of us death would claim its victory, and the grave would have its sting. Every death would be a tragedy, and every birth but a tragedy in embryo. The culmination of love between husbands and wives, fathers and sons, mothers and daughters would perish in the grave, to rise no more. Without the Atonement, futility would replace purpose, hopelessness would be exchanged for hope, and misery would be traded for happiness. If there were no Atonement, Elder Marion G. Romney declared, 'The whole purpose for the creation of earth and our living upon it would fail.' President David O. McKay quotes James L. Gordon in this regard: 'A cathedral without windows, a face without eyes, a field without flowers, an alphabet without vowels, a continent without rivers, a night without stars, and a sky without sun-- these would not be so sad as a ... soul without Christ.' The contemplation of such a world as this would be the most despairing thought that could ever darken the mind or sadden the heart of man. But fortunately, there is a Christ, and there was an Atonement, and it is infinite for all mankind."

I've never looked at what life would be like without the Atonement. I've always focused on the possibilities that come about because of it. It's heartbreaking to consider the awfulness of what life would have been like had the Atonement never occured. In contrast, how beautiful it is that we don't HAVE to worry about what that would have been like.

Slight change in subject!

I have to admit that I've been struggling a little with.. life in general. I know that it's expected of people my age to have a hard time deciding what to do with their lives, and I think I'm the epitome of that situation. It's like my brain is in a pinball machine bouncing in a never-ending triangle of "school, career, mission". For the past couple of months, I've been working on the path that leads to a mission. I can turn in my papers in January.

If I'm being completely honest, I'm terrified for my life to move forward. At the same time, I'm bored of my situation. I feel like my progression since high school has been very limited. To be blunt, I've felt pretty pathetic.

Today, I plan to change my mindset. As scared as I am, I plan to make a decision by the end of the day (with a little divine guidance).

Wish me luck!