Pulling Down My Idols-UPDATED

Over the last two or three years I have taken an incredible journey through ancient Greek literature.  I have studied with a mentor and discussed with friends book after book.  It was an amazing journey of learning.  What is sad though is that my take home lesson from those books was something that I could have gotten if I had just applied myself a little more to the scriptures.  Grrr.  I am frustrated at myself that I was not able to act in faith and learn through the Spirit and not have to sift through the philosophies of men mingled with scriptures to find truth. 
So my take home message from my time in the ancient Greek classics was that our society is shaped by false truths and ideas just as the ancient Greeks were trapped in theirs.  One story from Greek culture is about a man who must go off to the Trojan War.  In order to have good winds to sail quickly he sacrifices his daughter on an alter to the Gods.  He is rewarded for his sacrifice with favorable winds.  Since then I have been searching diligently to find out what my false traditions are and to try to rectify them.

One false tradition that I've found that I have been in is that I think linerally.  What in the world is that?  Perhaps that's not even the right word it's just the word that came to me as I was pondering.  When I think linerally I am always checking things off, making lists (I'm sure you've noticed that), making goals, moving from one accomplishment to the next, mastering one subject or book and then moving on to the next, thinking in levels, stages, steps to the next place that is straight ahead, etc, etc, etc.  In a nutshell it's about accomplishments and tasks completed.

I envision myself on my Rameumpton with my fine speech about how great I am because I can juggle so many things at the same time.  I really can juggle a lot.  So what though?  This is were my false traditions come in.  Society has taught me to be this way.  If I'm good I get a sticker.  If I 'm not I get put in time out.  If I get perfect attendance I get a candy bar and a soda pop.  If I'm not I don''t get anything but, "better try harder next time."  If I make enough points on the basketball court than I get a pat on the back and very cool plaque that says, "I'm the most valuable."  If I don't I'm told, "Isn't so and so awesome they worked harder, practiced more free throws and went to more summer camps.  No wonder they're so good."  If I show up to church on Sunday with my children perfectly groomed with 15 minutes to spare than I'm a good mom that has her ducks in a row.  If I don't than I'm an unorganized mom, that others say, "well, maybe some day she'll get organized enough."  If I dress so I'm a cute and hip mom than I'm accepted.  If I don't then I'm not.  It just goes on and on.  If you DO something you get nice compliments, fine rewards and you can smile a little bigger on your Rameumpton.

So I've slowly been becoming aware of that the last couple of years.  I'm all about accomplishments and actions as my society as taught be to be.  Charlotte Mason says that in order to get out of a habit we have to develop a different habit to replace it. Makes sense. So my problem as been how do I replace it?  That's where I've been at for a while.

I've been learning I need to 'be' and not 'do' but I still couldn't figure it out.  Until it dawned on me that as long as I think linerally I will never be able to conceptionally grasp how to live.  One of my son's came up to me the other day and said, "The first dimension is straight right? The second dimension is square. The third is cubed. The fourth is time and the fifth is time travel right?" I said that I thought that was right.  I hadn't studied in a while.  It made me start thinking.  "Ugh! I'm stuck in the first dimension."  I think sometimes I been in the second or third though.  I say that only because occasionally I've had some incredible "a-ha's" and I've learned to get "out of the box." Learning about home education, TJED, Charlotte Mason and a host of other ideas was mind boggling.  They were truth (they were just incomplete) and so I felt more enlightened and felt I had gained more of an awareness.

Now though I see that I need to think circularly.  The Lord has no time and His course is one eternal round.  There is a lot that that means.  More than I understand now.  I don't have to do enough to finally be loved by my family, friends, church leaders or God.  I simply must be.  I need to live with faith, hope and charity.  I need to live in a state of holiness.  I need to "live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Moroni 7:25 and D & C 84:43-44)  I need to  not " look upon sin with the least degree of allowance." (D & C 1:31 and Luke 12:59) 

So I have taken down my chore charts, my schedules, my goals and my expectations.  I will rewrite them and think in the terms of being. I will be charitable, faithful, grateful, holy, etc.  That will take work but as I live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God I will become.  To know that I'm not expected to DO any more but BE is the most freeing thing I've ever realized.  Because of course as I 'become and be' I will somehow still DO but it will be the right way with the right spirit and for the right reasons.

I will continue to look at all my false traditions and false ideologies so that I can take them down so I can see the One True God.

SEE MY COMMENT.