Friday, October 10, 2014

Through the Clouds

I hadn't really planned on writing this post today, but I felt that I should, partially because I really need it today.  As I mentioned in my last post (which I still haven't updated) there were a number of lessons which I took from my summer of twists and turns.  Some of the lessons I learned involved my flights.  One of these was very timely in my life, and is one which I am reminded of often.  One quick fact about me that many may not know is that my greatest fear is falling from heights.  I'm not afraid of heights.  There's a difference.  It is quite interesting when looking at flying, which will be another post in the near future.

With that last piece of information, it should be said that turbulence during my flights were somewhat uncomfortable.  On my flight from Baltimore to Phoenix, our plane took off, and we had to break through a blanket of white clouds to reach our cruising altitude.  One of the strangest sensations I found when flying was cutting through the clouds.  It was kind of cool, but there was a bit of an unsettling feeling for me as we flew through the clouds.  At least on this flight the clouds were white instead of very black, again another blog post upcoming.  As we went up through the clouds, the plane shifted slightly and bumped around a bit, with a couple of stomach-churning drops.  After several minutes of passing through the clouds, our plane finally broke through.  What I was able to witness at that moment was quite simply one of the most stunning scenes I've ever seen.  Basically, I could see the layer of clouds that we had just passed through a few hundred feet below.  Above us several hundred above us was another layer of nice white clouds.  We were effectively flying right between two layers of clouds which stretched as far as I could see all around us.  Out the window the sun made its way through the clouds as it was setting.

It looked kind of like this, but the sky was brighter and more colorful.  It was just incredible.


I was taught from this situation, that in our lives we are called to travel upward through the clouds.  Times get really turbulent, and often we feel as though we are not going to get out.  Yet if we trust in the Lord, and hold on He will eventually pull us up above the cloud and treat us to an incredible view.  I was just taught taught something else as I was writing this post.  Although we never crossed through that second layer of clouds above us, I believe that in life we will continue to have those layers of clouds above us which we will be called to pass through.  If we want to find better views, we will continue having to break through the clouds which hang above us.  We will continue to experience turbulence as long as we seek progress in life.  It may not be comfortable and convenient, but comfort and convenience bring complacency.

As I mentioned earlier, I got the opportunity to apply this lesson shortly after this experience.  I won't go into much detail, but shortly after my trip, I started preparing to go through the Temple to receive my endowment.  I made my appointment with the Temple 2-3 weeks beforehand.  From the morning I made the appointment, I felt an incredible increase in the amount of adversity in my life.  For the next couple of weeks, it seemed like everything in my life was unsettled and I struggled a bit.  I never thought the two events weren't connected.  I firmly believe that there was someone who didn't want me to make it through the Temple.  As I was going through it I knew that had I gone through this a few years ago, I may not have made it, but I held on, sometimes holding fast to the armrests of my seat.  I can say that the ride was completely worth it for the view which I received.

So if you are ever caught in the turbulence of life, hold on.  Hold fast to the armrests if necessary.  The Lord will bless you, and He will pull you through it if you are faithful to Him and look to Him and His angels for help!

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