The Monument

God,

Before He sent His children to earth

Gave each of them

A very carefully selected package

Of problems.

These,

He promised, smiling,

Are yours alone. No one

Else may have the blessings

These problems will bring you.

And only you

Have the special talents and abilities

That will be needed

To make these problems

Your servants.

Now go down to your birth

And to your forgetfulness. Know that

I love you beyond measure.

These problems that I give you

Are a symbol of that love.

The monument you make of your life

With the help of your problems

Will be a symbol of your

Love for me,

Your Father.

- Blaine M.Yorgason

So, my friend Sarah Merkley introduced me to this poem. In case you couldn't tell from the poems that I have  posted...I like poetry. I feel like most good poetry is like scripture - it is inspired. And, you can often times learn much from it, and what you learn depends on what you're going through, where you are in life, and ultimately, who you are as a person.

The Lord gives us (or maybe, allows us to have) problems and trials because He loves us. Some people might think this is pretty twisted. But, without these things, where is the growth? Where will our strength come from? And, the Lord is always there for us - if we reach out to Him.

Each of these stanzas teach me something different.  But, I kinda wanted to talk about the last stanza. It made me step back and think a bit more than the others ones. Our problems and trials come to define us. How we deal with them, how we react when they happen, how we remember them in the future. We have problems and trials to build us up - but they also have the power to tear us down, if we are not careful.

I often have said the my Ultimate Goal in life, is to make a difference in the world - even if it's a difference in the world of one person. That is what I want my monument to be - that is what most everyone's monument should be: serving others; making a life that is devoted to others. What better way is there to show your love for your Heavenly Father than by serving those around you? So, my question is, how can one make their trials and problems into something that can help others? This is my purpose in life, to make a difference. So, this is my goal, to use my life experiences, no matter the level of difficulty, and somehow use them to build, not only me up, but those around me.

A few of my friends have recently pointed out some of my strengths. I most definitely know many of my weaknesses. It is time to put these things together, along with my problems and trials, and build up my monument. Be a light to those around me. And, somehow, make a difference in the world.