In the Rough - The Blog of Joel McDonald Jr.

At this very moment my floor and my bed (and practically any flat sturdy surface available) is covered with stuff. I say “stuff” because it is impossible to name every object that has been extracted from its resting place. Yes folks, I’m cleaning. Cleaning is a simple way to phrase the process. What I’m doing is actually attempting to consolidate everything in the room that is mine into the closet where (hopefully) it will remain undisturbed and out of the way for the next two years. Like many who have had to clear out their dorm rooms after this school year…I will utter the same words, “How the heck did I accumulate all this stuff?”

Now for the optimism part.

Our high councilman at church spoke a few weeks ago, and he told a story about being optimistic and looking at the positive side of things.

There once lived a young prince, and a young commoner who at an early age became inseparable friends. When this prince became a king, his friend became his top advisor. Never were the two seen apart, the friend was right there by his side. The king’s advisor had an uncanny way of seeing the positive side of just about anything.

One day the kind, being an avid hunter, decided that he wanted to go duck hunting. As always his friend and advisor was close behind him. At the first sight of a duck, the king picked up his rifle and pulled the trigger causing the gun to backfire. The king’s thumb was blown off. Upon seeing what had happened, the king’s friend and advisor said, “Well…that’s a good thing!” The king was furious at what his friend had said and he had him locked in the tower!

About a year later the king was again hunting, this time with a few other dignitaries in a far off jungle. Somehow the king lost sight of his hunting party, and while trying to find his way back, was captured by a tribe of cannibals. While the tribe was preparing the king as an offering they noticed his thumb was missing. Apparently only those who are whole can be offered as a sacrifice. The tribe released the king.

Upon returning to his kingdom, the king remembered his old friend and advisor whom he had thrown in jail. He felt sorrow for him, as he had been correct in that the king loosing his thumb was indeed a good thing. It saved his life. The king summoned that his friend be brought to him.

Smiling, the king’s friend came before him and bowed. The king related what had happened in the jungle. He then proceeded to plead for forgiveness for throwing him in prison. To this his friend replied, “Well…you throwing me in prison was a good thing.” The king was confused and asked, “I took a year from your life by throwing you in prison…how could that possibly be a good thing.” To this the king’s friend replied, “It is a good thing, for if you had not thrown me in prison, I would have been with you in the jungle and would not have been spared by the tribe.”

Even that which seems horrible, could possibly be good. Stay on the positive side of life.

I began this afternoon, almost immediately when I returned home from church, a letter of counsel to someone whom I am deeply troubled for. After the first two rather long paragraphs the letter broke form and became verses of counsel. Nothing fit together, except in the overall purpose of the letter, as I wrote what came to mind. As a read what I wrote I realized that I too could learn from the counsel that I was giving. Let me share a bit of what I’ve been able to put on paper thus far.

> Some consequences are permanent. You can’t change them. You can’t hide from them. They will be with you for the rest of your days and even after those days have passed. These are the consequences of your choices. All things have a consequence whether they are good or bad. We as people have the ability to make decisions. The decisions we make reflect our maturity and knowledge. Sometimes we make right choices, and sometimes we make wrong choices. Thus is life, and is the will of our Father in Heaven.

> There is no quick fix to your situation. No one came improve your life except for yourself. No amount of money earned by others will benefit you. Continuously looking for the easy way out will only perpetuate the difficulties of your situation.

> You can’t afford to waste time. Success and failure both have one factor in common. Time. Plan and use time wisely. Watch less television. Spend less time on the computer. Continuously seek ways to improve the quality of time and how it benefits you.

I just thought that was some good counsel that I needed myself.

I was listening to “Upward: The Bob Kauflin Hymns Project”. I got the CD free when I ordered Joel Weldon’s latest, “Along the Way”. “Upward…” is a great collection of arrangements of great hymns. My favorite is their rendition of “Rock of Ages”. That hymn never affected me as much as it did today. I sang it in its traditional arrangement in the LDS Hymn book, and then listened to the arrangement on the CD. Wow. I’m going to learn the lead sheet music for it. I love that rendition. You can check out the whole “Upward…” collection at http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/music/hymns.html. The site includes chords, lead music, and you can listen to the hymns. Good stuff…good stuff.

This week is take control week. I’m taking control of anything and everything I can. If something’s bugging me, I’m going to fix it. Things might be changing a good bit pretty darn quick.

Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me

Rock of ages cleft for me
Let me hide myself in Thee
Let the water and the blood
From Thy wounded side which flowed
Be of Sin the double cure
Save from wrath and make me pure

All the labors of my hands
Could not meet Thy law’s demands
Could my zeal no respite know
Could my tears forever flow
All for sin could note atone
Thou must save, and Thou alone

Nothing in my hands I bring
Simply to Thy cross I cling
Naked come to Thee for dress
Helpless, look to Thee for grace
To Thy fountain Lord I fly
Wash me Savior, or I die

While I draw this fleeting breath
When my eyes shall close in death
When I soar to worlds unknown
See Thee on thy judgment throne
Rock of Ages cleft for me
Let me hide myself in Thee