Some Assembly Required

Aaron got the cutest shirt from my parents for Christmas.  I about died.  And then found it even funnier when a kid asked why it was so appropriate for Aaron.  He's definitely "Some Assembly Required."  

He has a g-tube for feeding, along with extensions and a feeding pump.  He has his trach, ventilator, oxygen and all the requisite supplies.  Plus a super high-powered nebulizer, a suction machine, pulse-oximeter, a shake vest, and most recently, a cough assist machine.  And that's just the stuff that requires electricity. 

He sees nine different specialists plus therapists and whichever doctors are on service when he's in the hospital. 

It doesn't take into account all the meds, his wheelchair, stander and other various and sundry "stuff."  It takes a lot to keep this kid going.  

But a friend pointed out, it's kinda true for all of us, isn't it?

I mean, I'm definitely still a work in progress, and sometimes a much slower, tedious progress than I'd like to be.  Today we were challenged to look at five areas of our lives and set goals on how to improve.  Wanna know my initial reaction?  "Are you kidding?  I don't wanna..."  

Yeah, see the need?

But as I thought about it and listened to peaceful music, a more gentle spirit entered my soul.  And so I did.  And I wrote them down.  And I'm going to work on them.  

The areas were Spiritual, Physical, Social, Emotional, and Intellectual, and I felt totally inadequate.  

As I listened to some talking about how they had been working on getting to bed by 10pm so they could be awake and alert, my ache replied, "I don't even get off work for almost four hours after that."  I'm a morning person, not a night one, but my work schedule says otherwise.  And that was just one area. 

I felt alone, and hurt, and unseen.  (And it was NO ONE'S fault, really.)  

And frankly, while the pandemic has been a time of growth for so many, it hasn't been for me.  I've been kinda stagnant, not trying, barely coasting, and often resistant.  Except in the intellectual area (hello new job and going back to school), the rest has not only been put on the back burner, the burner has been off.  

But a final comment, about doing your best, relying on the Lord's mercy, and knowing that He understands gave me the push to do something.  

No, I'm not going to share my goals.  Frankly, they're so simple it's a little embarrassing.  But I did write them down, and I'm posting them where I can see them every day.  And I will work on them.

Elder Bednar said, "I promise that as we both prepare and press forward with faith in the Savior, we all can receive the same grade on the ultimate examination of mortality: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”

So how about you?  What assembly are you needing?  And is there something that you can do about it?  And if it's simply to vow to face each new day, that's okay, because for some of us, that's a lot.  But it's still a choice.  

“Choices have to be made. Not making a choice is a choice. 

Learn to choose now.”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland