Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Smells

By the way, we had a really good weekend at the cam pout. I always enjoy seeing all the brethren. There were good meetings and lots of good visiting. It was wonderful to spend a weekend surrounded by so many loved ones. There was a baptism and a beautiful ordinance supper. I looked down the row of all my beautiful sisters and my heart just burst with love and joy to see all of them and feel the wonderful fellowship.

There were 6 bishops from different assemblies there. I had them all pray for me for a private problem I've been having. I didn't feel like it was important enough to call the elders to come to my house; but I decided to take advantage of the opportunity of them all being there. It was a wonderful feeling to have them all gathered round me as they lay their hands on me. I could feel so much love to and from them. I thought about each one and how I've known all of them for quite a few years; some for as long as I can remember. They each hold a special place in my heart and are good examples before me and my children. So far it seems that the problem they prayed for is gone! Yahhh! It was very bothersome.

All in all it was a good weekend.

I believe it was Sunday morning I woke up early to help with breakfast. When I stepped out of my cabin a horrible smell met my nose! It smelt like maybe somebody had some fertilizer or something. I teased one of the teenage boys about using too much cologne; and I told Bro. Jim that it smelt like Tulare! (a major dairy town, for those of you who don't know). Even as I joked about it I got to thinking about a prophesy I may have mentioned before. It told me that my sacrifice was pure and that I was a sweet smell unto the Lord.

I thought about how I know that all too often my sacrifice is not so pure and I wondered if there were times that I smelt like dung unto the Lord, or worse. In one of the meetings a brother got up (I forget which one) and was talking about the scribes and how the Bible says they were like sepulchres. They looked beautiful on the outside, but inside there was corruption and rotting flesh. I thought about how horrible that sacrifice must smell unto the Lord.

Throughout the weekend I kept smelling different smells. While breakfast was being cooked there was the wonderful smell of bacon in the air, that fertilizer smell never did quite go away, though sometimes it wasn't as bad as others. Sometimes I would get a whiff of someone's B.O.; or I would walk by someone who had some good smelling perfume or lotion. Even though I didn't smell it this weekend I thought about how someone could use too much cologne or perfume and it could end up being a bad smell. As I smelled each smell I kept thinking about how each sacrifice has a different smell unto the Lord.

Some people's sacrifice has a wonderful smell; others not so much. There's even those who do too much on their own without God's lead and direction and their smell is too overpowering. It really got me to wondering how my sacrifice smells unto the Lord. It really made me want to give the Lord a better sacrifice. I sure don't want the smell of dung, corruption, B.O. or any other such thing to reach the Lord's nostrils because of me.


Here is a couple of verses that I read yesterday that I thought were uplifting:

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 3:13-14

10 comments:

Amber Lois said...

If I knew I was going to the coast I would but I'm always already away from the home withn I end up going.

Sabriena said...

I never had really thought about God smelling our good or bad smelling sacrifices. It sounds like you had a good weekend. Thank you for your comment on my blog. Be something to look back at and be comforted by, even after I'm in the Faith.

Trina said...

I just hope that I wasn't the one that had the B.O.....hahaha! Seriously, it's pretty interesting to think of the different smells that the Lord may smell from our offerings. We take such care to smell good to others and to ourselves we should take as much care to smell sweet and pleasing to the Lord. Im also glad to hear that your personal problem is gone after elder call. What a huge gift!

Jules said...

LOL, you definately sound pregnant ;) Expectant mothers have a very strong sense of smell, don't they??? At least I did. I'm glad you had a joyful campout. I'm also glad that you were able to be prayed for (for whatever it was).

Trina said...

Hmmm...I KNOW I left a comment but I must not have waited for it to post before I clicked off your page.

I have to admit I enjoyed all your smell concepts, but I was sure hoping the B.O. you encountered wasn't me....lol On a serious note though, I want to be a sweet smelling savor unto the Lord too.

I also wanted to say that I enjoyed our spiritual conversation we had over the phone the other day. Thanks for including me Tish.

Chantel H said...

I am dying to hear more about the campout, this is the most I've heard so far. I want more details!

Skylene said...

That's great that your problem is gone! Also glad you had such a nice time at the campout.

Sabriena said...

You need to post soon. I look forward to reading them.

Sabriena said...

Hurry and post!!! I meant to say that in person last Thursday, but I forgot to. But I love your posts, so you need to hurry and make another one. Post about Ruby's party! Por favor.

michelle said...

Yes agree with Neena it is time for a new post !!!!