Déjà Vu ~ Times II: "That we do ALWAYS remember ..." (what?)

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

"That we do ALWAYS remember ..." (what?)

Photo credit below

Most every Sunday, many of us say amen to words¹ we give little thought to during the following week; and after that amen, we partake of bread and water in remembrance and witness of those words—one of which is ALWAYS.² Yet, if we could count our thoughts even on the day of our witness, how would our remembrance be graphed?

Below, in the footnotes,³ is a small sampling of what has become, recognized in this age of digital devices, as the foremost observable obsession / addiction / attraction / distraction of perhaps any age of world history—the ubiquitous smartphone: that thing millions always remember; that millions nigh panic over if mis- or displaced; that thing that commands attention and remembrance.

So how do we always remember Him in the face of such unrelenting distraction? For starters we can acknowledge our failing—we can raise our consciousness to a new level of knowing how little we are aware of His presence (and His desire to be present) in the hours, minutes, seconds, and nanoseconds of our lives. In this world of overload, stress, distraction, enticement, addiction, disappointment, etc., etc., (weapons of Babylon), we can raise our sights to look for God everywhere in:

» sunrises, sunsets, and stars
» great rivers and small streams
» flowers and trees; fishes and forests
» birds and bees; babies and bladders
» fingers and toes; eyes, ears, noses, and throats
» shoulders and spines; elbows and knees
» breasts, bile, and bowels
» seeds, soil, sap, and saliva
» language, laughter, and lymph nodes
» dreams, decimals, and deliverance
» electricity,⁴eclipses, endurance, and electrons
» parsley, paper, protons, and prayers
» water, waves, wisdom, and wonders
» mother earth and mother hens
» songs, seasons, and sabbaths
» hugs, healing, and helping hands
» repentance, refinement, and redemption
» sabbaths, sufferings, and salvation
» faith, hope, and charity
» (to an infinity of observation)

Indeed (and thought), the places to find and remember Him are innumerable and endless. God can even be found and remembered (with consciousness) in the wonders of the smartphone, but He is far more than digital images, data, or devices.

Perhaps the best place to ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM is in gratitude—for every small (to large) favor, serendipity, protection, inspiration, gift, blessing, and help.

How many times, in a day, can we say: I thank Thee⁵ ... ?

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
(New Testament | 1 Thessalonians 5:18)

VERILY I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks;
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 98:1)

-----------------/
1. Doctrine and Covenants | Section 20:77 ~ ... and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him ... (See also, Book of Mormon | Moroni 4:3)
Doctrine and Covenants | Section 20:79 ~ ... that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, ... (See also, Book of Mormon | Moroni 5:2)
2. Always ~ adverb: 1) every time; on every occasion; without exception; 2) all the time; continuously; uninterrupted; 3) forever
3. A small sampling:
▪  Signs and Symptoms of Cell Phone Addiction ~
https://www.psychguides.com/guides/signs-and-symptoms-of-cell-phone-addiction/
▪  Understanding Cell Phone Addiction
https://www.psychalive.org/cell-phone-addiction/
▪  Phone Addiction Is Real -- And So Are Its Mental Health Risks ~
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2017/12/11/phone-addiction-is-real-and-so-are-its-mental-health-risks/#12eabb7313df
▪  21 Signs You’re Way Too Addicted to Your Phone ~
https://www.rd.com/advice/relationships/cell-phone-addiction/
▪  Smartphone addiction could be changing your brain ~
https://www.cnn.com/2017/11/30/health/smartphone-addiction-study/index.html
▪  Your brain on digital technology ~
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/your-brain-on-digital-technology-1.4562541
▪  Addicted to your smartphone? How to start kicking the habit ~
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/addicted-to-your-smartphone-how-to-start-kicking-the-habit-1.4483835
4. If you question electricity, check out The Electric Universe at https://www.thunderbolts.info/wp/daily-tpod/tpods-of-2019-archive/ ; https://www.thunderbolts.info/wp/ ; and https://www.electricuniverse.info/
5, Why I prefer “Thee” (being the intimate form and not, as some allege, a formal, respectful form); see http://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.com/2010/12/language-of-prayer.html

Photo Credit: Photo by Sara Kurfeß on Unsplash

Revolving Accounts

"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us." (Old Testament Ecclesiastes 1:9-10)

"Dwell in the past and you'll lose an eye. Forget the past and you'll lose both eyes." (Old Russian Proverb)

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This Déjà Vu ~ Times II blog is devoted to my religious / spiritual musings (sometimes political), mainly concerning the recycling of our follies since the world began.

Over time, it will contain:
thoughts
observations
poems
quotes

Déjà Vu ~ Times II blog © 2009 - 2020 by SMSmith (unless otherwise noted). Some Rights Reserved. See Creative Commons License at the end of this column/page.

Déjà Vu ~ Times II blog was established August 17, 2009 while the author was living in Canada helping caregive an aged mother.

“No Comments” Rationale

1) Time & more needful priorities;
2) Problems observed with many open-comment blogs as so bluntly expressed at http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/comment-policy/
3) People are free to post divergent or convergent views on their own blogs;
4) Learning from comments here would be preferable, but— (see 1, 2, & 3).

Brief note to the OFFENDED: Just because allowing "comments" is a blogger's option, it does not mean every blogger must conform to the "expectations" of others. Every soul can consult the Spirit and decide what is best and right in their circumstance. And if one has a blanket policy not to read another's work because there is no opportunity to comment, it seems one has closed oneself off to potential guidance of the Spirit. Besides, in this world of "overwhelm," the guidance of the Spirit is the best resource we have to lead us to things of importance in our unique life. So, if you have found your way here, perhaps there are a few things of import for you here. I try to trust the Spirit to lead me likewise to things of import within my purpose and priorities.

My World / TransWorld View

▪ Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come; (Doctrine and Covenants Section 93:24)
▪ If we have the truth, it cannot be harmed by investigation. If we have not the truth, it ought to be harmed. (J. Reuben Clark)

▪ Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (New Testament 1 Thessalonians 5:21)

▪ No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.(New Testament Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13; 3 Nephi 13:24)
▪ See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.(New Testament 1 Thessalonians 5:15)
▪ For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; ... (Book of Mormon Alma 41:15)
▪ Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. (Book of Mormon Mosiah 4:9, emphasis added)
▪ ... the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (New Testament 1 Corinthians 1:25)
▪ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Old Testament Isaiah 55:8 - 9)
▪ ... the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true. (Book of Mormon Alma 29:8)
▪ The Bible is true, as far as it is translated correctly. Some things are to be understood literally; others metaphorically or symbolically.
▪ God is neither a Republican nor a Democrat; a Liberal nor a Conservative, just as Christ was neither a Pharisee or Sadducee. [For God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round.(Doctrine and Covenants Section 3:2)]
▪ Life is an escalating series of tests.
▪ “...we will be asked again and again to release the parts of our lives that mean the most to us.” (Caroline Myss, Sacred Contracts, p. 76; also preview lives of the prophets and saints.)