Rats!

Ratatouille is an awesome Pixar movie, and possibly one of the hardest words in the world to spell.  The movie follows the story of a rat named Remy whose only dream is to become a top notch chef in the restaurant world of Paris.  I don't know about you, but rat and chef just don't go together.  The thing about Remy was that he was actually an excellent cook.  He didn't settle with the slimy, sewer diet that most rats sustain.  He wanted something more.  Something delicious.  Something delectable.  But a rat becoming a chef is a preposterous thought.  Or is it?  All Remy needed was a chance, and when it came, he succeeded and became he had dreamed of.

Sometimes in life, we are Remy.  Other times, we're the ones not giving Remy a chance.  Appearance is the first thing we as humans see.  It's not always easy to look past it, especially when we're looking at a 'rat that wants to be a chef.'  But to truly know someone, we must see as the Lord sees because "the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7).  Our Lord and Savior sees us as we really are.  He sees our heart.  May we strive to be more like Christ by giving others a chance and casting out unrighteous judgments.  It is then that we will be able see the kind of chef that Remy can become.

Temporary Home

There truly is no place like home.  But home is different for everyone.  Depending on who you ask, their views of home will be different.  Home is where you hang your hat.  Home is where your bed is.  Home is that house you live in.  Home is where your heart is.  Amidst all of the different definitions of home, how can we know what our own personal home is?  We can all say that we have some kind of a home here on earth, but is it truly our home?

I've always been struck by the chorus of a Carrie Underwood song called "Temporary Home".  In the song, she describes three different situations, but in the end, they all respond with the lyrics in the chorus, which read:

This is my temporary home
It's not where I belong.
Windows and rooms that I'm passin' through.
This is just a stop, on the way to where I'm going.
I'm not afraid because I know this is my
Temporary Home.

This world is only our temporary home.  Sure, there are many places in the world and times of our life that bring us great joy, but we have a way better home waiting for us on the other side.  A heavenly home.  Nothing can compare to it.  "No matter how enticing the world might be, it was never intended to be our home." ~ Kevin Hinckley (emphasis added).  So don't forget what you're working towards.  Never let it escape your mind.  Greater joy lies ahead.  May we cease to walk without direction or wander without reason, but continually carry on to our heavenly home.

Casteth Out

Think of a world without light.  How could we survive?  Think off all of the things light does.  It helps plants grow, gives us nutrients, helps us see, comforts us (mainly because we're all scared of the dark), gives warmth, and so many other things.  The uses for light are almost innumerable.  Of all the differences in the uses of light, there is one thing that remains constant.

The Apostle John explains this constant characteristic of light in John 1:5, which reads, "And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."  The imagery that this scripture portrays is so awesome.  Wherever there is light, darkness cannot be.  In reality, darkness is merely just lack of light.  The minute light enters the picture, darkness is instantly vanquished.  No matter how hard the darkness tries to stay in the room, the light will run it away.

As we keep the Light of Christ in our hearts and in our minds, there will be no room for darkness or evil.  That is the best cure to feeling dull.  Brighten the light inside and cast out the darkness.  The more we fuel the light, the stronger it will be.  The stronger it is, the harder it will be for Satan to try to put out our light.  May we keep the Light of Christ burning brightly in our hearts.

Half of my Heart

As you can guess from some of my past blogs, I am a huge music fan.  I always have a song playing in my head and continue to add more songs to my "mental playlist."  The song Half of my Heart, by John Mayer featuring Taylor Swift, has been a recent addition.  The song is about a man who can't seem to put his whole heart into anything.  The lyrics go:

Half of my heart's got a real good imagination
Half of my heart's got you
Half of my heart's got a right mind to tell you that
Half of my heart won't do

The heart is an interesting topic.  It's important to always keep our hearts in the right place, and to put our whole heart into things that we do.  When Christ was asked what the greatest commandment was, he responded with, "...Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind," (Matt. 22:37, emphasis added).  All of our heart is required.  If we go through life putting only half of our heart on the altar, we won't make it.

John Mayer put it well: "Half of [our] heart won't do."  In this life, there are dozens of decoys and distractions that drag us down the half hearted highway.  We must not let them get in the way of the strait and narrow path set by the Savior.  His way is the only way.  May we all more fully give our hearts to the Lord.  When we do, we will find ourselves on the whole hearted path to heaven.

Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho

"Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, It's off to work we go." ~The Seven Dwarfs.  A lot is to be said about the Seven Dwarfs in the movie Snow White.  One of the first scenes in the movie has the dwarfs marching in single file and singing the song previously quoted.  Why are they so happy to be off to work?  That has always puzzled me. 

It hasn't been until a couple of years ago that I've really enjoyed helping others.  I used to look at it as more of work.  I was working to benefit someone else.  Though that is true, I still didn't have the right mind set while doing it.  Moroni 7:6 says, "...for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing."

The act of helping others consists of two separate, but equally important, parts.  The service itself is only half of it.  In order to successfully serve others, we must have the right mindset while doing it, which is the other half.  We could do all the service in the world, but without the proper mindset, it would profit us nothing.  We should all strive to have the mindset of those seven dwarfs who were happy as can be to go to work.  If we have that attitude while we serve others, we will be able to see the daily blessings that come from genuine service.