The Parable of the Gold Coin

I had a significant dream almost seven years ago.  I knew that someday, I would be asked to share this dream.  Today is that day.  I came across the dream in my journal, and the Spirit nudged me to share.  I hope and pray that someone who needs it will read it.  I have thought back on this dream many times, and I thank God for the knowledge that He gave to me through it.

The Parable of the Gold Coin

Treasure!  I found myself in a group of people surrounding a treasure.  We had somehow discovered gold coins in piles and in sacks stacked high.  The room glittered with the golden glow of reflected light.  

Greed flashed across the faces of the people surrounding the treasure. We gathered armfuls of coins, trying to get as much as we possibly could carry at one time.  To our utter dismay, the coins crumbled to dust and blew away, worthless.  Try as we might, the coins kept crumbling as we continued to take handfuls.  What was the secret to keeping the treasure?  What was the secret to keeping the gold coins from crumbling?  

People split off and went in different directions seeking the answer.  Some went abroad seeking the worldly views and opinions.  All wanted to find the answer first so that he/she could get the most treasure and beat the others in a supposed competition.

The people kept coming returning to the treasure again and again, trying some of the ideas they had found.  Some tried scooping the treasure with objects other than their hands, thinking that if they didn't touch the treasure it would remain intact.  Others tried chants, trying out magic combinations of words that might unlock the secret.  Yet, each time, the gold coins crumbled.  

I stayed near the treasure; camping on the top bunk of a set of bunk beds.  Oh, how I wanted that treasure!  I had a few sacks around me.  I reached my hand into a sack and brought out a handful, not of the gold coins that I sought, but of quarters, nickles, and dimes.  I didn't want those!  I wanted GOLD!!  

Even as those thoughts entered my mind, the quarters, nickles, and dimes turned to sand, thus becoming useless.  I had lost even what I thought I did not want.

I reached my hand into the sack again and pulled out a single quarter.  How grateful I would be if even the single quarter would not crumble. Then, to my amazement, the quarter remained intact between my fingers!  

That's when the answer hit me!  The answer did not lie in worldly knowledge of finance and the the properties of gold.  It did not lie in competition or getting more than another.  The answer did not lie in magic chants.  

The answer was of God and came from within.  The answer was GRATITUDE!  To be grateful for even the quarter when the gold coins were in sight.  We must be grateful for where we are and what we have, no matter how small and insignificant it may seem compared to what others may have.  

I then walked over to the piles of treasure and picked up a single gold coin.  With gratitude in my heart, I marveled as the gold coin shone and did not not crumble.

We all had been trying to grab more than another person, more than we needed at the present time.  We  had been grabbing as much as we possibly could like hungry wolves trying to compete for a dead carcass.  We had grabbed handfuls, scoopfuls, armfuls, but we never had tried to grab a single coin. 

I looked at the piles of treasure and knew that I would have what I needed for the future.  The Lord would provide, and for now, I was ok having a single, precious gold coin.  

Conclusion

I won't tell you all the lessons and symbolism I have discovered in this parable.  I will let you draw your own conclusions. I will end with some scriptures:

*Proverbs 15:6 - "In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble."

*Proverbs 10:2 - "Treasure of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death."
*Matthew 6:19-21 - "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal:  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  For where you treasure is, there will your heart be also."

*Jacob 2:18-19 - "But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the Kingdom of God.  And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good."

Much LOVE!

Heather 

The Negative Spiral and the Positive Catalyst

Hello, My Friends!

It's been a long time since I last wrote.  I hope that April is finding you happy and enjoying spring with all its rain, sun, wind, and sometimes snow...sometimes all in one day!

I would like to write about what I call the "negative spiral" and ways that I have found to flip that negative spiral around.

Negative begets negative begets negative begets negative...until we feel that we are drowning in a never-ending pessimistic spiral.  D&C 6:33 reminds us: "Whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap."  Are we planting seeds of contention, anger, frustration, worry, anxiety, etc.?  If so, that is what we will reap.

One area that I'm often overcome by this negative spiral is in my parenting.  Sometimes, I feel like I'm drowning!  I snap over little things ("WHY would you throw your wrapper on the floor???"). When I finally recognize what is going on, I then get to work to flip the situation.

What is needed is what I call a "POSITIVE CATALYST."  An inciting incident that will change the direction of the spiral. You can't change a negative situation by adding negativity.  It just doesn't work.  It goes against the laws of life!

For example, sometimes I find myself so frustrated with a certain child of mine.   I'm sad to say that I yell at her, take away privileges, take away more privileges because she didn't seem to respond to the first round, and on and on.  She yells; she gets more angry; she has more destructive behavior. Until...

I stop.

I pray.

I let go of the anger and frustration (with the help of the prayer).

I try to think of an appropriate positive catalyst for the situation.  Often, it's taking time to listen and observe what is really going on with the child.  It's asking God how He would have me handle the situation.  I might spend positive time with the child.  Sometimes it's a hug.  Sometimes it's watching a show while snuggling.  Sometimes it's participating in an activity that the child enjoys.  It involves focusing on ALL the positive things she does instead of the few things that she does wrong.    

It always melts my heart when I realize that my child needs ME.  She didn't need the isolation that was caused by my anger.  She needed a hug.  She needed love.  This in no way means that we don't discipline our children, or we don't follow through with consequences.  It means that we don't discipline out of anger or negativity, but out of love and a desire to teach correct principles. We discipline by the Spirit.

Imagine what a positive catalyst would look like in different situations.  Marriage problems, work issues, conflict in friendships, negative self-talk, a calling you struggle to fulfill...  Repentance is often needed.  It is definitely a positive catalyst.  Sincere prayer, scripture study, acts of service, positive affirmations, doing something you enjoy just because you enjoy it...all of these are positive catalysts.  Let the Spirit guide you as you strive to flip the spiral to one of positivity and optimism.

As you flip the spiral, positive will beget positive.  You will have room for solutions, peace, and joy.

D&C 6:33-36

33 Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward.

34 Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.

35 Behold, I do not condemn you; go your ways and sin no more; perform with soberness the work which I have commanded you.

36 Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

Much LOVE!

Heather