My Grandfather has two twin brothers, Tom and Jerry. According to my Grandpa they were the "cat's meow" and frankly I believe him when I see pictures. They look like James Dean to me and I enjoyed hearing stories about them. My favorite by far is a story about when they were young and were riding a tandem bike together. The two were having a good time and soon started down a big hill. This hill descended into a wide open field with just one tree standing errect, right in the middle. Down they went, speeding directly into the path of the tree. Now I admit I can't remember which was driving but to save confusion lets say it was Jerry. All the time that bike was speeding towards that tree poor Tom was thinking "he's gonna turn any minute now, he's just fooling with me". He thought this right up until the minute that bike hit right smack dab in the middle of that tree's trunk and they went sailing into the dirt. Thankfully, neither one was too badly injured, but of course Tom turned to the Jerry and cried out in disbelief "why didn't you turn away from that tree?" Jerry's reply is something that I"ll never forget, he told Tom "I couldn't decide if I should turn to the right or to the left".
Now although the story is humorous, my Grandfather made sure he let us know what the moral of that story was; no decision is a decision. Now I am the kind of person that struggles deciding which glove to put on first as I leave for the day. Decisions are a hard thing because often we fear of making the wrong one. God has given us the divine gift of agency-the power and ability to choose for ourselves. Often the Advesary attacks us not only by trying to make us decide the wrong choice, but often he gets us by making sure we make no decision at all. By keeping us on the "fence" in life we get out of making a choice, but we also forfit God's blessings and personal growth. It is only when we realize that no decision IS a decision that we can free ourselves from this trap and avoid running spiritually into trees. We can choose with confidence knowing that not only can we be guided in our choices by the Spirit, but should we fall down a forbiden path, the Atonement is always available to bring us back. And this Faith in Jesus Christ is what gives us the power and confidence to decide today to follow Him; even if it costs us the painful process of making a choice and a change.
Now although the story is humorous, my Grandfather made sure he let us know what the moral of that story was; no decision is a decision. Now I am the kind of person that struggles deciding which glove to put on first as I leave for the day. Decisions are a hard thing because often we fear of making the wrong one. God has given us the divine gift of agency-the power and ability to choose for ourselves. Often the Advesary attacks us not only by trying to make us decide the wrong choice, but often he gets us by making sure we make no decision at all. By keeping us on the "fence" in life we get out of making a choice, but we also forfit God's blessings and personal growth. It is only when we realize that no decision IS a decision that we can free ourselves from this trap and avoid running spiritually into trees. We can choose with confidence knowing that not only can we be guided in our choices by the Spirit, but should we fall down a forbiden path, the Atonement is always available to bring us back. And this Faith in Jesus Christ is what gives us the power and confidence to decide today to follow Him; even if it costs us the painful process of making a choice and a change.
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