clinging?

(just so you know, all the people in this picture are continually holding fast... if I was in this picture, i'm afraid i would be clinging to the rod and crying my body spewed on the ground because my life is hard... every now and then someone would look at me like, "why don't you just get up and walk" and I'd be like "Oh, yeah, life isn't that bad is it?")

I'm taking a religion class on Friday  mornings.
i love it.
last Friday we talked about a parable found in the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi 8)
it is similar to the parable of the sower...

There are 3 groups of people on the path pressing forward to the tree of life-- symbolic of Christ.
towards delicious white fruit-- symbolic of the atonement.
on their way, they encounter mists of darkness-- temptations
First group- looses their way and are lost.
Second group- Clings to a rod of iron-- symbolic of the word of God.  This group CLINGS to the word of God, gets to the tree, HAS PARTAKEN of the fruit, becomes ashamed, and falls away.
Third group- continually holding fast to the rod of iron.  Gets to the tree, falls down and IS PARTAKING.

interesting.
to me, it would seem that "clinging to the word of God" is a good thing.
but, as i compare "clinging" to "continually holding fast to the word" i see the difference.

clinging connotes desperation... perhaps a lack of faith... perhaps, you aren't walking forward while you're clinging...   perhaps clinging is sporadic not consistent.
i DEFINITELY cling.

but, i LOVE the image of "continually holding fast".
it's so calm, and confidant, and regular.
i used to talk about how my life was like a bull ride-- i was clinging.
and i wanted my life to be more like a trail ride-- continually holding fast.

and... i love the "has partaken" verses "is partaking"... i want to BE PARTAKING.

and... what made group 2 fall away from Christ's love?
they were ASHAMED.
not horrible sinners, just embarrassed because they were different.
i am totally like that sometimes.

Romans 1:16- "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation..."
i can't do perfect, but i can do "not ashamed".

Just so you know,

Today, I'm going to be CONTINUALLY HOLDING FAST, PARTAKING, and NOT ASHAMED.

I had another thought as I read over this post...
last week i was talking with some mothers at dance class and one of the mothers said something like, "You are just such a calm, wise mother.  Sitting near you makes me feel like life is going to be OK."  Comments like this make me smile.  I want to say, "Me?  Are you talking about me?  You should have seen me ten minutes ago trying to get everyone into the car on time."

But, thanks to the advice of my sweet friend Liza, I just said, "Thanks."

Anyway, I guess the thought I had was, even if sometimes I cling, sometimes I continually hold fast.  And... it's a journey, with ups and downs.  So, I bet we're all a little better than we think we are.  And, somedays, I'll be clinging... but most of the time, I'm going to try and enjoy the journey.