The Good Samaritan as an allegory of the Plan of Salvation

I guess it's pretty obvious that this blog has become a record of our spiritual journey together more than anything else. My goal is to not be preachy, but to just share what I am thinking and learning.

For a few weeks, I have been thinking of Christ's parable of the Good Samaritan.

The first time that it occurred to me to see the Good Samaritan as an allegory as well as a parable, I was walking through a Cathedral in France (I was 24 at the time, working for Delta and flying free). I looked up at some panels of stained glass and saw the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden intertwined with windows showing the Good Samaritan. I thought it was weird that they had placed Old Testament windows with New Testament Windows and then it hit me and I cried at the beauty and love of the lesson of the Plan of Salvation right within the Good Samaritan. So, for years I have recognized the allegory of the story and I have wondered why it is not addressed more often.

I'd like to share what I see.

I believe that when the lawyer asked Christ how to gain eternal life, he may have been trying to trap Christ into claiming to be the Son of God publicly. The lawyer actually had two Questions "How do I gain Eternal Life?" and then after Jesus' response the lawyer asked, "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus Christ answered BOTH questions. In our modern day, we usually see the response to the second question, but I feel the need to draw attention to the beautiful answer to the FIRST question.

Christ went on to teach that the only way to eternal life is through His Atonement and by no other way. Christ did this carefully through the story of a fallen man (Adam, us, All Mankind) who travelled from Jerusalem (pre-mortality) to Jericho (mortality). Remember, Jerusalem is about 2100 feet above sea level where Jericho is actually a 800+ feet below sea level. It was a winding road and a dangerous path. It is not difficult to compare this to the Fall. On earth we are no longer directly in the presence of the Lord, and can come upon trials, difficulties and temptations which leave us "half dead"(spiritual death; separation from God).

The priest and Levite represents the law (rules and Mosaic Law). Can the law alone save us?

They also didn't have the full authority or power to save mankind.

The Samaritan represents Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was hated by many Jews just as the Samaritans were hated by Christ's target audience.

The Samaritan did not just walk by, but he went looking to save the wounded traveler. He had compassion (more love than we can imagine) he bound up the wounds (as He binds our broken hearts and bind us with covenants). The Samaritan used oil (light, Holy Ghost) and wine (purification through His blood).

The Samaritan stayed with the wounded. He did not leave too early. When He did leave, He made sure someone would take care of the recovering traveler (church leaders). He also promised to return again (Second Coming of the Savior) and pay any accrued expenses (The Savior will bless His servants in abundance as they work to help wounded travelers) This makes the ending beautiful--Christ is willing to pay whatever it takes for us to be healed. He loves us so much and we are moved by His love to love others.

I really do wonder why we don't discuss the allegory of the Plan of Salvation as much as we discuss the "story" of service. The two can be used together. One of the teaching of His Plan of Happiness and the other teaching ethics of how we treat one another. Neither threatens the truths of the other.

Seeing the Good Samaritan in this light is just another way that I can see that the scriptures "truly testify of Christ." Jacob 7:11

Mom My Body Doesn't MAKE Courage

One of the many reasons that I love being a mom is for the many times that I am reminded of important Eternal Truths. This special week and the weeks before this one I have really focused my study around the Atonement of Jesus Christ and not just the purifying effects, but the power we can gain from seeking to align our thoughts and actions to His.

Driving around this afternoon, this was the conversation between Emerson and me.

E: Mom you know how some people's bodies don't make insulin?

M: Yeah

E: Well, I am pretty sure my body doesn't make courage.

(Yesterday at school our awesome school counselor read a book to Emerson's Kindergarten class about courage and then later in the day, the counselor directed an excellent assembly on courage)

M: Well, remember what we learned yesterday at school? In order to have courage you have to practice being courageous.

E: That works for most people, mom, but I know that my body doesn't make courage.

This is when I was taught by the words leaving my mouth.

M: Emerson, Heavenly Father and Jesus love you. They want you to get help from them. Do you think that they have Courage?

E: Yeah, They have more courage than everyone.

M: Do you think they want you to have courage?

E: Yes.

M: How will you get help from them?

E: Pray for it.

M: When you ask Heavenly Father for Courage, I know that He will give you courage, but He will expect you to practice courage too.

She didn't say anything else, but in my heart I felt the Spirit testify that what I said was true and very applicable at this time in my life. I needed the testimony that I shared. I love being a mom.

Chicks in the White House?

Today my girls and I hung out with my parents. My ex husband declined time with the girls, so I was thrilled to have an outing with my parents to distract the girls. My parents are pretty important people to my girls. Very young kids draw important people in pictures. Kamryn always includes herself, Emerson and me in her pictures and frequently adds Grandma and Grandpa. Occasionally dad is added to the picture. Emerson only drew pictures of me during a whole year of her life, the therapist and I were THRILLED when she started drawing pictures of herself. She now includes Kamryn and Grandma. It has been really exciting to observe and guide her progress and her healing. Emerson was really excited that we were going to "hang out" with grandma.

It was great for me too.

My dad LOVES saving money (or not spending ANY money).

My mom LOVES projects and has BIG ideas sometimes confusing those around her (specifically raising chickens).

My dad climbed into the back of my van today with a torn out advertisement for Tepenyaki. He told me that the lunch was only $6, so we headed to Salt Lake. I had been fasting (blood test this morning as part of my FREE ObamaCare preventative doctor's visit), so I was looking forward to eating and I thought my kids would enjoy the experience of the chef cooking right in front of them. We arrived to find that Tepenyaki is not opened for lunch on Saturdays. We were a little bumbed, but still hungry, so dad chose a Chinese place in Centerville- "the one that you don't have to leave a tip" (What?)

Before returning north, my mom asked if we could drive past her childhood home on 8th West. We parked in front of the house and she told a bunch of memories. We all loved hearing about her childhood. Before getting on the freeway, I took my parents to Vosen's German Bakery on 2nd South between 2nd and 3rd West. They had never been there and I'm slightly obsessed with going there anytime that I'm downtown or downtown-ish. The prices aren't great, but they always throw in extras. Today I ordered 3 berliners and 3 brochen and they gave me 3 berliners, 7 brochen and 1 sweet pretzel--all for under $5. My dad ordered $9 worth of stuff (which shocked me), but he walked out of there with lots of free stuff, so he was happy.

My girls and mom were in heaven with the baked goods, and my dad couldn't resist as I drove--they were all kinda full when we arrived at "the place where you don't have to leave a tip". We must have stayed at that little Chinese place for nearly 2 hours. The girls were so content and I thoroughly enjoyed conversing with my parents without having to compete with their TV.

I confessed that when I experimented in the kitchen as a kid, I would occasionally mess up and have to bury the evidence in the backyard. I didn't want my mom to know that I wasn't following a recipe and I knew what kind of trouble I would be in if my dad saw wasted ingredients in the garbage can. My mom laughed so hard, because, she had done the same thing in her back yard AND her own mother confessed to burying bad cooking attempts behind the house also. I don't know how common the burial ritual is, but apparently it runs in the family.

I did have to interrupt my mom once though. She started saying something so offensive to my ears and my heart that I thought I certainly must be misunderstanding her. She said, "I don't think that a woman should ever be president. They are too emotional and hormonal" I thought surely these words cannot be coming out of a woman's mouth--even my own mother's mouth. When I realized that she truly believed the crazy stuff she was saying, I lost it. I told her I was so disappointed that she felt that way and I didn't want her to ever say things like that in front of my girls again. My stomach literally felt sick and I was no longer hungry. I told my mom that I never knew that she felt that way and wondered how she could raise us without us knowing all her beliefs. She said, "well, I guess I felt like you needed to make up your own political decisions". THANK GOODNESS!! I think if Sharla had been with us, my mom would have really gotten a tongue lashing. I changed the subject.

My dad started talking about a Great Dane that he met at the mechanic shop. He has always wanted one. My mom said, "no, it would eat my chickens".

He told my mom that she was not to get anymore chickens. (Last Spring, she had nearly 30 chicks in their dining room while she built a coop) Before Christmas, she had some people from Idaho deliver 3 red hens to a meeting spot off the Centerville exit. Addicted you ask? Maybe . . . I do have to confess that I may or may not have been the cause of her initial interest in chickens. When I was 8 years old, I asked the Easter Bunny to bring me a red hen instead of candy in a basket. The crazy fictitious character left me 12 fluffy yellow chicks which grew into 12 ugly white hens. My siblings and I all had the privilege of raising them. (Shelly was pooped on once. Right as she was heading out the door for jr high, she realized that it was her turn to break the layer of ice that formed on the top of their watering can. Once inside the coop, her feathered eighty's hair became an unlucky target)

So as my dad was telling her no more chickens, she smiled like she runs the roost. His blue eyes bulged and he said, "I swear I will step on any new chicks that come on my property!" My girls weren't paying any attention, but my mom said, "Tom, don't talk like that in front of the girls!!" I laughed right out loud.

Spring Break Part 1 in Pictures

Bunny Friday afternoon-- We bought 3 bunnies from the farmer store. With my amateur vet skills I decided we had 3 females--one runt, all sisters. The next day the farmer store gave me the pedigree charts. The "runt" is a dwarf 2 year old female. The other 2 are 6 week old brother and sister.

The girls were so attentive during General Conference. I told them that any time the prophet spoke or an apostle spoke, they would need to sit quietly and listen. The bunnies helped with the reverence.

ADOPTION DAY--So Exciting!!

Shantelle and Sawyer
Sharla, Sawyer and Judge Dawson (bailiff and lawyer also)
Mom, Dad, Sharla, Sawyer, Shelly, Kamryn, Shantelle, Princess Emerson (don't know why she had that crown on), Connor and Emma
New Mom and Cute Daughter
Emerson and Kamryn at Spring Dress Rehearsal (singing class)