Thinking....

This tree…the “tree of life”  Is located in the Animal Kingdom, and is from the movie Lion King.
It is one of my favorite movies, and today, this tree has a great significance to me. Why you ask? Hmmm…For many reasons.

I have been thinking about this beautiful tree, ever since my sister and I had a chat this morning. We were discussing a mutual friend of ours, and the path he has chosen to take. He has become extremely wealthy, by selling a product with a multi-level marketing company. He has millions of people underneath him, doing the same thing and he receives revenue from them. People love him. He has taken this company into uncharted territory. The country of Hungary. We were talking about how he got there. Hungary is a place where people aren’t readily accepted as a whole. it is not a….well off country, in my opinion anyway, and for many, Many years, this company that Kenton now works for, has been trying to get the people of Hungary to bite. Hmm.. No one would. How did Kenton do it? How did he get in there, and start dominating??? Let’s look back to several years ago. like…15 years or so ago. A young 19 year old boy, studied and prayed, and made the choice and sacrifice to go on a full time LDS mission. He spent many weeks in the Mission Training Center, learning the language, gaining a stronger testimony and a bigger love fore our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ, and then- He was shipped off to Hungary. For two years he taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and learned to love and respect the people of Hungary. They also loved him. Respected him.

Fast forward to returning home from his mission. He loved the experiences there, and always said he wanted to return. He meets up with a multi-level company, that promises to “get rich quick.” He bites. and because he loves Hungary so much, takes this business to the people there. The Lord paved the way for him to get there, by sending him there in the first place! Somewhere along the lines, he lost God. He lost who it was that made it possible, paved the way for him to be where he is at now. He exchanged his strong strong testimony and healthy spirit, for dollar signs. I am sure he had struggles, trials, and everything else along that nature, along with the rest of us here on this earth-  But instead of drawing closer to our Heavenly Father, he chose to abandon Him, and go with what will make him happy now.

I am sure one day he will realize, that he truly has nothing. Not all of the riches he has here will go with him. Friendships will die when the money is gone, true happiness does not lie in the things of the world. Yes sometimes having great things, helps us along our journey- but what may have happened if Kenton would have chosen to stay on the Lord’s side? Would he be as financially stable? I think he would be even more so. In fact, I know he would be. He would have financial peace and freedom here, and spiritual freedom in eternity. He would have a family to share his happiness with…instead of an empty house, that every so often is filled with a big group of people, and millions of dollars worth of toys.

So what does all of this have to do with the Tree of life?

In this life, there are choices, good and bad, struggles and journeys that we decide, how to handle. Each step and each decision we make is recorded, as it is in this tree. The tree is weathered, and so is our journey from all of the steps that we take, and all the ones we don’t as well. As life twists and turns, so does this tree.  If you look closely, everything that the tree has ever seen is drawn into its trunk. Everything that we see and do, is drawn in our ” book of life”. The tree of life represents what our Heavenly Father and Savior want for us. When we choose to walk away from that, we fall away, and instead of us growing as the tree grows, we shrivel spiritually.

I don’t want to shrivel. I want my  book of life, to be as this tree. Filled with all the memories and positive things that have happened. I want my choices to show that I did my best, and that I love my Heavenly Family. I want it to show that I am valiant, and tried to do what is right at all times. I know I will fail sometimes, but in the trunk of my tree I want it to show that each time I got back up and found a better way. I want to stay on the straight and narrow, holding on to the iron rod, so that I may reach my Savior,  and embrace Him, and know that I am loved  at home, and have peace.

I wish for everyone to want that. I wish for everyone to look at the tree in Lion King, and see much more than what the movie portrays…to see that there is a plan for us, and it doesn’t always include fancy things, money,  or lots of friends. But it does include guidance, strength, peace, comfort, and Love.

What does your tree of life say?