The Best Time to Plant a Tree

I love Amulek!  I mean LOVE!!!

He is me--over and over again.

Amulek's just a guy.  He's just a guy like everybody else.

This morning, I sat on the bathroom floor and read from Alma.  I didn't want to wake anyone with the glare of the computer--and #6, at some point, crept into our bed...again.  Since he's had his room to himself--that'll be another post, explaining that--he comes into our room and sleeps with us more and more often.  I'm so dead tired, I don't even realize he's there until his knee has made contact with my nose.

As I'm reading, I'm thinking I'd better get ready for the day.  #1's performing this morning, so I'm assuming I get to go along--always a joy!

I start brushing my teeth and read as I do so.  As I brush, I start thinking about how teeth are like what I'm reading.

When your teeth start falling out of your head, is that when you start brushing your teeth?  Well, if you haven't brushed your teeth before, and you think it might stop the progression of gum disease and instantaneous tooth extraction, yah.  You do.

That reminded me of the quote from the funeral I blogged about a few weeks ago--The best time to plant a tree was 25 years ago.  The second best time is now.

Amulek is this kind of guy.  He isn't a bad guy.  He just isn't living up to his full potential.  He's following the crowd.  He ignores the promptings he's receiving.

One day, he receives a prompting.  He could continue the way he's going so easily, but he, for some reason, decides, "What the heck.  What do I have to lose?"  So he follows it and does what he is directed.  It's easy--open your door to the guy who's walking down the street.  He's hungry.  Give him something to eat.  Simple, right?  It requires some effort, but it's not that he's being asked to jump off a bridge. 

So Amulek does just that.  He takes a baby step in the right direction.  He takes his hardening heart and opens it just a little bit of the way, and God does the rest.  Within days, he's doing all kinds of things he would never have done otherwise. 

As I'm reading, I'm thinking what can I do today that'll be a baby step in the right direction?  What can I do that will bring me closer to the Savior?--even if it's just a matter of a tiny baby step.  What can I do to show Him I'm willing?  How can I have an Amulek moment?  An Amulek day?  An Amulek life?

Yes, I love Amulek cuz he's just a regular Joe on the street who for just a minute listened and had miracles take over his life.  He became what God wanted him to be because he took baby steps.

Now is the time to plant the tree.