Highly Favored

 Our dog, Onyx was diagnosed with diabetes a few months ago.

We dutifully give him his insulin injections and monitor his diet.  

But he has developed cataracts very quickly and while the vet says he can still see some shadows and light, he will be completely blind soon.

He has adjusted remarkably well.  

He occasionally runs into a few things and more heavily relies on us to show him where to go.

He also follows his brother carefully and lets him communicate what is happening.

When I talked to the vet, she said something that made me think.

She said dogs don’t waste time feeling sorry for themselves.  They use their energy to adapt and rely more heavily on their other senses.  

I thought about how even though it’s okay to experience real feelings when life doesn’t go as planned, at some point focusing on how to adapt and what comes next is going to bring healing and progress.

Humans definitely can’t adapt as fast as dogs.  

But as Elder Stevenson spoke about our current Come Follow Me topic, “As students of the Book of Mormon, we are familiar with the many afflictions to which Nephi refers. Yet following acknowledgment of his afflictions in the course of his days, Nephi gives his gospel perspective of being highly favored of the Lord in all his days. Times of affliction and disappointment do not change the watchful eye of the Lord as He favorably looks upon us, blessing us.”

In the same sermon he posed this question, “In short, many, many of you have dealt with heartbreaking disappointment, sorrow, and discouragement. So how do we heal, endure, and move forward when things seem so broken?”

One way we can do that is by focusing on what we still CAN do.

By using the “bumps” to find a new way to follow the path.

And to stick close to the guiding hand and example of those we know are following Christ. 

Elder Stevenson closed with this plea, ‘I pray that, along with Nephi, we can acknowledge the afflictions in the course of our days while at the same time recognizing that we are highly favored of the Lord.”

And as I watch my mostly blind dog happily wag his tail as he chews on his favorite blanket, and enjoy his life I am reminded to continue to find the joy in life.

For I have also been highly favored  of the Lord.