I was thinking this morning some more about faith, and about how most of our knowledge in every subject is faith. Specifically I was thinking about our working knowledge of the earth and it's orbit. We knew LONG before we had the technology to enter space that the earth was round, that it rotated on it's axis and that it, along with other planets rotated around the sun. We knew this by observations that supported this theory (eg., we observed gravitational pull, we observed that we could travel between continents by East or West navigation, we observed and mapped the sky throughout time, we observed the "rise" and "fall" of the sun, we observed the change in seasons and the patterns of the oceans throughout all parts of the world). In other words, we have a working knowledge of the solar system and how it functions. Our knowledge was built upon our observation and experimentation of our educated hypothesis (what I like to call "hope").
Once we developed the technology to travel into space, we were able to covert our faith of the solar system and it's orbits, etc. (our "working knowledge of the solar system) into a perfect knowledge of certain principles. For example, we were able to confirm that the world was, in fact, round and that it rotates upon an axis, as we could now observe the earth from a new perspective (from outer space).
However, did we feel that before we could observe the earth from space (before we had a "perfect knowledge" of its shape) that we only "believed" that the earth was round? No. We "knew" that the earth was round, even though we had not yet traveled into space to see it with our own eyes. Why? Because we already had the working knowledge of its shape based upon our observations of and experimentation upon true principles that supported that theory, just as we do in all aspects of science. In other words, we had already developed a firm "faith" that the earth was round.
It seems that very little "knowledge" we obtain through science is what we would call a "perfect knowledge". Almost all we "know" is "faith" based on true principles. If we are able to consistently support our hypotheses (our "hope") and unable to disprove them, then we accept them as truth. It is through this faith-based approach to knowledge that scientists throughout history have discovered the natural laws that govern our earth and universe.
Our knowledge of pretty much all principles is a "working knowledge": there is always more to learn, a greater depth at which to understand. There are things that we "know" about our solar system, our universe, other universes, stars, etc. even though we have not yet developed the technology to travel outside our own solar system. Eventually we will be able to "perfect" that knowledge, but at this point, it is still a working knowledge (still "faith"). It can still be understood in greater depths. Knowledge of gospel principles and eternal truth are no different. It is faith-based: it is a working knowledge that can continuously be understood at greater and greater depths until it becomes a "perfect" knowledge. Finally, both religious and scientific knowledge can be revealed and confirmed to us through the Spirit through impressions, enlightenment of the mind, burning in the bosom, visions, dreams, etc. Perhaps this is part of the reason that so many scientists acknowledge that there is a God. Anyway, I was just thinking about these things this morning and thought I would share. What do you think?
Monday, March 22, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
A Real Life Miracle
My mom always says that the Lord's math is different than our math. It's an interesting concept to me particularly, because I LOVE math. I have always been very good at math and enjoy doing it. Well, needless to say, I keep VERY meticulous track of our finances. I created an excell spreadsheet that helps me balance my finances and into which I enter every single purchase we make and all money we put into our bank account as well as any interest earned. It allows me to daily keep track of how much money we have available at any given moment. It allows me to easily see how much I spend on groceries or utilities or insurance or whatever category I may be interested in. It automatically deducts money to be put into savings so that I don't spend that money. It really just makes my life easier and helps us keep a budget, avoid debt, and build savings. Well, one of the most useful things my program does is that it allows me to easily see how much we have spent and how much we have earned in any given month. I can also find the average daily balance for any given period of time.
Well, this last year has been very trying financially for us. Despite our frugality, our expenses have been heavy. Right after having our third baby at Christmastime, we gave up a secure job with good pay, despite the uncertain real estate market, and moved our family to a different state, taking a new job with a $15,000 paycut. Why did we do this? Well, we decided that quality of life is more important than money. It was a huge leap of faith. The new job offers a far better work environment and we have been much happier as a result. But, having moved so quickly, and in such difficult economic times, we have been unable to sell our house. It has sat on the market for a year now. On our old salary, we were easily able to make our mortgage payment, but, on our current lower salary, covering our high mortgage payment as well as the costs of running both homes has been leaving us strapped for cash.
While doing our taxes this year, I took an in depth look at both our expenses and our income throughout this past year, and what did I discover? The Lord's math is different than our math. We have witnessed a true miracle. For 9 of the past 13 months, our expenses have exceeded our income, totaling $1272.01 of excess expenses over the past year. We have just barely maintained an average daily balance of $8 throughout the last year, and on many months, the average daily balance has been a negative number. In fact, in January of last year, our average daily balance was $-6.96. That means we started the year off in the hole. And yet, although we started the year out in the hole and have spent $1272.01 more than we have earned, we have somehow not run out of money!
We have been able to meet all of our financial obligations and have not defaulted on our mortgage or education loan payments. Even more, we have been able to maintain the $1000 minimum balance in our bank account to avoid excess fees! And to top it off, we were somehow able to contribute and extra $251.10 to our education loans this month. That totals a real life $2530.07 miracle! Really it's worth even more than that, as we have not had to declare bankruptcy, we have not lost our home to foreclosure, we have not even had to short sale our home! When you consider the value of the home, you could perhaps even call this a $315,000 miracle or even simply a miracle of personal credit and integrity.
I have a testimony of tithing. We have always, even throughout this past year, payed a full 10% tithe plus an additional fast offering each month and donated to the humanitarian fund for Haiti relief. I believe that this $2530.07 miracle is a direct result of our contributions. With this kind of blessing, who can afford NOT to pay tithing and share with those less fortunate? Miracles DO happen and today I am grateful that the Lord's math is different than our math.
Well, this last year has been very trying financially for us. Despite our frugality, our expenses have been heavy. Right after having our third baby at Christmastime, we gave up a secure job with good pay, despite the uncertain real estate market, and moved our family to a different state, taking a new job with a $15,000 paycut. Why did we do this? Well, we decided that quality of life is more important than money. It was a huge leap of faith. The new job offers a far better work environment and we have been much happier as a result. But, having moved so quickly, and in such difficult economic times, we have been unable to sell our house. It has sat on the market for a year now. On our old salary, we were easily able to make our mortgage payment, but, on our current lower salary, covering our high mortgage payment as well as the costs of running both homes has been leaving us strapped for cash.
While doing our taxes this year, I took an in depth look at both our expenses and our income throughout this past year, and what did I discover? The Lord's math is different than our math. We have witnessed a true miracle. For 9 of the past 13 months, our expenses have exceeded our income, totaling $1272.01 of excess expenses over the past year. We have just barely maintained an average daily balance of $8 throughout the last year, and on many months, the average daily balance has been a negative number. In fact, in January of last year, our average daily balance was $-6.96. That means we started the year off in the hole. And yet, although we started the year out in the hole and have spent $1272.01 more than we have earned, we have somehow not run out of money!
We have been able to meet all of our financial obligations and have not defaulted on our mortgage or education loan payments. Even more, we have been able to maintain the $1000 minimum balance in our bank account to avoid excess fees! And to top it off, we were somehow able to contribute and extra $251.10 to our education loans this month. That totals a real life $2530.07 miracle! Really it's worth even more than that, as we have not had to declare bankruptcy, we have not lost our home to foreclosure, we have not even had to short sale our home! When you consider the value of the home, you could perhaps even call this a $315,000 miracle or even simply a miracle of personal credit and integrity.
I have a testimony of tithing. We have always, even throughout this past year, payed a full 10% tithe plus an additional fast offering each month and donated to the humanitarian fund for Haiti relief. I believe that this $2530.07 miracle is a direct result of our contributions. With this kind of blessing, who can afford NOT to pay tithing and share with those less fortunate? Miracles DO happen and today I am grateful that the Lord's math is different than our math.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Aquiring a Testimony
My friend recently gave a fireside to the youth in our church about how to obtain a testimony (a knowledge of eternal truths). As a lawyer, she likened it to the courtroom--very interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed her presentation. If you are interested, you may read her post here on her blog. Enjoy!
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