Remember and be Humble

As I read from Ether 6, 5wo things gave me cause to pause this morning.  One was the trip the Jaredites had over the ocean to the Promised Land.  Oh how I wish they had been a little more detailed.  In reading Ether 6, the people were singing praises to the Lord as they were being blown toward the Promised Land in the little barges. As I read this I'm thinking to myself, could I really deal with this? They still have physical needs, i.e. exercise, food, elimination, sleep, etc. Yet they did sing praises all the day long. 
1 Chronicles 16:7-36 teaches us how to thank the Lord and sing praises to him all the day long. This would be a good scripture to try to memorize.  We are currently sharing our home with our daughter’s family of seven plus a little dog.  Our home is spacious, yet we sometimes get in each other’s way.  People need their private space.  Three hundred and forty-four days is a long time.  Also, how was everything secured so as not to spill, etc. when the barges were turned upside down and they had to have done.  I won’t even begin to touch on the animal issue.  How did they do this?

My second pause comes from Ether 6:30: “And it came to pass that Orihah did walk humbly before the Lord, and did remember how great things the Lord had done for his father, and also taught his people how great things the Lord had done for their fathers.”

They prospered with a king.  Why?  Because this king remembered the Lord and the great things he had done for them.  What can we learn from them?  We can prosper if we remember the Lord and walk humbly before him.  How is this done?  That's the real question. 

A search in the dictionary makes it quite clear.  The words used to define humble is “not haughty” or “not arrogant”.  What does it mean to be haughty?  Blatantly and disdainfully proud.  What about arrogant?  I love this one:  exaggerating one’s own worth or importance often by a overbearing manner.  I don’t see it in the dictionary, but our prophets teach us that being humble means we are teachable.  We learn as we go.  We see the Lord's hand in our lives.  We recognize our dependence on Him. 

Sometimes I worry that our lives are comfortable and good.  Am I thankful enough?  Do I sing praises to the Lord enough?  Do I sing all the day long?  Probably not all day, but I try to be quick to see the Lord’s hand in the beauties that surround me, and I acknowledge His blessings in my life.  Is that sufficient? 

We can learn lessons from the Jaredites that will help us in our lives.  We need to remember to be humble, teachable and acknowledge the Lord’s hand in our lives.  We need to remember the Lord in all things.  While I’m at it, I need to apply this lesson to me as it pertains to living with others.  Maybe I need to be singing more praises to my Heavenly Father.  We are happy enough with our daughter’s family in our home, but it has its challenges.  I need to put this scripture reference on my bathroom mirror.