Eve and Improvement

I recently read through this blog and decided I miss writing. 

Five years from my last blog post...

I had another baby! That makes 3. Claire (almost 8), Wes (5), and Ty (2). We’re finally to a point where we can get out and do cool things as a family- mountain biking, rock climbing, we even took our kids backpacking in the Uintas. I’m in my happiest place during those times. I also found CrossFit and starting throwing weights around to deal with my feelings instead of writing :).  But, I think I should write more again. 

Here’s the latest lesson I’m learning because that’s what I find most valuable to read back on: 

I’ve been studying about Eve and how she thoughtfully and independently chose mortality because she had a desire for improvement. 

Right after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, and became subject to mortality, they realized they were naked.

At first, persuaded by satan, they hid; feeling ashamed and afraid.  They had been naked all along but their newfound ability to feel vulnerable and guilty made them embarrassed. Also they knew they had transgressed; So they hid. 

This is where a God-given character trait comes in. When shame says “hide” guilt says, “repair”. We all have the light of Christ in us which causes guilt when we know we need to change. The purpose of guilt is to drive us to action (not make us sad and want to hide—that’s from satan). 

Adam and Eve couldn’t hide forever, so they made an attempt to cover themselves by creating fig-leaf aprons. It was a nice effort, but, these are leaves we are talking about. 

It was an improvement from naked, but still,  not great protection. 

Adam and Eve then conversed with God,  made some covenants/ promised to improve and do better, and God made them high quality “coats of skin”- symbolic in many ways of the superior protection Jesus gives us. 

When I’m feeling vulnerable my lesson is that instead of hiding, to improve, but most importantly- turn to the Lord. My meager attempts at improvement are then perfected through the Savior, Jesus Christ. He can and will protect me in ways far superior to my fig-leaf attempts. 

I admire Eve for choosing to leave paradise for a chance to improve. I’m going to try and be more like her- when I feel like hiding, instead I’m going to look for ways to do better, and then turn to the Lord to magnify and perfect my efforts in ways I’m not capable of.