At my core, I am a deeply religious man.
Recent (last few years) posts have obliquely referenced God or religion, focusing heavily on the things that make sense logically, based on data.
Although I don’t expect much of an audience (and I certainly don’t write for my audience’s interest), I think it’s worth writing a bit about my impending move (today!).
I believe God has a plan for each of us. More accurately, I believe God has a plan for each of His children. That identification–children–is key. Children grow up to be like their parents. Thus the difference between us and God is not in type or species, but in degree or amount of experience.
There are a number of scriptures that back this up. Both the Father-Child relationship as well as the “ye are Gods” (Ps 82: 6, Isa 41:23, John 10: 34).
So if the destiny of each child is to potentially become like its father, what might be required of me to become like Mine?
I believe in a god who became (over a lifetime similar to mine and through the power of an atonement of a Savior (similar to mine)) perfect in thought, word, and action (Matt 5: 38); a god who sacrificed everything unholy to become omnipotently benevolent; a god who took the time to learn everything there was to learn; a god who practiced and tried until the best ways to achieve desired results revealed themselves; a god who created worlds without end and peopled them with children without end to raise them to a more glorified existence (Moses 1: 38-39).
So my move to Idaho is a step toward becoming like God is. Our property in Idaho will require sacrifices, learning, creation, patience, humility. Our experiences there will teach us to be more neighborly, force us to interact with people of various backgrounds, and help us learn about the ecology of the world.
In short, this move is a purposeful move from what I have perceived as gradual stagnation to a more focused, more intentional life. In a way that is not only intentional temporally, but dedicated to eternal lessons.