"Badly done, Emma!"

Jane Austen & the joy of daily repentance

Briefly, but also importantly, happy anniversary!

It was one year ago this month that I began publishing The Bright & Morning Star.

I was excited and scared and unsure of what might happen.

Would anyone care what I thought…about anything?
Would anyone subscribe?
Was this the right thing to do?

To all of you (hundreds and still growing 🥳) THANK YOU.

(And a double-thank you to those choosing to sponsor The Bright Star…your generous support means so much.)

This is all for you. I pray it is adding goodness to your life. The struggle to be good enough to write about the Savior is never-ending.

It is my privilege to do this. All for you. All.

(And P.S. thank you for choosing to share The 🌟 with those you love. Please never stop!)

*******

I married a Jane Austen movie lover.

Pride and Prejudice
Sense and Sensibility
Emma
(and so many more)

We own most of the movie adaptations of Austen’s books that have been made over the years (and they have each been watched…multiple times.)

I’ve come to appreciate that she was a brilliant observer of the human condition and the inherent tension found in all human relationships, especially romantic ones.

Here’s my favorite moment from Emma, my favorite Austen novel.

(Just for fun, here’s another version)

(And if you truly have nothing better to do, here are FOUR versions of the same scene)

“Badly done, Emma!”

Those three words are everything…and so important for me to understand and embrace if I want a relationship with Jesus Christ.

How exactly?

Well, it helps to know what Emma was like before this moment.

Simply put, she was self-centered, proud, stubborn—very full of herself. Even more damning, she didn’t really see people. They were merely stick figures to her; certainly not her equals. This may have been her biggest sin.

"To the immature, other people are not real." - Harry Overstreet

But after she hears “Badly done, Emma!,” Emma’s becoming begins. (It’s important to note that these words were spoken by someone she trusted, Mr. Knightley…and *spoiler alert* someone she would soon realize she loved and was loved by. This couldn’t happen to her without first realizing she needed to change.)

Emma starts to see the consequences of who she has been. The hurt she has caused.

The pain she feels is visible.

It is also transformative.

Emma’s journey from superficial to selfless isn’t a straight line. She still sins and makes mistakes. Just like you and me. But her humility is sincere, and her growing awareness of others is heartfelt and lovely.

“Repentance. The Greek word of which this is the translation denotes a change of mind, a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world” (Bible Dictionary.)

Repentance is such a gift to us. And the incalculable price of that gift was the suffering and death of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

We’ve heard much in recent years about the “joy of daily repentance.” It is certainly something that I’ve been thinking about and trying to take more seriously.

I’ve been guilty of thinking that repentance only applies to sin, but truly it is far more. I’m learning to think of it like different grains of sandpaper, each one important in the process of smoothing, polishing, and refining a piece of wood until it is without blemish.

As someone with many rough edges still in need of smoothing, repentance is needed daily. Apparently it will be a part of our eternal growth, as this stunning statement from a living prophet indicates:

“We all are in the process of repentance as a lifetime curriculum. This type of repentance is conversion, and we are all in the process of conversion. It’s never finished. We’re never converted fully until we are exactly like the Lord. So be content with your need to repent, for your need to be converted. It’s a continuing process, one which never ends. I’m very grateful for that process of change that allows us to become more like the Savior. Now I understand what He meant when He said, “What manner of men ought ye to be? . . . Even as I am.” That is repentance. That is full conversion. That is the will of the Lord for each of us.”

Russell M. Nelson

Back to Emma and this key moment in her growth. In the words of scripture, she was “compelled to be humble” (Alma 32:13.) That’s never fun. Having someone else (especially the Spirit) call us out for something we’ve done or are doing wrong can really hurt. It can also be easy to disregard such moments since we prefer comfort vs. discomfort.

There is another way. It is to call ourselves to repentance. Or as Alma put it when counseling his errant son Corianton, we should “cross ourselves in these things” (Alma 39:9.)

If we seek it, we have access to a sacred dialogue between ourselves and God. He is willing at any time to tell us exactly what we need to repent of and how to repent in order to be forgiven.

I would like to suggest that each of you participate in a spiritual exercise sometime soon, perhaps even tonight while saying your prayers. Humbly ask the Lord the following question: “What is keeping me from progressing?” In other words: “What lack I yet?” Then wait quietly for a response. If you are sincere, the answer will soon become clear. It will be revelation intended just for you.

Perhaps the Spirit will tell you that you need to forgive someone. Or you may receive a message to be more selective about the movies you watch or the music you listen to. You may feel impressed to be more honest in your business dealings or more generous in your fast offerings. The possibilities are endless.

Larry R. Lawrence

When we open ourselves to the Spirit, we learn God’s way and feel His will. During the sacrament, which I call the heart of the Sabbath, I have found that after I pray for forgiveness of sins, it is instructive for me to ask Heavenly Father, “Father, is there more?” When we are yielded and still, our minds can be directed to something more we may need to change—something that is limiting our capacity to receive spiritual guidance or even healing and help.

For example, perhaps I have a carefully guarded resentment toward someone. When I ask if there is more to confess, that “secret” comes clearly to my memory. In essence, the Holy Ghost is whispering, “You honestly asked if there was more, and here it is. Your resentment diminishes your progress and damages your ability to have healthy relationships. You can let this go.” Oh, it is hard work—we may feel quite justified in our animosity—but yielding to the Lord’s way is the only way to lasting happiness.

Neill F. Marriott

Here are just two of the many things I need to repent of often, if not daily:

Unbelief - Sometimes, I don’t believe God will answer my prayers. I don’t believe He will bless me or my family with miracles. I don’t believe the promises He has made to me again and again.

Believing in things that aren’t true - Sometimes, I believe the lies being told about other people. I believe that someone chose to offend me. I believe that I don’t have enough talent/capability/potential to become what I was sent here to become.

I could add many more things to this list. Everyone needs to repent of something.

As hard as repentance might be, imagine if we couldn’t repent? The Savior is so merciful and willing to forgive us because that is why He came to earth. He came to live for me. He came to suffer and die for me. He came to conquer death, both physical and spiritual. All this and so much more - for me and for you, sinners all.

Whether I need 40 grit sandpaper (coarse) or 440 grit (extra fine,) daily repentance is yet one more gift from a loving Redeemer. It is one more way for me to turn to Him for help.

Quote of the week:

“The entirely comfortable being-at-home in the world, the satiety of pleasures that it offers, the demand for these pleasures and the matter-of-course consent to these demands—all of this that human nature considers bright daily life—all of this is darkness in God’s eyes and incompatible with the divine light. It has to be totally uprooted if room for God is to be made in the soul. Meeting this demand means engaging in battle with one’s own nature all along the line, taking up one’s cross and delivering oneself up to be crucified.”

― Edith Stein, The Science of the Cross

Song of the week (#1:)

Nothing I could say would make this performance more beautiful than it already is.

Song of the week (#2:)

Ginger and I have been big fans of Nanci Griffith for many years (perhaps you have heard of her, and more likely, you may not know of her music.) She passed away in 2021 and a beautiful tribute album was recently released. It included this song performed by Sarah Jarosz. I hadn’t heard of her before this, but now have become a fan, and have been listening to this song often.

Book of the week:

I’ve been reading and loving this book about leadership by Doris Kearns Goodwin, the renowned presidential biographer. She focuses on four presidents (Lincoln, T. Roosevelt, FDR, and Lyndon B. Johnson) and how they each were prepared to lead the United States in turbulent times. It’s one of those books you start reading and almost immediately think “I’m going to need to read this again and again.”

Podcast of the week:

If I were to listen to every podcast I currently have saved to listen to, I would probably still be listening on the day I die. 🤪 But that won’t stop me from trying…

Here’s one from one of my most favorite speakers and thinkers, Judge Thomas B. Griffith. He also gave one of the most impactful talks on me personally when he worked at BYU. If you listen, prepare to think differently about how you worship and lead.

Movie of the week:

The Quiet Girl is a beautiful film that we recently watched as a family has become a favorite. It’s sad, hopeful, poignant, and filled with both sadness and grace. (Content caution: One of the characters in the film is vulgar, both in language and his manner of living.)