Where are your feet?

Our standards are determined by the Lord,

Not by the direction of the Wind.

Many years ago, I used to be a letter carrier.  This is the person who delivers letters to your house everyday.  My route was in a very old neighborhood, with small houses and doorslots at every address.  This means that I walked through yards, over fences, around bushes, shrubs and trees, and finally arrived at the house where I would have to stuff the mail into a tiny slot in the door. 
Don't get me wrong, I totally loved my job, even with all the things that I had to watch out for.  We used to be required to "finger" our mail.  All this means is that we had to go through the letters when we were walking.  We had to have the mail ready to put in the slot when we got up to the door so that we did not waste time and energy.  I did this job day in and day out for eleven years. One of the most difficult accidents that I have ever had to recover from, came during the day when I was simply fingering the mail. 
I was in a hurry (extra mail takes extra time) and walking fast.  I arrived at the door slot, stuffed the mail inside and turned to go, already fingering the mail for my next delivery and not paying enough attention to my feet.  Suddenly, I stepped off the porch, into the grass which was hiding a hole just a few inches deep.  This should have been a simple step down and out, except that I did not see it coming.  That one, small step, complete twisted my ankle.  I collapsed to the ground in amazing amounts of pain.  Lets just say that I would rather not repeat the experience.
Anyway, I had a severe sprain on my ankle that required the use of crutches for a few weeks and left me unable to deliver my route until I was mostly healed.  That one, tiny, small, mis-step, caused pain, agony, and suffering that lasted for weeks.  In actuality, it lasted for over a year as I developed the tendency to roll that ankle again and again over the course of many long months.  I finally had to wear an ankle brace and high top shoes until I was able to strengthen it enough to cease having problems with it again. 

One of my favorite quotes is by Abraham Lincoln and says simply: 

"Be sure to put your feet in the right place, and then stand firm". 

I could have avoided so much pain by following that one peace of prudent advice. 

Life often plans for me a hole or two along that way that, if I am not watching for, will trip me up.  It takes a conscious effort to make make sure that I avoid the pitfalls along the way.  The right choice often requires that you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm in that choice and follow it through.    Each of us stands for something.  It might be strong or not strong.  It might be good or not so good.  But we stand for things simply by the decisions that we make every day. 
Let us arm ourselves with faith and stand firm in our convictions.  Let us never forget that we are building a foundation for our family upon the rock of our redeemer.  Let us put our hand in our Heavenly Father's grasp and stand for His principles and His teachings.  He will help us as we stand firm in defense of our homes and our families in the world today. 

Helaman 5:12
And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.