Yesterday I was feeling very blue.
At some point, I curled up in bed to take a nap hoping to sleep off some
of the sleepy sadness I was feeling.
It felt familiar...depression of not too long ago.
As I lay in bed, I reached up for the scriptures and read where I had left
off the night before.
Mosiah Chapter 3
A beautiful chapter on Jesus Christ's atonement.
When I came to verse 19...which reads:
"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."
...my spirit felt the need to reach for the Atonement to heal and lift and
pull me from the place I was in.
I had been relying on my dear husband to help pull me out of the blue and
depressed state in which I felt stuck.
And when I read this verse, I knew to Whom I needed to turn.
Only in Christ can my burdens truly be lifted.
So, in that quiet moment,
I poured out my heart...
and waited...
and listened....
I felt His peaceful reassurance,
and comfort
that coming to Him is the only sure Way to find peace.
Sometime later, after sleeping for just a short while,
I woke,
my spirit lifted,
filled with hope and reassurance of God's and Christ's love for me.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Fingers and Toes
A conversation I had yesterday with my 7 year-old after clipping her fingernails and toenails and she had gathered them all into her hands.
7 year-old: Mom, do you know what I am going to do with these (fingernails and toenails)?
Mom: Um. Collect them in a jar?
7 year-old: Nope! I'm going to plant them!
Mom: Really? What do you think will grow?
7 year-old: I'm not sure.
Mom: Hmmm. Would be interesting to see what grows. Well, there are some great spots for planting out back.
7 year-old: Thanks, Mom!
Today, the conversation continued.
Mom: Well, did you plant your fingernails and toenails?
7 year-old: Yup! Out back in the dirt where that little stick tree is sticking out.
Mom: And what do you think will grow?
7 year-old: A tree with fingernails and toenails.
I am almost tempted to plant some seeds there...tee hee!
7 year-old: Mom, do you know what I am going to do with these (fingernails and toenails)?
Mom: Um. Collect them in a jar?
7 year-old: Nope! I'm going to plant them!
Mom: Really? What do you think will grow?
7 year-old: I'm not sure.
Mom: Hmmm. Would be interesting to see what grows. Well, there are some great spots for planting out back.
7 year-old: Thanks, Mom!
Today, the conversation continued.
Mom: Well, did you plant your fingernails and toenails?
7 year-old: Yup! Out back in the dirt where that little stick tree is sticking out.
Mom: And what do you think will grow?
7 year-old: A tree with fingernails and toenails.
I am almost tempted to plant some seeds there...tee hee!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Oooo. Gospel learning!!
I was reading Elder L Tom Perry's conference address.
MAGNIFICENT!!!
It has given me better direction and a huge boost of joy and determintation in teaching my children.
"Teaching in the home is becoming increasingly important in today’s world, where the influence of the adversary is so widespread and he is attacking, attempting to erode and destroy the very foundation of our society, even the family. Parents must resolve that teaching in the home is a most sacred and important responsibility. While other institutions, such as church and school, can assist parents to “train up a child in the way he [or she] should go” (Proverbs 22:6), ultimately this responsibility rests with parents. According to the great plan of happiness, it is parents who are entrusted with the care and development of our Heavenly Father’s children. Our families are an integral part of His work and glory—“to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). On God’s eternal stage, it is usually intended that parents act as the central cast members in their children’s lives. Fortunately, there are understudies involved in the production who may step in when parents can’t. It, however, is parents who have been commanded by the Lord to bring up their children in light and truth (see D&C 93:40).
Parents must bring light and truth into their homes by one family prayer, one scripture study session, one family home evening, one book read aloud, one song, and one family meal at a time. They know that the influence of righteous, conscientious, persistent, daily parenting is among the most powerful and sustaining forces for good in the world. The health of any society, the happiness of its people, their prosperity, and their peace all find common roots in the teaching of children in the home."
Elder Perry continues:
"The inspired document “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” states:
“Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. ‘Children are an heritage of the Lord’ (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. . . .
“ . . . By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners” (Liahona, Oct. 2004, 49; Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102).
According to “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” the principles I have taught about teaching in the home apply to both parents, but they are especially crucial to the role of a mother. Fathers most often spend much of their day away from home in their employment. That is one of the many reasons so much of the responsibility for teaching the child in the home falls on mothers. While circumstances do vary and the ideal isn’t always possible, I believe it is by divine design that the role of motherhood emphasizes the nurturing and teaching of the next generation. We see so many challenges today from distracting and destructive influences intended to mislead God’s children. We are seeing many young people who lack the deep spiritual roots necessary to remain standing in faith as storms of unbelief and despair swirl around them. Too many of our Father in Heaven’s children are being overcome by worldly desires. The onslaught of wickedness against our children is at once more subtle and more brazen than it has ever been. Teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in the home adds another layer of insulation to protect our children from worldly influences.
God bless you wonderful mothers and fathers in Zion. He has entrusted to your care His eternal children. As parents we partner, even join, with God in bringing to pass His work and glory among His children. It is our sacred duty to do our very best. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
MAGNIFICENT!!!
It has given me better direction and a huge boost of joy and determintation in teaching my children.
"Teaching in the home is becoming increasingly important in today’s world, where the influence of the adversary is so widespread and he is attacking, attempting to erode and destroy the very foundation of our society, even the family. Parents must resolve that teaching in the home is a most sacred and important responsibility. While other institutions, such as church and school, can assist parents to “train up a child in the way he [or she] should go” (Proverbs 22:6), ultimately this responsibility rests with parents. According to the great plan of happiness, it is parents who are entrusted with the care and development of our Heavenly Father’s children. Our families are an integral part of His work and glory—“to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). On God’s eternal stage, it is usually intended that parents act as the central cast members in their children’s lives. Fortunately, there are understudies involved in the production who may step in when parents can’t. It, however, is parents who have been commanded by the Lord to bring up their children in light and truth (see D&C 93:40).
Parents must bring light and truth into their homes by one family prayer, one scripture study session, one family home evening, one book read aloud, one song, and one family meal at a time. They know that the influence of righteous, conscientious, persistent, daily parenting is among the most powerful and sustaining forces for good in the world. The health of any society, the happiness of its people, their prosperity, and their peace all find common roots in the teaching of children in the home."
Elder Perry continues:
"The inspired document “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” states:
“Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. ‘Children are an heritage of the Lord’ (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. . . .
“ . . . By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners” (Liahona, Oct. 2004, 49; Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102).
According to “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” the principles I have taught about teaching in the home apply to both parents, but they are especially crucial to the role of a mother. Fathers most often spend much of their day away from home in their employment. That is one of the many reasons so much of the responsibility for teaching the child in the home falls on mothers. While circumstances do vary and the ideal isn’t always possible, I believe it is by divine design that the role of motherhood emphasizes the nurturing and teaching of the next generation. We see so many challenges today from distracting and destructive influences intended to mislead God’s children. We are seeing many young people who lack the deep spiritual roots necessary to remain standing in faith as storms of unbelief and despair swirl around them. Too many of our Father in Heaven’s children are being overcome by worldly desires. The onslaught of wickedness against our children is at once more subtle and more brazen than it has ever been. Teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in the home adds another layer of insulation to protect our children from worldly influences.
God bless you wonderful mothers and fathers in Zion. He has entrusted to your care His eternal children. As parents we partner, even join, with God in bringing to pass His work and glory among His children. It is our sacred duty to do our very best. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
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