I keep forgetting to do my thought of the week. It's probably because I didn't name it something cute or creative and now I forget to do it.
I thought about doing the "Thoughtful Thursday" but my Thursdays are so busy. I babysit and now I'm putting E in a dance class Thursday nights, so I gotta come up with some thing else. We'll see....
Here is what I have been thinking about...
Be Happy!
A couple Sundays ago, we had a lesson in Relief Society about finding joy in the journey, by an amazing woman in our ward. She was filling in last minute for the teacher was home with sick kids. Her lesson was covering the Conference talk given by President Monson "Finding Joy in the Journey". It was a great lesson. She just stood up there and asked us all to share scriptures that give us that hope, that joy in our lives that we need daily. It was really good! She then urged us to go home and read the talk, I did and it was worth it. I want to share some quotes and thoughts about this.
As I was at my folks home for the Holidays and all of us siblings being grown (even my youngest sis is no longer a child, she is 18!) we had a different Christmas morning. It was nice. The night of Christmas Eve we did the reading of Christs birth in the bible and then we all shared a "gift" we could give back to Christ, some thing we normally don't do, but it was a neat experience. My gift was finding more joy in Motherhood. I have heard a million and one times that it is the most sacred calling but it is hard to remember that when kids are screaming, making huge messes, and killing each other, and all this repeats itself on a daily basis. But when I get that moment to stop and think, sit back and take it all in, I know that it can be... that, it is rewarding. My problem is, I don't take time to enjoy it when I should.
So when I heard this lesson and then read this talk I was touched, I knew it was for me, I needed it. I need to remember the "here and now" instead of hoping for this day to end, or this week to just be over, or for my children to be past "this stage" etc.
President Monson says "My brothers and sisters, there is no tomorrow to remember if we don't do something today." I love this quote and I need to hang it on my wall or something, I need to remember this.
Some days I find it easy to let the "house" take my time when I should be sitting with my children, teaching them, playing with them, making memories with them, loving them.
Why is it that I feel the need to strive to keep my house "perfect" just in case?Just in case that some one comes knocking on my door, that some one we all know whose house is always in perfect order. I am not saying that my house is always clean or perfect or even close to it, by any means, but why then, do I feel the need to try so hard to keep it that way?
I could spend endless hours following my kids around and do nothing but pick up after them, clean them up and discipline them for making messes, when in all actuality they are just being kids. When I do this, I find no joy, it is not rewarding in the least. They just un-do what I do.
How then, can it be rewarding?
He says "Our realization of what is most important in life goes hand in hand with gratitude for our blessings."
....and "...with gratitude in our hearts, may we fill our days as much as we can with those thing which matter most. May we cherish those we hold dear and express our love to them in word and in deed."
I need to be grateful!
I will find Motherhood rewarding and I will find joy in this journey, but I need to be grateful.
This is nothing new, I know. I'm sure I've heard talks like this a million times, but now is when I find I need a "refresher" course of it.
My son came up to me this morning as I was reading this talk again, and said "Be happy!" How do they know these things, they truly are a blessing from God in my life.
Life is never easy. There are always trials to suffer through on top of those things we need to do daily. I know by seeking to find joy daily, my life can be more than just a hopeful tomorrow, but a glorious today.
Whether you are a stay at home Mom, an empty netser, a working woman, a single sister, find joy in your journey, here and now.
I hope I can do the same.
As I was at my folks home for the Holidays and all of us siblings being grown (even my youngest sis is no longer a child, she is 18!) we had a different Christmas morning. It was nice. The night of Christmas Eve we did the reading of Christs birth in the bible and then we all shared a "gift" we could give back to Christ, some thing we normally don't do, but it was a neat experience. My gift was finding more joy in Motherhood. I have heard a million and one times that it is the most sacred calling but it is hard to remember that when kids are screaming, making huge messes, and killing each other, and all this repeats itself on a daily basis. But when I get that moment to stop and think, sit back and take it all in, I know that it can be... that, it is rewarding. My problem is, I don't take time to enjoy it when I should.
So when I heard this lesson and then read this talk I was touched, I knew it was for me, I needed it. I need to remember the "here and now" instead of hoping for this day to end, or this week to just be over, or for my children to be past "this stage" etc.
President Monson says "My brothers and sisters, there is no tomorrow to remember if we don't do something today." I love this quote and I need to hang it on my wall or something, I need to remember this.
Some days I find it easy to let the "house" take my time when I should be sitting with my children, teaching them, playing with them, making memories with them, loving them.
Why is it that I feel the need to strive to keep my house "perfect" just in case?Just in case that some one comes knocking on my door, that some one we all know whose house is always in perfect order. I am not saying that my house is always clean or perfect or even close to it, by any means, but why then, do I feel the need to try so hard to keep it that way?
I could spend endless hours following my kids around and do nothing but pick up after them, clean them up and discipline them for making messes, when in all actuality they are just being kids. When I do this, I find no joy, it is not rewarding in the least. They just un-do what I do.
How then, can it be rewarding?
He says "Our realization of what is most important in life goes hand in hand with gratitude for our blessings."
....and "...with gratitude in our hearts, may we fill our days as much as we can with those thing which matter most. May we cherish those we hold dear and express our love to them in word and in deed."
I need to be grateful!
I will find Motherhood rewarding and I will find joy in this journey, but I need to be grateful.
This is nothing new, I know. I'm sure I've heard talks like this a million times, but now is when I find I need a "refresher" course of it.
My son came up to me this morning as I was reading this talk again, and said "Be happy!" How do they know these things, they truly are a blessing from God in my life.
Life is never easy. There are always trials to suffer through on top of those things we need to do daily. I know by seeking to find joy daily, my life can be more than just a hopeful tomorrow, but a glorious today.
Whether you are a stay at home Mom, an empty netser, a working woman, a single sister, find joy in your journey, here and now.
I hope I can do the same.
1 comments:
Good thought! I'm finding myself looking more toward the future and wanting to get out of Rexburg! I should really enjoy the "today's".
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