The Lord Knows...

Maybe I'm the only one who feels like this at times, but I feel like I am often unappreciated, thanks to the pain of motherhood. There are times when I've thought, "Oh my gosh, I can't wait until you grow up and realize how much I did for you!" Okay, not thought, but actually said... 

The job of Motherhood is often (frequently, usually) thankless, messy, exhaustion, and busy. There is no clockout time, there is no sick leave or paid vacay or anything of the sort. 

It's easy to feel like no one would even notice if you were gone, except they'd be even dirtier than they already are, and even hungrier.

But, the Lord knows. He knows and He loves you for your every effort. 

Don't give up. Don't get discouraged. Don't stress over the little things. 

You got this, Mama. 

You got this. 

Small and Simple Blessings

"Mommy, what are you doing?" Oliver asked, looking surprised.

"I'm swinging," I answered simply.

And I was, up and back, up and back. It's been years since I've been on a swing like that.

My kids stared up at me like I was a crazy person.

What? Can't a mom have fun on occasion?

Up and back. Up and back, looking into the sky.

I was reminded why kids love swinging so much. It's the closest thing to flying there is.

Up and back. Up and back.

It only lasted a couple of minutes, but it was freeing and refreshing. Rejuvenating even.

Soon, the boys were whining for a push, and so my swinging came to an end, but while it lasted, it was beautiful.

The little things in life are what get us through the big things in life. I'm convinced this is true. Small and simple means. (Alma 37:6).

A moment of beauty, a verse of scripture, the whisper of comfort from the Spirit, a bite of something delicious. When we cling to the small and simple, we find clarity in the big and complicated.

Don't let the huge stuff make the little goodnesses get overshadowed.

 Let each day be filled with small and simple blessings.

In Everything Give Thanks

I have been working on a chapter for the book, and keep coming back to the idea of happiness through trials, through difficulties and through, well, imperfection.

I don't know why it's on my mind so much lately, but my brain wanders back to the topic over and over throughout the day.

How do we remain happy and joyful even when things are hard? How do we remain happy when things can be so very bad?

Everything in the scriptures leads us to know that we are to be happy in this life. Men are to have joy. At the same time, warning after warning appear to remind us that choosing the wrong will lead to unhappiness and enslavement to sin.

Since we all sin all the time, how do we remain joyful and happy while we fail?

I think this is a case of PRACTICE makes PROGRESS. We simply choose to be happy. We simply give heartfelt sincere thanks for what we do have. We do not deny the blessing given us by loving Heavenly Parents. Instead, we express earnest thanks for them.

Gratitude equates happiness.

I invite you to do an experiment. You  may have tried it before. In your prayers tonight, don't ask for a single thing. Simply give thanks. List everything you can think of that is a blessing. I bet that you won't be able to list them all. You'll have to give up praying before you get to the end of your blessings. But name them one by one. Then, throughout the next few days, anytime you recognize a blessing, give a quick prayer of thanks.

I promise you'll find it easier to smile and be happy even when your toddler chooses to flush a racquetball down the toilet.

Have I Done Any Good?

Isn't this the truth? We can profess to be lots of things, but it is our actions that speak louder than our words. If you think of our Savior, when did he ever just SAY to be kind, SAY to forgive, SAY to fast and pray, or even SAY that we should keep our covenants?  In every instance, our dear Elder Brother ACTED the part just as we should. 

In Matthew 25:40, Christ says, "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

So, I must ask myself have I done any good in the world today? As a representative of Jesus Christ, how have I acted in that definition?

If not, what can I do, how can I act to reflect the Savior in my actions? 

I Can Do This!

Photo Source

This morning, I was hiding in my bed (as I am wont to do) as Derek was getting ready for work. Suddenly, I heard chaos and frustration from downstairs.

.

The result of this chaos and frustration was that my couch, living room carpet, hallways carpet, stairs, Ezra's bedroom, the kitchen floor and Ezra himself got washed thoroughly. 

Oy. Some days I feel like it would be more effective to simply hitch a ride to ANYWHERE and come back in a week or two when I no longer feel like giving up. 

We have a birthday party tomorrow and everyone is beyond excited which means that they are all acting like caged monkeys. I have MORE house to clean, a cake to frost (attempting fondant for the first time, Heaven help me) and a house to decorate. 

And I have a flippin' headache. 

I shall sign off now to avoid TOO much negativity. I will prevail. I can do this. I can do this. I can DO THIS. 

Peace out ya'll. 

You Are You For a Reason

Hello!  I feel like sometimes it's hard to remember that you are you for a reason, in this time and in this place.  It's not an accident. Heavenly Father wants you to be who you are right now. He wants you to keep getting better too, but he accepts what we can offer right now.

Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great (D&C 64:33).

You are doing good things that will lead to great things. Be happy you are you.

A Wee Bit of Inspiration

I am finding inspiration these days in unlikely places: CHURCH! Don't laugh, I'm serious. When you have five little children to keep quiet during sacrament meeting, the idea of actually HEARING what someone is saying up front is pretty ridiculous. But for a few moments yesterday, I got to nurse Miriam in the Mother's lounge with only ONE extra kid and so, I got to breathe and listen to the words. It was lovely, and beyond the speaker, I had some ideas that I need to get into a word document. That doesn't happen much on Sundays (ever, actually, I try not to work on Sundays), so rather than risk losing my ideas, I jotted them down right then and there (also a miracle, I HAD A PEN AND PAPER!)

I'm thankful for small tender mercies, like a hungry baby and a quiet toddler. I'm thankful that my spiritual self is learning to listen over a bit of chaos as well. Sometimes my best ideas come while I'm wiping off a table or loading the dishwasher, and I'm grateful for that.

(Please note the pile of rocks behind my notes. My life is strange. I can't deny it.)



So, I'm trusting that John 16:13 is true when it says, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."

I trust that I will hear and be shown the things that I need to do to get this project finished. :)

In the meantime, I shall also continue to try and not yell at my kids when they make messes when I'm distracted. It's a process, people. A PROCESS.