Few Things with Pinterest Quotes

---Saturday was a doozie. I was overwhelmed and grouchy over the smallest of things and my fuse was extra short. It was a double ugga, ugga kind of day. That night was the adult meeting for stake conference and a friend invited me to ride along with her. I asked my Heavenly Father to help me hear a message I would need for better days than the one I'd been having. Talk #2...Overcoming Inadequacies. Tender mercy, answered prayer.

I don't have my notes in front of me and can't remember who quoted Elder Hales from the October 2012 conference. Elder Hales was teaching about being a Christian in this talk but it relates to any call we have from the Lord that can be overwhelming (ie motherhood).  I loved it and it was another tender mercy, answered prayer.

"For many, the call to be a Christian can seem
 demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior has promised that He will make us equal to His work. “Follow me,” He said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” As we follow Him, He blesses us with gifts, talents, and the strength to do His will, allowing us to go beyond our comfort zones and do things we’ve never before thought possible. This may mean sharing the gospel with neighbors, rescuing those who are spiritually lost, serving a full-time mission, working in the temple, raising a child with special needs, loving the prodigal, serving an ailing companion, enduring misunderstandings, or suffering affliction. It means preparing ourselves to answer His call by saying, “I’ll go where you want me to go; I’ll say what you want me to say; I’ll do what you want me to do; I’ll be what you want me to be.” ~Robert D. Hales



This is what stuck out to me- 'allowing us to go beyond our comfort zones and do things we've never before thought possible'. Divorce, single mothering, going back to college. All completely out of my comfort zone and all things I never though I could do. Yes, I make mistakes and yes, I still have mountains of work ahead of me to improve upon. But, He will strengthen and make me equal to His work. Raising my family in the gospel is His work and He is with me. That is why he answers my prayers and sends me such personal tender mercies. He is why I've been able to reach far out of my place of comfort and He is why I'm doing something I thought I could not do.

I came home after ice cream with my friend and felt comfort that after a night's sleep, it would be a new day. I could start fresh. Sunday morning (early church, yahoo!), I asked my Heavenly Father again to help me hear a message I could benefit from. It was a statewide regional broadcast from SLC so I didn't know any of the speakers and they didn't know me. It was out of the norm for Owen to be in a dark chapel and our video feed had a constant buzz so he was much less than reverent. I went into a room with audio (and no chairs) and let him burn off some steam. I was able to listen to the very first speaker and he was what I needed to hear. He told the story of a woman that was left with 6 young children when her spouse left. She had no education and was in a desperate situation. She did her part and raised her family in the gospel. When it came time for her oldest son to go on a mission, he was torn. He worked and helped provide for his family and he was worried about leaving his mom behind without his income. She was promised they would be taken care of and she exercised great faith. She was told that if she remained faithful, her family would be strong and steadfast in the gospel. Elder Nash went onto say all five of her other children served missions and all married in the temple. I was wiping tears away during his whole talk as Owen proudly flipped the light switch off and on at least 100 times. I probably don't even need to say it but- a huge tender mercy and again an answered prayer.

Our stake president also announced a ward split this coming Sunday. It's beyond time, our ward is huge. I don't know all the numbers but we have some 600+ members with close to 400 attending on Sundays. Round about there anyway. Still I had a little pang pull at my heart. These are my people. This ward helped me and encouraged me through the darkest time in my life. They have served and loved my family and me above and beyond. I will always be grateful we chose to move here. What a blessing it's been. So many good, good people. I've been reminding myself change is good, growth is good. Especially the kind of growth that turns two wards into three.

---I was snuggling Reed at bedtime tonight. We were talking and I was singing his song (same one every night since Easter). I told him I was happy he loved to learn at school and that he was excited to go every day. His response- 'Today I learned that on our bookshelf we should see the spine and not the pages. Of books. We can take care of ours tomorrow.' He completes my day. He had so many funnies today. One involved making 'a fake stink bomb' out of a diaper and brown sugar. Oh my, where does he get these things? Brown sugar? Sometimes I don't even ask, I'm afraid of the answer! Most of the time, I can't even remember all them. I just remember laughing and loving that I am his mother. He also ran from the bus stop to meet me with open arms and grabbed me into a bear hug around my waist. I loved it.

---Tomorrow is my birthday. Just like that....I turned 38. I cannot belive how fast this last year has gone. It's been a difficult year for me but also a year of incredible personal growth. I have learned so much but above all I've learned that my Heavenly Father wants me to be happy and that is why He laid out the Great Plan of Happiness for each of his children. I bought myself a sign for my birthday (shameful?) and I'm going to hang it in my living room so I can see it every day. It says 'Choose Happy' and that's exactly what I plan to do this year.