Treasure Trove within Grasp

Living in a room in my parents home, is a very challenging situation for me, yet financially, we still need to wait. I am yearning my own space, and find myself envious of those who are already 'there'.

Thoughts of 'If only we had a second income', or 'If only we didn't have so many children' plague my mind, and I daydream of all the niceties we could be enjoying already, if only we just...

One scripture that keeps chiseling its way into my indulgence, is found in Matt 6:19-21

'Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.'

As I pondered what this scripture means to me, I realised that my 'treasure' is in my husband and in my children. It is in raising up a righteous posterity to God, and finding joy in living with them now, and as an eternal family in the life to come. I realised that at the end of my life, if that is all I have, then I will feel rich, and will have no regrets.

As I held my Mercedes last night, whilst watching a movie together, a flash of light and understanding unexpectedly filled me. As I continue to 'treasure' God and my family, my treasure will increase. Or in other words, as I continue to love, and cherish, and find joy in my husband and children, and in service to God, my desire to be with them will grow and fill me, until at last, that is all I desire. Everything else will just be an added bonus.

Would/Will you?

If you were one of the Israelites living in Egypt during the time of Moses, would you follow him through the Red Sea and be saved? If you were living during Noah's time, would you enter the Ark and be saved?

This weekend, we got to hear from our beloved Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson and other church leaders. And just as it was important during ancient times to give heed to, and follow the Prophets of old, so too is it important for us to do the same today, so that we too may be saved.

One of the great blessings we enjoy, is the knowledge that God continues to speak to us through His chosen Servants, even today! We have personal revelation, to guide us individually, but a Prophet in OUR midst?! Isn't that the coolest (for lack of a better word) thing ever! He is called to warn, inspire, lead, and most importantly, testify of Christ. I know this is true, and have found so much joy and guidance in hearing his words and heeding his counsel.

I hope you all will find time to prayerfully listen to the words of our Prophets and Apostles, as they truly are called of God.

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2012/04?lang=eng

Come Listen to a Prophet's Voice!

I really don't have anything particularly profound swirling around in my head at the moment, I am just extremely excited for the up-coming General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Sunday, April 1.

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/about-general-conference?lang=eng

I LOVE General Conference! I love listening to our dear Prophet, President Monson, and all the leaders of the Church that address us. They speak the words of Christ, as this is His true and living Church upon the earth today. I acknowledge that that is a very bold statement, but I know it is true with all my heart, and I cannot say anything less than the truth!

Come, and see for yourself!

Steve Jobs, Somalia, and Me.

For some strange reason Steve Jobs' death has occupied my mind a great deal more than I would have anticipated. To be truthful, I had no idea who he was until his passing! I think it's his wealth he leaves behind, juxtaposed with the intense and tragic suffering the poverty stricken Somalian people have been enduring, that has got me thinking.

In my minds eye I picture in the next life, Steve standing side-by-side one of the victims from Somalia, both with equal standing before the Lord. I don't know what kind of moral life either of them lived, but what I do know is that their wealth, or lack thereof, has NO bearing on how they will be received of the Lord.

Isn't that so crazy to think. What we, in this life, treasure and admire and esteem so highly - that is wealth - has absolutely NO bearing in the next life! All the time and energy, stress and priorities, we put on this thing called 'money', once we leave this earth (which will come to EVERYONE) will not get us anywhere in the world to come. So ironic!

So, what will matter?

Matthew says it best in Matthew 6

'Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.'

The 'treasures' we are to seek in this life, are found in following God and His Son Jesus Christ. In living the way They would have us live, and thus becoming the people They would have us become.

And another great irony in that is, the more we follow the life they ask of us, which includes NOT pursuing our own desires and agendas, the more happier and fulfilled we are, and the more peace and joy we experience, not only in this life, but more importantly, in the life to come. I know this to be true, as I have exercised faith enough to 'experiment on the word' and I have seen for myself.

I again, commend Their way to you!

 http://www.lds.org/

Check it out!

Unmotivated, and ok with it.

I am having one of those 'not-your-finest-mama' days today. Maybe it's the weather? I'll blame it on the rain.

I haven't yelled or hit my kids, or anything like that. I have just really struggled to want to be here. And I'm crying as I type that. I have now turned into my 14 year old self, feeling trapped in this role of motherhood that feels like a babysitting job that will never end. When can I finally get paid, and go home for some sleep?

My usual answer to these moments (which they are always that - moments, remember?) is prayer. Prayer led me to my scripture reading, and in the scriptures I read of the Sons of Mosiah, in Alma 17, who were embarking on a mission, which time frame was undetermined, and to people who didn't particularly want them there. In verse 13 it says:

'And it came to pass when they had arrived in the borders of the Land of the Lamanites, that they separated themselves and departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should meet again at the close of their harvest; for they supposed that great was the work which they had undertaken.'

When Brent and I decided to start a family, and at the onset of 'most' days, I too 'suppose that great [is] the work which [I am] undertaking' as a mother. Most days I 'get it'. But some days, like today, I lose that eternal perspective. I forget how right this is, and the desire is lost. Maybe Heavenly Father is allowing me to exercise faith. It is easy to have faith, when the Spirit is buoying you up. The test is to have faith, when he's not.

'And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them' (Abraham 3:25)

I guess that's the message I got today. It is OK to not feel like you have a 'mother heart' every day. You can still mother with heart, until it comes. And I promise, it does!

Preparing for Parenthood

I am a mother of two gorgeous girls. Eden is going on two and a half years old, and Mercedes is nine months. My life is mostly centered around them and their full tummy's, clean nappies (diapers), and whether they have slept enough. I concern myself with Eden's counting, Mercedes' crawling, and checking off the list of milestones as they pass. Potty training, time-outs, sharing and more. That is the life of a Mama.

We also help them with their personal prayers and scripture study, and do the usual family prayer, scriptures, and Family Home Evening. We bear testimony, give service, spend one-on-one time etc. You can't say we're not trying. But I always do wonder, if it is enough. Am I enough.

Today I was in Mosiah 12. Learning from Abinadi.

In this chapter, Abinadi has been taken prisoner by the wicked King Noah; and is standing in front of King Noah's wicked priests. In verse 19 it says;

'And they began to question him, that they might cross him, that thereby they might have wherewith to accuse him, but he answered them boldly, and withstood all their questions, yea, to their astonishment, for he did withstand them in all their questions, and did confound them in all their words.'

For whatever reason, this scripture got me thinking of parenting, and being a mother during these 'great and dreadful' days. One day, my sweet daughters will need me to be just as powerful as Abinadi was, in my teaching of truth, for their souls sake. One day I will need to have the spirit, to 'answer them boldly, and with[stand] all their questions...' Although that day is not today, today is when I need to be preparing.

One of my favourite scriptures is in Colossians 3:16

'Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly...'

Whether we are parents of young children, Grandparents, Aunties or Uncles, for the sake of our little ones we need to be 'treasur[ing] up the words of Christ', and doing all we can, so that we too can be powerful bearers of truth, when those crucial teaching moments arise.

The Touch of the Master's Hand

Mark 6:56

'And withersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole'.

Christ had power enough to heal all of their sicknesses. All they needed to do was but have faith enough to reach out to him. And to touch.

Through His Atonement, He still has power enough to heal each one of us. Of sickness, heartache, sin, depression. The healing of His Atonement encompasses all darkness in this world, and is available to all in this world.

I am reminded of a poem that one of my companions on the mission would quote. I loved it so much, I too memorised it.

The Touch of the Master's Hand

Myra B. Welch

Twas battered and scarred and the auctioneer

thought it scarcely worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin,

But he held it up with a smile.

"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,

"Who'll start the bidding for me?

A dollar, a dollar, then, two! Only Two?

Two dollars, and who'll make it three?

Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;

Going for three..."

But no.

From the room, far back, a grey-haired man

Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,

And tightening a few loose strings,

He played a melody pure and sweet

As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,

With a voice that was quiet and low, said:

"What am I bid for the old violin?"

And he held it up with the bow.

"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?

Two thousand! And who'll make it three?

"Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice;

And going and gone." said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,

"We do not quite understand, what changed it's worth?"

Swift came the reply:

"The Touch Of The Master's Hand."

And many a man with his life out of tune,

and battered and scarred with sin,

Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,

Much like the old violin.

A 'mess of pottage,'a glass of wine;

A game - and he travels on.

He is 'going' once, and 'going' twice,

He's 'going' and almost 'gone'.

But the Master comes and the foolish crowd

Can never quite understand

The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought

By the Touch of the Master's Hand.

As I reflected on this poem, it brought me back to a few days back.

I was driving out of a store parking lot and was waiting in a line of cars to turn. I ended up idling right next to a man with a sign asking for money or food for his family. I shamefully considered to ignore him, but from where he was standing, I knew that was an obvious lie to him, and any unobservant bystander. Plus, my wallet with cash not yet returned to it's rightful place was sprawled out on my lap, where he could no doubt see. So, I did the obligatory thing, and wound down the window and handed him a few notes. Embarrassed for him, I didn't give any eye-contact, and did the exchange as quickly as possible, grateful that the line of cars were finally moving ahead.

As I drove home, I was so disappointed in myself. I wished I had seen this man, as Christ does. And treated him accordingly. He would have smiled, and tried to convey love in his eyes. He would have looked him in the eyes. I wish I had at least given him eye-contact and a smile. I wish my eyes were filled with the love of Christ for this man.

President Uchtdorf has shared:

'A story is told that during a bombing in a city in WW II, a large statue of Jesus Christ was severely damaged. When the townspeople found the statue among the rubble, they mourned because it had been a beloved symbol of their faith, and of God's presence in their lives.

Experts were able to repair most of the statue, but it's hands had been damaged so severely that they could not be restored. Some suggested that they hire a sculptor to make new hands, but others wanted to leave it as it was - a permanent reminder of the tragedy of war. Ultimately, the statue remained without hands. However, the people of the city added on the base of the statue of Jesus Christ a sign with these words: "You are my hands."

The Touch of the Master's Hand is available to all, sometimes through others' hands. Let's make those hands our own!