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!

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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.