Why do I go to church?

I was recently asked to accompany the sister missionaries in our ward to a lesson. They said their investigator was having trouble understanding why it's so important to go to church every week. They asked me to share some thoughts about why and what keeps me going to church. 

I had a morning to reflect and gather my thoughts together. 

"Why do I go to church?"

"Well, 1. It's a commandment,

And 2......it gives me strength. (Period)"

People complain about 3 hours of church, but for me, I need EVERY SECOND! Weeks are long and hard. Between craziness of family, work and friends, trials and hard times fall on everyone. Those 3 hours are crucial to stay on top of Satan. He tries to bring us down and make us feel like it's not important to go to church. I recently saw a quote that I love, 

"Satan tries to limit our praying because he knows our praying will limit him." 

It's the same with church. It builds me up and makes me stronger. 

I get spiritual armor that helps me withstand the constant blows of the adversary and harsh world. I am renewed and built up on Sunday's. I feel loved by those around me. I feel stronger knowing those in my neighborhood and community are trying just as hard as I am to get through life. We all come to church to make ourselves better and to gain strength from each other. 

We come to worship our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ. We renew our covenants to always remember Him in all we do and say. 

Church also teaches our children about the scriptures, and how to live life! My children are taught how to be reverent, how to have fun, sing, and pray. Children will not know how to act if they go to church every once in a while. They have to be trained and taught how to behave in a church setting constantly and consistently. School teachers can see the difference between children who attend church regularly and who don't. Children who attend church can sit still and be quiet during lessons.

Why do I go to church?
 For me, for my family, and for my armor.
I need church to help me fight everyday against Satan. We live in a battlefield. We fight everyday to choose right over wrong. The gospel of Jesus Christ builds you up, it gives you the tools, metal and instructions to build your armor. It teaches you how to defend your homes, your family and your spirit.

Going to church is not easy, but it is DEFINITELY WORTH IT!

Famous vs Greatness

Today we had an amazing RS lesson on True Greatness. 

What is the difference between greatness and famous.

It seems like most famous people are not "great" people. Do they hold traits that we desire for ourselves to have? Does money and wealth measure true greatness? 

I want to know what happened. 

In the 50's the top 5 "greatest people" were Winston Churchill, Harry Truman, Helen Keller, Queen Elizabeth, and Albert Schweitzer.

I decided to search"great people today" and some of the first things that pop up are "top 10 greatest business leaders," "Famous people of today," "Find out what famous person shares your birthday!" 

I have always believed that everyone is great in their own way. Everyone has a choice to make in what way they want to be "great." They can choose to be a great wife, a great mom, husband, businessman, teacher, sailor, pilot, street sweeper etc. Whatever you want to excel in you will if you put your mind to it.

I think of everyone who has had "great influence" in my life, not one of them is worldly famous.

When you have people who stand up for what they believe like honesty, love, and God; they chose to be great. When you have people fighting for our country in small and big ways, they choose to be great. When the woman down the road holds a preschool to shape the young lives of children today; she has chosen to be great. When a husband or father doesn't complain about his tiring job; he has chosen to be great. When a mom cleans the house as fast as she can, just to sit down to read to her children, she has chosen to be great.

Greatness is kindness, love, service, generosity, selflessness, humility and more.

I've been thinking about how I can teach our children how to be "great?"

I think that simply teaching them how to pray to the greatest thing that exists to all of mankind is considered "great." They humbly kneel to offer up praise to such a supreme being they can't physically and spiritually live without is the best lesson we can teach our children. Give thanks for what He has generously provided us and to gently ask for things we need, not want.

"By small and simple things are great things brought to pass."
Simple prayers humbly whispered to our Heavenly Father opens a line of communication and help no one on earth can describe.

Another way to teach our children how to be "great" is by serving our fellow men. The unnoticed acts of love and service provided by a humble friend. To the world they may not be "great," but to the recipient of the service they received, they are the "greatest!"

"To the world you may just be one person, but to one person you may be the world."

In the world "greatness" is construed by social media, books, and more. Keep your eye on the glory of God. He is the true judge of greatness. "Remember the worth of souls is GREAT in the sight of God." Never think for one second that you aren't "great" just because your name or face isn't on TV or the radio. Choose to be great in your family and your community. Greatness is measured by the lives you touch for good. Who's life can you change for the better?
No one is like you. You have a mind set unlike anyone else. God made who you are for a reason. You were meant to find, help and aid those around you. Who you are, is truly great.

(I want to be fearless, fun, happy and loving like my little superhero)

There are no small miracles

I've come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a small miracle. 

On Tuesday around 5:30pm our 5 year old June and 3 year old Connor were playing around after dinner while I washed the dishes. All of a sudden I heard June scream, Connor came out of the master bedroom saying very calmly, "Mom, June hurt herself." The next thing I heard was a blood curdling scream not like her usual timid yell for me when she falls down and bumps her arm. I raced back to the bedroom and saw June on her hands and knees as blood was dripping from her head and pooling on the floor. She said in panic, "MOM! WHERE IS IT BLEEDING?!" She didn't know what she had hit. I turned her over quickly and saw a HORRIBLE gash on her head. I instantly thought "Stitches!"

I ran into the master bath and grabbed bath tissue to help wipe off some blood from her face. I pinched her head and told her to walk with me into the kitchen where my phone was, she started panicking and hyperventilating saying she couldn't breathe and she tasted blood. I tried to calm her as I kept pinched her gash together to try to slow the bleeding. I went from a nervous 7 to a 20 with her saying she couldn't breathe. Did she hit her neck? Was she bleeding inside her throat? Why is she tasting blood? I grabbed my phone and tried to call my husband who was in a meeting. No answer. She was struggling to breathe so I did what I had to, called 911. They answered quickly and I told them the situation and they called an ambulance to come. 

I laid her down on the floor by the front door. They came in the door 5 minutes later. Thank heaven we live in the small town I grew up in and I knew 4 of the 5 people who walked through the door. It was a HUGE blessing to be able to tell June that I knew all of these men and they were VERY nice. June even knew one of the volunteer EMT's, her little friend Wyatt's dad. He could only be there for a few minutes, but it was a HUGE blessing that she could recognize a face in the middle of all the unknown men.

The thing that breaks your heart most about such a traumatic experience is the pure fear in your child's eyes. Thank heaven by the time the EMT's walked in the door my husband called back and I told him to rush home. Another sweet blessing is that we just happen to live across the street from my parents. They had just arrived home from a small trip so I called my dad to come get Connor while we take June to the hospital. He was able to be over in 1 minute while they assessed June. One of the EMT's mentioned to me while checking June said, "Good job mom for getting this to stop bleeding before we got here." It was nice to know I provided a tiny bit of help. My husband then arrived to  silent stress and a fear stricken wife and daughter. Bless his soul, he knows what do under pressure. He was a combat medic and certified EMT for 5 years while we were in the Air Force so it helped having him arrive so quickly. He knew his way around an emergency situation and ambulance and could help. We pulled out of the drive way and I saw my dad standing in his doorway just in shock that his sweet 5 year old granddaughter was being taken in an ambulance on a stretcher. I waved quickly as I kept up with the ambulance. Josh rode in the ambulance with June as I drove the car RIGHT behind them. I didn't want that vehicle out of my sight. It held two of my most precious possessions, one of which was hurt. We made it to the hospital in 3 minutes, yet another blessing that we live in a small town and everything is close and there is NEVER any traffic. 

I pulled into a parking place and ran out of the car waiting for them to bring my sweet child out. I was thankful Josh was inside with her so she wouldn't be to scared.

They got her out of the ambulance and into the ER quickly.

No other patients were in the ER so the doctor and nurses could help her immediately. They were all very nice and helpful. One nurse gave her a new stuffed animal within the first 2 minutes of her arrival. I've never seen a child grab a stuffed animal so gratefully, and put it under their arm and hold it so tight, in a quick fluid motion. She was SO thankful to have something to hold other than mom's hand. Mom's hand got in the way of the doctor and nurses taking vitals, the stuffed moose didn't. June loves to come up with names for her toys. I asked her what she wanted to name it and she said, "Moosey Moo." ha ha.

We got her checked in quickly and doctors said she needed a cat scan to be sure she didn't break any cheek bones or bones behind her eye. It was a very hard hit and they needed to be sure there wasn't any brain damage. I HATED looking at that deep gash, I wished they could have just sewn it right up before she had her tests done.

About 20 minutes into being there our Bishop showed up to see how we were. He and Josh gave June a small sweet blessing. It was so nice of him to stop by to be sure she was alright, and if Josh and I were ok. Two minutes after he left, my sister Candace showed up. It was so nice that June could see how many people were worried about her and came to her aid immediately. Candace called her husband (my brother in-law) - he's an optometrist, to come look at June's eye. My brother-in-law came 10 minutes later to check it out. Everything seemed good. He had explained that he was looking to be sure the bones behind her eye didn't pop. Those can break and small bone fragments can get into your blood stream and harm you terribly. June's eye was good, what a relief.

We went into the cat scan and Josh stayed with her telling her to remain very still. He talked with her perfectly kept her calm. What a good daddy. My good friend Mandy from High School was the on call technician. It was so nice to have a friend there. She hugged and asked me, "How in the world are you staying so calm?!" I sighed and thought, do I look calm? Because I am at my nerves end about to bawl! It kills me to see such fear, hurt and pain in my baby girl.

We took her back into the ER to wait for the results. They put numbing gel into her gash. We waited for it to work then she would get her stitches.
It felt like over an hour they finally came over and started to test around her gash to see if she felt anything. It looked like she was good and he grabbed the packet to start giving her stitches. The doctor threaded the needle and we held June down in case she jumped. She instantly screamed. She could feel EVERYTHING! OH NO! SHE WASN'T NUMB! Poor girl. We had to continue. After he finished the first stitch he put a lidocaine shot into her gash and around to hopefully ease the pain. Lidocaine shots HURT to she screamed more. He said she would need 5-6 stitches before but now that she was crying so hard he only gave her 3. In my mind I thought, this was a facial wound I wanted him to keep stitching, 3 more minutes of pain would be sure the scar was small and not big. But he stopped at 3. Grrrrr.....

When they were done I picked her up and held her close and rocked her back and forth to stop her crying. It also helps to stop crying when the nurse is gives you a sucker and tells you, you were so brave!

We got the results from her cat scan and it all looks good. We were told to keep a close watch on her. The doctor said it sometimes take 3-4 weeks for a brain injury to show up on a cat scan. If she throws up, think head injury. If she can't walk straight and can't remember things, think head injury. Bring her back if any of those things occur.
We were discharged and took off back home.

My parents went to the store with Connor and got June a balloon and flowers. She was very happy, but VERY TIRED. We thanked my parents and put the kids to bed. June slept with Josh and I so we could wake her up through the night to be sure she didn't become unconscious.
It was a long night.

We woke up to a tired sick girl. She started throwing up after breakfast. We tried to give her sips of water but that seemed to make it worse. Two minutes after she drank or ate something it came right back up. We made "camp" in the living room. June had every luxury a sick child would need. A couch, a TV, a bowl, blanket and a mom who kept getting her cold wash cloths for her head. We read lots of books and kept changing small ice packs for her swollen face. June continued to throw up all morning. She fell asleep at about 11. Josh and I said that after she woke up we would see if she continued to throw up we would take her to the doctor. We assumed she had a light concussion because of the throwing up, she was dizzy when she walked to the bathroom. But she wasn't light sensitive and no headache. We kept close watch on her for her 4 hour nap. She was exhausted from her injury, her long night of being constantly woken up and from throwing up all morning.

She woke up a new girl. She said she was thirsty so we gave her tiny sips of water. She held it down. Next she said she was hungry. I got her a little bit of rice and fed it to her practically one grain at a time. She held it down.

YAY! She started eating a little bit more and a little bit more. She asked if she could get up and play with Connor. She went downstairs a new girl! She was back. Aside from her bruised/swollen face she acted the same as she always had. She started talking faster and faster. She told Connor how amazing the hospital was, that she got to ride in a big truck, they gave her suckers and a toy. She said it was great! Ha ha ha. Her tune was very different yesterday!

We were so thankful we didn't have to go back to the doctor to check to see if her head injury worsened.
The next day I was thinking about the placement of her injury.
It was a miraculous blessing that it was in the exact place it was. Half an inch closer to her eye and she would have broken the bones behind her eye and her cheek bone. An inch to the other side and it would have hit her temple and would have been even worse.
Angels were truly watching over her. There are NO small miracles. I kept seeing such sweet small blessings as I reflected on the events of the previous day.
Everything went smoothly and exactly the way it was supposed to.

Our Father in heaven watched over our sweet girl and protected her from a serious injury this week. I know and understand that won't always be the case. Everything happens for a reason good and bad. I have faith that He will ALWAYS be there when we need Him. Through the good and through the bad I trust my life and experience on earth will be what I need to grow. Growing can be hard, our trials and tests will make us stronger and in the end we will have more faith and love than before.

There are no small miracles.

Trapped

Visiting with my sister at her home one day, my little boy wanted a snack. I said, "There are snacks in my purse in the car, you can go grab them and bring them inside." He has done this before and so I thought nothing of it. Standing visiting back and forth for a few minutes near the front door, I had a feeling to go check on him. He had only been gone for 4 minutes, but still I thought it was necessary. Other times he gets distracted and starting jumping on her rocks or playing in her dirt. Another time I went out there and he was pretending to drive the car. I got in the car and he had pushed so many buttons while it was off that my car sounded like it was having a panic attack! Music up high, windshield wipers on, air full blast, etc. But this small venture to the car was different. 

I walked to the car to find him crying and pushing on the door over and over. He had shut the door and couldn't get it open again. He had pulled the handle but the car door was still attached. I quickly opened the door and held him close. He was so relieved that I came to find him. I kept saying over and over, "I will always come find you. I promise." As he cried, buried is head in my shoulder and as I held him close, I kept repeating, "It's ok. I will ALWAYS come to find you. I promise." He said through his tearful exhausted voice, "I was in there all day! I was so scared!" 

I am thankful for the Holy Ghost in my life and direction he sends me. He helps me and protects me daily.

We have all been trapped in a situation where we feel there is no escape. Literally or spiritually. When we feel like all hope is lost there is someone who will ALWAYS come find us. Jesus Christ, our Savior and Shepard. He is there when no one else is. When we are trapped and the door we frantically try to open won't budge, He will always find us and rescue us.

I am sorry this happened to our little boy, but yet thankful for the guidance of spiritual promptings. I am also thankful to reflect on this occasion and liken it to our Savior. I know he is real and he will ALWAYS come to our rescue. 

I can see Him hold us and say, 

"I will always come find you, I promise."

The Mountain of the Lord

Today in Sunday School some wonderful comments were said that I just had to share. 

2 Nephi 12:3 

"And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."

I love that the temple is called the "Mountain of the Lord." 

The temple is where we receive instruction and He teaches us His ways and shows us how to walk in His paths.

The mountains are an amazing place. You literally feel closer to the Lord, amongst pure nature - the way He created it. All through the Bible and Book of Mormon prophets went to the mountains to gain knowledge and to converse with the Lord. Moses, the Brother of Jared, Nephi and many more. It's amazing that true prophets of the Lord went to the mountains to gain truth and be personally instructed by the Lord. It was the closest thing they had to a temple.

Mountains are a holy place. If you think of a mountain and a temple you can see and analyze many similarities between these two majestic places.

Peace - Serene - Pure

Tall and strong

The rivers and blessings flow down and out from it.

You can't look at a temple without looking up, just like a mountain - you always look UP.

A beacon to the world

Mountains and temples point to heaven

Places of learning

Beautiful

Etc.

I'm thankful for the opportunity I had to dwell and ponder on this verse of scripture today. To look at how the prophets of old spoke of a temple, and to compare it to a mountain. The similarities are amazing. The scriptures are wonderful and give me added insight into what I need personally. I love sharing small bits of what I learn in life and in church. It strengthens my testimony and builds me up! 

(A few of the Mountains of the Lord we have visited)

(Logan Utah Temple Summer 2015)

(Salt Lake Temple - 2008)

(Payson Utah Temple Open house - 2015)

(Jordan River Temple - 2008)

(Provo Utah Temple - 2016)

Eating life one bite at a time

This afternoon I was making about 100 small cookies for a big youth activity my husband was involved with. I decided to make the cookies during nap time. 

June loves to help me and just watch in the kitchen. It's always fun to have a little friend to cook with. 

When the cookies were done and nap time was over, I called both kids up to the kitchen to have their cookies. Connor immediately took his cookie and ate it whole. In one bite it was gone. I don't think he even tasted it. Then June took the cookie, ate a small bite and asked if she could save the rest for later.

I was shocked for a second at her request but then I said, yes. 

She later came up and ate the rest of her cookie and spoke of how good it was. Connor was mad at himself and asked for another cookie. The cookies were gone to the activity by then and a few tears were shed because he hadn't taken the time to "portion out" his cookie.

I found this little scenario interesting and likened it to life in general. 

Sometimes we want to take a million projects on all at once, and don't realize our growth in the process.

Life can be overwhelming in itself, but taken step by step can be beautiful and in this case, delicious.

I feel as a mother, I have to do a million things at once, groceries, laundry, preschool, church, cooking, dishes, playing with kids and more. It's a lot to swallow. 

I love the phrase, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time."

(My dad once told me that when he caught me in one of my long tangents of lists of 'to-do's')

Yes, there are day's where we will eat the whole cookie and just swallow without tasting it. But if we work on taking one bite at a time and portioning out our life, we will be able to taste the flavor and relish the sweet taste of the little things in life. 

Preschool day's and childhood in general are passing faster than I ever imagined. I know all too soon they will be gone forever. If I could portion out my chores and spend more time with what is REALLY important I will taste the sweetness and recognize the growth of body and spirit. 

Eating life one bite at a time. 

___________________________________________

This can also be likened to scripture study.

When we read 10 chapters of the scriptures all in one day, did we really taste them? Did we feel our spirits change? When we read the words of God, we need to study them, liken them to ourselves. Ponder and make a change in our lives to be better today than we were yesterday. 

Portioning out the scriptures and taking them one bite at a time, helps us grow and develop into the person our Father in Heaven wants us to be.

I love to read the scriptures and find a verse or two that really strike me. I write them down or type them up and keep them in a place I can see often. I re read them and try to apply them to myself. 

I'm thankful for the scriptures in my life and how they help me grow. They are truly delicious!

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Motherhood Memory #3

(My baby girl smiling at my smile)

You're Cinderella!

It was a busy morning of chores and errands.

I asked my daughter June (5) to take a towel and a toy downstairs. 

She said, "Mom, why do I have to put these away?!" (With a big sigh...)

I calmly (said with a sigh of my own), "June, who makes the food, cleans up the kitchen, cleans the house and does the laundry?"

June pointed to me- then I said, "So, can't I ask for help sometimes?"

She paused for a moment and said,

"You're Cinderella!" (Haha)

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All mothers are Cinderella's! All women are Princesses, even if most days we don't feel like one. We are daughters of a King. Our Father in Heaven who is above all gives us our royal and divine heritage. 

Sometimes we forget that even princesses like Cinderella, do the laundry, wash the windows, cook, clean, sew, and much more. Just because most days we feel like a scullery maid doesn't mean we are one. We need to remember that we are all princesses, true daughters of a king. 

We are Cinderella!

Our Heavenly King is always watching us as we progress through "princess training." We have to prove that we are worthy of such a title. To prove ourselves I believe we have to earn it. Hard work, dedication, and an optimistic attitude of life will witness of our royal endeavor. I LOVE the new Cinderella movie that has the theme of "Have Courage and Be Kind." It truly echoes what a princess is, and what we should always strive to be. Having courage through life will help us have faith instead of fear. Remember, fear is the opposite of faith. When we are kind to those around us, they will enjoy our company and want to be with us more. Kindness turns simple traits into amazing characteristics. Helping others along our way blesses us more than those we aid. 

As princesses of the Most High we are expected to act as such. As princesses we need to have the best manners and etiquette around. Would princesses start rumors? Would princesses make rude comments, or make others feel bad about themselves? 

-No-

Princesses would go out of their way to help others. Show kindness and love to those who they associate with. And they would NEVER make anyone feel bad about themselves.

Be a true Cinderella. We all have to clean, cook, wash, mend, and scrub, but we can do it with a happy heart and a sweet tune to hum. Those around us will find our attitude of life contagious and we will bless those whom we associate with.

"This home is filled with endless love and laundry!"