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This morning I am grateful for a fussy baby who has needed
to be held, rocked, and cuddled a little more than usual. It has made me slow down and think about my
feelings of the past 24 hours. I went to
bed last night with a very troubled heart.
Feelings about my personal beliefs, concerns about the economy, the
future of a healthcare profession that we believe in and have invested much time, money and tuition $$ under the implementation
of new healthcare laws, and I will admit my inner two-year-old wanted to come
out and whine “It’s not fair!" :) I was going to college in Utah during the financial
disaster that preceded the 2001 Winter
Olympics and witnessed firsthand the miraculous results of Mitt Romney coming
in and saving the day. I was so hoping
for the same outcome for our country. Even
more than that though, I was sad as I looked at the results of our local races. A phrase kept running through my head from a song that I sang often in church throughout my youth- “The truth and values we
embrace are mocked on every hand.” I won’t
lie. I’m sad. I feel like the times I grew up in certainly
had their challenges. But nothing
compared to what my kids will be faced with.
I’ve always known that would be the case. It’s just so blatently obvious to me
today. I feel like it’s hard enough to
be a kid and to make the choices that will bring the lasting happiness that
Heavenly Father wants so badly for us. Now
we have thrown legal drugs and a changed definition of marriage into the
mix. Raising a happy Christ-centered
family in these circumstances seems like
a daunting task.
This morning was no different than any other, except that I
woke up with a knot in my stomach. I woke up early, read scriptures and prayed
with my family like we do every morning, fed my kids, bathed the baby, packed
lunches, and got everyone out the door.
When I finally had a chance to sit down and rock Camden, I realized how
grateful I am for my role as a mother. I’m
grateful that my children have a Dad who loves them and helps them feel safe
and secure. I’m grateful that whatever
is happening outside of our home, within our walls we have the opportunity and
the privilege to love them, to teach them how much Heavenly Father and Jesus
Christ love them. To teach them what a
precious gift from God our physical bodies are and how very important it is
that we take care of them and don’t make choices that can lead to addictions,
more bad choices, and heartache. Most of
all, I’m grateful to share with them the joy that we feel in family life and
teach them that this is how God wanted it.
That marriage is sacred. That man
and woman were designed to marry and bring children into this world. And especially that we can be together
forever. When I think of the opportunity
we have to teach our children these truths, I’m not (as) scared anymore.
Another phrase that’s been rolling around in my head this
morning comes from a scripture found in The Book of Mormon - 2 Ne. 31:20
Wherefore, ye must press
forward with a asteadfastness
in Christ, having a perfect brightness of bhope,
and a clove
of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the
word of Christ, and dendure
to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eeternal
life.
Today I’m going to focus on that “perfect brightness of hope”. Am I thrilled with the election
results? No. But as I told my kids- the greatest thing we
can do for a president we don’t love is to pray for him. The greatest thing we can do if we’re
concerned about our country is pray for it.
As tempted as Dan and I were to pack up and move last night as marijuana
and same-sex marriage were both legalized, we know that Washington is where we’re
supposed to be. We believe there is good
to be done where we’re at. So we will
focus on doing good in our community. We
will continue to treat all people with love and respect as fellow Children of
God. We will teach our children to do
the same and stress to them that we love everyone. We will also teach them that we do not love everyone’s actions, and
that our beliefs continue to and will always come from the gospel of Jesus
Christ and not the world’s shifting moral values.
Again- I’m thankful for a fussy baby that allowed me to find
peace in my role as a mom amidst so much uncertainty in my heart this morning. I looked up all the words to all the verses
to that song I sang as a youth and realized that by changing the word “youth”
to “parents”, it described my position perfectly.
As parents in these latter days, we stand with valiant heart,
With promise shining in our eyes,
Resolved to do our part.
Upon a noble past we build; the future
fills our view.
We face the challenge of our day and
pledge we will be true.
The truths and values we embrace are
mocked on every hand.
Yet as we listen and obey we know we
can withstand
The evils that would weaken us, the
sin that would destroy
With faith, we hold the iron rod and
find in this our joy.
Thru test and trial we’ll have our
fears, but we will not despair.
We’re here to serve a righteous cause;
truth gives us strength to dare.
We’ll learn and love and overcome; we’ll
sing a joyful song,
As parents in these latter days, triumphant, pure, and
strong.
