Without Rain There Would Be No Flowers

 The rains ⛈️ last night had me thinking about the storms of life we must endure. Sometimes in the middle of a storm it is hard to remember that without rain and even sometimes destruction there would be no flowers or room for new growth. I know the Lord loves each of us. Perhaps it is only by suffering in our own personal Gethsemanes that we ever truly come to understand just how much He loves us. I hope that when the storms rage in your life you will be able to Look to Him in trust and faith and be able to see the “flowers” he sends to remind you of His love along the way. 🌸❤️ 

Find the Good - Be the Good

 This morning we talked about while we aren't supposed to judge other people, we are supposed to judge between good and bad and to choose the good. Mormon was one of the last prophets of the Book of Mormon and lived in very wicked times. But he was preaching to the people he called the "peaceable followers of Christ." He said he judged them this because of their "peaceable walk with the children of men." 

We live in wicked times and there is a lot that goes on in middle and high school (and the adult world too) that is not good. It does not bear good fruit in the end and bring happiness long term. Yes drugs may give you a momentary high but long term they destroy lives. We are to go into the wicked world and find the good. And we are the BE the Good. 

So I sent the kids off this morning with a challenge to be the good and look for the good. Find those things and people that are good and be the good in someone else's day. 

Noble's Thought and Mine

 This morning I asked Noble to give our spiritual thought. I figure I need to train him in thinking spiritually on his own and being prepared to give devotional thoughts in seminary next year. So here was his:

Everyday at school we see people doing things that aren't right. But Jesus teaches us that we should be loving to everyone and be kind and friendly to everyone. So even when we see people doing things we know are not right we need to not judge them and still be kind and friendly and love them. It's like the scriptures teach us to judge not because we each have our own things we do wrong too. 

Not a bad spiritual thought. I liked it.

As for my spiritual thought this morning - it came as I was praying this morning before going to wake up the kids. I was praying like I do most mornings that I would be helped to be a good mom. I mean we all need that help right? I have often said and thought that my role as a mother is to be an arrow that points my children to Christ. But this morning I felt something as I was praying that called me to a higher vision of my role as their mother. 

I am supposed to be more than an arrow. I need to walk with them and teach them to walk with Christ. I need to do more than tell them to do it. I need to take their hand and lift when they are weak and lend my strength to them to steady them in their wobbles. Just as I did when I taught them to walk, I need to cheer them on and comfort them when they fall. My job is more than just pointing the way, it is helping them walk in the Way. Yes, I need to talk and teach of Christ. Yes, I need to model the Way by walking the walk. They will learn by those things. But they need to stand up on their own feet and try it out themselves and they need me there to steady them and support them and cheer and comfort them in their efforts. 

And I need to have faith in them. They will learn to Walk in the Way. Even if they someday stray, They will know how to get back. And I will use this time while they are still young to teach them how.

Gratitude

 Our happiness is so tied to our ability to be grateful in all things. For our morning spiritual thought, we went back and forth saying things for which we are grateful. After as while, I challenged the kids to think of something that if a trial to them. Then I asked them to come up with something they can be grateful for about that trial. Harrison has a hard time with all the inappropriate things kids do and say in middle school. We have been working on loving people even when they do in appropriate things and don't stop when you ask them. He said he was grateful to be able to tell right from wrong because of this experience. I am grateful for his love of goodness and clear vision of right and wrong. 

Holding Hands with Jesus

 In primary we are singing a song about walking with Jesus. If we are walking with Jesus and holding His hand, He can strengthen us to do all things that are right and good even if they are seemingly impossible to do. As a friend in college once told me, "It is amazing what two people can do when one of them is God." 

Just as children walk holding their parents hand for safety in a parking lot or crossing a street, We need to have the humility of a child to understand we cannot see all the dangers around us or protect ourselves from every threat. Some tasks we are required to perform ARE more than we can do. God does sometimes give us trial, tests, or tasks that ARE more than we can handle - at least more than we can handle ALONE. 

He wants us to depend on Him. He wants us to know that is by Him that we are led, by Him that we are saved, and through Him that we can be made perfect. He does not want us to be independent of Him. He wants us to Come unto Him and to know Him and that through Him and with Him, we can do all things.

So how will you take the Savior's outstretched hand today? How will you walk with Him?