By His Grace I Can.

I don't know about you, but I tend to cringe when I hear this phrase.  "She's a good mom" makes me think that there must be one set of criteria that determines what makes a mother a good one.   In reality, God created each of us  distinctly for  unique missions .   How can a bird fulfill the measure of its creation if it's trying to be like a rhinoceros?  Wouldn't an ant's amazing strength go untapped if it was expending all of its energy trying to look like a butterfly?   How will my family rise to our greatest if I am trying to get them to be like someone else's family?   How will each of my children reach their greatest potential if I am trying to mold them in to a stereotypical box? And won't I do better as a mom if I feel like I'm a good mother instead of comparing and doubting and wondering, and put my intent and energy in to the family I've got with the strengths that I've been given? What I'd love to hear is, "she's...

Imagine yourself at the bottom of a deep dark hole.  At the top you see an often blue sky, puffy clouds, sunset and sunshine.  Yet regardless of your seemingly constantly efforts to get out of this pit, you never are able to.  Sure the pin light perspective of nature brings you hope and moments of happiness, but you feel so far removed from it.  Your tireless attempts leave you exhausted, irritable, frustrated, discouraged, doubtful and depressed.  Within ear shot you hear so many others who are loving life, but regardless of what you have, your blessed circumstances or even who loves you, you just don't feel it. Though you want nothing more, you simply can't understand how the sunshine feels. Through a series of promptings from God, you & your husband take a leap of faith and move your family of 6 across the country, in the middle of the COLD Midwest Winter.  You find yourself much CLOSER to home, but still 3 hours from family and feeling very much...

A few years ago I was getting too caught up in the news and started worrying about raising my kids in this day and age.  As I was driving one day the thought came to me that I am not in charge of my children's salvation.  I can sure contribute to their gospel knowledge & happiness while on earth, and help point them to Jesus, but it is not up to me to "save them".  It is up to the Savior.  That is His role.  The eternal salvation of our Heavenly Father's children is a heavy and dear responsibility and He has not entrusted it to us His mortal imperfect children.  He allows us to take part in the process but He is not relying on us to make it happen.  He has wisely and carefully selected the One who can be entrusted with that, our elder brother Jesus Christ.   That thought brought me so much peace and relief.  I get to take part in that process, but it is not up to me. What a weight off my shoulders.  I started thinking of the...

TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013 Letting Go a  Little. I feel like the Lord is tutoring me lately.  It's amazing how the Spirit can soften my heart and help me to change like no one else.  For as long as I can remember I've clung to structure and my way of doing things.  For the last several years I've worked so hard to become more of a scheduled, disciplined, organized person.  I love having my weekly menus planned out, staying within a budget, trying to keep my house in order.  Although these are all important things, I'm starting to realize that they are not the end goal...they are the means to a much larger goal. This week we were fortunate to have cousins over to play.  Their van wasn't starting and a morning play date was running into nap time.  I was trying to be flexible, but I kept thinking that the girls might wake up my sleeping boys...then what?  How would I get dinner fixed?  As these thoughts were running through my head the...