Lots of Stuff!

By lots of stuff, I mean just that. Lots of stuff, things, items that surround us daily in our homes.

Each year as Thanksgiving and Christmas season approach, I find myself counting my blessings. Blessings of health, family, temple covenants, my LDS faith, and yes, stuff.

However, as much I as a grateful for the material blessings in my life, I am also very aware that there are many who are less fortunate. Many who have so many fewer things than I do.

I am determined to help teach my children that material things are not as important as they may think, and really try to hit this idea home during the holiday season.

One way we try to teach our children this is by how we give presents. When my oldest daughter was 3 years old and the only grandchild on my side of the family, she was handed gifts from every direction. While I knew everyone, including my husband and I were well-meaning in these efforts, I realized that I wanted my children to cherish what they had and not be given everything they desire.

For the last 7 years, we have given each child 3 gifts at Christmas:

1- A Want
2-A Need
3-A Treasure

Although the wrapped gifts under our Christmas tree may look a little sparse compared to that of friends, my children have come to expect and support this tradition.

It's fabulous to see them writing out a "wish list" and thinking very carefully about what they want and need, instead of all the cool things they want that they saw in the local store ads.

Christmas morning is then spent unwrapping gifts for a short amount of time and then spending the rest of the time focusing of family and the true meaning of Christmas.

Yes, we still give them stuff, just in smaller, more meaningful doses.

Happy Fall and Thanksgiving!

Grace. 
This topic has been on my mind for some time and I had a conversation today with a friend that led me to sharing this story with her. We all need His Grace and we can all be beneficiaries of this gift. Why is this important? Because as Latter-day Saints who are striving for perfection, it is quite clear that none of us are, or ever will be (in this life) perfect. That’s where the need for Grace comes in.
As a mother who was looking for a way to teach my 2 oldest daughters how important it is to have a good attitude, make good choices and be kind, I decided to use an object lesson to allow them to see how the combined efforts of their actions add up to be either positive or negative. I created a “Sparkle Eyes Jar” and my children started filling up their mason jars with colorful craft pom poms as they made good choices. Since I also wanted them to see the effects of making poor choices, I also had them take pom poms out of their jar when these types of decisions and choices were made. When the jars were filled, the kids usually earned an added privilege such as staying up late on the weekend or ice cream for dinner.
One day my two daughters asked me to buy something for them. I decided instead, they could earn it by filling their jars. My third child, a son, had seen his sister’s work on filling their jars in the past and decided that this time, he also wanted to be a part of the action. He wanted to earn some cowboy boots.
So, I got a jar ready for him to begin filling. As a 4 year-old boy, this was no easy task for him. One minute he would be helping me clear the table with a good attitude, and the next minute he was fighting with his sisters over a toy. Long story short, he got very good at adding pom poms, and then having to take them out a few minutes later. After a few days of diligent effort, I started to see his discouragement and noticed that he only had a few pom poms in his jar. I tried to encourage him, but wondered if as a parent, I had asked too much of him. After about a week, and only 8 pom poms in his jar, he came to me and said. “Mom, I will never be able to earn my boots. I am trying so hard, but will never be able to fill my jar.”
My heart broke and I really wanted to find a way to help him earn them. I knew that as it stood, he may never earn them by himself. Easter was approaching, and I found myself pondering on the Atonement and Grace of the Savior. Then I sat down and wrote my 4 year-old son a note that I don’t think he will ever forget. I then filled the remainder of his jar, not with colored pom poms, but with very large, snow-white cotton balls, and placed it on the kitchen table on Easter morning right next to his new boots.
He now calls these his “Grace Boots.”
What does this have to do with all of us? I don’t know about you, but on a daily basis, I find myself adding AND removing pom poms from my figurative “Sparkle Eyes Jar.” I make a really great decision, and then one that’s not so good. Sometimes I feel like I am giving my all and that it just isn’t good enough. One particular Sunday I found myself alone in our Sacrament meeting with my 4 children (my husband was sitting on the stand) and after a long morning of me getting the kids up and ready for church alone, I was tired. The kids started fighting and I wondered why I always tried to make it there on time and ready to go each week. That’s when my 2 boys started fighting over a hard bound Book of Mormon (seriously?!?) and in their tug-of-war to be the end keeper of the book, it hit the bridge of my nose and broke the skin. Drops of blood trickled down my face. Then the losing son threw a punch that hit my face by mistake instead of his older brothers. As I sat in the pew that day , I wondered if my efforts were really good enough, even though the end results were far from perfect.

The lesson of my son’s Grace Boots filled my mind and I realized that even though I would never be able to fill my jar myself, because I was doing my best, Jesus could and would fill my jar with whatever I was lacking. The spirit then testified to me that His individual and collective efforts are more than mine will ever be, and THAT is and will be enough for me to earn my reward. Not boots, but Eternal Life.
I just wanted to share today that our best efforts are enough and that He will make up the difference.
He will fill our jars when we can’t. That is His gift.

2 Nephi 25:23
"For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."

"I Am A Child of God" Ring a Bell Love Challenge!

I posted about the Ring a Bell Challenge a few months ago and have had so many positive emails, texts and messages about it.

This love challenge is based on a personal experience I had while running a marathon, where I was struggling a needed a little bit of support to get me to the finish line. With the help of a supportive spectator who cheered me on while wildly ringing a cowbell, I was able to finish my race.

When I heard Elder Hallstrom's latest LDS General Conference talk, "I Am A Child of God","  I realized that I wanted to incorporate his talk into this challenge and add another challenge to the first: to ring a bell for ourselves.

As literal children of God, we are worth cheering on, and there is nothing wrong with us being the first person to cheer us on and remind us of our inner worth. Once we have that down, we are in a position to then ring the bell for others in need.

I am our ward girls camp leader this year, and am planning to hand out these bells along with the "Ring a Bell Challenge" cards after our hike tonight. We are going to first discuss Elder Hallstrom's talk about our divine nature and heritage and then discuss ways we can help ourselves and others through the tough times.

Please feel free to download, print or distribute these images.

What a better world we would live in if we all rang the bell for others. Words and criticism hurts and destroys. Unconditional love and inclusion heals hearts.

Happy Summer!

Seeing ourselves and others as a Child of God

If you follow @abundantlife30 on Instagram, and have been following our April 2016 General Conference Talk challenge, you know that we recently studied Elder Hallstrom's talk,

I Am a child of God


As I studied Elder Hallstrom's talk, my thoughts reflected back to one of the races I completed some years ago. Due to just having given birth to a baby and many church and family commitments that seemed to drain most of my energy, I was tired. To add to this,  I  also had 50 pounds of baby weight to lose this time around, and added chronic pain, which made training for this particular race was so very very hard. 

I plugged along every day and had to talk myself into continuing the training plan, wondering if I really was the runner that I told myself I was.  When I went to pick up my race packet and race shirt, I noticed that the official race shirt that was handed to me simply said  "Runner."

(Very) bright and early the next morning, I loaded a bus and drove what seemed like too long of a distance to be our race course. As I got off the bus and looked around at my racing partners, I was overcome with the feelings I had as I looked at everyone around me wearing the word, "Runner." 

Even though I didn't know most of these people, or anything about their struggles, I sensed a great respect for them in this race, because I knew what I had been through to get to the race. I imagined that while their stories where different from mine, that they, too, had had many challenges and pitfalls during their training. 

In the moments that followed, In my mind's eye, I saw each of those people wearing shirts that simply said. "Child of God." I realized that each and everyone one of these people were indeed a Child of God, and I had immense and almost overwhelming  respect for them because of not only WHO they were (a runner) but more importantly WHOSE they were.

This was a life-changer for me. It helped me to see others as God sees them. Now as I get frustrated with or hurt by someone, It helps me if I imagine them wearing a "Child of God." shirt. I am then able to see them for who they really, have insight about their inherent worth, and serve them an added measure of love.

#abundantlife30 #generalconferencechallenge #ldschurch #ldsconf

Mothers Day Challenge Day 5

Quality 5: Mothers Have FAITH

Alma 56:47-48

 47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

 48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.

The story of the 2,000 stripling warriors led by Helaman is one of my favorite scriptures stories. These young men had never fought, yet they had total trust in Heavenly Father because their mothers, in total faith had taught them, not just by word, but by example.

What a testament to influence of righteous mothers. 

We are so blessed to have so many faithful women in our Church!

#abundantlife30 #ldschurch #mormon #mothers #motherhood

Link to this story of the 2,000 stripling warriors is in my profile.

Happy Mother's Day from my family to yours!

Mothers Day Challenge Day 4

Quality 4: Mothers develop CHARITY

Talk: Daughters of God

By, Elder M. Russell Ballard

"There is no role in life more essential and more eternal than that of motherhood."                           - Elder Ballard

It is important to note that Elder Ballard titles this talk to include all women of the Church-ALL of the daughters of God. 

Mothers, and all who mother, have the unique opportunity to work towards developing the Christ-like trait of charity. Working with young children who rely on mothers for almost everything can definitely try one's patience and energy reserves.

Yet, as we mother our children, and children in the realm of our influence, we can, with the help of the Lord, develop charity for them.

Young mothers, please take time to listen to this inspired talk. Elder Ballard gives some powerful and heartfelt insight that applies to you. And I love how he cheers us on in this journey!

#abundantlife30 #ldschurch #mormon #mothers #motherhood

Mothers Day Challenge Day 3

Remember our April General Conference talk challenge begins again Monday.

Quality 3: Mothers are DIVERSE and appreciate the DIVERSITY of all covenant-keeping women

Talk: Are We Not All Mothers?

By, Sister Sheri L. Dew

"Motherhood is more than bearing children. … It is the essence of who we are as women.

As mothers in Israel, we are the Lord’s secret weapon. Our influence comes from a divine endowment that has been in place from the beginning." -Sister Sheri Dew

I love this talk about motherhood because it is so tender and heartfelt, but also because it comes from a wonderful and talented Church leader, who has not yet had a chance to marry or bear children-yet look at the many people she has mothered!

Righteous women are diverse! Some are single, and some are married. Some have no children, some have adopted, and others have given birth to their children.  We come from different family situations, levels of education, languages spoken, and financial opportunities. We have diverse  strengths and weaknesses,  experience various trials and have unique talents.

Despite these differences, we all have the same unified goal-to do our best to live righteous lives and to return to live with our Heavenly Father again.

The key is to appreciate our differences. We can either choose to envy those with situations and talents we want, and criticize those with situations different from our own, or we can look for the commonality among us.  We are all daughters of God.  Unified women are play a critical role in the Church as we help set the example for our own children, children in our extended families, and all children in the realm of our daily influence.

I envision righteous women collectively as being flowers and trees in the beautiful garden of our Heavenly Father. We are daisies, tulips, violets, forget-me-nots, and strawberry blossoms. Each offering our own unique beauty, fragrance and contribution. None is more important or beautiful than other, and collectively, we better the world.

#abundantlife30 #ldschurch #mormon #mothers #motherhood

Attachments area