Miracle

I know it's been a while. Actually there were two separate times I should have posted, but I didn't and now I can't remember what the tender mercies were. I don't like that one bit. I don't want the Lord to think I'm not thankful. Remembering is so important!
Today I want to share with you a little miracle that happened in our family. Sunday night my oldest son woke up to go to the bathroom. He then came and told us the toilet was over flowing. I asked him if it was all over the floor. He said, "no it's just going into the trash." I didn't understand. My husband went to check on it and didn't see anything so we both just fell back asleep. When I woke up the next morning, after my husband- I love sleeping in-, he told me how the back of the toilet the tank (the part that holds the water) had a crack in it. It was leaking all night long. Who knows how that part of the toilet gets a crack? I would understand if it was the toilet seat or even the bowl. Our kids tend to slam the toilet seat down pretty hard after going to the bathroom. But no one ever touches the back part. After looking at the crack, my husband told me the miracles that we received. First it was a miracle that our trash can was under the toilet and not where it usually is, and there wasn't any trash in it. Second, is that the trash can didn't overflow at all with water. The leak was only dripping a little at a time, crazy for how big the crack was. Yes we do have to buy a new toilet, something I wish we didn't have to do. But we don't have to replace the entire bathroom. The water was contained. It didn't leak onto the floor and into the basement. Still sitting here thinking about it, it is just crazy that there wasn't any more damage. It was a miracle. A tender mercy. A wonderful blessing to our family from the Lord!

Selfish

Yesterday and today I have felt so selfish. My husband has five brothers. One of his brothers lost his job the week before Christmas. It's been hard on their family. But they've seen it as a blessing because now he is going to open up his own business. That is amazing to me that they are seeing it as a blessing and not dwelling on the loss. On Saturday we were told that another one of my husbands brothers also lost his job. They are not sure what they are going to do. We had a family fast yesterday for both families. It was a blessing to be able to fast together, and a blessing for me in another way. It helped to me to view our situation a little differently. Yes it's hard to be separated during the weeks. Yes it's been frustrating when things happen at home when I have to deal with them without my husband being there. But he does have a job. That is a huge blessing. We have a roof over our heads. We have warm clothes for our children. We have food on our table. We are blessed! There is a reason that our family is still going through this trial. I need to stop being selfish and start trusting in the Lord more.

Surprise

Last night, Thursday, I didn't get to talk to my husband. He was busy at work. So I went to bed. He called me a little after 11 p.m. saying he was sorry. He had to take care of a few things so he could come home sooner tomorrow. Even though I was half listening and half asleep I was happy because I assumed that meant he would be home about 1 pm. He has staff meetings every Friday morning that are mandatory.
I don't remember hearing anything, not even the door open. I just sensed something so I opened my eyes and saw a tall black figure walking around in my room. I jumped and screamed a little. It was my husband. He had finished all of his work that he had for today and left as soon as he was finished. His boss had told him yesterday afternoon that there wasn't going to be a staff meeting, so he asked if he could do some work from home. I wasn't mad that he had scared me half out of my bed. I was so glad to see him, even at 2 in the morning! He joked telling me that it was tomorrow. What a wonderful surprise and just what I needed. A tender mercy from my Heavenly Father.

Hard Times

Today has been a hard day. I miss my husband more than I can put into words. I haven't been feeling well, and my kids have been sick. Sounds depressing doesn't it? Well I'm telling you because it's times like these that I have to try to see the blessings in my life. So that is what I started to do this afternoon. I am blessed. I have three beautiful children, who are healthy (most of the time). My husband does have a job. We have food on the table and we can pay our bills. Then after listing some of these basic, and important, blessings I have in my life, were some of my prayers answered.
I was reminded that Heavenly Father is in or lives more than we know. Sometimes we have bad days and sometimes we have good days. If we didn't have bad days then we wouldn't know the difference when a good day came along.

They do listen when we teach

I just finished listening to my oldest son's (7 years old) prayer. My favorite part was this, "...and I love you. And tell Jesus I love him too..." I love how innocent, pure, and that just by listening to that little part of his prayer I know he is learning the gospel.

Looking Back

As many of you know my husband works 2 and 1/2 hours away so he is gone during the week and home most weekends. The week before last he was 'on call' and had to stay down to work for 8 days in a row. Those are always the hardest weeks for me. Then last week, the week following his 'on call' week, he gets to be home for 3 days. He still works at his other job, but he is home at night. We get to have family dinner and life seems normal again. Then the next week comes, this week, and he is gone again for the week. These are the hardest times for me. They are inconsistent and emotionally draining. Sometimes I get a little down when he has to go back after being home for a few days in a row. I miss him so much! I have to stop, think, regroup, and make my self look back and see all of the little blessings and tender mercies that I was given during the hard weeks. I really am so blessed! I know that I wouldn't have been able to make it this long in this trial without the help of my Father in Heaven. So why is it that sometimes I still have a hard time remembering that I'm not alone?
I was thinking about this very question last night when I found this quote by Elder Richard G. Scott, "The world is like a jungle, with dangers that can harm or mutilate your body, enslave or destroy your mind, or decimate your morality. It was intended that life be a challenge, not so that you would fail, but that you might succeed though overcoming. You face on every hand difficult but vitally important decisions. There is an array of temptations, destructive influences, and camouflaged dangers, the like of which no previous generation has faced. I am persuaded that today no one, no matter how gifted, strong, or intelligent, will avoid serious problems without seeking the help of the Lord...Trust in the Lord. He knows what He is doing. He already knows your problems. And He is waiting for you to ask for help" Emphasis added.
That quote gave me comfort last night and today I am feeling much better. I need to succeed and I can with the help of the Lord. Times are hard. I need to remember to look back and see the hand of the Lord in my life. To see His tender mercies and blessings. I am a work in progress and probably will be until the day I die, just as long as I keep going and try to overcome.

Stake Conference

Today we had Stake Conference. Stakes are made up of wards. At stake conference all of the wards get together for meetings. This Stake Conference was different than others. It only happens every 10 years. We had a new Stake President called. My bishop is his first counselor. So next week we'll get a new bishop in our ward. Lots of changes, but good changes.
Today I wanted to share with you a little about what Elder Duncan talked about. He is in the presidency of the first quorum of the 70.
He talked a little about the Temple and how we should make our lives like the temple. He recently had the opportunity to go into places in the Salt Lake temple that not many people get to see. He talked about a stair case. On this stair case was the most beautiful banister. It was hand carved by one of the pioneers that helped to build the temple. The detail was exquisite and breath taking. He said he thought it was interesting that such care was taken on something that was not going to be seen by very many people. He likened that to our lives asking us these types of questions, "How are the deepest parts of you? The parts that only God sees? Have you taken the care to make them beautiful?" It made me think about how I live my life when no one is looking. Do I make the right choices? Am I doing the things I need to be doing to keep my testimony strong?
He went on to talk about Doctrine and Covenants section 109. This section is the recording of the dedicatory prayer given at the Kirtland Temple dedication. He suggested that while we read some of the verses to replace the word 'house' with 'lives' or 'life'. It made the scriptures change so much. Tonight I went and read them for myself replacing the words like he had suggested. I would like to share with you some of the verses from that section.

Verses 8 and 9 "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a [life], even a [life] of prayer, a [life] of fasting, a [life] of faith, a [life] of learning, a [life] of glory, a [life] of order, a [life] of God; That your incomings may be in the name of the Lord, that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord, that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High"

Verses 16 through 18"And that this [life] my be a [life] of prayer, a [life] of fasting, a [life] of faith, a [life] of glory and of God, even thy [life]; That all the incomings of thy people, into this [life], my be in the name of the Lord"

Verse 20 "And that no unclean thing shall be permitted to come into [my life] to pollute it."

There are more scriptures in that section that can be changed. I suggest that you go and read it. It really did make me think about my life and how I live. The temple is supposed to be a reminder to us. It is God's house. A place where we can find peace, receive answers to prayers, and a place where we make special covenants with our Father in Heaven. Now when I see the Temple I can be reminded of those things along with it reminding me to look at my own life and see where I am and how I am doing.