Tonight Drew and I attended the adult session of stake conference while Veronica babysat the girls. It was so great to attend and I am very grateful for a good dinner, a great meeting, and a wonderful time with Drew.
It seems like I keep hearing a lot of counsel for young mothers... maybe this is because I am a young mother and my radar just picks it up, but to me it is very reassuring that there are lots of young mothers out there who struggle with very similar things that I do, and that we all need a little encouragement from time to time. The first speaker of the evening was herself a young mother and spoke about some of the counsel that has been given to all of us. This was a great blessing for me to hear her words and take comfort in the efforts that I am making at a job that sometimes seems overwhelming.
So many things that she and others spoke about tonight have great meaning and application in my life and I think, for my personal benefit that I will record some of them here so I don't forget them.
Happiness cannot be bought. I think everyone realizes this; I do, and yet when the speaker started describing attitudes along those lines I found that my own thoughts sometimes drift into that mindset. Once I paint the girls room I will be so happy; Once I get them a new rug and coordinated bedding I won't want anything more; Once we finish our fence I will be so happy; Once we finish landscaping we can invite more people over; Once we make a little more money we won't have to worry so much.... on and on and on it can go. It was kind of scary realizing that I sometimes fall victim to that thinking and that it literally can go on forever; not that I'm not happy or my happiness is totally dependent on outside factors, but I do sometimes think I'll be happier once those things happen. But, happiness is a choice that I can make right now! I don't have to wait for my fence or the landscaping to be happy, I should be happy in the mean time... and all the time for that matter! I don't know if anyone else is as weak as mean and falls into this little trap of Satan's , but I feel greatly blessed to have heard that counsel tonight and to make the changes necessary to enjoy life in the present, not just in the future.
Joy is experienced in moments. This is of course another truth that I already know, but seem to sometimes forget. There must be an opposition in all things, otherwise joy wouldn't even be distinguishable from sorrow. For me, moments of joy are especially sweet when they are experienced after much struggle and sorrow. Parenting or life in general is not going to be all joyful. Yes, "men are that they might have joy," but life happens along the way, and it is good to be reminded that it's okay if every single parenting moment is not joyful, but that the joyful ones will make up for it. Elder Ballard was quoted: "recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction."
Much was also said about families in general and the importance of the family unit. I really liked the quote, "It's better to be apart and wish you were together than to be together and wish you were apart."
I also really enjoyed the emphasis on some of Elder Ballard's talk from General Conference just one week ago about young mothers. My favorite part was his analogy of a well. He said, "Water cannot be drawn from an empty well, and if you are not setting aside a little time for what replenishes you, you will have less and less to give to others, even to your children." I have found this to be so true in my life- having a little break for myself (usually during naptime) really helps me be a better mom, and defining myself as an individual person (shock!) and not just "Abbie's Mom" helps me focus on my personal needs and goals.
Oh, there were so many great things said, but the point is that I feel very blessed to have attended this great, uplifting meeting, and very blessed to know how to apply the counsel given to hopefully make me a better person.
It seems like I keep hearing a lot of counsel for young mothers... maybe this is because I am a young mother and my radar just picks it up, but to me it is very reassuring that there are lots of young mothers out there who struggle with very similar things that I do, and that we all need a little encouragement from time to time. The first speaker of the evening was herself a young mother and spoke about some of the counsel that has been given to all of us. This was a great blessing for me to hear her words and take comfort in the efforts that I am making at a job that sometimes seems overwhelming.
So many things that she and others spoke about tonight have great meaning and application in my life and I think, for my personal benefit that I will record some of them here so I don't forget them.
Happiness cannot be bought. I think everyone realizes this; I do, and yet when the speaker started describing attitudes along those lines I found that my own thoughts sometimes drift into that mindset. Once I paint the girls room I will be so happy; Once I get them a new rug and coordinated bedding I won't want anything more; Once we finish our fence I will be so happy; Once we finish landscaping we can invite more people over; Once we make a little more money we won't have to worry so much.... on and on and on it can go. It was kind of scary realizing that I sometimes fall victim to that thinking and that it literally can go on forever; not that I'm not happy or my happiness is totally dependent on outside factors, but I do sometimes think I'll be happier once those things happen. But, happiness is a choice that I can make right now! I don't have to wait for my fence or the landscaping to be happy, I should be happy in the mean time... and all the time for that matter! I don't know if anyone else is as weak as mean and falls into this little trap of Satan's , but I feel greatly blessed to have heard that counsel tonight and to make the changes necessary to enjoy life in the present, not just in the future.
Joy is experienced in moments. This is of course another truth that I already know, but seem to sometimes forget. There must be an opposition in all things, otherwise joy wouldn't even be distinguishable from sorrow. For me, moments of joy are especially sweet when they are experienced after much struggle and sorrow. Parenting or life in general is not going to be all joyful. Yes, "men are that they might have joy," but life happens along the way, and it is good to be reminded that it's okay if every single parenting moment is not joyful, but that the joyful ones will make up for it. Elder Ballard was quoted: "recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction."
Much was also said about families in general and the importance of the family unit. I really liked the quote, "It's better to be apart and wish you were together than to be together and wish you were apart."
I also really enjoyed the emphasis on some of Elder Ballard's talk from General Conference just one week ago about young mothers. My favorite part was his analogy of a well. He said, "Water cannot be drawn from an empty well, and if you are not setting aside a little time for what replenishes you, you will have less and less to give to others, even to your children." I have found this to be so true in my life- having a little break for myself (usually during naptime) really helps me be a better mom, and defining myself as an individual person (shock!) and not just "Abbie's Mom" helps me focus on my personal needs and goals.
Oh, there were so many great things said, but the point is that I feel very blessed to have attended this great, uplifting meeting, and very blessed to know how to apply the counsel given to hopefully make me a better person.
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