Enriched

I felt like Oscar the Grouch yesterday. Baily woke up in a very grumpy mood and all the way back from dropping off Robert at work she cried. It was very annoying and tiring. And then after I dropped off Robert I had to take our new van back to the dealership to get checked out since the check engine light came on. I was annoyed at that and when I was told I couldn't wait for it, but had to drop it off probably for overnight I was even more annoyed. That meant I had to find a ride to drop off the van, a ride to Enrichment and Robert had to find a way to get home from work. Urghh... After I got home I was cleaning and finishing up laundry and then I got the mail. I was excited to get the December Ensign and Friend. I started flipping through and got caught on the first article, the First Presidency message. It was by Pres. Hinckley which was exciting since lately when it's been his turn to do the message it's just been a plethora (sp?) of quotes. Those are nice but it was exciting to see a new article he wrote. The article was called "These, Our Little Ones." It was so good and it really gave me an enlightened perspective about my calling and blessing of being a mother. I felt so guilty for being annoyed with my little one and I just felt a strong desire and motivation to be a much better mother. Here are some of my favorite parts of the article.

"President Brigham Young (1801–77) once said: 'A child loves the smiles of its mother, but hates her frowns. I tell the mothers not to allow the children to indulge in evils, but at the same time to treat them with mildness.' He further stated, 'Bring up your children in the love and fear of the Lord; study their dispositions and their temperaments, and deal with them accordingly, never allowing yourself to correct them in the heat of passion; teach them to love you rather than to fear you.' Of course, there is need for discipline with families. But discipline with severity, discipline with cruelty, inevitably leads not to correction but rather to resentment and bitterness. It cures nothing and only aggravates the problem. It is self-defeating. The Lord, in setting forth the spirit of governance in His Church, has also set forth the spirit of governance in the home in these great words of revelation:
'No power or influence can or ought to be maintained … , only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; …
'Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;
'That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death” (D&C 121:41, 43–44

"Behold your little ones, and teach them. I need not remind you that your example will do more than anything else in impressing upon their minds a pattern of life.

"The story is told that in ancient Rome a group of women were, with vanity, showing their jewels one to another. Among them was Cornelia, the mother of two boys. One of the women said to her, “And where are your jewels?” To which Cornelia responded, pointing to her sons, “These are my jewels.” Under her tutelage and walking after the virtues of her life, they grew to become Gaius and Tiberius Gracchus—the Gracchi, as they were called—two of the most persuasive and effective reformers in Roman history. For as long as they are remembered and spoken of, the mother who reared them after the manner of her own life will be remembered and spoken of with praise also.

Here's the link for the talk if you want to read the whole thing. It was really great! Isn't my "little one" so precious?!

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=e77141dc0d186110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=true

So after I read the talk I was feeling better and not as grouchy or annoyed. I actually got really emotional and weepy. I actually watched tv yesterday (I've pretty much given up tv) since I had a free minute while we were eating lunch. It was the Rachael Ray show and she was doing a special on this guy who adopted 3 boys under the age of 6 and how great of a dad he was and how hard it was for him. They ended up giving him tons of stuff and it was just so sweet. I love stories like that. My friend and her family gave me and Baily a ride to our special Christmas Enrichment night. Baily was excited to play in nursery and be with all her little friends. She has quite the social circle. It was decorated really pretty and there was a fancy ham dinner. The theme was Miracles. After the fabulous dinner there was a guest speaker (can't remember her name:( ) and she talked about the miracles that happened in her life after the death of her husband when they were 36 and she was pregnant with their 5th child. It was a really great, spiritually uplifting talk. After she spoke they showed a power point presentation with all the Relief Society sisters in our ward put to beautiful music. Talk about a sob fest! Everyone was crying. The Spirit was so strong and you could feel the love we have for each other as a ward and as sisters as each face was showed. It was one of the best Enrichment nights I've ever been to. I'm so grateful for my ward and for my membership in Relief Society. I truly felt enriched and grateful when I went to bed last night.