All things are possible….

I’ve learned a great deal about faith lately (Although, I know not enough…!) There’s been times I’ve learned faith by choice (reading scriptures, the Ensign or praying) and then there’s been times I’ve learned it through trials (which makes me wish I could do all my growing and learning from what I read…but it just doesn’t work that way :)

The last few years have been full of:

SWEET MEMORIES

DOUBT

FEAR

FUN TIMES…

DID I MENTION FEAR…and more!

FAITH WAS DEVELOPED….FAITH WAS EXERCISED…FAITH WAS INCREASED…FAITH WAS LOST…FAITH WAS RESTORED (repeated many times) And the surprising thing, for me, was this faith cycle could play out all in one weeks time. Life has been a crazy rollercoaster ride…there were times we thought the ride was slowing down and stopping at the end…just to find out that we got to take another turn on the rollercoaster whether we liked it or not.

I’ve learned the best thing to do when you’re on the never-ending rollercoaster ride is just to hang on….

So what keeps me going…what helps me to hold on???

I read in a book once written by Elder Holland about faith. It was an ah-ha moment that has become a part of who I am…or at least a part of who I want to be.

He shared the account in the New Testament when a father with an ill son cries unto the Lord for help. The Savior replied “If thou canst BELIEVE, all things are possible to Him that believeth”. The father replied “Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief”. The man recognized he had some faith, but he did not have complete faith. While reading this book, I learned a valuable principle. Just as this father, we need to assert our strength first, and only then acknowledge what we lack. The father first declared WHAT FAITH HE DID HAVE (I believe), and then ask for help in the weakness he knew was his. In moments of fear or doubt we need to hold to what we already have won…holding fast to the things WE DO KNOW! Even a mustard seed size faith can move mountains.

“The first rule of holes…is when you are in one, stop digging”.

Is it just me….or do some of you knowingly dig your hole deeper on occasion because you feel like doing nothing but wallow in your own muddy pit? (Those are my “loss of faith” days.) I’ve had many days like that where I first declare, to the Lord and to everyone else around me, HELP THOU MINE UNBELIEF! But every time I’ve made a decision to stop digging, I’ve felt the presence and love of my Savior. I’ve always known the Savior wants to help and bless us….but I had to learn a little patience.

“Let us constantly, repeatedly affirm our belief, even as we wrestle with unbelief” Elder Holland

Many of you know some of our prayers have been answered recently….it’s acts of tender mercies like these that the Lord gives to us to remind us just how much he loves us.

I sigh of relief…AHHHHHHHH…and will enjoy this peace and calm before the next storm arises….. BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS DO :)

 

Today we went to the Temple after church. We like to do that occasionally, so the kids can learn more about why we attend the Temple and why it’s so important to us. Although…I think the kids think it’s just another fun play land…despite our attempt to teach them otherwise. After sitting in church for three hours, it was impossible to get the kids to reverently walk around the temple grounds. Kendyl’s our little monkey. She would lift her leg up on anything higher than herself and start crying “UP…UP…UP”! We were impressed by her flexibility!

p.s. I found these matching dressing for the girls at the Goodwill…SCORE! I’ve done a lot of my shopping at second hand stores lately…and it just makes my day when I found awesome things…LIKE MATCHING DRESSES FOR JUST A COUPLE OF DOLLARS!!!

Only a mother…

Would wake up at 5 a.m. to workout or get things done around the house just so she can do so in PEACE AND QUIET.

Would let her two year old go at her make-up…potentially destroying most of it….just so she can have 5 minutes again of PEACE AND QUIET.

Would voluntarily lay herself down at the park so her kids would giggle as they bury her (this is why we go to the park before Mommy showers for the day).

Would play sword fight (which included a lot of playing dead on the floor) in the middle of a Walmart aisle…because that’s what her son wanted to do on his “Mommy and Son” date. (Oh and I pulled a bike off of a rack and let him take a test ride at full speed through the aisles. I’ve learned that the pet aisles are usually the best people-free-zone if ever you’re interested).

Would let her kids make this big of a mess…JUST AFTER THE KITCHEN WAS DEEP CLEANED…

AND ONLY A MOTHER….WOULD DO THIS:

I woke up early the other day to get myself ready because I had to get all three kids to a doctors appointment by 8:00 a.m. I took clean clothes into the bathroom for me to change into….but I forgot to grab pants. Mason was asleep on the floor next to my closet, so I decided to just put my pajama pants back on and I planned on changing them once he was awake.

I did my hair and makeup…and was so impressed that I could get myself and three kids looking so beautiful by 7:30 a.m.

We made it to the doctors appointment on time…another huge accomplishment… I walked in, they handed me a clipboard full of papers to sign. I found the nearest chair and went to sit down placing the clipboard on my lap. That’s when I discovered I WAS STILL WEARING MY PAJAMA BOTTOMS!!! OOPS!

ONLY A MOTHER WOULD GO TO A DOCTORS APPOINTMENT…HALF DRESSED!!!

The things we do to survive this job we love so much!!!