Sunday, April 6, 2008

highs and lows

So glad that the day started off so wonderful-
and it's not that things got terribly bad, but ...

It was a normal day with a family of 6-
children's age ranging from 18 months to 10 years.

It was a normal day with that family of 6 trying to listen to the 2nd day of conference.
It was a normal day of trying to encourage the kids to get along.
It was a normal day of trying not to step into the kids arguments.
It was a normal day of stepping into the kids arguments.
It was a normal day of the constant barrage of sounds coming at me like a strobe light for my ears.
It was a normal day of trying to meet everyone's needs and stay sane.

This is the first conference that I can remember not coming away feeling better, or uplifted. Not that there was anything at all wrong with conference. It's just that I could hardly hear, or catch the feeling of it.
(Except the first session where we sustained the Prophet, and then today when we sang How Firm A Foundation and my whole family stopped the fighting and sang)

There was a moment that I caught what someone was saying. About mothers. And needing to enjoy it ... and I thought, "wait-am I enjoying this?"

There are times and seasons, and I need to recognize this one for what it is.
And remember that there is no way to be perfect, but a million ways to be good.

It was a normal day that ended like most. After everyone is in bed, and I go peek at them one last time, and feel so grateful for who they are, and that they are here.

3 comments:

Rebecca said...

I believe it was Elder Ballard who spoke about mothers...it was a wonderful talk...if you didn't hear that much, you should make sure you get it from online. It is so hard to find the right balance having a large family. Elder Ballard said, "You can't draw water from an empty well." But we have to be so careful as mothers that we don't do too much...that we don't let ourselves be distracted, taken out of the home too much...even by good things. That talk gave me lots of things to ponder!

Meghan said...

I loved Elder Ballard's talk. What a joy and responsiblity to be a mother.

Anonymous said...

I know what you mean. I don't know if I just didn't prepare myself adequately or what, but it was very difficult to get into conference. The talks I WAS able to hear were wonderful. Elder Ballard's was great and had a lot of counsel I needed to hear. President Uchtdorf, Elder Oaks, and Elder Gerald N. Lunds were also meaningful for me. And President Monsen's closing remarks were beautifully candid and personal. That was probably the best part for me.