Memorizing "The Family: A Proclamation to the World"

This past Sunday was Ward Conference and for Sunday School the Stake Presidency held a combined meeting and we focused on scriptures. One of the counselors was talking to us about how the scriptures should be looked at as our friend. The discussion was about our friend and which scripture ("friend") is meaningful to us. I didn't get a chance to share but my "friend" is the hymnbook which I turn to as frequently, actually more so, than I do the other scriptures.

So when reviewing this weeks portion of the proclamation I turned to my friend and as I was reading the words, and humming in my mind the tune, I felt this is what God wants us to know and focus on as it pertains to our families. Hymn #298 Home Can Be a Heaven on Earth. We are here on earth and in our family units and we need to always remember how important that unit is to our Heavenly Father and our Brother Jesus Christ.

Home can be a heav'n on earth When we are filled with love,

Bringing happiness and joy, Rich blessings from above--

Warmth and kindness, charity, Safety and security--

Making home a part of heaven, Where we want to be.

Drawing family near each week, We'll keep love burning bright.

Serving Him with cheerful hearts, We'll grow in truth and light.

Parents teach and lead the way, Children honor and obey,

Reaching for our home in heaven, Where we want to stay.

Praying daily in our home, We'll feel His love divine;

Searching scriptures faithfully, We';; nourish heart and mind.

Singing hymns of thanks, we'll say, "Father, help us find the way

Leading to our home in heaven, Where we long to stay."

Ephesians 6:1-4

Mosiah 4:13-15

The scripture verses should be read as well. There is a lot of insight in this simple hymn that shares our Fathers desire for all of us as we will ALWAYS be in family units! I have so loved learning more about this beautiful proclamation. I want to spend more time really studying this, which I know will allow me to look back on all I've done through this course! It's been a true blessing for me to constantly remind myself of the importance of each member of my family. When I get frustrated or upset because of something they do or say, I am trying harder to stop before reacting, and think about how much the Lord loves us and wants us to be more loving towards others, especially our families!

I STAND ALL AMAZED – Originally Written on 11/22/2010

I shared this in a blog I had a few years ago but it kind of follows the last one I posted earlier and it goes along with this week! I hope you get the message you need!

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,

Confused at the grace that so fully He proffers me,

I tremble to know that for me He was crucified,

That for me, a sinner, He suffered, He bled and died.

I marvel that He would descend from His throne divine

To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine,

That He should extend His great love unto such as I.

Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.

I think of His hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt!

Such mercy,such love and devotion can I forget?

No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat,

Until at the glorified throne I kneel at His feet.

OH, IT IS WONDERFUL THAT HE SHOULD CARE FOR ME

ENOUGH TO DIE FOR ME!

OH, IT IS WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL TO ME!

WOW!!!! How inspired was this man? I can only imagine how he felt as he wrote these words.

I am one who LOVES, LOVES, LOVES music and what it does to my mind and soul. Music is so powerful especially when I don't just sing words but really read and feel them. I have had so many blessings come to me through music and probably even more than I know.

I get very emotional when I sing certain hymns. Mostly those that have to do with my Savior and reminding me of what He has done for me and continues to do each and every day. It helps to remind me that all I am and all I do and all there is, is because of Him and for that I am soooo very grateful! But also because of that I can become emotional as I sing these type of hymns.

The one above is notorious for doing that to me but today was different.

I don't know why of how but I had an overwhelming experience with this hymn today. Maybe it's because I hadn't realized that I had chosen this hymn until on my way to church today and just a few days ago I was talking with someone about this very hymn and how meaningful it is to me and to the person I was talking with. As I stood to direct this hymn I search for this person in the congregation. Needless to say he was not there, I'm sure he was in some stake meeting or something because his family was there. But as I sang and really thought about each and every word I had this feeling come over me.

Yes, I was grateful for what my Savior has done for me.

Yes, I am a sinner and yet He still loves me and suffered all that He did for me and all my screw ups in the future.

Yes, I felt I WAS at His feet!

I felt soooooooo happy. It was a feeling I hope to never forget but I know it's not one that happens often. I believe He helped me to feel as proud and as strong and as confident about what I was singing than I ever have before. To me I felt I was bearing testimony of MY feelings! I felt that me face was going to burst because my smile was so big. And that my heart would jump out of my body because I felt so strong and such conviction!!

I did STAND ALL AMAZED! And for that I am most thankful!!!!!!!!!!!

What Would Jesus Do?

I have thought about this very question many times but until today I never REALLY thought about it. It's quite silly for anyone to ask this question or even remotely think they could know the answer to it. None of us could even come close to doing what Jesus would do because unlike Jesus we have no way of knowing things the way He does. We don't know what will be if we choose to do something one way instead of another. We don't know the true intent of someone else's heart. We don't KNOW the way He knows. We want to be like Him and that's all good but all we can do is ask for His help and guidance to do the right thing.We can strive to be like Him but in all honesty how could we ever do what He would do? We can't but you can be the best you and I can be the best me that He wants us to be by following His example to the best of our abilities possible. I know He loves me and each person individually and He wants us to be the best we can be as ourselves and He wants us all to be happy!!!! Life is hard. I get that. And sometimes life brings us to tears and anger and frustration but even in those times He wants us to be happy. We should not make it harder for ourselves in these trying times by thinking less of ourselves for not doing what Jesus would do. It's easy to do but that's not what He wants for us. He wants us to know and learn through His example and strive to do our best and be even better the next time. He wants us to learn and grow from whatever happens in our lives. 

I think instead of asking "what would Jesus do?" we should ask ourselves "how can I be happy as Jesus would want me to be?" This is a lot easier said than done but......it makes a lot more sense and in the end one turns out to be better off. I've realized He never meant for me to be perfect He just meant for me to be happy with me and being the best me I can be. But to do this I need to keep open our line of communication! I need to talk with Him. Share my thoughts; my desires; my concerns as well as to ask for help in all things. I can't do anything He doesn't already know I will do so why not talk to Him and stay on the same page? Without Him I'm nothing so I should be the best me by just asking for the guidance He is freely willing to give to me!!

During this season and time of year I think about a lot of things this way. As we sing this hymn in church I can’t even get through it because of how poignant the words are to me. 

I Stand All Amazed

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,

Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me.

I tremble to know that for me He was crucified,

That for me, a sinner, He suffered, He bled and died.

I marvel that He would descend from His throne divine

To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine,

That He should extend His great love unto such as I,

Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.

I think of His hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt!

Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget?

No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat,

Until at the glorified throne I kneel at His feet.

Oh, it is wonderful that He should care for me Enough to 

die for me! Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

Charles H Gabriel, 1856-1932

The Savior has given EVERYTHING for us and all we are 

asked to do is be the best us we can be! That's all! We can 

know what is right and what is wrong, all we have to do is

make the correct chose. He loves us so much that when we 

loose our way we are always welcomed back with open arms. 

What a wonderful plan! I am so grateful for all I have because I know that all I have is because of my Savior! I love Him and I'm so grateful that I know this truth....I know this.

I am always grateful for the Easter season and I give much

time to thinking about all I have to be thankful for and

all I KNOW about my Savior and all I still want to learn 

from Him. What a great blessing for me.....for all of us!

My Growing Family

The Beginning

My Parents

                                   

                      Mom, Dad and My Older Sister                            Mom, Dad, Sister, & Me

                               

                      Mom, Dad, Sister, Me, Sister                                Mom, Dad, Sister, Me, Sister, 

                                                                                                                     and Brother

Then the family grew even more!

                      

Finally the family most recently!

(2012)

The 1970s

Elder M. Russell Ballard said, "When evil wants to strike out and disrupt the essence of God's work, it attacks the family. It does so by attempting to disregard the law of chastity, to confuse gender, to desensitize violence, to make crude and blasphemous language the norm, and to make immoral and deviant behavior seem like the rule rather than the exception."

This made me think of my life and the things I turn to for entertainment, when I have the time of course! :-) I like to watch old movies and television shows because of their goodness. Unlike today when writers think that adding all this JUNK makes for good tv, back in the 60s and 70s it really was good. Sure not all the programing was but more often than not, it was, today is just the opposite!

Just take a minute and think about the things going on around 45 years ago or so. What was really on television and what were the movies. Well I remember all the great family Disney movies. Herbie for one. And That Darn Cat for another. Even The Shaggy Dog. All of these movies have remakes now but it's the ORIGINALS that were class acts!!! There were no swear words uttered. There was not innuendos hanging. Sure there may have been love interests but not as you think of it today. Then there were The Apple Dumpling Gang or Hot Lead and Cold Feet. Okay here are a list of Disney movies from the 70s that I remember and have seen, many were seen at the drive-in with my parents and siblings! (Who remembers the drive-in....family movies? I loved that and have many fond memories of those days.

Herbie Rides Again
Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo
The North Avenue Irregulars
Pete's Dragon
The Saggy D.A.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Now You See Him, Now You Don't
Escape to Witch Mountain
Return to Witch Mountain
No Deposit, No Return
The Cat From Outerspace
The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again

Then there were the TV shows of the 1970s too!

Sesame Street
Gunsmoke
Little House on the Prairie
The Andy Griffith Show
The Brady Bunch
Bonanza
I Dream of Jeannie
The Beverly Hillbillies
Gilligan's Island
The Waltons
Family Affair
The Six Million Dollar Man
Emergency
My Three Sons
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Carol Burnett Show

I could go on and on. But these are some of the things that shaped who I am and I'm glad. These movies and television programs were things that we could feel comfortable about watching with anyone. I loved this time. If there is something in this list that you haven't seen, you really should. If your kids are "normal" and not too techy I know they'd LOVE to watch some of these, WITH YOU!! The key is with you! Have some family time.

Some More Thoughts

The following are a few things I've been learning in my religion course and as I've learned I've given much time to thinking on what I believe and think about such things. These are my thoughts and opinions only, of course. I wanted to share and maybe get others thoughts and opinions on these things as well!

The Family: A Proclamation to the World teaches us many important thing which we need to understand as we live and strive to return home to our loving Father in Heaven one day. This was counsel given to us through true prophets of God who live on earth today and talk and gain guidance from God as He sees fit to provide to them. In turn, they direct and guide us on how we should live our lives in order to gain the eternal blessings, which we have been promised.

We first learn that marriage and family are ordained of God and are essential to the eternal plan of our Father, the great Plan of Happiness. The Lord then provides instruction on our roles as parents.

Man is created in the image                            Woman is created in the

of God                                                                      image of God

** Gender is eternal – we always have been and always will be the gender which we were created to be period! **

We learn that in our premortal existence we lived as spirit sons and daughters and we “knew and worshipped God as our Eternal Father.” We accepted the “Plan” and chose to come to earth to gain a physical body by which we can learn and grow through our earthly experiences and become as our Father one day. We are promised that, “The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave.”

Our roles as parents:

Fathers                                                         Mothers

“By divine design, fathers are to                  “Mothers are primarily

preside over their families in love               responsible for the nurture

and righteousness and are                              of their children.”

responsible to provide the

necessities of life and protection

for their families.”

“In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. (emphasis added)

As a wife and mother, am I really doing all I can and all that is required of me? Am I giving my best self to those I love? What can I do better? What areas can I improve in myself? These are all some questions I've been thinking about and would ask that you think of these things as well. How do you answer these questions?