As I was reading Rosemary Wixom's talk from General Conference I really felt the spirit. Spencer and I have been trying so hard to work on building a stronger family and a stronger relationship. I'm much much too impatient and quick to anger with my kids. Right now Aliah is 4, Inara is 2, and Kimball is 6 months. Obviously Kimball doesn't bother me, except for maybe crying when I need to get things done, but letting him cry and listening to it doesn't bother me, except that I feel bad. But the girls are always getting on my nerves. And why? Just because they are being kids. Just because they are doing what they are supposed to, what is natural. Now obviously sometimes they are disobeying and could get hurt, or wake up a sleeping baby, or ruin something we worked hard for... but most of the time they are just playing. For no good reason it's annoying to me. They are either too loud or too wild or something. Well my impatient self thinks they are too wild. They are generally just fine though. They are just kids who are playing. I've been trying hard to remember that. Spencer and I have talked about it and decided to do our best at just letting them be. Letting them play and realizing that they are just kids and need to be kids. Kids need to be kids. Kids grow up so fast and in today's world they are almost expected to. The world wants them to grow up fast so that they can start introducing them to the evils of the world. Even the little kid celebrities of the day are growing up too fast. For example, Miley Cyrus. Spencer and I used to adore her. We wanted our kids to grow up equally as confident and outgoing. But before she was even 16 she was making music videos that are barely appropriate for adults, let alone young girls. And they are certainly not appropriate for her tween fan base. But that's how the world gets our little ones. There is a song by the country band Lonestar called "Let Them Be Little." I don't actually care for the song, but it's totally how I fell. I can only remember one line right now but it says, "Let them cry, let them giggle, let them sleep in the middle. Oh just let them be little." I want to put this on a sign in vinyl lettering and hang it in my house. It's such a good reminder to me of what Spencer and I are trying to do. To just let them be little, and not worry about them playing. To get upset at them less and less each day, and to build an unbreakable bond of love and trust. We will need that with them so that they trust us when they get older and the world tries to takeover. Hopefully, if we do things right now, they will turn to us and see our example of following Christ and because of this bond we've built they will trust that we know what we are doing, follow our example, and stay close to the spirit of Christ, shunnig the ways of the world. I have heard the story of Joseph Smith having pieces of his leg cut out without anesthesia a number of times, but I didn't realize he was only seven years old. Oh to have the spirit so strong in my home that at seven my babies could say, "I will have my father sit on the bed and hold me in his arms, and then I will do whatever is necessary." How could a seven-year-old already be so prophetic. It's no wonder the Lord chose him to bring the gospel back to the earth. I am so grateful that he did. How I, even in my adulthood, hope to someday have that kind of faith. I hope so much to have my Heavenly Father "sit on the bed and hold me in his arms" so that I can do "whatever is necessary" in this life to live with him in heaven again.
2 comments:
Beautiful. I feel inspired. I have thoughts like these a lot as well, but I never sit down and write them, but I feel like it's so important because soon enough we feel frustrated again, and it's good to be able to go back and read these words. This is the inspiration I needed today. thanks
Deep breaths.
This is what I have to tell myself each day in order to keep my sanity. It doesn't always work. Changing our perspective and remembering that they're just 'acting their age' actually makes whatever naughty thing they're doing funny and, dare I say, precious because I'm pretty sure they won't be spreading soap all over the bathroom counter when they're 18...I hope!
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