Love One Another Days 4-8


I knew posting everyday wasn't going to last. Oh well, that's life. Here are a few thoughts from the last few days:

Resist the impulse to categorize others.
I do this so much more than I realized.
See a situation through the other person's eyes.
Does it count that I spent this day rewriting a scene in another character's perspective?
Forgive somebody who has wronged you.
Went to the temple. Put a specific name on the prayer roll. I think that helps.
Don't criticize actions or circumstances.
Spent the day trying to apply this to my sunbeam class. They are lots of fun.
Show mercy to someone.
Tried not to get too worked up when my daughter got bbq sauce on the carpet.

I've been thinking about love. Not just regular love, but the divine kind of love. Charity. I read with my family from Moroni 7. Verse 48 reads:

 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love . . ."

And it hit me, that kind of love, the best kind of love, is a gift Heavenly Father gives to us. To see others as He does, to start to understand how important every person is, how incredibly valuable, we have to ask for His help. We can't just get there on our own. I sure have been trying, but most of these things have only reminded me how short I fall, how far I have to go still. Each day, each step is leading me there, but I can't do it without Him.

Love One Another: Day 3

Little Heart Shaped Tums

Look beyond looks.

I put my phone away at my son's basketball practice.
And talked to the woman next to me.
She had five kids with her.
And seemed really tired.
I didn't know if she'd want to talk.
But she did.
I learned a lot.
She adopted two of her kids.
So three of her kids are almost the same age.
I've done a little something like that before.
I was nanny to three boys, two of which where nearly same age as my son.
I get that stress.
She is busy, just like me.
She drives from one place to another.
She worries about dinner.
And homework.
And having too many extracurricular activities
or not enough.
She thinks about where she'll get the money to pay for the activities.
And she forgets things.
Like that it's going to be basketball practice tonight,
and she actually did need her husband to come home early from work.
Even thought she told him she didn't.
And now she's trying to keep all the kids off the court
and entertained and safe
All before she runs to scouts.
I forget things too. All the time.
And I know a bit about scouts.

It was nice to talk.
It was nice to find someone I had more in common with than I knew.
Sitting right by me.
I only had to look.

Reading Corner: Mosaic by Susan Bohnet


Mo Matheson’s biggest worry is perfecting her layup and beating Joe Parker on the basketball court. Then a tragedy shatters everything, including her relationship with him. Struggling to make sense of life and support her family, Mo learns to rely on her faith. If she lets go of bitterness, she might even allow Joe back into her life . . . and her heart.

Mosaic is a story about dealing with tragedy and how time allows you to grow and change. Set in the late 1990's, Mo Matheson seemed at times to be living my own teenage years. From death, to friend and family struggles, to her time on the basketball court, I found I could both relate to and hurt for her. I found myself crying along with her and smiling when she took the next step forward. A story of forgiveness and faith, Mosaic captures life's turns in a realistic and heartfelt way.

Mosaic is a new release and is now available online and in Deseret Book

Love One Another: Day Two

Valentine Hearts
Yesterday, I took this as my motto:
Overlook someone's shortcomings.
I told myself:
Overlook the miss-placed math sheets,
homework scattered on the floor.
Overlook the eight-year old boy stuff
that makes you want to pull your hair out.

But twenty after, I'm still digging ice off my car.
And my son is late to school.
Again.
But it's my fault.
I should have given myself more time.
And it doesn't stop there.
I get home in time to see the recycling truck drive by.
Without my recycling.
Yes, it was our week.
I second guessed myself and didn't leave it on the curve.
I planned to write more,
clean faster,
make so much more of the day.
Two o'clock rolls around, and I want to crawl into bed.

But there is this whisper, a voice,
relaying to me my motto:
Overlook someone's shortcomings.
Overlook yours.

So I tried.
And found the stuff I did right.
The errands done.
The walk I took; exercise checked off.
I think about how we had dinner,
and even though it was late, we didn't eat out.
And though I was running from one thing to the next,
My little sunbeam was so happy to get
a birthday gift.
I almost didn't take her.
Because of all that other stuff I thought I needed to do.

The laundry sat all day in the washer,
and it might stink now.
But I went to Relief Society
and danced like a crazy momma
in a Zumba daze.
And I felt like I owned the world
When my babies hugged me goodnight.

So day two over, I learned more about love.
How its something you have to give yourself too.
Because sometimes the person you are the hardest on,
is the one that needs Christ-like love the most.

Love One Another: Day One

valentine
I happened upon this link on Sunday on lds.org for the Love One Another 14 Day Challenge. I decided to try it out and see what happened. Here is what I learned yesterday.

I've been struggling with being patient with my two-year-old daughter. The first challenge was to show patience with someone. I knew right away who I needed to focus on.

I spent a lot of time with my daughter yesterday. I tried to listen to her and think before telling her no. When she wanted to do things that would take extra effort on my part, like wash dishes, get out certain toys that are really messy, or play a game, I tried to ask myself if doing what she asked for would really be that bad. Most of the time, I was surprised to find it didn't change anything, take a lot more time, or hurt me at all. Wow.

I was so focused on being patient with my daughter, I almost missed my impatience with other people. But all that practice with her gave me a sudden realization. I was being impatient with my husband. I realized how often I let little seemingly time-consuming or plan-altering things that others do get me upset. And I do it with more than just my daughter. When I reminded myself to be patient, I found that with no yelling, fighting, or irritation on my part, everything got done, I got where I needed to be on time, and I didn't loose anything I thought I would. In fact, I gained a lot of really good things instead.