Sunday Tender Mercies, Lisa

Our blog book has been inspired by our family theme for this year "...according to His tender mercies...". We have had countless experiences that prove that Heavenly Father is aware of us individually and of our family. We have decided that these experiences need to be recorded.

I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost. Daily, I am pushed. I am prompted, and I experience more than I could experience on my own. I love the small promptings that I receive. These small promptings always seem to start as small decisions, and they escalate to larger improvements in my life. I have been prompted for a couple weeks to start this "blog/book/journal" of our experiences, and I am finally starting it. I am glad that the Holy Ghost didn't give up on me. :)

It's usually a miracle if I glean any spiritual message off of sacrament meeting. Generally, Scott and I are wrestling two kids under the age of two. My mind is usually on my two year sticking princess stickers to the pew and feeding our one year old snacks to keep him entertained and not on the speakers.

Today was different. My children were extremely well behaved. Neither Scott nor I had to leave Sacrament Meeting once. I was able to listen to the first adult speaker today, and I felt she spoke to my spirit. She spoke about sacrifice.

Perhaps, I should interject a personal narrative, first. I had struggled so much the last month. Oh boy, have I struggled! I have spent countless days in tears. I have been frustrated, angry, speechless, tired, sick, and the list could go on and on. (I should further mention I have had many joyous moments, too.) I have cried out many times to my Father in Heaven for help. Literally, cried out. On bathroom floors. In pantries. By the cribs of my children.

I have just felt overwhelmed. Macey is going through the terrible-twos (and they are pretty gnarly) and Cooper is learning how to navigate our home (i. e. climb on, and get into everything!). We have had the stomach flu, the cold-flu, attempted potty training, dealt with morning sickness, weaned Cooper off of formula, weaned Cooper off of bottles, money has been extremely tight, Scott has worked long hours, Scott has been working on his graduate school application. The list could go on. It was a hard month. Daily, I struggled.

Sacrifice. The speaker suggested how difficult it sometimes was to pay tithing. It's a leap of faith when the money is not there. I started to think about Scott and his employment. We are not paid very much, but we are paid with tithing money. I thought about how I never really struggle with the decision to pay tithing. Perhaps, it is because I know the faith of the members that do struggle to pay it. They put their trust in the Lord, that he will use that money for the building of the kingdom. The Lord then trusts us to build it up. The members, essentially, trust us. How could I not pay back the Lord for that trust? Am I willing to sacrifice because he trusts me?

I realized the stewardship that Scott and I are responsible for. I am grateful to have the trust of the Lord, now I need to trust that all of this is for my good. I realized that I can stand, and He needs me to, daily.