The last 5 weeks have been hard weeks for me. I spent them down in Orlando for work. I lived down there for 3 straight weeks since Mike was in Ca as well. Someone asked me why it was so hard to do this. It caused me to pause and ask myself that same question. I came up with what I thought was the reason -it's hard to not see family. But I don't "see" my family all the time normally. They all have work and their own lives that they are busy with. Rob and Brittany live in Idaho so I don't see them for sure everyday so what made it hard? I have thought about this question a lot. What makes things like this so hard? I could call and talk to them, I chatted via texts with them all the time. I chatted with them on facebook. I emailed them. So I had communication with them. So what was different?
I think it's because it's not home. I have come to determine that home is not only a brick and mortar place but a state of being. I have read for years this statement "Home is where your heart is". There is nothing I would rather do in life than spend time with my family. I love it when they come up to see us. I love to go to their homes. I love to be in their presence. My mom use to say to me "you are happiest when your family is near you." It's true my heart resides in many different places and all at once. I love my family with all my heart.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and a time when we all give thanks for those things we have in our lives. Elder Hales said -
“In some quiet way, the expression and feelings of gratitude have a wonderful cleansing or healing nature. Gratitude brings warmth to the giver and the receiver alike, gratitude, expressed to our Heavenly Father in prayer for what we have, brings a calming peace, a peace which allows us to not canker our souls for what we don’t have. Gratitude brings a peace that helps us overcome the pain of adversity and failure. Gratitude on a daily basis means we express appreciation for what we have now without qualification for what we had in the past or desire in the future.”
The older I get the clearer I think life becomes. It isn't about stuff. It's about people and relationships. I would give all I have to my family and those in need over my own wants at this time. As Christmas draws closer yet on the heals of Thanksgiving I am thankful for the very two people who have given and continue to give me everything I have. I am deeply grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who blesses me with peace, love, abilities beyond my own natural talents. I know ALL that I/we have comes from Him. I am thankful for a Savior who gave his life for me so that I might return back to my Father in Heaven. I pray everyday that a testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ burns in my heart and my children's hearts. Because without the Atonement all is lost. Jesus is our perfect example in all aspects of life and to him I humbly bow.
So you see as hard as this past 5 weeks have been I have come to understand a few things better and I am thrilled to have that knowledge. And I am happy to be on this side of that 5 weeks where I can reflect better upon the nuggets of pure truth from Heaven.
1 comment:
'Nuggets of pure truth from heaven'...I've always loved your way with words.
I love what you wrote about your family. A few years before my Mom died I gave her a plaque that read, "Home is where your Mom is." But I guess now we are the Moms and we need our children around to feel we are 'home'.
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