A Child's Prayer

The last couple of weeks my two youngest children spent learning the songs for the Primary program at church. It was crunch time. So, we loaded all the songs they needed most help with onto each of their iPods and they walked around plugged in most of the time. And we sang together while driving to and from school. Listening to them sing, 'A Child's Prayer', was magical. For these two who are in constant sibling competition and contention, who also love each other more than sunshine, to hear them singing the words, 'Heavenly Father, are you really there and do you hear and answer every child's prayer...'. Let's just say that I was deeply reminded why I am a mother and love my children.

I wasn't certain they were really learning the songs, but as with a lot of things, it's hard to tell how much they've absorbed until they choose to share. As they stood up on the stand with the entire Primary, I couldn't hear them, but I could see their little mouths singing the songs and knew that they knew.

To be honest every year since our inactivity at church began, I have dreaded the fall program. For me it marks another year of trying to get my family to church and failing. It marks another year my children haven't spent learning to love the gospel of Jesus Christ and to grow friendships with their peers. I know that the Primary is an organization inspired by God, given to us because He knew we would need help in raising good people and to give them the strength they need each week to battle the world. I am grateful that the kids and I made it a commitment this year. I hope that the spirit I felt at the program Sunday lingers for awhile. It is by His grace that no matter how impossible it may seem to keep collected a large group of children, tiny to preteen, these programs always become what they are meant to be, because Heavenly Father loves these children and He loves us. I can picture He and His Son up above with a concourse angels viewing all the Primaries in the world -listening to their sweet voices and smiling. -K

To Blog or Not to Blog

So, the last few days I've been thinking about starting up my blog again. The kids are back in school and the weather is cooler -which always urges the writer in me. Problem is, it's also going into the busy season for our business. Looking at my old posts I stopped work on the blog when I got busy making money and haven't done anything since. I completely loved my blog. My dilemma now is whether or not to try again...as I'm again coming into the busy time of year for not only work, but holidays, too. The idea was when my youngest entered kindergarten -I would write! I would finally have time to write! I have been looking forward to this for 5 years! I committed myself to writing this blog originally to encourage myself and maybe others to search out the good in every day. I know that I focus too much of my brain power on the problems of the world, specifically our country. I want to unplug from that for a portion of my day and find the amazingly small but significant joys in my everyday life. I want to reconnect to happiness and my family.

I recently read a blog post from another writer that struggled with what to write. Dark or light. She concluded that there was enough darkness in the world and she would make her job as a writer to fill the world with light through her words. I agree. I too have struggled with the insanity that plagues my mind and would make for good storytelling, but feel a responsibility to hold it back and let it settle back into its dark corner buried, buried, buried. Just because you can -doesn't mean you should. It is more gratifying to lift and inspire the living spirits than to conjure up the dead ones. And I LOVE a hero. Right now, female heroes.

Today, I will be my own hero, give it another shot and keep my eyes and heart open in search of the silver lining.

Genesis 1:3-4

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

-K