Forget-me-nots

I’m guessing that most people who read this blog know that I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Once a year in September there is a meeting for all the women of the church.  We had the privilege of of hearing from some of the women leaders in our church as well as Dieter F. Uchtdorf who is a member of the first presidency of the church. I always enjoy listening to what the leaders of the church have to say. I always feel uplifted and happy at the end of the meeting. I think because women are often hard on them selves that the people who are chosen to talk focus on positive things.

All of the speakers did an excellent job but President Uchtdorf’s seemed to be addressed just to me. I’m sure many women felt this way. He began his talk by saying that he loved forget-me-nots. They are not the biggest or most showy flower but the when put in a garden the small blue flower adds greatly to it’s beauty.

He told the German legend of the forget-me-not. When God was done naming all the animals and plants there was one little blue flower that had been forgotten. It quietly said “Forget me not o Lord.” God told the flower that it its name would be forget-me-not. The forget-me-not has five petals. President Uchtdorf went on to talk about five things that we should not forget. The five things seemed to match up perfectly with a lot of what I have been thinking about lately and trying to focus on.

1. Forget not to be patient with yourself. Perfection is a long term goal, its ok if your not their yet. Be thankful for your successes and find wonder in the little steps.

There are so many things that I know I could be better at. And I am working on them. But I am improving everyday.

2. Forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a bad sacrifice. Ask yourself am I committing my time and energy to what matters most?

I worry sometimes about getting everything done. I want my house my house clean, laundry done and dinner made. It is rarely all done at once. Right now I have dishes in my sink and laundry that needs folding. Not to mention all the other house related projects I want to get done. I also want to spend time with my kids, help them learn, teach them to be independent and play with them. And I need to find time to study the scriptures, fulfill my callings, support Michael in his.

Maybe the fact that the dishes aren’t done and the laundry still needs folding shows that I spending time on one of the things matters most to me, my children. I think I have been interrupted at least five times so far while writing this post to help a kid do something.

I know I won’t be able to get everything done in a day that I want to. I just need to try and make sure that the most important things aren’t forgotten.

3. Forget not to be happy now. In the story Charlie and the Chocolate Factory everyone is looking for a golden ticket in their candy bar. People set their happiness on getting the ticket. They focus so much on the ticket that they forget to enjoy the candy bar. It is good to hope for and seek after good things, but don’t put your happiness on hold while doing so.

It is easy for me to fall into this trap. Things will be better when I have my dream house, or when my kids learn to not be picky eaters, or after Parker is potty trained or when they are all in school and I have some time to myself.

It will be nice when some of the things I look forward to happen but there are a lot of things to be happy about now. I got to go out to lunch with Michael on Friday. Stephen loves to learn, it is fun to hear what he has to say. Kathryn draws me a picture nearly everyday and loves to help me with William. I love to hear Parker sing songs to me, Itsy Bitsy Spider and and Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam. When William sees me walk into a room his face lights up and he reaches for me. 

I know that the things I am looking forward to might not seem important to other people. I also now that no matter what you feel like you are missing in your life it is possible to happy where you are. I hope and pray that the people I love and care about are happy in their lives right now.

4. Forget not the why of the gospel. The gospel is not an obligation it is a pathway. When we remember why we difficult things they are not a burden.

Michael and were talking about a religion last night that claims there is no life after this one. My first thought was what is the purpose of even having a religion if you don’t believe in life after death? Nearly everything I do in life is affected by my belief that life goes on after we die. How I treat others, how I raise my children the things I try to learn and study, the ways I try to improve myself. I know that the actions and choices that I make in this life are important.

I know that families can be together forever. I know that I have a loving Heavenly Father who cares about all his children. I know that everyone will have the opportunity for decide for themselves if the gospel is true.

5. Forget not that the Lord loves you. The same person who created the universe as well as the simple forget-me-not flower knows me and loves me.  He loves us with an infinite love.

He loves me even when I am forgetting the first four things. No matter where I am in life or what my struggles are I know that my Heavenly Father loves me.