Sunday, February 7, 2010

Sunday Quote

Stake Conference
was so good that my quotes are coming from these last 2 days of speakers:
"A home is a place where anyone who chooses to do so can feel the Spirit."
"If you can fix it with money, it's not a real problem"
Elder Snow's Mother
This next quote is a sentence shared by Elder Snow after talking about the trying times we live in - how so many are wanting security.
"The faith to hear God is real security."
I'm not sure exactly the context of this next quote. But I know what I was thinking: My thoughts were led to the many priesthood blessings I've had; the many hours spent praying and pondering regarding different situations I've been in. I've thought of my various trials and the emergence from them. I've always known "this too shall pass". But I've also known that the real test is to emerge from the trial having learned and grown. This quote gives me the formula:
"We can only learn the lesson if we'll act according to faith."
Saturday night was a question-answer session. One brother talked about President Benson's quote about beginning a serious study of The Book of Mormon and the promises accompanied with that. He then asked how we know if we are involved in a "serious study":
"A serious study of the scriptures is when you seriously put studying the scriptures first."
Sister Tammy Snow
This next quote came from Elder Snow when someone asked about why people are born into different situations in life. I like this quote and will share it with my children everytime they say "It's not fair":
"When you treat your children equally, you can't treat them the same."
The end of the Saturday night session, Elder Snow talked about submission and acceptance of God's will:
"I've given up trying to re-write the script. Resist the temptation. There's something in it for us."
Finally, my favorite:
Elder Snow ended his comments with this:
"It'll be ok. It will be ok. I promise ... it will all be ok. You'll be ok."
I felt the Spirit.
I feel changed.
I feel a desire to let go of temporal concerns and focus on the Lord's abudance (as referenced by Sister Snow ... see Moses 7:16)
One last Sunday thought:
There is nothing that can compare with sitting in a congregation of hundreds to sing the hymns. Singing together is beautiful.
Taking a break and listening, while surrounded by the voices of saints ...
well, that's angelic.


6 comments:

Erin said...

What do you think the quote about not treating our children the same means? I will ponder this, but I am interested in others' thoughts...
Great quotes for sharing. Thank you.

Denalee said...

Hi Erin. The way I understand it is this: To be equal and fair with children, you cannot treat them the same. A simple example is this - When all 5 of my kids lived at home, I not only expected Trevor to keep up with his homework, do as I asked without arguing, earn his own money, and fulfill priesthood assignments; He also had no bedtime, no limit on TV, computer and phone, and could eat whatever he wanted. And I cherished the moments he would make room in his schedule for visiting with me. Azure, on the other hand, was pretty much attached to me. I expected she'd shout out "NO" and I'd have to deal with that; I'd sit with her teaching her to put her blocks in a bin and try to keep her from being distracted; We'd only watch Barney or Sesame Street; there's no way I'd let her go outside alone, etc. I was treating them equally because I love them equally. By saying that, I was giving them both what they needed and expecting different things out of each of them. To me, "equal" means equally loved, equally expected to rise to the best that's in them given their station in life, equally held responsible to the extent they've progressed, equally pampered to the point of not hampering their progression.

I know a family who used to make sure everything was exactly equal. If it was one child's birthday, all the children got presents. On Christmas, if one got a TV for his room, they all did. And on and on. To me, that's being treated "the same" - not "equal". Who cares how much something costs? If your child wants nothing more than to be an artist and so his big Christmas gift is a blank pad of paper and markers - will he be jealous or sad that his sibling gets a car? NO! He's 3 and is only interested in art. The same, I think, holds true with the way we are all treated equally by Heavenly Father. Our trials are custom fit; our blessings are specifically bestowed. When I look at different situations in my life that way I tend to feel more grateful and less "woe is me".

What do you think, Erin? Others?

Rebecca and Co. said...

I agree with you, Denalee. In addition a teacher-friend always says: Fair is everyone getting what they need, not everyone getting what they want.

Sometimes I have to tighten the reigns on one child because of choices they've made, or their age, or their temperament. Other times I have to, or get to, loosen them for the same reason.

Trevor, Caci, and Jace said...

Great quotes! They are all so pertinent-- LOVE the Sunday quotes feature :)! The one I like most right now is "A home is the place anyone who chooses to do so can feel the spirit." It might be hard to make our home in Ukraine feel like "home" but with that mentality, it makes it a lot easier. Thanks!

Erin said...

I am on an airplane for home right now and just read your response. I completely agree Denalee. I love each child and I am proud of what each is able to accomplish. An example in our home is grades. One child greatly struggles with the ability to focus. I love this child and I feel just as proud of their much lower grades as I do of their siblings' A grades, because this child is trying their best with the circumstance they have. Equally loved, different expectations.

Gage said...

love it, mom. what great quotes - i especially love the last one. sounds like he spoke directly to you and the family