As the second of six children, I spent most of my growing up years in Denver, Colorado. With five girls and one boy in our family, I watched my Mom navigate all the chaos, joy, and struggles that come with mothering a big family. Since I have always enjoyed working with children, I got my degree in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University. I enjoyed teaching first grade for many years before meeting my husband Ian. He consistently traveled several days out of the week for work, and we dated long distance for a long time. We joke that the first time we ever saw each other on a Tuesday was the day he proposed! We were sealed by my grandfather in the Salt Lake City Temple. We have been married for almost 10 years, and have three children ages 5, 3, and 1. Having young children close together has kept us busy and on our toes. I currently get to serve as the primary chorister, which is a lot of fun! Some of my favorite things are traveling, cooking healthy food, and spending time with my family.
How to find joy in loving service that is rendered in the home, with our children, with our spouse and extended family.
We all have different homes and families. I believe Heavenly Father put us here on earth in families to help and comfort each other as well as provide an environment in which we can learn and grow. Sometimes our family situations present challenging situations we must learn to navigate. If you are not finding joy in serving at home or serving your family consider Lehi’s story from the Book of Mormon.
Lehi went through many trials with his family including leaving their home and wealth, traveling into the wilderness, complaining family members, family contention, watching Laman and Lemuel struggle with their faith and be at odds with their brothers, and many more. It is interesting that after experiencing all of these hard circumstances, he chose to teach his family about joy!
President Russell M. Nelson said, “Clearly, Lehi knew opposition, anxiety, heartache, pain, disappointment, and sorrow. Yet he declared boldly and without reservation a principle as revealed by the Lord: ‘Men are, that they might have joy.’ (2 Nephi 2:25) Imagine! Of all the words he could have used to describe the nature and purpose of our lives here in mortality, he chose the word joy! ...My dear brothers and sisters, the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives...We can feel joy regardless of what is happening – or not happening – in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him.” (Joy and Spiritual Survival, October 2016 General Conference)
If you are having a hard time finding joy in serving in your home and with your family take a minute and examine where your focus is. Are we too caught up in the nonimportant details? Take a step back and try to look at the bigger picture. Your brain will always find evidence for what it wants to see and believe.
Our problems are not caused by our circumstances but rather by the way we THINK about our circumstances. Our thoughts are always OPTIONAL and CHANGEABLE.
Challenge the thoughts you have about your circumstance by asking yourself these questions:
1. Could I be wrong about this? 2. Could the opposite be true? 3. Why is this a problem?
Someone has said, “When things change inside you, things change around you.” When we are willing to reexamine challenging circumstances and change our thinking we can find joy no matter what the circumstance. Changing ourselves can often change the situation.
Choose to find joy in serving in your home and serving your family members by changing the focus of your life to Jesus Christ. He is the source of all joy!
Finding JOY in serving at home, with our children, with our spouse, and extended family.
“Saints can be happy under every circumstance.... My dear brothers and sisters, the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives....When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation, ... and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him. He is the source of all joy.”
- President Russell M. Nelson (Joy and Spiritual Survival, October 2016 General Conference) 1
What is one thing that is NOT bringing you joy in your home right now?
2 What thought/thoughts do you have about what you wrote in box #1?
3 Ask yourself:
4
Using the questions in box #3, challenge your thought. Can you reframe it for yourself? Write a more positive thought that will bring you more JOY! Could I be wrong about this?
Could the opposite be true?
Why is this a problem?
No comments:
Post a Comment