Sunday Morning

Not every Sunday morning involves these things, but I am trying to consistently bring a little more music and nature into the hours we spend father-less at home on the Sabbath morn. There is a such a lovely feeling when these things are present.

 Music. Nature and Family walks. How I hope these things matter to my children!!

Age of Accountability!

A couple of months ago I was talking to Zahn about his upcoming baptism and he very earnestly said to me, 'I just don't think I'm ready to get baptised mum'. While his comment surprised me, I tried to be somewhat casual about it, while still acknowledging his feelings, and told him "everything will be fine son"!!

I was hoping the comment may have been a one off, but as we drew closer to his birthday and his baptism date, this trepidation he felt only increased. After a few heartfelt discussions with Zahn, Chad and I decided that if he really didn't feel ready, we would wait. But in the mean time, we would continue to make preparations, and do our best to help him feel ready.

We had organised for the missionaries to come and teach the discussions with him and hoped that this would help ease his troubled little heart. After the first discussion, I was lying in bed with Zahn saying goodnight, and again, he said so earnestly, "I just don't feel ready. I don't understand everything so how can I get baptised?". This was a sweet opportunity to share my feelings with him and to let him know that even as an adult, I don't always understand everything. I tried to explain on his level, that as we try our best to stay on the path that Heavenly Father has set for us, we begin to understand, step by step of the journey.  

While I tried not to worry and kept reminding myself that things always work out in the end (they really do), my heart did worry. 

We continued the discussions with the missionaries, and tried to clarify anything Zahn had questions about.

One night we were talking and he got a bit upset......again we shared special words and I reassured him that the decision was his and dad and I were there to support him, and help him make the right choice.

When Zahn had his 8 year old interview with the Bishop, I went in with him, and without knowing any of the concerns Zahn had been having, the words the Bishop shared were almost the same words I had previously shared with Zahn the night we lay in bed and chatted about his baptism. The Bishop talked about how we don't always understand everything, but as we are obedient and as we do the things Heavenly Father asks us to do, we are blessed and above all, we are happy.

From this moment, everything changed. Suddenly Zahn was saying he felt ready, and he was getting more and more excited.

The day before his birthday, he said to me: 'I just wish today was tomorrow so I could get baptised now'.

The baptism was a beautiful service filled with words from loving grandparents that shared things with Zahn that will help him on his journey of life. In fact, the words shared could not have been more suitable for him. As I watched him enter the font with Chad, and as he smiled up at all the people watching, the smile on his face told me, without doubt, he was ready!

How grateful I am for a knowledge of the truth and for the privilege it is to watch as my children also come to a knowledge of this truth.

Sunday 30th September, 2012. A beautiful day that we will not forget.

Stillness

Raising my girls is proving to be really quite different than raising my boys, and I'm not talking about the ever present drama of little ladies (that is a whole post all of its own :). When my boys were young, I didn't know what facebook was, I had no idea what a blog was, and I probably used the internet a couple of times a week, and never during the day. I woke up to boys happy little faces, had leisurely breakfasts, went on long walks, played a lot (oh the glory of a pokemon battle :), watched playschool if we were home and then turned the tv off at 10am - the time ABC kids finished. While I still do these things with my girls, my reflection of the early years of motherhood just seems so much simpler than life in general now.

I know it's not just me that recognises this busyness of life. Everywhere I turn I hear people talking about the desire to slow down. To be still. To make the days count. To cut unimportant things out of their lives! To somehow find balance, to be present and soak in the little moments, and fill our lives with purpose and meaning.

Last week I saw pictures of a friends amazing holiday to Thailand and Bali and read that her #1 Bali inspired goal is to delete her facebook page. And I thought, I need want a holiday to Bali so I can have this ephiphany too :). But as much as I'd love an exotic holiday, I know I don't actually need Bali to carve out time to reflect on what I need to cut out of my life to make it less 'busy'. Less Cluttered. More Still.

So even though the motion of life is swirling around me (at record speed somedays :) I am consciously trying to go back to the simpler days of motherhood. I am allowing distraction to be minimal and putting my focus on one thing. Or really, putting my focus on 4 little things......which are the most important things!