Rachel ~ Lost & Found

Today I took the girls to an Easter egg hunt event in a neighboring town.  Sullivan was at a church meeting so it was just me and the girls.  I knew there were going to be a lot of people at this event so I took a few precautions.  I wore a super-bright pink shirt and instructed the girls to stay close to me and to always look for mommy's shirt if you get separated even a little.

We arrived without any difficulty and found the event to be very well organized and structured.  There were lots of fun games and activities for kids and the girls and I were having a great time.  The egg drop was the main attraction for the event.  The hunt was divided up by age groups.  The times and locations were different for each age group.  Elizabeth and Rachel went together.  There were hundreds of people gathered around the area for the egg drop.  They instructed the parents not to go in with the children into the area during the egg hunt.  They counted down for the kids to go and off went Elizabeth and Rachel into the crowd.  I was able to see Rachel a few times, but soon the crowd became too scattered and I lost track of them both.  It was a fairly small area for the egg hunt so I waited for the girls to come back to me.

After all the eggs were collected Elizabeth came out from the crowd but there was no sign of Rachel.  I grabbed Elizabeth's hand and we set off to find her.  After all the crowd had dispersed Rachel was still no where to be found.  I told every event organizer I could find and they announced Rachel's missing status over the PA.  I found some friends of mine who were at the event and we all set off looking for Rachel.  My heart was breaking as each minute passed and I began to imagine how afraid she might be and even that I might not find her.  So many feelings swarmed me and I turned to my Father in heaven, a pleading child of God, to help me find her and that she would be safe and well.  I was praying out-loud at this point and I was feeling more and more helpless as the minutes passed.

Finally, I heard my friend's voice yelling to me that she was found.  I turned toward the voice; he was carrying her and walking towards me.  I began to cry as I held my baby girl Rachel.  Rachel had no idea that she was even lost.  She had gone to the other area where the older kids were gathered around their Easter Egg Hunt awaiting their turn to collect Easter eggs.  Elizabeth and I however had quite an experience together that we would not want to repeat.  In talking with Elizabeth about the experience Elizabeth expressed her love for Rachel and how grateful she was to have Rachel back.  When we got home we knelt together and thanked Heavenly Father for watching over Rachel and bringing her back to us.

"If The Savior Stood Beside Me"

Today at church in Primary (the children's program) the children were practicing a song they will be singing in the Fall for the Primary Children's Program.  "If The Savior Stood Beside Me", (there are several versions around on the internet here is one that I thought was nice:"If The Savior Stood Beside Me" , I also liked this version and this child's voice version). I heard this song several years ago and it touched my heart today as much as it did the first time I heard it, perhaps even more.

As a wife and mother of two young children, ages 3 and 6, I have learned a lot about myself as I have tried to care for, teach, nurture, and discipline my two daughters, along with trying to be a supportive help-meet to my spouse. Although I believe that I have tried to do the best that I can, I know that I have fallen short much of the time.  I have learned that it is in my nature to be impatient, selfish, controlling, and quick tempered.  These are not characteristics that I regard in any way as acceptable.  I know that these things are not pleasing to God.  I do not want my children to learn these behaviors from their own mother and I certainly do not want to pass these traits onto them.  I also cannot be a very good spouse if these characteristics are left unchecked.  

In the scriptures the Savior taught us about the characteristics that followers of Christ should exhibit.    From a talk given by JUAN A. UCEDA Of the Seventy  "He Teaches Us To Put Off The Natural Man":

"He teaches us to be submissive, or in other words, to yield to the will or power of the Lord. He teaches us to be meek, or in other words, to be “mild of temper; soft; gentle; not easily provoked or irritated; yielding; given to forbearance under injuries.”  He teaches us to be humble, or in other words, “lowly; modest; meek; submissive; opposed to proud, haughty, arrogant, or assuming.” He teaches us to be patient, or in other words, “having the quality of enduring evils without murmuring or fretfulness” or “calm under the sufferance of injuries or offenses.” He teaches us to be full of love.  He teaches us to put off the natural man.  He teaches us to become “a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord.” And then we will reconcile ourselves to God, and we will become friends to God. "

My Sharing Time lesson today was on the atonement of Christ.  I am grateful for the power of the Savior’s Atonement to cleanse, purify, and make us and our homes holy as we strive to put off the natural man and follow Him.  I know that I am not perfect but I am striving to be a disciple of Christ, to be a loving and supportive wife and mother.  I hope that the lyrics of this song can find a place to call home in my heart and in my mind, that I may always think of my Savior standing next to me:

"If The Savior Stood Beside Me" words and music by Sally Deford

Lyrics:

If the Savior stood beside me, would I do the things I do?

Would I think of His commandments and try harder to be true?

Would I follow His example? Would I live more righteously,

If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?

If the Savior stood beside me, would I say the things I say?

Would my words be true and kind if He were never far away?

Would I try to share the gospel? Would I speak more reverently

If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?

If the Savior stood beside me, would my thoughts be clean and pure?

Would His presence give me strength and hope, and courage to endure?

Would His counsel guide my actions? Would I choose more worthily

If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?

If the Savior stood beside me, would I often kneel to pray?

Would I listen to the Spirit's voice, and hasten to obey?

Would I count my many blessings? Would I praise Him gratefully

If I could see the Savior standing nigh watching over me?

If the Savior stood beside me, would I comfort those in need?

Would I try to show the Savior's love in every word and deed?

Would I give to those who hunger? Would I serve more willingly

If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?

He is always near me, though I do not see Him there

And because He loves me dearly, I am in His watchful care

So I'll be the kind of person that I know I'd like to be

If I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me.

Happy Anniversary

8th Wedding Anniversary

Eight years can seem like a long time or feel like it flew by.  Well for me it is a little of both.  A lot of life has happened in just 8 years mostly good, some bad, some just challenging, and countless blessings.  Through it all we continue to love each other; to strive to strengthen our marriage; to apply gospel principles to our lives together; to celebrate the good and to comfort and support through the bad.  Knowing that our marriage will last through all eternity, as long as we continue to follow the path together, is a tremendous blessing that is both motivating and comforting.  I am grateful that Heavenly Father sent me Sullivan and our two beautiful daughters to love and to enjoy.  It truly is a Happy Anniversary.

On our anniversary I put on my wedding dress and Sullivan and I danced to our wedding CD.  Putting my dress on again after 8 years and dancing with Sullivan brought back some amazing feelings and memories.  I look forward to trying my dress on again in another 8 years and dancing the night away with you Sullivan!