Rejoice

 I jokingly texted a cousin about my failures on International Women's Day.  While I posted about the strength and merits of women (which I strongly stand by!) this was my message to her. 

"To celebrate  I pulled a sock out of my roomba, fed my family a premade casserole from a box that has corn it it so George made an alternative meal and put my pjs on at 5:45.  Killing it over here!!😂😂😂"

It is so easy to look at others and think that things must be easier, better, more blessed for them.  To give them our joy.

Emma Smith's patriarchal blessing included these lines:

"Thou hast grieved for the hardness of the hearts of thy father’s house, and thou hast longed for their salvation. The Lord will have respect to thy cries, and by his judgments he will cause some of them to see their folly and repent of their sins; but it will be by affliction that they will be saved. Thou shall see many days; yea, the Lord will spare thee till thou art satisfied, for thou shalt see thy Redeemer. Thy heart shall rejoice in the great work of the Lord, and no one shall take thy rejoicing from thee."

No one shall take thy rejoicing from thee. 

Emma had lost and would lose so much.  Six babies in total.  Her family.  Her husband.  One home after another.  Her time.  Her privacy. 

What a glorious promise for her to be told that in spite of all of the suffering, her heart would rejoice and that no one could take that away from her. 

No one. And that promise is true for us.  Our rejoicing can't be taken from us. 

But we do have to guard it.  And not give it away.  

As Theodore Roosevelt said, "Comparison is the thief of joy."

Marvin J Ashton was more specific, "Sisters (and I add brothers as well), do not allow yourselves to be made to feel inadequate or frustrated because you cannot do everything others seem to be accomplishing. Rather, each should assess her own situation, her own energy, and her own talents, and then choose the best way to mold her family into a team, a unit that works together and supports each other. Only you and your Father in Heaven know your needs, strengths, and desires. Around this knowledge your personal course must be charted and your choices made."

Rejoice in who you are and in the great work of the Lord, which He has said is our salvation. Find your moments of joy and hold onto them.  And never think that the gloom around you means you should feel bad about the joy you do find. It's uniquely yours and a gift from Heaven.