Stronger Through Him

 

 Today is National Daughters Day. I love being a mom to my girls.  They bring me joy. And tears and pounds and pride and laughter and gray hair and wrinkles!  But I couldn't help but stop and think today- What if every daughter understood who she was. And whose she was. No matter her earthly circumstance. No matter her familial situation here and now. As our young women recite each Sunday, "I am a beloved daughter of heavenly parents, with a divine nature and eternal destiny.” Each one created with infinite power and capabilities. Each once with so much good inside of them and so many gifts that they bring to make this existence better for us all.  Happy daughters day to women everywhere!

  A beautiful prayer for a Dominican Sister shared with me from a friend. The beauty around us is meant to be a part of the joy. We were created for joy. Real joy.  "May you be blessed by the God of Autumn who opens your eyes to the glorious colors of tree and bush and sky. May your heart be open to the colors of God's love and care for you. May you learn the lesson of letting go into God's desire for you. May you be a companion to those who are in the autumn of life and may your own changing years be filled with the glow of God's glory. May the blessing of Autumn be yours." -Maxine Shonk, OP

 I was hurrying through my morning routine and headed upstairs to unlock another teachers room, which I share for one class.  I quickly leaned over, slipped my key attached to the lanyard around my neck into the lock, and gave a quick turn to the left. The lock made a funny, clicking sound, and the key wouldn't budge.  I tried wiggling and jiggling.I tried pulling and pushing but it was stuck!!! And class would start in 4 minutes.   Horrified and going into a temporary and insane panic, I jerked my head back as visions of me forever trapped to the doorknob shot through my mind.  I know, ridiculous.  Fortunately, common sense prevailed and I slipped the lanyard off my neck and detached the key. With chagrin, I looked around to see who was noticing.  Zero.  Zero of the seventh graders crowding the halls around me were in any way interested in what the faculty was doing even if they were chained to a door knob. I still felt silly, especially having l...

  It was a simple 4 word sermon. Given by a sobbing 12 year old boy sitting in the NEST with me. "Kids need their dads." And it has echoed over and over again in my mind as I try to help these struggling spirits. Elder Jeffrey R Holland posed this question, "As a father, I wonder if I and all other fathers could do more to build a sweeter, stronger relationship with our sons and daughters here on earth. Dads, is it too bold to hope that our children might have some small portion of the feeling for us that the Divine Son felt for His Father? Might we earn more of that love by trying to be more of what God was to His child? In any case, we do know that a young person’s developing concept of God centers on characteristics observed in that child’s earthly parents." He continues in the same sermon, "Why are we not surprised that when 2,000 children of all ages and backgrounds were asked what they appreciated most about their fathers, they answered universally, “He s...

 These teenagers are winding their way into my heart in incredible ways.   And it's a hard like parenting teens in many ways. Because you can't talk and share in the same way as you can with littles.   So I won't always be able to share the stories in the same detail.   But I can definitely share the lessons. And here is one. A student who just keeps being mean.   And I watched and questioned and noticed and listened and prayed. And I realized that when she is mean or gossips or puts down, it feels good to her.   For about five seconds.   It's a fake feel good.   Sometimes paid in peer laughter.   Or a temporary power. Or shifting the attention to someone else's flaws. But it doesn't last.   Because it's a lie.  So she has to do it again and again. She hasn't experienced the truth that real filling, lasting filling,  comes from bringing others up, not down. (Or registered there hurt she has caused). But after three weeks togeth...

  My missionary daughter is teaching many Ecuadorian people right now.   They are in severe poverty but delighting in the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With joy in her voice and sparkle in her rhymes she told us of one woman whose toddler niece loves the scripture study they do together.   Sitting on the porch or in the park, they find a place and study as a group.  No matter who is reading, she wants to hold the book and she watches as the adults use their finger to guide to them proper passage and read aloud .   This woman is recognizing the beauty and duty of teaching children to come to the Savior through the scriptures.  She already embodies the understanding that, as Nephi taught,  they are for "the learning and profit  of my children".  President Cheryl C Lant further admonished, "How blessed is the child whose parents base their lives on the teachings in the scriptures! There is absolutely nothing more important ...

  It was the second full moon of the month and the Friday leading into a 3-day weekend, and the building behaviors were living up to the dire predictions. The Nest, my space for helping redirect kids BEFORE they get out of hand, was hopping with 7th and 8th graders.   I had had some tears, some anger, some frustration, lots of girl drama and boys horseplay gone too far.   But every single student had left ready to return to class and back on track.   And then one young man was sent down for challenging another to a fight. He came in and looked around suspiciously. I introduced myself and asked if he had had anything to eat today.  Did he need a drink?  Did he get enough sleep last night? He really looked confused but answered and took a seat at my table. Then I asked what had happened.   He looked around and then pulled out two cafeteria cookies and $3 and pushed them across the table in front of him and said "let's just make this go...