"Perhaps there has never been a time when we had greater need to pray and to teach our family members to pray. Prayer is a defense against temptation. It is through earnest and heartfelt prayer that we can receive the needed blessings and the support required to make our way in this sometimes difficult and challenging journey we call mortality.”
Three Goals to Guide You Thomas S. Monson
"We are told in the scriptures that Satan will tempt us in the last days before the Savior comes again. For this reason, our children need to know that God and Jesus Christ will always love them and answer their prayers. This knowledge will bring them abiding strength.”
Teaching by Faith Robert D. Hales
I've felt impressed to share some experiences that we have had as a family, so here we go.
Three weeks ago, we were having an up and down week with Kalie. I was starting to feel like we had wasted our money. I was feeling a little doubtful that what we were doing was actually working. I was worried that they would tell us she needs another round of Brain Balance, and I knew that that was something we COULD NOT afford, period. Things just seemed to be working against my faith. All the kids seemed to be extra crazy a particular night, and I knew I was losing my patience and so did Charlie. He told me to go have some time alone, so I went into my bedroom, locked the door, and dramatically threw myself onto the bed. Ok, maybe not so dramatically, but I laid down and did what I usually do in these stressful times. I started to pour my heart out, to my Heavenly Father. I was scared. I just didn't know what we were going to do, and how we would do it. I didn't know how I was going to endure. I remember asking for guidance and strength. The next day was mother's day. I told Kalie that all I wanted was for her to be happy all day. She was. It didn't stop that night though. She did a complete 360. All week, she was so happy. She was helpful, and kind. She did all of her exercises, everyday, without complaining. It was so crazy. I started to see my prayer being answered. I had this calm feeling that everything would be ok, that we wouldn't have to do another round, and that everything would work out how its supposed to and when its supposed to.
I've said many times that this is an expensive program, not only the program, but also the food. They aren't kidding when they say it's expensive to eat healthy, which is really unfortunate in my opinion. They preach and preach that everyone needs to eat organic but then make it $2 more than you would normally pay! Nobody wants weird preservatives, words they can't even pronounce, in the food they give their kids but let's be honest, not everyone is able to afford the organic food. In the past month, and in the month to come, Charlie has been able to pick up ALOT of overtime and ALOT of callout. Now, it took my husband to bring this to my attention that this overtime and callout really is an answer to our prayers and a huge blessing. Last week he worked so much that I could count on my two hands the time we saw him. It was hard. It is really a blessing, though, that he has this job that he is allowed to pick up this extra work, and the situations that made it possible.
Last week, Wednesday, Kalie came home from Brain Balance extra hungry. Charlie had gone into work early this day so I was trying to get her through her homework and do some exercises all while trying to get dinner made, fast. She started to cry and repeatedly told me how hungry she was and was just getting frustrated. She couldn't calm herself down, and I was feeling a little frantic. 4:30 pm and on is the witching hour for my kids. It's just a crazy time! I felt myself getting angry and losing patience and then we started yelling at eachother. I had to stop this. I stopped and asked Kalie to go to her room and pray, I was going to say a prayer myself. At first she refused. She said she didn't feel like praying, she didn't want to pray, she didn't know how to pray. I just told her to talk to Heavenly Father and ask him to help her and us. I sat down, gave her some time. I honestly didn't think she was going to do it. She got quiet though. I still thought 'Oh she has probably calmed herself down and is reading or something' but when I peeked in, I saw her on her knees, by her bed, praying. This was such an amazing thing to witness. She came out a few minutes later, completely calm, and ready to start over.
These experiences have been so humbling. Like the quote above says, " ' It is through earnest and heartfelt prayer that we can receive the needed blessings and the support required to make our way in this sometimes difficult and challenging journey we call mortality.' ” I truly believe that with all my heart. I've never felt closer to Heavenly Father than I have these last 6 months or so. I know that it is because of the prayers that we have said, individually, and as a family, and those said on our behalf. He has answered our prayers in so many different ways and it has been an experience full of gratitude and humility. I am so grateful that we have been able to have these experiences as a family, that we have been able to grow, and the knowledge that we will continue to grow forever, together.
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