Today Landon turned to me and said, "I'm going up." I was shocked (though he went up last month when I was home sick so I didn't hear what he had to say) and found myself wanting to review with him what a true testimony entails. Isn't that ridiculous?? As he walked confidently up to the stand I saw his childhood pass before my eyes. (Seriously.) I felt the weight of all the Family Home Evenings we've missed and feared what he would say. As it turned out, he gave a pure testimony, short, sweet, and possessing the key elements that it should. I was relieved and humbled.
I think Landon is a choice spirit and is wiser than he should be, given his slacker parents. In general we do the things we're supposed to do and try to teach our kids correct principles, but we could definitely do better. I don't know if we've fooled ourselves into thinking their childhoods are going to last a long time or that they're always going to listen to us, but we've been rather complacent about teaching them at home. I'm publicly repenting for that here and now, and expressing my gratitude that he is only 8 years old and that all is not lost. How brutal would it be to have my kids grow up into angry teenagers and to have their lives flash through my mind and see clearly all the teaching opportunities I missed. I feel like I've been given another chance...and to that I say "You Gotta Love It Baby!"
**Do you ever feel like this?
Do you have epiphanies about your family?
When was the last time you felt like you were given a second chance?**
Do you have epiphanies about your family?
When was the last time you felt like you were given a second chance?**
16 comments:
What great insight. I am glad you shared. I kind of had a similar experience when my daughter started school. I am sorry to say I have not improved all that much yet. Thanks for the motivation.
All the time! It is great motivation for improving teaching at home, though, isn't it?
Your son looks so handsome in his suit. I love the picture.
Jill you are not alone. I think we all question ourselves as parents and wonder if we are really doing the best we can. I think it is good to realize that we have work to do, and to continually work on doing better. Here's to you and I both doing a better job at teaching our children all that they need to know!
Great attitude. I like your title.
That is a blessing, to have epiphanies and more chances. I feel like I have chances to try again everyday. It's a continual process. Like President Hinckley said, "Try a little harder to be a little better." I'm hoping baby steps will get me there in my relationships.
You know I feel the panic of the time we have to teach the kids, why does that not cross over into me being more proactive? Thanks for the reminder, I will try harder.
Thanks for this today! Good for you for taking advantage of the moment - it is so easy to let those inclinations slip by.
i have felt like this as well. thanks for the reminder to keep on keeping on. i have little spurts and then huge dry spells. it's a continual process. and what a responsibility we have. wow. you son looks so sharp.
I feel like this all the time. In fact, I found my self crying the other night alone in bed feeling like a TERRIBLe mother.
Taylor's first testimony (which I still can't believe she actually went up) I wasn't there either. It kinda made me sad. But she did it a few months later and I got to here her sweet testimony.
Thank goodness for the atonement right?
I do have epiphanies about my children, and quite often they come during my church meetings. (yet another good reason to go!) I have little panic attacks all the time about parenting and whether I'm really teaching them what they need to know. So far I know I have a long way to go, but I'm working on it.
Every day should feel like a second chance, shouldn't it? I should be taking advantage of that more.
I can't believe Landon went up to bear his testimony -- what a brave guy!
I feel like that a ton! I have epiphanies all the time about keeping up with the scripture study and FHE. I know how important it is and yet I still slack off. I can be good for a couple months and then wuss out for the next 6. Why is that? I so want to avoid the angry teenager phase and that does start right NOW!
Landon does sound like a wise little man. I love that in a little boy.
Landon is such a sweet boy, I think I would have just bawled to see my baby up there! I think about this all the time...decide to be a better mom, do things differently, spend more quality time etc.etc....then a few weeks later I have the same realization again knowing that I did not do anything to change, and the cycle repeats!! If I could freeze time right now, this very second I would! I can't stand the thought of my babies growing up!
oh landon looks so handsome...wow what a moment to see your little baby up there! how proud! he is wise and very intelligent.
jill there is no one in this world like you! i love the way your write and how it is exactly what I would say if I could figure out how to get it out!
I love what Jane wrote "all the time"
i have so much I could say about the subject, but have so little time, this is my first time looking at blogs in a few days and I have got to run, but there was a talk given by Henry B. Iring a year back about if you don't know there is a battle going on then you won't know to fight. i think about all this time as a parent that realizing the importance of teaching them is sometimes the biggest step. Great that you documented these feelings today!
have a great day
I'm right there witha sista. I too find myself struggling to take the time to teach. I seem to be in a hurry to do OTHER stuff and forget the important things I should be doing every day. I cry at least once a week realizing it is my fault if they go astray. Not a good feeling.
I seem to cringe everytime my girls get up to bear their testimony or to say a prayer in primary worrying what they are going to come up with.
Thanks for reminding me to pick up my teaching game and get with it!!
I always love your posts. Since I don't have children, those particular fears are not mine but it is nice to realize,when you finally become an adult, that your parents really aren't stupid or embarrassing.
Love this post! I get the slacker parent thing-there is nothing worse than maternal guilt! It is so easy to see all the things we aren't doing right and so easy to MISS all the things we are doing right. I have one that is almost 8. You Gotta Love it Baby!
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