Gratitude: Day 9

Day 9

I am grateful for all the inspired youth programs of our church. Parenting is difficult. It's seriously the hardest thing that I have ever done and will probably ever do. It is impossible to do it alone. Even if you are the most contentious parent, the most involved parent, and the most deliberate parent. It's hard. You need a network. A vast network of relatives, neighbors, teachers, friends, coaches, ward members and Him.

I gave a talk in church this year on Grace. One of the ways that I most feel His grace in my life is in my role as a parent. In my talk I said this:

In preparing this talk I was thinking about grace in my own life. How do I utilize this enabling power regularly? And...the number one thing that came to my mind was parenting. I am the mother of four amazing kids and I can tell you that parenting is the most challenging thing Tyler and I have ever done and continue to do. It was so much easier when the kids were little... it could be exhausting...but it was definitely easier. I was ill-prepared for how gut-wrenchingly difficult it can be to parent and to try to parent well as our kids have gotten older and two of them are now teenagers. The world they live in and the things face each day are not only terrifying but they are spiritually dangerous. There are many times when Tyler and I feel completely inadequate about how to help them, what say, how to uplift them, and how to combat the negativity and adversity they face. They come home from school weighed down physically, emotionally, and spiritually. They have been battling all day and it is our job as parents to protect them, lift them, nurture them, comfort them, provide wise counsel, guide them, and be able to answer those tough questions when they arise. Tyler and I often feel like we are just  “winging it” and we would be, if not for Christ, and that is where grace come in. Prayers without number are offered and answered, promptings come when needed, words, thoughts, and plans of action come to our minds when counsel and guidance are given, and more times than I can count peace comes to worried parents. Christ takes two imperfect and inadequate parents... who are trying their best and often failing... and He helps, lifts, strengthens, heals, comforts, guides, and enlightens, and He forgives...for that, I am tremendously grateful. Christ doesn't make up the difference...He is all the difference.  

The youth programs of the church are a gift. A gift to help us in our roles as parents. Primary, Young Womens, and Young Men. They are there to help us guide and direct our children in positive directions and toward the Lord. Today we had a bounteous day at church. It was the Primary Program. Who doesn't feel the Spirit during the Primary Program? Ailey and Bryn both had parts and Ailey was part of two different singing groups. It was fantastic. I cannot hear the song The Family Is of God without crying.

Then in Young Women one of the Laurels had earned her Young Womanhood Recognition Award and the whole hour was devoted to celebrating this achievement. She was one of my little Activity Day girls (both she and Reilly were) and I remember her bringing her little Faith in God booklet and showing me all the things that she had done to get marked off. I remember doing activities under the Preparing for Young Women section and talking to the girls about accomplishing these goals. How special it was to be in Young Women with both Reilly and Jenna, and to see that they accomplished those goals that they had set when they were eight years old. So very special.

After Church Kameron was interviewed and found worthy to be ordained to the office of a teacher next Sunday. The Young Mens program does just as much in strengthening the youth, teaching them to be leaders, helping them to serve, and turning their lives to Christ. 

It was quite a spectacular Sunday. I am so grateful that our Father in Heaven loves His children and that he provides so much support to parents as they raise their children and come unto Christ.

Yea, Come unto Christ and be perfected in Him, and deny yourself of all ungodliness. (Moroni 10:32)

I have seen so much spiritual growth in all of our children this year and the youth programs of the church have played a large part. I am grateful for the youth programs of the church.