As I look around my house I feel depressed, it is cold and rainy outside, there are smudges on walls, laundry spilling out of every hamper, and pee behind every toilet (I just can't seem to impress upon my four year old the importance of aiming.) I am ready to curl up in a nice warm spot with a good book, and a gallon of chocolate ice cream (good thing I stopped buying it). These are the days that make me fat.
I am grateful for good women who teach me. One talk during the 1996 women's conference sticks with me. Mary B. Kirk gave a talk called "Finding Holiness in Everyday Life. It was and is life changing. She says:
"If I want to understand and know the Savior, I have to say to him, "Come unto me. Visit me in my house, in my space on earth." And if he would come and be right there close by me, I could say, "Lord, what wouldst thou have me do?" I have a good imagination, so I can see the Savior coming up the steps with the faulty rail, standing on my porch, and gently knocking on my door, wanting to come in and bring some peace and joy to my whirlwind. .."
She then goes on to explain what she would show the Savior...She takes him from room to room, pointing out messes that symbolize children learning, family meals, and projects in which God given tallents are used.
"Come see my laundry room. See all these clothes? I know that many people need these worse than we do....the laundry pile can be discouraging at times.I'm so grateful to have hot, running water. That is the thing I am most grateful for...besides the Atonement...I know a lot of my brothers and sisters on earth don't have hot, running water - or even water. Today there are more clothes clean and folded than dirty and unsorted. When I work in here I can see work clothes and school clothes and play clothes and church clothes. Looking at these clothes I can see Jim hard at work to provide for us. I see one of my sons sitting on the deacons bench, getting ready to serve the sacrament. I see my other son running track in the rain and the mud. It's right there in the laundry room. I can see them. And I can see my girls playing dress-ups, pretending to be mommies and dancers and doctors and teachers and all those wonderful things. Imagining and dreaming..."
In Mosiah 18:12 Alma says, "Oh Lord, pour out thy spirit upon thy servant, that he may do this work with holiness of heart."
Instead of asking a bowl of ice cream to help and comfort, I need to ask the Lord.
"He'll sprinkle holiness into today, and we will find it. He will pour out his holiness upon us at the rate that we open our eyes and perceive, open our ears and understand, and open our hearts and invite him in" Mary B. Kirk
12 comments:
Thank you CJ. I needed this today. Thank you aggain.
I am currently looking out the window at a BEAUTIFUL sunny day, not a single cloud, and I wish I could send a piece of it your way.
Rain is beautiful. The gray that comes with it is not. I remember it well.
You have given yourself (and us) great advice. Finding holiness in the day to day "ho-hum" of life can be difficult. I like the visual of walking through my little apartment with the Savior. I like the feeling of not HIDING a single thing but rather SHOWING him everything. That really is the only way he can help. As I type this it is dawning on me that I really need to do that more in my life. I tend to hold back what I show him (as if didn't already know).
How do you find the podcast you listen to while running? I am interested in it.
I am thinking of you in the rain today...
P.S. do you have a way for me to get a copy of this talk? I need it.
Beautiful. I love how she looks at the laundry. Yesterday my boys took every pillow and cushion in the house and piled them at the bottom of the stairs. I was frustrated thinking that now I had a big mess to clean up rather than enjoying the fact that they were finding a creative way to pass the time. I need to look at messes in a different light.
Thank you!
Thank you. I am sitting in the middle of a huge, gigantic mess. Your post really made me think. I needed it.
BTW, I almost didn't get up this morning to go to the gym, but I did anyway. Got there later than usual, but still did 10 minutes of elliptical and spent the next 20 on weight machines.
Calamity Jane, if you have a moment would you mind popping over to my blog? Please? I feel bad asking because I know you must be busy, but I know you've been where I am before and I'm in some pretty desperate need of encouragement/advice.
Rebecca
Thank you, that was absolutely beautiful. It's wonderful to know He is there--just waiting for us to come unto Him.
I like the idea of picturing the Savior coming to visit and seeing beyond the mess and clutter. It is hard to be grateful sometimes while surrounded by chaos!
P.S. I recently discovered your blog and I love it!
This was so, so refreshing!!! :)
I have never looked at my growing pile of laundry this way. I think I need to though.
Its interesting that when we think of The Saviour coming to visit us, we think we would be so embarrassed to have Him see our homes the way they usually are. But we are willing to let a close friend see that. I would like to think of Christ as a close friend, and that even though my home is far from perfect, that he would know me and love me anyway just as a good friend would. He sees it all anyhow even if we don't realize it.
The day is over, I really tried to find holiness today and I was shocked at how my attitude changed. I watched my preschoolers, I realized the short time I have with them, I laughed, read, and played playdough. I tried looking at my laundry the way she did and It really helped. I cleaned looking at every mess as something discovered, played with and enjoyed. My day was far from perfect because I am in the throws of a violent PMS seaspm, but oh it was so much better than it would have been. I am glad you liked it too.
The talk I got from the 1996 BYU Womens Conference book. I buy the new edition every year, I pour over them and learn so much. Now from 1997 on you can get the talks on line, but this one was one year too early. One day, I will try to type it out for everyone, but I am not making any promises. The talk is incrediable and is one I always try to refer back to. If anyone finds it online let me know, I searched, but I am no genius.
So, are you always oozing with inspiration or what? Thanks again. I got home from our trip to cold weather and grey clouds and am finding myself stopping a bit longer than I'd like to. Must. Get. Going. Again.
Wow! A wodnerful talk. I too am very grateful for hot running water. If I ever forget that, I am reminded everytime I go camping.
Post a Comment