Video on being taught well by parents

This is so worth watching http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=isLtc5lFgf8&feature=player_embedded&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DisLtc5lFgf8%26feature%3Dplayer_embedded

Balance

Dang! I thought I published this last week, guess not! :) There are only so many hours in the day. We are each just one person. And although I would love to learn everything, do everything and teach it all to my kids in one day, it just isn't going to happen. One of my biggest weaknesses is getting really involved in something that I miss the bigger picture and forget about doing other needful things. I will get completely absorbed in a book or in a sewing project or in reading to my kids or playing the piano or a cleaning project (in my former life when I had time to do such things), and I will forget all about making dinner or cleaning up after myself or whatever, it makes me late for stuff all the time because I think I can do more before we have to go and then I get absorbed in it an leave later. So having a bunch of kids has forced me to prioritize better, organize better and think things through better and schedule things better. There just is so little room for error when you have a bunch of needy people dependent on you. At this point in my mothering career, we are just doing the most important basics and it takes all day long and longer. I honestly haven't folded the laundry in months, I get it washed, the laundry room is out of the way and we all just dig through to find our clothes, it is on the list to organize and give parts of it to the kids, but the time is not yet. And I wash an average of 3 loads of laundry a day and usually more with all the pee and poo blankets, towels and clothes. Today somebody forgot to turn the sink off after they washed their hands in the bathroom, so right now every towel in the house is hanging out to dry on our back deck from soaking up all the water that ran everywhere before someone noticed-- at least it was clean water from the sink and not yucky water from the toilet. Anyway, my point is that we have had to prioritize so much that we only do what is most important and for awhile that did not include taking care of myself. I have been learning that the analogy of the putting on your own oxygen mask in the airplane first and then putting it on the child once yours is secure is very true. If I am not healthy, then everything else can just go to pot, nothing will get done if I am not there to either do it or oversee it. If I am stressed, then everybody is stressed. So there were a couple days where I woke up extremely tired from getting woken in the night for various things over several days, and I decided that everybody was safe and happy doing whatever and I went back to bed and rested. When I got up, I felt tons better and got way more done than if I had tried to push through that tiredness. Also, I think I have finally internalized the fact that we are not going to accomplish everything I would like to do every day and that's OK. I need a break sometimes and the kids also need a break sometimes. As we work steadily and consistently a little bit everyday, eventually will reach our end goal. My girls play the piano even though our lessons have been sporadic. They are doing fine in algebra even though we slowed down in math sometimes. The boys finished their first year Greek book even though it took us 2 years to do so. It's OK. And we can take a break from our studies for field trips. I just used to want the kids to get as much done as possible each day, but that's not necessary. I think we are actually more efficient now because I don't hang it over our heads all the time. We work when it's time to work and we play when it's time to play. I make sure and drink my water and eat my salad before I make the kids' meals so I have energy to do so and don't eat all their food. I also let myself rest when I'm tired and acknowledge to myself how much I've done even though it doesn't look like it. I try to remember all the diapers I changed, all the books I read, all the bums I wiped and hands I washed and food I prepared and served and water I gave and children I dressed and homework I explained and songs I sang and messes I cleaned. It's good to take breaks and the kids like it too. I also love to exercise, and so I have been taking time for that about 4 times per week for 30-50 minutes. It feels good. I like this way better. Maybe the amount we do hasn't changed, but my attitude and my efficiency has. And volleyball is over so maybe we'll be home so the kids can actually do their chores again!! Balance!!

Mormon Feminists and Ordain Women

This seems to be the talk in Mormondom these days so I figured I would chime in for posterity's sake. Basically the only good reason for women to not hold the priesthood is because The Lord said so. That's it, and that could change just like it did for polygamy-- which since researching I think was a mistake in the first place-- and just like it changed for the blacks. But wow, there are some wild postulations out there as to why women don't have the priesthood. Some of the most amusing ones are that women were so valiant and so much better than men in the pre-existence that they don't really need it ( isn't that exactly what some people said about the blacks except that the black people weren't as valiant in the pre-existence?), and then there is the idea that men need the priesthood to keep them active in church and feeling special-- huh?, and then the best one I've heard is that the prayers of women are so powerful, they don't even need the priesthood at all, in fact, their prayers may be even more powerful than a priesthood blessing-- (if that were true, then why would we have the priesthood at all, just let the women pray). So there you go, and if there is a group of women who want to go to 2 more hours of conference, I say, go for it! As far as the Mormon feminists are concerned, I like them. They seem intelligent and faithful to the gospel. They just see that there is inequality of opportunity for service in the church and they would like to see that more equal. They would also like to do women activities without getting a male's approval. I think that is reasonable. I also really liked this post written on the mormon feminists website this week, I really like Malala, what a quality person she is, anyway,: http://www.feministmormonhousewives.org/2013/10/and-im-afraid-of-no-one/ When there are down trodden, marginalized or repressed people, it is always wrong. And it is not the down trodden's fault that they are marginalized and down trodden and it is not for us to judge unrighteous lay, or really at all, for we will be judged that same way-- karma. It is not the Lord's will that only a select few have wonderful service opportunities in the Lord's name. We are supposed to help and encourage each other and cheer for each other. When someone is having a hard time we are supposed to support them and let them know we care and help them in a way that they see as helpful, not in a way that we think will help, but in a way that actually does help, or at the least let them know we want them to succeed and to excel and to do their best even if they end up better than us. This pure charity was sorely lacking in many of the conference talks this last time I thought. There is too much competition and too many rules for us to judge each other against so we can see who is the most righteous and who is not. This is not everybody of course, but it does happen. And when this competitive spirit takes over a ward or congregation, it is very hard to stop, and the safe haven of church no longer exists. In order for church to be an inspirational, loving, happy and cooperative place, we have to have the spirit of love, compassion, understanding and cooperation to reign. That means that we don't care what people wear to church or if they are better than us or if they can do a lot or if they are overwhelmed, we are just glad to see them. We are just glad they came. We say hi to each other, we ask how each other is doing, and we don't ignore people. We don't selectively praise people for their efforts and put our leaders up on a pedestal and talk about how great everything is. We just enjoy being with others who share our faith. We realize that we are all different and very individual. We won't all be the same, and we will be glad for these differences, it keeps life interesting and fun. When somebody has a concern or an issue, we don't immediately dismiss it, we listen and try to either clear it up or find an agreeable solution for both parties. We include each other in planning and we try to do things that will be appreciated by those we are supposed to serve without thinking about how awesome they may think we are for doing this incredible activity that helped no one. Those of us with testimonies of The Lord's restored true church don't want to think that there could be problems and some serious ills happening inside it. But the reality is that the Lord's servants are human beings doing the best they can with good intentions-- hopefully, but that doesn't mean they can do no harm. The biggest harm I've seen recently is in this idea of pure obedience to your leaders all the way from the prophet to the bishop to the primary, young men, and young women presidents and leaders, regardless of what they may say. It's even ok in some cases to go against the handbook as long as the bishop approves. Concerns and questions are not welcome because they have been called of God and they will make the final decisions regardless of how it may affect some individuals. I think the feminists see the gender inequality that exists and feel that if that can be made right, then things will be better. I agree things may be somewhat better, but I have also seen the worst come out of women presidents of church auxiliaries and I think we probably would get a whole new set of problems. I think the issue of people not feeling accepted, loved and safe at church is a much bigger problem than just gender inequality. I admire the feminists' idealism and courage though, and if nothing else they have brought some issues to the forefront of a much needed conversation.