fortification

It amazes me how quickly morality is declining. There are things all over the news about this. I take it in with a lot of thought, but lately it seems I just can't get it off my mind. One of my YW last night was really distraught over something one of her friends told her. She is young, a Beehive, and I was interested to see how something as upsetting and sad to her was dismissed rather quickly by the older girls, only because they are used to it.

When Spencer was in Utah with some of his siblings, he saw that recent (potential) social/moral changes that are hard for us to swallow are extra hard for them. My own kids are going to become desensitized to things that would otherwise be shocking, I am starting to see. I want certain things to shock them, and I want them to stand for what is moral and for what is right instead of just shrugging their shoulders. Sometimes I wonder if I can shield them from such things, but I realize I can't do that. We can fortify our families in our homes. I remembered a talk by Elder Bednar and looked it up. I love his recommendations of how we can be more concerned at home:

1. Express Love--And Show It
I love this part:

"Sometimes in a sacrament meeting talk or testimony, we hear a statement like this: “I know I do not tell my spouse often enough how much I love her. Today I want her, my children, and all of you to know that I love her.”

Such an expression of love may be appropriate. But when I hear a statement like this, I squirm and silently exclaim that the spouse and children should not be hearing this apparently rare and private communication in public at church! Hopefully the children hear love expressed and see love demonstrated between their parents in the regular routine of daily living. If, however, the public statement of love at church is a bit surprising to the spouse or the children, then indeed there is a need to be more diligent and concerned at home."

 

Hmmm...I can do better at this.

 

2. Bear Testimony--And Live It

I need to do better at this too. But I often find that as we converse daily, I am able to carefully share bits and pieces of what I know is true and what is important to me. And my kids! They are so good! They do this daily with their friends - it blows my mind.

 

3. Be Consistent

This happens all too often in our home right now...

"Sometimes Sister Bednar and I wondered if our efforts to do these spiritually essential things were worthwhile. Now and then verses of scripture were read amid outbursts such as “He’s touching me!” “Make him stop looking at me!” “Mom, he’s breathing my air!” Sincere prayers occasionally were interrupted with giggling and poking. And with active, rambunctious boys, family home evening lessons did not always produce high levels of edification. At times Sister Bednar and I were exasperated because the righteous habits we worked so hard to foster did not seem to yield immediately the spiritual results we wanted and expected."

 

But I can tell you...watching Tanner hold his little Book of Mormon every morning - usually upside-down, with sleepy eyes, listening and sometimes repeating aloud, I can't help but think we are establishing something really important for these kids.

 

 

My kids may become de-sensitized to some crazy stuff because of where we live, but as long as they can recognize truth I hope it will be enough of a fortification.

 

I took this picture Sunday and I LOVE it. All of their faces are so perfect here. Love these stinkers.