Strength of a Family

So this post is due to a few things I have heard or seen or felt this week. Because of the gospel principles that guide most of our lives, we understand the importance of family. One lady made a great point in gospel doctrine last week. She said that all God does all day long every day is serve his kids, that's it, and that's all He WANTS to do. That's the way to happiness. This is mostly for moms, but think about what we do all day. We make three meals which includes meal planning and grocery shopping, clean non-stop so the family has a comfortable environment, do the laundry so the family has clean dry clothes, think of crafts and games to keep them happy and learning, run them to school and activities so they have joy and fulfillment. I could go on and on. That's a lot of serving that can only be learned through motherhood. I will be the first to admit that sometimes I wish I was off somewhere else on my own, but really...this is the most happy I have ever been in my life. Sure, I had a ton of fun in high school and college, but serving little souls all day long, and a fabulous husband of course :), just brings so much peace. Does that make sense? I had a great talk one day with my sister-in-law, Amy Jo Hunsaker. I was feeling frustrated about my feet because I feel like my injuries have stopped me from doing many things I love, but she started talking about how she has felt frustrated about some things in her life and she decided to just get rid of all the outside influences that cause her anger and just focus on her kids and she said she has felt so much peace. She even cleaned out her room of all distraction so she has to be downstairs more where the family life is taking place. What a great idea! So I have been trying that. Trying not to feel bad for myself and to just focus on the gospel and the family. And today this scripture was discussed in Sunday School..."For bodily exercise profiteth for a little while, but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." (1 Tim 4:8) Now I am in no way saying you shouldn't exercise because you SHOULD, it's important to, but I was so focused on doing it, that I lost sight of many other things and that, my friends, is WRONG. In fact I think I was falling to one of Satan's greatest tools on Latter Day Saint Women, distracting us with our hobbies. I think he knows what we like, and tries to get us to go overboard with it by comparing ourselves to others and putting so much time into it that we soon neglect our family. I think he's doing a pretty good job at that actually. So I'm trying to learn to fight him on that and only do what's appropriate as far as "me time" goes because "me time" can very soon turn into neglect of the kids and spouse. I have seen it time and time again. So here are a few pictures of the little kiddos that I get to spend time serving all day and I hope all you moms out there enjoy your time serving your adorable little ones too!