LOOKING BACK

November 24, 2013

Sister Herod called me Friday and asked if I would speak for a couple of minutes about how faith has help me overcome trials.  I know that she was inspired to ask me.  I was on the tail end of a two week pity party and my Heavenly Father knew I needed this. Today we are celebrating our 13 year wedding anniversary and our 1 year living in Ohio anniversary

Probably like most people, my life has not turned out exactly how I thought it would. When I got married, I thought that I would be a stay-at-home mom, my hard working, smart husband would make enough money to work one job, my kids would go to public school every day, and we would live in the west by family. Pretty basic stuff. 

President Monson said that “no person has ever lived entirely free of suffering and sorrow, nor has there ever been a period in human history that did not have its full share of turmoil and misery”.  I know that a lot of people have much more difficult trials than I have had.  I know that a lot of people appear to not have had as many trials as I have had.  Some trials I’ve brought upon myself.  Others I have not. 

I made a list of some of the more memorable trials~

 

Jaylee’s seizures

Conrad hospitalized with RSV at 6 weeks old.  Asthma treatments for a couple years after.

Harrison was born not breathing.  He had to be revived.  Very scary.

Harrison had torticollis.  Year of physical therapy, had to wear a collar, and a Botox injection.

Jaylee was diagnosed with a reading disorder or auditory processing disorder.

Four not fun C-Sections.  Little issues with each one.

I had panic attacks that landed me in several ERs. 

Matt totaled 2 cars.  1 car started on fire with him still in it. 

Matt fell off our 30-ft roof and broke the right side of his body.  He was wheelchair, used a walker, then crutches.  He was unemployed for 8 months while he recovered.

Matt has been out of work 3 different times.       

Matt has worked 2 jobs for 12 out of the 13 years of our marriage.

I’m not complaining.  I know that my trials are small in comparison to what they could be.  In dealing with our trials, Heavenly Father has lead us down wonderful paths that I did not expect~

Moving to Ohio for employment.

Homeschooling our children.

Graduate school for Matt and I.

Paper routes, graveyard jobs, teaching piano and babysitting. 

A scripture in the Book of Mormon has been my mantra~ Ether 12:6…Dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.  We’ve put this scripture to the test many times and we’ve always come out with an abundance of blessings and stronger testimonies.

Today at the dinner table we all went around naming the blessing that we’ve received since moving to Ohio.  Here are some of them~

We’ve grown closer as a family.

Matt has only 1 job.  He is able to do his calling and spend more time with the family.

Matt works for an amazing company. He loves his job and the people who work there.

We have a swimming pool that we enjoy all summer. 

We’ve met amazing people who inspire us.

We’ve made new friends who love us and support us.

Ohio is gorgeous.  We love the metroparks.

 

And most of all, we love the missionary work that is happening around us.  It is changing our hearts and minds.  We love having the missionaries over and our testimonies are strengthened when we see new people join the church. 

NOW, my new mantra needs to be, “Never dwell on what I am lacking, rather, always be deeply grateful for my many blessings.

I’m so grateful for my life.  Heavenly Father has made my burdens light, even as He did for Alma and his brethren long ago.  Mosiah 24:15, “And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.”