Enjoy Life

My Dad is 98 years old and has gradually been getting more and more helpless and is finally bedfast. He has dementia and can't remember things, but is totally coherent about things in the "right now in front of his face".  Sadly he can't remember anything that has happened even 5 minutes ago.  My Mother, who is almost 92 years old takes care of him in the house they have lived in all their married life.  My brother has the beginning of alzheimers.  He was an accountant and business man but can't even add simple numbers together like 2+2.  He knows he is losing his memory and very aware of his circumstances and future.   My daughter-in-law who lives with me has cancer.  She had the Whipple surgery (most people used to die from it) and is going through chemo.   Seeing these love ones and the trials they are going through has made me fearful of the future.  I worry about what my future looks like.  Will I become a burden on my children?  If I travel to see my family, will I be in an accident and paralyzed the rest of my life?  What bad thing is looming on my horizon?

So for my May goal, I took PresNelson’s invitation to heart—to seek to increase my faith.  He also asked us to get rid of our personal debris and repent.  I decided I needed to rid myself of fear of the future and worry over it, and to instead increase my faith--somehow. 

I understand the principle that if we have fear, we don't have faith.   “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”2 Timothy 1:7

I prayed to know what to do to increase my faith and was impressed that I should “enjoy life”.  That is the action part or the works part of faith—enjoy my life and enjoy the activities I spend my time doing, like in reading books, gardening, and in learning and playing music and instruments.  I should enjoy new things I can do during the summer instead of hating the heat and being miserable.  I should enjoy traveling to visit my family instead of being fearful of accidents that could happen.  The thought came to me that enjoying my life shows gratitude to Heavenly Father for giving me such a wonderful life.  And I am indeed, very grateful for the life I have.

Tonight I decided to enjoy life by reading my book on the patio and enjoy the last of the cool evenings we will have in May.  I had bought a metal candle holder a few days ago at DI and today I bought a battery operated candle to put in it.  When I turned on the candle and put it in the metal candle holder, I was surprised to see the words on the side.  Another reminder from God, another personal revelation message—just for me.

Thanks for reading,

Cathy

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Parenting Tip- Adult Whining

While I was writing the blog post about whining children, I began to get an uncomfortable feeling--did I whine--and to whom?

Dictionary.com's definition is:

to utter a low, usually nasal, complaining cry or sound, as from uneasiness, discontent, peevishness, etc.:The puppies were whining from hunger.to snivel or complain in a peevish, self-pitying way:He is always whining about his problems.verb (used with object), whined, whin·ing.to utter with or as if with a whine:I whined my litany of complaints.

 Suddenly I had memories of myself talking to my son about my laptop which wasn't working, and whining about not knowing how to fix it.  But worse, I remembered many of my prayers where I presented Heavenly Father a list of my problems and family members who needed help and asked Him to fix everything. Did I pray "in a peevish, self-pitying way" and "utter my prayers with or as if with a whine"?

I began to seriously think about how I prayed and pondered if I was whining when I prayed.
We are told to " Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.

25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.

26 But this is not all; ye must ^apour out your souls in your ^bclosets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.

27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your ^ahearts be ^bfull, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your ^cwelfare, and also for the welfare of ^dthose who are around you.Alma 34: 24"

So if we are told to cry continually for our welfare, doesn't that sound like whining?  I decided it depends totally on our ATTITUDE and FEELINGS when we pray.

Do we pray with humbleness in our hearts? Do we acknowledge our love to our Father in Heaven and pray with this feeling of love and reverence?  Do we ask the Lord for His mercy and grace in our lives, knowing He loves us, too?  Do we have faith in accepting His timing as we pray over our problems and ask for help?  Do we acknowledge our willingness to grow in our struggles and see the strength we are receiving? Do we stop to see and thank Him for the tender blessings and mercies bestowed on us each day?  Do we rejoice and praise the Lord for His goodness and love?

If I can answer YES to each of those questions, then I realized I am not whining. Whew! I am actually talking to my Father in Heaven and discussing my needs and desires.  I am explaining my situation and trying to get help and understanding in solving my problems.  It's actually exhilarating, enabling and humbling to really talk with Heavenly Father on a one on one basis and listen for his direction and have His ideas come to my mind during my prayers.  

Prayer really can be a conversation, a discussion with my Father.  And when I am filled with love for and accept His love for me, then that conversation is never whining. 

Thanks for reading,

Cathy

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