Good habit

While I know it's important to read the scriptures, it is WAY too easy to not do it. I forget, I have other stuff to do, the content can be tedious, etc... So I skip it one day, and then the next, and so on. Reading your scriptures becomes a habit, just like not reading the scriptures becomes a habit. So I am challenging myself to be better about developing the good habit, not the bad one. And it's not only reading scripture that's important, it's studying them and researching and praying and reading other supplementary literature that helps grow your faith and understanding. To hold myself accountable to this goal, I am going to post on Sundays on the blog a spiritual or uplifting thought that I have been pondering during the week. That will help me to plan ahead to think of a thought to think about:) 

My heart has been heavy this week, as a friend of mine is going through a huge trial. Her young son had an accident, one that could have happened to any of our kids, and he has been fighting for his life. He fell off a picnic bench and hit is head wrong. This could have been any of our kids!!!! His life is no longer in danger (after 10 days she can finally report that), but his mom has said how he now has "many mountains to climb." One moment her life was blissful and "perfect" and a split second later, everything changed. Now her daily thoughts do not drift to "What's for dinner? I wish I didn't have to go to the grocery store" or "I wish the kids would just settle down." Now they are, "I want to hold my baby. I haven't held him in 10 days" and "What does the future of my son look like?" I can't even type this without crying. She has remained faithful and strong throughout this time, but even when you believe that the Lord will see you through, the ache and hardship does not disappear. 

The children are singing a song in Primary called "Build an Ark." Listening to the song this week, I have been deeply touched: 

Noah was a prophet, a man who did not fear.

When he taught repentance, the people would not hear.

So the Lord told him to build a boat

That could hold a ton and stay afloat.

Then Noah started building and said within his heart:

“I will build an ark before it starts to rain.

I will follow the Lord and do all things in His name.

I’ll prepare ev’ry needful thing. I will walk in righteous ways.

When the rain starts to fall on me, I’ll be ready for that day.”

I can be like Noah. Yes, I can be prepared.

I can build my ark, and I’ll find safe shelter there.

I can do the things I know are right.

I can learn and pray with all my might.

And then when storm clouds come, I’ll be safe within my ark.

I will build my ark before it starts to rain.

I will follow the prophet, for he speaks in God’s name.

I’ll prepare ev’ry needful thing. I will walk in righteous ways.

When the rain starts to fall on me, I’ll be ready for that day.

God has always been with his children. Since the beginning, he guided faithful men like Adam and Noah. In this song, I was struck by how the Lord prepared Noah before his trial (the flood). God didn't send a flood and then expect him to get on board and believe and follow Him. First, Noah developed his faith and a connection with God. God prompted Noah to teach his Word and be an example to the people, which he did. When God told Noah to build an ark, a task that was not previously in his skill set, Noah did not question this prompting, because he was so close to God that he knew he should trust Him, no matter how far fetched the call. Sometimes we feel ill-equipped to deal with the hand we've been dealt. We feel like we can't do what's required of us. We can't possibly handle a trial like the one we've been given. But that's why it's so important to prepare as well as we can for the trials that will inevitably come. We don't know what our personal challenges will be, but they will come. And if we are close to the Lord and trust him with unwavering faith "BEFORE it starts to rain,"He assures us that we will be "ready for that day." We may not always feel like we are ready. No doubt Noah (and his wife... can you imagine his wife on that boat with all those animals?!?!?) struggled, but when you know the Lord is close at hand, we have an edge. 

We all know someone who has been through something hard... really hard. Maybe it's you. I know I have. There's such hope in this song, and I think that's why I love it so much. This is been the song I've been humming all week, so I've been able to talk about it a lot with my boys. I have told them that we can all be like faithful Noah. We can do our part to be close to God, to make good choices, to "build our ark", so that no matter what storms lie ahead, we will be buoyed above the waters. We can find shelter during the storms of life. There is no greater hope than that. To know that hard things will happen but we are not alone. My prayer this week is that I will walk in righteous ways, that my children will do the things they know are right, and that we will all be ready when the rain starts to fall. Prayers for my friend and her sweet baby boy named Parker, who has showed me that we can be faithful, steadfast, and even grateful amidst unthinkable challenges.