Monday, January 14, 2013

My 2013 Resolution

After some wonderful inspiring lessons in 2012, I have found my 2013 resolution:

~Find the Joy in Every Moment~

This is something that I am totally ready for.  I am ready to start letting go of the things I can't change and be OK with that.  Not that I was ever high strung before, but becoming a mom kind of made me a little more...particular?  And if things didn't seem to work out the way I thought they should, it would frustrate me.  I'm ready to rise above that.  I'm ready to let go of anger, or frustration, or pain, and find the JOY.  I'm ready to make the choice to be happy in each and every little moment.  Life is too short to hang onto those sad emotions!

And so, I make a segway into my next topic.  The two lessons that I've learned in 2012 are these:

~Just Because Something is Hard, Doesn't Mean it's Bad, it's Just Hard~

This is one I have struggled with, and I think I always will.  It's human nature to want to take the easy path, it's....easier!  But if living the Gospel has taught me anything, it's that doing the right thing is *often* hard.  It's supposed to be.  Life isn't supposed to be easy.   And this applies to SO MUCH in life beyond the gospel!!  I'm sticking to my principles, and let my preferences go, even if that means it's the hard choice.

~If I Don't Love Someone or Something, I am Not Serving Them Enough~

This realization came to me as I hear and see the members of my home ward in New York serving my parents so faithfully in this immense time of need.  They have been an absolute blessing and it brings me to tears to know that they love my family as much as I do, and are able to serve them.  They love my family because they serve them.  I cannot express my gratitude to them enough for everything they have done.  So I realized, it's because they serve that they love.

It made me think, why do I love my children?  Certainly not because parenthood is easy (HA!), it's because I serve them, every day, and I put everything that I am and have into the nurturing of their body's and souls.  Why do I love my husband and my marriage?  Not because it's always easy being married, but because I put so much time and effort into being a great wife and serving (the good service, you know what I mean) my husband.  Why do I love the girls I visit teach?  Not because the appointments or cookies make themselves, but because I SERVE them.

And so, a week after I bore my testimony in church about this aspect of service, I about ate my words when they asked me to serve in the nursery.  Yup.  The one calling I have been dreading for 10 years.  I may or may not have made a comment to the first counselor about nursery being a good form of birth control (I was trying to accept it *so* graciously!), woops!  But I accepted it and after I cried all through sacrament meeting that day, and commiserated with some friends at work, I reached my acceptance phase and moved on.  I am ready and happy to serve, and I know that as I serve these sweet wonderful children, I WILL grow to love them.

So, I am moving ahead into 2013 with my new knowledge and my my new resolution; determine to improve and be happy and love life!  This is going to be my best year yet!!   

1 comment:

Tabitha said...

I can tell you, as a Primary President, it is never easy suggesting someone to call into nursery. I always feel like I'm consigning them to the pit of despair! But, I'm so grateful for the dedicated nursery leaders who have blessed my daughter's life over the past year and a half that I can't help but think when my time comes, I SHOULD feel grateful to serve there... Yikes. It's still hard but you might be surprised at how much you come to enjoy it. You're going to be great in there! And I love ALL your resolutions. Thanks for sharing :)