Learning from the small things....

I shared this in my other blog, http://refocusingonwhatmattersmost.blogspot.com/ but I wanted to share this experience on this blog as well because something as small as this made a huge difference in my life and it's not because I did something similar to the little girl or the mom but because I chose to learn from it. I'm not in any way a expert, someone who's experienced all walks of life, but I do hope to help those who read and follow my blog in some way or another. =)

My husband Brandon and I were able to go to Butte, MT today to see his grandparents. We left from Idaho Falls early in the morning so we could make it to church with them but ended up being late for sacrament meeting due to the weather and leaving a little later than planned. So we stayed out in the lobby and I couldn't be more grateful for doing so. We're listening to the speaker, who by the way gave a beautiful talk about addictions and the atonement of Jesus Christ, and a mother comes out with her little girl who's about 4 years old and her little boy who's about a year old. The mother was saying that they needed to go. The little says why? why? And mom says because! At that moment the little girl started to break down and cry. "Mom, I don't want to go I want to go to primary. Mom I want to stay!" Then mom started to explain why they were going...."we need to get your brother's bottle and we're coming back." The little girl didn't understand the coming back part of what she was saying so she continued to cry and throw a fit. I offered (not in front of the child, so it didn't seem like I was taking sides with the child's behavior) to watch the little girl while she went out to get the bottle. She told me not to worry about it and that she was going to get the dad. After this all happened it came to me....here I've had the blessing of being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints all my life and there are times when I don't want to go, that I'd rather stay in bed because I'm so tired or some other poor excuse and here this little girl is balling her eyes out because she wants to stay and learn more about Jesus Christ. I was humbled and reminded of how lucky I am to have the gospel in my life and that we can learn so much from children. God himself told us that we must be like little children. And I have witnessed once again the reason why that doctrine is so important.
Matthew 18:3-5
"If we have a heart to learn and a willingness to follow the example of children, their divine attributes can hold a key to unlocking our own spiritual growth." - Jean A. Stevens

Reason why I chose to do a blog like this...

My reasoning for doing such a blog is not for the benefit of me, sharing information about my personal life day to day (not saying that's bad, that's why most blogs are made and that's great), but for the benefit of others in gaining more knowledge or even just expanding their perspective. I have learned so much about how crucial choices are in our life, not only because of my own life experiences but because of others and from the knowledge I've gained from my degree (marriage and family studies) and from church. And what ALWAYS comes with choices?... consequences. I hear, see, and experience too much of the opposite to the truth that consequences come from choices, even the smallest ones. I hear songs that encourage thinking about only the "hear and now" or "we might not be here tomorrow" so we do what we want. Dangerous mindset and I'll explain why in future posts. I see so many advertisements of T.V shows that promote lots of sexual activity with multiple partners before marriage (IF marriage is even in the picture for the future) that's the normal thing....but do they show the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual consequences to such choices? Of course not! Not very many would do it if they showed the truth! And heck the truth isn't fun right? But all the unhealthy practices for our overall well-being apparently are?
There are good and bad consequences to all choices and depending on the choice it will lean more towards one or the other. My goal with this blog is to do four things: 1) Share the impact of choices made leading to catastrophes that happened throughout history 2) Share examples of choices that are "popular" that we all see and hear today and the consequences that follow 3) How certain choices can build and strengthen relationships and some can ruin relationships without even knowing it 4) The beauty of agency and what it truly means to have it freely.
I've never done a blog before but I hope that it will help all of you that CHOOSE to read it =)