I loved this talk by Elder Oaks. He laid out an excellent framework of the connection between our desires, our choices and our actions. It made me take a good look at what I really want and how well those priorities are reflected in the life I live. It’s a real thought-provoking message.
“Desire” by Elder Dallin H. Oaks
What did you learn from this talk? Share your thoughts and conversation in the comment thread below. If you’re new to GCBC, check out the club here.
“Of Things That Matter Most”
President Dieter F. Uctdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
This talk is a perfect sequel to Elder Christofferson’s talk about consecrated living that we just read last week. President Uctdorf reminds us what to focus on, and he communicates with testimony and example the same principles from King Benjamin that “it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength.”
This was one of my favorite talks from conference. It made me realize that when I feel overwhelmed, I tend to react in a counter-productive way.
“If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most.”
I’m learning that the joy comes from the basics: from choosing them, using them, and focusing on them.
Plus, this talk has one of the greatest laughs from conference, where President Uctdorf jokes about always speaking about airplanes.
Did you all receive your general conference edition of the Ensign in the mail by now? I love to curl up with mine by the fire. I felt full-blown famous when I realized they published my quote on p. 128 about you guys and what we do here. I can’t think of any issue I’d be more excited to be a part of than the general conference edition.
So, how about you? What are your favorite moments or quotes from this talk? Is there anything you learned here that you had not considered before? What stood out to you as you studied it? And, most importantly, what did it make you feel or want to do?
I’m no vision expert, but I believe a lazy eye is when one eye is misaligned, doesn’t focus simultaneously with the other eye, and loses its ability to see details. It’s an analogy for how I’ve felt ever since I got back from our vacation. February here is quite bleak, especially compared with Florida. Part of me knows exactly what I should be doing around the house and in pursuit of my own personal goals. Another part of me– the lazy eye– just doesn’t feel like it, and would rather do lots of other non-productive, low-effort things.
My back yard has looked a whole lot like this the last week or so:
And all I want to do is sit by this:
And watch or read this:
I KNOW I should do this (except with more clothes on):
and a lot more of this kind of stuff:
But I’ve felt so lazy, and I’ve been allowing myself to become distracted. It’s easy to be distracted– sometimes by my own cares and moods, sometimes by lesser things. But it’s a yucky feeling because I can do so much better, and it’s much easier when I’m consistent about doing the things that inspire me. So, I’m recommitting myself to this (fast forward video to about 5:30 for the most applicable points):
So, yeah, February kind of bites, but I’m powerful. God has asked me for “an eye single to His glory,” and when I focus on what matters most, especially with BOTH eyes, He makes me fit for whatever life requires of me. Anybody else out there struggling with focus right now? Let’s reclaim our wandering eye together. I declare today the last day of my funk.
A warm welcome to many of the new friends that joined in the Book Club conversation last week. I hope you stick around for the whole ride.
I wanted to start this round with one of my favorite talks from General Conference. It offered many answers to my own prayers about how to best prioritize my time and efforts, especially in regards to my family. Elder David A. Bednar gave this talk, “More Diligent and Concerned at Home,” during the Saturday morning session of conference. He emphasized three important keys to achieving eternal goals in our families:
Those suggestions in and of themselves were enough to remind me of some important things I needed to hear, but the rest of the talk is excellent. I look forward to reading your comments and insights. You can find the talk here:
To read “More Diligent and Concerned at Home”
To watch or listen to “More Diligent and Concerned at Home”
If this is your first visit to GCBC, and you’d like to know how it works, click here.
(and a little p.s.: Thank you for your sweet comments and suggestions the other day as I was suffering from my temporary post-conference funk. My parents came to visit, I successfully carried out several long-overdue home organization projects, and I had opportunities through my calling to teach and bear testimony, and all those things helped me get my “groove” back. That old adage “Forget yourself and get to work” does wonders.)
Oh, and tonight’s the last night to submit a lullaby for the poetry contest, so get composing. 
I want to talk about stages of life.
Since early 2003, concepts like “personal space,” “alone time,” and “R&R” have only been dreamed about. Fantasized, even. Small children are parasites. They cling on you, suck the life out of you, and basically consume you– blood, sweat and tears. Of course, they’re also darling little bundles of spirit and light that shape our souls like nothing else, but that’s not the point of this post. Mothering small children is hard.
Today was the first day of school in my neck of the woods. Early this morning, Grant got up and excitedly got ready for his first day of first grade. He gathered all his stuff (and made a weird face when he was supposed to say cheese).
We all went outside and waited at the neighborhood bus stop with a gaggle of school-goers and their siblings.
Then we went back inside and began loading up Clark’s backpack with all the goods he would need for his first day of kindergarten, half day in the afternoon. He and Natalie played nicely together for most of the morning and we had a little lunch and readied him for his big moment.
He was the most excited about finally riding the bus.
And he was off. Natalie and I walked inside and she was ready to begin “Mommy School.”
We hopped in the car, went to the store, purchased cupcake ingredients, zipped back home, and made pumpkin cupcakes for the boys’ first day after-school snack.
She finished dumping the batter into cupcake liners, washed her hands, and I put her down for her afternoon nap.
The house was quiet. I paid bills. I made phone calls. I signed up the boys for swimming lessons. I checked email. Fifteen minutes before the afternoon bus returned my boys, Natalie woke up from her two-hour nap. We frosted the cupcakes and went outside to wait for her brothers.
They arrived, happy and excited.
Natalie proudly shared her surprise.
They told me about their day, called grandparents and repeated themselves several times, and we took a trip to the library. Now they’re all in bed, asleep.
It. Was. Awesome.
Ladies and gentlemen, I did it. I graduated to a new stage. A stage I thought would never come. I now have some free time every day. I have quiet. I have personal space. I could take a nap!!
So, I just wanted to bear my testimony that the stages in life you long for really do come. Did I feel a twinge of regret about the things I probably should have done with them, the things I should have taught them better, all those years while they were practically surgically attached to me twenty-four hours a day? Yes, I won’t lie. But mostly, I got an unexpected lesson about my stewardship, and realized that with this new stage comes a new level of accountability. All those important things that have been left undone for years because “there’s just no way” need to become part of my new reality. Either that, or I’m a hypocrite. I need to be responsible with the time I’ve been gifted and use it in ways that make me proud and still bless my family. My “calling” as a mother is still the same, and I need to hold tight to my priorities now more than ever. I don’t want to waste my new-found freedom.
And some day when I hit other stages, like all my kids at school all day, or they’re off to college, or Matt’s finally retired, my responsibilities will rise to the occasion. A few scriptures come to mind, including, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven, ” and “It is not requisite that a [woman] run faster than [she] has strength, … therefore, all things must be done in order.“
So, this is basically a rally-cry to all you Stage One moms: Stage Two really will come! And to all you Stage Two moms: Let’s do this right! And to all you Stage Three and Four and Five moms: I hate you. Just kidding.
The stuff we suffer will pass. The stuff we hope for will come to pass. Stages in life are good. They are tangible markers of the progress of our souls. I hope I leave a good mark.
“Hopefully you will find joy in your womanhood during all stages of your life.” — James E. Faust
“The challenges you face, the growth experiences you encounter, are intended to be temporary scenes played out on the stage of a life of continuing peace and happiness. It is your understanding and application of the laws of God that will give your life glorious purpose as you ascend and conquer the difficulties of life.” — Richard G. Scott
 | Ashley on A joy report. |
 | Mel on GCBC Week 19: “Stand in … |
 | Cheryl on Pornography: Satan’s Pow… |
| Cheryl on Pornography: Satan’s Pow… |
 | Tiffany C (@anensign… on Pornography: Satan’s Pow… |
