Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful women I know.  I am grateful for the children Heavenly Father sent me.  I love them and although most days I feel like a failure as a mother, I am glad to be a Mother.  I often feel I am ruining my children, and need to be more relaxed and enjoy the moments.  Children are so fun, adventurous and truly love life. They have the incredible capacity to forgive easily, are teachable and love unconditionally.  That is probably why we are taught in the scriptures to become like little children. 
In Primary this year we are learning the song "If the Savior Stood Beside Me".  What a beautiful song and it usually brings me to tears when I sing it, or hear it sung.  There is a lot of truth to that song.  If the Savior stood beside me my words would be more kind and I probably would not do some of the things I do.  I would try harder to be true and be better at following His example.  "He is always near me though I do not see Him there. And because He loves me dearly, I am in His watchful care.  So I'll be the kind of person that I know I'd like to be, if I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me.  I know the kind of person I would like to become, getting there is the difficult part.  Hopefully I am a positive influence in my childrens lives, not a nemesis.
One of my favorite quotes from the late LDS General Authority, James E. Faust is "God's greatest creation is womanhood and there is no greater good in all the world than motherhood.  The influence of a mother in the lives of her children is beyond calculation."  Sister Margaret S. Lifferth states:  As a mother and a Primary leader, I know this work with children is not easy.  Protecting, teaching, and loving children can be demanding, often discouraging, sometimes exhausting, and occasionally the fruits of our efforts are long delayed.  But it is precisely because it is not easy to bring children to the Savior that we must come to Him ourselves.  As we seek Him and His Spirit to help us, we will see  miracle.  We will recognize that our own hearts are changing and we too are becoming, "submissive, meek, humble, patient, and full of love.  We too will reflect the light of the gospel in our own countenance.  We will come to understand these words of the Savior.  "And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
I guess if I learn to become more like the Savior my heart will change and I will become a better Mom.  There are several things I need to work on and somedays it is an over whelming thought. 

I am grateful for these beautiful children and the joy they bring to me.  I would like to freeze them in this stage of life.  The thought of them being grown up and gone is sad, partly because I haven't taught them everything they need to know.  I want them to be successful.  I know if they develop their testimony, follow the commandments and love Jesus Christ - they will be.  We (meaning my parents and siblings) were by no means monetarily rich growing up, but the spiritual blessings were plentiful and I want my family to have those same spiritual blessings.  I know the only way to obtain that is by living the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Allen and I have been richly blessed and I know that is a gift from Heavenly Father.   I am grateful for His watchful hand, although some days I feel very inadequate to receive those blessings.  His love is unconditional also.