reminder

About me: I listen to the Christian radio station.

That's right.  And proud of it.  I appreciate that I can be reminded of Christ in my everyday life without just listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  

Also, I always pay more attention to movies, TV shows, and songs that refer to everyday activities and items.  If a TV show mentions "puffed rice cereal," whatever.  If it mentions Rice Krispies, now I'm paying attention.  If a song mentions specific actions, like in "Mr. Mom" or "You're Gonna Miss This," my ears perk up.  

Now that you have the background information... 

The other day was rough at school, and it was on my mind as I was driving home from work today.  Also while I was driving home from work today, this song came on the radio:

It mentions specific actions right at the beginning, so my attention was caught immediately.  The chorus started, "While I may not know you / I bet I know you wonder sometimes / Does it matter at all?"  And I thought two things.  First, That's exactly how I feel sometimes at school, and second, He's about to say, 'Of course it matters!' They always do in songs about parenting.  It's good advice for teaching, too.  Routines and discipline help and teach when you are consistent, so even when it doesn't seem like the correcting is working, it is.  Sometimes it just takes time to take effect.

He sang, "Well, let me remind you / It at all matters...," and I thought, Toldja! 

And THEN he said, "...as long as you do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you."

Oh yeah.

Then, "Do every little thing you do to bring a smile to His face."

And all of a sudden, the reasoning behind discipline and routines and correcting and teaching respect... made more sense.  And all of a sudden, it seemed like less of a chore to go home and clean the kitchen.  Because Heavenly Father wants us to be clean, right?  Right.  So my cleaning the kitchen could literally make Him smile, right?  Right.  

I teach my Primary kids that our good actions make God happy.  For some reason, though, thinking about my actions putting a smile on His face felt more concrete.  Doing things "to make Him smile" makes more sense, feels more real.  This song reminded me that everything we do, we should be doing to glorify God.  Correcting students when they're disrespectful to each other?  That would bring a smile to His face.  Overcoming laziness and making dinner even though I'm tired?  That would, too.  

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."  - 1 Corinthians 10: 31

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"Every man...doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God."  - Doctrine and Covenants 82:19

"Go and bring in those people now"

There has been a lot of rain in our city this weekend.  As many of you know, there were also some pretty big fires recently.  As a result, there has been tons of flooding and many homes are filled with mud.  Church was let out early today so the Relief Society could make food to send over to the flooded homes and all men over 16 were asked to help clean out those homes.  The man conducting church today reminded us of when Brigham Young stopped conference early to save those of the Martin and Willie handcart companies.

"Many of our brethren and sisters' [homes are filled with mud]... and we must send assistance to them.  That is my religion; that is the dictation of the Holy Ghost that I possess. It is to save the people.  I shall call upon the Bishops this day. I shall not wait until tomorrow, nor until the next day... I will tell you all that your faith, religion, and profession of religion, will never save one soul of you in the Celestial Kingdom of our God, unless you carry out just such principles as I am now teaching you..." - Brigham Young

On November 30, those companies arrived in the Salt Lake Valley.

"It was Sunday, and again the Saints were gathered in the Tabernacle.  Brigham Young stood before the congregation and said: 'As soon as this meeting is dismissed I want the brethren and sisters to repair to their homes. ... The afternoon meeting will be omitted, for I wish the sisters to... prepare to give those who have just arrived a mouthful of something to eat..." - Gordon B. Hinckley

I am thankful for a husband who did not wait  - for me or anyone else to ask for his help - to change his plans for the evening, put on his work clothes, and go.  I am thankful that sandwiches can be made with tortillas when we're out of bread, and that my family left some deli meat when they were here last month so I could send something other than a cheese sandwich.  But mostly I am thankful to be a member of a church that practices what it teaches, a church that recognizes that when a neighbor's ox is in the mire, it is action and not meetings that will get it out.

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."  - Matthew 22:37-40

"...when ye are in the service of your fellowbeings ye are only in the service of your God." - Mosiah 2:17

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."  - Matthew 25:34-40