This talk from conference really spoke to me today as I read it. I just picked out my very favorite parts...I'd love to hear YOUR thoughts...
"Of Things That Matter Most" by Pres. Uchtdorf
"Let's be honest, it's rather easy to be busy. We all can think up lists of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that our self worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia- even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives...
There comes a point where milestones can become millstones and ambitions, albatrosses around our necks. The wise resist the temptation to get caught up the frantic rush of everyday life. They follow the advice "There is more to life than increasing it's speed." In short, they focus on the things that matter most. We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families. There is a beauty and clarity that comes from simplicity that we sometimes do not appreciate in our thirst for intricate solutions. Leonardo da Vinci said "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" We would do well to slow down a little, focus on the significant, lift up our eyes, and truly see the things that matter most. Let us be mindful of the foundational precepts our Heavenly Father has given to His children that will set the foundation for a rich and fruitful life with promises of eternal happiness. For it is not requisite that we should run faster than we have strength. But it is expedient that we should be diligent, and thereby win the prize....
No other success can compensate for failure in the home....in family relationships love is spelled t-i-m-e. Strength comes not from frantic activity but from being settled on a firm foundation of truth and light. I comes from placing our attention and efforts on the basics of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It comes from paying attention to the divine things that matter most. Let us simplify our lives a little, make the changes necessary to refocus our lives on the sublime beauty of the simple, humble path of Christian discipleship-the path that leads always toward a life of meaning, gladness, and peace."
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Things that matter most
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Jen-ben
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4 comments:
Such a great talk! Jeff and I just read and discussed it yesterday. You could really quote the entire thing, but I think my favorite part is that love is really spelled t-i-m-e.
I also liked how he said there are times in our lives where we need to slow down--and that some of us feel that our self-worth is connected to how long our to-do list is. LOVE that. It made me realize (once again) that I can stop and enjoy the little, quiet moments and not just be rushing headlong into the next big thing.
Jen, Thank you for this, I need it especially this time of year!
I had an interesting experience this weekend (so I think I'll share it on YOUR blog-haha). Thanksgiving was nice, but like I told you, we had just stayed one day too long. The "Grandma's House Spoil" had really settled in and our children forgot everything they ever knew about manners, kindness, soft voices, etc. I was D.O.N.E. As we drove home on Sunday, to the enchanting noise of Austin "bugging" Macy (never an out-and-out violation, but just enough to get the response he was after), Macy screaming at him, Paige sobbing out of sheer exhaustion and the crash of her sugar high, and the twins screaming (not crying, just yelling) in an attempt to communicate with each other, I spent the entire 3 hours in complete depression complaining to Greg about how this is not what I wanted in life. It was a pretty good whining session if I do say so myself, and by the time we got home, I had worked myself and my husband into one heckofa mess.
Then...We walked in the doors of our own home and it was as if someone draped a warm, comfy blanket of peace around my shoulders. My home. With the green walls that I really wish were blue, and the mismatched appliances, and the grimy linoleum in the bathrooms, and the furniture that is all 11 years old, and Austin's name sketched on the walls behind the couch from 7 years ago. My home. The one that I tend to find fault with made me feel so much better. All my despair about my children and my marriage and my faults suddenly disappeared.
Then I read these quotes from you (and you really should know better than to ask for my thoughts) and I realized how we really have the power to create a home full of comfort and peace and the Spirit and joy and love. And it doesn't come from the way we decorate or how clean the baseboards are. It really comes from the memories and patterns and the love that exists within those walls. I guess what Elder Uchtdorf is saying to me is that in order to create that environment, you have to spend time cultivating it. It made me feel good that we had apparently done that to some extent, and made me even more committed to following his counsel and doing it even more.
Thanks for the reminder. I don't know if this made any sense, but I sure feel better. :-)
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