Each Day Is a Gift

smooth - interesting thoughts. i read this last night and thought about it for awhile. i thought about it on my run this morning, too. tough questions. it is in our nature to want to see end results. we are driven by goals and are constantly working toward them throughout life. we make decisions based on what we think will bring the best outcome/results for ourselves and others. i was doing a bit of reading for my institute class and came across this quote from Elder Dallin H. Oaks: "in terms of priorities for each major decision (such as education, occupation, place of residence, marriage, or childbrearing), we should ask ourselves, 'what will be the ETERNAL impact of this decision.'"

so...that is what drives me to do the things i do. even when the end results are sometimes not completely clear, the eternal perspective gives me a purpose to keep going forward in mortality, even when life seems super hard or without purpose. i apologize if your questions were rhetorical, but i wanted to comment and also thank you for getting me thinking about these things. you are awesome, smooth. have a great week and a fun/safe trip to BOSTON.

I need to think about this one, SSF. You and Lowell have me in deep thought!!! :)

I love you.

And I am convinced that everything you do is motivated by love. Truly.

Smooth - crazy coincidental, I just got off the phone with my Mom . . . I called her in prep for completing a Young Women value on FAITH. . . to get her words of wisdom and perspective on faith as a Mother! I think faith could be an appropriate answer to all of those questions, faith in showing our love for someone regardless of their behavior or reciprocation, faith in the "journey" not really knowing the end result for sure, but through this faith we are required to KEEP WORKING and KEEP BELIEVING. I just realized that our faith in Jesus Christ is central to EVERYTHING! (and I've been a Christian all my life. . . . ) but we still exercise faith in all aspects of our daily living. I've always overlooked the principle of faith I guess. . . not really using it to it's fullest advantage . . .anyway, like Allie said, thanks for the thought provoking questions! and Thanks for your wonderful example and friendship to everyone on this blog. . . funny too= I was thinking while running up the canyon this morning about the time you left the blog for a few days - I was so sad! I'm so happy you are here on the blog, you really mean a lot to so many people!!!! one more thing . . . ha ha jk, sorry this is so long! :)

Thanks Smooth.

You are easy to love.

Smooth, What an interesting question. I too had to ponder it for a minute. Honestly, I would say the things I do day to day I rarely see any reward for. Dishes, laundry, dusting, vacuuming, moping. In just moments of time there is more to do and it never ends, despite the fact that you have clean clothes to wear the next week and dishes to eat off of, it really never has a 'reward'. No great acts of thanks are given to me because I do these things and sit down and read with my kids or play candyland with them. I do it all because of respect and love.

I think this is how our Heavenly Father works as well. Think of all the day to day things he does for us that SO many (I included sometimes) forget to thank him for or think that it is in someway punishment (like when I ask my kids to help :) ). He rarely gets credit for or sees immediate rewards for ALL He does and has done for us, but he continues to sustain our breath day to day and bring the sun and seasons year after year out of love and respect.

How blessed we all are to have you in our lives to help us remember these small things and give us a moment to reflect on questions such as this. You truly do live your life out of respect and love for others, and we all SEE and FEEL that! You are one of his great examples, carry on Smooth...carry on!

allie ~ THANKS for sharing your thoughts! You are so right about our nature to set goals and want to measure our efforts. I LOVE your motive of putting the important things in the context of ETERNAL prospective. I hope that my actions and motives are guided by these eternal values and principles. THANK YOU!

SSF ~ Not EVERYTHING I do is motivated by love. Some are motivated by selfishness. I want to strive to be better at that though.

Rachel ~ THANKS for the perspective of a young mother...so true about so many things we do daily that seem endless. We can't even begin to comprehend the eternally endless love our Heavenly Father has for us!

Amber ~ You hit the bull's eye! Yep! We do these things without knowing the outcome because of FAITH! And having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the core of our daily actions. We love unconditionally because the Savior loves unconditionally. We study, pray, attend church and temple, keep our covenants because of our faith in Him. Faith is hope for things that are not seen, that are true. Our faith in Him leads us to repent and partake of His atonement. Our faith in Him guides our decisions and actions. Without faith,,, there will be no hope,,,and without hope, there will be no future,,,no eternal purpose/perspective. Faith is a powerful force. The scriptures tells us that if we have faith even as small as a mustard seed, nothing is impossible to us. THANK YOU for sharing. You have a WONDERFUL mother! The Young Women under your care are very blessed to have you!