Oh how I miss my early morning journaling time! The Artists Way was the program that got me started on it and I am thankful for that. But, and there is a big but involved here, I am learning that God isn't upset about it. I know that sounds like, duh Emily. But honestly, that journaling was so helpful, and it was the first thing of it's kind that really showed me the power of God in such a magnified and personal way that in my mind, that was THE WAY to have that power in my life. It has taken a HUGE amount of mental work to teach myself that God is not withholding that power just because I am finding other ways, ways that currently fit into this crazy life were living, better than early morning journaling. I am reminded of Brother Qualls talk, "there are no rules." I had placed this rule on myself without even fully realizing I had done that.
One thing that I have been doing is texting with Amber Powell each day. We share three things each day that we are thankful for or ways that we noticed Gods hand in our lives. I am going to copy and paste some of the texts I have sent her.
9/22/20, 6:51 AM
1. I used to journal, pretty much every morning, and I loved it! It helped recognize all the ways God was with me every day. With the boys doing online school, and us living with my in laws, everything is different and my journaling has slipped through the cracks. Which is why I am so thankful for this text thing we have going. It has, in a way, replaced my journaling, but in a way that works with my life right now. And in its own way, it does the same thing that journaling used to do for me. So thank you! I realizedtodayhow truly thankful I am that we are doing this and how much it’s helping me right now.
2. So here’s a cheesy fact about me, I write prayer poems. It stated after I read the lyrics to a primary song and didn’t like them. 😂 I thought I could do a better job of writing the song so I set out on a mission to write a better primary song, one that would teach the children how to pray from the heart instead of from a script. But I learned very quickly that there isn’t a way to teach prayer, at least not a way that I could be write down in a simple, two-or-three lined poem. So, sometimes when I have a new idea for a prayer, I write it down as a poem. Anyways, I am thankful for the prayer poems I have written. They often come back to mind to help me, or uplift me, and today was one of those days!
3. I’m thankful for my relationship with my two boys. I feel like often times in the church, motherhood is defined as a set of responsibilities. The stay at home figure, the one who teaches the gospel, the caregiver, etc ...But to me, motherhood is about relationships, and I’m thankful I have an individual one with each of my boys! Today, more so than most, I feel deeply grateful for both of them and the unique qualities and traits they bring into our family and into the world!!
9/23/20, 8:32 AM
So I’ve been thinking latterly about how cool it is that God can use our dreams and our passions to help other people come closer to him. If you’re looking for it, everything we do, or other people do, can help us grow closer to God. So I have been trying to pay attention recently to other people, who follow their passions and dreams, and how it positively affects me. Here are somefrom yesterday.
1. I’m thankful for Mr. King at the middle school. He’s Austin’s home base and social studies teacher and he is phenomenal! Some of the teachers can be condescending but not Mr. King. He teaches in a way that’s interesting to listen to, and everything he says to the kids is encouraging and uplifting. In a world where so many people can tear you down, we need teachers like him who can build kids back up.
2. I’ve been having some skin rashes on my face, hands and neck andyesterdayI went to the dermatologist for some help. They knew what was wrong and have a treatment that can help me. I almost cried I was so happy!! This lady doctor I met with was so knowledgeable and didn’t make me feel rushed at all. She sat with me and listened and talked and by the end I wanted to hug her for making me feel like I mattered and for having something that can help me.
3. I stopped by the houseyesterdayto see how things were going and the kitchen cupboards were almost done being installed. I stopped to look at them and the guy installing them took me around and showed me how he was making them. He showed me how all the corners lined up and were flesh and how pointed small details I never would have noticed has he not pointed them out. Once he was done showing me he stepped back, crossed his arms, looked at his cupboards, smiled and said, “it’s beautiful.” I was so touched! I literally almost started to cry. Here is this man, in my home, the one where we make meals and laugh around our dinner table; open Christmas presents and make new family traditions together, and he was helping make this home of ours beautiful! And he was proud of his work! And I just loved him in that moment.
Anyways, I am thankful for people who follow their dreams. Because of them, and through them, I see Gods hand in my life in so many ways.
9/24/20 11:09 PM
1. My first one is actually an example from you. I was so impressed with all the cards you’ve been writing that I decided to write my own. I wrote one to each of my boys, and one to the man who is making our kitchen cupboards as well as a few other people. And taking time to think about other people and focus on them really helped me feel the spirit. So thank you, for that example!
2. I got to go to the temple today and I saw Kate Brayton from the ward. She is such a good friend, and one I haven’t seen since covid started. She shared some of her spiritual experiences and I got to share mine. Again, this was another time in the last few days where I really felt the spirit so strong!
3. Did I mention that I hired a weight lifting coach? Well, she gives me three workouts a week and I have to record them and send my videos to her. I work out at the same time my boys are at rock climbing and their coach sent out a message that the workout section of the gym was going to be closed for three to four weeks starting today. I was really stressed and sad about that, because I don’t have anywhere else to do my workouts, and not only do I want to do them, but I’m paying someone to help me. So I was about to start calling around to other gyms and I had the very distinct impression to call the rock climbing gym and ask them about it. So I did, and they said they had decided not to close down the weight area, but just move it to a different area. It was such a small thought, call the gym and ask. But I recognized it instantly as a prompting and it showed me that God cares about me! He knew I was stressed about it, He knew I was sad, and He knows that my body needs to workout so I don’t hurt, and so it was just His was of saying, “I got your back.”
So those are three of my days that I sent recently. And like I said, I am so thankful that she and I are doing this, because in it's own way, this is like my journaling right now. IT does the same thing that journaling did for me, creates a time and place where I can reflect, but it's in a way that fits with my life right now. What a huge blessing Amber has been for me!
Here is a quote she sent me the other day.
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