When All Else Fails...

...Read the scriptures.

I've been having a terrible time trying to work regular scripture reading into my day lately. Maybe it's my total lack of schedule or maybe my level of exhaustion. There are excuses a-plenty but the fact remains that I feel the need to read like a hunger and can't figure out how to make the meals more regular. So today I just set the book on the kitchen counter and opened it randomly (to Alma 14). I left it there all day and read a few verses whenever I was in the kitchen waiting for someone to finish their snack or whatever. I can't say it was scripture "study", exactly, but it was something and it was great.

Today was filled with high emotions and numerous reminders from me to share, be generous, use nice words, go take a time out, etc. It was frustrating to be saying the same things to the same two kids all day long. That's when the genius struck and I give most of the credit to the fact that I read God's words today and had His teachings running around in my head. The inspiration was: Hold Family Home Evening tonight even though it's Thursday.

Family Home Evening is usually held on Monday night, it's true. We didn't have it this week because our schedule is still out of whack, but I know we needed it badly. So I searched the bookshelves for a kids' book about generosity but nothing seemed to fit the bill. I picked out "The Way I Feel", which is a good illustration and explanation of the full range of emotions a kid might experience. I also grabbed the June issue of the Friend Magazine and found a story about helping others. I picked up a church dvd with little shows about serving others and also one with scenes from the Savior's ministry so I could show some illustrations of what we're aiming for. My thought was to drive home the things I had been reminding them to do all day, but I was going to play it by ear, too.

I sat down on the couch and held the 2 year old on my lap. The girls sat down and the baby wandered around the room. Q wasn't home yet, but I knew I had to get this in before the littlest ones were ready for bed, so I was on my own. I said the prayer, then asked the 2 year old for some song suggestions (that's backward, I know, oh well). He came up with "Apricot Tree" (Popcorn Popping), then suggested and rescinded "I am a Child of God", so we sang "Roll Your Hands" and then he wanted "I am a Child of God" so we sang that too. The baby loves it when the whole family sings the same song so he was all ears and even tried to sing along. I read the book about feelings once through, then went back to each page and we talked about good feelings verses bad ones and what we can do when we're feeling angry/sad/jealous/bored/scared/frustrated to change it into something better. Most of the answers involved talking about it with another person. Yes! We were getting somewhere.

Next, I opened the Friend but went to another story called "Let it go". We sat down on the rug and read this one together. Q came home and held the boys on his lap as I read about how a little girl was gently taught by her parents to forgive and let go of her bad feelings toward another person. I had skimmed the article before but I got all choked up as I read it aloud because in the story the mom decides to hold a special Family Home Evening on a Thursday to help her daughter. Coincidence? No, it was a small witness to me that Heavenly Father listens and stands ready to assist me in my work if I will turn to Him for help.

I didn't end up using any of the videos... another time, perhaps. As all good FHE's do, this one ended with dessert (flan- not from scratch, but the kids helped make it). Everyone seemed a bit more calm and well-mannered. Maybe it was because Dad was home.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's scripture reading, grateful for the rich rewards for today's small efforts.