Wednesday, April 10, 2013

My job

This weekend the message came to me for the thousandth time.
It was a clear as a bell, like it always is when I stop to listen.
It was an answer to my two pages of questions to God.

It came from Bruce D. Porter and was entitled Beautiful Mornings.


I do this every 6 months. I write down all the life struggles that I am having in form of questions to God and then I spend a whole weekend listening to living prophets, and I listen for the answers. They always come through the gift of the Holy Ghost. God whispers them directly to my soul. This time there were 18 specific answers all small parts to my journey back to Him, and all connected to one another.

My questions varied from how can I afford to go back to college to should we move to a cheaper place to save money. How can I strengthen my marriage? What is my life mission and how do I accomplish it? How can I be happy in my calling? (I meant my job at church but had no idea until I listened intently that I also needed this answer for my calling in life)

All the answers pointed to my most important title: mom

Pleasing God needs to be my first priority. When I make pleasing God the top priority in my heart, my husband and children rightfully earn their places at the top of my to-do lists. If pleasing God means that I have to quit my job and live on rice and beans, so be it. If it means that I don't get to go back to school for another year or two, it's o.k. I need to live my life on God's timetable and with his rules because He is where I will find the greatest happiness. If I never get the dream house or the coveted vacation because I limped through hubby's law school and supported him through the aftermath (and beyond - for the next 40 years of student loan payments) and encourage my children's extra-curriculars it will be to my glory: eventually.

For me the answer is always that MY JOB is to nurture my children and support my husband. My job is to let go of my need for approval in the eyes of others. I have to let go of the Western culture of acquiring wealth. I even have to let go of my need to achieve certain things because if I am doing it for me and not for Him, it's wrong. It'll never be right no matter how wonderful.

It's so ironic that after recommitting myself and finding inner peace,
my beautiful morning looks like this:

"Mom, do you know what this is?
It's my job to do."


"Mom, move out of my way!
.....
I'm looking for something important.
Can you help me find it?"

Who knew inner peace would be so loud?

or rainy?


and disguised 
as one mess after another
for me to clean?

Once again I am brought to my knees.
Please God, help me to understand.
Help me be humble.
Help me love my job.
Help it to make me happy.

And I just found this on facebook and must include it
for my Mormon friends.


I guess things could always be worse.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just nodded through this whole entire post. I have a couple hurricane children in my house and I am always stepping in a puddle and mess of some sort. AND THEN...at almost 7 months pregnant, I got called into nursery. Yep. But I was warned by the Lord that it was coming, so I knew I had to do it (and knew that it wasn't some crazy, clueless bishopric member, even though I wanted to blame them). I knew what I was supposed to learn from this calling, and I'm pretending that I've made a quick study of it so I can have this baby early and get out of nursery. So thanks for the salute! ;) -Kristen Duncan

Anna said...

How timely this post was for me! I am fasting to know whether I should continue my schooling or just be the Mom my kids need me to be. I haven't made my decision yet, but I'm close. Thanks Alice, I sure love you!

Holly said...

There is so much truth in this post. I could feel the spirit as I read. Beautiful. :)

Sharlene, Mom, Grammy said...

Love it, every word and pictures. Even the above comments touched me. I salute ALL mothers. Hardest job on earth.

Angel said...

Motherhood is the hardest job I will ever love...