Children, Motherhood, & Life ~ Sunday Sunshine #10

Happy Mother’s Day to all you women out there! For today’s Sunday Sunshine, I wanted to share with you a couple things…

First, a favorite and very special moment from my week. If you follow me on Instagram, you got to see this already. If not, here’s the scoop (as shared on Instagram):

Yesterday was one of those moments where I felt so inspired by my child. Audrey was SO nervous for her performance. Just hours before, I watched her practicing outside our house on the grass. Through the window I would see her do her back handspring and not land it, over and over again. She would shake her head and bury it in the grass, so frustrated. It was making ME nervous for her performance! On our way, she told me how she didn’t know if she should do one or two back handsprings at the end. In my head, I’m thinking ONE! …because I had just watched her fall so many times. But I told her to just get up there and see how she feels. I suggested that before her performance, she say a little prayer to her Heavenly Father asking Him to help her be calm and perform her best. She smiled at me and said, “Actually, I already did.” I got choked up and was so proud that she knew she could turn to Him, without me reminding her. I promised her that I would say a little prayer for her too. This video is the moment of her back handspring, where she had to decide to do one or two (and hopefully land it.) She nailed it! Both of them! I’m so proud of her. How awesome to see a child set a goal and work for it all the time. How inspiring it is that an 8 year old would take the time to turn to God. I loved watching her reach her goal and feeling so proud. I want to be just like that!

Second, I have an awesome song to share, called ‘Make Enough of Me’ by Julie de Azevedo. I know as women and mothers, we often feel like there is not enough of us to go around. In my own life, I definitely get overwhelmed by all the kids’ activities, homeschooling, blogging, church assignments, and just managing a household. Sometimes it gets to the point where it’s just too much. But every time I stop and pray, every time… I feel helped, I feel comforted. Honestly, I could not do life without my Heavenly Father’s love and guidance. I need Him so much! I am so thankful for the gift of prayer, to be able to speak to Him. I am so thankful for the scriptures, so I can experience Him speaking back to me. I’m thankful for the Holy Ghost, the prophet, and all I have to help me navigate this wild world and be joyful along the way. I felt God’s presence and see His hand many times in my life and I know that when life gets overwhelming, He will be there for me. The work of a mother is the work of God, and there is no question that He will be there to assist in my needs and yours, if we ask and stay faithful.

“When you have come to the Lord in meekness and lowliness of heart and, as one mother said, “pounded on the doors of heaven to ask for, to plead for, to demand guidance and wisdom and help for this wondrous task,” that door is thrown open to provide you the influence and the help of all eternity. Claim the promises of the Savior of the world. Ask for the healing balm of the Atonement for whatever may be troubling you or your children. Know that in faith things will be made right in spite of you, or more correctly, because of you.

You can’t possibly do this alone, but you do have help. The Master of Heaven and Earth is there to bless you—He who resolutely goes after the lost sheep, sweeps thoroughly to find the lost coin, waits everlastingly for the return of the prodigal son. Yours is the work of salvation, and therefore you will be magnified, compensated, made more than you are and better than you have ever been as you try to make honest effort, however feeble you may sometimes feel that to be.” Jeffrey R. Holland, “‘Because She Is a Mother’,” Ensign, May 1997