This book is so wonderful, I can't recommend it enough. If you are seeking help in becoming more Christ-like, you must read this book, it is full of amazing, beautiful, and simple examples. I felt like I was reading so many of my own thoughts and feelings that I hadn't know how or had time to put into words.
Like on page 34 ~
"I am blessed, personally, beyond measure, and yet oddly enough, I, too, struggle to feel His love for me every day. When I stack my obstacles against others' they seem too frivolous to be authentic. And yet, this mortal existence is designed by a genius, so that we will all, no matter our circumstances or parentage or gifts, have to exercise our agency to come to Him. And so though my problems may seem small to an outsider, they are big enough for me to desperately need Him."
Oooh I loooved that!!!! Like think of the children of Israel at the edge of the Red Sea loosing hope and doubting, but that's where they had to get to before they decided it was out of their control and they should trust in God. And even then they forgot that lesson and wandered 40 years in the wilderness. Do we have to hit rock bottom before we turn to the Lord? Or are our small problems enough for us that they let us know how desperately we need Him? I hope I can continue to learn from my small problems, but if he gives me big problems, I shall remember my Savior and his suffering and it will help me to be submissive to God's will. I can also look to my heros and heavenly examples of Shannon and Stephanie to encourage me to endure it well. I know God loves me, so it must be a blessing, to help me learn and help me BECOME who he wants me to become. Yay!!
Another wonderful quote from page 38 - Virginia Pearce shares how her husband is a butterfly collector...
"We have museum drawers full of outrageously unnecessary beauty. It is beauty that causes you to wonder how your vocabulary could be so small and woefully inadequate. ... When I want to fill my heart with His love, I open my eyes to the creations of His hand, especially the ones that seem outrageously and uselessly beautiful--sunsets, sunrises, ice crystals, the way a baby laughs before she can do useful things such as talking and walking..."
I feel like the home we are renting right now is so beautiful, right on the end of a quiet street with big beautiful pine tress in our back yard, a vacant lot next to us full of trees that give cool shade and sound like the ocean waves when the wind blows, it's over the top how beautiful it all looks and sounds and smells and feels. Our ward, our neighbors (I'm always in awe that my family and I are so lucky to know and rub shoulders with an apostle of the Lord!!!) the wonderful friends here that are so kind to us, it is simply heaven on earth. I feel like it is kind of not fair and unnecessary for God to have blessed me so much with so many things, some are things that I desired but so many others are like presents and surprises, things that I didn't even know I wanted but I just love and enjoy, it's seriously over-the-top blessings and I wonder "Why me?"
(Like awesome siblings and an amazingly wonderful husband)I also agree with Virginia that besides the things that make me feel most in awe of God's goodness are when I am still ... when I pause, and forget my busy to do list and projects in progress and just sit and behold the world around me - which world for me right now mostly involves my little ones, Sophia, Lily, Abi, any adn all of my kids...
...when I am still and see them and behold them for who they are - when I try to see the world through their eyes, it just fills my heart ~ I hope it will continue to help my heart become more like His - full of joy and fullness, I love it. I love my kids. They are what God gave me time for. It's all about family, people, relationships, that is what earth life is all about.
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