A series of "lasts"
I'm celebrating a series of "lasts". My last baby to nurse, my last toddler to potty train, the last student I teach to read in our home school, my last seminary class to teach. Today, my "baby" who will soon be seven, learned to ride a two wheeler. He is a funny bird, ferocious and determined in books and learning but tentative in physical matters. He was almost afraid as he pedaled the tiny 12 inch bicycle (which he dwarfed) around our driveway, wibbly wobbly and tottering. But like all things, as he practiced and gained proficiency, his confidence grew.
As the street lights came on, he begged for more time to ride and waited for Dad to come home, so he could proudly demonstrate his accomplishment. When I finally brought him in for bath time he was one tired, contented kid. Another "last"- and we are grateful.
It is said that for every window that closes, a door is opened. It fascinates me to observe all of the new doors ahead. Yes, we still have ten years of boy scouts ahead of us, but the next family baptism I attend will be for my grandson. Unless, of course, it's my Dad, which would be totally awesome. The baby toys that sit on the shelf in the playroom tend to gather dust these days, but the garden looks better than it ever has. My season of growing children is slowing as the door to growing communities opens. I love the way the Lord layers our experiences!
Somehow I missed all of the layers of life that were being added, one day at a time. Now I know a lot about raising babies, teaching school and managing a home. It's nice. But what is nicer still, is to be able to observe the way the Lord is using those layers of learning to build our eternal family. He takes the life lessons we've learned and adds to them new experiences- learning to love and appreciate the human body I have always taken for granted, the joy of teaching and serving His children by sharing what he has shared with me, the joys and challenges of learning to live without those whom we have shared life with to this point. It's not harder than raising young children and figuring out what I wanted to do with my life, it's just different. And in recognizing all the changes, the "lasts" if you will, I am actually seeing a whole new stream of firsts. It thrills me to think that Eternal Progression is a real principle and that we can continue to learn throughout eternity.
In my morning Scripture reading I came across Alma teaching his children. In this particular passage he is using the experiences of their ancestors for encouragement and to offer perspective to his young sons. He says, referring to Lehi's family in the wilderness:
"And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing which our fathers call a ball, or director—or our fathers called it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord prepared it. And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness. And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.
Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means (one layer at a time) it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey; therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because of their transgressions.
And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual. For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land. And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise."
All it takes to receive layer after layer of learning is to follow our Savior and keep His commandments- you know, pray, read the scriptures, love your neighbor....
Alma says it's easy, and by doing these small, even simple things daily, great things come to pass- one layer and one "last" at a time.
As the street lights came on, he begged for more time to ride and waited for Dad to come home, so he could proudly demonstrate his accomplishment. When I finally brought him in for bath time he was one tired, contented kid. Another "last"- and we are grateful.
It is said that for every window that closes, a door is opened. It fascinates me to observe all of the new doors ahead. Yes, we still have ten years of boy scouts ahead of us, but the next family baptism I attend will be for my grandson. Unless, of course, it's my Dad, which would be totally awesome. The baby toys that sit on the shelf in the playroom tend to gather dust these days, but the garden looks better than it ever has. My season of growing children is slowing as the door to growing communities opens. I love the way the Lord layers our experiences!
Somehow I missed all of the layers of life that were being added, one day at a time. Now I know a lot about raising babies, teaching school and managing a home. It's nice. But what is nicer still, is to be able to observe the way the Lord is using those layers of learning to build our eternal family. He takes the life lessons we've learned and adds to them new experiences- learning to love and appreciate the human body I have always taken for granted, the joy of teaching and serving His children by sharing what he has shared with me, the joys and challenges of learning to live without those whom we have shared life with to this point. It's not harder than raising young children and figuring out what I wanted to do with my life, it's just different. And in recognizing all the changes, the "lasts" if you will, I am actually seeing a whole new stream of firsts. It thrills me to think that Eternal Progression is a real principle and that we can continue to learn throughout eternity.
In my morning Scripture reading I came across Alma teaching his children. In this particular passage he is using the experiences of their ancestors for encouragement and to offer perspective to his young sons. He says, referring to Lehi's family in the wilderness:
"And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing which our fathers call a ball, or director—or our fathers called it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord prepared it. And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness. And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.
Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means (one layer at a time) it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey; therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because of their transgressions.
And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual. For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land. And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise."
All it takes to receive layer after layer of learning is to follow our Savior and keep His commandments- you know, pray, read the scriptures, love your neighbor....
Alma says it's easy, and by doing these small, even simple things daily, great things come to pass- one layer and one "last" at a time.
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