Sunday Reflections 9/25/2011

It is only 11:53 PM when I am beginning this, so I can still title my post this way.  It is the first time that I've written my Sunday reflections in complete silence...

I think Ben would say that he is glad this week is ending.  He brought home ANOTHER note from his teacher.  This note stated that he had pushed a boy down on the playground and twisted his wrist.  As I spoke with Ben about this incident, he explained how some boys had been chasing him on the playground.  These boys at times punched him and pushed him down.  He was unsure whether this was a game they were all playing together or bullying, so he played back...a little too hard.  Boys can be rough.  I believe Ben when he says he wasn't sure if they were fighting or playing.  I've watched the boys play so many times and I am unsure whether they are fighting or playing.  I guess that's the good thing about girls, you ALWAYS know when they are fighting.  I guess the good thing about boys is that fights are quickly forgotten.  The next day the same boys were playing the same game with Ben, even though I told him not to.  The teacher did have a talk with them and they all claimed that they were just playing.  Ben said to me, "I knew we were just playing today, Mom, because every time I got pushed down, they gave me a hug."

Do you remember your first crush?  I do.  My first crush was on a boy named Ryan Burbidge.  It started about in the fifth grade.  I really thought he was cute.  I thought he was so cute that one day I decided to impress him by hitting him as hard as I could.  He didn't like that very much and, if you can believe it, never returned my affection.  This is all true.  Jordan has a girl at school he likes.  I don't know her name.  He has probably shared it with me, but at the moment I cannot recall it.  It's not the first girl he has had a crush on.  He liked a girl last year in Idaho named Erin.  Anyway, the girl he likes now at school likes him too and all his friends want them to "go together".  They want him to ask her out.  He said to me, "Mom, I told them I couldn't.  I told my friends it was against my religion until I was 16.  They all teased me and thought I was stupid, but I told them I could still like her.  That's okay, right?"  Isn't that great?  Jordan stood up for what he thought was right!  I know, it's not against our religion to "go" with a girl, but he understands the guidelines we have given him and he knows he should not pair off.  Way to go Jordan!  That's one to celebrate. 

I went to the General Relief Society broadcast last night.  I thought I would share some things that stuck out to me the most.

I liked Sister Allred's talk on charity.  In her talk she quoted the following from President Monson, "Charity is having patience with someone who has let us down.  It is resisiting the impulse to become offended easily.  It is accepting weakness and shortcomings.  It is accepting people as they truly are.  It is looking beyond physical appearances to attributes that will not dim through time.  It is resisting the impulse to categorize others."  As I listened to that quote I wondered if I had patience with someone that has let me down (Ben?), if I resisted the urge to become offended, or if I accepted someone's weaknesses and shortcomings.  Don't you think if we could all truly have charity our relationships with others would be greatly enhanced?  When I think of the Savior and his love for me, I can understand and feel charity.  I want my children, husband and those around me to feel that same charity from me.  Some people have this gift, don't they?  We've all met those people who just seem to radiate charity and because of this seem to bring out the best in others.  I can't say that this was one of my gifts I was given, but it is surely a gift I desire to develop.

I loved Elder Uchtdorf's talk.  He is so personable.  I feel like at times when he speaks, I am in a room one on one with him and he is just talking to me.  I felt like that last night.  His forget-me-not metaphor of the little flower's five petals and the five points that he would not want us to forget was just what I needed to hear.

1. Forget not to be patient with yourself.   
2. Forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice. 
3. Forget not to be happy now. 
4. Forget not the why of the gospel.
5. Forget not that the Lord loves you.

Finally, today was our primary program.  Last week the children had been given invitations to give to teachers, friends and neighbors.  When Riley got his, he immediately asked me if he could give the invitation to his teacher, Ms. Korte.  I was not sure how to answer, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought it would be a good idea.  You see, Ms. Korte teaches six of our primary children and she also taught Ben last year.  That made seven of them that she knew.  So, I typed up a little note with the invitation and invited her to come.  I was so impressed with her when she said thank you for the invite and that she would love to be there.  You should have seen the joy of the children when they saw her in the audience.  They waved and smiled the whole program through.  After the program they ran to her and gave her hugs.  I was sitting by one of the little boys from her class (who didn't realize I was Riley's mom) during the program and he turned to me and said, "Look, do you see my teacher Ms. Korte?  She came today.  Isn't she beautiful?"  Their love for her was evident and I was so grateful for her and her love for her students.  Will she take the missionary lessons?  Probably not, but she made such a difference in her students lives just by being there.  Hopefully the children made a difference in her life too by sharing their testimonies of the Savior.