What her future holds...

I’ve been thinking about what I would tell this little girl about her life if I had the chance. I smile to think of the fun days ahead in high school--amazing friends, playing sports, and dating. Then moving onto college, waiting for a missionary, and living the dream of being married in the temple and starting her family. She will have children all of whom will be the greatest gifts and blessings in her life. Motherhood will be her greatest joy.

Then I think of the pain that lies in her path. She will be hurt in ways that her innocence could have never imagined possible. All she ever hoped for will be ripped from her hands—more than once. Behind the scenes in her life, and the happy face she keeps for her children, she will cry and be broken. Darkness will threaten to overthrow her spirit. But she will move forward, moment by moment, because that is all she can do and her children will depend on her to do it.

That little girl has no clue what is to come, but as I have thought about it, I’m so grateful for that. She will grow to understand that even when she doesn't have much to give, it will always be enough. She will be blessed with strength beyond her own. Her faith will be tested, but she will get to experience miracles so personal and perfect that she will know with the deepest surety that she has infinite worth. Her deepest sorrows will lead to her greatest rejoicing. She will get to discover all the beautiful moments that make up a meaningful life. I’ve realized I wouldn’t want to tell her what is to come because it would rob her of the learning and understanding that allows for such discoveries and treasures of truth.  

There is so much wisdom in Heavenly Father’s plan. Sometimes our greatest Goliath can be the Unknown, but how beautiful the “not knowing” is in that it gives us the opportunity to grow during difficult times and cherish more deeply all the goodness we experience. The Unknown surfaces our hope which leads us to as much beauty, adventure, peace, and joy that we are willing to seek and live worthy of. So if it came to it, all I would tell that little girl is simply (and magnificently!) that she is loved and known by her Creator. Because of that love, her future has every possibility of all the happiness and joy that life could ever offer. And that’s the reality for everyone—Heavenly Father loves and is aware of each and every one of us. His plan for each of us truly is a plan of HAPPINESS!

Rerouting...

On a road-trip with my dad, we enthusiastically took off to go pick up my new van. Our destination:  Bullhead City, Arizona.  We had a rough idea of where we thought it was--somewhere up by Lake Powell so we headed north on the I-15 from our home in St. George. As soon as we were on our way, I decided to turn on our GPS to verify more specifically where our destination was located. My dad and I were both surprised to discover that Bullhead City was the opposite way we were headed. We needed to be headed south on the 15 and go through Las Vegas. Our GPS got us going the right way and we were both glad we checked before we had gone too far in the wrong direction. 

We finally made it to Bullhead City. While we were waiting at a light we plugged in the exact address we were traveling to. The light turned green as it came up, but it was too late to make the correct righthand turn. Our GPS rerouted us. We were able to take another route that consisted of a slight detour, but we did make it safely to our intended destination.

Life can be a lot like my drive to Bullhead City. Sometimes we take a wrong turn and sometimes life sends us on other detours we did not anticipate. However, in Heavenly Father's most perfect plan, He provided the Atonement of Jesus Christ which can be our GPS. A perfect navigation system without flaw. Because of His sacrifice, we can always be rerouted to arrive where we are meant to go for our greatest happiness and to become who we are meant to be to find the greatest peace as we fulfill our eternal purposes. He knows our exact location and He knows every single possible route to get us to our destination. We are never too far lost. We are never so far off track that He doesn't know our location or how to bring us back on course.

I am grateful everyday that the Atonement has led me and brought me back on course after traveling through the roughest terrains when life has taken unexpected detours. Sometimes it has been step-by-step guidance, but it has always given me perfectly exact direction in getting me on course to the life I desire and am meant to live. 

Happy For Those Who Are Happy

A few weeks ago when I was picking my youngest girls up from school, my six-year-old jumped in the car full of enthusiasm. With the biggest smile on her face, Kate joyfully exclaimed, "Mom, I just feel so happy for Kambrie." Curious and surprised, I asked Kate why she was so happy for her friend. She went on to explain that the next day was Kambrie's birthday. The following day would be their class's hard-earned "stuffed animal" party. Then finally, it would be Halloween when they'd get to have their Costume Parade! Kate told me, "She will have three good days in a row--the rest of the week--and I just feel so happy for her!"

My heart was touched by her genuine happiness for her friend. It wasn't Kate's birthday or about the fun she would have that caused her excitement. It was purely for another person's happiness. Hiding the tears that welled up in my eyes, I pulled on the the street toward home with a heart full of love and gratitude for the big lesson my little girl taught me about selflessly caring for others. 

A few days later, as I was--you guessed it!---in the car, driving my kids to all the places they needed to be, that sweet experience came to mind quickly followed by the words "mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that stand in need of comfort." At first, I wasn't sure why that scripture came to mind in conjunction with my thoughts about my experience with Kate, but almost instantly, I recognized the message.

Through the ups and downs of life, I think we generally are able to mourn with those that mourn. Naturally, I think most of us seek to comfort, lift, and help those who are facing difficult situations. Then it hit me! It isn't always as easy to be happy for those who are happy. For the spouse whose marriage is falling apart, it can be painful noticing someone else enjoy the loving marriage they would do anything to have. For the couple who longs to start their family, but deals with infertility, it can be heartbreaking when their friends keep growing their families sometimes even without trying. To someone who sits in a wheelchair or suffers with health issues, it can be incredibly difficult to watch others take for granted the abilities that allow them to live their lives so freely. During different trials, some blessings that we so desire for ourselves can be painful to see another enjoy. Being happy for others especially when they receive the blessings we righteously and patiently seek, is a great indicator of, not only where we are emotionally, but spiritually as well. 

Being happy for those who enjoy the blessings you have lived worthy of, but have not been blessed with, shows incredible faith in knowing that those blessings will one day be yours even if it means waiting until the next life. Being happy for those who are happy, shows significant humility in recognizing that although you have not been blessed in the ways that someone else has, you have a different calling and have been blessed in your own personal, sacred ways. Being happy for those who are happy, requires charity and love at its highest degree. Reaching past the pain of your own broken heart to feel happiness for someone else's joy is a love that cannot be matched.

May we seek to mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, but may we also strive to to be the kind of person who can be happy for those that are happy despite where we are along our own journey. I'm grateful that the Atonement provides healing for the injustices of life which can allow each of us to be happy and content for the life that we individually have been given as well as being truly happy for the different blessings we see other's enjoy.