This morning started out as every other morning has since we set our goals for the New Year & have been successful with this 'ONE' in accomplishing it. And that is. . . .to read five chapters in the BofM everyday. It's been such a blessing in my life. And more than that. . . .being able to do it with my two oldest children. Aaliyah & Lote.
We started the book of Jacob & a couple of verses really popped out to me. I quickly highlighted them & put today's date on it. The 'date' thing was a suggestion from our Bishop in sacrament two Sundays ago. So that in future, when we come across these verses, it will remind us that at that time in our lives, those verses meant something more to us than just reading it. It popped out to us in our lives on that specific day. I loved that suggestion & have since been putting it into practice.
When we came to the end of chapter two, I told the girls to look back at verses 28 & 31. They read: 28)For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts. 31)For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem, yea, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands.
I explained to them that verse 28 is very important. That the chastity of women is the way we, as daughters of God, keep ourselves clean. Not just physically, but mainly spiritually. Clean & pure thoughts. Because if our thoughts are clean on the inside, then our outside appearance & everything we do in our actions are naturally clean. I explained to them how verse 31 talks about the Lord being so unhappy with the Nephite husbands that are not being faithful to their wives. The things they are doing are hurting their wives & the Lord is very much aware of it for there wives cry to him in prayer.
Because of the fact that I have four daughters, I am very concerned for their well-being. I know that it was the prompting of the spirit that led me to point out those two specific verses & make sure that they understood the meaning thereof. After we finished up, they put their scriptures away & started getting ready for school. While I was fixing Lote's hair, she started to tell me how Aaliyah said that Bryant is always staring at her boobs. A kid from school. Mind you, my little Aaliyah (as I'd like to think of her), is only 9 yrs old. But she is developing very early. And yes, does wear a bra. Goodness. . . .she's only in 4th grade. And as exciting as I am to be watching her grow before our eyes, it's a very scary thing for me to know what new challenges are brought forth with her growing up so fast. She's always been really mature for her age & now that it's making itself known thru her outward appearance, it's really starting to set in. My babies are growing up at a rapidly increasing speed & I better be able to keep up or even be a couple of steps ahead if I hope for them to succeed in this lone & dreary world. Well, Lote goes on to say that Aaliyah said she likes having big boobs around boys. :( And she's saying all this while Aaliyah is sitting right across from us denying the whole thing. Lote keeps talking as if Aaliyah isn't in the room. When she's done, I calmly explain to Aaliyah that that isn't good. That it isn't something to take lightly either. I refer back to that very scripture. Jacob 2:28. How that is part of the chastity of every young woman. And that through the actions/thoughts that she portrayed, the Lord wasn't happy at all with what she was thinking about or doing. And neither was I. Lote si'i went on to say that it's because guys might do something to hurt us. I agreed with her & continued to explain to Aaliyah that we are not to use our bodies to gain an advantage or for attentions sake. I reminded her of the covenants she made at baptism & also reminded her that she's at an age where she is accountable for her own choices she makes & that she'd do well to choose the right. Aaliyah looked down, shame plastered all over her face. Quietly said okay & got up to get the rest of her things ready for school. My hope is that with the teachings Aaliyah is taught here at home as well as in church, she will pull through this way of thinking & realize the truth in all things & where true & everlasting happiness lies. My humble prayer as her mother is that she won't fall for the temptations of the devil anymore.
This is just ONE of the many examples I have of just how much the BofM has blessed my life in being able to rear my children in the right direction. I'm not naive to the fact that my kids act differently when Hoko & I aren't around. But my hope is to instill in them integrity that they may be able to learn from their mistakes & not 'fall' into Satan's grasp. That they may be the kind of people that act as if they're parents were present all the time. Because in truth, our father in heaven is ever so present in all that we do.
This is what made for 'AN INTERESTING MORNING' in our home. I love my family & am grateful for the Lord's hand in my life. :D
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