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Today we are headed out to this cabin with no power or service! I’m grateful for a chance to get away from everything except family and spend some time away from the stresses of life. Now if it would just stop blizzarding of so we can leave! |
#givethanks
Tonight we were able to play Secret Santa with some friends. It was a fun, memorable night that I’m hoping the kids will remember for years to come. I’d love to make this a yearly tradition. Tonight, I #givethanks for this great heart warming opportunity!
I love Sundays. It hasn’t always been this way. When our kids were little, I dreaded Sunday. Don’t get me wrong, once we were dressed and through church, the day got easier. But, they used to be so hard.
As our kids have gotten older, Sunday’s have become so much better. They get dressed on their own. They can sit through church, and I get to watch the boys participate in the setting up and passing the sacrament. I love the afternoons and evenings (most of the time). It’s so fun to just hang out and talk with them. They are funny, and they can make real conversation. I’ve loved parts of every phase as a mom, and this phase is no different. It’s so fun to see their personalities really come out.
Along with that, the sabbath starts a new week, and we begin it renewed from the sacrament. It really does help me get through the hard times. I’ve loved having church at home, and at the moment, we go to sacrament meeting every three weeks. It is a bit weird with everyone so spaced out and wearing masks. I can’t wait until things get a bit more normalized.
Today, I #givethanks for the conversations we get to share and for the sabbath that makes my week so much better.
Today, I studied President Nelson’s address given at the general women’s broadcast back in October. It was entitled, Embrace the Future with Faith. I love the positive message in the title alone. As I studied, I was reminded again of how amazing and inspiring this man is. He has such a love and respect for women. As often as he can, he teaches us little by little how to draw closer to the Lord and help Him gather anyone who will allow God in their lives. He teaches us how to make our homes a sanctuary of faith and peace. He teaches true happiness.
I’m so grateful for his direction and guidance. As I’ve tried my best to follow him, I’ve felt closer to Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. This brings me true happiness. #givethanks
Instead, I started turning to books. We spent a great deal of time reading the Chronicle of Narnia series since our afternoons were long. But, I began to see a problem. We really didn’t have enough books to sustain us for long. I had depended on the public library to fulfill that need. But, they were closed for months.
I began looking into building my own library. Not just for me but my kids and eventual grandkids. But, not just any library. A library full of books that feed the heart and build the imagination. Nursery rhymes, poetry, short stories, classics, and history from the golden era of children’s literature. Many of these books were from the late 1800s, when people began writing books specifically for children. During this era, the goal was to teach good morals and truth in a way that touched the heart. There weren’t many children’s books before this time. I’ve spent a great deal of time finding the best books for kids and adults too.
The Mother’s group I’m in uses a homeschool curriculum based on the best kids' classics compiled into different sets called The Forgotten Classics. They are out of print but made available through this link. I’ve been adding these to my collection.
I’ve been able to read many of these books, and they are beautifully written. I read them to the kids, and they have been enjoying them too. The American history books are amazing! Those authors had such a love for our country and knew God had a hand in it all. They write in a way that makes the reader love America. They aren’t just fluff. They talk about wrong choices made too, but they do it in such a beautiful way. I can’t say enough about how much I’ve loved those compilations.
I’ve bought many others too. My other favorites are The Harvard Classics, these have a little bit of everything, and I have a long term goal to at least give them all a try. My few favorites so far, Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan, Paradise Lost by John Milton, and the Journal of John Woolman. I am amazed at the truths these books have in them, even though truths were hard to find when these were written. I’ve seen that men were still able to learn from God even though the gospel had been taken from the earth. If you don’t believe me read this Ensign article on John Milton.
These shelves were bare at the beginning of the year. I’d say it looks a little crazy, but I’ve realized this year more than ever that truth is getting harder and harder to find. Anyone can post something online, whether it’s truth, their opinion, or lies, and many people take it to be the truth. If I can fill our home with books full of truth and goodness that have withstood the test of time, then we won’t be lost. Of course, scripture and prophets' teachings are the best. But there are so many stories that teach the truths we learn from scripture in a way that helps children understand and helps me see new insights.
Today I #givethanks for this library I’ve been able to build and the direction I’ve received to find some of the best books of all time.
