Do you ever just feel stupid?

 

So, sometimes I just feel stupid. I started attending a parenting class at the Nampa Institute taught by Carleen Tanner (who definately has the gift to teach!!) Anyway, we had a lesson where she talked about the "4 legs of a table"- how a table just can't serve it's purpose without all 4 legs being strong. Her 4 legs for our "family table" were 1- Prayer (not just once a day. If you add up all the prayers we are supposed to be having: 2 family prayers 2 personal prayers 3 mealtime prayers 1 couple prayer = 8 prayers) 2- Scripture Study (personal and family) 3- Family Home Evening (gospel teaching not grocery shopping with an opening prayer) and 4- temple attendance. So I was really honest with myself and looked at where we are. I felt good about our prayers and FHE. Our temple attendance could use a little help but were on the path. I felt a big "Uh - oh" when I realized that we really hadn't been doing family scripture study since before Christmas. You know the story: the holidays were crazy and nights got late and we just threw our kids in bed and called it a day. Now, it's been months since the holidays but we still haven't started back up. What really got me was this quote (which I've read a hundred times, probably even used it in a lesson or talk sometime - ahhhh, how soon we forget)

“I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness” (Ensign, May 1980, p. 67).
These promises—increased love and harmony in the home, greater respect between parent and child, increased spirituality and righteousness—are not idle promises, but exactly what the Prophet Joseph Smith meant when he said the Book of Mormon will help us draw nearer to God.
Ezra Taft Benson

So Jeff and I talked and we committed to the Lord that we would do what he asked and to PLEASE send the promised blessings. I mean, who doesn't need more peace and love and LESS CONTENTION. So we did it. And so did He. I mean you can't even beilieve the difference in out homes atmosphere. After just a few days, Jeff was sitting up on the stand watching our family (we were having an unusually easy sacrement meeting) and the thought just struck him "They don't lie. The prophets do not lie". We have been so greatful for the Lords IMMEDIATE blessings.

So that's where the "I feel stupid" part comes in. I mean we profess to belive so many things that we just arent' making happen. I soon began to wonder "what other blessings does the Lord want to give us that we aren't letting him becasue we aren't doing our part?" So many wonderful and simple changes have come about in our home as a result: couple prayer is back, the TV is off (again), I haven't had a Dr. P in 10 days. These are all little things but they have such wonderful blessings attached to them that we are binding the Lord by doing what he's asked and know full well that the blessings ARE being poored upon our heads.