And now with more deaths being reported it brings up more thoughts. I always think about my kids. Man talk about humbling experiences that help you realize just how important and fragile life really is.
So yesterday I just absolutely loved and adored all of the different posts about the story from Mister Rogers that his mother taught him of "find the helpers" And wow were there ever so many different pictures of that man portrayed all over FaceBook. (ok yes that's where I stalk)
For a few little facts about the Story of Mister Rogers check out this site. Yesterday is really the 1st time I've noticed this story but apparently this quote has been used often with the tragedies that have happened over the years.
For me this quickly brought up thoughts of Newtown. I may be a little off on my thoughts about these tragedies. And don't get me wrong, please if I never have to deal with this type of experience hitting too close to home it will be too soon. Please don't ever let one of my children be taken from me like this. Please don't let me let life pass me by too quickly. Please don't let me send my kids off without a hug and a kiss...
But there is one thing that stands out so very vivid to me. Also what shaped these thoughts came from the lesson I taught in a Relief Society the Sunday after the Newtown shootings entitled "Righteous Living in Perilous Times". For me this was perfect timing. What this did for me was helped me focus on what am I doing to make sure my children know of their Heavenly Father. Of the plan of salvation. And mostly of their ability to return and live with their Father in Heaven. Of all the terrible and horrible events that happen and continue to happen more and more frequently, I can't much control whether or not they will happen, but what I can control is what my children know. And it is up to me to make sure that I do the best job possible in teaching them the most important things in life. (and truly I'm terrible and I struggle everyday because you know what I love watching them in soccer (x2) and baseball (x2) and dance (x2) and helping them with 4H (x3) and and and. But at the end of the day these are not the most important things in their nor my lives. I can be their biggest cheerleader at all of those things, but if I'm not also their biggest cheerleader in teaching them the Gospel, then I have failed. I need them to know what they need to do on their own to return to their Father in Heaven so that when faced with tragedy, they can be strong, they will know what to do, they will know how to be the helpers for those around them.
So today I began wondering how to help my children "be the helpers" not just to find the helpers. Of course these thoughts were coming to me at the grocery store. I've been trying to work on helping Tanner be more of a gentleman (a SERIOUS work in progress) and I thought what if each of my kids, okay big kids, rounded up one stray cart in the parking lot and just put it back in cart area. I know thinking big here wasn't I. It wouldn't make much of a difference over all but it would make a difference and that's what a helper is just one person making a small difference. Once I can get my kids to work on small things hopefully they can become bigger or better yet hopefully they can become a helper without mom's guidance and reminding. So off I went to pick kids up from school - so no they didn't get to try out my new helper idea because they weren't even with me - and as I'm driving in the nasty cold wind I see a lady pushing a cart out the back entrance of Smith's when she left her cart and picked up her bags to continue walking home with her groceries and I thought see what a perfect time for my kids to help. They could so easily run that cart back to the front. And then the car right in front of me stopped and offered to drive this lady home and she gladly accepted, at least from what I could tell as she quickly plopped her groceries and herself right in the back seat of that car in front of me. So I was even more excited here was another helper. Again small gesture made by one person, but the important thing is that it was made at all!
This world is scary and I don't think it is going to get any better before it first gets worse. I don't want my kids to live in fear because of the tragedies. I want them to know they can be the helper. They can be the ones to make a difference. They can be the ones to know even with the horrible events that continue to happen around us we have such a bright future to still look forward to.
