Sunday - The SABBATH Day

It has been a long time since I have really sat down and written a worthwhile blog entry. I have been busy with a lot of other things and my mind just can't wrap itself around it all right now. Hence, blogging suffers. But I sit down often trying to think...nothing comes out. Oh well.....

Today, though, has been fabulous! The weather has finally got a bit warmer (but I cringe with fear of saying it too loud .... it may just turn nasty on me again). It was so fun to listen to the children play outside this weekend. I commented to Scott about how stir crazy we are all getting INSIDE all the time. The sounds of playing happy children doesn't get much better. Any sound only pales in comparison. I love laughter and happy children. I love to watch them play....all day. Of course, some of the time I am only listening.

Church was good today. It usually is, but today I really felt the spirit. I think I felt it most in my lesson in YW....not that is was ME that was teaching, but just the subject matter itself. We talked about being a peacemaker in our homes. This is something I have been thinking a lot about lately. Sometimes, stir crazy inside or not, I think we have too much contention in our home. Too much raising of voices, talking mean, etc. I am sure our home is pretty normal in selfishness, but I sure find it easy to compare myself and my home to what I THINK other's homes are like. So...needless to say, the peacemaker topic was fresh on my mind.

I think what caught my attention most was a quote from Elder Theodore M. Burton. He described what happens when we become angry: “Whenever you get red in the face, whenever you raise your voice, whenever you get ‘hot under the collar,’ or angry, rebellious, or negative in spirit, then know that the Spirit of God is leaving you and the spirit of Satan is beginning to take over” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1974, p. 77; or Ensign, Nov. 1974, p. 56).

It hit a spot inside. Wo! That's all I can say. We had a great discussion about being peacemakers, about a challenge to be the one's in our home this week that keep the peace....the one who dispels arguments, controls ourselves when we are irritated, etc. We closed with a song, "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus," which we will sing for Branch Conference in a couple weeks.

We try at our house to make Sundays Personal Progress, Duty to God, and Faith in God days. Jordan recited the 13 Articles of Faith. I went on a little journey through the scriptures and The Family: A Proclamation to the World about the divine qualities of a daughter of God (Divine Nature Experience #1). The attributes listed were neat to see. The qualities listed in 2 Peter 1 directly correlate to Doctrine and Covenants Section 4 (all about missionary work). Amazing! Here they are: Faith, Virtue, Knowledge, Temperance, Patience, Godliness, Brotherly Kindness, Charity. D&C 4 adds Humility and Diligence. If we head to the 2nd scripture in the Personal Progress Experience (Alma 7:23-24) it adds Humility and Diligence...along with a lot more of the same qualities we found in 2 Peter 1 and D&C 4.

I love journeys in the scriptures. I love to find the things the Lord wants me to know and feel. I love to feel the Spirit at I do so. I love knowing the I AM a daughter of a Heavenly Father who loves me! Who wants me to really KNOW and LOVE Him too. The Divine Nature inside each one of us really is DIVINE! We truly are HIS children with parts of HIM within us. I am grateful to have remembered this again today.

So...laughing, happy, playful children along with a wonderfully fabulous journey int eh scriptures makes one happy Denise!