A Few Good Men

First, I just have to give a little plug to Penguin Air. I have used this company twice and have had a WONDERFUL experience BOTH times. They are honest and came to my house RIGHT away. The first time my A/C unit went out. (horrible) This time I had a few issues with my RO water system and some plumbing stuff. It was fixed in a snap and the price was right! I even signed up for the yearly maintenance plan, you know being a single gal I need the homestead to run smoothly. If you need help with A/C or plumbing give them a buzz # 480-747-6807

Family Home Evening

My kids are usually at their Dad's house on Monday nights so it was a treat when he asked if I wanted to have the kids stay with me yesterday. I planned a simple FHE lesson in which I just read a short story from my Grandpa's life history book. He had to put the cow's to pasture, he was not very old. He said the pasture was about a mile from the house and when he would get to the gate it was so tight he could barely get it open but then could not get it closed. He would struggle with it until he was wringing with sweat. He said he would then remember that his Dad had told him if any time he had done all he could and still couldn't finish the task to kneel down and ask the Lord to help and he would come to his aid. He stated that many times he remembered kneeling down after all that struggle and on the first try the gate would close. 

I began to cry as I told this story of my Grandpa and his childhood example of exercising faith and the power of prayer. However, it was the last line in the short story that struck me the strongest it said, "I don't know why it didn't occur to me to pray before I had become so exhausted." My children asked why I was crying and I explained to them that I felt the spirit, I asked them if they felt the peaceful calm feeling? We discussed this a bit and then read scriptures however I kept thinking about the last line. 

Why is it I don't stop to pray for help until I have become EXHAUSTED? There have been so many times that I struggle and struggle and it isn't until I kneel down in REAL conversation with my Father in Heaven that I get relief. I don't always get immediate answers to prayer...the gate doesn't immediately close for me all the time...however, the calm assurance that Heavenly Father is in control is always present. The calm feeling that all will be well, that I just have to keep doing what I have been doing. If I can just try to be a little better each day. 

It wasn't much later that I was checking my email from work and received a note about some assessments that are coming up for the kiddo's. I sat looking at the computer screen and I began to worry if my class would do well. Had I taught them enough? I know that in the time I have been in my classroom I have not slacked one bit. I have worked to get these kids ready and crammed as much as I can into those little craniums of theirs. Will it translate? Will the tests show my work? The what ifs began to flood in. Then, I remembered the FHE we had just had. I knew and Heavenly Father knows that I have done my job and then some. I knelt down in prayer and handed it over to the Lord. There is not much else I can do for the tests this week, I just prayed that he would be with my students and help them to show that they know their stuff. That they would be calm and able to think. I then drifted into a restful, wonderful sleep and was happy to get my sweet children ready for the day and then greet my lovely little class. Set one of three tests down.

I am grateful for good men, for good examples and for the blessings of family.