Sunday, June 1st

Today I did what a short fifteen years ago would have seemed impossible.  I got seven kids ready for church, and got us all there on time.  Now if that's not a miracle, I don't know what is.  To be honest, it was much harder with two children, and three was nearly impossible.  People don't believe me when I tell them that seven is easier than three, but it's so true.  It may be that I've grown some in the last fifteen years.  That would be nice.  But it probably has more to do with the fact that I really only have one child that needs me to dress her.  The rest have gotten big enough to get themselves mostly ready on their own.  I still have to do three heads of hair (four, including mine), but it has become so routine that it is no longer the huge job that it once was.

Last week in church we managed to spill the sacrament tray full of bread all over the floor.  Thankfully this week was better.  I can't say that the two-year-old has learned how to sit quietly in church, yet, but there were no major disturbances, and I actually got something out of the meeting.  That probably wouldn't have happened fifteen years ago. 

In looking back on this day, and trying to see the hand of God, the biggest thing that stands out is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Today's Sunday School lesson was on sacrifice, and the teacher asked us what sacrifices we had made for the gospel.  As a class, we came to the conclusion that there really weren't any.  Anything that may have seemed like a sacrifice at the time was rewarded with such amazing blessings, that we eventually came to realize it had been no sacrifice at all. 

The gospel is the biggest and most amazing part of my life, but I'm afraid that sometimes it is so pervasive that it becomes invisible.  Sort of like electricity.  Can you imagine your life without it?  For one, you certainly wouldn't be reading this post online.  It is such a huge part of our lives that we have come to take it for granted and don't see it as the amazing thing that it is.  Such is the gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in my life.  Every day is built around it's teachings, and I can't imagine my life without it.

So today I saw the hand of the Lord in my life in how easy it was for us to go to church and hear and discuss eternal truth with so little sacrifice on our part.  I am grateful for those who did sacrifice so that I could have this life built around the gospel.  Everyone from Adam to Moses, from Nephi to Moroni, from Joseph Smith to Thomas S. Monson , and especially my Savior, have all contributed to make it possible for me to read my scriptures, attend church, and raise my family in the gospel.  Thank you to all of you, and to the Lord for his hand in my life.