Lesson Learned

I have never really had a super strong testimony of fasting.  I do it because I know I am suppose to, and I am ashamed to admit it, but halfheartedly.  Then last month when it was my turn to give the lesson to my Beehives (the 12 and 13 year old girls at church) I was able to choose from several lessons.  Fasting kept coming to my mind.  The lesson did not seem like it would be as much "fun" to teach as the other lesson, so I decided to print out the other one.  

Two times the other lesson would not print out.  I thought my computer was broken.  I asked Ed and we printed something else out.  It worked just fine, so I tried to print the other lesson out again.  Guess what?  No printy.  I took that as a hint from the Lord and printed out the Fasting lesson, and you know what?  It was a miracle!  My computer printed that lesson out just fine.

I gave my lesson and it was great!  I learned that I was not a very good "faster".  I knew the next Fast Sunday had to be different.  I NEEDED to do this correctly.  I had to start the night before, it was essential for me to have a true fast.

I felt good having had a good fast.  I had a purpose, I remembered to pray(before I was on my way out of the door for church).  I had done this right.  So why do I not feel any differently?  I had no great revelation. There was not an urgency to do something.  I just felt the same.  Well, maybe a little better because I had done this right, but perhaps I would not see the great effects from fasting until I had been implementing it in my life for a while.

My visiting teachers came on Wednesday.  Mallory had a little "incident"(shocking, I know).  They complimented my parenting.  Then today on the way down the stairs, I realized that I had been a better mother this week.  Resolving conflicts without blowing up at my kids, being more patient and loving with my kids, and trying to see things from their point of view.

Guess what I fasted for this last month?  That's right, to be a better mom.  I am so blessed to be a mom of these fantastic kids.  And blessed to be a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father, who so desperately wants to bless us. All we need do is ask.

Comments

Holly said…
I love this. I struggle with fasting. It wasn't until just a few years ago that I actually got the concept of praying earnestly before and after the fast and actually letting H.F. Know what I was fasting for. I need to stop being so rushed in ALL aspects of my life!
October 19, 2013 at 9:02 AM
Aimee said…
Wonderful Tennille! Beautifully written :)...and I am in love with that beautiful picture of your kids!
October 19, 2013 at 9:39 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thank You Cards

I am a grateful person. I do appreciate when nice things are done for me. I do however, have a "beef" with thank you cards (TYC). Generally, kind acts of service are extended to help one out when one needs help. If one needs help, why do we put that person under all the added stress to give us TYC? It makes me crazy. I owe about 65 TYC from when I was pregnant with Mallory. Most of them I wrote last February. They are all in a pile in a closet. Somewhere. If you are one of these people that feel as though you got the shaft and are without your TYC, please call me and I will dig through the pile and send yours to you. PLEASE NEVER SEND ME A TYC!!!!! I don't want one. I feel obligated to keep them, especially if you are a scrapbooker and took more time to make the card than it took me to make the money to buy your gift. Or more time than it took me to do whatever it was that made you feel compelled to give me a TYC. Just say, "thank you". That is nice. It is goo...
Read more

The Grapple

For years I have looked on with great anticipation of trying a succulent new fruit called the grapple.  The texture of an apple with the taste of a grape?  Yes, please!  The only reason I have not bought a package is because they are $3.99 for four, and I am incredibly cheap. Today, I decided to treat myself to these grapples.  I figured if I were to buy a pack of chips or candy or some other kind of junk, I would spend that much, so I was justified in spending a dollar per piece.  I was freaking out a little inside the truth be told. I had such high hopes for these small delicacies.  We got home, I unloaded the few things I bought, then I proceeded to cut my new treasure.  Ever so carefully did I cut my hybrid.  I didn't want to waste any of it!  After all, I had spent a whole dollar on just that one. There it was in front of me, the moment I had been waiting for for years now.  I brought the wedge up to mouth and tasted it. ...
Read more

American Graffiti

Image
Tonight was the open house for the new school which my children will be attending. It is a beautiful school. Everything I had hoped for for my children. Pristine. Clean. Unmolested. Until that is, my child got a hold of it. There was a pile of markers sitting on the ground which Donny decided was for "decorating" the outside of the school. I looked appropriately disgusted and stormed my children off. Donny and I dropped off the rest of the family then we headed to Macey's for supplies, which he had to buy. We scrubbed for a good 30 minutes, but made little progress. I took him home, got a new arsenal of scrubbies and went back, alone. After another half an hour of scrubbing and EVERYBODY that passed by had to make some stupid comment to me, I went to find the principal to confess our sins. I feel sufficiently humilated. He asked for me to show him, after which he laughed. Then said they have industrial strength graffiti cleaner that will take it off in two seconds. He sa...
Read more