Why I refuse to conform

This world has gone full on crazy! I am not happy with the way people are behaving these days. Satan really has a hold on people's hearts. These are the main things that have been on my mind this day.

• Satan wants us to be divided. He doesn't want us to see each other as brothers and sisters with a common goal to turn to Christ and return to our Heavenly Father. He wants us to hate ourselves and our very nature. He is so subtle. Black Lives Matter is a movement intent on shaming white people. White poeple are falling for it and apologizing for something they did not even do. Fellow LDS folk are even posting the black square on social media in solidarity with the BLM movement.  If you say, "all lives matter", you are racist. Why? It is bad to think white people have something wrong about them because they are white, JUST THE SAME as it is to think that way about black people. The two sentiments are no different. None of us have anything to prove other than our devotion to Jesus Christ and recognizing our DIVINE nature. God has blessed us with a tabernacle for our spirits. Why are we shaming them over a choice that we did not make? At least if we made that choice in the pre-existence, we did so for noble reasons, not for reasons to be ashamed of. Satan seeks to divide.
• There is a lot of lies being distributed by Satan revolving around the COVID-19 virus. I have personally been dealing with a lot of shaming and name calling and judging of my heart based upon the fact that I refuse to wear a mask in public in most places. Even with open and honest and kind reasoning, people have hate in their hearts towards me when they know nothing else about me other than the fact that I will not wear a mask. I am judged as selfish and willing to kill others. Yep. Satan seeks to divide.
• There is also a level of disdain among LDS for being pro-liberty. Containing the virus has become more important than preserving livelihoods and mental and spiritual health. There is a group of people who fight for and speak out for the oppressed in an incredibly peaceful, spiritual, and patriotic way. I am one of them. But we are shamed and told that we will hopefully get sick and die because we don't care about people dying from this virus. This kind of dishonest  and evil thinking from fellow LDS people is founded by Satan. Where Satan seeks to divide, Christ seeks to nurture LOVE and understanding and a compromise. I have not shamed anyone for wearing masks, or staying at home. We have been fighting for freedom and liberty and trying to speak out against government overreach and socialist trends. I feel like many have endured so much hate and yet have made a difference in people's lives despite it. These people have the true Spirit with them and God is on their side. Satan seeks to divide.
• There is hardly any trustworthy media outlet today. Just about everything on my newsfeed is lies about our president. There is an effort to dissuade people from supporting our president and dividing the American people by leading us to believe socialism is better because everyone wants it. Satan is even using people like Mitt Romney who is admired as a "good man" by many good LDS people to take down our president and resolutely giving socialism/communism a hand up in America. America loves our president and Trump is being sustained by God. I really believe good will prevail and America will live on through Trump. Satan controls the American media and Satan seeks to divide.

I will not fall into line with the lies of Satan. When Christ returns I hope to be counted with the ones that saw the injustice that many others could not, and stood up for righteousness in the face of seemingly righteous people criticizing it. I follow LIGHT and LOVE, not hate and divisiveness. I encourage you all to do the same.

Published by AngelPuff

I'm Mormon and I have a problem with the LDS Church's culture

Let me bear my simple testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ:

I know that Jesus Christ is the savior of the world, he is my personal savior. The example he set for me what I strive to be. I know he is my advocate with The Father. He is THE ONE who will always understand me and love me unconditionally. I will never be alone in anything because of Jesus Christ. I know His miracles do not cease to exist on this earth, that His priesthood is living through the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, that His gospel was restored through Joseph Smith after a long real and great apostasy which came to exist after the death of the last of his original appointed apostles. Studying the teachings of Jesus Christ brings joy to my soul. I understand and comprehend all of life's joys and all of life's struggles and torment because of His gospel. I find hope and love and complete faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ and I know it's what turns the earth, what guides the laws of the universe, and what gives our complete existence purpose and meaning.

While I know all of this, I also find myself experiencing a lot of conflicted feelings about the culture in the church through which He guides. This is my own personal struggle, I am intended on finding a way to reconcile the imperfections of the church and raising my children and worshiping. Somehow that saying that floats around, "His gospel is perfect, but the people aren't," just isn't enough for me right now. These people who I affiliate with as fellow members in Christ's church, are people that I'm suppose to support in faith in leadership positions, they're the people that I'm suppose to rely on as the village to help raise my kids. I have to answer to my kids on certain things, and I believe I have answers to every conundrum that might come up regarding the behavior or false teachings of fellow members, but I have to heal my own heart and attitude.

I've always been one to be shunned by the "popular" crowd. The main thing that I feel criticized and judged for is my passion for politics and right in society and government, that can include who I support for office. (Among many things, I have actually been told by a few fellow members of the LDS Church online that because I support Donald Trump for President of the US, that I'm not worthy of a temple recommend). The thing is that everyone has opinions, anyone who is informed has opinions on everything they know about, but most people keep their tongues tied. I was born with this inability to do so. I have this incessant need to stand up for truth and right. I speak my mind and give my opinion. This causes people not to like me, or be turned away from me, or judge me. I'm use to this. What I'll never be use to is others being ridiculed, picked apart, judged, condemned, criticized, etc. when it is due to their hearts being interpreted, when the "condemner" doesn't know their heart. THIS seems to be where I really get riled up, in defense of others against such behavior that seems to be the antithesis of the teachings of Christ, who ate with sinners and touched the leapers, but rebukes the judgmental Pharisees and spoke out against bearing false witness.

Generally these are the kind of people that don't like me or speak rudely about me. There are many who disagree with me and likely find my thoughts and opinions alarming, but they still treat me with love and respect and like to be around me. These are true Christ like people who I will always be grateful for and will always remember their kindness towards me.

I will be speaking mostly about the behavior of people in the church toward other people in the church. But I want to make a strong note that I find it abhorrent to be critical of any person who is a follower of Christ, to only focus on the negative and not make an effort to look for the positive, so much so to be a believer of falsehoods and as well as a bearer of them. I believe as a general policy that Christians should look for the positive in others, especially Christlike behavior of giving and helping and being selfless.

I believe that all are welcome and belong at church to partake of his sacrament every single week. I believe no matter which candidate we support for office or no matter what clothes we wear, how often we cut our lawn, which school we send our kids to, if we have the sniffles or a cough, if we kiss our husband or scrub his back during church, if we wear too much perfume, if we women wear pants to church, if we wear jeans, whether or not we comb our kids hair or have them in a shirt and tie, if our kids are wearing sneakers or snow boots instead of church shoes, if someone has a potty mouth or salty language, or if they simply just speak with a little edge, no matter if someone's house is always messy, if someone takes off their shoes when they teach a lesson, if someone gets called as a new auxiliary president and makes their own changes to the way things are run, whether someone follows the church handbook exactly, if someone brings a peanut to church, if someone's kids have a bad day in sacrament meeting and completely misbehave, if someone let's their baby cry during sacrament without taking them out, if someone uses salty language on a regular basis, etc. etc.... we ALL belong at church, and we should ALL feel like we belong. And none of these "traditions of men" exclude someone from partaking of the gospel of Jesus Christ, or holding a temple recommend.  (These are all some of the things for which I've witnessed people in the church get judged or criticized).

We have to learn to think of others first in all things while we are there. As we sit in the chapel, instead of thinking about how a woman could come to church with pink hair, I believe we should be thinking: Does someone feel safe? Does someone feel comfortable? Does someone feel loved? Does someone feel respected? Does someone feel they matter? Does someone feel accepted and tolerated no matter what they do with their lives or how they believe? Does someone feel inspiration guides the organization of the ward? Does someone feel their talents are recognized through the spirit and not through the eyes of man, and that they are considered valuable in every organization of the ward? Does someone feel like they have opportunities to serve and belong? I need to make SOMEONE feel loved and special, wanted and needed, respected and valued today.

I've had people ASSUME that I judge them for some of the aforementioned things just because I choose a certain way of life. What they fail in, is getting to know me enough to know, I do not care what others do with their lives - I'm concerned with what I do with mine and how I behave. That includes treating other followers of Christ with understanding and love even when they differ from my opinion. But I will always defend right.

The book of James in the New Testament is one of my favorites. I think this is because it speaks a lot of being brothers in the gospel of Jesus Christ and how to be good to one another. I just feel filled when I read that book.

James 4:11

Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge

And who is the only judge? Jesus Christ. I just feel that if we all take it upon ourselves to judge others, we are are trying to put ourselves in the place of our Savior. And the Savior didn't just suffer for the gossiper, he suffered for ALL.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoeverbelieveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

When I speak of "traditions of men" being a part of the LDS Church, in a general and succinct description, I want to convey that I believe there is a problem with people in the church judging other people in the church, their righteousness or worthiness of being there, based on things that have very little, or nothing at all, to do with the pure gospel of Jesus Christ. I think some people forget that the LDS Church is where His priesthood lies, but not where the reasoning of men should have any place in determining someone's worth or appreciation and value in His kingdom at any capacity. Not in being a mother, or friend, or being a Young Women's president, or even Bishop. We must always remember how Jesus Christ measures others and what His standards are in our effort to strive for perfection. He looketh on the heart. Just because another person expresses themselves differently, or trains their children differently, or dresses differently, or does ANY thing differently than we would based on our own interpretation and principle of what is right and appropriate, doesn't make them, or their actions, "bad" or unworthy (which is the word I would use to interpret how the culture of the LDS Church determines things).

Perhaps my expectations are too high. I think that is the case. I, too, need to become more unconditionally loving and accepting even when I feel defensive of others who have tender feelings when they're criticized, chastised, or judged unrighteously, as well as defensive of myself. We all have a bit of hypocrite in us. But I'm consistently determined to be better at so much in my life and this is one of them. To love my enemies.

A Voice of Reason on 3 Things I Wish I Could Say to Every Young LDS Woman

Published by Starfish

I read the following blog post: http://aspiringmormonwomen.org/2014/12/08/three-things-i-wish-i-could-say-to-every-young-lds-woman/

To say I was annoyed by this article is an understatement. I thought, SOMEONE needs to be a voice of reason out there for the Young Women in the church. Therefore, let me put forth some of my comments on the article, and also some expanding on the underlying subjects in general:

As far as education - I think college is often a joke and a waste period. I know plenty of people personally (not the typical named Bill Gates who didn't attend college) who didn't attend college that made some great successes of themselves. They raised a family and made a comfortable retirement for themselves all on working themselves up, on-the-job training, starting a business, investing, etc. None of this needs college, and when the Lord counsels us through prophets to never cease learning and to become well-educated, he doesn't mean attend a university or get training. I'm not saying these things are bad, but I'm seeing a lot of "have something to fall back on" being floated around, and we don't need college for that. I have no doubt that should something happen to my husband, I could go back to work if I needed and support my family without getting a degree. I'd have a lot to learn and a lot of struggles and it would not be as lucrative as my husband's ability to provide, but I could do it. I'm smart, I'm capable. I don't need professors and a piece of paper signed by the Dean at the U of U, or even certification from Eagle Gate College. If you seek to become a lawyer, doctor, engineer, accountant... okay, college need be. But otherwise, it's a bad investment and unnecessary debt. That's not a fall-back, that's just a waste of time.

I'm a homeschool mom because I am so passionate about education and learning and having our minds filled with all kinds of good information and knowledge, the right kind. It's all we can take with us when we leave this earth. But at the same time I am the last person to say that the average college campus is the right place to get it.

On the matter of those who say that those women in the LDS Church who have prestigious careers are no less spiritual than the stay-at-home-moms - The ones who have only some college or no college for that matter, are no less brilliant or smart or educated than the ones with PhD's and Master degrees. That's one thing that has always bothered me. When they say, "So and so has a Masters degree, isn't that wonderful? Gosh I admire that?" Well sure that's great but my intelligence and knowledge hasn't been measured by society with a degree or a 70,000 dollar education, and I'm educated too. I know valuable things. I've accomplished things. 

Here's how I see people in general. We're all equal in the eyes of God. I can think, make decisions, have educated opinions about what's best, just the same as anyone else. So what makes that guy in the white house think he can speak for everyone else and ignore the guys who are suppose to represent us and listen to us? He's no better than I am. That's just an example to illustrate how status doesn't make you smarter, better or more capable. Anyone is capable of anything, you just have to believe you can do it, and you can. I chose on purpose to NOT continue my college education. It was in no way naive or as a result of my desire to be married and start a family. It just wasn't for me. I knew I could be just as successful (if need be) in the career world as anyone else with a college degree so I dropped out and saved the money. There was nothing college could offer me.

Another thing about this topic that really gets to me, is how valuable people see career. Life is all about a career, it's about you. Our public education system is all about career these days, they don't teach the truly valuable things. Our life on earth is NOT about career. It's about family. Period. Your job is just that, a job. A means to provide. If your career is the most important to you then you have to take a look at the bigger picture, because that's not going to make you happy, that's not what God made you for. That's not what He created this earth for. Honestly, I was so brainwashed through the schools as a kid to believe I needed a career, I struggled so bad thinking I was a loser because I couldn't decide. One of the valuable things my husband taught me through his example as a person, is that all we need to do is make money and then come home and be with family. Teach the kids. Watch them play. Learn together. What you do to make the money, doesn't matter. As long as you're doing it so you can provide the necessities of life. Do you think there are careers in heaven? Nope. That is one thing that just bugged me about this article. As if our whole existence revolves around status and college education.

While college can be a good investment on paper in many cases, in most degrees and accreditation it is not. Most people who graduate from college do not go into their chosen field and struggle with that debt for most of their lives. 

I'm not trying to downplay anyone's college education, I'm sure many college graduates had a great time at college and find what they learned there valuable. But I don't like that members in the LDS Church assume that when we're counseled to get an education it means we should attend college. When you're a junior in high school, pick a college, pick a major, it's a must, we have to do it, we have to because the Lord told us to. The fact is that makes people look ridiculous. He never told us that. Even for those who are done with college should continue their education. Education doesn't equal college. Does anyone realize that you can get the equivalent of a college education for FREE, online, from college professors? 

Anyway, I'm not feeding my children that myth. We leave it open for them to decide their own path. We in no way encourage college nor discourage it. But both my husband and I are honest about why we did not continue with college ourselves. Yet the both of us are always involved in learning and expanding our minds. I think we're setting a fine example there.

Members of the LDS Church might say, "Why would the church have the Perpetual Education Fund if they didn't believe God wants you to go to college?" From pef.lds.org: The Perpetual Education Fund (PEF) has been established to provide worthy young adults of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with the support and resources necessary to improve their lives through education and better employment to better serve their family, the Church, and their community. The Perpetual Education Fund in the church is generally for those in underdeveloped countries who do not have access to a quality education. Do you see anyone in America getting that money? I haven't. Because in America, we have so many more opportunities to earn a living that have nothing to do with college. We don't need it. In America the opportunities are limitless for educating ourselves. We can educate ourselves and make ourselves quite a lucrative living without going into tens of thousands of dollars in debt. So this charitable act was meant for those who are stuck in the mud with nothing to grab onto. In America, we could make our money for college (or even a mission) before we even attend (or go). In America, there's money. We just need to figure out an honest way to get it. There are so many ways, it just takes hard work. In some areas of the world, hard work doesn't amount to much, so they need charity like the PEF.

I've probably learned more since I quit my job to stay home and be a full-time mom and wife.  I really loved college. I loved being in the classroom and taking notes and doing projects. I thought it was fun. But I left because, practically, it wasn't worth my time and money. This also leaves me the freedom to learn what I am interested in, and what really gives me fulfillment in my life and enriches my mind. Being a parent alone has taught me more, and inspired me to learn more, than anything I learned before.

What 3 things would I say to every young LDS woman, you ask?

1. Study the gospel hard. Pray and gain a testimony. Make this a priority in your life. Make a great relationship with Heavenly Father and your savior Jesus Christ. Study the words of all the prophets. Through this you can withstand anything life can throw at you and you will gain wisdom and light and knowledge through it, which will help you make the right decisions. Staying pure, making covenants, raising children... it all falls in this category in my opinion.

2. Have confidence in your abilities and in your mind. Your mind and your body is God's design. He is supreme intelligence and he made you with a purpose and a mission. Find your mission, explore your talents and develop them (I wish I had help with this as a youth). Never cease learning. Always be engaged in learning something and don't be afraid to speak your mind.

3. Serve others. Serving others helps you forget your problems, it teaches you, it gets your out of yourself, it keeps you humble. And when you speak your mind you'll remember how to speak it while also giving respect to others and having a mind of understanding.

We are on this earth to LEARN. Whether college is a part of that or not doesn't matter at all. Life itself is a learning process. Becoming educated is a lifelong endeavor. 

Now, may this balance out the Mormon feminist bloggers out there.

I'd like to voice an opinion about Ordain Women

Published by Starfish

There has been much to say around the internet about Kate Kelly and her organization Ordain Women. It has even brought the church much controversy and they've had to make several formal statements to the press, including an interview with the church's spokesperson, because of this movement. I don't think this blog touches the eyes of many, and I don't consider it to be just for the Mormon people. Even though I haven't been keeping up on it as I should, I started it in hopes to reach a lot of people, especially those who are not as informed as to important matters that face us. Well, as a member of the LDS Church I wanted to give my simple opinion on this recent matter. Maybe it will interest others who look on the story in the news and wonder what the average member of the church thinks. I can't speak for "the average member", but I can speak as a member who is of great activity in the church and of serious conviction and faith.

This should not take too long as what I have to say is very simple.

From the beginning of time God gave the mantle of priesthood responsibility to man. He gave the mantle of motherhood to woman. Adam and Eve. If you are a "faithful member in good standing with the church", as Kate Kelly says that SHE is, then you know this, you understand it, and you accept it. Quite honestly, you would not question it. To suggest that the Lord change his doctrine to please the insecurities of a handful of woman in the church basically suggests that you really don't understand this and you do not have faith in the true doctrine of Jesus Christ. Why, after thousands of years, would the Lord change his doctrine in a very significant way, as to almost alter the complete meaning of what we believe? Order is God's way, not chaos. Just imagine what would happen in the church if women were given the power of the priesthood? How insignificant would men become? Hasn't feminism itself destroyed manhood, fatherhood, and masculinity enough?

If you are a faithful, temple attending, member of the LDS Church, you can see what exactly is available to women in the church. We are not insignificant. The LDS Church is not a man's church, it is a church that is VERY much influenced by women. If only Ordain Women truly understood, in not just a spiritual sense, but a true and real physical sense how the women of the church influence the men, even in the highest of offices, even in the first presidency.

I feel confused as to why people like Kate Kelly do not understand why they are being held accountable with disciplinary action for their doings. She gathered women together and convinced them that the doctrine of the church was offensive and that the church needed to be more politically correct. As a faithful member of this church with a firm testimony, it makes me really sad.

I know that the way the Lord has organized his church is the exact right way it should be, and that the Lord is all-knowing and more brilliant than even the most brilliant person on earth. He knows the future and the past, and the present. When I ponder the intricate and fine workings of the machine we call the LDS Church, it blows my mind how inspired it is. No man could have come up with all of this.

One last insignificant note: I will not want to hold the priesthood. I can receive any of it's blessings available, so why would I want it? If it were ever made available to me as an option, I would say, "No thanks". I think that holding the priesthood is a great mantle of responsibility. You have to be worthy and spiritually in tune at all times should anyone need to utilize it at any given moment. I'm a mother, and that calling is demanding and hard enough. If a man started up a group called "Maternalize Men", no one would even pay attention to them because it would be so ridiculous. People would say, "Uh, sorry, we can't give you a Uterus and a birth canal. I'm not God." Well, the leaders of the LDS Church are not God either. They talk to God, but only He can make those changes, and personally I think it would be just as hard to Ordain Women as it would be to Maternalize Men. Just because being able to grow a baby and give birth is a very physical thing, doesn't mean that the Priesthood isn't something just as attached to men.

Part of this earth life, this test, is to be faithful, to have faith in our leaders and their guidance, counsel, and direction. It is not wrong to question, and we can have those questions for the rest of our lives, but we need to remain true and faithful. That is part of the test. It is not blindness, it is belief. Belief that God is in control and he guides your life for good. Sometimes we just need to accept that someday we will understand, have faith and courage and hope, and HAPPINESS, in our knowledge of the restored gospel and eternity.

It's time they realize taxes are not the government's money.

Published by Starfish

http://m.ksl.com/index/story/sid/28881583?mobile_direct=y

That article states that there was extra money, a surplus, for the State of Utah, in tax revenue.  They're arguing about how to use it up, where should it go? Education? Other proposed ideas? People on capital hill have lots of ideas!

Here's a thought: How about GIVING IT BACK! It doesn't belong to them. That money belongs to the people and if they took it and didn't need it, they need to give it back. Money does better things in the hands of the people than it does the hands of the government.

I am appalled every time this comes up, that they even consider keeping it for all of their little ideas, rather than put it back in the pockets from which they stole it from. This just proves the complete stupidity and corruption that government brings out in people.

Really?

Published by Starfish

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765648213/Religious-freedom-bill-riles-gay-rights-supporters.html?pg=2

The above referenced article has me wondering. What happened to the Constitution? Don't we still believe in that? Is it not still the law of the land? Why on earth would we need a bill like this in Arizona?

If a doctor refuses to perform abortions because he's Catholic, then that hopeless young lady would have to simply find another doctor to perform the procedure, right? I don't think doctors are being forced to perform abortions because they're being discriminatory toward promiscuity. They simply believe abortion is murder and is wrong. Nothing personal, it's about their own salvation, not yours. Now if a wedding photographer or baker refuses to photograph or bake a cake for a gay couple, they are protected under the Constitution to refuse their business to that couple, right? The couple could just go somewhere else for those services. Why would that couple want to be photographed, or eat the cake made, by a person who doesn't accept their lifestyle choice anyway?

Can you believe we live in a world where this kind of legislation is even considered? Can you believe we live in a world where grown-ups cannot even act as mature as children, where they can't simply say, "Hey I'm gay and this is my husband-to-be, will you make the cake for our wedding please," and then hear "Well my religion prohibits me from supporting this, I'm sorry I can't do that for you," then walk away and say, "Let's try the next bakery, maybe they like gay people."? I don't care if you think it's wrong to refuse to give business to someone based on sexual orientation, that's none of your business to judge that person. The point is that we should be able to co-exist as best as we can. We should be able to say, "Hey, you believe this, I believe that, we are in America and that is that."

The gay community will always compare themselves to the time when civil rights were a big thing with black people. Well personally I think it was very wrong for someone to say a black man could not eat in his restaurant. But honestly, I think if someone wants to be racist in that way, they have the freedom to do that. It's their business and they will pay the consequences of their racism. They can refuse business to whomever they want, but they will likely pay the consequences if the community seems to rally for the black people. So if you think that gay people are equivalent to the experiences of the black people, then just consider yourselves a part of history and let things work themselves out.

Feelings will get hurt and offenses will fly, that is just how the world is. Forcing someone through legislation to do something they don't believe in is wrong and against the constitution. A free America allows you to have other options. There is always someone out there who is on your side, especially in today's America. There is no way whatsoever that we will all agree with each other and making laws and forcing others is not the answer, that isn't going to make it better. People, just grow up and be the "bigger person" however you think that rolls. If you are a true pacifist you wouldn't be blocking the governor's door willing to be arrested while you make a raucous and chant your chants and disrupting someone's work. True fairness comes through true freedom. You get what you get when you get it because that's life. If you run into an obstacle, that's life, go around it and find another way. When you try to force people to live the way YOU think is right, you are just putting an obstacle in the way of THAT person's beliefs. Kind of selfish and anti-productive, don't you think?

Why I Think God Helps Me, and Why I Need It Every Day.

Published by Starfish

I read an interesting blog that someone posted on their Facebook page and ended up in my newsfeed. I normally don't have time to stop and read every thing, but for some reason today I did. I understood the general tone of the piece; young mothers are overwhelmed. This is a statement of fact, it is hard to raise a lot of little young ones who rely so much on you for every aspect of their well-being. But this particular piece bothered me for two reasons: One, she was way over the top in describing how horrible most of her days are. She made it seem like she was a slave to her home and children and she had no freedom. She would occasionally pause and say something like, "Do I love my kiddos? YES, absolutely, in a most incredible way. Being a mom is a wonderful blessing." However, most of the piece was talking about how horrible her life is, it was near excruciating to read and I skimmed much of it to get to the point. Eventually I never really found one, other than her love of having occasional help from a young woman coming to her home. I think that was the point. But the title of her post was about her not needing God, only needing help.

My very first thought was, "Uh, God IS help." That is the second reason this piece bothered me. I would not survive as young mother myself if it were not for God. Every morning I kneel to pray to Him and ask in humility for His spirit to be with me so I can be calm and in tune to my kids. Each of them test me every day for one reason or another. They all have their own little phases they are going through, and I have to be in tune to their needs. I can't be selfish. It is really hard to not be selfish, it is natural to be selfish and I would be lying if I said that I was always calm and collected, but that is why we need the spirit in our lives so that we can gain perspective throughout the day, at each moment we need it. We need to be familiar with the scriptures and what they teach us. They give us direction. Motherhood is not excluded from our need to be close to God and knowing His word helping us in our lives. Getting in home help with chores and the children does not replace that need. Motherhood is not about housework and making meals (though that seems to be a great big part of our lives, that itself is not motherhood). Children don't come out perfect, they need to be taught, and personally I wouldn't know what to teach them if is wasn't for God and what he has provided for us to accomplish this great task.

I think, possibly, if I didn't have God in my life daily, then I would probably dread being a mom as much as this woman seemed to. I understand when some mothers might need someone to come in and help them with housework or watching the kids so they can juggle things, but I don't think you either have God or you have help, I think you ALWAYS need Gold's help, and sometimes you need another person's help.

Also while reading that blog piece I wondered how helpful her husband must be. She made mention of him coming home and wanting to say, "You take care of them!" Why should she feel like that? Why should she feel like she had no freedom if her husband were giving her real breaks now and then? When my husband is home with us, he takes on an equal amount of responsibility for the kids as I do. Isn't that how it should be? That way my load is unburdened a bit for the rest of the day and it makes it all worth it. Thank you to my husband who makes real and honest efforts to make my life easier. I'm so glad I'm not married to the guy this woman is married to.