Saturday, April 4, 2015

The Parable of the Blue Bonnets

http://www.allenrokach.com/whats_new/2010/12/photographing-texas-wildflowers-march-31-april-4/

A few years ago, I was serving in the Primary presidency in our ward, and was looking for a way to help the children learn to be happy with who their Heavenly Father created them to be (this principle, by-the-way, is one of the hardest things for me to internalize so I believe that this was an answer to a prayer that I had been praying more than it was what I was supposed to be teaching to them).  

This parable came to mind as I was driving to an appointment one day during the height of blue bonnet season.  I call it:

The Parable of the Blue Bonnets


The blue bonnet is the absolute favorite wildflower to the true, blue Texans.  They (the blue bonnets) are the pride and joy of Texas.  People gush, they stop and take pictures, they bring props and pose their children in the beautiful fields of flowers.  They are a big deal here.  

So, imagine my surprise when I just didn't see why they were such a big deal.  (I'm pretty sure I just heard a collective gasp uttered by the proud Texans).  I mean they are pretty but they don't really stand out much.  They kind of blend in with the green grass.  When you come across a field of wild flowers, I prefer the yellow one.  Why don't the Texans gush over them? 

Then I saw a field with only the yellow flowers and the yellow ones didn't stand out like they did when they were with the blue bonnets.  

Then I drove past a field that was covered in tons of different colored wild flowers and was in awe of how pretty they were.  There were yellow, pink, red, orange, purple, white flowers of different heights and types of flowers.  What a beautiful sight!!

That's when Heavenly Father spoke to me and said:

"Shanon...My children are like this field of flowers.  I created them to be different from one another.  Sure, some of my children are bluebonnets and are recognized by the world as "standouts" but I made you all unique and gave you all unique gifts so you could complement each other.   That's why the world is so beautiful!  Celebrate being a yellow flower, or an orange flower, or a pink flower!  For that is what I intended you to be!" 

So now, when I start to wish that I were different than what I am, I remember the day that God whispered to me that He loves me just the way I am.

                                                                                                                           

Friday, April 3, 2015

The Diabetic Mom's Life

Last night, our teenagers told us they had big plans for today.  I, being the mom that I wish I was all the time, said "you can do all of those wonderful things you have planned on one condition..."  What was my condition, you wonder?  They had to clean their bathrooms...the way I clean the bathrooms.

This may surprise you....their idea of a clean bathroom and my idea of a clean bathroom are two totally different things.

It was a holiday from school so I let them sleep in a bit.  When Emily woke up, I asked her to wake up Jared (Carson does not believe in sleeping in...EVER...so he had already been up for hours) so they could get started on their job.

I heard a knock, knock, knock on his bedroom door and I thought "Oh good, she did what I asked her to do!"

I heard another knock, knock, knock and thought "Wow, he must be sleepy!"

Then I heard a louder knock, knock, knock and I thought "Surely that will wake him up."

A minute later, I heard a bang, bang, bang (a pounding sort of knock bang, not a gun shot sort of bang) and I thought "Oh, my gosh!!  He went into a diabetic coma while he was sleeping and now he is dead!!"  

So, I ran up the stairs, unlocked the door with trepidation because I just knew that he was dead and he looked at me and said "What?!"

Then...I killed him.

No...not really.  I gave him my "You don't just lay in bed and ignore the knocking!!  You say "I hear you, I will be up in a minute." or at the very least "I'm still alive, mom!!"  You gave me a heart attack!!" speech.

Then I killed him.

No...not really.  I went and ate chocolate until my heart rate went back to normal.

That kid is going to be the death of me.