In tune with each other. September 15, 2014

Great example of how we are guided and there for each other. I was going to send out my letter to Emily last week. Something always got in the way and so I sent it this morning. This was her response. My letter is also included. 

Mom, seriously the Lord guides you more than you know. I was just sitting here, after filling out an evaluation from the church thinking about all the things that I have done that have not been like a totally consecrated missionary, and thinking about how I used to be really good at those things, or how awful I have been lately, and getting down on myself completely.  I needed to hear that today, not in a letter last week or even in my e-mail last week. Now, here I sit crying in the library, because The Lord guided you to share what you learned in your lesson, to me today. It is hard to always remember that the Lord can make up the difference, but he does! The Lord can make me the missionary I need to be, and the missionary I want to be, as long as I let myself repent for my own mistakes.  Thank you, you were the words I needed right now. 

The other day I learned Hello in Swahili, Jumbo! isn't that a language Rick learned on his mission too?  I am recovering from my bike incident, more than anything it scared me to work too hard for fear I'd overdo it and not be able to safely drive home, or be safe where we were at. I will go find a coat that I like, that will not kill me! haha!

With Love,
      Sister Smith

On Mon, Sep 15, 2014, Christy wrote:

Rick was here this morning to help me with the good morning in tswana (from his mission) How are you doing? Hopefully you are recovering from your bike incident! Can't believe that happened. When I was reading the letter to Morgan about you tying your coat around your waist, he said then "bad idea" little did he know how true those words were. Maybe your companion should have let you look undignified and leave the coat around your waist. haha. You have 374.54 in your checking account now. So go find a good fall coat. One that won't kill you!

I never did get around to telling you about Gini's lesson in Relief Society. So I will paraphrase it here. It starts out with a mom walking her son to school one morning. She doesn't often walk him because he is in second grade and pretty independent. She is usually getting herself and his sisters ready for school. As they got halfway to the bus stop, he reaches up and takes her hand. She knew that wouldn't happen many more times. He's seven now but growing and how many 12 year old boys swing hands happily with their mommies? She squeezed his hand and told him that she loved him. Just at that moment the thought came into her mind, That's awesome that you're walking him to the bus stop and putting on this "mother of the year" act today. What about yesterday and the day before that. He is probably holding your hand because he is so desperate for the love and attention you haven't been showing him.

Anyway then come all the thoughts about what an awful mom she is. She starts thinking of all the times she does something good while beating herself up for all the times she hasn't been perfect. "You're worshipping in the temple? Whoopty how long has it been since you came here last?. Wow you cleaned the kitchen today. Want a cookie? That rag on the counter has been there for a week"

Anyway on and on it goes with the negative thoughts. For every positive one there are four or five negative ones. 

Drop of Awesome--everytime we do something good, something kind, something productive, it's a Drop of Awesome in your bucket of Awesome. You don't lose drops for every misstep. You can only build. You can only fill.

I walked my son to the bus stop. Drop of Awesome!

I fed him fruit with breakfast. Drop of Awesome!

I told him I loved him. Drop of Awesome!

When we start thinking about life in terms of adding little Drops of Awesome for every act of good, we will find that we are doing more and more of them, because it is a lot more fun to do good when we reward ourselves with joy instead of being guilted for every failure in the past. As we add up our Drops of Awesome, we can become the person we always wanted to be. In the end, it's really about allowing yourself to feel joy and allowing yourself to be proud of the small victories of life.

Now for the religious implication of the story. . . . You are not the only one adding these Drops of Awesome in your bucket. Christ commanded us to be perfect, but through his atonement. He is with us every step of the way.

Gini went around the room with an empty glass labeled positive thoughts asking everyone what one awesome thing they did to add to our Drop of Awesome bucket. Then she would drop water into the cup labeled positive thoughts. She had a glass labeled negative thoughts that was full of water (of course). Well at this point she pulled a pitcher out that was labeled ATONEMENT and poured water into the positive thought glass until it was spilling out all over.

When we are in a relationship with Christ, striving as God's sons and daughters to do His will, He pours more into our buckets than we can ever hope to imagine. He can fill us to overflowing with peace, with joy, and with perfection, with Awesome.

At this point I am just filled with the Spirit and crying because I realize again that I have a testimony of the Atonement. I know when we do all we can, Christ makes up the difference. He loves us so much.

To close the lesson she concludes, We need to just keep working, one tiny drop at a time. Don't compare today's drops to yesterday's or tomorrow's. We live and we love and we repent when we do wrong and we allow ourselves to be glorious, beautiful and perfect in Christ. I believe in a God who loves us and roots for us and cheers for every Drop of Awesome we can manage. Our victories are His victories and He wants us to feel joy. Not later, when we no longer make mistakes, but right now!!!!! Alma 37:6. 

Small and simple. Tiny drops. Go forth. Be Awesome!!

Just wanted you to look for your tiny Drops of Awesome every day. Don't focus on the things you don't do, but concentrate on the things you do. Hope this all makes sense and that you can feel the spirit tesitfying of the truth of the Atonement. He makes up the difference. Love you, Have a great day. Momsy