Willingly Insane

Goob turned 1 this week, which just so happens to be the magical time my mind starts telling me it's time for another.  Ok, so maybe it's been on my mind for longer, but who's keeping track?

I've always wanted to have a big family, but I feel like there are a lot of factors not in my favor.

For starters, I'm not getting any younger.  I will be 29 this year, and honestly can't imagine having children into my 40's.  Selfishly, I want to be done with diapers far before I will be wearing them myself.

Then, without getting on my soap box about the form of delivering children, I'm quite sure my body will fail me before my heart will.

Of all the reasons not to have more children my peers are of most concern, which is odd because generally I don't give a hoot if someone doesn't agree with me.  We are all entitled to our own opinions, and I know in the end I will do what is right for me.

When I talk about having more kids the response I get are usually these:

"have you forgotten how crazy it is with two?"..."it's not going to get any easier"..."if you are overwhelmed with two, what's it going to be like with three?"...

Since when did we start discouraging people from doing hard things?

My mind keeps turning to the athlete.  They train and push themselves harder and harder to get better at what they love and are passionate about.  It is painful and I'm sure sometimes downright miserable.  But there are also moments of complete ecstasy and satisfaction.  Even when the hard times seem to outweigh the moments of satisfaction, they still do it.  They wouldn't dream of giving up what they enjoy.

I've seen the quote "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results" But isn't that precisely what an athlete does?  They run the same distance over and over hoping to get faster....and usually do.

A mother bears children over and over and surely she can expect different results with each child!  She will find each child to have different strengths, weaknesses, and definitely different personalities.  She herself will certainly develop and grow to parent differently with each child too.

Either athletes and mom's are willingly insane, or that little phrase is bogus to begin with.  

I guess what I'm saying is, I want to do hard things like having children over and over for many reasons, but one of the most important reasons is because I know I will grow and learn and become a different, or better person.  If that sounds insane...so be it!

Insane or not, wouldn't it be lovely if, rather than remind a woman of how crazy she must be, we simply gave her a little credit for willingly doing hard things?

Prosperity and Progress

Scripture of the Day:  "Therefore as they were unfaithful they did not prosper nor progress in their journey, but were driven back, and incurred the displeasure of God upon them; and therefore they were smitten with famine and sore afflictions, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty."  -Mosiah 1:17, The Book of Mormon

*Note: bolded words refer back to verse 

Each of us is on our own journey toward some goal or aspiration.  Our journey may include finishing school, seeking a career path, having a family, losing weight, overcoming illness, mastering a new skill, overcoming bad habits, completing a project, etc.

Occasionally on our journey we are driven back, smitten with famine and sore afflictions and it's easy to feel like an outside source is the cause of these setbacks.  This may sometimes be the case, as we cannot control others or take away their agency in acting how they wish.  But might I suggest from this verse, that more often than not, we are our own stumbling block to obtaining our goals.

Our journey in obtaining goals is easily thwarted when we lose faith- faith in ourselves, faith in God, faith in others, etc.  Loss of faith prevents progress or prospering.

There is a reason for being driven back.  Personally I believe it gives us opportunity to take ownership of our situation and make changes that will allow us to begin to progress again, in other words, it helps us to remember our duty.  Are we doing our part?  Are we doing all that is in our power to achieve the results we want.

Being driven back and experiencing trials or being smitten with famine and sore afflictions also requires humility.  We cannot accomplish anything without the help of Christ, therefore we must have faith in Him.  Only then are we able to do all things.  It is so easy to become prideful, relying on our own knowledge, strength, and abilities and forget in whom we must trust.