I don't know if you've seen this video:
But I'll be honest, when I first saw this video I was depressed. That is a realistic crappy day and in no way did I like to see it on film. It really bugged me that she missed dinner with her cousin and it was almost heralded because she did all these nice things for everyone else. I had been pondering this video for a couple of days trying to understand why the video was made this way. Having no answers, I decided that for FHE last night Jason and I could watch it and have a discussion. I was not expecting it to be different the second go around but it was. I realized the point of the video for me. The message was that no matter how bad you feel about your day, no matter being on Facebook in the morning, not being the instantly willing person to watch your neighbor's kid, no matter forgetting your dinner appt, or letting your cousin down because you can't meet with her, no matter how much these little instances build upon each other to make you feel like a failure Heavenly Father still loves you. The message wasn't that we should self sacrifice everything for everyone. The message was that no matter how shoddy our effort feels as we try to live the gospel Heavenly Father still loves us in our weakness and still accepts our efforts.
Sometimes having a newborn is hard. Sometimes I really dislike the fact that I'm the only person on earth who can give this child what he needs. Especially after a day when I've already given so much and I still am asked to give. And it never stops. On Saturday I was feeling pretty rotten after giving so much to put on a relief society activity and dealing with a baby who hadn't slept all day. I went to church the next morning feeling like I had nothing left and I had no idea how to replenish myself. Not to mention that I felt unworthy because of my attitude to approach God. Then in testimony meeting the whole theme of the meeting was how we are loved by God and he cares about what we care about, even if it is just a silly little game we play that has no significance to our eternal salvation. He cares. And that's what this video reiterated to me.
Natalie! I had the same experience when I watched this! I was soooo bothered by how thin she was stretching herself. I try so hard to make sure that I'm living healthily as far as to-do lists go. I kept telling myself that the video contained truth, otherwise the church wouldn't have put it out. At the end my take away was that same one of acceptance and love. It reinforced my testimony that our to-do lists are between us and the Lord, not any standard set by society, and that it will be different for everybody. Thanks for sharing your experience with this! I thought it was just me. We still miss you guys!
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