Sunday, July 17, 2011

I delight in a new day.

I'm stubborn by nature. I'm not saying I am permanently stubborn--its just the characteristic that always wants to come out first. This is no surprise to my family as they've been dealing with my stubborn-ness since birth.

Sometimes I resent my mothers favorite saying (regardless of how true it really is):
"Tomorrow is a new day." She likes to remind me of this when I'm frustrated, tired, upset, fill in negative emotion here--its her solution is a new day.

In my heart I give this statement more validity than what comes out of my mouth in response to my mother. In fact, I believe on countless occasions I've passed this advice on to others.

A fresh start, a clean slate--we all need it. Enter the Atonement of Jesus Christ which requires an enlightened perspective on our part. We must believe that better days are to come, that happiness is a choice and that we don't have to get stuck in the same sticky/frustrating messes everyday because of our ability to choose.

Back to Mom, today is the start of her birthday week. This week I'm going to try my hardest to really think about all the lessons my mom has taught me and share them here. For my mom to find strength in the fact that 'tomorrow is a new day' is a big deal because while my life is very transitory and changes in big ways each semester and in effect each day as different deadlines and specific stressors come and go, her life largely stays the same.

Being a mom is a full-time job but her calling is compounded by two children that depend on her entirely for their transportation, shopping, cooking, cleaning, healthcare (enter shot-giving/blood check and gluten-free meal making) and entertainment...the list goes on and on.

She takes it in stride, finds joy in the journey and doesn't seek the attention (positive or negative) from others who have no idea what her daily life is like but feel the need to make uninformed comments and reflections on what life must be like for her.

And so, today I delight that its a new day. And I'm grateful for a mother who taught me this valuable lesson in so many ways.



On this beautiful Sunday morning it reminds me of the line from a hymn: "There is hope smiling brightly before us; and we know that deliverance is nigh."

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