May 11, 2009 - NOT PERFECT BUT IMPROVING

Right in the middle of a powerful sermon on repentence and the atonement, there is a sentence which gives me great hope. In the middle of Alma 34:33 it reads: "...behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh...." It is the word improve that I like so much. In this life we can not expect to even get close to perfection, but we can improve. We can improve in our patience, we can improve in our charity, we can improve in our faith and deligence, we can improve in our relationships with spouse and children, we can improve in our parenting skills. WE CAN IMPROVE. There is so much hope in knowing that we don't have to BE perfect, we just have to keep improving - keep moving in the right direction. Mother's Day sometimes tends to be a guilt ridden day. Please don't let it be. Just keep trying to improve in your parenting, just keep trying to do your best and when you slip up know that it is okay. Fix it the best you can and move on. If you are trying to improve and asking for the Lord's help, He can set things right or show us how to. The problems come when we stop trying to improve; when we accept a lower standard from ourselves and think we can't change. There is great hope in knowing we don't have to be perfect, but that does not mean we can stop trying to improve. Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful ladies!
May 11, 2009