How I Survived Kindergarten

I'm a little worried this post is going to come off as self-righteous. That is completely not my intent. I am aware, sometimes painfully aware, of my imperfections and short comings. I simply want to show what worked for me in hopes it can help someone else and by writing it down, it actually helps me keep it up...

School is starting up again all over the place so I thought I would write a quick list of the ways I survived my daughter's first year of school. It can be a bit tough some days watching her walk into school at 7:45am and then picking her up again at 3:00pm knowing that I will never know every single thing that happened to her as she spent those hours away from home each day. Who said something mean to her? Who said something inappropriate to her? Was she nice to others? Did she goof off in class? Did something break her heart? Is her teacher able to give her the attention she needs? Does she have friends?

Don't get me wrong, I am not super overprotective  (or at least I try not to be). Most days are fine. I do trust her and know that she is a good girl and I have faith that she will have happy experiences more than bad.

But this scripture is brought to my memory quite often... 
"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
"Wherefore, take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day..." (Ephesians 6:11-17)

With this in mind, there were days I had to go down my check list to make sure I had done all I could to help my daughter put on her armor before she walked into school each day.  Here is my list...

1. Did we have family prayer before school?
2. Did we have family scripture study before school?
3.  Did we have Family Home Evening this week?
4. Did I let her know enough that I love her and adore her and that nothing she ever does, or doesn't do, will ever, ever, ever change that?
5. Did she eat a good breakfast and get some vitamins so that her brain will work well?
6. Did I express my complete confidence in her ability to learn and grow and understand?

Now, before you start thinking, "No one is that perfect!", let me assure you that you are correct! :) Not all of these things happened each morning or each week and most of the time I was on the verge of just forgetting all of it. But somehow I found the strength to accomplish all of this despite the tremendous opposition of stressful school mornings. Let me explain...

1. Family Prayer: Most mornings my husband and I are doing our best to corral our two over active children together long enough for a prayer. Sometimes this corralling included yelling and sometimes the corralling continued to take place even during the prayer. Our prayers were short and sometimes hurried and sometimes I would think, "We don't have time for this! She's going to be late!" But then the Holy Ghost would say, "Let her be late then. Prayer is more important." Thank goodness he was able to get through to my stressed out mommy brain on those mornings. (BTW - she was never late, never. Prayer works miracles!) Prayer is VITAL!! Armor on? Shield of Faith up? Check.

2.  Family scripture study: This would take place around the kitchen table while we quickly shoved food into our mouths. It consisted of us reading a few verses each day and me saying, "Did you hear what Daddy said?" (usually because it seemed that they weren't paying attention at all) They were then usually able to tell us one thing that Daddy said and so I didn't push it. My fear is that if I expect too much out of this time, it will stop all together and that would be a tragedy. Maybe this is the wrong philosophy but for now, it works and so I'm not going to push it. We'll add more and more verses to our study as the children grow older. Not all families can do this before school, but we must find a time to do it.  Armor on? Helment of Salvation in place? Belt of Truth secure? Sword of the Spirit ready? Check.

3. Family Home Evening: Refer to my post "Onion Tears? I Don't Think So." and know that this is by far the activity I struggle with the most. Even so, it happens more often than not and I've rededicated myself to making sure it happens without fail. Armor on? Breastplate of Righteousness secure? Feet shod with the Gospel of Truth? Check.

4. Good breakfast with Vitamins: I've done a lot of studying about our brains and how to help them function at their best. A good breakfast (not a lot of sugary cereal) with a children's multi-vitamin is my way of doing what I can to help her have an easier time learning in school each day. I do want to mention, however, that our pediatrician said that even cereal for breakfast is better than no breakfast and that carried me through on the mornings cold cereal was the only plan that worked (which happened more often than I had hoped). Physical body taken care of? Armor on? Shield of Faith up? Check.

5. Confidence and Unconditional Love: I don't know any other way to say this, as I've said it before, but I have grown to view unconditional love for your children as a vitamin, antibiotic and/or vaccine helping them to protect themselves against the fiery darts of the adversary. My husband, who is a therapist, sees people in his office all day, every day, who did not get this vaccine as a child. I do not say that lightly.  

The only knowledge we can give our children that is of greater importance than knowing and trusting our love, is teaching them to know and trust the love of our Savior and our Father in Heaven. I cannot be with my children wherever they go, but our Father CAN and WILL. Our children must know this to their very core. Hearts filled with courage? Armor on? Check!


If I could go down my check list, checking each item off as "done", then I knew I had done all I could and the rest was in our Father's very capable hands. I could rest easy and trust Him to take care of her - after all He was her parent long before she was sent to me.

 There are so many other items that could be added to this list and each family may have their own personal items to check off each day. As I've been typing this I keep hearing the words, "Mother's Who Know" run through my mind. It is from an amazing talk given by LDS General Relief Society president Julie B. Beck. She said:

"The responsibility mothers have today has never required more vigilance. More than at any time in the history of the world, we need mothers who know. Children are being born into a world where they “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). ¹ However, mothers need not fear. When mothers know who they are and who God is and have made covenants with Him, they will have great power and influence for good on their children" President Julie B. Beck

Our Father did not send us here to fail. He sent us here to learn and grow and improve ourselves so we can one day, if we so choose, be like Him. He is doing all He can to help us succeed. He is our Eternal Father - a perfect parent. By following His parental example, we can help our children (His children whom He has put in our stewardship) find joy and peace and hope in this world and even more in the world to come. 

By the way...doing these activities each day not only helped my children put on their armor, it helped their mother put on her's as well. :) 

2015 Update: I now have two children in school. One going into 3rd grade and one going into 5th grade. I home schooled my oldest last year. It was a wonderful experience. I loved being with her every day. I loved that we could incorporate the Gospel into all we did. I loved the amazing field trips we were able to go on that public schools just cannot afford, nor have time for because of testing demands. I really loved it all and I am a big supporter of home school. 

My oldest is going back to public school this year. She isn't too excited about that but I will be going with her as I will have a job at the school where both of my children will attend. 

Sometimes, the Lord has plans for you and your family that were not necessarily your own plans. I know our Father in Heaven supports public school and home school and the answer for each family and even each child is different. Our Father in Heaven has an individual plan for each of us and that plan has different steps along the way and different places to be and different experiences that need to be had in order to help each individual fulfill their own personal mission on this earth.

All is well and I'm interested to see what our Father has in store - good and bad - for my little family this year. As long as we are keeping His commandments, I have faith that eventually all things will work together for our good.

A Voice Above All Others

We live in a world of many voices. Voices that sometimes whisper, sometimes scream, but almost always say things such as, "You are too much of that!" "You are not enough of this!" "You don't have that?" "You really should get rid of this!" "How dare you think that!" "How dare you not understand!" "You don't deserve this!" "You deserve all the bad that has happened to you."

You get the picture. You are experiencing this in your own life. Yet, there is a voice that can rise above all others like a lighthouse, like a beacon of hope, leading us to a much better place. Our Savior's voice can be heard, "Come follow me." It is a voice of peace. A voice of forgiveness. A voice of hope. A voice of change. A voice of freedom. A voice of love.

Spiritual survival requires that we learn to decipher His voice above all others. His voice is a communication that happens spirit to spirit, heart to heart. The ability to hear His voice takes practice - a lifetime of practice. I can think of no better way to become more in tune to His voice than to read the Holy Scriptures.

"For it is my voice which speaketh them unto you; for they are given by my Spirit unto you, and by my power you can read them one to another; and save it were by my power you could not have them;
"Wherefore, you can testify that you have heard my voice, and know my words." (Doctrine and Covenants 18:35-36)

Incidentally, I think the voices aimed at our children may be louder and more aggressive than we know. They need to learn to love and value the power of the scriptures. How do they learn this? Through the examples of the ones who love them most.

Have You Tried This Yet?!

The new website for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is so cool! It is like walking into the Library of Congress - EVERYTHING is there for you. Check it out at www.lds.org. Even more awesome, it can be accessed in many different languages! Way cool!

I stumbled upon a super cool "room" within this vast library one day and made a mental note to check back there again when I had a moment. I checked today. Wowsers! I was in heaven. (I Know I'm sounding very juvenile with all of my "cool"s but I'm super excited about this!)

Click this link:
Study By Topic
Select a topic, any topic
You'll see a short narrative explaining that topic with scripture references.
Scroll down
You'll find links to scripture references about that topic.
You'll find links to Church magazine articles about that topic.
You'll find links to additional study materials such as lesson manuals etc. about that topic.

Okay, here is the other awesome link to notice. Look on the left hand side of the page. You will see something called "My Study Notebook". Click on it!

You can set up your own study notebook in which you can collect any information found within lds.org, organize it into specific notebooks, MAKE PERSONAL NOTES, highlight passages, the list goes on!!

The Lord thinks of everything!

Give it a try! I think you'll like it A LOT!! I do. :)

My Hijacked Plans

I have two thoughts going on in my head where this blog is concerned. (This is going to be a bit about me again)


I want to share some of the thoughts I'm having as I study the Second Coming but I also feel this push to continue with my last post on receiving personal inspiration and write about how to incorporate scripture study into our daily lives.


The second thought is stronger and so it is going to win. But before it does,...I just finished listening to a talk by Elder Jeffery Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on the subject of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Wonderful, powerful talk. Worth your time - especially the ending so keep listening. Check this link out to listen to, read, or print the talk

"Terror, Triumph and a Wedding Feast"


The thing about writing a post on how to study the scriptures is that I don't feel like I am any kind of expert at all! I look around at the other blogs that are like this one - church and doctrine related spiritual content blogs. There are so many out there written by some incredibly talented and intelligent people. (if you check my profile you can see some of those blogs) I am amazed at all the work everyone puts into their blogs and the links everyone provides and I think my little blog seems so simple and insignificant. I know for sure of only one person who is benefiting from this blog - me. For me, this blog is "Much More Him" but for the Savior, this blog is "Much More Lisa" as He is doing what He does best, taking any service or sacrifice or offering we make in His behalf and turning it into a blessing for our own lives.


So, I do not profess to be the world's foremost authority on how to incorporate scriptures into our daily lives. I don't even profess to accomplish this every single day. But I'm trying and I've grown to recognize the difference in my life on the days I don't read scriptures, as opposed to the days I do read them. On days that it doesn't happen, I can literally feel my spirit hungering for the nourishment of the Word of God - it is a deep hunger that can't be filled any other way.


If we want to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost and be guided in all we do and feel the love of God powerfully in our lives, there is a price to be paid. That price consists of giving up the things of the world that take you away from the things of God. It is that simple, yet it can be so hard to do at times. Even something as worthwhile as this blog, can be a distraction from what is most important if I am not careful.


Here are two powerful quotes on the topic:


“I have heard many well-intentioned Church leaders and teachers instruct congregations to find time for daily scripture study, ‘even if it’s only one or two verses per day.’ Though I understand the point they are trying to teach and applaud the sincerity of that conviction, may I gently suggest that if we are too busy to spend at least a few minutes every day in the scriptures, then we are probably too busy and should find a way to eliminate or modify whatever activities are making that simple task impossible (Elder M. Russell Ballard, "When Thou Art Converted: Continuing Our Search for Happiness", 68).

“As I think about your schedules and the pressures you face at this time in your lives, I can understand why scripture study can so easily be neglected. You have many demands pulling at you. In some cases, just maintaining your social life is a full-time occupation. But I plead with you to make time for immersing yourselves in the scriptures. Couple scripture study with your prayers. Half an hour each morning privately studying, pondering, and communicating with your Heavenly Father can make an amazing difference in your lives. It will give increased success in your daily activities. It will bring increased alertness to your minds. It will give you comfort and rock-steady assurance when the storms of life descend upon you” (Elder M. Russell Ballard, “Be Strong in the Lord, and in the Power of His Might”). 


The second quote was said to college-age young adults. I am no longer a "young adult" :) and so the part about a social life being a full-time job no longer applies to me. But, I'm sure you could substitute anything in there like motherhood, providing for a family, taking care of aged parents, etc.


The point is that we NEED to create time to read scriptures every single day and it doesn't matter if you read 1 chapter or one verse or 10 chapters. What matters is that you read for a sufficient amount of time so as to make a spiritual connection and nourish your hungry spirit. 
Trust me when I say that I COMPLETELY understand how life can get so demanding that having a moment to have a complete, intelligent thought can be a triumph. My children, ages 6 and 4, still demand about 99.9% of my brain capacity with their constant questions, comments, requests, tattling and just little-kid-ness.(not to mention all of the other demands on my time) But this time will pass and I am told I will miss it (I am confidant that I will) so I try extra hard to not get too frustrated but it would be nice to be able to study without the constant interruptions. (my children are very early risers so getting up before them to study just doesn't happen.)


Some things that work for me:
*Listening to scriptures or talks on-line or on CD.
*Watching General Conference DVD's while doing the dishes or cleaning the kitchen
*Keeping a copy of the scriptures in the car so if for some reason I ever find myself sitting ALONE in the car, waiting for something with a few moments to spare, I can read the scriptures with that time. (Hay, it's actually happened before!)
*Obviously after the kids have gone to bed is a good time for me. I'll tell you though that sometimes I just want to sit and not think for a while. I allow myself to watch tv a little but then I try to turn it off and use the rest of my time to read or listen to talks on-line while I work on other projects. 
*Attending my church meetings is so important. Church is a place to study scriptures! Did you know? You are studying as a group but if you are paying attention and pondering and taking notes, (Yes! taking notes in Sunday School! It is amazing how the Spirit talks to you if you are taking notes!) you will leave having been spiritually nourished and the Holy Ghost will most likely have given you some great personal instruction (NO SKIPPING SUNDAY SCHOOL!)


Anyway, the point is to make it work. No matter the worldly cost. The entertainments and shiny and blingy things of the world will pass away. They are not all bad but if what you are doing is distracting you from what is most important then it is time to beg the Lord to bless you with the courage necessary to let them go. He'll help you. It's what He does. You are His work and glory. He wants you Home (you want you Home too). You will NEVER regret giving up the things of the world for the things of Heaven.


Two more quotes and then I'm done ranting for now: :)


"The scriptures make the danger of delay clear. It is that we may discover that we have run out of time. The God who gives us each day as a treasure will require an accounting. We will weep, and He will weep, if we have intended to repent and to serve Him in tomorrows which never came or have dreamt of yesterdays where the opportunity to act was past. This day is a precious gift of God. The thought "Someday I will" can be a thief of the opportunities of time and the blessings of eternity."
--Henry B. Eyring, "This Day", Ensign, May 2007, 89–91


"On many days, doing what matters most will not be easy. It is not supposed to be. God's purpose in creation was to let us prove ourselves. The plan was explained to us in the spirit world before we were born. We were valiant enough there to qualify for the opportunity to choose against temptation here to prepare for eternal life, the greatest of all the gifts of God. We rejoiced to know the test would be one of faithful obedience even when it would not be easy."
--Henry B. Eyring, "This Day", Ensign, May 2007, 89–91


Here is one more thing that works for me...


I am honest with our Father in my prayers. I tell Him that I'm having a hard time making time to read the scriptures. I ask Him to bless me with a greater desire to do so. I ask Him to help me see how I can make some changes. I ask Him to give me oodles of courage in those moments when something of lesser importance is screaming my name.


AND here is one more thing I ask for...I ask Him to help me remember that I have asked for this help.


That seems to be the clincher for me. When I am having a hard time saying no to the things of the world that are getting in the way of what is more important, and there is a battle going on inside of me about which way I'm going to choose in that moment, the Holy Ghost reminds me that I asked for help in these situations and then the decision is so much easier.


Our Father and our Brother, Jesus Christ, love us incredibly. They are eternal. They know what we do not know and can see what we cannot see. INVOLVE THEM IN EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE. You will never be sad that you did.