~Thoughts and Beliefs~

*CAUTION*

This post is full of my personal thoughts and beliefs.

Lately I have been thinking about a lot of different things.  And then reading a friends blog the other day has made me think even more.

Some of the things I have been thinking about are:

*How do I help keep my family strong in a world that is so wicked and corrupt?

*How do we as a family keep the "world" out of our home? 

*How do I as a Mother teach my children to stand up for what they believe in?

*How do I teach my kids that they are Sons & Daughters of God?

*How do I teach my children not to lower their standards for anyone (boys, girls or friends)?

*How do I teach them to have courage when everyone around them is giving in?

*How do I teach my son to respect women?

*How do I teach my daughters to help boys go on missions instead of being part of the reason they don't go?

So many thoughts...

Sometimes I feel so alone.  Like even those that I should be able to turn to for answers or other mothers that should feel the same way are going against what we have been taught or believe.  Or even feel like some of the standards that have been set are too hard or aren't really important until their kids are older.

I, even at times have been told that "I look like a 'Mormon Mom'".  And it hasn't been said as a compliment.  Or the world in its own way makes being a mother seem like an undesirable thing, like families aren't important.

Sometimes, I let it get me down and make me feel like I am doing something wrong.  Like maybe the world is right and I don't really "NEED" to do everything that has been asked of us.  That some things aren't as important as they seem to be.   So, if I as a mother struggle with these kind of thoughts then how do I help my kids?

I am coming to realize that I need constant inspiration.  I need little messages of hope.  I need the reassurance of church leaders that what I am doing is right, worth it, and important.  Maybe that means that I am weak.  Maybe that means that I am not a strong person.  I don't know.  But what I do know is that if I go for a long period of time without those things I begin to feel alone, depressed and worn down by the world around me.

I have put a lot of videos on this post mostly because I feel like they help me from day to day.  Some I watch often and some I recently found.

This one was on a friends blog and I felt like it answered a lot of my questions and concerns I have had lately.  Sometimes our Heavenly Fathers answers our prayers in ways that we never think of.



We need to defend our homes.  We need to protect them.  We need to keep them clean and free of the temptations and sins of the world.  Our homes need to be a place of peace and security.  Sometimes things come into our homes because of others things that are unknown to us at the time and we need to always be on guard for who and what is being allowed in.

This video is wonderful.  Most of the information is from 1979.  Just imagine how much more corrupt the world is now then it was back then.


I believe that modesty is one of the most important things to teach our children at a young age.  It teaches then to have respect for their bodies, respect for themselves, respect for others around them.  And I believe that the more we help them to understand the importance of modesty at a young age the easier it will be when they are forced to make some tough decisions later on.  Just like deciding now not to drink, smoke or do drugs.  Deciding now is so much easier.



Here is a study that was done on women and modesty and how mens minds work.  Makes you really think!

I read this a while ago and loved it.  This is something that I really want to teach not only my daughters but also my son.

I can only hope and pray that I will be able to help my family through my example to become all that they can.  That my home and family will be able to say strong against the temptations of the devil.  That I will become a better mother and wife.  And that if all I can do is go to bed each night and honestly tell my Heavenly Father that "I am doing my best and rest is in His hands" then that is good enough for me.

I don't want anyone to think that I feel like I am perfect.  Because I am so far from being perfect that it is ridiculous!  I mess up all the time.  In fact there are days when I feel like I have done everything wrong.  That I have been a terrible wife, mother, daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece and aunt.  Like I don't deserve the many blessings that have been given to me.  But it is days like those that I need to take a step back take a deep breath and realize that tomorrow I can start over and try to do better.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't but that is just the way this life is.