Oh Where, Oh Where Does it All Go?

It seems to me that more and more, time just slips away. Not because I'm not doing anything, but because there's so much to do. Recently I had a little experience. O.K., it wasn't so little. In fact it seemed quite large. So big that I felt like I couldn't keep up with everything that needed keeping up with. I know we've all been there. I know you know what I'm talking about. It's those times when everything seems so out of balance, like you can't do anything, yet you're trying to do everything you need do do. And it's just not enough. And instead of treading water, you just feel like the waves are crashing over you and it's taking everything you have not to sink.

I think every person has experiences like this. I know that we don't all have the same trials. They're all tailor made for each of us; but, our feelings may be similar. I really needed some special help, and I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who helped me learn that these are blessings I haven't yet realized.

Do you know what I learned? I learned that I needed to change the way I was thinking. Once I started changing my attitude, I realized that all of this crazy stuff, all the treading water, feeling lost and uncertain about what I was really doing, was teaching me and helping me become a better person. Was changing my thinking easy? No! Did it even cross my mind in the middle of all the chaos? NO! Not until a quiet voice reminded me that this challenge was a blessing. I am grateful for that quiet voice.

Six years ago, my friend Rachel told my about a very moving lesson they had had in Relief Society. The women teaching drew two circles on the white board and wrote "trials" in one and "tribulations" in the other. Then, she had each women tell her some trial they had had or were currently experiencing. For each one, she wrote it in a smaller circle and attached it to the larger circle - just a bubble graph. When they were all done talking about their challenges, she erased the words "trials" and "tribulations" and replaced them with "blessings" and "opportunities."

Whoa!

I don't think it's easy for anyone to have challenges. Growing's not easy. It hurts. But, I know we're not alone on this journey and that no pain is too big for our Savior who loves us.