I have said before that I love quotes. I love them so much at one point my collection started taking over my half of the bedroom (yes, our room is equally divided). I think I love them so much because I am not an eloquent speaker. My thoughts get all jumbled in my head and they never come out of my mouth right. So, when I hear something so well spoken, I save it!
One of my favorite quotes sits over our heads at the dinner table.
"Be true to who you are and the family name you bear."
~ Gordon B Hinckley ~
It sits there so we see it everyday. We will continue to see it until we move. My thought in doing this was by reading it everyday, which we do, we might think twice before we choose to do something that goes against our family standards. When I first put it up there, it was the first thing out of my kids' mouths every morning and they would say it out loud at dinner time. I never told them they had to read it, they just did. Now, I just see them mouth the words, but it's still making them think.
Kate asked me yesterday, "Mom what's a family name?"
I responded, "You don't know our family name?"
"Yes, I do. It's Merritt! Well, what does the 'be true to who you are' part mean?"
I asked her, "Kate, whose daughter are you?"
"Yours," she said.
"And?" I replied.
"Dad's," she answered.
"AND?" I asked a little louder.
"Heavenly Father's," she shouted to make sure I heard her.
"That's right. If you don't remember anything I ever taught you, you remember that because that is the most important thing you could ever know."
"Why?" (such an inquisitive mind!)
I waited a minute to think my answer through. I had all these things that I felt she needed to know, but how do you say it in 7 1/2 year-old language? I simply said, "Because if you know you are a Daughter of God, you should act like a Daughter of God."
That seemed good enough for her, so I left it at that. But it got me thinking.
Am I wrong to expect so much out of her? Out of my kids?
I came to the conclusion, no. I think I'm doing her a favor. When I was growing up, I was known as a Taylor. For those who don't know my parents, they are pretty remarkable people. They left an imprint wherever they went. Because of that imprint, there were expectations of me. I was expected to act a certain way. I felt that saved me on a number of occasions. I wasn't perfect, believe me, but I did think twice before I did something.
I realize this can have an opposite effect as well. It was hard to live up to those expectations and when I fell short, I felt awful. But that's where my parents stepped in. They acknowledged the mistake, but they never shamed me. I always felt loved and encouraged to keep trying. I was ALWAYS a part of the family. And I ALWAYS knew who I was.
That is what I desire for my children. I just hope I can do it.
One of my favorite quotes sits over our heads at the dinner table.
"Be true to who you are and the family name you bear."
~ Gordon B Hinckley ~
It sits there so we see it everyday. We will continue to see it until we move. My thought in doing this was by reading it everyday, which we do, we might think twice before we choose to do something that goes against our family standards. When I first put it up there, it was the first thing out of my kids' mouths every morning and they would say it out loud at dinner time. I never told them they had to read it, they just did. Now, I just see them mouth the words, but it's still making them think.
Kate asked me yesterday, "Mom what's a family name?"
I responded, "You don't know our family name?"
"Yes, I do. It's Merritt! Well, what does the 'be true to who you are' part mean?"
I asked her, "Kate, whose daughter are you?"
"Yours," she said.
"And?" I replied.
"Dad's," she answered.
"AND?" I asked a little louder.
"Heavenly Father's," she shouted to make sure I heard her.
"That's right. If you don't remember anything I ever taught you, you remember that because that is the most important thing you could ever know."
"Why?" (such an inquisitive mind!)
I waited a minute to think my answer through. I had all these things that I felt she needed to know, but how do you say it in 7 1/2 year-old language? I simply said, "Because if you know you are a Daughter of God, you should act like a Daughter of God."
That seemed good enough for her, so I left it at that. But it got me thinking.
Am I wrong to expect so much out of her? Out of my kids?
I came to the conclusion, no. I think I'm doing her a favor. When I was growing up, I was known as a Taylor. For those who don't know my parents, they are pretty remarkable people. They left an imprint wherever they went. Because of that imprint, there were expectations of me. I was expected to act a certain way. I felt that saved me on a number of occasions. I wasn't perfect, believe me, but I did think twice before I did something.
I realize this can have an opposite effect as well. It was hard to live up to those expectations and when I fell short, I felt awful. But that's where my parents stepped in. They acknowledged the mistake, but they never shamed me. I always felt loved and encouraged to keep trying. I was ALWAYS a part of the family. And I ALWAYS knew who I was.
That is what I desire for my children. I just hope I can do it.
5 comments:
Larae
you are so like me...it takes a lot to get me to bear my testimony at church b/c my thoughts are jumbled up in my mind and I never say what I wanted to get out. Then after I say my thoughts I think of things I should have said differently...
I keep my thoughts in a book. I need to start practicing my thoughts for Rohnan, etc when they ask questions...
sorry that was Maggie's thought
:0)
That is one of my favorites too - we have it in a frame on the wall by our front door!! Love IT!!
I love that quote too. And I think we are obligated to tell our children who they are, as members of the church. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Oh Aunt Larae, thank you for that wonderful spiritual gold nugget. I'm in tears right now. I went through the temple on Friday and the truth that I am a daughter of our Heavenly Father has been on my mind a lot these few days. Thanks for being such a wonderful example and for raising amazing kids! They will thank you one day, I promise. :)
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