Good for YOU!!!

Disclaimer: I'm sure nobody else probably ever feels this way, so just accept that I live in a madhouse and these are just the ramblings of the chief inmate.

Even if this is all I do, it is good.

I had an interesting discussion with my hubby a number of weeks ago. In that discussion, he said, "When was the last time you felt truly satisfied?" As I contemplated that question and looked back over my life, I had to admit that it was back when he and I were first married; I was so happy! I mean there are times when I'm satisfied with certain things in life, but as for me feeling like I was completely, all around satisfied it had to have been all those years ago. How sad is that!!!

I got to reading the scriptures shortly after Z's and my conversation. If you haven't gone there yet, this is a great website to help get you going in your personal scripture study. I created a schedule for myself on this site to read the entire standard works in a year. I was surprised how short the daily readings were. Anyway, I started in Genesis 1, and I was immediately blessed with what I needed to learn. In that chapter, it is repeated seven times that God saw it and it was "good." He would stop, look around Himself and see and accept that what He had done was "good."

Many of you know my annoyances with the FlyLady emails and website, but one great thing that I've taken away from my experience with her system is that everything doesn't have to be perfect and every little bit of work you do is better than none at all. I think this principle is applicable to every facet of life.

I wrote a post once in which I brow beat myself fairly mercilessly for not being a great mom (I'm really good at this brow beating thing. I should probably have it listed as one of my hobbies in my profile). I think I even referred to myself as a "terrible" mom. That's just not true. No, I'm not the perfect mother. I'm definitely not "mother of the year" material, but dang it, I'm a good mom. Why don't I allow myself that? My kids are dressed and fed everyday. They know they are loved. Do I have a chance to sit down with each of the six individually everyday and spend quality time with them? No, not always, but I try. Do I step back from these times and feel and declare that what I have done that day was "good?"

I was talking to one of my kids the other day about this child's need for more sleep (it's not the child you're thinking it is, I assure you). I told this child that it was up to him/her to learn to regulate him/herself as the day would come when no one would be there to take care of him/her; he/she would have to learn to take care of him/herself now. I think this little lecture was me talking to myself as well. If I don't stop and give myself a "good job, Julie," or a pat on the back once in awhile, who's going to? Yes, I am blessed in my efforts. I know that I enjoy unseen pats on the back frequently, but if "men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25), isn't a huge part of that in accepting that what we do is good and worthy of rejoicing about?

It's shocking as I blog and keep a record of my thoughts and feelings (something that I've never done as well as I'm doing now--good for me!), how many times I write that I'm sad or blue or a bit depressed. I would propose that those feelings are because I've forgotten to count my blessings. I've forgotten how good I am and what good I can do in this little world of mine. I've pressed forward without looking back and around and seeing the good.

So, how's it going for you? Are you putting forth daily effort in this "mortal probation" and being better than you were yesterday even if it's just in little ways? Do you stop and look and realize how good you are? What are some of the good things you've done today?