Saturday, March 29, 2014

Women of God


“Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity. “ ~Margaret D. Nadauld

I'm afraid I've lost my patience.

I have lost patience with all the whining, complaining, and boo-hooing about "It's not FAIR!"

(And no, I'm not just talking about the occasional weeping and wailing that goes on by the little girls in my house about why life is "soooo un-FAIR!")

Actually, I do want to explore that complaint for just a second.

Life is Not Fair


I love the phrase "Fair is where you go to see the pigs." A "Fair" is a PLACE, not a principle that applies to our lives.

I use the phrase often in my home with my children. Because it's TRUE!

This very morning, my six year old daughter was scowling with her arms folded, demanding to know why life is NOT fair.

And it made me think, "Why isn't life fair?" Why don't we all have the same problems and blessings? Why aren't we all the same?"

I think if we take that thought all the way down the path it starts on, we can see how awful life would be if we were all just cookie-cutter copies of each other!

*shudder*

Life ain't fair, folks. It's meant to be a difficult test, and each person will have their very own, customized list of inequalities and unfair struggles to deal with. No human being gets a walk in the park, where everything is sunshine and roses all the time. There is always a cost. (Even for sunshine. I live in Arizona; this I know!)

My Awesome Grandma N.

No Whining Allowed

The picture above is of my Grandma. She is in her nineties. When you look up the word "stalwart" in the dictionary, her picture is there!

(Okay, not really, but it should be!)

This woman was raised by her often-single mother through the Great Depression. (My great-grandmother was also a force to be reckoned with! She buried three husbands throughout her life. She raised and supported a houseful of kids. She was AMAZING.) 

She learned how to work hard for everything she has ever had. She does not complain about life, she ACTS. The biggest trial in her life right now may be her physical limitations due to her age. She can't stand that she can't do more. 

My Grandpa, her husband, has been gone for twelve years. She still lives alone in the house where she raised her eight children, and gathers her great posterity around her. I remember her being a young women leader when I was in young women's. She has been a camp director and mover and shaker her whole life.

And she is a faithful daughter of God, who has never complained about the role of women within the Church.

I have a pretty good idea of what she probably thinks about all the complaining some women are doing about not having the priesthood...

There's a plaque my Grandma has up in her house that she brought home from one of her many treks to Yellowstone Park. It says:
KWITCHERBELYAKIN'
My Grandma doesn't whine and moan about "unfairness." She rolls up her sleeves and goes to work.

And I'm thinking there's some women protesting who should stop complaining and instead do what they can to make their families, homes, neighborhoods, wards, and the world a better place-- using the gifts they have already been given by the Lord.

A Second Witness

And now for my FAVORITE blog post about the so-called "protest" going on this weekend and next. I feel this wonderful lady said all I've wanted to say beautifully and simply, with humility and even a suggested course of action!

From the At Home blog: "The Problem with Priesthood Protests"
I firmly believe if the women in the church were busy doing the callings they've already received, they'd have little desire for the priesthood. Ladies, let's serve where we're planted, and support our brethren in the callings they've received.

Oh, YES! And thank you! We DO have a lot of work to do.

I firmly believe that Satan is distracting the women of the Church with the utter nonsense of whining about what we don't have.

What we need is less griping and whining and more action in building up our families and the Kingdom of God.

There is much for us to do, so let's not complain, but instead get to work, as women of God should!

Just like my intrepid, faithful, stalwart Grandmother.

Love,

6 comments:

  1. Very well said. Thank you. We have plenty to do and complaining that we want more just seems silly.

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  2. Amen to it all! This was an awesome post on a timely subject. I loved your thoughts about your grandma. When things get rough you can always look to those kinds of examples in your life.
    Blessings for this one!

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  3. Ha ha! I love that about the fair being where we go to see the pigs! I'll have to tell my kids that one. *Snicker* I usually tell them if life was fair we'd all be wearing diapers because babies have to. ( :

    I agree that the whiny aspect of this is irksome. I don't mind the honest questioning part and maybe breaking through some silly things that are just tradition but have no basis in doctrine. (Women never praying in conference, some wards not allowing women to "open" sacrament meeting with prayer, etc.) But there's just too much fussing about why we don't all get exactly the same things. It rubs me the wrong way when we start looking for reasons to be upset. If we look, we'll always find them!

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  4. I love that you speak bold words- you are an inspiration to me!

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  5. You are an inspiration always. I am on a blog vacation but couldn't resist reading a few posts today and doing an Easter one myself.
    Wishing you a Happy Easter Day. Blessings and hugs for you!

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  6. As helpmeets we are plenty busy without complaining about what isn't getting done. When I look around my house I have plenty things I have yet to get to, but I also remember what called me away from them and that's normally things our two growing blessings need. *big smile* The point, there is plenty for me to do without picking at what somone else isn't doing. If I long for fellowship, I best get going. *big smile* If I long for leadership, I best get praying! If I long for ...fill in the blank... I best get praying and asking the Lord to give me a heart after His own heart. Honestly, if we all fill the shoe God has given us, things would move more smoothly, not perfectly but more smoothly. *big smile* Have a great day and keep striving to serve God in each day. Sincerely, Mommy of two growing blessings & so much more!

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