My word for 2012

I don't have one.
But I'll explain what I do have.


I've noticed many people select a word they will emphasize and work on each year. I think that's great but I've not been prompted with a word, or quite frankly, looked for one. But I have had phrases come to me just as clear as can be...over and over in my head to where it almost feels like someone is shouting it.  I better listen up right?


Last January this phrase came to me right after Christmas, "Teach us tolerance and love." I would even wake up hearing this in my dreams. On several different nights. It's actually a line from a hymn. It made me think lots about accepting those who are different from myself. Just because I may not understand someone and what they do, does not mean they are wrong and I am right.


I tried to focus on this phrase through out the year. I even gave my Mother's Day talk in church about tolerance and love.


I am way far from perfect or anywhere close to it. I have lots of work to do on myself. I still mess up a lot. But I do try, and I will continue to try. 


2012's phrase came again to me without my trying or looking for it. It just arrived in the mail one day before Christmas. I didn't recognize it at first, even though when I read it, it stuck with me. I pondered about it a lot. It was a line from one of the Christmas letters I received. From a woman I have loved and admired for years.


This line from her letter sounds simple, yet, it's all here. The reason for our existence. The map of our happiness.


I keep hearing in my head, "as we strive to become more like Him." That's what it's all about. 


I can get frustrated because sometimes in an attempt to be helpful and more loving, it ends up having sort of the opposite affect. I think that's why I appreciated this video so much. I can relate to this little girl. Perhaps we all feel like this sometimes, I'm not sure. But I do. 

But I also have great examples around me. Like my children. 

As you may know, we had to stay in a hotel over the holidays because of water damage to our home. So on Christmas Eve we all found a paper by our door asking if we would like maid service on Christmas Day. I thought, "of course, we need it." I had done lots of cooking in our room and was anxious to have all our onion peels, etc taken out, and the sticky kitchen floor mopped. So I marked yes on our paper, and put it outside our door as requested by the hotel.  


The next morning I got up early and look what I saw by both of my sons and daughters in law's doors.


Their trash, along with the note....and they both, 
by coincidence as far as I know, 
signed them the very same way:



Lightening the load of the maids on Christmas Day.
Why didn't I think of that??

I have great teachers in my life.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is one of the things I love about you, Jill. Even though I am not of your faith, I have a tremendous respect and appreciation for LDS due to the fine example you give of your faith at its best. Your postive attitude is an inspiration.
Kudos to your kids for carrying on the good examples.
darlene

Susan Anderson said...

Makes you think, doesn't it?

=)

Richard said...

I saw those bags and thought your sons had gone a step further and had actually given the cleaning staff a bag of food and gifts...hopefully the staff didn't see the trash and hope for the same thing:)

cristie said...

a good woman with good boys. xox

Karen Mortensen said...

Good idea about choosing what you will work on-not that you need to.
I love what Tyler and McKay did. They are all so sweet. I am sure their sweet wives had something to do with it too.

Lisa said...

Your phrase is a good one. Your sons are always AWESOME!

This post reminds me of my sil who reads her scriptures every day for as long as I've known her. Amazing to me that she is so diligent. But she told me one time that "repentance" kept coming to the surface & it dawned on her that she's not perfect (lol) and that she should be repenting every day!

It also reminds me of when Pres. Eyring said in Conference once, "I don't know why people do the things they do and I don't have all the facts......." meaning that most people are really doing the best they can under the circumstances of their experiences.

I'll always remember that it was you who taught me, "If you knew better, you would do better." A quote from that one amazing lady who came & spoke at Fresno State. One of your dil's went.

Connie said...

Makes one happy to see the examples of our children. They learned it from you, I'm sure. After a week of hotel living you just weren't thinking straight!

Becky Jane said...

Your phrase for this year is inspiring...when my kids teach me, I need to be more appreciative!

Eileen said...

You do have wonderful children, Jill ~ but the apple doesn't fall far from the tree in this case!
You are a wonderful mother and you did an amazing job raising your boys.

I love both the phrases you wrote about. Thanks so much for sharing them!
Love and Prayers,
Eileen

Rebecca said...

I always pick a word for my year. Or a phrase. I will be blogging my word soon..... (or words as the case may be)

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