Cures for What Ills

I'm up this morning ready to start the day. As I got up and got showered, I realized why I get up at this hour. I get up early to get my life in alignment before I tackle what lies before me. If I don't do this, the day just starts off lousy, and I end up feeling behind and never really catch up.

This morning, I was thinking about two topics that have been on my mind a lot lately--contention and nurturing. These just happen to be two words that have caught in my mind as I've been reading lately. They are those kinds of things that catch there and sit there until I search further for more answers. They're things I need to figure out so that I can use them in my life and with my family.


Let me explain a little bit about where these words came from.

image: 123rf.com

First, yesterday morning I read Helman 3 in the Book of Mormon. I hope I have never been unclear in the fact that I absolutely LOVE the Book of Mormon. I have heard that people who haven't read it somehow fear it saying that it brainwashes people. HaHaHaHaHa!!! Those who believe that have been brainwashed--caused to believe something when they haven't even become familiar with what they're talking about. That's all I have to say about that. The Book of Mormon changes people's lives--in a very positive way. It pulls you up and out of the murk and yuck of what surrounds you.

If you go to this link, it will lead you to the introduction to the Book of Mormon. In the sixth paragraph down, is what I feel is the bottom line reason to have and read this book, and isn't that what we all need? This is what I feel it's done for me.

If you don't have a copy of it, I think you should get one. Seriously. Here, here's where you can get one.

image: illustrationsource.com

Anyway, I was struck yesterday by the first three verses in Helaman 3. They're simple verses, but because I didn't get a really good chance to figure out what I was really looking at, they stuck there all day yesterday. I've been excited to sit down again this morning and really figure out what's so significant. Does this happen to anyone else in life? You go around and see or hear something and the idea that "Wow! That was really important. Wait...why was that so important?" sticks in your head and heart? This is EXACTLY what happened yesterday.

I was pulled in by the word "contention." If you didn't go to the link above, you can go there now (Here's the link again). How many times does it show up? Four times?


Contention: a struggling together in opposition; strife. A striving in rivalry; competition; contest. Strife in debate; dispute; controversy. A point contended  for or affirmed in controversy. 



And "dissension" shows up twice.

Dissension: strong disagreement; a contention or quarrel; discord. Difference in sentiment or opinion; disagreement.


As I've read these past couple weeks and have worked my way through the end of Alma and this first part of Helaman, I've been totally shocked at how much it has paralleled what's going on in our society. I have read the Book of Mormon numerous times and have never had it be so spot on to what's going on around me. To be truthful, it has been of very little comfort during the election. It has made me sit up and take a more serious look at just what is going on.

image: colossians2.com

I have found that, although it has brought me a new reality about society, it has also brought things closer to home--how can I implement what I've learned here to my life personally? I've seen that "contention" is mentioned four times in three verses because I need to be aware of it in my own home. Helaman, the author of the book of "Helaman" uses the topic of contention to judge entire years of existence and their success or failure. That's how important a lack of contention is.

Okay, so tell me I'm brainwashed, but then tell me that that's not a message our society needs--especially right now.

image: spokanefavs.com

Do you see why those young men with the black name tags can be found throughout the world?


Now, onto the other word--"nurturing."

image: lancescurv.com

The nurturing idea got stuck in my mind from reading this....

"Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children."

This is from this document. This is the bottom line. This doesn't say that all I should do is nurture my children. It does, however, say that of EVERYTHING I do in life, this is my most important responsibility. Does our society need this message? Umm.....YES!

So, just why have these topics stuck in my mind? Why am I up so early? Because there are things I need to learn. Things that will make my life better.

I believe they are the most important messages a mother in this world can have. I believe they are the cures to what ails us.....

Watch out for and avoid contention--repair what can be repaired. Nurture those around you--not just your children, but especially your children. In all that you do, build....repair, fix, uplift, bless.

Be the cure.