The Walk Away

After that lovely post of how special and great children are...
I would like to share with you the secret of how I carry on without eliminating my own offspring, even on our best days. 

This technique can be used (everyday if you are like me) when you find yourself being swallowed up by the kind of day when the kids are loaded with ammo from sunrise to sunset and every waking moment they are machine-gunning the daylights out of every ounce of patience you have.

A day when kids think they have taken control because poor mom is out of control  or a day when kids are pounded back into control......because mom is still out of control.

"Hi, my name is Jenn Collard and yes,

I'm an 'out of control mom'..." 

You know what I mean, those days when life gets the best of you and you just want to just crawl away into a corner, eat anything eatable that is within reach and cry.

Well let me introduce to you....THE WALK AWAY - something I have been doing for years and now that I've mastered it, I pass my teachings on to you. (LUCKY!)

When you find yourself in a moment, when you have been pushed far enough and it takes every ounce of will power you have not to completely explode. Thats when you have to take a deep breath...and simply....walk away.
Lock yourself in a closet, a bathrooms, even a bedroom, whatever you have....take a deep breath, share a sincere prayer with your Father in Heaven, take another deep breath, and if you have children on the other side of the door pounding way, take another 3 or 4,... then open the door. 

Simply stepping away from the situation, even for a minute, will allow you to regain control. Whatever it was that seemed over whelming, you can now re-approach with a clear mind that was given the chance to catch up, you will think more clearly and your reaction will be based off of thought and not unstable-in the moment-emotions.

Your tone will naturally soften and your words will be guided and inspired. I promise you that your children will be accepting to your words...they in turn, will mirror your example as they too attempt to take back control of their emotions.

In our home, when our kids start to argue we often start sing to them "let us all speak kind words to each other".
I'm sure they hate it at times....but what we as parents can't preach..the words of Hymn #232 can....

Let us oft speak kind words to each other
At home or where’er we may be...the tones will be welcome and free.
They’ll gladden the heart that’s repining,
Give courage and hope from above,
And where the dark clouds hide the shining,
Let in the bright sunlight of love....
Let us oft speak kind words to each other;
Kind words are sweet tones of the heart  

Chlidren are...

The world is full of wonderful things given to us by our Father in Heaven to find joy in. With an array of different personalities and different matter to like, we are entitled to like or dislike as we so desire. So you can like or dislike this post regarding an issue that can be controverisal to some....

I recently attended a world-wide training meeting where Elder Nelson shared that over the past 50 years the birth rate has continuously dropped throughout the world - families are growing increasingly smaller.

Ironically, I have recently taken personal note of this matter, after hearing first hand from the mouths of some married couples who expressed that kids are over rated and having them will slow the accomplishments they want to acheive in this life.

Maybe it shouldn't bother me but its a great heart ache, as a mother, to hear others talk negatively about children, having none of their own, my question to them is...how can you argue something that you have never experienced for yourself, to be intolerable or unpleasant?

Now I'm not saying you should have oodles of kids right now -- for this decission is solely between the couple and their Father in Heaven. We should never judge how many children someone chooses to have and when they begin and end their family.

However, the adversary is forever striving to attack Gods plan of happiness which is the FAMILY.

I feel he will continue to seek ways to prevent these sweet spirits from heaven from entering stable homes where they can feel the love of their savior, grow in the gospel and learn who they are and where they came from. After all - these rightous children will eventually grow to defend and fight for the truth that will ultimately consume his earthly empire.

The desire to become a rightous parent to these marvelous children of God doesn't require that you birth a baby of your own...all that it requires is that you open your home and heart to all children. With a willing heart your home can and will be filled with the sweet spirits heavenly father intended for you to guide and raise here on earth.

I took a couple days and asked men and women alike (moms & dads) to share their thoughts of what they think when they think of their own children.

It brought a smile to my face to hear them making light the idea that kids are wild-crazy and out of control at times. (which can be true :)

But it also brought pure unmistakable joy to hear a them also refer to their children as being....wonderful, smart, the most joy ever, Gods greatest blessing, fun, hilarious, joyful, free-spirited, something that made their life complete, curious, amazing, loving, loyal, unpredictable, persistent, life changing, worthwhile, tender, perfect, their whole world.

Children are a beautiful gift that we can only hope to receive in this life, Family is central to Gods plan of happiness...and that plan is perfect!

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This valentines day -- take time to show love to all the children in your life

and recognize what a glorious gift they are and what a blessing it is to have them in our lives.

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Its your choice

I have had this post sitting as a draft for over a week now.
The problem is, I know what I want to share...I'm just struggling with best way to say it so that it makes sense to someone besides myself. :)
The inspiration for this post is credited to the numerous situations that I have oddly encountered over the past couple weeks. All of them very similar in circumstance - yet, all of them yielding very different results.
It is essential that we realize this simple fact that we live in a world filled with imperfect people (including ourselves). Words will be said, actions can be misunderstood and mistakes will be made - it's just human nature.
We interact everyday - from the moment we wake up til the time we go to sleep. You can't really avoid it. It occurs in the natural-everyday socialization we have with other people, and not just acquaintances, but with families and friends as well.
There are going to be moments when words can hurt or offend us, actions can annoy or make us angry....but the question we have to ask ourselves is "how am I going to react?"...after all it is our choice.

D&C 37:4 = Let every man choose for himself...

When God gave us agency it wasn't just narrowly thought of to give us the choice of what we want to eat for breakfast, or what church serve we'll attend, or the choice to get up early and exercise or not, or if we'll actually drag the kids back into the store to pay for that one grocery item on the bottom of the cart that was over looked by the cashier.
Its bigger than that -- its an immense right and power that we have been given to be able to CHOOSE in every aspect of our lives.

It is your choice to choose how you will react to situations - you can harbor hurt and resentment...or you can choose to let it go.
Its hard - I know, choices in this life aren't meant to be easy, they are meant to test us. How will we react? What will our choice be?

I hope this post wasn't just a rambling mess of random unlinked thoughts that have been running through my mind this past week...but I hope it will help someone out there to understand that our reactions to situations are our choice.

Let go of grudges - because honestly most of the time the people we are mad at don't even have a clue of the feelings we harbor against them. And there will also be times when we will need an outlet to vent and complain (which is okay) -- your outlet can be through personal prayer.
Friends are good, but no one can match the release you will receive after a good vent session with your Father in Heaven, and in return you will feel his love through the inspiration you receive and it will bring to your life great comfort and resolve.

I'll stick with you

Many of you know that I have been working since October to get my blog published on the site of a local news paper where other bloggers gets posts published for a network of moms to read.

I had nothing to gain (I wouldn't be paid) except for the fact it would only help traffic my blog out to other moms of the world who would otherwise never hear about the M.e.a.n.e.s.t Moms Ever.

However, over the weekend I received the following contact from the them:

"We have been following your blog and we would love to have you as a blogger, but we see that many of your posts are religiously based. As we are a newspaper, we cannot have religious posts one way or the other. Are you willing to write non-religious posts for us on your blog?"

We'll....didn't even have to think twice about that one. I turned them down - I'm not about to change my blog for a little more popularity or publicity. I enjoy writing my religious posts. :)

And I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy sharing them...In 8.5 months this blog has grown more than I ever imagined it would and I only have YOU, my readers to thank.

I'm are here to stay and hopefully over time word will spread on its own and women all over can find a little something specifically for them on this blog dedicated to religiously enriching the lives of women!

Thank you to all my dedicated readers and to my sweet patient hubby who supports my late hour post writing and babbling 2am big dream talks about the books I will write and the blog expansion ideas I dream up, when I should be letting him sleep.

I LOVE YOU GUYS! THANK YOU!

Just a little crazy in the head

Its one thing to joke about being crazy in the head -- Its another to actually prove it to be true, and I have accomplished that very feat just today.

I went about my normal routine...trala la...typical Monday. Sent kids to school, exercised, cleaned the house from my Sunday slacking and then set an appointment in the afternoon for my 5 year old - thinking a 2 o'clock appointment should give me plenty of time to get home for the school bus.
I dropped the boys off at the neighbors and headed to town. We got out of the appointment at 2:30 - stop in to get a few groceries at the store and to gas up the car. After I had casually completed those tasks, I sent a message to my dear neighbor at 2:45 to let her know that I was on my way.

She responds back with -"Sounds great, we are doing fine. Did Arlee have somewhere to go?"


Then, in a wave of complete panic, I realize - MONDAY! Early out at School! Which meant Arlee had been home alone now for 5 minutes already, probably in a panic, wondering where in the world her mom and siblings were. 


I immediately phoned my neighbor back, explained that I was an IDIOT and forgot about early out Mondays (which are EVERY Monday - need I remind you. You think I would remember.) She said not a problem she would run down and get Arlee for me.


I hung up - said a quick prayer and then drove like a crazed mad women the 13 miles back home. I arrived at my neighbors in record time :) picked up my kids - while feeling like a complete loser, thanked her, then headed for home sweet home.


Once back at our house I asked Arlee, "Did it worry you when I wasn't home." She then proceeded to tell me her tale:

After getting off at the bus stop she snuck up to the house intending to doorbell ditch me - she said she ding-donged then ran and hid, waited...no answer, so she did it again...ding-dong, run and hide...nothing (I know, sad huh). So then she tried the door, it was locked, she knocked....still no answer. So she went through the side gate to the back patio - fought through 2 excited dogs to get to the back door, went inside, called out - searched all rooms then said she sat down and started to worry and started to cry. She then said she felt the prompting to pray -- so she did. She asked for comfort and to know what to do and she said as soon as she finished the prayer she thought - 'check the garage', she did and saw that the van was gone and realized I must be out somewhere, so she wrote a note "Dear Mom, when you get home I'm at Kaylee's" (her BFFs). But before she could walk out the door my hero neighbor had knocked and taken her safely to her house.

At the close of her story, Arlee proceeded to tell me that she had the thought yesterday that one of these days she would come home and I would be gone - out doing something...she said she knew that was the Holy Ghost preparing her yesterday for the curious events of today. She then added,"Yeah, and after I prayed today I felt comforted by remembering you were just crazy in the head." :)

I'm really grateful for a brilliant 8 year old who followed her promptings to stop and say a prayer -- And I'm grateful for the reassurance she received that her mom would never intentionally forget about her...and if it ever happens its only because her mom's crazy in the head.

Random ramblings a little too late

This is just a quick random thought....I had a phone call this afternoon from someone who had received news that wasn't quite what they had been hoping for. The more they thought about it, the more it troubled them...Of course, at the time, my well of "Me-Logic" ramblings was blocked off and I rambled on with useless nothingness that did her little good.

I was put on the spot - leaving me with a huge lack in the advise and comfort to which she was probably seeking.

So here it is...a little late, but still from my heart. If I could rewind time I wish I would have told her..."when you are faced with a decision, seek answers through prayer and always remember,

DON'T TRY TO FORCE WHAT DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT, 

YET HAVE THE COURAGE TO ACT UPON WHAT DOES.

Giving what you can

Have you ever wondered why bad things happen to good people?
The other night I almost came to the conclusion that I need to stop watching the news because there is to much stuff that's makes me sad, hearing all those stories of loss, heartache and thoughtless acts of violence that forever changes someones life.

The more I hear lately the more I have wondered - not expected - but just wondered why bad things happen to good people. I wasn't even necessarily looking for an answer but I found one. And where did I find it?? In the scriptures of course. :)

Yes, I am still plugging through the Old Testament - I'm determined to actually complete it this year :)

I started JOB the other night and read some interesting verses:

Job 5:7-17 (my condensed version)

  "Man is born unto trouble (adversity)....Seek God, and unto God commit [your] cause. Which doeth great things...marvellous things without number. [He will] set up on high those that [are] low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety...he saveth the poor...so the poor hath hope. Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty. Know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace.

Know thou [that] it is for thy good."

Job went on to say..."The lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
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So no matter who we are, young - old, rich - poor, religious or not....trials are going to come our way.

We will be a witness to many in this life, friend or foe, stranger or not - we should never turn our heads or ignore or just idly stand by watching, I feel it is our duty to love and help others in their times of need.

When we see tragedies or calamities that have befallen those around us - realize that it is not just the financial assistance they need.
Sometimes they need the call of angels to come upon them. To bear them up, give them strength, reassurance and peace of mind.
That's why I'm asking you to remember to simply pray for the ones you hear are in need -- giving your thoughts and your prayers will do more for that family than any earthly assistance.

No one can provide more comfort than the presence of the comforter himself.

And a reminder to anyone out there who feels they are alone in their trail -- You are never alone. Someone is always thinking about you and praying for you.

So ask yourself, "Have I done any good in the world today?"
If you have prayed for another - your goodness will be found.