Today the kids really wanted to go to Grandma and Papa Haws's house. My mom was having a primary presidency meeting, so I didn't want to send all of the kids over to their house. I told Mercedes to go ahead and go because Joshua was using the computer for his homework and she also needed a computer for her homework. Luke and Hannah were upset with me because I wouldn't let them go. So, to console them, I told them that they could help me make dinner (my three middle kids LOVE making dinner and just being in the kitchen with me).
So, we are making dinner and listening to a song on Alexa. The song is called, "Don't Take the Girl" by Tim McGraw. In the song, there's this stanza: "Same old boy, same sweet girl, five years down the road. There's gonna be a little one and she says it's time to go. Dr. said the baby's fine, but you'll have to leave, cuz his mamma's fading fast, and Johnnie hit his knees and there he prayed. Take the very breath you gave me, take the heart from my chest. I'll gladly take her place if you'll let me, make this my last request. Take me out of this world, God, please don't take the girl."
Luke loves babies, he loves the thought of marriage. It really drives him to be better and do better whenever he thinks of his future wife and kids. He's only 9, but he talks about it often. He has a heart that's so big and soft, he's destined to be a great husband and father. As we were listening to the song, he turned to me and said, "Mom, I wouldn't even hesitate. If it all came down to me having the choice of saving my own life or saving someone else's life, I will always save that other person. I wouldn't even have to think about it." Hannah's eyes got wide and she started nodding in agreement. She said, "I believe him, mom. Luke always tells me that he will save me, he won't let anything hurt me. I believe him because he is very brave."
I, then said, "You know, Jesus himself said that there was no greater love than laying down your life to save your friend. And, who laid down His life to save all of us?" They knew the answer, so I continued, "isn't it wonderful that our older Brother did all of that for us to save us? Isn't it wonderful that He would have done it even if it was just for you and you alone? He did that because He loves us and because He knew that that was the only way for us to have eternal life with our loved ones and have the ability to progress. All would have been lost if He came and didn't do all that He said He'd do."
Luke looked like he was really understanding and reaffirmed that he'd lay down his life to save others as well. Then, he said, "my only regret would be that I would never get to have a wife and my own kids because I'd die young." I then realized that he didn't fully grasp the blessings of living a righteous life. I said, "Luke, there's even more good news. Did you know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have promised us that no blessing will ever be denied the righteous? If you live a righteous life, you will have all the blessings of the gospel even if you were to die young. That's what the millennium is for." It's hard to describe what happened next, because I could feel a new sense of love, and gratitude that Luke had for his Savior in that moment. He earnestly said to me, "wow, you just lifted a huge weight off of my shoulders just now when you said that! I always knew that I wouldn't hesitate to save someone if I had to, I'd die for them, but still a part of me was sad because I knew that dying for them would mean that I'd never get to have my own family someday. You just lifted a huge weight off of me." It was really sweet.
I'm thankful for finding those golden nugget opportunities to teach the gospel on a deeper level and in a way that causes my children to make connections in their own lives. I know that Hannah and Luke have a deeper connection with Christ now.
The other day, the three oldest hiked Flat Iron with me. It is a difficult hike, especially for younger children. Mercedes and Luke found it difficult to hike with the load of water they had to carry. Wanting the hike to be a good experience (and to actually accomplish it) I carried Luke's water and my own, since he was the youngest. I had a backpack of water strapped to my back and another back pack of water strapped to my front. I carried it for a good two miles when Joshua took it from me and began carrying it along with his own water. He didn't even say anything, he just took it and started to carry it. He knows that I have back and neck pain, and so this act of kindness was incredibly appreciated.
A little while later, the trail had gotten so steep that you had to climb with all fours to get over boulders. Knowing that Joshua would have a hard time with a back pack strapped across his chest, I told Luke it was time for him to carry his own water. He turned to take it from me and realized for the first time that Joshua had been carrying it silently. He said, "what?! Joshua is carrying my water?" I said, "Isn't it wonderful that you have an older brother who loves you and me so much that he helps us carry our load when it gets too heavy?" As I said it, I made the connection and wanted them to make it too, so I continued, "isn't it wonderful that we have another older Brother who does just that for us in life, too? When our burdens get too heavy, Jesus will take our burdens and help us carry it, because He's capable and He loves us. His yoke is easy and His burden is light."
Fast forward a couple of days later, and that same scenario happened again. My dad relayed the following story to me (hopefully I'm not misremembering). The kids had gone on a walk to my parents house. My dad knew they were coming, and when they had taken much longer getting to the house, he went to look for them on the trail. Apparently, Caleb had fallen off of his bike and was bleeding and crying. When my dad found them, he saw Luke (on his rollerblades) carrying a crying Caleb on his back. Jesus does that for us too. He finds us in the dark, scared, beaten down, maybe even spiritually bleeding, He picks us up and He carries us to safety. I am so thankful for my older Brother.
I needed those experiences with my children to make those connections again in my own life.
