When it Rains

I feel so very grateful for recent inspiring information that has sung truth to my soul. I feel like there are so many things I would like to share but I do not know where to begin. My thoughts are drawn to the magnificent and different roles of men and women. We each have a purpose unique to our gender that carries great responsibility and power. We are expected to embrace those gifts, challenges, responsibilities and build up righteous families where children are welcomed and loved. They are taught what God feels like from their mothers. Am I creating an environment that allows the spirit to teach us (both myself and my children) of God's love and goodness? My dear husband as man, father, is to teach who God is and what righteous dominion looks like. I want to build on these basic foundations of gender responsibilities.

I have been blessed with 2 beautiful children. I have never worked outside the home. I have never been asked to help in providing for my family. As I recently visited with some amazing women about these different roles I am coming to realize that I am not selfish for not joining my husband in earning money. That is his responsibility. My job is at home as nurturer. He has the challenge of providing, protecting, and presiding in the home. He is better able to do that knowing that I trust him to do his best in meeting our needs. I must express gratitude for all of his efforts. My stewardship becomes being content at home, being content with what he is able to provide, and using those resources wisely to create a home where he is honored, cared for, and appreciated. He trusts me to teach our children. He provides a safe environment and I bring beauty to that environment by bringing order. My job to keep house, care for children, train them to be the kind of people that I want to be around is plenty demanding and rewarding.

Staying home does not mean I am lazy, uneducated, unskilled. It simply means that I have put my faith in God and his plan for me. It simply means that I must always seek his will first. It means that exercising faith in my situation has required not having a career to fall back on - just in case. I do realize that many are led to formal education and career but I also realize that there are great things, even more important things that we as women are called to do. We are given the education, learning experiences, and inspiration that we need and will need to succeed in fulfilling our roles as women.

At General Conference we were one again reminded of the vital roles of men and women, especially as we seek to be disciples of God. I am grateful for living prophets who continue to remind us, teach us, and clarify so that we may become more of that which God created us to be.