Learning From My Mom

First, I want to say thank you to everyone for all of your incredibly kind words and your support! I'm always so deeply touched by the response that I receive when I post about something that is so close to me. We have some of the best family and friends anyone could ask for! So, thank you.

This week I've been thinking so much about all of the things that I am grateful that I learned from my mom. I remember talking to her one day a while ago and I had told her that I had bragged about her a little because she had taught me so much and I had shared one of those things in church. She was surprised because she had always wondered if all of the things she taught me had been more annoying than helpful.

My mom is honestly one of the wisest people I know. And I learned SO MUCH from her. I keep a picture of her in my scriptures (thus the above picture) with some of my favorite "momisms" written on the back so that I will always be reminded of them. So I decided that I needed to dedicate a blog to some of the things she has taught me! So here goes.

1. "After all, tomorrow IS another day!"
I had a hard time in high school. I have never been popular, it just was never me. I had friends, yes, but I struggled a lot. After I graduated high school, life just got harder. Big surprise right? But every time I'd be hitting bottom, I'd call my mom and she'd always quote Gone With The Wind, which just happens to be one of my favorite movies. She'd always tell me that even though everything may feel like it's falling apart today, tomorrow can be different. I can change my life and my circumstances if I so choose to. This instilled the idea of hope, that there is always always hope for a better tomorrow.
2. "Everyone is going through something."
My mom, weather she knows it or not, taught me this concept rather early in life. Everyone is going through something and it is so important to be sensitive to that and treat everyone with kindness. As I grew up, I learned that not only is everyone going through something, but that we need to stop thinking that our circumstances somehow "beat" anyone else. We are given trials that we can handle, however what is incredibly difficult for me may not be difficult at all for you. But that doesn't make what anyone is going through any less valid. So stop thinking that you have it worse that someone else. Because you don't. I don't know where this idea that if we are going though something worse than our neighbor that we are somehow better than them came from. It's not about how many different terrible things you're going through, it's how you handle them. Not to mention, someone is always going to have it worse than you. So there is just no point in getting into a competition over who has it worse.
3. "You find what you go looking for."
This idea spread quickly to all other areas of life. Choose your topic, it fits. This taught me to always look for the positive. It's always going to be easier to find the negative, but you have the choice.
4. "Always look for the positive."
As an extension of that, my mom always told me to decide to look for the positive. I remember her talking about this idea in conjunction with going on a mission and to refuse to find the negative in my companions. I quickly realized that this also applies to roommates and marriage. The negative is there. It's always going to be easy to see, but if you refuse to look for it, well you're just a happier person over all.
5. "Don't make huge life changes for a guy till there is a ring on that finger!"
Love interests come and go, and you don't want to move to some crazy place because of a guy just to have it not work out. If you want to make a big life decision, make sure you're doing it for the right reasons.
Which brings me to...
6. "You don't need a guy to be happy."
I grew up hearing this one from my mom all the time. When I was much younger I thought this was kinda a no brainer...till a) it seemed as if I'd be a whole lot happier with a guy in my life and b) I saw some of the girls I knew really thinking they HAD to have a guy in their life. Then I was very glad my mom had done her best to pound this through my thick scull. I didn't date in high school. That was really hard for me! I can't begin to tell you how difficult that was! For some reason, that meant a lot to me. But it was so much easier every time I reminded myself that I didn't need a Friday night date because I had some great friends and I spent some quality time with my parents. And, though I may not have realized it at the time, I'm grateful for those opportunities.
7. "Refuse to be offended"
My mom had this written in the front of her scriptures. I remember seeing it in this important place and talking to her about why that was so meaningful to her. She taught me that we decide to get offended. We control the way we react to things. She taught me about what happens when you allow yourself to be offended, how destructive it can be. I realized that people don't mean to be offensive very often, and even if they are trying to offend you, you decide if you let them.
8. "The scriptures are precious and to be cherished."
As a little girl, I'd see my mom open up her scriptures every day and I'd see how read and loved they were. There were markings everywhere and tiny notes written in the margins on practically every topic possible. Just from the apperence of her scriptures, I learned that they were something important, something worth reading and getting to know. She also taught me by her example. Seeing her take the time in her crazy busy schedule to read her scriptures as often as possible (pretty much every day) taught me that if I wanted to grow up to be anything close to the spiritual giant that she was, I needed to make the scriptures a large part of my life as well.
9. "There is always time for service."
I grew up seeing my mom constantly taking time to do what she could to help others. I saw her going above and beyond to make service a priority. I learned so much from this! I learned that it is important to put priorities in order and to do what I can to help others. I learned the meaning of charity and why it is so important.
10. "Always go to church. ALWAYS."
My mom would go to church on her death bed! I swear! I always knew when she was really sick because she wouldn't be able to get up for church. But this taught me that it was THAT important to her. It was one of her top priorities and I realized there was a reason for that. She gives her all to the Lord. She puts Him first in her life, no matter how difficult life may get.

She has never had it easy, I have seen her work her fingers to the bone, for me, for her friends, for the Lord, and for anyone who needed it. There hasn't been a day of my life that I haven't wanted to grow up to be like her. She has taught me so much and I hope you don't mind me sharing some of that!
Well, that's it for now, have a fabulous week!

Less Than Three,
Sarah

(By the way, in case you were wondering, my dad is just as wonderful. I might have to do a blog dedicated to him too, but this one is just for mom. Sorry dad! I'll write you one soon!)


My parent's engagement photo!





Making cookies!


Mom and me the day I went into the MTC.


I love you so much mom! I hope you always know that!