Day 10: Choose Ye This Day

James 4:13-15

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”

What plans are you making that ignore God and His work in your life? 

I hope I live my life that I don't ignore Him and His work, but I think there are times I go through the motions of living: morning prayer, repetitive prayers done quickly over meals, not planning Family Home Evening properly, and not making enough opportunities to share my inner faith with my children. I think my problem is my failure to plan for Him and see His work.

Like the Army of Helaman, I grew up in a house where I knew my mom had a testimony. My mom read her scriptures every day, had the Ensign, wrote in her journal, and often shared her testimony of her prayers for us, over us, and for the world at large. I knew my mom believed, and it made it possible to believe upon her words.

We had times on Sunday where we had Book of Mormon stories on tape, and they were turn the page books... We had to listen to stories as a kid, and I loathed it. However, my mom invested lots of time and effort to teach us music and scripture that would increase our testimonies and help us find God's Hand in all things. We would listen to "inspiring" stories as we drove in the car, and we sang as mom would prepare her Sunday lessons for Primary.

Are there any shifts in attitude you need to make in order to acknowledge God and His plans?

I think I need to take more time to show my children how I believe in a Heavenly Father who loves us. I do most of my studying in private, and I need to be more public in my study of the scriptures, the reading of the words of the prophet, and in my belief that Jesus is the Savior of all mankind.

I think that I do a great job at Christmas time, and I am working on Easter... I need to do a better day-to-day job of showing my children what I believe and that I believe that God's hand is always over me for good.