Family Matters

This morning as I am preparing to take my children to school, I have been pondering the wonderful blessing that family is as well as today being the National Day of Prayer.

Knowing that our greatest blessings come from the close family relationships that we have has influenced the choices that I have made in my life. Protecting those relationships and nurturing them seems to be our greatest call.

Our time together does go by very fast, especially if we are distracted by the things of the world, and are pursuing them rather then those things that will make us truly happy, like an eternal family.

As a child, there was nothing that I wanted more then my own little family, that would last forever. And today, there are so many possible distractions, that we must consciously choose to build each other, spend time together, and let those things that are of less value go, fall by the wayside.

If it is not praiseworthy, uplifting, inspiring, I have to ask myself why I do it at all. It all goes back to the phrases good, better and best, and always seeking to choose the best.

What we choose to spend our time on today, will determine our future. That is a phrase that President Thomas S. Monson said at a recent address given to graduates at Utah Valley University that I attended. And that struck me as profound and true in that moment, and answered some personal prayers of mine. How I spend my time and who I spend it with determines future possibilities in my life. So, I have determined that I will cherish my time, and spend it with those that I want to see in my future.

President Monson also gave a three point suggestion on what to do with our lives,

1. Glance back 2. Reach out and 3. Look forward.

May we only glance back to the past long enough to learn from it, reach out to those around us and share our knowledge and talents, and look forward to our future goals, and make decisions today that will lead us to that destination.