Saturday, June 16, 2012

Day 164, June 16

Yesterday I wrote about the need for appreciation.  Today, partly because of my perverse nature and partly because I like to turn things on their head once in a while, I'm going to write about the flip side of that.

Eliza R. Snow, the Second President of the Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was a gifted author, speaker, and activist at a time when women had little voice.  Among her many writings, she penned this:

"We like to be appreciated but if we do not get all the appreciation which we think is our due, what matters?  We know the Lord has laid high responsibilities upon us, and there is not a wish or a desire that the Lord has implanted in our hearts but will be realized, and the greatest good we can do for ourselves and each other is to refine and cultivate ourselves in everything that is good and ennobling to qualify for those responsibilities."

What powerful words.  Sister Snow, as always, hits it on the head with her insight and wisdom.

Sometimes, when I feel I'm not being appreciated, I get my nose out of joint and I think, "If that's the way they (husband, children, church members, etc.)  feel, they can just forget about my doing another thing."  Not a noble sentiment.  And hardly worthy of Sister Snow's words.

After I get my priorities back in order and my thinking straight, I (usually) get back to the business of doing what I'm supposed to be doing, whether or not I'm appreciated.  But sometimes that little voice rears its ugly head and, once again, my nose gets out of joint.

This I know for sure:  I should start appreciating all the Father has done for me before I start whining that I'm not appreciated enough.

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