H.O.M.E.S. {YESTERYEARS}

[FROM 1998 TO 2015]

One of my major focuses in life is to have a happy home. In order to do that I have found there needs to be a balance. It's easy to hyperfocus on one thing or another while the other important things start to slip for lack of attention. There will always be times when we need to focus a bit more in some areas, but we need to be careful not to neglect the other vital parts of our homes in the process. I have chosen five areas to talk a bit about; health, organization, mothering, education, and spirituality. These topics have taken up much of my time as I read, study, and pray about what I need to do to create a happy home.

A bit about my perspective....

At the start of 1998 my new husband and I were at a period in life where there were a lot of unknowns ahead of us and only a few surities. We knew that our choice to marry was the right choice, beyond a doubt. Even though we were nearly strangers ourselves, we knew. That somehow made all uncertainties insignificant. We had one certainty, and that was enough.

Knowing that you are with a spouse that God has chosen for you makes all the difference in the world. If you don't have a spouse, or wish you didn't, or don't believe in God, you may have a hard time with my approach to certain topics. Either way, I feel that what I have to share applies to most who are willing to open their heart, mind, and spirit. As with anything in life, listen and discern for yourself what's valuable, and what just doesn't "fit" with you.

To clarify one point, I do not believe a woman is destined to be miserable if she does not have a spouse. I strongly believe that unless she is happy with herself in whatever situation she finds herself in (single or married) there is no mortal man who will change that. Peace comes from within. It can be influenced by those around you, but only you can create an environment within where you can find the kind of happiness that is sustained by God.

Since I am married and have a house full of children, I obviously can't speak from a single mother's point of view, or that of a married woman without children, or a single woman living alone, or a mother of grown children. I won't even pretend to know what your life is like. We all come from different backgrounds. I do believe that we can choose how we allow the experiences of the past to affect our present, and future. These pages are from my point of view, mostly. But as said before, I believe that what I have shared can be applied to most anyone (or at least give you something to think about). 

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You will see this influence within the content of this site.

HEALTH

“The Lord sets a high standard for us in telling us to consider our bodies a temple. ... [He] has established some basic standards for the governance of our physical bodies” and mental health so that we may become more self-reliant and better prepared to progress personally, strengthen the family, and serve in the Church and community (see L. Tom Perry, “The Tradition of a Balanced, Righteous Life,” Liahona, Aug. 2011, 32).

ORGANIZATION

The admonition to “establish … a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God” provides divine insight into the type of home the Lord would have us build. Doing such begins the construction of a “spiritual mansion” in which we all may reside regardless of our worldly circumstance—a home filled with treasure that “neither moth nor rust doth corrupt.” (see Elder Gary E. Stevenson, "Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples," April 2009 General Conference).

MOTHERING

When we have been honest with ourselves and humble before the Lord in decisions about work and in the myriad decisions involved in mothering, we can go forward with courage. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7). (see Jeanne Inouye, "Be of Good Cheer," October 1993 General Conference).

EDUCATION

Joseph taught the Saints that knowledge was a necessary part of our mortal journey, for “a man is saved no faster than he [gains] knowledge,” and that “whatever principle of intelligence we attain … in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.” During challenging times, it is even more important to learn. The Prophet Joseph taught, “Knowledge does away with darkness, [anxiety], and doubt; for these cannot exist where knowledge is.” (see Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Two Principles for Any Economy," October 2009 General Conference).

SPIRITUALITY

Each of us has a personal lens through which we view the world. Our lens gives its special tint to all we see. It can suppress some features and emphasize others. It can also reveal things otherwise invisible. Through the lens of spirituality, we can know “the things of God” by “the Spirit of God.” (1 Cor. 2:11.) As the Apostle Paul taught, such things are “foolishness” to the “natural man.” He cannot see them “because they are spiritually discerned.” (See 1 Cor. 2:14.) (see Dallin H. Oaks, "Spirituality," October 1985 General Conference).