Communication is a big part of our lives. We live in a world where technology is our biggest form of communication, but it's also probably just about the worst. Ever read a text where you weren't sure if the person was being flirty, or joking, or being absolutely serious? I think we all have at one point in our lives. That's one of the biggest concerns about our day and age. We're starting to slowly lose that interaction we experience when we physically see how people communicate. Whether it's by their body language, the audible tone in their voice or by their words, we can clearly tell the difference between how people interact in person vs how they interact through technology.
With the recent Supreme Court ruling, I've seen so many comments that are both harsh and hurtful on both sides of the issue. And 100% of those comments were done on social media. There were some comments I read where I could immediately tell the tone that was implied, others it was a little more difficult. And the whole time I read those, I kept wondering if this whole back-and-forth thing would be better in person or not. Sometimes I think it would be just as bad, if not worse.
So media has become a big part of our lives, that much is clear. But we can't let it take away from the face-to-face interaction we experience. That is so much more important and valuable than words that could be posted and deleted just as easily with a click of a button.
Until next time:)
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Family Crises
There may be times when we're looking at the people around us and think they have the perfect life. That may be true, but chances are that most people are having some sort of familial crisis. Whether it's losing a close relative, divorce between parents (or their own divorce), addictions, marriages, births, etc., the list goes on. Growing up, I always thought my family would be perfect, like there was nothing that could bring us apart and it was a fairytale ending (the good kind). That didn't happen though.
I was only 8 years old when my parents were officially divorced. I say officially because they were separated for some time before that. I remember how tough that was on the family. I got the sense that there were some feelings of betrayal between my siblings and my dad. Me, being the youngest, I didn't quite understand what was happening, but I knew I still loved my dad. When the divorce was official, my mom got custody of the kids, at least, those of us who were under 18 and still living at home. After this crisis in my family, I saw it then and I still see it now. While this event drove a wedge between my siblings relationship with my dad, it definitely brought our relationship with our mom a whole lot closer. After my siblings left the house, I was the only child left at home. My mom was pretty much my best friend for a while. Spending all the time that I did with her made me come to appreciate and love her more
I love my family, even after everything we've been through. I wouldn't say this was a traumatic experience, I would say that it has actually helped me become the person I am today. And I can only pray and wish that I won't go through the same thing with my own family.
Until next time:)
I was only 8 years old when my parents were officially divorced. I say officially because they were separated for some time before that. I remember how tough that was on the family. I got the sense that there were some feelings of betrayal between my siblings and my dad. Me, being the youngest, I didn't quite understand what was happening, but I knew I still loved my dad. When the divorce was official, my mom got custody of the kids, at least, those of us who were under 18 and still living at home. After this crisis in my family, I saw it then and I still see it now. While this event drove a wedge between my siblings relationship with my dad, it definitely brought our relationship with our mom a whole lot closer. After my siblings left the house, I was the only child left at home. My mom was pretty much my best friend for a while. Spending all the time that I did with her made me come to appreciate and love her more
I love my family, even after everything we've been through. I wouldn't say this was a traumatic experience, I would say that it has actually helped me become the person I am today. And I can only pray and wish that I won't go through the same thing with my own family.
Until next time:)
How the World Sees It
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we are commanded to wait to have sex until marriage. However, the world doesn't care about waiting till marriage for two people to be so intimate with each other. The world promotes that physical intimacy before marriage is okay. But what most people don't consider is there is a price that comes with that. Something that can't be given back once it's been taken.
It's incredibly important that a husband and wife cleave unto each other. When marital bonds are strong, chances of a spouse wavering are unlikely. When the world tells us that having relations before marriage is okay, chances of the significant other wavering are more likely.
Now, going down a different path....We all are sons and daughters of a Heavenly Father and He wants us to be happy and have what's best for us. But how can we do that if we are taking something He's given us, which happens to be so sacred and pure, and basically throwing it back in His face by saying we don't care? If we really cared, we wouldn't do that. But if we have done something wrong, we can be forgiven of it.
Until next time:)
P.S. I know it's short, but it's short and sweet:)
It's incredibly important that a husband and wife cleave unto each other. When marital bonds are strong, chances of a spouse wavering are unlikely. When the world tells us that having relations before marriage is okay, chances of the significant other wavering are more likely.
Now, going down a different path....We all are sons and daughters of a Heavenly Father and He wants us to be happy and have what's best for us. But how can we do that if we are taking something He's given us, which happens to be so sacred and pure, and basically throwing it back in His face by saying we don't care? If we really cared, we wouldn't do that. But if we have done something wrong, we can be forgiven of it.
Until next time:)
P.S. I know it's short, but it's short and sweet:)
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Mawwage is What Bwings Us Here Togetha Today!
To me, marriage is probably the most important thing a person could ever do. Not only do you get to spend forever with your best friend, but you get to create a family with that person and raise your children in love. Being the youngest of six, I have been to my fair share of weddings, starting from when I was only 6 (I think) to 19. Most of these weddings were done at the right place, with the right person and by the right authority. And I can only pray and hope that it will be the same for me.
Among the happiness that weddings and marriage bring, I also have seen what brings the marriage apart. I remember when my parents got divorced. Yes, I was young, but I remember it was a pretty significant year--so much happened! It was the year I got baptized, the year my mom turned 50, the year my sister graduated high school, the year everything just kind of came apart. I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad by sharing this sob story, but I want to share what can go wrong if we aren't careful.
I think it's a pretty universal misconception that things get better and easier once you get married. For some, that may be the case, but for most everyone else, it surely isn't. During the time of the divorce, I wasn't quite old enough to understand what was going on. So when I was older and actually understood more, I asked my mom why her and dad got divorced. I don't remember all of what she said, but the main thing I remember her saying is, "pride." It all came down to pride. No matter who's pride it was, whether it was hers or my dads, pride was the downfall of their marriage.
We are warned about pride so often in the scriptures and so often by our prophets and apostles. President Ezra Taft Benson taught, "The central feature of pride is enmity--enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen." If you're like me and didn't know what enmity means, let me enlighten you. Enmity is hatred towards or being opposed to someone. This is so relevant especially with today's standards of marriage being redefined. We often find that we are in opposition with those who believe differently than we do, and we revert to attacking them, usually in a verbal manner. The best we can do is teach them what is right through love and patience.
Until next time:)
Among the happiness that weddings and marriage bring, I also have seen what brings the marriage apart. I remember when my parents got divorced. Yes, I was young, but I remember it was a pretty significant year--so much happened! It was the year I got baptized, the year my mom turned 50, the year my sister graduated high school, the year everything just kind of came apart. I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad by sharing this sob story, but I want to share what can go wrong if we aren't careful.
I think it's a pretty universal misconception that things get better and easier once you get married. For some, that may be the case, but for most everyone else, it surely isn't. During the time of the divorce, I wasn't quite old enough to understand what was going on. So when I was older and actually understood more, I asked my mom why her and dad got divorced. I don't remember all of what she said, but the main thing I remember her saying is, "pride." It all came down to pride. No matter who's pride it was, whether it was hers or my dads, pride was the downfall of their marriage.
We are warned about pride so often in the scriptures and so often by our prophets and apostles. President Ezra Taft Benson taught, "The central feature of pride is enmity--enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen." If you're like me and didn't know what enmity means, let me enlighten you. Enmity is hatred towards or being opposed to someone. This is so relevant especially with today's standards of marriage being redefined. We often find that we are in opposition with those who believe differently than we do, and we revert to attacking them, usually in a verbal manner. The best we can do is teach them what is right through love and patience.
Until next time:)
Love One Another
We've all seen those romantic comedies where guy and girl fall in love, something happens to break them up, they find their way back to each other and live happily ever after. But let's be real for a second...how often does that really happen?
I think we all, to a certain extent, have this misconception about love. We have seen many movies like this, no matter where it takes place, who's involved....the story is just the same. But does that mean love doesn't exist? Well, as an expert (not really), love doesn't only come from your significant other. There are many types of love. There's familial love, friendship love, and of course romantic love-the love we see in all those movies. But there's another type of love that is just as important, if not more, than the others, and that is Christlike love.
Too often, I think, we forget about the love Christ has for each of us. When times are hard, we feel that there may be nobody to turn to when, in fact, there is. The love Christ has is so immense that He was willing to sacrifice His life for us. He was willing to put our eternal happiness before His mortal pain. This Christlike love could also be referred to as charity. In the Book of Mormon, Mormon taught, "Charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things" (Moroni 7:45).
I think it's important that we remember to "love one another" as Christ taught. No matter how difficult it may be at times, we should find a way to put ourselves in the shoes of another and see life the way do, so that we may better understand them.
Until next time:)
I think we all, to a certain extent, have this misconception about love. We have seen many movies like this, no matter where it takes place, who's involved....the story is just the same. But does that mean love doesn't exist? Well, as an expert (not really), love doesn't only come from your significant other. There are many types of love. There's familial love, friendship love, and of course romantic love-the love we see in all those movies. But there's another type of love that is just as important, if not more, than the others, and that is Christlike love.
Too often, I think, we forget about the love Christ has for each of us. When times are hard, we feel that there may be nobody to turn to when, in fact, there is. The love Christ has is so immense that He was willing to sacrifice His life for us. He was willing to put our eternal happiness before His mortal pain. This Christlike love could also be referred to as charity. In the Book of Mormon, Mormon taught, "Charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things" (Moroni 7:45).
I think it's important that we remember to "love one another" as Christ taught. No matter how difficult it may be at times, we should find a way to put ourselves in the shoes of another and see life the way do, so that we may better understand them.
Until next time:)
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