Well, VP is engaged! Of course being who I am I don't have a picture of them from their weekend here. I do have one of the ring - and I think the FB pictures I have seen so far are not very flattering. I may be able to find one to add later.
Anyway, of course the response I am getting from EVERYONE is "WOW, that's fast". and Yes it is - that is undeniable. There are 2 different Wow that's fast reasons that I am hearing, both of which have been made clear to me lately from many different loved ones who have concerns for our dear daughter.
#1 is that they are both so young, and still have so much school in front of them. Well, yes, VP will be just a few months past her 19th birthday when the big day happens. But, she does have 2+ years behind her in college credits thanks to the running-start program she did in high school. He has 3 semesters left, so is just ahead of her by a semester or 2. KZ is almost 24, so he can't have that "too young" label attached to him. He is a hard worker and is a great student so will be able to present himself with good credentials upon graduation.
#2 is that they are both so young, and everything is moving so fast. Well, yes, this is true too. VP has tended to act on things by impulse in the past and sometimes followed through, and other times petered out in her enthusiasm.(where did the phrase "petered-out" come from?) But she really thought this out, struggled with it and has had some unmistakable feelings as to this being 'right' for her. Answers come at different speeds, this one came quickly. She was actually a little perturbed by the fact that she met him so early on in the semester and they moved quickly into this part of their relationship. She didn't want to be that typical BYU engaged couple. I think she wanted a little more original story to relate when asked "how did you meet?". Well, we can be reassured that they will be spending the whole summer apart as KZ is working in another state and she will be at home. They will be able to actually get to know each other via communication rather than spending time being together. I am surprisingly calm about the whole thing which is a definate blessing that I am not freaking out about it. Also, being raised with and having the conviction that physical intimacy is for after marriage, we do tend to have shorter engagements than other people.
SO, of course we all have our concerns and nothing is guaranteed. As I said earlier, I do feel calm. I feel that they aren't doing this just to be engaged or because they think life will be rosey and lovely after they are married. I am sure they have seen enough of family struggles to realize that they will have some of their own and will work on them together. They are both come from good families. They are both good students and have goals to finish their schooling and then have plans for graduate schools also. I have seen VP happy and excited about things in the past, but she seemed really glowing and genuinely happy this last weekend. That has been the biggest comfort to me. We keep being asked "so what do you think of him?". That is hard to answer when we spent a total of maybe 6 hours alone with the 2 of them and another 4 with his family here. Our best gauge was how they seemed together. We will learn more the more we get to know him and see him and her together. Our family is growing and we are excited about that!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Recognizing the Spirit
I have been contemplating this a bit lately. I have a really hard time knowing if I am being prompted by the Spirit. I know that anything good I think to do is not an evil prompting. But most of the time (really, most of the time) when I follow a thought to, lets say visit someone or call them that person isn't home or doesn't answer the phone. So, when I get a thought the next time and I am on my way doing something else, I will think it is just myself and wandering thoughts. I never get a strong thought to do something specific. It is usually just a thought of that person "I wonder how they are doing" or I just passed their house and think of them. I have - VERY rarely - responded to promptings that were unmistakably from the Spirit and those have been of benefit to that person. I guess maybe I just need to realize that I need a kick in the pants type of prompting and only to help avoid a crisis.
Anyway, another thought along these lines - I was reading last night in 2 Nephi 17. Verse 15 "Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil and to choose the good." This is Nephi quoting Isaiah regarding the Messiah. This is how I interpreted this verse for my contemplations about the spirit lately. This is in regards to raising children. I am not trying to judge people who have their children in day-care or preschools. I have felt very blessed to have been able to be home with my children and as much as I may go stir-crazy have been very reassured that it has been important for me to be home with them. These are my thoughts to that idea.
In raising children, the more they are exposed to goodness and light the more they will recognize the absence of that light later in life. They do not need to be exposed to darkness early in their life to help them handle it as adults. This verse means that Christ would be raised with simple and good things (butter and honey being a symbol of God's blessings and outpouring of His spirit - ie: land of milk and honey, etc). If goodness is all they know as children they will be prepared to run away from evil when exposed to it out of necessity when they go out in the world. If they are exposed to it "for their good, to help them better relate to their peers" or to "not feel out of the loop" or to "give them a headstart academically and socially". Then evil will just be an accepted form of life rather than an abhorrence to keep at a distance.
So, in being a stay-at-home-mom, I should be aware of the ways I expose my children to the promptings of the Spirit. Creating for them experiences where the spirit is welcome and witnessing to them. Teaching them the Gospel and forging the armor of God that will fit them snugly and protectively when they do go out into the world. They will learn social skills, academic strategies and networking skills all in good time. These early years are necessary for them to learn things of the spirit, love and kindness.
Anyway, another thought along these lines - I was reading last night in 2 Nephi 17. Verse 15 "Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil and to choose the good." This is Nephi quoting Isaiah regarding the Messiah. This is how I interpreted this verse for my contemplations about the spirit lately. This is in regards to raising children. I am not trying to judge people who have their children in day-care or preschools. I have felt very blessed to have been able to be home with my children and as much as I may go stir-crazy have been very reassured that it has been important for me to be home with them. These are my thoughts to that idea.
In raising children, the more they are exposed to goodness and light the more they will recognize the absence of that light later in life. They do not need to be exposed to darkness early in their life to help them handle it as adults. This verse means that Christ would be raised with simple and good things (butter and honey being a symbol of God's blessings and outpouring of His spirit - ie: land of milk and honey, etc). If goodness is all they know as children they will be prepared to run away from evil when exposed to it out of necessity when they go out in the world. If they are exposed to it "for their good, to help them better relate to their peers" or to "not feel out of the loop" or to "give them a headstart academically and socially". Then evil will just be an accepted form of life rather than an abhorrence to keep at a distance.
So, in being a stay-at-home-mom, I should be aware of the ways I expose my children to the promptings of the Spirit. Creating for them experiences where the spirit is welcome and witnessing to them. Teaching them the Gospel and forging the armor of God that will fit them snugly and protectively when they do go out into the world. They will learn social skills, academic strategies and networking skills all in good time. These early years are necessary for them to learn things of the spirit, love and kindness.
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