http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700133244/The-Influence-of-Mothers.html?pg=1
You really really need to read it.
She just gets it.
An excerpt, to convince you to click the link and go read the whole article:
"Truth #4: Satan is real, and he has declared war on women.
The adversary understands full well that those who rock the cradle are strategically positioned to rock his diabolical empire. Thus, today his destructive myths about women and mothers abound. Here are just three:
Myth #1: Men are more important and have all the power, so if women want to have influence they should be more like men.
Myth #2: A woman's value is based solely on size and shape.
Myth #3: The only worthwhile validation comes from outside the home, and thus, motherhood is a waste of any talented woman's time.
Too many women have bought these lies. Our culture is disintegrating at the speed of light, and regrettably, the female gender is doing its share of the damage. Sleazy women who flaunt their indiscretions jam the airwaves and monopolize magazine covers.
Other distortions are equally troubling. One prominent magazine annually publishes its "100 Most Powerful Women" cover story. Almost every woman mentioned is a politician, entertainer or CEO. I mean no disrespect to any of these women. What I dispute is the distortion that in order to have influence, a woman must have money, fame or a title. That is a lie!
External validation has short-term value at best. It's difficult to hug an award. No one from the office will call on Mothers Day to thank you for changing their life. There world's praise pales when compared to the joy of family.
Truth #5: Mothers have more influence than they realize."
2 comments:
I did enjoy the article, with one exception. When Sister Dew quoted Jehan Sedat with regard to school violence("No, the problem is with our homes. Too many mothers have abdicated responsibility for teaching their children what is right. What happens in society all begins with mothers.") she endorsed the notion that our children's failings are necessarily our own. This is a falsehood, and I cite as evidence that fact that our own Heavenly Father and Mother, perfect parents if there ever were parental perfection, lost a third of their children to Satan before our mortal existence even began.
I don't think Sister Dew actually believes that if a child makes wrong choices, that his or her mother is automatically at fault, but she did not make that clear. This is a serious deficit often found in Mother's Day presentations. We must be aware of the fact that while we are given a sacred trust to raise God's children, those children were given the gift of agency, and may use it in ways that displease us regardless of our efforts. Our job is to keep trying.
I TOTALLY agree.
I often think of Lehi when that issue comes up.
Laman and Lemuel were not his "fault." They were his children, and they had the same gift of agency Nephi did. They made their own choices.
So you're right: We do our very best (this part is certainly important), but then we have to let go and let them choose, often sooner than we think they should (ask moms of 2 year olds!).
And it's really really vital to never condemn a mother for her children's choices.
Thanks for the great comment!
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