Our Journey In Life

Last week I decided to take up running. Each week my goal is to increase in a lap around the park, which is a half of a mile. Last night, it was getting dark and I didn't want to be out alone, so I asked Shon and the kids to come with me as our FHE. We bundled up and on the way to the the park I said to Emma "Don't let me stop - I need to make it all the way around the park one time".

I put in my headphones and started. She was behind me and distantly behind the sound of the music I could hear her yelling "Come on mom, you can do it!" and "Don't stop, just a little further!" This continued until I made it.

We went around a few more times and then headed home. This time I was with Parker and Emma was with Shon. Our next door neighbors had a picnic table on their sidewalk so I ran around it, through the grass. While doing this, I stepped down and twisted my ankle. I of course fell down. Parker was very worried, and when I could finally talked I told him what had happened. He immediately took off yelling for Shon to help. He did and helped me inside.

I can't help but make the comparison these two experiences have to our life journey. As Emma was cheering me on I could see her in my mind cheering me on as I battle through life. "Come on mom - you can do it!" and "Don't stop, just a little further!" Who more than our children want us to make all the right choices so we have the privilege of being with them throughout eternity? Who better to cheer us on than those who we are commanded to be like? I sincerely hope that I will remember these thoughts as I have those troubling and hard times in my life. I will remember Emma cheering me. She had complete confidence in me that I could do it, and when I did, it didn't surprise her.

Later when I fell, Parker quickly called other members of my family around to help me back up. And it was Shon, my sweetheart who literally carried all my weight until I was able to support myself a little. This too is so much like life. Our family is there. They are there to pick us up when we fall, to help us on our way, to get us to a point where we are standing again on our own.

I am grateful that we are not in it alone. I am grateful that Heavenly Father puts our loved there to help us along the way, to cheer us on and even to carry us when we need it.




photos - www.beautyfullphotogrephy.blogspot.com