Being the Best Me

Today our Primary lesson was "Heavenly Father Trusts Us to Follow His Plan". One thought that we focused on is that He is our Father who knows and loves us. He knows what we are going through and what we need. And then we discussed how he also trusts us to choose the right so we can return to live with Him again.
I also felt so strongly that we need to remember that it is our choice how we handle things. How we choose to act or react in each situation.

I know that now days people are saying, "That's just how I am." "I didn't choose to be this way." "You need to love me for who I am."
Well, it isn't out of our hands. We can make our own choices and become what we want to become.
I want to teach my children that if they get upset or angry, they chose to be angry. No one "Made" them angry or sad or hurt someone. We can feel a certain way, but we then need to calm down and speak or react in a non-violent fashion.

I'm not sure if I mentioned before, but I grew up in a violent home. My father was quite abusive to my mom and siblings. Mainly the older 3 of us. And most especially to the middle sister. He used violence to cope with things. I, in turn, learned to handle situations in this way. I yelled all the time. Well, a lot of the time.
After becoming a mom, I had to learn how to deal with situations in a more peaceful manner. This was a very difficult thing to learn.
When I married my new husband, it became so much more easy. He yells maybe 3 times a year. (BTW--he has RED hair) He always speaks to the children in a calm way. When they are in trouble, he will sit them down and talk to them about what they did wrong, and what needs to happen to help them learn to make better choices. From his example, I was able to see how I should deal with things. I no longer yell on a regular basis.
Now, I'm not saying I was a violent person, but not the best I wanted to be. I didn't use my past to say, "I'm just this way. There is nothing I can do to change." I am still trying to be a better person and to help my children to be better people.

Okay, this turned into a much different post than I first intended. I hope that I have made sense. Thanks for letting me share. Pin It