Kindness

Why is it as a parent we are continually teaching lessons on kindness? Can't they just understand that they aren't part of our family by coincidence? They know that they were saved for this dispensation and that they were sent to a family that loves them and that they love, and yet.........They keep trying to KILL each other. I have now resorted in just calling the daddy and letting him disipline over the phone. Sometimes I am pretty sure that even though I hear myself talking there aren't any words coming from my mouth, otherwise, they would quit fighting. So after being sent to their rooms until dad says (which could be all night really) and with neither one allowed to participate in their "extra" activities for the week (i.e. wrestling and dance) I decided it was time for yet another lesson on kindness and I threw in a little forgiveness just for kicks. But, with two little devils, posing as angels, positioned in front of me on the floor, each with a bowl of chips because if their mouths are full of chips they can't talk back, I preceeded to give a readers digest FHE (without the daddy, he was still at work). Thank heavens for the spirit!! I love that my Heavenly Father is aware of our struggles as a family and that he is aware of each of my kids as individuals. I hope that they grow up to know as I do, his love for them, and our love as parents for them. They are such good kids when they aren't trying to kill each other. Here are a couple of things from the lessons I found that I really liked. I hope that with this post we can all remember how unperfect we are but how loved we are for our individuality. Let us all continue to strive to live a more Christ like life, I know that we will apparently be working on that a lot at our house.
These are pictures from July of the kids when they fell asleep going back to my moms from the Reds game. If only they were this angelic awake!

Kindness is the essence of a celestial life. Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others. (Joseph B. Wirthlin, "The Virtue of Kindness," Ensign, May 2005, 26)


Yes, to be in the right we must forgive, and we must do so without regard to whether or not our [enemy] repents, or how sincere is his transformation, or whether or not he asks our forgiveness.
(Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, 282-83.)


I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.
(Doctrine and Covenants 64:10)