two pieces of advice from Patriarch Jensen

In July 2009 Evan, Lucy and I went to a 4th of July picnic and there we had talked with Patriarch Jensen of the Littleton Stake. (turns out he was my parents bishop way back in the day before I was born). He gave a great piece of advice that has stuck with me ever since

"You are not entitled to anything"

We were telling him that we were looking for a house to buy. He said too may people think they "deserve" or "are entitled" to everything they want. He told us that we didn't need a home with the most bedrooms, or the most space, or the most whatever. He told us that we were blessed to have a house with walls, roof and enough space to sleep. That we didn't need all the vacations and luxuries that people in this time feel they are entitled to but can't afford. He said we needed to pay attention to our needs and not our wants.

Boy, if that was ever some thought provoking advice!!!!

Evan and I searched and searched and searched for homes. We looked at close to 90-100 homes. NO JOKE! We really felt we needed to stay in the Littleton Stake but only had a limited price range.

We prayed that if the Lord would bless us with a home in the right ward with a good house payment and something that was good for us then we would try to bless others through our home and other things that the Lord would bless us with.

The house we really felt we should be in had an offer on it in May, and in two more months of house after house after house, the offer was rescinded and we were able to put an offer along with 2 other people. We prayed so hard that if it was the right place for us that it would pull through---IT CAME THROUGH. Prayers were answered, we rescinded our offer on another house (that would have been prettier, more updated etc) and started to prep for this house. It tooks MONTHS before everything came in how it should, and finally we closed in January of 2010(it was a short sale). It took us 3 months to fix up the house to be able to live in it. We LOVE our home.

As many of you know the house had lots of issues, and it wasn't until about a month ago in talking to my friend Jessica Berg, that I saw a HUGE benefit in buying a house under what we could have paid. Jess said that in our heeding the patriarchs advice, he saved us from financial trouble-maybe he had some foresight for us. We had so many things "come up" like a new sewer line etc. It was tough trying to balance everything financial but now we are blessed being able to take care of those projects that come up and pay on our house payment and still eat. We may never be rich but we have definitely been blessed with what the Lord knows we need. I think Jess was right, that he gave great advice, we listened, we struggled through some major trials, and now we are being taken care of by the Lord.

I felt so strongly about this piece of advice that after church today I went up to the Jensen's on the way to their car and told them how I appreciated that piece of advice so long ago. As I walked away he said the kids were great and then said

"You are the mother that every kid should have" and when I repeated in my mind I took it as or thought of him saying it like "You should be the mother every kid has"

I took it as a compliment but then the instruction of that has been flashing in my mind all day. (I wish I could go up to him and have him say it again so I can hear the influctions etc so I know I got his wording right-maybe I'm making up the compliment part of it. Either way heading the instruction part of it is incredible to me)

I NEED to be the mother that every kid has. WOW. He was paying me a compliment but then instructing that I need to be "that" mom. Don't slack off but get better and better. How would I know what that means other than praying for guidance, watching other great mothers like my own, learning from mistakes, not feeling "entitled" to anything, working alongside my great husband, setting goals, not slipping to the things in my life that have brought me down before, following what is instructed in my patriarchal blessing, praying praying praying for guidance and direction and having the Spirit more in my home. I could go on and on.

Needless to say I am grateful for the compliment and have felt rejuvinated in my calling of who I am and who I need to become. I have been feeling a weight on me that I don't know quite how to explain other than I feel like I have been suppressing who I am and who I can be because of some hurtful things done and said to me in the past few years. I am done feeling like I am less than I am or holding back who I am or my potential. I am ready to fight for who I am and who I need to be.

I am blessed with a good husband who puts up with all of my shenanigans. Evan is a great person to stick by my side, support me always, lift me up, understand me, listen to me, care for me and allow me to do all the crazy things I do that help make our family, our family.

YAY! I feel like I am getting a fresh start and I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for me. I don't know how I can do any of this without the Lord's help. I guess Patriarch Jensen's comment has invigorated me to do good and go forth and develop a better relationship with the Lord.

I like how our Heavenly Father loves us so much that uses all of us as His hands to bless others. I am happy that he has blessed me with Patriarch Jensen in my life. Hopefully I can be used to help and bless others-pay it forward right?