Strengthing Families

Monday Nov. 24, 2008
Katheryn, Nathan and children are here. We had a great get together yesterday. Many of the family were present. I can remember my own home as a child. Our house was the unofficial gathering place or 'home' for my mother's family who liked to visit home once in a while after my grandparent's had died. Liberty County was home for the large extended Henderson family. They always seemed to spend the night at our house. Mama would roll out the quilts on the floor as palets for us children to sleep on, let out the couch and make every inch of space available to family. Not all the memories were great...I remember a certain cousin, whose name is not available, who was about my age. She would get there and run over and hug me while at the same time pinching me. I would cry and mother just couldn't understand why I was crying, she was just showing her love by hugging me. When I got older, I eventually told her of my cousin's diabolical antics.

We had a great time yesterday and the children were especially joyful. I have sought to gather what of my family that will once a month to celebrate birthdays for that month with a nice lunch and just time together...presents are not given at these gatherings. I know that family traditions can do a great deal to strengthen families and build loving memories for the day when we cannot see each other. There are those who do not care for my efforts to build traditions and does that make a difference? Of course it does, all of the family matters. I'm thankful that they do participate. Katheryn mentioned pride in her blog this week. Funny little thing, pride...one of the seven deadly sins. I think it is much different from just being pleased with what her children do. Perhaps different meanings to the word. It still makes me feel good about my family when I see that they enjoy each other's company and a little sad when they have differences...sometimes differences based on misunderstandings. Pride is not always so easy to see in yourself and sometimes not even in others.
I saw a seminary tape once about pride and I think I finally understand it. A young woman was being taught what pride means. As she progressed through the day a voice would declare "pride" to her each time she engaged in pride motivated behavior. In one particular scene she and a friend approaced her school locker. Another young woman near them is opening her locker. The subject of the study, we'll call her Jane, proceeded to tell some bad things she knew about the other girl. The voice cried "pride". What? said Jane....but, they are all true. "PRIDE" the voice repeated.
Jane was putting the girl down to make herself seem better in the eyes of her friend, though she may not have recognized that she was doing so...the voice told her it was PRIDE. They were true things that she said, but unkind and hurtful to the young woman's chances to overcome them. And what about her friend, will Jane's words cause her friend to sin also in her future treatment of the girl at the locker? Probably.
Isn't that a major way Lucifer uses our pride? Why certainly so. While we're lifted up in pride over our 'great knowledge and superiorotiy' we are destroying another person. While Jane's friend may walk away with a little piece of useless, though be it true, gossip....she'll also walk away with the assurance that when she may fall short of Jane's criteria, Jane may and probably will one day talk about her weaknesses to someone else...even those things she learned in confidence. Suppose Jane gets mad at her. Will she find a way, true or lies, to put her friend down in the eyes of others? What chance does the young woman at the locker have of changing and becoming a better person? Does Jane's unkind words hinder the opportunity to repent and be forgiven by God? Of course not. What about to be forgiven by Jane's friend? Yes. What happens when Jane messes up and would that the rocks would cover her to hide her from the sight of God? Does the old, true, saying come into play and Jane will receive "as you sow, so shall you reap" or will Jane's conscience finally catch up in this matter...perhaps Lucifer will blind Jane a little longer until at last her sin is shouted from the roof tops....PRIDE! comes forth from her house rather than the faithful covering offered by Jesus for repentant sinners who will have "Jesus Christ" shouted from their roof tops. Imagine Jane's surprise when all her sins are shouted and the repentant young girl from the locker who was guilty of so much has no sin shouted. What do you suppose the effect on Jane might be? Will she be angry? Insist she was just telling the truth? Will she be hurt? Will she react by further estrangement to God or meekly repent? Meekness may not have a high probability with Jane who still thiniks she has done nothing wrong. It's hard to tell but her eternal welfare hangs in the balance and hopefully she will grow to understand the kindness and mercy of the Lord that is extended to repentant sinners and be able to overcome her weakness and repent of her pride to enter into his presence. Of all the sins, pride has the potential of halting or crippling the work and glory of God, in a manner that is hard to detect. The Lord has said, "Pride goeth before the fall".
I hope Jane listened to the voice. I hope I and you will listen. Every week we have the opportunity to go to the house of the Lord and repent, having our sins washed clean through the sacrament ordinance. Whatever is keeping you away cannot be good. Perhaps Jane even made it to a few sacraments, but didn't repent of her pride.
When you sit and watch me partake of the sacrament, know I have forgiven you and pray for your good and benefit. It can be no other way. And like the Savior I know someday I too will remember your sins no more...even though I am the young woman at the locker. I also sincerely repent of my own sins at the alter of the Lord and like the Savior will one day remember them no more...and when the sins are shouted from the rooftops, if my pleadings are sincere and honest and I forsake my sins, I will sleep through the night for I will know that Christ has me covered and I pray he'll have you covered too as well as Jane.
Sorry if you think this a little preachy...that's what parents learn to do...teach (always).