Encouraging

Encouraging – Give support, confidence, or hope.

Mom,

Interesting weekend.

Friday started out fantastic but ended not so fantastic.

Saturday started out not so fantastic. I woke to a clean house, a nice warm shower, church music playing, and pancakes, you would think that would spell awesome, right? Well,  I received a message from a friend that I let  just bother me.

After our breakfast, conference started and I could not concentrate on the things Pres. Monson was saying. I kept asking John, “What did he say?” I know he was annoyed. I finally got to the point where tears were blurring my view of the TV, and my thoughts denied me the feelings of the spirit. In my mind I kept thinking about this little conversation I had. Finally, some words of encouragement came from my little Broden, “Mom, I love you!” with a tight squeeze around my neck, and then the words from Sis. Stevens, “What could we learn from children?” I know there were other speakers in between but I am not sure what they spoke about.

I learned that Broden is a sweet boy who acted on the spirit. At that moment, I needed a positive replacement of my stressed thoughts. I really needed the encouragement of conference to get me through the next six months, and time was ticking away. But, more importantly, I really needed to hear the words, I love you.

Mortality is a time of test, trials, and growth. All of us need encouragement as we face our personal challenges in life. Sometimes encouragement might come as we rally around a family who might have lost a loved one or something as small as an inner, unseen feeling. All around us are those in need of encouragement.

Rylon often finds encouragement from his Grandpa Cuthbertson. Rylon knows there is hope for winning a game of Uno when he plays Grandpa Cuthbertson, even when his loses with his brother are stacked up against him. Rylon finds simple encouragement in his wins to keep him loving the game of Uno then in his loss. I love that example he is to me. I don’t know if that made sense but it does in my brain.

Thank you Sis. Stevens for the encouraging words on how to be more Christ-like, become more like a child.

Another example was an Art Show John missed. I was sad for the kids that their dad was held up at work and how it must have been such a disappointment to them. When we pulled in the garage Jax had a great idea. “Mom! We should set up the Art Show in the living room for dad, so he doesn’t feel bad.” Man, was I wrong when it comes to my children’s feelings. They were not thinking of themselves at all, they were thinking about their dad.

Encouragement comes everyday from having the privilege of raising these sweet spirits.

Now that I know where to draw my encouragement from, how can I encourage them?

1. Support their interests and ideas.

2. Build confidence in them by teaching them who they are, where they came from, and where they are going.

3. Give them hope for greater things to come.

Mom, you are an encourager. I think you know more intimately the weaknesses and struggles in my life. You never say,”You should totally give up!! No seriously, give up!!” You always offer encouraging words through a verse in the scriptures, a talk you just read or sometimes just personal kind words. Whenever I am faced with an obstacle of some kind, John will say you should call your mom. John sees the difference in me by encouraging words from my mother.

It’s a great blessing in my life to have a mother. It’s a much great blessing that my mother is Kate Ellen Schiess Cuthbertson.

Thank you!!

I love you!

Kathy