Recalculating...

Over the holiday, yes that is the Christmas holiday, Kaitlyn learned to ride her bike without training wheels. Now thanks to Grandma Watkins she knows how to start all by herself too. Also over the holiday, yes Christmas, I got a bike too. The idea is that we can take family bike rides together. There is a trail that runs along the main road to our house, which makes it ideal for an evening bike ride.

So tonight after Nathan got home from work we saddled up and rode the trail.







I love spending time with my little family! They bring such peace in my life. They are my greatest joy and greatest challenge. I don't feel adequate enough to prepare my little ones for life. How can I help them overcome obstacles when I fall short myself?

Last weekend I was teaching my class and one of the students who was caught with an illegal substance said that her children had no idea what had happened. We began to talk about the importance of trust and the question was asked, "did you violate a trust when you broke the law?". As the class broke into their groups I overheard her tell the others that she didn't feel she violated a trust by doing what she was doing. When I questioned her and asked if she thought she had violated the trust of her children she obviously became defensive. "No I didn't violate their trust because they will never find out." she said adamantly.

I've thought about that statement over and over this week and have come to this conclusion...I don't buy it one bit! Of course she violated that trust! It doesn't matter if her children know or not. They trust her to live her life the way she is teaching them to live their lives. They trust her to be honest with them. They trust her to always be there to watch over and protect them. It doesn't matter if they know or not, she still violated that trust.

We all make mistakes that we wouldn't necessary sit our kids down and say "HEY LOOK AT WHAT I DID". But it is important for us to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Bottom line is we have to practice what we preach. Our example is the only thing that matters and if we aren't living the principles we are teaching our children how can we expect them to live them either. That doesn't mean we are going to be perfect, but it does mean we need to strive to better ourselves.

It has become a joke in our house when we are driving somewhere and "Bella" our GPS says "recalculating". Sometimes it is when she doesn't recognize where we are and she needs to pause to get in sync with us, but most of the time it is when we have taken a wrong turn and she is trying to get us back on the right track. Life is a lot like a road trip and Heavenly Father has given us the perfect gift, the Holy Ghost, so when we find ourselves heading down the wrong path or making a wrong turn we can tell ourselves..."RE-CAL-CU-LAT-ING"!