Wild Card Wednesday

Today I am answering Rachelle's call for the words discombobulated, percolate, loquacious, tawdry, facetious, and effervescence all in the same post. They surprisingly describe my mood level quite well these days.

And you all thought you were gonna get a break from the whining. Ha!

I am most definitely feeling the discombobulation. I'm not sure about my center of gravity, much less center of emotional, mental or spiritual stability right now. Common in the final weeks of pregnancy, no? (I can't be sure because 38 1/2 weeks is a record for me.) If I am not careful, this disconcertedness percolates everything I do and say! For example, screaming, "Stop screaming!" at my children. :) And then looking around the room like "Where did that come from?" "Who said that? How rude!" (Angel wings flapping away.)

I have well meaning frends and family calling daily to see if "she's here yet". Just in case I, you know, forgot to tell anyone. I try my hardest to meet their loquaciousness halfway, but it's hard to find the words with each and every inquiry. And it would be tawdry of course to say, "I really don't want to talk about it!" Perhaps I could just shut them up with "Hey, you wanna catch a movie? I need to celebrate making it past full term!" The Devil Wears Prada, licorice and a massive diet coke is looking very tempting.

Yes, it has been difficult connecting with my better known facetiousness right now; to find any humor in these circumstances of a baby who suddenly won't budge after every effort was made to keep her from doing so too early. To feel the music. But the effervescence will no doubt return with my waistline.

Just you wait... you won't be able to shut me up, then! :)

Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man woman mother healthy, wealthy and wise

Today's Wild Card Wednesday idea came courtesy of Andrea. Some of our MOFS were discussing our spirituality today, and how much it has changed since becoming a mother. Before marriage and children it was much easier to remain spiritually focused and find the time for ourselves to do that. We look back at that time now and think "We were stronger then".

I remember that just before I met my husband, I felt like I really had it together. I was so disciplined in reading, no - make that STUDYING, my scriptures every morning, every night, complete with prayer and meditation. I felt solid. I don't have that same "spiritual confidence" now, but I can definitely say I am more spiritually mature than I was then. I think it is inevitable that as we commit ourselves to motherhood and to our beliefs that this change will continue to occur... It can happen faster and we can feel more stable through it all, however, if we are staying close to our Father in heaven via the scriptures and prayer.

If I total up all the small prayers I say in my heart throughout the day, if I think about the number of times I set an example for my children or take the opportunity to share a small spiritual tidbit with them, if I count the times a scripture has come to mind when I needed it, I am reminded that although it SEEMS as if I have slackened, I really have not. My spiritualty has just become more a blended part of my everyday existence. It is no longer just me and the Lord, but me, my children, my husband and the Lord.

That said, I do believe it is important that we make whatever sacrifice necessary to set aside time for just us and the Lord. At our recent Stake Relief Society conference they talked a lot about the old "early to bed and early to rise" adage. I haven't been the best about this lately, but I know it is the secret to getting back in gear in a lot of areas in our lives where we feel that we are falling short... spiritual connectivity as well as physical and mental acuity. Not to mention the attitude that life is worth getting a headstart on, rather than procrastinating and making everything/one wait for you to "wake up".

Wild Card Wednesday

Today's idea came from The Mother Load. She suggested that I blog about the significance of my words on my children.

My father rarely got cross with us as children. My mother more than made up for it, so he remained pretty laid back most of my life. On the occasion that he did get upset, we didn't always know how to interpret it. I must have been about 5 years old when I somehow upset my father and he asked me "Do you want a lickin'?" I said, "Well, sure!" - not to be sassy, but because it didn't sound threatening at all, coming from him. I guess he thought it was a pretty cute reaction, because he sort of chuckled and then we sat down at the dinner table and ate caramels. Lol. So, I thought caramels were lickins'! And it was a while before I realized what the real meaning of the word was.

Words are indeed powerful. Especially in the English language. There are so many double meanings, alternative spellings/pronunciations, and slang - which is becoming its own entity.

Our words can cause a varitey of emotions, whether or not intended. The saying "Think before you speak" comes to mind. This past Sunday, I watched a recording of our church's last worldwide conference. I do not remember the speaker's name, but he remarked that we live in a society whose trend to "think before speaking" is turning around. Not only that, but depending on the source (not necessarily a reliable one), this is often applauded, heralded, even taken as doctrine.

When I think of the impact my words have on my children, I also consider the importance my words have on them. As in, do I set a good example for them? When somebody cuts me off on the road, do I use that as a teaching moment? When the children are naughty, how do I react?

I'm sure we are all aware of how easily our tone can affect the impact of our words as well - the not-so-heartfelt apology or sarcastic remark. We also live in a digital world where email and blogging and instant messaging have replaced phone calls and hand written letters; where we decreasingly take the time to converse sincerely and convey genuine sentiment to friends and family.

It goes without saying that depending on the attitude we have in saying something, it can be quite uplifting or leave others untouched. Our words can be invaluable in the impression they leave on a child. Words can be used to persuade, impress, give perspective.

As a proud member of the digital world :P I find the purpose of inspiring others to be most important to me. What about you?