Jessica’s Journal

I just felt the need to write tonight, even after being gone for so long.  This chapter was Alma speaking to his son Shiblon right before Alma dies.  I feel a very strong connection to Shiblon.  I feel like he is more accessible and relatable since his calling was not one of prophet.

During his discussion, there are several phrases that Alma says to Shiblon that should be the way our Heavenly Father would talk to us.  For example:

I shall have great joy in you, because of your ^asteadiness and your faithfulness

I have had great joy in thee already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy patience and thy long-suffering among the people

These give me the hope and desire to be better and more diligent.

If we look around, we will see that the Earth is indeed full of the glory of God.  We just have to be willing to look.

There is a parenting application in verse 25 that made so much sense to me!

For all this His anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still.

So, while the Lord is still angry with us for the terrible things we may have done, He is STILL willing to forgive, accept and love us.  He is still waiting for us to turn from our ways and reach for him.

I need to be that way with my children.  I can still be angry and frustrated with them for the stupid things they will do.  HOWEVER, at the same time, I must be willing to forgive what they’ve done, accept them in their sorrow and love them with all my heart.  Then, it is my job to teach them to reach for their Father in Heaven.

Wow…this one really hit me…

I liked what was said about it being well with the righteous, and them getting to taste of their fruit.  I try to do what it is right, but occasionally I wonder why I do when I am treated badly for doing the right thing.  This is comforting to know that I will taste the fruit of my labor one day, and it is not all for naught.

come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord; yea, come, for ye have all ^agone astray, every one to his ^bwicked ways.

We all go astray sometimes.  It is good to have a reminder.

Jacob talks about how his soul delights in the prophets words.  This reminds me of the opportunity we have coming up to listen to our prophet.We must prepare ourselves.

I’m so disappointed and frustrated with Spencer’s helmeting process.  We had his head scanned today, and it is only 2.2 cm better than it was a month ago.    I feel like a total failure as a mom for letting it get that bad again.

I just wanted it off so bad that I think I let it infer with my better judgment.  I knew I should have just left it on his head, but I couldn’t deal.  And now it’s not getting better as fast as I’d hope.  After all, the older kids get the slower they grow.  I just hope Spencer hits a growth spurt soon.  That will really help the changes in his head.

I loved verse number 23.  It talks about us having our freedom to chose good or evil.  It is for decide.  We must make those decisions for ourselves.

With this chapter, I was thinking the whole time I read, how am I doing? What can I do better? It made me think that our Heavenly Father loves us, and wants us to return, but he gives us the freedom to choose.

It talks about what things will be like in the last days.  One idea that I like was that the things of God continue on forever and from generation to generation.  As opposed to the the things of the world which are just fads and pass away quickly.