Time Out for Women

So I have not posted for a very long time but there has been reasoning behind that besides just the busy day to day routine of being a Mom.:) I had the amazing opportunity to go to Time Out For Women last year and all of the speakers and presentations were PHENOMENAL but there was one specifically that was a catalyst of A LOT of thought for me. The talk was centered around mothering, homemaking, nurturing, marriage, fulfilling every aspect of our lives through church service, professions, etc...What spoke volumes to me was when these two dear women said that they had made a profound discovery through their day to day routine and it was this: "It is not the things that can be blogged about or pinned to Pinterest that are the important things. It is the small moments, the mundane duties of motherhood that are the most profound." As I thought about that, I thought what those "small moments" looked like in my own life. Did I take the time to really listen to my kids when they asked for my attention? Did I have Family Home Evening, daily scripture study and family prayer with my kids with real intent and purpose or did I just do it as something to check off my list? Was I too busy trying a "new pin" from Pinterest that I completely overlooked what was right in front of me?  Basically did I maximize on every opportunity provided to me by a loving Heavenly Father to be the very best Molli Bryant I can be? I can say there are a lot of days I have fallen short, a lot of days that I get "sucked in" by Pinterest, a lot of days that I feel inadequate in every way BUT there were a lot of days that I made a concentrated effort, with intent and humble pleadings to my Heavenly Father and the blessings were/are profound! I think we as women sometimes seek "validation" for our efforts and search for that through Facebook, blogging, etc. I don't believe those are the places Heavenly Father intends for us to turn necessarily. I believe in my personal quest to achieve this, that His intent is for us to have MEANINGFUL relationships and to look for opportunities to serve others, to emulate the Savior and THEN validation for our efforts come as HE intends them to come and that is through the gentle confirmation of the Spirit. I just wanted to share my thoughts and discoveries. In closing, the two speakers said this: "Turn off the computers, monitors, etc. and quit comparing yourself to the standards of the world. Look for the opportunity in your own life to more fully fulfill your individual role as Heavenly Father would want you to." So in short that is what I am doing. I realize my identity and self worth is not determined from my "status" on Facebook or what pins I have pinned and tried.  How very blessed I feel to have been able to go, hear, be uplifted and share that experience of TOFW with my Mom, and very dear friend, Danielle. That in itself is a testament to me that Heavenly Father hears and answers every pleading of our hearts and manifests answers in simple tender mercies everyday!