Experiment...

I want to share a little experiment that I have been doing- but before I do, I need to share a little background info. A few weeks ago, I had the awesome opportunity to be at Girls Camp with the Young Women of our stake. I know- I can hear you all thinking- does this woman ever say no? The answer to that is yes, I do say no, but not when the calling comes from a higher power. Anyway, I am on the Stake Camp Committee so my job is basically to go play, have fun, and hopefully share some great insights with the Young Women. :) As I was visiting with the different wards, I came across one ward who had done a really awesome craft. They had the pocket sized Book of Mormons and had covered them with scrapbook paper and ribbon and made them all cute. The poem that they had included with them is one that my mom had also shared with me a few weeks previous to this. I don't have a copy of it, but the main idea of this poem is "What if we treated our Book of Mormon like we treated our cell phones?" Brilliant! How many times do we turn around and go back home because we left our phone there, or how many times a day do we check our messages, or the internet, or do something else on our phone.

After the recent and traumatic loss of my precious iPhone, I had some real time to think about this very thing. I was devastated with the loss of my phone- literally cried about it one day. Then at camp, when we were looking at these adorable Book of Mormons and hearing the poem again, it hit me. Have I ever been this upset about not having my Book of Mormon with me? Did I cry when my Book of Mormon that I had in Seminary started falling apart? No- and this is where my experiment comes in...

I have made a new rule for myself. I cannot check anything on the computer- no email, no Facebook, no "just looking something up", nothing- without opening my scriptures and reading at least 5 verses. I know 5 verses is not a lot, but it sure adds up and it has made me realize just how much time I have been spending "just looking things up". I no longer have the excuse of "I just don't know why I don't have time to read my scriptures." I am putting the important things first, and everything else falls into place.

Now- this little experiment has not turned me into the perfect Mommy. There has still been some yelling, some frustration, some "Mommy is busy right now you will have to wait." I am not expecting to be translated at any moment, but I can say that I have felt more peaceful. I have felt less stressed. I have been able to look at things in a different perspective. I have felt the Spirit more in my daily routine. All good things.

So I think I will continue the experiment. I will no longer mourn the loss of my precious phone. I will rejoice in the fact that I have been blessed with such a wonderful life- with a husband who loves me and takes care of me, 4 beautiful children who love me no matter how much I yell, great family and friends and most important of all- a loving Father in Heaven who knows me and helps me to remember the little things in life that are most important.