Let There Be Peace on Earth

I love the song "Let There Be Peace on Earth." Bryan Stokes Mitchell sang it with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir yesterday as part of the Memorial Day Commemoration. Earlier that day, the topic of our lesson in our women's meeting at church was peace (link to Elder Cook's April 2013 conference talk).

I feel like my role as a mother is to promote peace on earth, starting in my own home, with my own children. Imagine how peace would have a much stronger presence if every mother took the necessary time to help her children learn how to be peaceful?

Deliberate motherhood requires time, which is why I am so grateful that the idea of full-time motherhood was presented to me and, for various reasons, I grasped onto that idea and have made an effort to make it my reality.

And I love it!

I don't love it because it's easy. Because it's NOT easy. Although I think it's easier than trying to balance motherhood with full-time otherhood. And I don't necessarily mean work outside the home. Work inside the home! Laziness inside the home! Distractions! Other things that pull me away from what I truly want to focus on -- and what I value intensely.

My three-year old saw his baby sister playing with his balloon. So what did he do? Well, of course, he grabbed it from her. Her ensuing shriek caught my attention and I went to see what was wrong.

"It's mine!" big brother explained.

"Yes, it is," I agreed. In my head, I was phrasing a "Why don't you share?" type of reprimand, complete with a scowl... luckily, I realized before I said it that I didn't really *want* him to think about why NOT to share. Instead, I want to encourage him to share... so I pulled him onto my lap and calmly responded:

"You are so good at sharing. How do you feel when you share? Remember when Gaby played with you and shared her ball? How did you feel when she shared with you? Will you share with Miriam, please? You can take turns! Pass the balloon back and forth!"

My sweet son responded so well to this encouragement and suggestion. He even got excited as he taught her to sit down and wait until the balloon bounced her way. Gently he encouraged her to send it back his direction. I was so proud of their peaceful play, I had to take a picture!

Due to technical difficulties on the blogger dashboard, I will have to add them later.