Sunday, March 28, 2021
10:15 pm
My eyes feel like sandpaper and my head really hurts, but my heart is content. Quick recap of the last few days:
Friday was a day off for the kids, so I took the day off too. Julie and Addie planned a bunch of activities to do together. We got to their house shortly before lunch. We ate a tasty lunch, then my job was to put Nathaniel down for a nap. I was successful at putting both of us to sleep. Three hours later we came up in time for dinner. I think I really needed that nap.
The big news from Friday is that Abbie received her ACT score and rocked it with a 35 on her first try. What an amazing accomplishment. We are all so proud of her.
Yesterday was laundry day. I think I cycled ten loads through the washer and dryer. They were literally running all day. I participated in folding some of them, and other family folded others while I was doing… something else useful. (Can't remember exactly what now.)
Today had high points and low points. I delayed bishopric meeting by 30 minutes because Nathaniel woke up (for the second time) just before my alarm. I knew it was going to a while to get him back to sleep. Bishopric and Ward Council were both good. Sacrament meeting was really good; I felt good about the testimony I shared today. I focused on Jesus' love for us. I recently heard the phrase, "Love the sinner, hate the sin" in relation to a social media post. Jessie expressed her distaste for that phrase, and it got me thinking too. I decided we can simply stop after the first part of the phrase – love the sinner. That's really the extent of our responsibility.
For the second hour today we held a special combined meeting with all adults and youth to discuss mental and emotional health. Sis. Buck and Bro. Heiss each shared experiences, and it was really good. Then the Mounts led a discussion concerning how we can support each other as we deal all with these challenges. It was an open, safe place to share, and it went really well. I am very grateful for the experience. I concluded with some thoughts:
1. We are not alone in our suffering. Depression and anxiety will probably touch every one of us in some way during our lives.
2. We don't need to judge others, and we don't need to judge ourselves. We can simply love. At one point during the meeting someone mentioned that as Bishop, I am a judge in Israel. I referred to that and shared my experience that in my service as Bishop, my inclinations to judgment have generally been, "I judge that person needs help. I judge that the Lord loves that person. I judge that person wants to feel joy." Pretty non-judgmental judgment.
3. We should have a plan to protect our mental and emotional health. This should include daily "maintenance" plans as well as "emergency response" plans.
4. Ministering brothers and sisters can and should play a significant role in supporting the emotional health of our ward members, friends, and neighbors.
Some low points were meetings that didn't feel very well participated in, and an interview that fell through. Bummer.
Tonight we had lots of family over to celebrate Isaac's birthday tomorrow. It was fun to be together, and the cake and ice cream were delicious. David and Lisa and family brought Abbie back after she babysat for them this weekend. Jennie brought her boyfriend Mitch; he was very likeable and seems like a solid young man.
Thankful and Ministering: See above.
More later…
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