Truly Tender: "I Singing Mommy!"

I was getting my cutie, Lady Slipper, ready for bed. She was making lots of cute little toddler noises.They were a little higher pitched than usual but I didn't really notice until I recognized a few words which clearly indicated she was talking to me :"I singing Mommy!" "I love your singing!" I replied enthusiastically and I was answered with a huge proud smile and some more beautiful little songs.

I love being a Mom!

Be Inspired,
Janelle Joy

Musical Motivation: A New Scripture Song: 2 Nephi 2:25

I composed a new Scripture song for teaching Lady Slipper (toddler) one of the scripture mastery scriptures from the Book of Mormon:

2 Nephi 2: 25 click on the link in order to see the Kodally Solfege version of the sang, as well as a version that you can play online (created on classicsforkids composition game)

See also my music Blog for inspiration to bring more music into your family

Be Musically Inspired,
Janelle Joy

Family Friendly: Am I a True Sister to All?

"How happy it will make you, if when that time comes, when you stand in the presence of the great Judge to give an account of the few years of life that have been spent in mortality, if these our Father’s children that He loves as much as He loves us, standing by us, say, 'Heavenly Father, it was this man, it was this woman who first brought to me the information of Thy glorious truth that provoked in me a desire to seek after Thee more fervently than I had done before. It was this man or this woman who did this blessed thing for me.'

"And that is not all.

"When that time comes, when you go down through the ages of eternity, that is a long time, you will have the love and the gratitude of every man, woman and child to whom you have been instrumental in bringing eternal happiness." (Teachings of the Prophet George Albert Smith, Chapter 12).

What better way could I be a true sister to all the many brothers and sisters around me than to share the precious gift of the knowledge I have of Jesus Christ and His Gospel? How well am I doing? I hope that someday I will be able to hear those wonderful words words (from the above quote)from at least two people: my daughters. I want them to be able to say that it was their mother who was the first to teach them of God.

Be Inspired,
Janelle Joy

A Wise Woman is a Wise Steward

"Remember, brethren, to return and report is the final act of the faithful and wise steward. " (see here) 

Obviously the above quote applies to women as well as men. I believe being a wise steward requires listening and following the Spirit. That is part of what I want to return and report.

"You will receive nudges from the Spirit, ever so quiet ones, but clearly discernible. There may be an impression to call someone, to write, to say thank you to Mom or Dad, to express love to a sibling, to contact someone you are assigned to home or visit teach. These acts usually do not take large amounts of time, although on occasion they may.

I know that when I follow my impressions and act in behalf of one of God’s children, there is a special spiritual reinforcement, a recharge of the spiritual battery, if you will, that the Lord sends. Lots of those “hugs” come in the process of ministering to others. You learned that ever so well in your missionary experience.

These little acts of service are as fulfilling as those that are given to you by formal call or assignment. There is much good to be done in the world which does not require a formal call to perform. Do not wait for the assignment to serve before serving. Service, freely rendered, is evidence of internalized Christlike attributes and is deeply soul satisfying.

No one is expecting you to return and report on these personalized promptings quietly given by the Holy Spirit to serve others. In fact, it is possible no one will notice if you do not respond at all. You won’t even be asked about them. But cumulatively they will bring you closer to the Master and prepare you for your most critical roles of all: husband, wife, father, mother, home teacher, or visiting teacher. To be successful in these sacred relationships, absolute obedience to the enticings of the still, small voice is essential. And as you thus respond, you will bask in the love and peace showered upon you by a deeply grateful Heavenly Father! (See here).

I believe those "assignments" given directly through the Holy Spirit are part of a very important personal though perhaps informal report: that which we should continually have with our Heavenly Father as we pray always and work harder and harder to notice and act on more and more of those individual promptings. I have found greatest awareness of these promptings when I write down in a special journal each one I can recognize and then record whether I responded or not.

Be Inspired,
Janelle Joy