Good News, Good Night

It's only a little thing . . . but I wanted to record it.

For those times when the exhaustion comes crashing in and there are frustrated words at the close of day. I want to remember that there are a whole lot of sweet closings, too.

Tonight Nels stopped in for a quick dinner before heading back out to visit some families in the ward and then to go play games at a friend's house. I can honestly say that after ten years of marriage and nearly ten years of children, heading up bedtime doesn't bother me too much anymore. I really love when he's here, but it doesn't weigh on me like it used to. --- And "solo" doesn't happen even a fraction of what it used to.

On good days, I feel like a master conductor - orchestrating five or six different activities with grace. (On good days. Not all days. Many days feel like I'm in the middle of a dog fight . . . ) "Have you brushed your teeth?" "Lilie will you help Violet put on her jammies?" "Hazel, you need to finish clearing the table." All while trying to occupy Clara, while shoving dishes in the dishwasher faster than she can race back across the kitchen to "help".

Tonight, everyone was fed, dressed, and brushed before 7:00. Nice. I called the girls into the living room to read from the Book of Mormon for just a few minutes.

We really suck at Family Home Evening and I can't be on time to church to save my soul. We ROCK family prayer and scripture study is hit or miss --- more hits this past year and a half. Usually both are a little like a circus act --- and not a well-orchestrated one --- but tonight, it was just plain good.

We read from one of the final chapters of Helaman and the girls were full of questions. We had the sweetest discussion about baptism. About resurrection of body and soul. The Spirit was there and we spoke of repentance. Hazel sweetly headed up apologies to everyone present for anything that she'd ever done wrong; :) Lilie sheepishly followed her lead as she snuggled into my side, ending with a family hug and giggles.

Tonight the words, "We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." (2 Nephi 25:26) These words have been swirling in my mind.

I asked my girls, "Do you know what the word "gospel" means?"

"No."

"It means 'good news'. The Good News of Jesus Christ. What does that mean? What is Jesus' good news?"

"That we can live again?"

"Yes. That we can live again."