Being Consistent

I couldn't get Dave Ramsey's podcast downloaded to my MP3 player today, so I decided to listen to a Conference podcast instead while I ran/walked. I probably need that more than Ramsey anyway. I took comfort in Elder Bednar's talk where he described FHE in his home while his boys were young:

"As our sons were growing up, our family did what you have done and what you now do. We had regular family prayer, scripture study, and family home evening. Now, I am sure what I am about to describe has never occurred in your home, but it did in ours.

Sometimes Sister Bednar and I wondered if our efforts to do these spiritually essential things were worthwhile. Now and then verses of scripture were read amid outbursts such as “He’s touching me!” “Make him stop looking at me!” “Mom, he’s breathing my air!” Sincere prayers occasionally were interrupted with giggling and poking. And with active, rambunctious boys, family home evening lessons did not always produce high levels of edification. At times Sister Bednar and I were exasperated because the righteous habits we worked so hard to foster did not seem to yield immediately the spiritual results we wanted and expected.

Today if you could ask our adult sons what they remember about family prayer, scripture study, and family home evening, I believe I know how they would answer. They likely would not identify a particular prayer or a specific instance of scripture study or an especially meaningful family home evening lesson as the defining moment in their spiritual development. What they would say they remember is that as a family we were consistent."

So, I know I have no control, but I can be consistent. Eric gave his first talk as a Youth speaker yesterday. I got an honorable mention when he talked about reading scriptures. Eric said, "My mom makes it a point to read every night." I looked up his talk to get the exact quote. He wrote the following in his talk, but must have changed his mind about saying it: "Once we were at the table, about to have cake, when my mom pulled out the scriptures and made us all wait to eat until we were finished reading."

I think I am on the right track. Hopefully my kids will look back and say we were consistent (and not just consistently yelling! :)) Honestly, Mario is way more consistent than I am. But I try really hard!