Government: Of Nations & Families

It's just one of those weeks where everything has somehow piled into just a few short days: I must say that if I have my choice between a jam-packed week and one with nothing to do, I prefer the packed week.  Although, with this one I don't think my physical body is keeping up with me very well.  I've been in the ring fighting this heavy chest cold and I think it's winning. booo!

I really, really love American Heritage - It's my favorite BYU class I've had so far!  I took my 2nd midterm a few nights ago.  I did well and I'm proud to say that my over-all grade is in the highest bracket range of the class.

I've noticed an interesting pattern from studying some of the most prominent founding documents of the most brilliant minds of history and observing how things unfolded in the aftermath. Interpretation of the documents varied, parts needed to be altered and changes had to be made to allow freedom for all men, women, races, and creeds. Changes came at a very high cost: There were battles; bloody brutal battles, economically, politically, religiously, and racially to hammer it all out.  We're still evolving as a people and as a nation and we've accomplished much good.  But the enemies we fight never seem to go away.  It's a constant struggle to not fall prey to the beasts of tyranny or anarchy.  We seek balance.

I've also realized that solutions to problems always look better in writing.  It has caused me to reflect on the government of our home, the way we as parents rule and raise our children.  As my husband and I have tried to write up goals for our family, plan out ways to reach each child, and invent new "rewards programs".... it always, always, looks better in writing!  After our "brilliant brain-storming" we have it in our minds what things we're going to do differently to lead our little troop. And we set out feeling pretty good, but consistent with raising children... battles follow... and some quite brutal to hammer everything out.  What works for one kid would never work for the other.  Where do we lead?  How much do we lead?  What methods do we hang on to?  Where do we stand back? What should we let go?  What's most important?  What doesn't matter, what does?  You get the idea.

It's like whatever stage we've come to as parents, we constantly find ourselves in the realm of being "rookies".  We might find ourselves in the dark after years of practice and say, "That's it! We surrender! We have no clue what to do with this one!" But according to the talk from Sister Wiseman I posted earlier this week, being in the unknown isn't always a bad thing: "I think we need to recognize that we tend to do our best work when we're on the outer edges of what we know, when we're doing something hard and new and we're growing through challenge."

It is certainly a challenge to raise children.  I am often astonished and then quite grateful for how humbling of an undertaking it is.  Even our wonderful nation, "our shining city on a hill" (as John Winthrop called it) is far from perfect.  There was never really a "golden age" because our history is re-pleat with flaws and embarrassments.  With both governments (our nation and our little family) everything looks better in writing... but then we have to enter the real world, deal with real people, and fight real battles.  It is so much easier said than done.  But that's okay, we don't have to have it all down at once,  it will all work out -  "Sometimes in our state of not knowing is actually where we come to know God." - Liz Wiseman

 -Alicia

"I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth- that God Governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?...how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings?... when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the divine protection.- Our prayers, Sir, were heard, & they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a superintending providence in our favor." - Benjamin Franklin