I Consecrate This Day

I have a lot of thoughts swirling around in my head tonight: I'm happy to have all the children tucked in bed, exhausted from a long day, anxious to get to my "to do" list so it won't be twice as long tomorrow, and grateful that I have so many blessings.

One phrase that runs through my head every morning, a few times throughout the day, and every night is "I consecrate this day to the Lord." Here's why: Growing up, I would take regular walks with my mom along the boardwalk--a lovely wooden-planked trail along the beach, just two minutes from our home. We'd walk about a half-mile to the end, then turn around and make our way back to the car. Every time we got to the end of the boardwalk, my mom would say, "You have to touch." and she'd touch this small wooden post. I didn't understand what she was doing at first, but then she explained to me how each day she would touch the post and say a silent prayer (which she informed me was, "I consecrate this day to the Lord"). She wanted to let the Lord know that her whole day was dedicated entirely to Him.

This has stuck with me for years. The idea makes my day feel so much more important and so much more guided. As I thought of it tonight, I realized a few reasons why consecrating my day means so much to me. Here are a few:

(1) What I do today is going to affect my posterity. The photo above is an old ampitheater up in Utah. It is referred to as "the castle" because it has a two-level stage of stone and these beautiful stone seats. Eric and I spent an hour or so reading and thinking there one morning, and as I looked out at the seats, I visualized them filled with my children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc. I asked myself, "What would I want to tell them if they were all here? What would I want to BE for them? The only answer that really came to me is that I would want to turn them to the Savior.

(2) When my day is consecrated to the Lord, I have a whole lot more fun. This moment playing racquetball with Ethan and Grace was simply precious. The goggles cracked me up. I am starting to learn to have fun! Sometimes I have to pinch myself when I realize I'm actually learning to enjoy life rather than stress about it. A blessing!

(3) When I consecrate my days to the Lord, I truly am able to "Behold My Little Ones." Precious moments like this slip by way too fast.

(4) And then, when there are moments like THIS, I don't freak out.

(5) This picture means a lot to me. It's from a couple of weeks ago on my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. This was the first time EVER that all ten of us were in the temple together at the same time. We all got to participate in sealings and then sit in the Celestial Room together for a few minutes. THAT was heaven on earth. I know that my children will get to make their own choices, and I can't "force" them to choose everything the way I want them to, but I'm hopeful that if I, like my mother, consecrate this day--and every day--to the Lord, someday Eric and I will have an experience like this with our children.