Things On My Mind: Peace, Reverence, and Worship

I really loved listening to the discussion about reverence and personal sacrament meeting worship that took place in Sunday school, this week. We talked about what worship should look like and feel like for each of us, and we were encouraged to evaluate how much effort we are putting into our personal sacrament meeting reverence and worship. 

As I considered this, I felt an overwhelming peace that my worship is pleasing to Heavenly Father. We are not exactly the most reverent pew in the chapel, and my own thoughts and energy during sacrament are usually distracted away from my personal repentance and worship and redirected toward my children and helping them to feel the spirit and have a meaningful sacrament experience.  

I believe the feeling of peace I experienced was the Holy Ghost bearing witness of a truth I've been thinking a lot about lately. YES: The sacrament meeting and ordinance are not just for the adults in the room. The sacrament is for everyone, and that includes the children. Their worship will look different than mine. YES: for me, this time can be about more than just keeping my children quiet but teaching and helping them to participate and experience the joy that comes with the blessing of renewing baptismal covenants.  

With our house open and the calls from DHS starting to come in, these verses from Matthew 25 are burned like fire onto my soul and especially heavy on my heart. I think about how and if I'm applying them all the time. 

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

The Spirit and the scriptures are helping me learn that Sacrament meeting worship, for me, looks like a mother serving her children. When I mother my children, I am serving the Lord. When I help my children learn how to worship, I worship.  If I'm passing out colored pencils, or whispering truths into a child's ear, or rushing a screaming baby (that just fell face first off the pew) out of the chapel to ice the fresh hematoma on her forehead, it can all be done in love and worship. 

As the Sunday school discussion carried on, I continued to feel the confirmation that the Lord accepts my worship in the form of serving His children. I can worship as I lay out clothes the night before, and worship as I play church music in the morning to help my children honor the Sabbath day.  All of these small and simple things, if done with pure intent, are expressions of love.  It is still essentially up to my kids to choose to follow, cooperate, obey, or participate, but my own personal experience is enriched when I shift my attitude about where my thoughts and energy are focused.