Christ-centered life

Today Katelyn walked for the first time. She's been "walking" taking steps when she doesn't think about it or when I try and trick her into letting go for minute, but until today she tried to hold on to something before she'd move or else she'd sit down and crawl, but today she went for it. I was so happy and excited and so was she. It's amazing. Amazing how she grows. It's so awesome to be her mom. I am the luckiest. I suppose this is what makes being a parent the best part of mortality. Today it was walking. A small thing really, but something she will be doing now for the rest of her life and therefore an amazing landmark. She is free! And next it will be talking. And so now my weight of responsibility increases as I think of how I must guide her feet on paths that lead to righteousness and teach her words of hope and love and faith. I must teach those little legs that long to run to take time to kneel and I have to set the example so that her tongue which now makes joyful chatters non-stop will know to say heartfelt prayers to her Heavenly Father so that she will be empowered to feel His love and receive His guidance and know that she is never alone. I have been her caregiver, giving her food, and shelter, warmth and love, but now I must take care. Take care to kneel often to commune with God. Take care to speak words of faith of love of hope, of Christ. Take care to lead my feet to Holy Places. Take care to say those things which the Spirit would prompt me to say. Take care to study the scriptures and obey the commandments so that I can stand on higher ground and lift my family and others. Take care to humbly lead and humbly learn. Having Katelyn has taught me so much. The person I am verses the person I was before she came into my life are very different in so many ways. My understanding of who I am, my role in Heavenly Father's Plan, my destiny in who I must become are clearer now. Understanding is a gift. Motherhood helps me develop that gift. I have almost been a mother for a year. How much I have learned in a year. I have also labored with love. Learning is not enough and is incomplete if it doesn't change who I am. And the laboring has helped me to change, but there is still much more I must do. I have seen a new level of selflessness. I have not achieved it yet, but I see now how much more of myself I can lose before I will really find myself. I have recently compared it to my mission. As a missionary every hour was accounted for. As a mother it must be the same. It must be. I cannot sigh longingly for "time to myself". As a missionary I never dreamed of it. As a mother I cannot either. Time to myself is scripture study, journal writing, glorious prayers at the end of a day in which my time and my most sincere efforts were laid upon the alters of the Lord. Somehow I forgot that my life is not my own. How wonderful that it is not. That is has been bought with a price. A Price for which I am eternally indebted and forever thankful. Happiness is in obedience. Exact obedience brings great peace and joy. I have known that and felt that so strongly in my life. I know it is true. I will try harder. I will repent and recommit myself to being a worthy steward by making myself accountable before the Lord and by giving an account of my day in prayer. The Lord will surely be in the details of my life if I do all I can to plan my life with Him at the center.