Hats...

First.....Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving Day. We had a wonderful day spent with grandparents, up at the family cabin. The kids love going up there, many fond memories, memories that fill our hearts with joy. We were up there again last night for Grandpa's 89th birthday....WOW! Can not believe he is 89.  My kids adore Grandpa and Reena. They share a special bond with them. Each spring we go down for Dallin's baseball tournaments in St. George and spend the week with them.  We love them and the support they give to us. They remember everything! Example, at Thanksgiving Abby mentioned she was performing in Christmas Around the World, they wanted to come but were heading out of town on a vacation that week, but yesterday when Abby walked in and sat down by them, the very first thing they asked, "Abby, how did the performance go? Was it so neat? We wished we could have seen it!" Then went on to have a lengthy conversation about how she was and then asked Dallin and Emma about the things they were doing.
They have always been like this....as was our late Grandma Darling. They kids would drop anything to go visit them and be with them, because they feel so loved by them. My children love that they are so genuinely interested in their lives. We have felt blessed to have spent the last few weekends with them.

Moving on to the reason for my post today...Hats...had a great Relief Society lesson yesterday. It started off with the question of what Hats do we wear that define you?
Well this is what went through me head, some were mentioned...
Mom
Wife
Maid
Taxi Driver
Food Prep....(I would say cook or chef...but that would be saying I could cook well...)
Nagger
Dance teacher
Coach(kinda)
Assistant to AP teachers
Visiting Teacher
RS Secretary
Okay so she went onto discuss in her lesson how the first thing we should think of is Daughter of God. Or Child of God.......
Oh boy.....
Didn't cross my mind...and I was sitting in the spirit of fast Sunday, church, Gospel learning....and I didn't think of it....
WOW!
SO we discussed why...Why as sister's in the Gospel do we not think first "I am a Daughter of God." The pressures of society place on us, even at church, how we are expected to be. How we are supposed to dress. How we are supposed to mother....How many times a week these very thoughts run through my head,
"Why am I in this calling, there are SOOOOO many other women who could do this without failing like I do."
"I am not as good as a mom as....."
"Why can't I look like her..."
"She would be way better at this than me..."
"Wow, I wish my Christmas decor looked like that."

On and On.....But guess what....none of that matters....and I need to change how I start my days....I need to stick sticky notes all over my mirror that reminds me that I am a Daughter of God. I am so grateful for Julie's inspiration for her presidency message. We all need to remember that what we do, does not define us, because at any moment the earthly things that define us can be gone in a moment. Jobs change, kids grow up, callings change, figures change, things get broken, injuries, etc.
We will always be a Child of God. No matter what fires we walk through, what roads we travel. Our Heavenly Father loves us, He loves me. I matter to Him. But with this knowledge I must also remember to reflect that love in the hats I wear. I must reflect His light in my daily life.

So I ask you, What hat will you wear first?