Friday, May 7, 2010

Friday Flashbacks - Mother's Day Edition

It is almost the day we honor mothers. Today, I was so busy mothering, I almost didn't have time to do my Friday Flashback. I wasn't just burning the candle at both ends this week, I was setting another bonfire every time I turned around. Our next two weeks are a solid block of baseball, Jr. High plays, orchestra concerts, Jazz Band concerts, band concerts, Honor Society ceremonies, Jr. High Shakespeare plays, and who knows what else!

My mothering philosophy is similar to my living philosophy - we are here on earth to progress, to be a little better tomorrow than we were today. We are humans, so we frequently stumble on this path, hence the need for a Savior and the Atonement. As I live, or mother, I believe in starting where I am and doing the best I can, and having faith that the Savior will make up the difference for me.

I come from a mother, and I count many other women as influencers of the mother I am today. I know they each do the best with what they have and I strive to do the same. I may never be perfect, but hopefully I am improving. Hopefully, my daughter will do the same and be a better mother than I am. Hopefully, her daughter will continue the tradition. As the world changes, so do the challenges to motherhood and improvement is necessary to navigate the murky waters of pressing time commitments and less than desirable influences that creep into our lives. I love this quote from this amazing talk from Elder Ballard at the April 2008 General Conference:

"There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family... What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else."

I am proud to be a mother, proud to love my children deeply, and proud to prioritize them above all else. Happy Mother's Day to all of you!

Karen and Jean Fredericks - in the 1950's

Jean Fredericks, Karen Markin, Sara and Jennifer Barber - 1990


Rachel, Tami, Carol, Geoffrey, Krista and Kara Barber - 1980

Sara, Easton, Nixon and Jennifer Barber - May 2009 -Pico Beach

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