Faith & Bowels: Two Main Subjects of my Life

Greg told a woman at work that we were having twins today.  Actually, he emailed her and told her he was going to be a father again "with a twist."  Her response:  "It isn't Emily."  Haha!  Actually, her response was very interesting.  She said: "Well, you Mormons believe that everything happens for a purpose."  

This comment has been on both of our minds all evening.  First of all, this woman is considered "A Mormon."  She has been baptized and is therefore on the records of the church.  I'm positive there are two Visiting Teachers out there that diligently leave a plate of cookies and a photocopy of the monthly message on her doorstep every month.  Secondly, I pose the question: How does one make it through life without knowing that "to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" (to quote Ecclesiastes or The Byrds)? 

On another note:

Paige is seriously the sweetest, most delicious thing in my life right now.  Tonight, Macy fought yet another battle in her War of the Bowels (she is losing by the way).  Needless to say, she was incredibly grumpy all evening.  During an intermission, Paige tried to approach her darling sister.  Macy, having a rough night, pushed her away.  We tried to distract Paige by having her run an errand.  Halfway down the hall, she turned back around and ran toward Macy.  "Sorry Macy.  Kisses."  She put her arms around her and kissed her arm.  Even Macy's heart melted for a second or two.  

We also heard Paige repeat the words (with great concern I might add): "Enema...poo-poo...out."  She has such an advanced vocabulary!  I hope, with all my heart, that she shares this one with the check-out lady the next time we are in the grocery store.  It seems like all our family secrets are revealed at check-out stands.

Just to bring the conversation full circle:

While Macy was in the bathroom, screaming and crying, she was calling out, "I want to go to Heaven!"  See, even my little four-year-old knows that all of this suffering is for a reason and that our trials do make us stronger.  It seems like Sunday's theme was that trials do make us stronger as we come to a realization that we cannot do it without relying heavily on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  As we "Come to Christ" our "yoke" (so to speak) truly does become lighter and easier to bear.  We look at life with an Eternal Perspective as peace enters into our hearts and minds.  We are able to see the joy and the Lord's compassion so much clearer when we realize that everything truly does have a purpose.  (And no, I am not discussing bowels any longer).  

It does not matter to me that I may seem naive, ignorant, or idealistic to search for meaning in my life.  I believe it is there.  I am trying to look at these children as more of a blessing than a trial (although we've only just begun), but I firmly believe that this was the Lord's doing and He will take care of us.  Last Tuesday, the night before we found out about our two babies, I was contemplating Elder Wirthlin's words: "Put your trust in the Lord, do your best, then leave the rest to Him."  In this same talk, he quoted his mother's advice to him during a trial in his life: "Come what may, and love it."  I love the way the Lord works!  Just the night before, I knelt down and pledged that I would do better at following this council.  Those words came back to me during the ultrasound and my heart has been at peace all week.  Not only with these babies, but with other struggles in my life as well.

Yes...I do believe that everything has a purpose.  I believe that something as trivial as me picking up a certain Conference Talk at a particular moment has significance, or the sweet love and concern of a toddler has meaning.  It is my prayer tonight that this woman may find the answers and the peace that she is searching for as well.