What I learned from TOFW

A few things I learned at Time Out For Women:

• Just like you have core muscles in your body that help the other muscles work easier, a family has a core too, the mother. Many people say if mama aint happy, no one's happy. And that may be true! But the opposite isn't... Just because mama's happy, doesn't mean everyone else is. The mother doesn't necessarily set the tone in the home, but we've heard that our whole lives. So we feel guilty about what we can't control (the moods of others, what happens to others, etc.) We can't control how a certain child will view or respond to a certain event. But we feel like there should be more control. When other people's kids misbehave, we judge the other people. We try to find out WHY their kid misbehaved (ie. They don't give him enough freedom, so he rebels. They don't give him enough rules, so he can get away with anything.) We judge like this so we can try to see what the other people did wrong and try to not do it. But instead of judging, we should ask, "How can I help?"
• Alot of times we're lead to believe that if you keep all the commandments, do exactly as we're taught, marry in the temple, have a cute family, read your scriptures, and say your prayers, that bad things won't happen to you. Don't believe bad things WON"T happen to you. When they do, don't say God has deserted you. The Gospel is not insurance against pain. It is a resource in the event of pain! (broderick)
• We can control ourselves and our reactions. 1. refuse to engage in petty arguments... this is the way it is and that's how it's going to stay (when it comes to rules and such.) 2. don't let the "straws" pile up... this way there is no last "Straw"
• Love does NOT mean not having to say your sorry. It means the offenses hurt even worse and you have to say sorry more often!
• "I give the kdis the gift on an imperfect mom so they won't enter marriage with unrealistic expectations."
• One of the speakers read Mathew 25:35, but added a new "motherly" twist to it. "For I was an hungered, (and you woke up at 2 a.m. to feed me): I was thirsty (and you refilled my sippy cup 20 times): I was a stranger (and you let me into your home and gave me cookies and milk for an afternoon snack): Naked (and you did the laundry): I was sick (and you took me to the doctor and helped me get well): I was in prison (and you sacrificed your body and mind and spirit, to give me a body of flesh and bone and free me, like my Father in Heaven.)
• This isn't what you do while you wait to be exalted. This is what exalts us!
• What did he die for when he died for me?
• Psalm 30:5 ... weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
• God expects us to find a way to be happy and have joy IN SPITE of all that makes us sorrowful and sad and brings us down.
• Don't you think God is sad when his children reject him? Don't you think the Savior was disappointed when his children didn't listen or the apostles didn't understand? (Mark 14:34) If the Savior felt sorrow sometimes, why do I think I'm not supposed to ever feel it?

There are alot more notes and things I learned, but some are very personal... just for me. It was very uplifting which I needed and got me thinking about alot of things which I needed too. I'm very GRATEFUL I was able to go. Maybe I'll be able to go next time they come to Nashville.