So, I had an interesting thought on a different perspective on parenting while sitting in Priesthood class last week at church.
Within the past few weeks, Carolyn and I were talking about our kids (of course). And Carolyn was mentioning how you can’t treat kids as “little adults”. Meaning, that you think that you can just reason with them like you would reason with any regular person. Things like “If you continue teasing your sister, you will go to your room and not get a snack” or “If you won’t wear your shoes outside, then it will hurt when you walk across the gravel driveway” or “If you run into me with that shopping cart one more time, then I will take it away from you”. But they just don’t get it, and often do things that are not in their (rational) best interests. And as Carolyn pointed out, it’s because they are in fact NOT little adults, and their minds just aren’t mature enough to grasp that.
So while sitting in class on Sunday, we were tangentially talking about something like this, and I got the insight that this is probably EXACTLY how our Heavenly Father thinks about us, as HIS children.
He’s probably sitting up there thinking “Man these kids are SO stupid. I have told them over and over what they need to do to be happy, but they still do all this stupid stuff! Grr……….: 
So continuing on my series of General Conference talks - this week it was by Dieter F. Uchtdorf, called “The way of the Disciple“.
A few quotes.
It is not enough merely to speak of Jesus Christ or proclaim that we are His disciples. It is not enough to surround ourselves with symbols of our religion. Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessings of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not a primary way of worshipping.
Love the analogy.
A friend of mine recently wrote to me, confiding that he was having a difficult time keeping his testimony strong and vibrant. He asked for counsel.
I wrote back to him and lovingly suggested a few specific things he could do that would align his life more closely with the teachings of the restored gospel. To my surprise, I heard back from him only a week later. The essence of his letter was this: “I tried what you suggested. It didn’t work. What else have you got?”
Brothers and sisters, we have to stay with it. We don’t acquire eternal life in a sprint—this is a race of endurance. We have to apply and reapply the divine gospel principles. Day after day we need to make them part of our normal life.
Too often we approach the gospel like a farmer who places a seed in the ground in the morning and expects corn on the cob by the afternoon
In contrast, the gospel of Jesus Christ has the answers to all of our problems. The gospel is not a secret. It is not complicated or hidden. It can unlock the door to true happiness. It is not someone’s theory or proposition. It does not come from man at all. It springs from the pure and everlasting waters of the Creator of the universe, who knows truths we cannot even begin to comprehend. And with that knowledge, He has given us the gospel—a divine gift, the ultimate formula for happiness and success.
I remember hearing this when he gave the talk. I think of it as a comparison to fad diets and everyone’s insistence that whatever they do work RIGHT NOW, in contrast to my revolutionary diet “Eat less, exercise more“.
Our beloved friend Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin taught us this principle with clarity when he said:
“Oh, it is wonderful to know that our Heavenly Father loves us—even with all our flaws! His love is such that even should we give up on ourselves, He never will.
“We [might] see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever. . . .
It’s interesting to compare one’s thoughts and hopes for one’s children with how our Heavenly Father feels, but about everyone.
Anyway I hope you enjoyed this.
So as many of you are undoubtedly aware, for the past year or so (okay, okay, it’s been exactly 380 days according to my nerdy detailed spreadsheet), I have been trying to find $100 in coins. Well, actually it started out being just coins but I expanded it to just any found money.
I went into today at $97.76 and then the fam headed to the mall for Cow Appreciation Day. i.e. dress up like a cow and get free Chick-fil-A.
Immediately when we got there, we checked the racecar strollers. This has been a good source of coins - at the mall they have these racecar strollers that you can rent for $5. When you return them, you get 4 quarters back. But sometimes people don’t return them, or they don’t put them back in the dock right, or sometimes they try to return them but the bank of places to turn them in is full. So we tested the strollers near the food court and boom - one of them came right out - it hadn’t been returned correctly, so we were up to $98.76. Then it was off to Chick-Fil-A. We ordered 4 #1 meals and 3 #3s - all free!
The manager came out and wanted to take our picture with the cow. We were snapping pictures too - you can see more on FB.
We found 2 dimes and a bunch of pennies at the mall that put us up over $99 and I started thinking about how if I had a good day tomorrow that I might hit $100. We were really trying to find a nickel for the 2nd straight day of coin cycle but couldn’t find one. Then, as we were leaving, we spotted a family with a racecar stroller that was heading towards the Miller Family play area (i.e. where Nordstrom is under construction). We had previously noted that the bank that is located by the exit there was full, so we thought that might bear watching. Instead, they turned to go out another exit and left the mall with their stroller. We “discreetly” followed them.
They got into their car and just left the stroller in the parking garage. After a bit of loitering as we waited for them to drive away, we pounced on the stroller and took it back into the mall. We headed down and returned it. Here’s me returning the stroller that put us up over $100.
And here’s the final 4 quarters that did it.
So now what? I’m not sure - I still plan on trying to find coins and other money but I’m not sure what to set as my next goal. Maybe I’ll try to hit $200 by the end of the year?
Yup, I was outhustled yesterday afternoon. I had stopped to get some gas, and after filling up, I did my normal jaunt around the pumps, checking for coins. I went one way, and then I was coming back to my car when I spotted a nickel and a penny on the ground.
But so too did an old guy coming out of the building and heading to his car. And he was closer, so he bent down (without throwing out his back) and scooped em up. Oh well….
But nevertheless I was not daunted, and went on to hit the coin cycle yesterday, my 2nd in 3 days! And with the $3.15 in coins I found on Saturday, I am now up to $96.12. I am on pace to hit $100 on the 22nd - 15 more days!