blessing

I read this beautiful quote from Sister Bednar yesterday. Just what I needed. I feel like I need to follow the counsel in that blessing as well.

"My husband was enrolled in a demanding doctoral program at Purdue University far away from our families and familiar surroundings. We had two small children, very little money, limited time to spend together as a family, and we were having difficulty balancing the rigors of graduate school, family responsibilities, and church assignments. Does this situation sound familiar? Well, this daunting task began to take its toll, and I found myself feeling very overwhelmed with my responsibilities as a wife and a "stay-at-home mother." The feelings I felt were not necessarily unique to me or my circumstances. After considerable contemplation, I remember asking my husband for a priesthood blessing. In this blessing I WAS PROMISED THAT I COULD BEGIN TO BETTER COPE WITH MY DIFFICULTIES IF I WOULD EXERCISE CONSISTENTLY, GET MORE SLEEP, EAT PROPERLY, HAVING MEANINGFUL PRAYER NIGHT AND MORNING, AND ENGAGE IN DAILY SCRIPTURE STUDY. The reason I remember so vividly the instruction I received is because I thought afterwards: "This is going to solve my problems? These are standard 'Sunday School' answers. Besides, I'm already doing some of these things." Does this attitude sound a bit hard-hearted? Maybe if the message had been to take a vacation to the beach, or sign up for an art class, or have my nails done, I would have been more receptive to the counsel. I guess I was searching for different solutions, and I balked at the banality of what I had been counseled to do. I pondered the blessing, and over a period of time I came to know and understand that these inspired admonitions were plain and simple, yet profound. As I moved from casual observance to a more steadfast and heartfelt implementation of these principles in my life, I discovered a sense of emotional peace, a feeling of physical well-being, and a spiritual confidence that brought tremendous blessings to my life. Like those in Moses' day, all I had to do was to "look!"" (Susan Bednar, "To Look," Brigham Young University-Idaho Devotional, September 10, 2002, www.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/Devotionals/2002_09_10_BednarS.htm.)