Love, Leniency and Lessons Learned...

Garrett is so patient with me. Everyday I wonder how I found such a man to marry! He understands the scriptures so plainly and applies them so easily into his daily life. He lives his life being guided by the Spirit and teaches me everyday to do the same. Whether it's teaching a Relief Society lesson or following a prompting, I have learned that when I let the Spirit guide the results are always what they need to be and better than I could have ever done on my own.With the kids being off for summer break we've played a lot and spent many days at the pool, but along with all the play, we have worked hard (but it's not without it's share of "oohs" and "can't I just go play" from the kids). Lately I've felt the overwhelming desire to teach our kids to understand the importance of working hard...not just doing a job, but doing it well and finishing the job completely and with a cheerful heart.The other night, as Garrett and I talked in the office and the kids played downstairs, I shared with him some of my frustrations with the way the kids sometimes answer me when I ask something of them, or the way they don't finish a job the way I expect. We talked of the kind of examples we, as parents, are and how just last week we had worked all day in the yard, pruning trees and clipping branches and in so doing, had filled the truck bed to capacity. Garrett asked me to make sure I got to the dump the next day...well, our morning was going along just as planned and I had every intention of going to the dump, until my good friend, Diane, called and invited us to go to the Roy Pool. Of course, we were in! I knew the dump could wait, but what was I teaching the kids? I was distracted by fun and excitement...just the same way my kids are distracted when I give them jobs to do. I was the one who needed to change or not be so harsh on the kids.He decided to bring the kids up for a little talking to. I listened as he taught gospel principles to the children, as he told them what he expects from them and what he won't tolerate. Then he told them again how much he loves them. He taught lovingly and patiently and I was in awe.Again, it was just the two of us talking and he shared with me the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, found in Matthew 18...he asked me if I was familiar with the parable and I told him all that I knew and then he asked me what I thought it was about. Of course, the obvious...forgiveness, but then he patiently and lovingly taught me what the Spirit had taught him many months earlier.The indebted servant has no assets, so his master commands all that he has to be sold, including his wife and children. By ancient custom, a creditor could sell a debtor, with his family, into servitude for a time sufficient to pay a debt. Hearing this, the servant falls down before him in a seemingly humble and earnest manner, entreating him to have patience with him. The king sees his distressed condition and has compassion on his family, forgiving him of the whole debt...10,000 talents, which is equivalent to 'zillions' of dollars or something like 150,000 years of work...something that could never, ever be repayed in a lifetime. Jesus uses this amount to show that the debt—sin—was immense and humanly unpayable. To us, and those we touch, the impact of our sins is immeasurable, but Jesus' sacrifice is greater, covering all sins.Grace bestowed puts the receiver under obligation to manifest the same grace to others, yet this servant, when he saw one of his own fellow-servants in the street, went to him and recalled his unpaid debt which was much less. He seized him by the throat and demanded payment or he would throw him into prison until it was paid. The debtor pled for leniency and patience, but there was none given to him...this man who had just been released from a greater debt sent him to prison for much less than the same servant had just been forgiven of by the king.Garrett taught me about leniency. That the Lord is lenient and merciful with us and we are required to show that same leniency toward others...even, or especially, with our children or maybe our spouses at times.I sat there with a humble and broken heart, a contrite spirit and tears welling in my eyes as my sweet husband taught me about love. I don't want to ever forget this evening and all that I learned from an understanding husband and from the Spirit.