The Artichoke Project : Gracious 4

Friday, October 25, 2013

Gracious 4

I know, not a very long post today. But this introduces the next focus of graciousness so well. Just think about what this says. If you want to share, what do you beat yourself up about?

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Who Am I?

This is a question I ask myself a lot. My name is Jennifer - quite possibly one of the most popular names ever. I just turned 38. I am very happily married to an amazing man who is truly the wind beneath my wings. I have 4 kids that bring excitement and joy (and sometimes frustration) to my life. I live in a tiny mountain valley and I love it. I'm an aspiring writer, a volunteer first responder/firefighter in our town, a stay at home mom who is rarely home. I love food (cooking and eating), reading, learning and basic crocheting. I also love target shooting, hiking, hunting and sometimes fishing. I prefer to wear warm-up pants and hoodies but also love to dress up in a "power" suit and heels. I love fuzzy socks, fleece blankets, a warm fireplace and a good book. I also love riding my bike around our little reservoir and through the farm lands in the sunshine.

So as you can see, I am still searching for who I am. Or maybe I have found who I am but I am just extremely well rounded?

The List!

Attractive
Bright
Charming
Confident
Creative
Delicate
Dignified
Faces adversity with hope
Faithful
Fearless
Follow Prophets Counsel
Gentle
Good
Gracious
Honors the Priesthood
Joyful
Kind
Knows doctrines of Christ
Lives principled life
Lovely
Loving
Makes sacrifices
Modest
Nurturing
Prays & Listens
Pure
Pure Motives
Quiet Strength
Radiant
Refined
Reveres motherhood
Seeks Learning
Sensitive
Serves others
Shows commitment
Speaks good words
Spiritual
Studies other words of God
Studies Scriptures
Teaches others of Christ
Tender
Testimony of Divine Origin
Treats body as temple
True Christian
Trusts God
Trustworthy
Virtuous

The story behind the project...

General Conference is typically a time when I listen and pat myself on the back for all the things that I am doing well. Food storage - check. Daily family prayers - pretty much check. Sunday church attendance - check. Family Home Evening - trying, so check. Family scripture study - decent, so check.

But this past Conference threw me for a loop. For the first time, I felt like a had a TO DO list a mile long. And it all started with one talk. One single talk. And not even the whole talk. Just one part. It referred to a talk given quite a few years ago by a woman named Sister Nadauld. She talked about that the world has enough women who are ------, we need more women who are -------.

And it hit me. I relate more with the Gretchen Wilson song, "Red Necked Woman" than I do with "As Sisters in Zion". Uh oh. I obey the commandments. I try to fulfill my callings. I put a lot of effort into being a mom. I bottle everything in sight, have not one, but two years worth of flour in my storage. I've planted fruit trees and a garden. I sometimes do my visiting teaching. I cook good meals for my family. My house is somewhat clean. I can do crafts.

But when all is said and done, is that what God wants me to be? Does He really care if I can sew my own curtains? Or does He have something completely different in mind for me?

I sat down with a few conference talks and compiled a list of attributes/traits that a Woman of God possesses. There were 47 items. 47. Concentrating on one per month makes this an almost 4 year project.

I was overwhelmed. The list was daunting to say the least. Some of the items seemed to almost contradict each other. How can you be strong and gentle at the same time?

I discussed this with a friend of mine. I was so discouraged. How could I completely change who I was in so many ways. What she said was perhaps the wisest bit of counsel I have received in my life. She said, "It is not about changing who you are. It is about remembering who you are. Our spirits are created to be all the things on your list. It is life that changes, or masks, us into who we become."

I seriously think this woman should write an advice column. And that is how the Artichoke Project was born. It is all about re-discovering, or remembering, the beautiful flower and tender spirit, that have been encased in tough, prickly leaves.

Artichoke? Why an artichoke?

Friday, October 25, 2013

Gracious 4

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