"Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel"

The opening hymn in church today was "Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel".  Frequently, I don't give the attention that I should to the lyrics of hymns.  Today, I was really taken by the lyrics of the third and fourth verses.  They state, "Then don't stand idly looking on; The fight with sin is real.  It will be long but must go on; Put your shoulder to the wheel...Then work and watch and fight and pray with all your might and zeal.  Push ev'ry worthy work along; Put your shoulder to the wheel."  It made me really think of our boys and how their generation (and ours) cannot "stand idly looking on" but must actively strive to stay on the right path.  The effort needed to does not come easy so we must work to do it, watch for things that would lead us off the path, fight off those temptations and difficulties, and pray for the strength to do it.  It is a long battle but one that must be fought.  And it makes it a lot easier if you do it with a "heart full of song".  I hope that I can help my boys to joyfully work on the attributes and traits that will lead them on the right path by doing so myself.

Speaking of a "heart full of song", LJ has always had an affinity for music and lately has gotten really excited about the songs "I Am a Child of God" and "Teach Me to Walk in the Light".  He frequently tells us that he "likes those songs" and wants to sing them.  He is still learning how to enunciate all the words but it is very sweet to hear his little voice sing along.

Humor me by letting me share one other quick thought from church today.  One of the youth speakers was one that I worked with in Young Women.  She is the oldest in her family.  Her younger brother was passing the sacrament and happened to be the one that passed it to her.  Since she was on the stand, I was able to watch their interaction.  As he approached, she looked up at him with reverence and respect.  As she took the bread and water, she said "Thank you".  I felt that it was not only "Thank you" for carrying the bread and water to her but, more importantly, for being worthy to participate in providing the opportunity for her to renew her baptismal covenants.