Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Spiritual Due Diligence


 

Last night, I finally got around to tackling a project that I started a while ago:  creating file boxes for each child to keep their school papers and personal ID certificates safe and organized.  My friend Cammie makes these as gifts for people when they have babies.

I needed 24 hanging file folders for each child, so I sent Steve downstairs to find the hanging file folders that my Mom had given me when she cleaned out my Grandmother's files last year.

Since they had already been used, I would have to replace her file labels with the new ones for each child.  When I picked up the stack, I was immediately impressed by the labels that my Grandmother used, because they indicated what she cared about, what she spent her time learning, what was important to her.  

I wasn't a bit surprised to see labels such as "RS - Homemaking, Personal Preparedness, Temple Info, School of the Prophets, Emma & Joseph Smith, Consecration, Amherst, Nauvoo, Kirtland, Rocky Mountain West, The Restoration."

My mother had already cleaned out the contents of the file folders, so they were mostly empty.  But under the label "Jewish Holidays" I found a sticky note in my Grandma's handwriting that said, "See Sacrament in Ordinances for Paschal Supper."

I thought about file folders today.  Keeping papers on file is a pretty foreign concept to us these days.  But we do "Pin" things in online file folders.  And I wondered...What things do we pin or file in a digital format and what will our online file folders reveal about us someday, about what we spent our time on, about what we cared about?

I have yet to stumble on a pinboard that even remotely resembles the faithfulness and diligent gospel study that was the keystone of my Grandmother's life. I am thankful, once again, for my Grandma's example...and I hope to live up to the legacy that she has left for me.

9 comments:

  1. I once asked my children if they could tell by my actions and words what was most important to me. They answered almost in unison, "Yes, the gospel." I felt so pleased. I'm sure your grandmother is pleased with you too.

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  2. What a treasure!  I have my files filled with my treasures.  I know I should probably just create a digital file for everything, but I love marking up the paper, writing notes, and the "Old school" method of learning.

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  3. Love this post! What does my online self say about me? Great to ponder :)

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  4. That is a beatiful legacy.

    I have a HUGE milk crate (OK two) stuffed full of things for our FHE's and scripture study and talks...it goes on.  I am so worried about losing the internet or whatever that I never take the time to pin...I print!  :)

    My boys love being able to go down and pick something, or just go to read.  I love that they do that.  It is a wonderful feeling.

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  5. That's an interesting thought. When I started using Pinterest I realized that the things I pinned would be a reflection of who I am and I now consciously try to keep my boards in line with who I really am and what is important to me.

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  6. I have a bookmark folder titled "Good Reads" and in there is a subfolder titled "gospel reads" where I bookmark all my favorite talks/articles/lessons/blog posts/etc. I like the idea of pinning them to pinterest. It's just most of the websites don't have any fancy pictures :-/ 

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  7. Great idea on the file. I have one like that for my greeting cards that a friend gave me as a gift, and I love it.

    =)

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  8. Gasp, I thought as I first saw this pix.  I thought, How did Jocelyn get a typewriter to look like mom's IBM Selectric?  Then I read on...they WERE my mom's, lovingly typed, filed, and treasured.  And I know she treasured you.  Man, how i miss her

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  9. Over the last year or so my grandparents returned to activity in the church, and just last month were able to go to the temple for the first time since my mom was a girl.  Growing up, my mother was the only one in her family who went to church.  It is never to late, and one is never to old to repent.  I am so grateful for their example.
    I believe you are totally making your grandmother proud...how could she feel anything otherwise...you are awesome, and you share everything with others, uplifted and blessing them.  She is proud of you!

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