Spiritual Lessons in a Corn Maze

A few weeks ago, we decided to go to the American West Heritage Center for a family home evening. I wanted to try their corn maze since last year Landon begged me to take him, but we never ended up going.
When we got there the kids enjoyed all of the activities they had going on. They had a giant slide, a hay jump, a pirate fort made from hay bales, a kids maze and a maze in the dark, but the one
they were most excited for was the corn maze.



As we were entering the maze, we took this picture of my boys in the pumpkin patch.

At the entrance of the maze, they handed us a map to use if we needed it. I decided that it would be fun to try to solve the maze on our own. About 5 minutes into the maze, as we got further away from the lights and it began to get darker, my boys realized that there was no turning back and I could tell that they were a little afraid. I told them it was ok and that we would make our way through the maze sooner or later. We wandered for about 45 minutes getting more and more lost before our son Landon suggested that we pull out the map. Realizing that we could be in the maze for hours before finding the exit, Terry and I decided to look at the map.

This is what the map looked like. There were only curves and turns with no other landmarks to tell you where in the maze you were.
I began to realize at this point in the maze, what an amazing spiritual lesson I could teach to my children. I began to explain to them that this maze is a lot like life, we are placed in this life with tools to help guide us (just like the map could help guide us) I explained that Heavenly Father has given us the scriptures, the prophet our parents, leaders and many other tools to stay on the path, but sometimes we think that we can do it all alone without help. Sometimes we become lost like we were at that point, and sometimes it is not easy to get back onto the right path.
I explained that when we are not following Heavenly Father, like the maze, we feel alone, scared and in the dark. At this point in the maze, all we could do was wander around looking for some similarity to the map - the way the maze branched off or curved. While we were wandering a young teenage couple persuaded us that they had been marking the map with a pen the whole way, and that they knew how to get out. So we followed them for probably 10 minutes, before we realized that they were just as lost as we were, and we decided to go our own way. (Again another teaching opportunity.) I explained to my kids that Satan tries really hard to persuade us to follow the world and to lead us astray. Sometimes he makes bad things look good and enticing, we need to be strong and only follow the path that leads us back to Heavenly Father.
We wandered for another five minutes and still could not make heads or tales as to where we were. At this point, my son Landon suggested that we say a prayer. He said the prayer and after we turned a few corners we looked a the map again. We were completely surprised to find that we were able to determine with 80% surety that we were in the right lower corner of the book. We took out a pen and began to mark our path as we went, comparing the curves and turns. After about 10 more minutes we were 95% sure that we were following the correct path. I was very grateful that my son had gone to his Heavenly Father for help and had found the guidance that we needed. I told him that I hoped that he would stay close to his Heavenly Father all of his life and always go to him when he needs help. ( As a mother I was very proud of Landon- It is comforting to know what faith he has in God.)
We continued down the path, as we reached the finish line and walked out of the maze as a family, I caught a small glimpse of how sweet it will be one day if we are all at the eternal finish line together. It felt good to know that each person in our family had played some role in getting us to the finish boosting the others when they needed it, and that we never gave up- we kept on trying no matter how hard it seemed.
I am very grateful for this experience, even Terry and I took valuable lessons away from it. as As an adult, I still get lost sometimes and have to pull myself back onto the right path. I have to remember not to quit and to keep trying( Especially when it is tough.)
I hope that I will be able to make it to the finishing line with my family someday. To me that would be the most wonderful feeling of all!!!

The prayers of a child

One of my favorite things about being a mom, is to listen to the prayers of my children.
I love how children talk to Heavenly Father like he is their best friend. They say what is on their mind.
The other day I was leaving in the car to go to Salt Lake. I asked Landon to say a prayer for us, and this is how it went.
"Dear Heavenly Father
Please bless us that we will drive safely, and not get into any accidents.
Please bless us so we won't drive off a cliff, and please make it so if we are going to get in a wreck, our car will start to overflow. ( Meaning that we will overheat first, so our car won't work.)"
What a great prayer, coming from a kid that has complete faith that he will protect us. He didn't leave any details out, he just told him what was in his heart.
I really hope I can learn from this to speak to my Heavenly Father in a more personal way, because he does hear us and he loves us and wants to hear whats in our hearts!
I love my kids- they teach me so much!

Macho Macho Man

I have learned, through having three boys; that being macho and tough is something that comes natural to most boys! They naturally feel that they are protectors and that any sign of emotion shows weakness.
It is a rare thing, that I witness a sensitive side to my boys. Although I am glad that they lean towards the "boy" things in life, once in a while it is nice to see those hidden emotions in them, even when they are trying so hard to hide them.
Tonight at bedtime, Landon was talking to me about Terry's job as a Police Officer. In part of the conversation he asked me "What if Dad died mom?" I proceeded to tell him, that we would have to pull together and take care of each other. I also told him that because of our beliefs, we know that we could be together again someday. The whole time this conversation was going on, Landon was getting teary eyed and rubbing his eyes. I asked him if he was going to cry-and just like the typical boy he made all kinds of excuses to hide this emotion that was overtaking him. He told me he was just tired and had sleepy bugs in his eyes.
I told him that if he was feeling sad over the thought, that this just told me that he really loved his Dad, and that is a good thing.
I just hope Terry realizes how lucky he is to have boys who love and look up to him so much.
He is a great role model to my boys. I know that they know; their dad loves them.
Thank you Terry for being such an amazing Dad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Write it down before you forget!!!!

I have always been told, that you need to write down the funny things your kids say before you forget. This is soooooo true. My kids are always saying things that make me laugh and when I want to tell someone else or write it down, I have already forgotten.
So, having said this, I am going to try and write down those funny moments in their lives better. I think it will be a fun thing for them to reflect on, with their kids.
When my 4 year old Logan is done with whatever he is eating, instead of saying he is done, he will say "I want to save this for later." Well the other night Terry fixed him some dinner. After sitting and looking at it with a disgusted face for a few minutes he proceeded to tell Terry and I " I think I will save this for "WAY" later." I took that to mean, that he never wanted to see that plate of food again- but in a nice way.
(Disclaimer!!!!!! The food that Terry had fixed Logan was reheated Mexican food from a restaurant.) There you happy, I cleared your good name!!!!!!)
Then tonight we were having Family Home Evening and I asked the kids what feelings were. Logan said he knew, and then told me it was when you lift your hands in the air and your shirt is too short. ( I guess that could make you angry, embarrased, sad, jealous, and depending on the person lifting their hands up, even scary at times!!!!!!!!!!)
Then tonight as I was helping him brush his teeth I noticed a red mark on his face. I asked him if that hurt. He said yeah mom it hurts and so do my guts. I asked him what he meant by his guts hurt and he proceeded to point into his throat. ( I interpreted my guts hurt to mean I have a sore throat.)
Kids are so funny- I love that they are funny even when they are being so serious, it makes me smile :)