Daily habits: brushing teeth and scripture study

I have this bizarre gift to find parables in every day life, to be struck by spiritual lessons in the most ordinary of circumstances, especially as a mother.  Sometimes an every day, run of the mill moment (like arguing with my child about whether they like dinner), inspires a dawning realization, a lesson that I learn from and take with me for years.  I truly do feel it is a gift, albeit a strange one.  Some time I'll have to write down my epiphanies on boogers, dehydration, and playdoh.

A few years ago, I was in a slump on scripture reading, and recommitted to daily study again.  I came to the end of the day, as I was preparing for bed, and realized I hadn't read yet.  I decided to multi-task (I LOVE finding ways to combine tasks) and read my scriptures as I was brushing my teeth.  I have NO idea what I read that night, but after reading a very short time, my spirit had an "a-ha moment".   In that profound moment, I realized how alike brushing my teeth every day and reading my scriptures every day actually are.

Let it be truthfully declared that I am not as diligent at daily prayer and scripture study as I should be, even after Gideon's passing, although it has provided me with additional motivation to be my very best self, as he's an angel in heaven, and I have a long way to go to be that celestial.  I want to be better, and grow to be the person God sees when he looks at me.  I don't exactly know who that is, but I glimpse her here and there in my deeper spiritual moments.  Like most people, my daily habits are sometimes very diligent, and sometimes not so much (envision a person trying to learn to drive a vehicle with a stick shift--there's a lot of lurching forward and stalling.)

You know how on a day when you've eaten a lot of candy, your teeth start to feel pretty grimy by the end of the day?  It feels really good to brush that all off and start over clean, to get the gunk off and feel my real mouth again.  Only if I am really sick do I ever say to myself "I am just too tired to brush my teeth tonight."  And even if I am sick, I don't ever miss 2 full days in a row, it is disturbing to even think about.

Daily prayer and scripture study do that for my soul each day.  I am more mindful of it in the last few months than I was even before, as I need that daily dose of perspective to keep me going, to help me have the faith that I will have answers and be with Gideon one day, that God does indeed hear and answer my prayers.  When I go a day without reading my scriptures, it's like the gunk has built up--all the heaviness and confusion of a busy life in a mixed up world just sticks, and I don't feel like me.  When I study my scriptures and pray, I am able to start fresh, feel my real self again.  I am happier, I am able to shed off the grumpy, less patient me, and become closer to the person I know I can be.  Only it's way too easy for me to tell myself "I am just too tired to read my scriptures tonight." and then sometimes to miss a few days in a row.  I know I need to do better, that it should be just as appalling to me to skip my scripture reading as to skip brushing my teeth: one is a physical need, the other is a spiritual need, truly a need, not just a nicety.

The analogy can go further--go too long without brushing and teeth begin to decay, cavities form.  Go too long without reading scriptures, and faith (and my kindness and patience) begins to dwindle.  Still a problem that can be solved, but it takes more effort to have a cavity filled or regain knowledge and/or a testimony and to get back into the habit of not losing a temper.  Having cavities filled or teeth crowned comes at a high cost.  So does losing a testimony.  Preventative maintenance does require daily effort, but it's worth it.  (Plus fresh breath and a happy attitude are much nicer to be around for those who have to be near me.)

I have a few favorite places to read in my scriptures: In the Book of Mormon, I love Ether 12, Moroni 7, 2 Nephi chapter 4, and 3 Nephi chapters 11-17.  I love and enjoy much of Proverbs (especially chapter 3), and Psalms a lot.  I also love Phillipians 4 and Ephesians 4, 5, and 6, but I have been loving reading in James lately.  I love how he talks about DOING and not just believing. about how powerful the tongue can be, about being submissive to the Lord.  When I haven't known what to read lately, that's where I go.  Sometimes, I study out a topic (like controlling one's temper or being happy or finding faith), but when I don't, I just go to my old favorites and they give me that daily fresh start.  I love finding the perspective I need to prevent spiritual cavities, and to help remind myself how to become that person I hope to be one day.