Beliefs are of little value unless we live them

This article is another one my Mom told me about. She always finds these great reads. It is called Beliefs are of little value unless we live them. It is so, so true! 

When our boys were in hockey we found it harder and harder to follow what we were so desperately trying to teach them...which was that they were never aloud to play hockey on Sunday. That church came first and that is what is important. Someone once said to me, 

"well, when you sign them up to play hockey you are signing a contract so you are making a commitment to the team." 

I said, 

"True, BUT, they made a commitment to Heavenly Father looooooong before they made this commitment to their hockey team. And hockey isn't what is going to get them into heaven."

That being said, we did give in a couple of times when their teams absolutely needed them (not if they missed church though). One of the hockey Mom's came up to me and said, 

"Barb, why did you give in now and let your boys play on Sunday, even if it is for just one game? Don't let anyone make you guys feel bad or bully you into changing what you are trying to teach your boys...I think it is so neat! Stand strong for what you believe in!"

I was SO upset with US for justifying letting them play those couple of games on Sunday. Here is a hockey Mom telling me to hold on to what we believe in and not to forget what is important to us. I couldn't believe it, but I was SO grateful she said something to me. We were slowly starting to cave and not realizing what was happening. 

So when hockey started this past fall we signed the boys up thinking nothing of it and that that is what they wanted. Both our boys told us that it wasn't worth them missing out on their Cubs/Scouts and feeling guilty when they couldn't play on Sundays. That they didn't want hockey to interfere in what matters more! We couldn't believe it...here were our boys telling us what was right to do. We are so proud of them and the choice they made. I know they miss playing hockey and we miss watching them play...but in the end it was the best decision.

Living our religion and what we believe in is ohhhhh sooo important! It is easy to say one thing and do another...but in the end, Heavenly Father is very aware. 

What the world thinks of us isn't what is important. It is easy to go and do what others are doing around us so we "blend in"  but, we aren't meant to "blend in"  Heavenly Father is needing us to stand out and be the examples he needs us to be. 

One of my absolute favorite sayings is:

I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it.