Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Traditions


I'm a person who really loves traditions, and I've instituted a number of them throughout my life. A few of my children are just as bad as I am, and they are not happy when changes are made.

I've always liked the scripture from Luke 14:28-30: "For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish."

When our first grandchild was baptized and confirmed, receiving the Holy Ghost (also known as the Holy Comforter), Randy and I decided we would honor the occasion by making that child a "comforter". Unfortunately, when I sat down to count the cost and decided that I had sufficient to finish, I only had seven grandchildren and the energy of a 50-year-old. I've just finished comforter number ten (Nicole is turning eight on Saturday), and I have nine more to go. I'm going to do my best, but I'm not certain I have "sufficient to finish".

Geraldine Edwards (one of my favorite authors) said, "Traditions are an important part of the celebrations of our lives. The repetition of things we love leaves deep and happy impressions in our minds and spirits and helps us to live with rejoicing." She also said, "When an event becomes so crusted with traditions that we find ourselves dreading the work rather than eagerly looking forward to the event, when the doing is no longer a delight, then we are serving the tradition -- the tradition is no longer serving us."

Thank you, Geraldine! When I find that I am dreading the work involved in perpetuating a tradition, I give it up and replace it with something different. Remember, if you have done the same thing more than once, it is now a tradition. Perhaps I should work hard and make all the comforters now. Another ten years or more could do a lot to squelch my "sufficient."

1 comment:

Tristen said...

Yes, I vote that you make the comforters now, all at once if you can. And take a year to get them all done if you have to-- one bit at a time. It's a great tradition, but one you might be able to hand off to the moms if it gets to be too much for you!