This Week's Relief Society Lesson

One of my New Year's Resolutions this year is to start re-attending my church meetings. I attend the Cascade Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I had gone inactive for some time. Mainly for political reasons, which is a really lame reason to go inactive. 


Other reasons I have had for going inactive in the past are that it used to be very depressing. If you are a single person with no children and no prospect of either children or husband, it can be very demoralizing. In the old days, there were separate manuals for Relief Society and Priesthood. In this manual, there really was only one lesson a month I could put up with. None of the others seemed to emphasize anything than how being childless and husbandless would only lead to perdition and oblivion. Now, it is much better. 


However, this week's lesson did give me pause. I thought when reading the subject, Love Her Mother -- "Oh, no! Another lesson emphasizing what I'm missing!" But I was so wrong. I read the lesson and loved the emphasis. I felt that you didn't need to be Mormon for this apply. If you excised all the references to temple and temple marriage, it would be ideal advice for any new dad. 


For example: 
By the way you love her mother, you will teach your daughter about tenderness, loyalty, respect, compassion, and devotion. She will learn from your example what to expect from young men and what qualities to seek in a future spouse. You can show your daughter by the way you love and honor your wife that she should never settle for less. Your example will teach your daughter to value womanhood.


This is a wonderful section. It says nothing overtly about God or the Church but encapsulates the wonderful values we espouse. Much of domestic violence can be related directly back to this. Where do women set their standards for male behavior? From their fathers, their grandfathers, their uncles, from all their male relatives. It is so very important for men to realize how important their actions (and inactions) are.


I usually take Church members' vilification of television, internet, and other pop culture influences with a health dose of salt. I don't believe that media can really have that much of an influence on a healthy psyche. However, if you don't have any healthy role models, I can see that popular culture can have an unhealthy influence. So, instead of outlawing television and the internet totally, make sure that you are setting a good example. Make sure that you are a healthy and vital part of your daughters' lives. 


I may not know much of being a mother, but I am a daughter. I have a wonderful relationship with my father. My father isn't a strong believer in religion, but he does have a strong ethical sense. One he makes sure to pass on to his children. To this day, I call him "Daddy" - and I am 45 years old!