Hi fellow wise women!

I was lucky to participate in our stake's Ten Virgins production this winter. It really was a life changing experience. The cast party was the actual climax for me, so I don't want the sharing and closeness to end. Plus, this way Michelle doesn't have to keep forwarding our e-mails! You don't have to be a cast member to follow and contribute to this blog. I would like this blog to be for women trying their hardest to be wise, and a place to share tips, thoughts, and feelings.

I have had so much energy and happiness the past 3 days, and it all comes down to the light bulb moment I had at our cast party. When Jennifer Shipley stood up and honestly told us that she she didn't appreciate being a part of the Ten Virgins production until the very end. That she simply kept coming because she had made the commitment. She was so sad that she did not embrace with eagerness and joy, the opportunity that she was given earlier.

The Holy Ghost woke me up and told me that this is what I am doing with my life and with the gospel. Right then and there I told myself that I was not going to wait till I am old and gray to love and know Christ's gospel personally, and then look back with sorrow because I walked so many days in the dark. Before Jennifer got up, I did, and expressed my determination to put scripture reading back at the top of my to do list. Malka's character saying, "besides my friends don't need their lamps, I can see in the dark just fine"--(something like that), had resonated with me much earlier in practice. I have been thinking I can go through raising my kids and marriage without reading my scriptures. The last time I had a consistent, daily, personal scripture study habit, was in College Institute class (many moons ago). I found myself thinking that I had a strong enough foundation that would keep me strong. But what about having the spirit with me daily? I am a little more consistent with prayer, and I am good at doing the things that visibly will affect my family (family prayer, and at times we have had a good family scripture study habit).

Now I realize that I can not be on fire and feel the spirit in my life, like I did in our production, unless I read God's word and personalize it every day. All of the sudden sleep, tv, and computer are not as important as getting up at 5 AM so I can study for a half hour, and start my day off right! And sure thing, as I read 1 Nephi 1:12 it was if the Lord wrote the words for me--"as (I) read, (I) was filled with the spirit of the Lord." The Lord knows I want to be lead by the spirit daily, and all I have to do is read! It's so simple, and I have heard it every week at church for years, but until now I haven't felt the hunger. So THANK YOU Jennifer, I knew what changes I needed to make from doing the show, but it was through your contrite words that the Holy Ghost pierced my soul and changed me forever. You are my angel!