My New Blog Title

I have been looking and pondering about a new blog title for quite some time. I asked some friends for some suggestions and one suggested "Hear me Roar". What? Obviously he hasn't read my blog because I don't think I am roaring to others in my posts. But his idea and the phrase I found did have something in common- lions!

When I re-read Julie Beck's opening session talk from the 2010 BYU Women's Conference, I found my answer. Here is a portion of her talk. "I have said lately that women are like lionesses at the gate of the home. Whatever happens in that home and family happens because she cares about it and it matters to her. She guards that gate, and things matter to that family if they matter to her. For example, if the lioness at the gate believes in the law of tithing, tithing will be paid in that family. If that family has a humble little portion of ten pesos coming in, that lioness will safeguard the one peso if tithing is important to her. If that lioness at the gate knows about renewing her baptismal covenants with God, she will be in sacrament meeting on Sunday, and she will prepare her children to be there. They will be washed, cleaned, combed, and taught about that meeting and what happens there. It isn’t a casual event, but it is serious to her, and it will be serious to them. The lioness at the gate ensures that temple worship is taken care of in the family. She encourages that participation. She cares about seeking after her ancestors. If the lioness at the gate knows about and understands missions, missionaries, and the mission of the house of Israel, she will prepare future missionaries to go out from that home. It is very difficult to get a lion cub away from a lioness who doesn’t believe in missions, but if the lioness believes in a mission, she will devote her life to preparing the cub to go out and serve the Lord. That’s how important she is. Service happens if she cares about it.

Sisters, you are each like the lioness at the gate. This means that there has to be some prioritizing. I was taught years ago that when our priorities are out of order, we lose power. If we need power and influence to carry out our mission, then our priorities have to be straight."

I just love that phrase and the divine role that we as women carry forth- it is my new theme! For her complete talk, click here.

P.S. This photo at the top of my blog is a picture of the Lions Gate at Hampton Court. Hampton Court Palace was built by Cardinal Wolsey, starting in 1514, although some time in the 1520s it became the property of King Henry VIII. The Lion Gates are at the Bushey Park entrance to the Palace. The gates were made for Queen Anne, and her initials are engraved into the columns. The wrought-iron gates may have been made by Jean Tijou, a French artist, and are more recent than the pillars; they might on the other hand have been designed by Sir Christopher Wren. Jean Tijou did make the wrought-iron screen in the Southgardens, in approx. 1694.