That little voice...

Please, please, please listen to that little voice in your head.

For example, just know I got home from lunch with my husband and the three boys. It was right around nap time so Taylor (the 2 year old) was falling asleep in the car. I was able to manage to keep him awake until a minute or two before we got home. (If he sleeps much longer than that in the car, he will wake up when I try to move him into his bed.) So, I was going to take Taylor straight up to his bed. Turn on a movie for Isaac (4 years old), feed Parker (6 months) and then put him to bed, and I could take a nap. (Parker hasn't been sleeping well at night, so I'm exhausted.)

As I was getting out of the car, the little voice said, hang up your keys. I decided to put the keys on the shoe-shelf next to the door. Again, hang up your keys. But I go to get Taylor out and the car alarm starts going off. Isaac had pushed the panic button on my keys, and since he was standing right next to the front of the car, where the horn is the loudest, he starts sobbing! The car alarm and Isaac's crying wakes up Taylor, who now doesn't want to go back to sleep. I try to put him into bed, and then try to feed Parker. Every time Taylor gets out of bed and I have to go back upstairs to put him back in bed, Parker starts screaming.

Luckily it was only about 10 minutes, but an awful 10 minutes, that could have been avoided if I had just listened to that little voice in my head.

Most of the time I don't think I would notice the consequences of listening to the voice. If I had listened to the voice to hang up my keys, how would I have known that there would be screaming in the house for the next 10 minutes? But when I don't listen to the voice I definitely see the consequences!

There have been lots of times where the voice says; move that cup, or pick up that toy off the ground, etc. I don't listen and there is milk all over the floor or my husband (or one of the kids or me) steps on the toy I should have moved 3 minutes ago.

To us, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that little voice is called the Holy Ghost. I really believe that the Holy Ghost is giving me a lot of opportunities to listen to him, when the consequences aren't so bad; crying for 10 minutes, spilled milk or a stubbed toe. But I really need to start listening better and following the promptings so that when my kids get older and I hear the voice, don't let your kids go out to the game tonight, or don't let him go with that new friend, or whatever, that I do listen and follow the counsel of the voice, when the consequences could be a whole lot worse.

Courageous Parenting

Larrry R. Lawrence - Of the Seventy

of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

in October General Conference said

Years ago our 17-year-old son wanted to go on a weekend trip with his friends, who were all good boys. He asked for permission to go. I wanted to say yes, but for some reason I felt uncomfortable about the trip. I shared my feelings with my wife, who was very supportive. “We need to listen to that warning voice,” she said.

Of course, our son was disappointed and asked why we didn’t want him to go. I answered honestly that I didn’t know why. “I just don’t feel good about it,” I explained, “and I love you too much to ignore these feelings inside.” I was quite surprised when he said, “That’s OK, Dad. I understand.”

Young people understand more than we realize because they too have the gift of the Holy Ghost. They are trying to recognize the Spirit when He speaks, and they are watching our example. From us they learn to pay attention to their promptings—that if they “don’t feel good about something,” it’s best not to pursue it.

He never said anything bad happened to those kids, he never said they got into trouble, but we really don't know what could have happened if he hadn't listened to that little voice, and decided to let his son go.

I am speaking to myself mostly, but please learn to listen to that little voice. It will definitely bring you closer to the Holy Ghost and make your days a little easier. It may never be as dramatic as saving your child's life... but it could.

Larry R. Lawrence