Talk preparation

So last week, Tim and I were asked to speak in church this Sunday.  You know me, I love to talk...  always have PLENTY to say, so no problem-o, right?   Not so much.  Maybe it shouldn't be this way, but I feel  a bit more pressure since it is Easter Sunday.

I have spend  this entire week  reading and studying about the Atonement o Jesus Christ.  It has been a wonderful week.  (on the other side of the coin, it has also been a challenging week because Tim left earlier Monday morning to go to California  as a chaperone on Aaron's  8th grade field  trip.  Being a "single parent" is not easy.)  Interesting  dichotomy.

It has been interesting to me  to learn so much this week, and yet I still don't have a talk prepared.  (or even anything close!)  SO many thoughts and ideas and feelings churning around  in my mind - and I just can't seem to narrow them down.  I went to the temple tonight, hoping for some clarity there.  It was wonderful - peaceful.  but not clear direction regarding my talk or some primary questions I was asking.

I want to invite the spirit in a way that the congregation will  be able to FEEL and know of the Savior's love. I desire that their understanding of how the atonement can help them everyday, in everything,  not just when we "sin."  I want to reach out to those who are struggling and feel they are always falling short - I want them to know that they are NOT out of reach of the atonement.  I've read  so many talks and books and everything, now I can't remember who said  what - or  know how to find a particular thought or quote again.  I was sitting up,  trying to write out an outline, hoping that would help  sort out the many jumbled thoughts in my mind, but instead, it is just ended up as a jumbled mess of  thoughts on paper...

I've decided I will go to bed instead, and hope that the spirit will communicate with  my soul  tonight while I sleep, and I'll wake up with a little more clarity.  Also glad to know that  Tim and Aaron will  be  home tomorrow.  YEAH!  (can't  wait to see if he was actually able to ind any time to write his talk - while riding on a bus with a bunch of  noisy teenagers and while keeping busy all week running from one destination to another... trying to keep 6 teenage  boys in line :)

Good  night