What counts?

Ah, Sunday. We have a love-hate relationship, really. Sunday is the day I bid farewell to my husband for the better portion of the day. True, he's doing very noble and great things. True, I am, too...or so I must make myself believe when my noble and great thing consists of lugging an infant carrier with a chunky 3 month old and trying to herd two very head strong toddlers to the car. Sunday school was also rough since we were asked to think about a place we thought was the most beautiful (Houston is fun...though 'beautiful' is not a word I associate with it) and my mind kept floating up to mountains. Any mountains. I desperately miss the mountains. Anyway...

Today our Relief Society lesson was all about scripture study. I love studying the scriptures. I haven't been nearly as diligent as I ought since...well, since I got married, I suppose. In all fairness, though, I got married within 4 months of returning from a full-time mission in Thailand, so my scripture study isn't really comparing apples to apples. Still, I have a lot of room for improvement.

However, here is my overarching issue that keeps growing as life goes on: what counts? In the mission I had at least 2 hours, sometimes more, of time to devote to scripture study. Real life? Not so much. And that non-existent 2 hours has become even more sparse as I've gone through college...then worked...then had one, then two and now three small children. BUT, why can I spend 2 hours working out? Where did that come from? I MADE it, that's where. I made it from the same place I made time to read the Hunger Games trilogy in two days (in my defense, there are only 3 Hunger Games books and then I was done. No need to re-read). Because somehow working out is more important than the words of life, right? NO. It's because I have issues with what COUNTS. I know exactly what counts as exercise...yes, I do overdo it, and sometimes I'll do a good interval run, then some weights, and then some yoga because all are important elements of fitness, but I know what counts with exercise. But what counts for scripture study? From my understanding here is what we're counseled to do (scripture-wise): everyday read the Book of Mormon, read scriptures individually, read as a couple, read as a family. Then don't forget the General Conference addresses, our gospel doctrine lessons, the Old and New Testament, Doctrine & Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, oh yes and we're supposed to read the Book of Mormon in our mission language daily as well so as not to waste the gift of tongues we were blessed with. Not to mention all the other great church literature out there. ISSUES.

How do I fit that all in? I can wrap my mind around squeezing in 15 minutes of yoga every night, or a run 3-5 times a week, and weight lifting (my favorite!!) at least twice a week. Even throwing in a tennis match weekly, or a swim day. I just haven't figured out how to fit in all that I'm counseled to do with the doctrine, which is harder I think because not too long ago there was time allotted for it all during my time in Thailand.

Maybe I don't need a set program. My mom always comments on how uptight I get about my exercise programs, and maybe I'm subconsciously trying to make a similar schedule for scripture study. Bishop just pointed out a quote from President Uchtdorf: "It might be wise to look at the...scriptures not as checklists or detailed scripts but rather as opportunities to prepare our minds and hearts to receive divine inspiration for our responsibilities." In other words, Bishop says, there probably aren't angels in heaven marking down what gospel literature I did and did not read. But did I have a spiritual moment today? Sort of like, did I do my 10 minute minimum physical activity?

I have no wisdom yet on this. Until then I'll just keep reading with my kids in the Book of Mormon, loving the fact that they both know how to say 'And it came to pass...' And on a good day I'll go read that same passage in my Thai Book of Mormon. For tonight I suppose that's enough. But, just like with an exercise plateau, I've got to figure out how to start seeing results again. I only wish it were as simple as adding in resistance training :)