Follow Up

Today, compared to yesterday when I was catching up on conference, I came across Elder Bednar's talk from Saturday Afternoon, "Therefore They Hushed Their Fears"

It was a good follow up to yesterday's post.
In the somewhat beginning of his talk, Elder Bednar says,

“But Alma went forth and stood among them, and exhorted them that they should not be frightened, but … should remember the Lord their God and he would deliver them.
“Therefore they hushed their fears” (Mosiah 23:27–28).
Notice Alma did not hush the people’s fears. Rather, Alma counseled the believers to remember the Lord and the deliverance only He could bestow (see 2 Nephi 2:8). And knowledge of the Savior’s protecting watchcare enabled the people to hush their own fears.
Correct knowledge of and faith in the Lord empower us to hush our fears because Jesus Christ is the only source of enduring peace...

Later on in the talk he says,

Different from but related to the fears we often experience is what the scriptures describe as “godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28) or “the fear of the Lord” (Job 28:28; Proverbs 16:6; Isaiah 11:2–3). Unlike worldly fear that creates alarm and anxiety, godly fear is a source of peace, assurance, and confidence.

So I will admit when I think logically about retirement, I think we are doing our best, life is going to work out. I used to always have this take on money, my husband is usually the one concerned with investing money, while typically I'm the day to day budget-er. But this past year or two has tipped the scales both ways, I was too busy/tired to pay attention to the budget so my husband picked up the slack. Then I realized I will not have babies forever and I will not be a young mom forever. It has really made me realize my own aging. I always knew one day I could die, but I never fully comprehended that one day I could die from old age! which means one day we'll be old and need retirement. So usually when I think of retirement, I'm thinking we are saving what we can, we're good, but lately when I look at my stained carpet or my peeling wood paint, or think about swim lessons I get a tad overwhelmed, thinking we might never get ahead.

Back to Elder Bednar near the end he says,

The righteous fear I am attempting to describe encompasses a deep feeling of reverence, respect, and awe for the Lord Jesus Christ (see Psalm 33:8; 96:4), obedience to His commandments (see Deuteronomy 5:29; 8:6; 10:12; 13:4; Psalm 112:1)....
As the scriptures certify, godly fear “is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7), “the instruction of wisdom” (Proverbs 15:33), a “strong confidence” (Proverbs 14:26), and “a fountain of life” (Proverbs 14:27).

So maybe I need this healthy dose of fear so I do make sure I'll be set in life. 

He closes with,

My beloved brothers and sisters, godly fear dispels mortal fears. It even subdues the haunting concern that we never can be good enough spiritually and never will measure up to the Lord’s requirements and expectations. In truth, we cannot be good enough or measure up relying solely upon our own capacity and performance. Our works and desires alone do not and cannot save us. “After all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23), we are made whole only through the mercy and grace available through the Savior’s infinite and eternal atoning sacrifice (see Alma 34:10, 14). Certainly, “we believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel” (Articles of Faith 1:3).

I do agree with what he says, which is where the previous talk comes in, when "we are overcome by the “cares … of this life” ... we are paralyzed by fear of the future, which hinders our going forward in faith, trusting in God and His promises." My stain carpet may look awful but doesn't it really matter. Its as clean as 15 year old carpet can be, the stains are clean.. they are just stained sort of like a white shirt after laundry day following spaghetti night. (I'm a pretty lazy mom when it comes to bibs, if they pull them off, then the shirt gets stained.) This also goes back to the Alffluenza post I wrote a few months ago. (Posting that on my blog was so liberating for me.) Apparently all I needed to do was admit to 92 random people that I buy things to impress other people. Once I did that, I realized how stupid and immature that was. Now I go to the store and I honestly can't find things to buy because personally for my own-self, I do not want any of that stuff. (I have a serious weakness when it comes to buying photobooks.)
Now this might seem off topic but its the cares of this world that make me spend money wastefully. When I have my eyes set on MY goals I'm totally capable of saving for retirement. I have godly fear not worldly fear.