The Family System: Everyone has a Place

Even this guy has a place in the system!

So this week I thought I would focus on something we did in class today. We talked about the system and sub-system within a family. This made me think about myself and where I fit into my own family. When we drew the family with the arrows I thought about my own family and set of rules that we had. I noticed something. One of the unsaid rules was "stephen is the rebel." It was a thought that I had about myself but I thought more and more about it and I think it is true. I look back on my life growing up as the eldest child and I was never the one to go to for advice, or the other elderly brother things. It wasn't my thing. I was the "outcast" I guess for lack of a better word. I was never home because I held jobs through my highschool years, I dated girls and had girlfriends, I hung out with friends constantly, so I guess I never thought about myself as playing a part in some higher system. Something was and is amiss. I don't know what my other role in the family is. I guess im the "jokester" or something but frankly I havn't a clue.
However, now that im married, served a mission, and am a full time student, I have come to learn a new role in my family. I am the "head" of the household. I have started the "executive system" within my new found family. Whats interesting to me is that for FHE this past Monday, Jessica and I had a lesson on our favorite verses of scripture. We both chose scriptures from Doctrine and Covenants 121. She shared 7-9 and I shared 33-46. What they are about is a system within the individual. 7-9 discussed the blessings from following the system of you and God. When times get rough, our system with God can step in and the alliance we have with him can make the hard times better. In 33-46, it is about the personal sanctification it takes to uphold the priesthood righteously to allow for a "perfect" system to be established within the home, church, community, and ultimately the world. Now thats a far stretch with the world and community but like I learned from Jessica, in the verses 7-9, all things are possible when you fully trust in the Lord.