Lately, I have been focusing on capacity. My fasts and my prayers have been to plead for capacity to see my children for who they are and look past their attitude, behavior, crying, and whining and see them for their diving potential.
I noticed today in my scripture reading of alma 38 that Alma counsels his son, Shiblon, that in order to be filled with love, it is necessary for him to bridle his passion. I have always considered that good advice for a hormonal teenager or pre-mission child or dating-for-marriage returned missionary: true love is not passion, it is just love. Passion will completely get in the way of love, the Spirit, and peace. Bridle the passion, the hormones, the sex drive, the lust, and let love dictate your actions. Love is patient, and seeks the good of others, and obedient to God's commandments.
Perhaps there is another application for parents, although the above is still good advice for a married man. Perhaps he passions that I need to bridle are annoyance, anger, frustration, criticism, cynicism, impatience, etc. I am not all of those things all the time, but I am often employing one of those to my children. The thought is that maybe by actively seeking to bridle, or restrain, those feelings, I will be filled with love. I will have more room to love them. It will be easier for me to see the good.
A temperate man is one to be envied. A man who in all seasons can control himself and keep his calm. A man who can employ a level head and a fixed determination. I want to be that bridled, controlled sort of man.
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