sedulous /adj./ persistently or carefully maintained. diligent in application or attention. persevering, determined. plugging. tireless.
sedulous /adj./ 1. I wish I hadn't chosen "sedulous" for the word of the week. It seemed to define my whole week, and made me wish I had chosen "felicity" or "ameliorate" or even "rapture." I could use some rapture.
sedulous /adj./ 2. My Christmas cards are still in a terrifying state of undone-ness. David was my sedulous administrative assistant yesterday, trying to help me find correct addresses and enter them into the computer. This was a monumental job. My version of an address book is just a big file (my idea of organization...ha!) where I throw scaps of paper with addresses scribbled on them (with or without a NAME!). Yesterday I found three addresses just for Kelly jammed into this "file." Then comes the exciting game of "Name The Current Location!" And this is only half the battle...I did work sedulously on my Christmas letter this week, but it still needs to be folded and stuffed, not to mention writing the actual cards.
sedulous /adj./ 3. It was also another week of sedulous work in the kingdom of God, culminating with a talk I had to give yesterday in sacrament meeting. (So happy to have that out of my head.) My assigned topic was our 2008 YM/YW theme "Steadfast and Immovable" from Mosiah 5:15. (See, even the talk theme was just more synonyms for "sedulous." Crazy.)
sedulous /adj./ 4. Yesterday was my mom's 58th birthday. She is the very definition of "sedulous." Everything in her life has been carefully maintained, and she is the most persevering, tireless person I know. She raised nine children, and I cannot comprehend the kind of commitment and covenant and "plugging" resolve that required. Most days I wonder, "How did she do this?" She is a wonder and wonderful. And I love her. I see how she gave up her life for me and spent every day sedulously working for my blessing. Happy Birthday, Mom.
sedulous /adj./ 5. I'm not sure how to talk about this last definition, other than by saying that some weeks it is easier to be sedulous than others. Some weeks the fetal position looks entirely more inviting than the plugging tirelessness required to keep going. Sometimes perseverance requires real, concerted, purposeful effort. This week was like that for me. But through it all, I felt the tender mercies of the Lord surrounding me. He is always there for me, and I offer my humble testimony that He knows me and takes sedulous care of my heart.