My Life

Reminding myself....

Words spoken by the prophet Thomas S. Monson at the Oct 2008 General Conference:
"This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and non-existent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now.

Many years ago, Arthur Gordon wrote in a national magazine, and I quote:

“When I was around thirteen and my brother ten, Father had promised to take us to the circus. But at lunchtime there was a phone call; some urgent business required his attention downtown. We braced ourselves for disappointment. Then we heard him say [into the phone], ‘No, I won’t be down. It’ll have to wait.’

“When he came back to the table, Mother smiled. ‘The circus keeps coming back, you know,’ [she said.]

“‘I know,’ said Father. ‘But childhood doesn’t.’”²

If you have children who are grown and gone, in all likelihood you have occasionally felt pangs of loss and the recognition that you didn’t appreciate that time of life as much as you should have. Of course, there is no going back, but only forward. Rather than dwelling on the past, we should make the most of today, of the here and now, doing all we can to provide pleasant memories for the future.

If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly."

I have to constantly remind myself to be in the moment.

To not over react.

To let things go.

To laugh and enjoy my children. 

To help them feel important and loved.

It's a challenge, I don't always succeed, but I'm doing the best I can.

On My Mind

With the recent political events and protests at the temples because of the passing of Proposition 8, it has caused me to think.  I am a proud conservative republican.  My political choices are guided by my religious beliefs and convictions.   There is no denying that the family and the sanctity of marriage is under attack.  When marriage is redefined in a way that fits alternate lifestyles and then that choice is taught to and imposed upon my children, I can't go along with that.  Families are ordained of  God.  Families are central to the creators plan of happiness.  Marriage is between a man and a woman.  That is how our Father in Heaven designed it to be.   

 The below was given in an address to BYU students by Elder Neal A. Maxwell in 1978.

"Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had 'never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life.'

"This is hard doctrine, but it is particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ. . . . Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. . . . This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions.

"Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.... Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, 'summer is nigh.' Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat."

--- Elder Neal A. Maxwell

Two Things

 

1. Halloween has not passed and the grocery store is decked out in Christmas trimmings.  Garland, bows, christmas crackers, even the donuts were decorated for Christmas.  It is annoying to me.  What ever happened to Thanksgiving?  Can we stop a minute and be grateful?

2. I went visiting teaching today.  This quote stood out to me:

"Women of God can never be like women of the world.  The world has enough women that are tough; we need women who are tender.  There are enough women that are coarse; we need women who are kind......We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need women of faith."

Sunsets and Finding Joy

  

My mom loves sunsets.  They live on Sunrise Mountain and her kitchen sink is positioned so that it overlooks the valley and she has an awesome view of the sunsets.  Sometimes we tease her about her sunsets.

The other day, we were driving together as a family, and I mentioned how pretty the sunset was.

Well.....Kyle called me out two nights ago quite excitedly, to see the sunset.  It was really pretty, and he was happy to share that with me.

I had to smile, because I am sure that Mom was enjoying it as well!

I have been trying to heed the counsel of our wise prophet, Thomas S. Monson.  He said most recently in our general conference:

"Day by day, minute by minute, second by second we went from where we were to where we are now. The lives of all of us, of course, go through similar alterations and changes. The difference between the changes in my life and the changes in yours is only in the details. Time never stands still; it must steadily march on, and with the marching come the changes.

This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and non-existent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now."

On this Love Day

Words of wisdom from President Gordon B. Hinckley:

"Do you want a spirit of love to grow in the world? Then begin within the walls of your own home. Behold your little ones, and see within them the wonders of God, from whose presence they have recently come."

“I am satisfied that happiness in marriage is not so much a matter of romance as it is an anxious concern for the comfort and well-being of one’s companion. Any man who will make his wife’s comfort his first concern will stay in love with her throughout their lives and through the eternity yet to come”

“When you are married, be fiercely loyal one to another. Selfishness is the great destroyer of happy family life. If you will make your first concern the comfort, the well-being, and the happiness of your companion, sublimating any personal concern to that loftier goal, you will be happy, and your marriage will go on throughout eternity.”

“Under the plan of heaven, the husband and the wife walk side by side as companions, neither one ahead of the other, but a daughter of God and a son of God walking side by side. Let your families be families of love and peace and happiness. Gather your children around you and have your family home evenings, teach your children the ways of the Lord, read to them from the scriptures, and let them come to know the great truths of the eternal gospel as set forth in these words of the Almighty."

Many years ago, Steve used to quote a saying that his mom had hanging in their home it said something like: "Love isn't something that you fall into.....it is something you grow."  I agree with this statement.  I love Steve more now than I did 10+ years ago.  We have gone through many challenges, trials, blessings, everyday life together.  Our love is strengthened through service and selflessness and sacrifice.  I am grateful to have the blessing of my family.  I love each one.

"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just like people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is just like an old time rail journey ... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."