Thursday, March 31, 2011

Why is it so hard?

I am leaving on a trip today, and I am wondering why it is so hard for Mother's to leave? I had a million things to do and yet, I still wanted a great dinner for everyone last night, the house to be cleaned and all the laundry to be caught up and folded. I must be crazy!

I had to get my sewing machine and serger to the shop, for maintenance cleaning and repairs while I am gone. Every time I started to put them in their cases, I thought of one more thing I wanted to sew real quick. When I called the shop and told them that I was bringing them in, I told the lady that I was leaving on a trip and having SEPERATION ANXIETY. She then asked me how old my children were? I laughed and said, "Oh I am not talking about my kids, I am worried about being away from my sewing machines for so long!" She laughed but she probably thought I was an terrible MOM!

I am actually missing my family already and friends. I am not sure how I will be without my granddaughters? I am a real home body. I love my home and the life I have. Leaving is a bit tough for me and yet, I am excited to go and see the rest of my family. So I need to run, I am hoping to get my blog done each night if I have service where I am going. If not, you might see a post from my daughter Amy or my husband Jeff. Beware, he has doesn't write like me.! :)

Have a wonderful day!

"Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier."  ~ Mother Teresa

"You never really leave a place or person you love, part of them you take with you, leaving a part of yourself behind."   ~ Unknown

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

EMPOWERMENT

I loved this article. I have talks with myself all the time ( we don't need to let that get around), and some time it's positive, and some times it's not! So this was a great reminder for me. Why does it seem easier to say negative things to ourselves rather than positive? I know that answer, I just need to remember it now!
Good night dear friends!

Personal Empowerment
  by: Marlene Blaszczyk

    Use Empowering Words When You Talk to Yourself
(whether you are speaking out loud or silently) How do you talk to yourself? Do you use the words "can't", "won't", "don't need to", "why try"?  Many people do.
   Do you find that what you say to yourself turns out to be true?  Why is this? You see your brain is like a computer that you feed each day. It doesn't know always know what's real or not unless you tell it.
   Example: If someone you love has hurt you, you may tell yourself that all people who love you will probably hurt you too.
   Your brain just files this information for reference, it's data, little zeroes and ones and no column that asks "true or not true?" Now your brain thinks, based on what you told it, that everyone you'll ever love will hurt you. How do you think you will respond the next time you get hurt?  Right!!
Now, what if we instead told our brain:
   "Okay this person ripped my heart out - but that's only one person. I'm lovable and have many loving people in my life who are not out to hurt me. I know that the right people are coming into my life all the time. If someone hurts me, I will forgive them and bless them on their way."

Words can be empowering.

I can
I love to
I want to
I will
I must
I am

   We can reach a new level of living, if we feed ourselves empowering words and practice saying them until they become a habit. I know first hand that it takes time.  And I also know that it's worth it. Try it for a week. Catch yourself saying, "I can't", when you don't really mean it and instead try, "I can", and see how you think and feel about yourself.
   Remember, the words you use to empower yourself will have a lasting effect, only if you practice them and they become a habit (an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary).
   They say it takes at least 28 days to develop a habit. After a week, you will see that it becomes easier. It's a mind-set and you can control your thoughts. Be proactive and not reactive - give yourself some good words.

   Dream big and empower yourself! Believe you can and you will.

"Don't let the negativity given to you by the world disempower you. Instead give to yourself that which empowers you."
- Les Brown

"You can change your beliefs so they empower your dreams and desires. Create a strong belief in yourself and what you want."
- Marcia Wieder

They write it because we want to read it!

I was getting my hair cut the other day and I forgot to bring a book to read . I picked up a magazine to just pass the time. I was shocked as I read about all the famous Movie Stars and all about their lives. But what really surprised me was the one article that talked about what was in the female Movie Star's purses. I mean, I know they are going to write about their hair, who does their make-up. The designer for their dresses and how much each piece of their jewelry cost but...there was a whole two pages about what was in their purses! I just couldn't believe it. Do I care what is in their purses? NO But the world does, some one wants to know everything about their lives...YES, even down to what is in their purses.

It just made me stop and think. Do I compare, or spend energy on these so called STARS? If I do then what would be the purpose. For over 25 years I have been counseling with women who compare themselves to everyone that is richer, prettier, more successful than them. I have at times, looked at a Star and wondered how did they get so lucky? But that was years ago when I didn't really know what you read isn't always necessarily the truth. When you really stop and evaluate the Stars and their lives or lack of one, it makes me feel more sorry for them, than wanting to be like them.

We need to remember to stop comparing ( I am talking to myself again ), stop wasting time on looking what others have and what we don't have. Try to enjoy every single blessing we have. When I do that, I feel so much better, my perspective is clearer, and I realize what I have ....Faith, Family, Friends. And that makes me one of the richest women in the world!

"It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not."   ~Anonymous

"Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy."  ~Norman Vincent Peale

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Looking for the good.

Today I was reminded of this lesson...always looking for the good. In this article that I read, it talked about why looking for the good is so important. He says it better than I do, so I will share part of the article with you. It starts out with a couple looking for a new home, as they went around the neighborhood to talk to people about it, this is what they found.
"One woman they spoke to said of the school her children were attending: " This is the most incredible place! The principal is a wonderful and good man; the teachers are well qualified, kind, and friendly. I am so pleased that our children can attend this wonderful school. You'll love it here!
A different woman said of her children's school: "It's a terrible place. The principal is self-absorbed; the teachers are unqualified, rude, and unfriendly. If I could afford to move out of this area, I'd do it in a heartbeat!"
The interesting thing was that both women were speaking about the same principle, the same teachers, and the same school.
Have you ever noticed that people can usually find whatever they are looking for? Look hard enough, and you can discover both good and bad in almost anyone and anything.
We have a choice. We can seek for the bad in others. Or we can make peace and work to extend to others the understanding, fairness, and forgiveness we so desperately desire for ourselves. It is our choice; for whatever we seek, that we will certainly find."   ~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf   http://lds.org/ensign/2011/03/looking-for-the-good?lang=eng&query=March+2011+Ensign+Dieter+F.+Uchtdorf+talk+Looking+Good

I loved this, so true! Wouldn't we all be a lot happier in life, if we looked for the good instead of the bad? I have done both, and I have to admit ...looking for the bad is not a happy place to be. I do believe it is our choice and after reading this again today, I am recommitting myself to strive harder each day to look for the good! Yes, that is a much brighter way of life. If you haven't done it...try it!

"Optimism is the foundation of courage "  ~Nicholas Murray Butler

"The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious of the rose" ~Kahlil Gibran

"Optimism is the foundation of courage"   ~ Nicholas Murray Butler

It is important to dream!

I was talking to my friend the other day and explaining to her, how good it felt to look forward to things again and to even dream. During my battle with cancer, my dreams stopped completely. I was so concerned about each day and if I could make it through it.  Honestly at the time, thinking about the future at all ...was just too frightening. Here I am almost 2 and half years from my diagnosis of cancer, and I am beginning to dream and look forward to things again. Some days I still get scared but like this story reminded me, we need to keep dreaming and not let any one, or any situation take them away from us. Good night dear friends!

I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch in San Ysidro. He has let me use his house to put on fund-raising events to raise money for youth at risk programs.

The last time I was there he introduced me by saying, “I want to tell you why I let Jack use my horse. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses. As a result, the boy’s high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.

“That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables and the track. Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000-square-foot house that would sit on a 200-acre dream ranch.

“He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, `See me after class.’

“The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, `Why did I receive an F?’

“The teacher said, `This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you’ll have to pay large stud fees. There’s no way you could ever do it.’ Then the teacher added, `If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.’

“The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, `Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.’ “Finally, after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all.

He stated, “You can keep the F and I’ll keep my dream.”

Monty then turned to the assembled group and said, “I tell you this story because you are sitting in my 4,000-square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace.” He added, “The best part of the story is that two summers ago that same schoolteacher brought 30 kids to camp out on my ranch for a week.” When the teacher was leaving, he said, “Look, Monty, I can tell you this now. When I was your teacher, I was something of a dream stealer. During those years I stole a lot of kids’ dreams. Fortunately you had enough gumption not to give up on yours.”

- Author Unknown      http://academictips.org/blogs/keep-your-dream/

“Don’t let anyone steal your dreams. Follow your heart, no matter what.”


"The invariable mark of a dream is to see it come true."    ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Children...you gotta love the way they think!

I got to spend the whole day yesterday with my granddaughter. Since her sister has been so sick, she needed to just get out of the house and give her Mommy a break too. I just love how she sees the world as a almost 5 year old. It truly is refreshing, and makes you stop and realize some of the small and yet important things we miss as adults.

We first had a picnic in the front yard. She kept saying "Nana, I love the sunshine", "I love this day", "isn't this the greatest day ever?", "let's go find sticks" don't you just love being outside in the sunshine?" Picnics are so much fun, aren't they?" "I love strawberries" "we should do a picnic more often Nana"

It just made me think about all those wonderful, small and yet important things that maybe I don't get as excited about any more. She was so excited and grateful for everything. I think it is important not to lose that kind of appreciation and excitement and we grow up and get busy. Maybe that is one reason God gives us grandchildren...to help us remember that? Well...it worked!

Smart Thinking
My dad gave me one dollar bill
'Cause I'm his smartest son,
And I swapped it for two shiny quarters
'Cause two is more then one!
And then I took the quarters
And traded them to Lou
For three dimes-- I guess he didn't know
That three is more than two!
Just then, along came old blind Bates
And just 'cause he can't see
He gave me four nickels for my three dimes,
And four is more than three!
And I took the nickels to Hiram Coombs
Down at the seed-feed store,
And the fool gave me five pennies for them,
And five is more than four!
And I went and showed my dad,
And he got red in the cheeks
And closed his eyes and shook his head--
Too proud of me to speak! ~ Shel Silverstein

 

The world is as many times new as there are children in our lives."  ~Robert Brault

"Children are unpredictable.  You never know what inconsistency they're going to catch you in next."  ~Franklin P. Jones

"While we try to teach our children all about life,
Our children teach us what life is all about."
~Angela Schwindt

Thursday, March 24, 2011

You are always a MOM!

   "Once a Mom, you are always a Mom." That's the truth. This whole week has been tough on me as a Mom and Nana. 3 people out of our family of 10 have been sick, and that is always hard on my heart. I kept thinking it might get a bit easier as they get older but...it really doesn't. Just like the phone calls in the middle of the night, leave you with that sick pit in your stomach. That's sorta what it feels like to have my kids sick or hurting and I can't do anything about it.
   Our oldest son is just a few weeks from graduating from college. He has been running himself ragged trying to get all his projects done, plus school work and working. I think he is sick because he has just burnt the candle at both ends for too many days and nights in a row. How I wish I could bring him over some Chicken Noodle Soup and see what I could do to help them.
   Next has been our youngest son Lee. He has been having pain in his stomach off and on now, for over a year and still no one knows quite what it is. We went to see a specialist yesterday and did a few more tests, and so we will see what happens with that. I know he was worried but didn't want to show it. Even at the age of 17, it is hard not to think of him as my Little Lee, and worry a bit.
   Then our granddaughter Jenny has been sick with the flu for four days now. I am glad we live close so that we can help in some way. Now I am just the Nana, but it hurts to see these little ones sick. I still can't believe that I lived through all four of our kids, and all their illnesses.
   Jeff said that when the kids were little and got the intestinal flu, he thought I went over board when the only thing I would give him for dinner was bananas, rice, applesauce or toast! You know the BRAT diet! I didn't really think it was that unrealistic, considering I had been cleaning up after all four of them with the flu for days. Just because he wasn't sick, I didn't even want to take the chance, so I had us all it the BRAT diet for days afterwards. Ok, that does seem extreme, but I guess you just had to be there. :)
   So tonight, I will pray hard for our family, and hope that tomorrow will be a better day. I know these things aren't big and are probably temporary, but still it is a bit hard. Maybe I am being too honest?  But the truth is...I would rather be sick myself any day, than watch my kids or grand-kids be sick. It is amazing some how that we survive though!  I am just grateful to know that they will survive too. At least we have each other, that is actually saying a lot! So even though it has been a tough week, I feel very blessed!

"Children and mothers never truly part - Bound in the beating of each other's heart." -Charlotte Gray

"I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me.  They have clung to me all my life."  ~Abraham Lincoln

"If you have a mom, there is nowhere you are likely to go where a prayer has not already been."  ~Robert Brault

The invincible YOU!

I tend to forget my worth some days. I struggle with negative thoughts about myself. I don't do it as often as I used to but, there are those days. I found this poem and thought...this is one of those things that you copy and put on your mirror or fridge. Every now and then, we all need to remember how INVINCIBLE we really are! When we truly realize that, life gets so much better!
Thanks for being such invincible family and friends!

Nothing to Fear

There's nothing to fear --- you're as good as the best,
As strong as the mightiest, too.
You can win in every battle or test;
For there's no one just like you.
There's only one you in the world today;
So nobody else, you see,
Can do your work in as fine a way:
You're the only you there'll be !

So face the world, and all life is yours
To conquer and love and live:
And you'll find the happiness that endures
In just the measure you give;
There's nothing too good for you to possess,
Nor heights where you cannot go:
Your power is more than belief or guess ---
It is something you have to know.

There is nothing to fear --- you can and you will.
For you are the invincible you.
Set your foot on the highest hill ---
There's nothing you cannot do.

-- Author Unknown

"It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not."  ~Unknown

"We have to learn to be our own best friends because we fall too easily into the trap of being our own worst enemies."  ~Roderick Thorp

"Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you."  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Missing something!

I read this story the other day and laughed pretty hard. First you should read the story and then I will leave my comments for the end.

Missing Husband

A lady went to the police station to file a report for her missing Husband:
Lady: I lost my Husband
Inspector: What is his height?

Lady: I never noticed
Inspector: Slim or healthy?

Lady: Not slim can be healthy
Inspector: Color of eyes?

Lady: Never noticed
Inspector: Color of hair?

Lady: Changes according to season
Inspector: What was he wearing?

Lady: suit/casuals I don’t remember exactly
Inspector: Was somebody with him ?????????

Lady: Yes my Labrador dog, Calvin, tied with a golden chain, height 30 inches, healthy, blue eyes, blackish brown hair, his left foot thumb nail is slightly broken, he never barks, wearing a golden belt studded with blue balls, he likes non veggie food, we eat together, we jog together…. And the lady started crying…..

Inspector: Let’s search for the dog first!!!!!!!

Wasn't that funny?  Of course it was funny for a story, but in true life that would be really sad. I do believe all of us at different times in our lives, maybe have had our perspective out of whack like that. When you stop and look at your thoughts, time and efforts and where they are put, are our lives balanced or not? Are we putting the proper time and energy into our marriages and family, verses other things in our lives?  It made me laugh but yet made me really stop and think. Hope it does the same for you.

(Now the picture below, is not of a cute lab named Calvin, but this is a photo of my new GRAND PUPPY Keeva! Isn't she cute? I haven't actually met her in person yet, but in just 3 weeks I will...hope I can keep things in perspective, after all she is my first Grand Puppy you know? :)  Good night dear friends!

"You don't marry someone you can live with, you marry the person who you cannot live without."                ~ Unknown

"Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate." 
~ Barnett Bricker

"Sometimes it's the smallest decisions that can change your life forever."  ~ Keri Russell

Monday, March 21, 2011

The true test of someone's character!

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do
are in harmony." ~ Ghandi

 

I found this quote today, and I have to say that I believe it is true about the happiness part, but also it shows your true character. How you live your life, verses how you say life you life can be two different things. When your actions and your words are totally different, then I believe we start to see more of the real person that we are dealing with.

 

May we strive harder to make sure what we think , say and do...is all in harmony. Yes, that would make one happy too wouldn't it? Just a thought for the day! Or I should say for the night!

 

"Integrity is doing the right thing, even if nobody is watching."

"Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honestly is telling the truth to other people."  ~ Spencer Johnson

"One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised."  ~ Chinua Achebe

 

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Yes there are still Miracles today!

I heard about this story in church today. I cried as I listened to the teacher talk about it. How amazing is it that a 4 month old baby could survive in conditions like this. Yes, it is a miracle! You have to wonder what incredible things this little girl is suppose to do when she grows up?  How grateful I am... that God continues to give us miracles, which in turn give us more hope for the future!  Good night dear friends!

Miracles in Japan: Four-Month-Old Baby, 70-Year-Old Woman Found Alive

By: William Lee Adams

A Japanese officer smiles as he holds a 4-month-old baby girl who was rescued in Ishinomaki, in Miyagi prefecture, on March 14, 2011

A Japanese officer smiles as he holds a 4-month-old baby girl who was rescued in Ishinomaki, in Miyagi prefecture, on March 14, 2011

Amid the silent corpses a baby cried out—and Japan met its tiniest miracle.

On March 14, soldiers from Japan's Self-Defense Forces went door to door in Ishinomaki, a coastal town northeast of Senda, pulling bodies from homes that had been flattened by the earthquake and tsunami. More accustomed to hearing the crunching of rubble and the sloshing of mud than sounds of life, they dismissed the baby's cry as a mistake. Until they heard it again.

They made their way to a pile of debris and carefully removed fragments of wood and slate, shattered glass and rock. And then they saw her: a 4-month-old baby girl in a pink woolen bear suit.

A tidal wave literally swept the baby from her parents' arms when it hit their home on March 11. Afterward, her parents — both of whom survived the disaster — took refuge in their wrecked house, worried that their little girl was dead. Soldiers managed to reunite the baby with her overjoyed father shortly after the rescue.

"Her discovery has put a new energy into the search," a civil defense official told a local news crew. "We will listen, look and dig with even more diligence after this." Ahead of the baby's rescue, officials reported finding at least 2,000 bodies washed up on the shoreline of Miyagi prefecture. How the child survived drowning — or being crushed by fallen trees and houses — remains a mystery.

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/03/15/miracles-in-japan-four-month-old-baby-70-year-old-woman-found-alive/

"The child must know that he is a miracle, that since the beginning of the world there hasn't been, and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like him."  ~ Pablo Casals

"Don't believe in miracles - depend on them."  ~ Laurence J.  Peter

"Miracles are natural. When they do not occur something has gone wrong."   ~ Unknown

Understanding God helps!

   I have put this story on my blog more than once, but I was discussing this very subject with a friend today and it reminded me of it ! We were saying, why it is that when some people have trials it makes them lose their spiritual grounding and others, it makes them stronger? I believe the ones that get stronger, are the ones that truly understand God, and His characteristics and attributes. Understanding how much He loves us, and that He would never give us more than we can handle...really helps. It helps to strengthen your faith, and a deeper faith... in turn gives you more peace and hope! 
   Understanding that everything happens for a purpose, and that many or the trials we will go through, will truly be our greatest teachers. But so often  we are impatient, or our faith waivers. Truly understanding God, can help us endure things better. Many times our perspective is narrowed and we can't see the whole picture. Knowing God can ...really help!
I love this story, hope you do too. Night!

The Burning Hut

The only survivor of a shipwreck washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stung with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering.

Remember next time your little hut is burning to the ground- - it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.

 

"God loves each of us as if there were only one of us."  ~St. Augustine

"God's promises are like the stars; the darker the night the brighter they shine.'  ~David Nicholas

"Every happening, great and small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message."  ~Malcolm Muggeridge

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Devoted Husband

I have to admit, some times I wonder how in the world Jeff and I have been married almost 29 years? We definitely have our differences, and yet I can't even imagine without him. I have said this more than once, but marriage is really hard. It helps to keep things in perspective and to realize that we are suppose to be different, we were actually made that way. We are also suppose to keep a sense of humor because sometimes you are going to cry... IF you don't just laugh about it. I have to remember how he sees things are totally different than how I do, and that can make the situation maybe a little more understandable. Yes, being married to your best friend is the greatest thing in the world and also the toughest! So we just keep working at it because in the end ...there is no one that I would rather be with ...than Jeff!

I thought instead of writing much tonight, I would just share these funny photos with you! I hope it makes you smile and I hope it helps you to remember to ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

 

I am assuming that this husband just got tired of the story she was telling? Still I don't like the look on his face! :)

Image

Sort of brings a tear to your eye, don't it?

ATT00073

A wedding anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance and tenacity.  The order varies for any given year.  ~Paul Sweeney

My wife says I never listen to her.  At least I think that's what she said.  ~Author Unknown

Don't marry the person you think you can live with; marry only the individual you think you can't live without.  ~James C. Dobson

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Luck of the Irish to you!

What a fun and busy day it was. First I was able to go out with a friend for her appointment and then we went to lunch. It was great catching up with this dear friend, we are definitely going to have to do that more often. Next Amy and I got things ready for our St. Patrick's Day dinner. She got the Corn Beef, I made Cabbage Soup, we had green salad (that was the easy part) then we decorated the table with Shamrocks. We even had cute dessert plates that were for St. Patrick's Day and green utensils, yes... it was a fun and family filled night. Just wished that Brad, Krystal and Lauren could have been with us. At least they were all together celebrating on their own, in Idaho!.
It is funny that we never really celebrated St. Patrick's Day very much in years past. I might have put some food coloring in a couple of things, but that was about it. Then Krystal ( my daughter-in -law) was here last year on March 17th and she really showed us how to celebrate St. Patrick's Day! It was so much fun, that we made a lot more preparations for it this year. I made pillows, table runners, and a wall quilt out of green materials, Amy made Shamrock banners, I made green wreaths for the front doors and last but not least... I was able to design and make these St. Patrick Day shirts for my granddaughters.

I have my health (which is huge), my family and so many dear friends that I can't hardly count them all.

Yes, I feel like I am one of the Luckiest girls in the world!

I will leave you with an Irish Blessing, and say Good Night dear friends!

 DSC00280[1] 

Irish Blessings
Like the warmth of the sun
And the light of the day,
May the luck of the Irish
shine bright on your way.
May your pockets be heavy-
Your heart be light
And may good luck pursue you
Each morning and night.
May the good saints protect you
And bless you today
And may troubles ignore you
Each step of the way.
May joy and peace surround you,
Contentment latch your door,
And happiness be with you now
And bless you evermore.
May brooks and trees and singing hills
Join in the chorus too,
And every gentle wind that blows
Send happiness to you.
May good luck be your friend
In whatever you do
And may trouble be always
A stranger to you.
May the roads rise to meet you.
May the wind be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
The rain fall soft upon your fields
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

DSC00263[1]

"I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."  ~ Thomas Jefferson

"If you are lucky enough to find a way of life you love,  you have to find the courage to live it."  ~ Unknown

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Mandy the Third!

Now I know this may sound a bit weird... but try to listen. It is important during stressful times, to try to find some humor if you can. So after my mastectomy, I realized that in order to feel or look partially normal I had to get a prosthetic. Since I didn't want to have to say Prosthetic all the time, I named it Sally. Now Sally wasn't the best fit for me, and so I had to return her and go to another store that sold prosthetics and knew more about how to fit... them so that is exactly what I did. My new prosthetic is named Mandy, I actually liked that name better for some reason. After a year of use, Mandy had some problems and so I had to return her  (and since she was under warranty) I received Mandy the Second.

These new prosthetics are actually amazing. They don't need a specialty bra with a pocket sewn in them, if you don't want to. You can use them with any bra or bathing suit. They stick to you and so they are much more convenient when you have to get up and dressed in a hurry. But of course like everything else lately, the prices have raised. They cost $500.00 can you believe that? Insurance will pay $350.00 of that, and the rest is out of pocket. How funny that something like this would cost so much, and all for a prosthetic you can use out of pocket, is going to cost quite a bit out of pocket! :)  I thought about calling all the kids, and see if they want to donate for the purchasing of Mandy the Third with me ( just kidding ) but thought I'd better not, sometimes my kids don't quite understand my humor...can you imagine that?

Truth is, I am grateful to be in remission for the past two years, I am grateful for technology that has invented a prosthetic that looks pretty normal and I am grateful that I can have a sense of humor about it all, for the first few months...I didn't even think I would smile again or go out in public. I am a far cry from that and I am so glad.

So life is hard but things could always be worse. Try to look on the bright side of your trials and learn from them...it really does help!

moms_poster_finished_edited-1 

"Determination, patience and courage are the only things needed to improve any situation."  ~Unknown

"Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before."
~James Buckham

"If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it."
~Mary Engelbreit

Full Circle

I loved this story about Hope, Love and Life. I also believe the quote that says..."What goes around, comes around!" It is a great reminder for us to realize our live's experiences are here to teach us something, and to help mold us into who we need to become. Enjoy!

KalaiMoli was an orphan girl who grew up with her aunt and uncle. Her aunt was her mother’s sister, and she took her in only because no one else wanted her. Her cousins were about the same age as her, but they never got along. They always picked on her and made her feel unwelcome.

She didn’t go to the same private school. Instead, she went to a nearby public school. Sometimes, her aunt would make her do household chores all afternoon that she only had time to do her schools work late into the night. Sometimes, too, she would go without dinner as a punishment for something she didn’t do.

Through it all, one thing kept her going - the thought that someday she would earn enough money to support herself, and she can leave the house that has brought her so many heartaches and tears.

She never blamed anyone for her fate. She just accepted the fact that this was the life handed her and she had to make the best of it.

Her only friend was a schoolmate named Kanmani. Kanmani comes from a rich family, but she was very simple and good-hearted. KalaMoli’s plight made her feel sorry for her, but her friend’s determination to succeed and positive outlook on life are what Kanmani admired about her. Her friend’s strong character is something she respected.

“Someday, Kanmani, I can leave everything behind and start life on my own.” She would often tell her best friend. “Someday, I can be truly happy away from all the people that hurt me.”

Although she accepts the fact that she owed a lot to her aunt and uncle, and that she would always be grateful to them for taking her in, she also understands that they have no place in their family for her.

KalaiMoli recalls how hard her life had been back in her home town, but now that she has become a successful doctor, mostly helping the poor and going on medical missions to other impoverished countries, she acknowledges that, without those hardships, she wouldn’t be where she is now.

With the love of her best friend and the hope that kept burning in her heart for a better life, she has finally reached her dreams.

“Indeed, hardships and trials in life come to make us stronger and better persons,” she admits to herself.

She silently whispers a prayer of thanks as she tends to an orphaned little girl. At last, she has come full circle.

http://tamilostories.com/tamil-love-shortstories/hope-love-and-life/

 

"The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible."                          ~ Authur C. Clarke

"However mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it hard names."  ~ Henry David Thoreau

"I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."  ~ Henry David Thoreau

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

You may be the answer to someone's prayer!

   I struggle each time I see a homeless person standing or sitting by the roadside with their signs. I always say a silent prayer that some how, some way they will find some help and direction in their life. It is a tough decision at times to give money, and some times a tough decision not to. I have done both. I am not hear to argue what others say about these homeless people. I have heard people say that no one should have to beg on the streets with all the shelters and services out there to help. I have heard people say, that some of the people aren't really homeless, it is just a great way to make some good money. I have heard people say, that if you give them money then they are just going to go by cigarettes or beer with it.
    Whatever you believe, I still think we need to try and help those around us. Many times, we are the answer to someone's prayer. The ones we need to help may not be homeless at all. They may look the same as  you and I, and yet be fighting a terrible personal battle of their own.  Maybe our phone call that day, helped them to feel wanted and loved. Maybe it is the stranger on the street, or someone in our neighborhood that needs help. I just feel like more often than not, we need to look at those we come in contact with every day, and see if there is a way that we can be of some help to them. We can pray each day to be guided to those who need us. Don't forget by starting to look at the people in your own home. Everyone is needy at some point in their life. This story below, reminded me of this tonight.


"One cold evening I went to New Delhi Railway station to reserve my ticket for Kolkata. It was too cold, foggy weather; I could not stand outside. I parked my bike near the station counter and I tried to go inside the ticket counter.
Suddenly, I saw a man, trying to get relief from the cold with a torn blanket, on the footpath. He had no hands, no legs, and he was trembling from the cold. He was trying to cover his body with the torn blanket, but he failed every time to do it. He wished for someone to come and help him.
So many people crossed by there, with a smile, to see the scene. I forgot all about the cold and I was whispering to myself, "God, why you are giving so much pain to his handicapped person? Why are you not helping this man?"

Then I suddenly realize that God sent me to help this person and I quickly ran to help him cover his body.
He said, "SUKRIYA BHAISAAB (Thanks)".
It's not a big thing for everybody, but it changed me a lot. God gave me the dream to help poor, handicapped people. I realized one thing that a dream is one thing, which runs human. From that day, I promised myself, whatever it may take, I will help lots... lots... of people to live a happy life.
Here I would like to request everybody, if you see anybody who requires help, don't just pass by. Try to give possible help to them. Maybe God sent you to help them."

http://www.motivateus.com/stories/dptw.htm

 

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."  ~Anne Frank

"We can do no great things, only small things with great love."  ~Mother Teresa


"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.  It's not. " ~Dr. Seuss

Monday, March 14, 2011

Choices and feeling PEACE!

Today in church we talked about feeling peace in your life and what choices we are making. One of the speakers mentioned that in order to feel peace in her life, she had to really look at the choices she was making and the priorities of those choices. 

Here are some of the notes that I took down, and part of the article that the speakers were referring too. It was a great reminder to me, (even though our youngest is a senior in High School) to take time out to do the BEST things with him right now,  and of course spending time with our granddaughters... is one of the BEST things too.

"As we consider various choices, we should remember that it is not enough that something is good. Other choices are better, and still others are best. Even though a particular choice is more costly, its far greater value may make it the best choice of all.

Consider how we use our time in the choices we make in viewing television, playing video games, surfing the Internet, or reading books or magazines. Of course it is good to view wholesome entertainment or to obtain interesting information. But not everything of that sort is worth the portion of our life we give to obtain it. Some things are better, and others are best.

Some of our most important choices concern family activities. Many breadwinners worry that their occupations leave too little time for their families. There is no easy formula for that contest of priorities. However, I have never known of a man who looked back on his working life and said, “I just didn’t spend enough time with my job.”

I loved this story...

In choosing how we spend time as a family, we should be careful not to exhaust our available time on things that are merely good and leave little time for that which is better or best. A friend took his young family on a series of summer vacation trips, including visits to memorable historic sites. At the end of the summer he asked his teenage son which of these good summer activities he enjoyed most. The father learned from the reply, and so did those he told of it. “The thing I liked best this summer,” the boy replied, “was the night you and I laid on the lawn and looked at the stars and talked.” Super family activities may be good for children, but they are not always better than one-on-one time with a loving parent.

The amount of children-and-parent time absorbed in the good activities of private lessons, team sports, and other school and club activities also needs to be carefully regulated. Otherwise, children will be over scheduled, and parents will be frazzled and frustrated. Parents should act to preserve time for family prayer, family scripture study, family home evening, and the other precious togetherness and individual one-on-one time that binds a family together and fixes children’s values on things of eternal worth. Parents should teach gospel priorities through what they do with their children.

Family experts have warned against what they call “the over scheduling of children.”

The number of those who report that their “whole family usually eats dinner together” has declined 33 percent. This is most concerning because the time a family spends together “eating meals at home [is] the strongest predictor of children’s academic achievement and psychological adjustment.” Family mealtimes have also been shown to be a strong bulwark against children’s smoking, drinking, or using drugs. There is inspired wisdom in this advice to parents: what your children really want for dinner is you."

http://lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/good-better-best?lang=eng&query=Dallin+H.+Oaks+Good+Better+Best

“Work at our responsibility as parents as if everything in life counted on it, because in fact everything in life does count on it.”  ~ Gordon B. Hinckley

"Peace will become our priceless possession"  ~ Marvin J. Ashton

"Make sure that the essential needs are met, but do not go overboard in creating so many good things to do that the essential ones are not accomplished. … Remember, don’t magnify the work to be done—simplify it.”             ~ L. Tom Perry

Saturday, March 12, 2011

No time to say good-bye!

A distant friend of mine, lost her Mother last week. It was a real surprise because her Mom was just going in for surgery and never survived it. I guess maybe that happens when people are older and have surgery, but still not being able to say good-bye has got to be hard. I on the other hand, had time to say good-bye to my Mom. over and over again for almost 4 months and that was hard also. I am not sure that there is one way to say good-bye that is better than another? The truth is it is just hard. I never really worry about the people who are leaving, it is those of us that are left here that seem to really struggle. I hope she finds peace and comfort  soon. Good night dear friends!

"There are no goodbyes for us.
Wherever you are, you
will always be in my heart."  ~ Gandhi


"Those we hold closest to our hearts never truly leave us.  They live on in the kindness they have shared and the love they brought into our lives." ~ Author Unknown


"What we have once enjoyed
we can never lose...
All that we love deeply
becomes a part of us."  ~ Helen Keller

Friday, March 11, 2011

Our prayers go out...

As I watched on the news of the devastating earthquake and tsunami, I was sadden. I couldn't even quite imagine what it would feel like to be in the midst of that kind of disaster. I am always grateful to see so many Humanitarian services step up to help immediately, without regard to the nationality or religion of the recipients. Then there are many services that are part of a longer-term effort to meet the needs of these disaster victims. Although those jobs have got to be hard, it must also be very rewarding to know that you are helping and reaching out to serve a fellow brother or sister, in time of need.

I have heard people say "oh if only we could do something". Well, how grateful I am for the opportunity we have to give monetary donations but more important, is the fact that we can pray for these victims. Now maybe to some, that sounds old fashion... but I know personally that prayers matter. I am grateful to know that my Heavenly Father lives and that He hears and answers our prayers. I know when I was battling cancer ... both times, there were so many who prayed for me. Some of who were friend of a friend, they didn't even know me personally and yet they petitioned to God in my behalf, I was touched. I am grateful that there is something I can do for all those people in Japan, I can pray and that is what I will do.

Life is tough, it is a place where we learn and grow. Many of those tests we go through, are the greatest teachers in our lives. May we all take the time to stop whatever we are doing, and prayer for these dear people who have had their lives turned upside down (literally). Yes, we can do something and we really should.

Seattle Times March 11, 2011

"Access to our Creator through our Savior is surely one of the great privileges and blessings of our lives. I have learned from countless personal experiences that great is the power of prayer. No earthly authority can separate us from direct access to our Creator. There can never be a mechanical or electronic failure when we pray. There is no limit on the number of times or how long we can pray each day. There is no quota of how many needs we wish to pray for in each prayer. We do not need to go through secretaries or make an appointment to reach the throne of grace. He is reachable at any time and any place."   ~James E. Faust  July 2002

"God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way."  ~ Unknown

"Find a need and fill it."  ~Ruth Stafford Peale

"He who gives when he is asked has waited too long."  ~Sunshine Magazine

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Happy Birthday Day MOM!

I have to laugh every time I think about doing crafts and my Mom. From the time I was a little girl, Mom said I just loved to do any type of craft with my hands. She however didn't share the same love for crafts, and actually couldn't stand when I asked her to do some with me.
Today I taught my Quilt class, I love teaching all these new found friends of mine.  I smiled when some of the ladies told me how much they enjoyed me as their teacher. I smiled because, later in life when my Mom had a stroke, she had to go to a Rehab Physical Therapy, (actually that wasn't the part that made me smile ). It was the day I went to visit her and asked her how she was doing? She had a frustrated look on her face and said, "Guess what they made me to in therapy today?" I was curious and asked what.  She said "they made me do crafts, they say it will help my fine motor skills... I don't believe it!" We had a good laugh over that. My Mom's passion was in the kitchen... cooking, she was an amazing cook. I however don't really care a lot about cooking and food just isn't my thing. Funny that Mother and Daughter can be that different and still so much alike.

Today is my Mom's birthday. She has been gone for quite a few years now, but not a day goes by that I don't think of her and miss her.

 Mom's class demo 006

I was trying to take a photo of myself the other day, to send to my daughter in college ( she wanted to see my new sweater ). As I looked in the mirror, I was a bit surprised how much more I look like my Mom each day. I know she is not far away. I think she would smile herself, if she knew that I celebrated her birthday by doing one of her favorite (not) things...crafts and creating! I hope all of you... who are blessed to still have your Moms with you, will take the time to tell her how much you love and appreciate her!
Good night dear friends!
P.S. Happy Birthday Mom...if you are listening!

"True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new."  ~Antoine de Saint

"My mom is literally a part of me.  You can't say that about many people except relatives, and organ donors."  ~Carrie Latet

"A part of you has grown in me. And so you see, it's you and me together forever and never apart, maybe in distance, but never in heart."  ~ Unknown

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

She's somebody's hero

So many of my dear friends and family are young Mothers, and I wish I could tell them personally a few things ( you know from an older seasoned Mom to a younger new Mom ). Like how short the time will be that their baby stays a baby. I wish I could tell her to remember to take care of herself first, so she has the energy and strength to take care of her family. I would tell her how great she is doing, at the hardest job in the world, and I would tell her to remember that what she is doing is... the most important job in the world!
I heard this song the other day, and thought it was a perfect way to describe a Mother and her job!  Hats off to all your sweet young Mothers out there!

She's never pulled anyone from a burning building
She's never rocked Central Park to a half a million fans, screaming out her name
She's never hit a shot to win the game
She's never left her footprints on the moon
She's never made a solo hot air balloon ride, around the world,
No, she's just your everyday average girl (but)
She's somebody's hero
A hero to her baby with a skinned up knee
A little kiss is all she needs
The keeper of the cheerios
The voice that brings Snow White to life
Bedtime stories every night
And that smile lets her know
She's somebody's hero
oh oh
She didn't get a check every week like a nine-to fiver
But she's been a waiter, and a cook and a taxi driver
For twenty years, there at home, until the day her girl was grown
Giving all her love to her was her life's ambition
But now her baby's movin' on, and she'll soon be missin' her
But not today, those are tears of joy runnin' down her face
She's somebody's hero
A hero to her daughter in her wedding dress
She gave her wings to leave the nest
It hurts to let her baby go down the aisle she walks right by
Looks back into her mother's eyes
And that smile lets her know oh oh oh
She's somebody's hero
Thirty years have flown right past
Her daughters' starin' at all the photographs
Of her mother, and she wishes she could be like that
Oh, but she already is
She's somebody's hero
A hero to her mother in a rockin' chair
She runs a brush through her silver hair
The envy of the nursing home
She drops by every afternoon
Feeds her mother with a spoon
And that smile lets her know oh oh
Her mother's smile lets her know oh oh
She's somebody's hero
[Thanks to HuntingtonM15 for lyrics]

“And so, my dear young women, with all my heart I urge you not to look to contemporary culture for your role models and mentors. Please look to your faithful mothers for a pattern to follow.”  ~ M. Russell Ballard

"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."  ~Frederick Douglass

"We live in a world that is filled with options. If we are not careful, we will find every minute jammed with social events, classes, exercise time, book clubs, scrapbooking, Church callings, music, sports, the Internet, and our favorite TV shows. One mother told me of a time that her children had 29 scheduled commitments every week: music lessons, scouts, dance, Little League, day camps, soccer, art, and so forth. She felt like a taxi driver. Finally, she called a family meeting and announced, 'Something has to go; we have no time to ourselves and no time for each other.' Families need unstructured time when relationships can deepen and real parenting can take place. Take time to listen, to laugh, and to play together."  ~ M. Russell Ballard

What do you dream about?

   What an amazing story, I just knew I had to share it with you. I love the fact ...that it is important to dream, and do everything possible to make those dreams come true. I remember a couple of times, in the midst of battling cancer...that I no longer dreamed, those were dark days. Dreaming was the future... and when you are in the middle or beginning of fighting cancer, the future is unsure and so many of us stopped dreaming.
   I remember well the day I started dreaming again...living again. It was like someone turned on a light and I could see things better in that light. I could feel hope again, therefore I could DREAM!

Everybody Has a Dream

Some years ago I took on an assignment in a southern county to work with people on public welfare. What I wanted to do was show that everybody has the capacity to be self-sufficient, and all we have to do is to activate them. I asked the county to pick a group of people who were on public welfare, people from different racial groups and different family constellations. I would then see them as a group for three hours every Friday. I also asked for a little petty cash to work with as I needed it.

The first thing I said after I shook hands with everybody was, "I would like to know what your dreams are." Everyone looked at me as if I were kind of wacky.

"Dreams? We don't have dreams." I said, "Well, when you were a kid what happened? Wasn't there something you wanted to do?"

One woman said to me, "I don't know what you can do with dreams. The rats are eating up my kids."

"Oh," I said.

"That's terrible. No, of course, you are very much involved with the rats and your kids. How can that be helped?"

"Well, I could use a new screen door because there are holes in my screen door."

I asked, "Is there anybody around here who knows how to fix a screen door?"

There was a man in the group, and he said, "A long time ago I used to do things like that, but now I have a terribly bad back, but I'll try."

I told him I had some money if he would go to the store, buy some screening, and go and fix the lady's screen door.

"Do you think you can do that?"

"Yes, I'll try."

The next week, when the group was seated, I said to the woman, "Well is your screen door fixed?"

"Oh, yes," she said. "Then we can start dreaming, can't we?" She sort of smiled at me. I said to the man who did the work,

"How do you feel?"

He said, "Well, you know, it's a very funny thing. I'm beginning to feel a lot better." That helped the group to begin to dream. These seemingly small successes allowed the group to see that dreams were not insane. These small steps began to get people to see and feel that something really could happen.

I began to ask other people about their dreams. One woman shared that she always wanted to be a secretary. I said, "Well, what stands in your way?" (That's always my next question).

She said, "I have six kids, and I don't have anyone to take care of them while I'm away."

"Let's find out," I said.

"Is there anybody in this group who would take care of six kids for a day or two a week while this woman gets some training here at the community college?"

One woman said, "I got kids, too, but I could do that."

"Let's do it," I said. A plan was created and the woman went to school.

Everyone found something. The man who put in the screen door became a handyman. The woman who took in the children became a licensed foster care person. In 12 weeks I had all these people off public welfare. I've not only done that once, I've done it many times.

  by: Virginia Satir, Source Unknown

"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today."   ~ James Dean

"Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe."  ~ Gail Devers

"Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great."   ~ Mark Twain

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Why don't you grow up?

I found this article about your kids growing up so fast. As I read it, I thought how true. I remember the crazy days when all four of the kids were young, and life was hectic and never boring. I wondered many times, how in the world I would ever make it, would I truly survive? I did... and it seemed just like yesterday they were all little and now, our youngest is graduating from High School and Brad and Krystal from college in a month. How did that happen? Where did the time go? I miss those days...can you believe it? I really do, the house is too clean and too quiet and dinners are a bit boring sometimes.
I have heard there is a time and season for everything, that is true also. The trick is to enjoy the season that you are in and not wish it away or wish another season to take it's place.
Now we can't wait, for our granddaughters to come over and make a mess and some noise. Yes, it is different watching your kids grow up so fast.
So for all of you that still have little ones under your feet. Enjoy them, cherish that time, because they will grow up fast and you will really miss them!

Oatmeal Kisses

The baby is teething-the children are fighting. My husband just called and said to eat dinner without him. Okay, one of these days you'll shout: "Why don't you grow up and act your age!" and they will, or "You guys get outside and find yourselves something to do...and don't slam the door!"...and they won't.

You'll straighten up their rooms neat and tidy...bumper stickers discarded...spreads tucked and smooth ... toys displayed on the shelves...hangars in the closet...animals caged, and you'll say out loud: "Now I want it to stay that way!" and it will...You'll prepare a perfect dinner with a salad that hasn't been picked to death and a cake with no finger traces in it and you'll say, "Now there's a meal for a company." and you'll eat it alone.

You'll say, "I want complete privacy on the phone. No dancing around, no pantomimes, no demolition crews. Silence! Do you hear?"...and you'll have it. No more plastic tablecloths stained with spaghetti, no more anxious nights under a vaporizer tent, no more dandelion bouquets, no more iron-on patches, knotted shoestrings, or tight moots.

Imagine, a lipstick with a point, no babysitter for New Year's Eve, washing clothes only once a week, no P.T.A. meetings, carpools, blaring radios, Christmas presents out of toothpicks and paste. No more "Wet Oatmeal Kisses". No more tooth fairy giggles in the dark, or knees to heal.

Only a voice crying..."Why don't you grow up?"... and the silence echoing ......."I did."

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about."  ~Angela Schwindt

"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing up is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing."  ~Phyllis Diller

"If you haven't time to respond to a tug at your pants leg, your schedule is too crowded."  ~Robert Brault

Monday, March 7, 2011

Always watching

I had an interesting experience this week and it was a great reminder to me that what you do and say is always being watched by others. Not in a bad way, but actually in a very good way. ( Now this photo I just liked, it is not that I think people watch us that closely. This photo of our Lauren makes me smile, I love how she sees and captures the beautiful things and moments of this world, through her lens.)

Anyway, back to my experience. I was in doctor appointment and as I was leaving, one of the workers said rather loud..."I was really disappointed". I looked back to see who he was talking to, and realized he was talking to me. I must have had a very confused look on my face because he then, clarified what he was saying. "I was really disappointed at BYU, or I should say at the player on their basketball team."
Many of you might have seen on the news that this BYU player he was talking about, is being suspended from playing on the team because he broke the Honor Code of the school. To say the least, I was shocked to hear him start a conversation like that. We went on to to talk about the Code of Honor that BYU has for all of their students, and the chance that the team might miss going to the championship tournament in March, because of this key player's choices. He asked more about the Honor Code and what all that really meant. I was grateful to share my opinion on the purpose of the Honor Code, I also told him that Jeff and I have that same type of Honor Code in our home by which we live and teach to our kids. I shared with him our ability to make any choices that we want in life, but how we can not chose the consequences from those choices. Some time the consequences seem to far out weigh the original choice or sin, although that may be true, that is not up to us. But we do have the ability to make the right choice and many times that might be hard to do. At the end of our conversation he said, " I am actually very impressed that a school would have such an Honor Code, and that there are people who live up to that." I am sorry to say that my son Lee hasn't had the same positive response at school. Many of the kids have teased or shared their opinion, on how stupid such rules are and why it shouldn't be that big of a deal. I was sorry to hear that so many people were making such a big deal of it to Lee. Yes, sometimes being a Mormon is hard for just that reason.

It just made me realize that even though I don't wear a sign on me saying that "I AM A MORMON!", I realize people watch me, just like I watch others. I have many friends from many different religious beliefs, and yet we respect each others differences and opinions, and still we are the best of friends. Someone may have been reading this blog and thought, why hasn't Lynn ever said that she is a Mormon? Does she have something to hide? Is she ashamed of her religion? It is not that I am trying to hide or be ashamed of anything, quite the opposite. I just share with you each day ...my life, my thoughts, my experiences. I hope you judge me by the life I lead, and not judge me for the fact that all you know is that I am a Mormon. I was raised in West Virginia, there were only a few kids in our whole school were Mormons, there was a lot of misconceptions about what we believed.I know first hand how mistreated and judged you can be for being different.

Actually everything I am is because of what I believe, I am not ashamed of that. My beliefs make my life better, the truths that I have, give me peace and hope.  I am truly grateful for that. I hope that I am a better person because of my beliefs. If you want to know more about what I believe, feel free to ask me or just go to to this link...    LDS.org

So the bottom line is this...we are watch each other, we have great examples in front of us daily. If you want to know why a person is happy,different or content, then just ask them. If you want to know what a person is really like, you can ask them, but you also need to watch how they live, how they treat others, how they treat their family, just watch what they do. Our examples will always speak louder than our words.
Good night dear friends!

"No accurate thinker will judge another person by that which the other person's enemies say about him"  ~ Napoleon Hill

"I have always thought the actions of men are the best interpreters of their thoughts."  ~John Locke

"Respect is what we owe; love, what we give"  ~ Philip James Bailey

 

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Tonight was our last marriage class

We have really enjoyed the 5 week marriage classes that we have been going to. I have mentioned some of things before that we have learned, but what I think was most important is... understanding and recognizing that men and women are different. We think differently, we communicate differently, we talk differently, we listen differently and that is the way we are suppose to be. That is the way we were created. The trick in marriage is to, not only pick the right person that makes you whole, but to also be patient and understanding in this journey... we call marriage. To not only hang in there throughout the years, but learn to have Joy in our Journey together. When things are going right in our marriages and we are truly one, there isn't a better feeling in the world. There is a great synergy that comes from truly being connected. Life is just better, when our marriages are good.

So tonight we discussed  how to take the things we learned and apply them in our lives.They say the best way to learn something is to internalize it, live it and then teach it. It is a healthier way to live...when we are happy in our marriages, it is healthier for our children , it gives them a stronger foundation, and us too!

So here are some of the points that we reviewed from the last 4 weeks...

Have weekly date nights ...it is vital to reconnect and just spend time with each other each week, life is busy it is important to take that time out together.

Pray together... working and praying together about your struggles, you decisions with life or the kids. There is a great bonding power when you kneel down and pray as a couple.

Check in's ....once a month sit down with each other and check in. Ask each other these two questions. What is it that I am doing well? What is it that I can improve on?  Be honest with each other and make sure that both of you feel safe to share your honest opinions.

Meet each other's needs...As a companion it is important to tell what you needs are, in order to be met, they have to first be known. If you strive to always fulfill your partner's needs, your's will automatically be filled. Put your companion's needs first. Be aware of what those needs are daily.

Be loyal...that is vital in a great marriage, be loyal in not only your actions, but also in your thoughts!

Understand the differences... we were not make alike, so be aware of those differences and be patient with them.

Say you are sorry... not forgiving someone is like taking a little bit of poison every day, and expecting the other person to die! Not forgiving someone hurts you more. It is not always that important to be right. Learn to say you are sorry and really mean it!

Take the time...how much time are we willing to put into our relationship as husband and wife? Where on the priority list does that fall? It is vital to take the time because marriage can either be the happiest experience in your life, or the most painful and miserable experience in your life. You will get out of it... just what you are willing to put into it!

Jeff and I have been married 29 years this June and believe it or not...we are still working at it EVERY DAY! It is hard, but he is the love of my life and I want to do all that I can to try and make it better. When I take my eye off that goal, then I see all the things he does that bug me, I remember all the hurtful things he has done or said. I forget all the good things we have done and accomplished together. Yes, focus is important in a marriage. I need to try and focus more on the good, be patient with our differences and remember why I wanted to marry him in the first place...because I knew he was the one for me! Our marriage has not been a fairy tale, but a real life drama good and bad, the goal is to have more good times and less bad times. That means work, and that is what this class reminded me of. I am truly grateful we attended it. Grateful for the teachers that spent so much time and effort in sharing all these things with us. Yes, life is good... and I need to remember that more often!

" The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother."  ~ Therodore Hesburgh 
"And the same goes for the mother."~  Lynn Woodard

"A great marriage is not when the 'perfect couple' come together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences."
-- Dave Meurer

"One of the great illusions of our time is that love is self-sustaining. It is not. Love must be fed and nurtured, constantly renewed. That demands ingenuity and consideration, but first and foremost, it demands time."
-- David Mace

Thursday, March 3, 2011

How are your juggling skills?

I loved this. How often do we try to juggle more balls than we can possibly handle?  Priorities, something we need to re-evaluate often. This was the perfect reminder! Night!

Juggle Balls

Written by the CEO of Coca-Cola:

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - work, family, health, friends and spirit and you're keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls - family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.
How?

  1. Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.
  2. Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.
  3. Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.
  4. Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.
  5. Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
  6. Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us each together.
  7. Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
  8. Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
  9. Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.
  10. Don't forget that a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.
  11. Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.
  12. Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way

I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich.  ~Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family.  Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.  ~Jane Howard

"The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities."  ~ Stephen R. Covey

 

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Paintbrush or Mask

For years as a victim of abuse, I wore a mask ( a smile, a happy face ) so that others wouldn't really know the real me. It took me years to take my mask off and I couldn't really do that without learning to love the person who was under the mask...ME!  I still struggle every now and then with my self esteem, I know who I am ...a daughter of God, but sometimes when life hits me hard and I start to forget alittle. I am what they call a WORK in PROCESS. I believe we all are to some degree. I believe that is why we are here on earth, to learn and grow from our problems and trials. I believe that life gets better when we learn to love the person under the mask or like this poem describes it...the paint!

I hope all of us will try to show our true colors, our real self and keep company of true friends, who really love us and accept us! May we all remember more often...who we are and hold up our heads proudly to be... beautiful, talented, wonderful daughters of a Heavenly  Father who loves us!!!

The Paintbrush

I keep my paint brush with me
Wherever I may go,
In case I need to cover up
So the real me doesn't show.

I'm so afraid to show you me,
Afraid of what you'll do - that
You might laugh or say mean things.
I'm afraid I might lose you.

I'd like to remove all my paint coats
To show you the real, true me,
But I want you to try and understand,
I need you to accept what you see.

So if you'll be patient and close your eyes,
I'll strip off all my coats real slow.
Please understand how much it hurts
To let the real me show.

Now my coats are all stripped off.
I feel naked, bare and cold,
And if you still love me with all that you see,
You are my friend, pure as gold.

I need to save my paint brush, though,
And hold it in my hand,
I want to keep it handy
In case someone doesn't understand.

So please protect me, my dear friend
And thanks for loving me true,
But please let me keep my paint brush with me
Until I love me, too.

Author is either Bettie B. Youngs or David, Wizard of Oz

 

"Happiness is:  Looking in a mirror and like what you see." ~Author Unknown

"When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you." ~Lao-Tzu

'You gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face. You must do that which we think we cannot."   ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Never Quit!

Well, I went to bed way too late last night and I really wasn't worth much today. So my goal tonight was to be way more responsible, and get to bed on time. I will share with you this incredible story about Abraham Lincoln. I have to admit, there have been times that I  have wondered, if I am the only one who has had so many problems. Of course I know the answer but some days... I have been foolish enough to say that. After reading this about Abraham Lincoln, I realized that there are many people who have had many troubles in their life, and yet they never QUIT!  Wow, what a great example to me. That is inspiring!!!

Lincoln Never Quits

Abraham Lincoln Didn't Quit

Probably the greatest example of persistence is Abraham Lincoln. If you want to learn about somebody who didn't quit, look no further.

Born into poverty, Lincoln was faced with defeat throughout his life. He lost eight elections, twice failed in business and suffered a nervous breakdown.

He could have quit many times - but he didn't and because he didn't quit, he became one of the greatest presidents in the history of our country.

Lincoln was a champion and he never gave up. Here is a sketch of Lincoln's road to the White House:

  • 1816 His family was forced out of their home. He had to work to support them.
  • 1818 His mother died.
  • 1831 Failed in business.
  • 1832 Ran for state legislature - lost.
  • l832 Also lost his job - wanted to go to law school but couldn't get in.
  • 1833 Borrowed some money from a friend to begin a business and by the end of the year he was bankrupt. He spent the next 17 years of his life paying off this debt.
  • 1834 Ran for state legislature again - won.
  • 1835 Was engaged to be married, sweetheart died and his heart was broken.
  • 1836 Had a total nervous breakdown and was in bed for six months.
  • 1838 Sought to become speaker of the state legislature - defeated.
  • 1840 Sought to become elector - defeated.
  • 1843 Ran for Congress - lost.
  • 1846 Ran for Congress again - this time he won - went to Washington and did a good job.
  • 1848 Ran for re-election to Congress - lost.
  • 1849 Sought the job of land officer in his home state - rejected.
  • 1854 Ran for Senate of the United States - lost.
  • 1856 Sought the Vice-Presidential nomination at his party's national convention - get less than 100 votes.
  • 1858 Ran for U.S. Senate again - again he lost.
  • 1860 Elected president of the United States.

 

"Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance."   ~ Samuel Johnson

"The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning."  ~Ivy Baker Priest

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

A sleep over at Nana's house!

Our 4 1/2 yr old granddaughter Angie is having a bit of a tough time, sharing the lime light with her younger sister Jenny. That is not at all unusual but still it is hard to watch. I remember my own kids having the same struggle when a brother or sister were born, but life was so busy then, I am not sure I realized maybe how hard it can be, for the one who has had much of the attention and now has to share that attention with another.
I asked Amy when Angie and I could plan a Sleep Over. So last night ( Sunday ) was the night. Angie came over around 6:00 and we had her favorite dinner ( fish and potatoes ), then we put on our jammies and watched a movie and ate popcorn. Mostly she hung out with Uncle Lee that time too. Then after the nightly routine we got her bed all made up in Lauren's room and said goodnight. I told her I would be in there later to sleep with her. She was so excited about the Sleep Over, she just couldn't go to sleep. Finally around 11:15 p.m. I slipped into the room and climbed into bed, only to her Angie's little voice say "Nana, I am doing really good aren't I?" She meant at sleeping, I laughed and said "if you don't go to sleep pretty soon,  your Mommy isn't going to let us have another Sleep Over." After she knew I was in the room, I guess she knew she had better go to sleep.
Now she is a great sleeper, but I forgot what it was like to sleep with a little one in the room. I must have woken up 5-6 times, checking to see if she was warm enough and alright. Funny, those Motherhood instincts are never too far away.
For breakfast we had homemade waffles and berries. After breakfast we got dressed and she helped me do my chores. I forgot how fun it is to do anything ...when your little ones are around. As Angie told me stories and we talked about different things, I have to say that I kept having flashbacks of Amy and I doing some of the same things when she was little. It is weird to think that now I am the grandmother (Nana) and not the Mom. Angie in many ways looks like Amy when she was little, except Angie has red hair.
The rest of the day was spent making homemade fruit roll ups, sewing some (pop corn printed) flannel pajamas for her to use at the next Sleep over. Then we watched a movie, had more popcorn and then read a book and lastly went to the store. What a full and fun day. I truly love being a Nana. I guess I shouldn't have worried about getting older, because being a Nana is worth it all!  I can't wait till Jenny gets older and she can have a Sleep Over with Nana too!
Boy, am I tired! Night dear friends.

Nana

"A grandmother is a mother who has a second chance." ~ Author Unknown

"A mother becomes a true grandmother the day she stops noticing the terrible things her children do because she is so enchanted with the wonderful things her grandchildren do." ~ Lois Wyse

"Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day and now the day was complete."
~ Marcy DeMaree