HERO

It's Date night, so here is a motivational thought for you!
Good night dear friends!

What kind of legacy are you leaving?

Today in church, one of the teachers spoke of LEGACY, and asked  us what type of legacy we are leaving for our children and their children. It was an incredible lesson on the importance of learning and growing from the obstacles that come in our lives. Each one of them is to teach us something.

Then stories were read from some of the pioneers and what their trials and tribulations taught them in their life. Here is a poem that was written about the pioneers.

                They cut desire into short lengths
                And fed it to the hungry fire of courage.
                Long after -when the flames died -
                Molten gold gleamed in the ashes.
                They gathered it into bruised palms
                And handed it to their children
                And their children’s children.  ~ Vilate Chamberlain Raile

This poem reminds me of the scripture in 1st Peter 1:7 "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire....

I think that is so true, just like the poem talked about the experiences that we have that are from trials and problems, if we learn and grow from them, if we stay hopeful and rely on the Lord, if we don't give up but keep going...that is the GOLD that we are going to pass down to our children and our children's children.
We have talked about this subject often in our home during some of the trials that we have gone through. I have asked myself as a Mother, have I taught the kids to be strong, courageous and faithful? Have I taught them to rely on the Lord for strength, courage and hope? Do they know that no matter what happens to them in life ...that they can handle it ( with the Lord's help) ?

Life is hard and I personally know that some times things look too BIG for me to handle, I cry and get scared, I get discouraged and doubtful. I know my kids have seen me go through these feelings, but the real question is...will they remember that I got back up, said my prayers, asked our Savior to help me carry my burdens; and did I show them that I was stronger and better because of what I learned along the way? I pray that I have and that I will continue to do so.
It was a great lesson for our family today.
Good night dear friends!

 

"The choices we make about the lives we live determine the kinds of legacies we leave."  ~ Tavis Smiley 

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." ~Anonymous

“We know that women who have deep appreciation for the past will be concerned about shaping a righteous future.”  ~ Spencer W. Kimball

Faith vs. Doubt

Read this short poem and thought it was worth sharing. I personally know that it is vital that we choose Faith over fear and doubt. Faith is a happier, more content place to me. It takes a lot, to decide to choose Faith first, I know because I have had to make that struggle and choice... over and over in my life. It seems like such a small thing but believe me it isn't, but... it is worth it!

Good night dear friends!

Faith vs. Doubt
Doubt sees the obstacles.
Faith sees the way.
Doubt sees the darkest night.
Faith sees the day.
Doubt dreads to take a step.
Faith soars on high.
Doubt questions "Who believes"?
Faith answers "I".
--- William (Harvey) Jett

"Nothing in life is to be feared.  It is only to be understood."  ~Marie Curie

"To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom."  ~Bertrand Russell

"He has not learned the lesson of life who does not every day surmount a fear. " ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Just missed my goal!

Can you believe it, I just missed my goal of being healthy for one year straight...by only 13 days!!! I can't say that I am surprised, since I have been so stressed out this week, worrying about Lee. I knew I should go to bed early, but couldn't get my head to stop thinking and wondering. I knew that I should have honored THE WALL, but I just felt if I kept going, I could get a few things I was behind on. I guess no one ever plans for all the doctor appointments and all the things that come up, when someone is sick or hurting. So it is my own fault that I didn't take better care of my body better. I have been trying sooooooooooooo hard to make that goal. :(

I guess the I need to look at it, more on the positive side. I have been well ...COMPLETELY WELL for 352 days! That is great news! Especially considering that I had pneumonia four times, year before last!

I knew very early this morning that I was coming down with something, so the first thing I did when I got up...was put on a big pot of homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. For those of us that don't have Mothers here anymore with us...that is what we have to do, make it ourselves!

So even though I am freezing, aching all over, and I am cooking a fever, plus I have a sore throat and an already DEEP cough...life is good and I am thankful for all my blessings!

Good night dear friends!

"If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere."  ~ Frank A. Clark

" I can't change the directions of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination."  ~ Jimmy Dean

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."  ~ C.S. Lewis

 

The Magic Pebbles

I love this story, plus it comes with it's own quotes! Read it, you will love it!

The Magic Pebbles

"Why do we have to learn all of this dumb stuff?"

Of all the complaints and questions I have heard from my students during my years in the classroom, this was the one most frequently uttered. I would answer it by recounting the following legend.

One night a group of nomads were preparing to retire for the evening when suddenly they were surrounded by a great light. They knew they were in the presence of a celestial being. With great anticipation, they awaited a heavenly message of great importance that they knew must be especially for them.

Finally, the voice spoke, "Gather as many pebbles as you can. Put them in your saddle bags. Travel a day's journey and tomorrow night will find you glad and it will find you sad."

After having departed, the nomads shared their disappointment and anger with each other. They had expected the revelation of a great universal truth that would enable them to create wealth, health and purpose for the world. But instead they were given a menial task that made no sense to them at all. However, the memory of the brilliance of their visitor caused each one to pick up a few pebbles and deposit them in their saddle bags while voicing their displeasure.

They traveled a day's journey and that night while making camp, they reached into their saddle bags and discovered every pebble they had gathered had become a diamond. They were glad they had diamonds. They were sad they had not gathered more pebbles.

It was an experience I had with a student, I shall call Alan, early in my teaching career that illustrated the truth of that legend to me.

When Alan was in the eighth grade, he majored in "trouble" with a minor in "suspensions." He had studied how to be a bully and was getting his master's in "thievery."

Every day I had my students memorize a quotation from a great thinker. As I called roll, I would begin a quotation. To be counted present, the student would be expected to finish the thought.

"Alice Adams - 'There is no failure except ...’"

"’In no longer trying.' I'm present, Mr. Schlatter."

So, by the end of the year, my young charges would have memorized 150 great thoughts.

"Think you can, think you can't - either way you're right!"

"If you can see the obstacles, you've taken your eyes off the goal."

"A cynic is someone who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing."

And, of course, Napoleon Hill's "If you can conceive it, and believe it, you can achieve it."

No one complained about this daily routine more than Alan - right up to the day he was expelled and I lost touch with him for five years. Then one day, he called. He was in a special program at one of the neighboring colleges and had just finished parole.

He told me that after being sent to juvenile hall and finally being shipped off to the California Youth Authority for his antics, he had become so disgusted with himself that he had taken a razor blade and cut his wrists.

He said, "You know what, Mr. Schlatter, as I lay there with my life running out of my body, I suddenly remembered that dumb quote you made me write 20 times one day. ‘There is no failure except in no longer trying.' Then it suddenly made sense to me. As long as I was alive, I wasn't a failure, but if I allowed myself to die, I would most certainly die a failure. So with my remaining strength, I called for help and started a new life."

At the time he had heard the quotation, it was a pebble. When he needed guidance in a moment of crisis, it had become a diamond. And so it is to you I say, gather all the pebbles you can, and you can count on a future filled with diamonds.

By John Wayne Schlatter
from A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul

Hard times

My son had to work on a project tonight on his computer, and so I am just now getting him off to bed and sitting down at my computer. Teenagers...you gotta love'em!

I am so tired that I believe instead of staying up to the wee hours of the morning, I will share a couple of quotes that have helped me along my road of hard times.

I was talking to a young friend of mine tonight, who was home so that she could have surgery on her shoulder. She told me about all the pain and trouble she was having with it and how it had finally got so bad that it was time to come home and check into surgery. After listening and truly understanding how hard times feel when you are right in the middle of them, she asked me..."so how are you doing?" I couldn't believe it, but I said..."I am doing great!" It still shocks me to hear myself say it. For soooooo many years I have been fighting either cancer, pain, pneumonia, and fatigue. All I can remember saying for the past 3 -4 years was " I am really tired".

Now tonight I am really tired, but that is because it is late. Now that I am sleeping 8-9 hours a night, I am doing amazingly well! I still have my back and neck pain, but even that feels better. The fatigue has changed a lot. I still take a nap during the day, but when I am awake, I just feel better!

Silly as it seems, I am grateful for the hard times that have taught me so much!

If you are going through your own hard times, please remember to never give up and keep the faith!

“Opposition is a natural part of life. Just as we develop our physical muscles through overcoming opposition - such as lifting weights - we develop our character muscles by overcoming challenges and adversity.”       ~ Stephen R. Covey 

“The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.”  ~ Moliere