Created for Greater Things

Jeff surprised me yesterday when he came home from work, with a book. He knows how much I love to read and it was full of quotes and little stories. I was impressed and grateful, I am always looking for a thought provoking quote or story. The book is called CREATED FOR GREATER THINGS by Jeffrey R. Holland  It is a great little book. The story that I am going to share, was a good lesson on doing all that you can. It goes like this...

An old Arabic legend tells of a rider finding a spindly sparrow lying on its back in the middle of the road. he dismounted and asked the sparrow why his feet were in the air.
   Replied the sparrow, " I heard the heavens were going to fall today."
"And I suppose you think your puny bird legs can hold up the whole universe? laughed the horseman.
"Perhaps not," said the sparrow with conviction, "but one does whatever one can."

Are we doing the best we can? Only we know the answer to that question!  Food for thought!

Good night dear friends!

“The potential of the average person is like a huge ocean unsailed, a new continent unexplored, a world of possibilities waiting to be released and channeled toward some great good.” -Brian Tracy

"Ineffective people live day after day with unused potential. They experience synergy only in small, peripheral ways in their lives. But creative experiences can be produced regularly, consistently, almost daily in people's lives. It requires enormous personal security and openness and a spirit of adventure." -Stephen Covey

"Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!" -Anne Frank

Possibilities!

Since Lauren was a little girl, she seemed to notice things, that others really paid attention to. She would focus in on something and got quite a kick out of seeing the world, just a little bit different than anyone else. She loved being different, mostly in a good way. She definitely went to beat of her own drum. She loved to draw and create and then by her High School years, she got into photography. It seemed to be the very thing she needed. She loved capturing moments in time. You could learn a lot about her, by the things she photographs.  Pretty soon, we had more ideas for her than she had time. When she figured out Photoshop there seemed to be limitless options out there for her. She has continued to us her photography in college and who knows where she will go with it some day?

Possibilities, that is what amazes me, with each of my kids. I love the fact that they do and accomplish so much more than I ever did. I mean, when they were little; we tried to remind them that they could do anything they set their minds to do. And now, years later...they are actually doing it!  Brad is into Graphic Design and simply amazing at it. He is an artist through and through. My daughter-in-law Krystal, is a Journalist, Editor, Sales person and seamstress.  Amy loves to create anything! I can hardly wait to see what she comes up with new each week! I always laugh when I think that I was the one who taught my kids, and yet they all have excelled my abilities by far!. Lee loves sports, and has learned leadership and sportsmanship, he continues to grow and develop and has an incredible heart, which will take him far in life.  How proud I am of each one of them and all the possibilities their lives hold. How blessed I feel to be there Mother and how grateful I am to to still be here and have the opportunity to watch all of their possibilities... come to life!!!

"It is one thing to photograph people. It is another to make others care about them by revealing the core of their humanness."  ~ Paul Strand

"The potential possibilities of any child are the most intriguing and stimulating in all creation."  ~ Ray L. Wilbur

 
"It takes someone with a vision of the possibilities to attain new levels of experience. Someone with the courage to live his dreams."   ~ Les Brown

Work

I read this quote the other day by Mohandas K. Gandhi and I really liked it...

The Roots of Violence:
Wealth without work,
Pleasure without conscience,
Knowledge without character,
Commerce without morality,
Science without humanity,
Worship without sacrifice,
Politics without principles.

This quote then, reminded me of an article that I read the other day too. It was talking about the importance of WORK. Now you don't want to ask my kids about working, because they swore that Child Labor Laws would have gotten me... after all I made them do! :)  But the truth about work and it's importance is brought up in this article and I will share part of it with you.

The First Principle: Work

To this day, I am deeply impressed by the way my family worked after having lost everything following World War II! I remember my father—a civil servant by education and experience—taking on several difficult jobs, among which were coal miner, uranium miner, mechanic, and truck driver. He left early in the morning and often returned late at night in order to support our family. My mother started a laundry and worked countless hours doing menial labor. She enlisted my sister and me in her business. With my bike I became the pickup and delivery service. It felt good to be able to help the family in a small way, and though I did not know it at the time, the physical labor turned out to be a blessing to my health as well.

It wasn’t easy, but the work kept us from dwelling too much on the difficulties of our circumstances. Although our situation didn’t change overnight, it did change. That’s the thing about work. If we simply keep at it—steady and constant—things certainly will improve.

Work is an antidote for anxiety, an ointment for sorrow, and a doorway to possibility. Whatever our circumstances in life,  let us do the best we can and cultivate a reputation for excellence in all that we do. Let us set our minds and bodies to the glorious opportunity for work that each new day presents.  ~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"THE HIGHEST REWARD FOR A MAN'S TOIL IS NOT WHAT HE GETS FOR IT, BUT WHAT HE BECOMES BY IT" ~ John Ruskin

"IF WE DID ALL THE THINGS WE ARE CAPABLE OF DOING, WE WOULD LITERALLY ASTOUND OURSELVES."       ~ Thomas A. Edison

Spread your wings and fly!

When our kids were little we would tell them that they could be whatever they wanted to be, if they worked hard enough at it and sacrificed for it. They didn't of course know the full meaning of that comment, but just knew they wanted to be this... or that ..when they grew up. Some of them were more sure than others, and some changed their minds quite often. So we would use our imaginations and they could dream and pretend they were whatever they wanted to be.

As a mom, I loved that time of endless possibilities and their wonderful imaginations. The hard part is when real life comes in and the trials and obstacles get in the way. I have watched my kids suffer when they didn't know what they wanted to do and they felt lost. I have also watched them miss opportunities for one reason or another. Then on the other hand, I have watched them be excited because they finally found what their dream or passion is and they were pursuing it.

Lauren had this photo taken and it reminded me of how much I miss her, and yet how grateful I am that she is in college and pursuing her dreams. I have always struggled as a mom when my kids move away from home. I know that is exactly what I am suppose to be getting them ready to do but ...it is hard on a mother's heart.

"Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible."  ~Marion C. Garretty

Lauren was excited to go somewhere that was cold and had lots of snow...Idaho was the perfect place for her. She is loving it there and enjoying the whole experience.  Brad and Krystal however are thrilled to be spending the 4 months for their internships here in Seattle, away from the cold and snow. And of course they chose the perfect winter to come, this year has been one of the driest and warmest we have had in recorded history.

So as a mom of kids who are growing up and moving on, I realize that I too... need to continue thinking about the things I want to do and prepare myself to spread my wings and fly. I am beginning to work on my book, the one that I have dreamed of doing for years. I am working on getting a business started with my RECNAC gifts, hopefully getting them into other hospitals, available to all cancer patients. Yes, I taught my kids as they were growing up, but the neat things about having your kids get older, is that they begin to help teach you. I am grateful for my kids, what they have made and are making of their lives. I am grateful for their examples of courage and strength. Yes, motherhood is the hardest job ever but... the benefits are amazing!

"It's not only children who grow.  Parents do too.  As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours.  I can't tell my children to reach for the sun.  All I can do is reach for it, myself."  ~Joyce Maynard

"YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME ANYTHING TO WHICH YOU SET YOUR MIND. YOU HAVE A MIND AND A BODY AND A SPIRIT. WITH THESE THREE WORKING TOGETHER,  YOU CAN WALK THE HIGH ROAD THAT LEADS TO ACHIEVEMENT AND HAPPINESS. BUT THIS WILL REQUIRE EFFORT AND SACRIFICE AND FAITH." ~ Gordon B. Hinckley 

To all of you who have played a part in our kid's lives....thank you!

What a vacation!

Every time I hear someone say that they are taking a vacation, it reminds me of that silly movie that talks about taking a VACATION FROM YOUR PROBLEMS. I laugh because I was worried about all the problems I was going to have from going on Vacation, but it turned out much better than I planned. Camping has been hard on me with my back and neck but still we did it all the time the kids were little. The last few years since my back has gotten so much worse, Jeff and the kids have had to do a lot of the vacations by themselves, and that is hard because we would much rather all be together.

So when Jeff and I talked about this spur of the moment vacation, I was worried about how I was going to sleep on the ground and Amy too (she is 7 1/2  months pregnant)?  I told him that we had 2 twin mattress in the garage and we could strap them onto the top of the jeep. Jeff quickly replied " Lynn, I am not going to drive into a camp ground with 2 Sealy Posture Pedics strapped to our car" and then he laughed, actually everyone laughed... but me. I wasn't kidding but I didn't win out. However, our dear neighbor was thoughtful enough to ask us if we wanted to borrow their camping cot. We did and that is what I used and it worked great! I am still hurting some but....nothing compared to what I would have. Amy, John and Angie only stayed one night because they got sick, but Amy did pretty well on her own blow up mattress so...it was a good trip. Plus, below in the photo was the type of weather and scenery that we had the whole time at Fort Warden in Port Townsend. Isn't it a beautiful place?

I need to head to bed, we are all pretty wiped out, we now need a vacation after our vacation. But before I go to bed, I wanted to share something with you that happened there, it was very upsetting to me, yet it was a great lesson. Since all the camping areas were full, way before we even knew that we were going to go on vacation, we ended up in at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Port Townsend. It wasn't like most camp sites, it didn't have fire pits or things like that, but there was small camp grounds on the GRASS and showers / bathrooms within walking distance.

Anyway, there were camp sites for tent campers ( like us ) and then there were places for RV's to park too. One very tiny RV there was different though, because it looked like it had been there for a long time and it was very filthy. The grass was mowed everywhere else but there was high grass all around them. There was a car beside it that was crammed full of stuff and there was baby accessories out in the front of it ( swing, stroller and blankets. I couldn't believe that someone lived there, because I thought it was just a vacation spot? To make a long story short... we had to pass that little RV every time we went to the restrooms or left the Fairgrounds. Campers are usually very friendly and so we got to know some of the people there. The family that lived in that tiny RV was a mother and 2 small kids. She and I spoke a few times, I introduced myself and then I met her 5 year old son, her boyfriend and saw the 5 month old baby. I can't even believed that many people could even live in that tiny of a RV, but they did. They walked every where they went, I don't think the car even worked.

She told me that she had been there with the kids since the first of June, she said that her mom comes to visit sometimes, she is from one of the Islands close by. She told me that her grandmother lived close and that she and the kids went to see her every day. She also said that her grandmother was dying of Lung cancer. She said sometimes when she has to go somewhere, she has her little boy watch the baby. He is only 5 years old and yet watches his 5 month old sister! It was startling and unbelievable what their life must be and  how they could even made it.

My heart felt like it was going to break just walking by there a few times every day. I wanted to go hold the baby, play with the little boy, he was so thin... I just wanted to feed him. I wondered for a moment, if we should give her money or food? Oh I knew the answer, but it still made me crazy to think that they had to live like that. It made me wonder how in the world her life ever ended up like that? I would imagine that she hasn't known any other life and my token gift... wouldn't change her life. I also had to remember some of the strongest people have come from the most humble circumstances. How does that work? I imagine that someone, somewhere befriended, loved or taught them. I also believe that some people just come with this incredibly courageous spirit and they make it...no matter what circumstances they come from. So I realized as I said good bye to their family today, that the best thing that I could do for them was PRAY! Pray that they stay fed, warm and safe, pray that someone helps and teaches them along the way. Yes, the old Proverb saying...came to my mind  “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” That is exactly was Christ did when He was here on the earth.  Prayer, that sounds so simple... but yet it is one of the most powerful things in the world that we can do for others and ourselves.

I came home tonight and looked at my house, it looks like a mansion compared to that little RV. I will count my blessings and try harder, to remember them and share them with others. Yes, it was a wonderful VACATION with my family, the only thing that would have made it better would have been if Brad and Krystal could have been with us. Yes...family.... that is truly one of life's greatest blessings. Good night dear friends

"Anything large enough for a wish to light upon, is large enough to hang a prayer upon."   ~ George MacDonald

"As a people of faith, we know that prayer is a powerful instrument. And as one Nation under God, we know that many times our most powerful tool is prayer."   ~ Nick Rahall

Optimism!

I read this article that was interviewing Michael J. Fox about his life and dealing with Parkinson's Disease. It interested me, because my mom had Parkinson's too. I found his attitude to be refreshing and a wonderful reminder to me... to make each day count and to be optimistic.

How do you think you helped yourself accept the diagnosis?

I think it is humility and saying "I can't negotiate this. I can't use who I am in the world to get out from under this." Humility is always a good thing. It's always a good thing to be humbled by circumstances so you can then come from a sincere place to try to deal with them.

Once I started to calm everything down, it was just living with the diagnosis and then allowing myself to accept and educate myself about it. I [spoke] to doctors and scientists, and then also concentrated on my family and realized that I didn't have to fear the effect on them. I kind of projected all my worries onto them and thought they must have the same doubts or the same concerns that I had--without giving them a chance to tell me how they really felt. And when I did, they were great. I mean, [my wife] Tracy was unbelievable. But my first assumption was who'd want to deal with this if they didn't have to?

How do you stay so optimistic?

Well, because the world is just so full of possibilities. I was in Mexico a couple of years ago, and we were hiking on a trail on the Yucatan Peninsula. We had a guide, and he showed us this tree on one side of the path that had this red sap. And he said, "If you see this sap, this tree, don't touch it because it'll burn you. It's really caustic and it's acidic and it'll burn your flesh." And then we walked a little bit further down the trail, and there was a tree on the other side that was a black tree and had a black tar. And he said, "This tar heals burns."

And I just thought, well, that's the world—for everything that'll burn you, there's something that'll heal your burns. So I just stay on that side of the path.

I see possibilities in everything. For everything that's taken away, something of greater value has been given. As big as my problems are, as big as Parkinson's is, for example, it can't take up that much space in a world that has so much capacity for good stuff. It just doesn't. I just don't let it take up that much room.

Do you think one can always be both optimistic and realistic?

Absolutely.

Aren't they sometimes at odds?

No, I don't think so. I mean, I think it's okay, obviously, to acknowledge obstacles and setbacks and problems and issues. But as long as you're dealing with the truth, you're in good shape. I find as long as I acknowledge the truth of something, then that's it. I know what it is and then I can operate. But if I overestimate the downside of something or the challenge of something and I get too obsessed about the difficulty of it, then I don't leave enough room to be open to the upside, the possibility.

So I think you definitely have to acknowledge the fact of something. If something isn't a movable object, then you have to start thinking about getting around it. But you can't do that until you acknowledge it and take its full measure and understand its true weight.

Where do you most often find happiness?

In my family, in being with my wife and my kids. If at any moment of stress or tension or whatever I could close my eyes and be anywhere, it'd be with them. That's just never ending. I just get so much joy from my family.

What inspires you?

I think just every new day, just waking up. I wake up curious every day and every day I'm surprised by something. And if I can just recognize that surprise every day and say, "Oh, that's a new thing, that's a new gift that I got today that I didn't even know about yesterday," it keeps me going. It keeps me more than going. It keeps me enthusiastic and grateful.

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” ~Winston Churchill

" For myself I am an optimist- it does not seem to be much use being anything else" ~ Winston Churchill

"One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself." ~ Unknown

I hope you enjoyed the article! Good night dear friends!