Filling our Lamps

Tonight I was asked to speak at my daughter Amy's ward for the Relief Society ( our women's group ) Birthday Dinner
Relief Society is celebrating it's 174th year! That is a lot of service!
Charity Never Faileth is it's them and so tonight I spoke about all the things Relief Society represents.
A few friends have asked that I post my talks, since they couldn't be there for it!


My Talk

I have always loved Children’s Books.
I like the messages that they seem to share in a Clear and Simple way
So simple that even an ADULT can understand it! J
So let me share one of my Favorites with you…

It is called SNEETCHES by Dr. Suess

I love teaching my children that being different is ok and that it is actually a good thing!
I loved reminding them that everyone is a Child of God, and no two of us are alike, but each is beautiful, unique and important to Him.

The hard part I think…about this Clear and Simple message is …when we Grow Up!
We start to compare ourselves to others
We start listening to what the World says WE SHOULD LOOK LIKE, ACT LIKE OR EVEN DO!
And with those expectations from the world, we become more and more UNHAPPY ( because we aren’t exactly the same!)
And when we aren’t Happy with ourselves…then we become more Critical and Judgmental of Others!
(Hmmmm sounds like a book we just read J)

So let’s talk tonight about What God our Heavenly Father wants us to be!

Some of my notes are from a talk that our Prophet Thomas S. Monson shared in a talk called Be An Example and a Light… Oct/ 1025

The first is from the Sermon on the Mount: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” 

The old mariners used systems to guide them as they sailed on the oceans of the world. Anciently there were only what we call the “Upper Lights”, which were the stars, moon and the Sun. They believed that God provided these “ Upper Lights” especially for this purpose; especially the North Star.

These “ Upper Lights” were fine for the mid-ocean direction finding, but as the wooden ships approached the shore, they had no directions to bring them safely into the harbor. Usually they just looked for the lights from the towns and farms near the shore to tell them where they were.

Lighthouses were constructed to beam lights out into the ocean to warn the mariners of obstacles and other dangers on shore which if unknown would bring disaster to the ship, crew and cargo. Many times these lighthouses were at the entrances to safe harbors. The captains, or pilots of the ship would search intently for these beams of light, knowing that if followed they would provide safe entry.

Eventually, these lights were called the “Lower Lights” as opposed to the “Upper Lights” which God controls.

Philip Paul Bliss wrote the words to this Hymn that we sing today…

Brightly beams our Father’s mercy
From his lighthouse evermore,
But to us he gives the keeping
Of the lights along the shore.

Let the lower lights be burning;
Send a gleam across the wave.
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
You may rescue, you may save.            (https:thelowerlights.wordpress.com)

So in the Sermon of the mount we realize we need to be a Light unto the world and then in the 25^th Chapter of Matthew, we read the parable of the ten virgins and it reminds us that we need be ready Spiritually and to have oil in our lamps so we can be that Light.

“You may think it selfish that the five wise virgins did not share their oil, but it was impossible. Spiritual preparation must be acquired individually, drop by drop, and cannot be shared.” ~Mary N. Cook

I believe those prepared 5 virgins were truly Happy and isn’t that what everyone really wants in life?

Many people have spent their whole life looking for a way to be happy, others have spent $1000s of dollars trying to obtain it and yet others have sacrificed things of great importance just to find it.

I certainly don't think it is a secret. I think the Lord has told us over and over again how to find it.

I believe it comes down to what type of Spiritual Oil we need in our lamps.
Lets talk about 5 of them… 
Oil of Faith  

To be an example of faith means that we trust in the Lord and in His word. It means that we possess and that we nourish the beliefs that will guide our thoughts and our actions. Our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in our Heavenly Father will influence all that we do. Amidst the confusion of our age, the conflicts of conscience, and the turmoil of daily living, an abiding faith becomes an anchor to our lives. Remember that faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other. I reiterate what we have been told repeatedly—that in order to gain and to keep the faith we need, it is essential that we read and study and ponder the scriptures.

“Faith has a short shelve life” We must increase our faith every day!

“Your faith will grow not by Chance but by Choice !”

Oil of Hope

The scriptures say that there must be “an opposition in all things.

The adversary uses despair to bind hearts and minds in suffocating darkness. Despair drains from us all that is vibrant and joyful and leaves behind the empty remnants of what life was meant to be. Despair kills ambition, advances sickness, pollutes the soul, and deadens the heart. Despair can seem like a staircase that leads only and forever downward.

Hope, on the other hand, is like the beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances. It pierces the darkness with a brilliant dawn. It encourages and inspires us to place our trust in God.

What, Then, Is Hope?

Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promise to us. It is believing and expecting that our prayers will be answered. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance.

The things we hope in sustain us during our daily walk. They uphold us through trials, temptations, and sorrow. Everyone has experienced discouragement and difficulty. Indeed, there are times when the darkness may seem unbearable. It is in these times divine principles we hope in can uphold us and carry us until, once again, we walk in the light.

We hope in Jesus the Christ, in the goodness of God, in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, in the knowledge that prayers are heard and answered. Because God has been faithful and kept His promises in the past, we can hope with confidence that God will keep His promises to us in the present and in the future. In times of distress, we can hold tightly to the hope that things will “work together for [our] good. This type of hope in God, His goodness, and His power refreshes us with courage during difficult challenges and gives strength to those who feel threatened by enclosing walls of fear, doubt, and despair

As long as we have hope, 
we have direction, 
the energy to move, 
and the map to move by. 
We have a hundred alternatives, 
a thousand paths and infinity of dreams. 
Hopeful, we are halfway to where we want to go; 
Hopeless, we are lost forever.

Hope is one of the prime differences between successful people and those who can only see failure. Successful people have hope because they can clearly see their goals. People who only see failure have no hope because they see no light, they set no goals, and they see nothing accomplished. Successful people see alternatives and are willing to try different ways. People who only see failure are unable to see another way and give up to easily. With hope you are halfway to where you want to go; by setting your goals, and taking the action to achieve them, you will see your hope turn into your reality!

So HOPE is the antidote for despair. It may not solve the problem but it can buoy us up and give us the strength and courage we need to go on. We need to remember to lift our heads up, look to God and find great help and endurance.  ( Look up my Soul  by Gerald N. Lund )

"Man can live forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope"

Oil of Understanding  

I believe when we truly understand a person or a situation, then our opinions can change.
Let me tell you a story that proves this point!

Candy shop

One day a teenage boy went into a Candy store. He approached the Proprietor and asked for 3 boxes of chocolates 1 one-pound of chocolates, 1 two-pound box of chocolates, and 1 three-pound box of chocolates.

The owner complied and began to fill the young man’s order and asked, “may I ask you why need 3 boxes of chocolates”?

The young man said:

“I am going to a dance with a girl that I don’t know very well but I like her a lot. If we go to the dance and she is shy and quite, and perhaps we dance a few dances I will give her that 1-pound box of chocolates. If we go to the dance and she is fun and we dance a lot and she holds my hand, I will give here that 2-pound box of chocolates. If we go to the dance and we dance close all night long, hold hands and as the end of the night she gives me a kiss, I will give her the 3-pound box of chocolates.

The owner smiled, wished him good luck and rang the young man up for his order.

The night of the dance arrived and the young man went to the house to retrieve his date for the evening. Her parents invited him inside and they waited for her to come downstairs. When she was finally ready she came down and said she was ready to leave.

The young man said:

“Do you mind if we read some scriptures together with your parents before we go”?

She thought this was a strange request but allowed it.

After completing some verses she again resounded she was ready to leave.

The young man said:

“Before we go can we kneel down together and have a family prayer”?

She again thought this to be strange but figured it would help her to get to the dance so she allowed it.

After the prayer she asked the young man again if they could leave, and he finally agreed.

They said goodbye to the parents and left.

As they were walking to his car the young woman said”

I have to be honest with you… I had no idea you were so spiritual”

The young man replied:

“To be honest… I had no idea your father owned a Candy Store”.

The moral of the story: "A change in understanding can lead to a change in behavior"

REMEMBER: “You are never to young to learn and never too old to change!” ~ Russell M Nelson

Oil of Kindness 

The Savior himself said…As I have loved you, love one anot

We cannot truly love God if we don’t love and serve those around us.

President Monson reminds us when he said…”My sisters, our opportunities to shine surround us each day, in whatever circumstance we find ourselves. As we follow the example of the Savior, ours will be the opportunity to be a light in the lives of others, whether they be our own family members and friends, our co-workers, mere acquaintances, or total strangers.

To each of you, I say that you are a son or daughter of our Heavenly Father. You have come from His presence to live on this earth for a season, to reflect the Savior’s love and teachings, and to bravely let your light shine for all to see. When that season on earth has ended, if you have done your part, yours will be the glorious blessing of returning to live with Him forever.

Usually our love will be shown in our day-to-day interactions one with another. All important will be our ability to recognize someone’s need and then to respond. I have always cherished the sentiment expressed in the short poem:”

I have wept in the night

For the shortness of sight

That to somebody’s need made me blind;

But I never have yet

Felt a tinge of regret

For being a little too kind.

Oil of service 

 I believe we need a lot of this type of Spiritual Oil

(“there is no age barrier, when it comes to Christlike Service”)

( Mosiah 2:17 ) When you are in the service of your fellow being you are in the service of your God

Life is perfect for none of us, and at times the challenges and difficulties we face may become overwhelming, causing our light to dim. However, with help from our Heavenly Father, coupled with support from others, we can regain that light which will illuminate our own path once again and provide the light others may need.

It is often difficult to be different and to stand alone in a crowd. It is natural to fear what others might think or say. Comforting are the words of the psalm: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”7 As we make Christ the center of our lives, our fears will be replaced by the courage of our convictions.

As we celebrate the 174th year of the Relief Society Program, may we be found being that Light to those around us. 

May we ask ourselves if we worry too much about being like everyone else, or do we appreciate our differences? 

In closing I would like to leave you this cute poem I found, that emphasizes this very point.

The Crayon Box That Talked

by Shane DeRolf

While walking in a toy store, the day before today,
I overheard a crayon box, with many things to say…

‘I don’t like Red!’ said Yellow and Green said, ‘Nor do I!
And no one here likes Orange, but no one knows just why.’

‘We are a box of crayons that doesn’t get along.’
Said Blue to all the others, ‘Something here is wrong!’

Well, I bought that box of crayons and took it home with me,
And laid out all the colors so the crayons could all see.

They watched me as I colored with Red and Blue and Green,
And Black and White and Orange and every color in between…

They watched as Green became the grass and Blue became the sky,
The Yellow sun was shining bright on White clouds drifting by,

Colors changing as they touched becoming something new.
They watched me as I colored. They watched till I was through.

And when I’d finally finished I began to walk away.
And as I did, the crayon box had something more to say…

‘I do like Red!’ said Yellow and Green said, ‘So do I!

And, Blue, you were terrific so high up in the sky!’

‘We are a box of crayons each one of us unique.
But when we get together the picture is complete'.

I am truly grateful to know that I am a daughter of God. Grateful for the opportunity to be a Light unto others,  when I can. And to be reminded to fill my lamp with oil...every single day!

Good Night dear friends!

Here are some photos to show you how great they did in decorating for the dinner tonight!

It was a wonderful night for the Dinner and so many people did a lot of work ( as you can tell by the photos )
 I wasn't feeling 100% so I didn't feel like I did my best job in speaking but  hopefully it made a difference to someone.

They even had a Rainbow Cake!

Gratitude

Gratitude,
I truly am thankful for the times that I get to study for these presentations that I get to do...like tomorrow night. Even though I have been speaking about mostly the same subjects for over 35 years. I continue to learn and grow.

I remember all the things that I am suppose to tell myself too, on tough and Bigger Than Me Days!
I am grateful for that.

Learning to Appreciate Yourself

I found these quotes the other day, and realized I need to remember them for myself more often!

Hope  you enjoy the reminder too! Good night dear friends

Do you think highly of yourself? If not, now is the time to raise your self-esteem and self-worth.

  Remember, you are a beautiful person in your own unique way. And you are valuable, worthy and lovable.

I Highly Value Myself

"If you really put a small value upon yourself, rest assured that the world will not raise your price." 

-Author Unknown

  I Am My Own Best Friend

"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

  I Believe in My Dreams

"Don't let anyone steal your dream. It's your dream, not theirs."

-Dan Zadra

  I Chart My Own Life Course

"I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship."

-Louisa May Alcott

I Don’t Let Others Bring Me Down

"Other people's opinion of you does not have to become your reality."

-Les Brown

  I Recognize the Jewel Within

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

  I Am Brilliant and Fabulous

"It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?"

-Marianne Williamson

   I Enjoy The Journey of Life

"Don't let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was."

- Richard L. Evans

  Treat Myself Well and Others Do Too

"The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others."

-Sonya Friedman

  I No Longer Judge Myself

"It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes."

-Sally Field

Learning to trust!

I found this story and although it talks about Christmas time, I am not trying to rush the season…really! I like the story because it shows us how important it is to have faith and trust in something bigger than ourselves. It was a great analogy, not sure if it is true but…still the message came across loud and clear.

Still struggling a little bit with my pain, getting better though. Thanks for your patience with me. Hard sometimes for me to think positively and write something positive when I hurt that bad.  I need to remember to go back to Baby Steps, I have been doing too  much. It is hard to finally get back into normal life and realize that you might have to slow down a little bit more. Oh well, I am definitely a work in progress!

Hope you are doing well and have a wonderful night and enjoy the story!!!

 
THE MAN AND THE BIRDS

Now the man to whom I’m going to introduce you was not a scrooge.  He was a kind, decent, mostly good man, generous to his family and upright in his dealings with other men. But he just didn’t believe all that incarnation stuff which the churches proclaim at Christmas time.  It just didn’t make sense, and he was too honest to pretend otherwise.  He just couldn’t swallow the Jesus story, about God coming to earth as a man.

“I’m truly sorry to distress you,” he told his wife, “but I’m not going with you to church this Christmas Eve.” He said he’d feel like a hypocrite and that he’d much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them.  And so he stayed, and they went to the midnight service.

Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall.  He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then went back to his fireside chair and began to read his newspaper.  Minutes later, he was startled by a thudding sound.  Then another, and then another.  Sort of a thump or a thud.  At first he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against his living room window.

But when he went to the front door to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They’d been caught in the storm and, in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his large landscape window.  Well, he couldn’t let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony.  That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it.

Quickly he put on a coat and galoshes and tramped through the deepening snow to the barn.  He opened the doors wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in.  He figured food would entice them in.  So he hurried back to the house, fetched bread crumbs and sprinkled them on the snow, making a trail to the yellow-lighted, wide-open doorway of the stable.  But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow.

He tried catching them. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms.  Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn.  And then, he realized, that they were afraid of him.  To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature.  If only I could think of someway to let them know that they can trust me – that I am not trying to hurt them, but to help them.  But how, because any move he made tended to frighten and confuse them.  They just would not follow.  They would not be led or shooed because they feared him.

“If only I could be a bird,” he thought to himself, “and mingle with them and speak their language.  Then I could tell them not to be afraid.  Then I could show them the way to the safe, warm . . . . . . . . . to the safe, warm barn.  But I would have to be one of them so they could see, and hear and understand.”

At that moment, the church bells began to ring.  The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind.  And he stood there listening to the bells – listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas.  And he sank to his knees in the snow. 
- WRITTEN BY PAUL HARVEY -

 

“A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.”    ~C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

“People see God every day, they just don't recognize him.”    ~Pearl Bailey

Everyone needs a wise Grandmother like this.

What a sweet story!  "When wisdom comes with age, and is shared with love...it's a wonderful thing!"  ~ Lynn Woodard

GRANDMA'S CAKE BAKING

A little boy is telling his Grandma how "everything" is going wrong: school, family problems, and severe health problems in the family. Meanwhile, Grandma is baking a cake. She asks her grandson if he would like a snack, which of course he does.
"Here, have some cooking oil," she says. "Yuck" says the boy. "Then how about a couple raw eggs?" "Gross, Grandma!" he replies. "Would you prefer some flour then? Or maybe some baking soda?" she asks.
"Grandma, those are all yucky!" he replied. To which Grandma replies: "Yes, all those things seem to taste bad all by themselves. But when they are mixed together in the right amounts and the right manner, they make a delicious cake!"
She continued, "God works the same way. Many times we wonder why he would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!"
"God is crazy about you," says Grandma, "If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. When you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart. And what about the Christmas gift He sent you in Bethlehem and that Friday at Calvary? Face it; He's crazy about you."

--- Author Unknown

"Be happy. It's one way of being wise."

"It is as grandmothers that our mothers come into the fullness of their grace"

"A grandparent has the wisdom of long experience and the love of an understanding heart"

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

There is always something to learn.

Most of us are familiar with the story of Sleeping Beauty. When the princess was born, the fairies were invited as godmothers to offer gifts, such as beauty, wit and musical talent. Now without telling you the rest of the story, I would like to focus on the good gifts that she was given.
I believe we were all blessed with good gifts from our Heavenly Father when we were born. But some gifts we have to work for and achieve in this life. Today in church, we talked about how transforming the power of faith and character are in our lives. It was from a talk given by Richard G. Scott in October 2010

I will share some of the notes that I took from the lesson ...

Hebrews 11:1  "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

What are some of the empowering principles upon which faith is based?

• Trust in God and in His willingness to provide help when needed, no matter how challenging the circumstance.

• Obedience to His commandments and a life that demonstrates that He can trust you.

• Sensitivity to the quiet promptings of the Holy Spirit.

• Courageous implementation of that prompting.

• Patience and understanding when God lets you struggle to grow and when answers come a piece at a time over an extended period.

With even your strongest faith, God will not always reward you immediately according to your desires. Rather, God will respond with what in His eternal plan is best for you, when it will yield the greatest advantage. Be thankful that sometimes God lets you struggle for a long time before that answer comes. That causes your faith to increase and your character to grow.

To summarize:

• God uses your faith to mold your character.

• Character is the manifestation of what you are becoming.

• Strong character results from consistent correct choices.

• The bedrock of character is integrity.

• The more your character is fortified, the more enabled you are to exercise the power of faith.

I have personally verified that concepts like faith, prayer, love, and humility hold no great significance and produce no miracles until they become a living part of us through our own experience, aided by the sweet prompting of the Holy Spirit.

This was a great lesson for me today, and one to help me teach my kids and granddaughters. I can remind them of how they have already been given many of the gifts and talents that they need, they don't have to wait for someone else to bestow them upon them. It can also remind them if they have faith and good character, it can be life changing for them. So when life gives them trials, they can remember to stay faithful, believing and true to what they know, completely trusting that they can grow and learn from each of these experiences. The moral of the story, is that we actually have more knowledge and gifts than Sleeping Beauty ever had! So each morning we awake... we should be grateful for that knowledge! Talking about all this sleeping is making me tired! So good night dear friends!

"Faith is a bird that feels dawn breaking and sings while it is still dark."  ~ Rabindranath Tagore

"When you have come to the edge of all light that you know and are about to drop off into the darkness of the unknown, Faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly."  ~ Patrick Overton

Prayer

I was reading a story about a prayer and wanted to share part of it with you ...

The story was about a little girl. She was upset with her brother, who built a trap to catch sparrows.

Unable to get help, she said to herself, “Well, I’ll pray about it.”

After her prayer, the little girl told her mother, “I know he is not going to catch any sparrows in his trap because I prayed about it. I’m positive he won’t catch any sparrows!”

Her mother said, “How can you be so sure?”

She said, “After I prayed about it, I went out and kicked that old trap all to pieces!”                                             ~ Boyd K. Packer, “Prayer and Promptings  November 2009

I guess the moral to this story is to pray with great faith, but then remember to always end our prayers with "THY WILL BE DONE". When we do this, we showing the Lord that no matter what, we will trust in His decisions and timing. But  don't you just love the little girl's attitude and determination? At least she did everything in her power to take care of the problem too! :) Yes, prayer truly is vital in our lives.

"With thoughtless and impatient hands
We tangle up the plans
The Lord hath wrought.
And when we cry in pain He saith,
“Be quiet, man, while I untie the knot.”  ~Unknown

"Prayer is a privilege and the soul’s sincere desire. We can move beyond routine and “checklist” prayers and engage in meaningful prayer as we appropriately ask in faith and act, as we patiently persevere through the trial of our faith, and as we humbly acknowledge and accept “not my will, but Thine, be done." ~ David A. Bednar

Rippling effect of kindness!

I read this article the other day and loved it! So true, a little kindness goes a long way! I hope you enjoy it as much I did!

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”    ~ Mark Twain

Over the weekend, there was a report in the newspaper stating a headline from an article in the Seattle Times, ‘Kindness taught in Seattle school’s online class.’ As course leader Andy Smallman says, “The purpose of this ‘class’ is to have fun while being kind, to see how being kind to others is actually being kind to ourselves, and to start ripples of kindness that will be felt in faraway places.”

You may be curious to know what is taught in the class. According to the newspaper report by Richard Hartung (a consultant living in Singapore since 1992), there is no exams or grades - just homework. Like, do something kind for someone we love and then do something for someone we don’t know. I would like to call it enlisting people into a kindness movement by getting them to consciously perform act of kindness for their loved ones and even for people they do not know.

As Richard says, “Kindness - the ripple with no end.” Indeed, the ripples generate from the act of kindness will travel far and wide; they will go on to affect many others from where they first start. However, the ripples on the surface of the water in a lake will stop if the factor generating the ripples stop. Like the rain stops falling on the lake or someone stops throwing stone into it.

Like the water ripples, the kindness ripples will stop too if we stop being kind. Therefore, we must continue to perform act of kindness in order for the kindness ripples to continue.

Richard asked a question, “Does a kind act here or there really make a difference?” I believe that no matter how small a kind act may be, it will go on to create ripples; it will always make a difference. As Dilbert creator Scott Adams put it more simply, “Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”

Not only that, as stated in the newspaper report, “Thinkers from Confucius to Dalai Lama as well as research from the US National Institutes of Health and many other sources all cite benefits to both giver and receiver.” We don’t need to be a genius like Albert Einstein to understand that; who has not felt good from being kind to loved ones and to strangers?

A water ripple that hits a wall before it disappears may bounce back to its source, depending on the strength of the ripple and how far the wall is. However, a kindness ripple generated will propagate and eventually but surely, it will go back to its source.

Let us take the time today to generate a kindness ripple through a small act of kindness, which will surely bring happiness to the life of others and to yourself.

“Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.”   ~ Og Mandino

Looking out our own windows

I was grateful for my sister-in-law sending me this cute poem, which had a profound meaning.

WINDOW THROUGH WHICH WE LOOK

A young couple moved into a new neighborhood.
The next morning while they were eating breakfast,The young woman saw her neighbor hanging the wash outside.
"That laundry is not very clean", she said.
"She doesn't know how to wash correctly.
Perhaps she needs better laundry soap."

Her husband looked on, but remained silent.
Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry,
The young woman would make the same comments.
About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a
Nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband:

"Look, she has learned how to wash correctly.
I wonder who taught her this."

The husband said, "I got up early this morning and
Cleaned our windows."

And so it is with life. What we see when watching others
Depends on the purity of the window through which we look.

I really loved this! A great reminder for us all! Good night!

 

"JUDGEMENTS PREVENT US FROM SEEING THE GOOD THAT LIES BEYOND APPEARANCES" ~ Wayne Dyer

"EVERYTHING THAT IRRITATES US ABOUT OTHERS CAN LEAD US TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF OURSELVES"                     ~ Carl Gustay Jung

What I Can and Cannot do!

Tonight for Family Home Evening, the lesson was on... Doing verses Becoming. The point was, there are many things that we can do, but not be a better person because of it. We can do charity without being charitable, we can be kind without really loving someone, and you can put up with someone, without really forgiving them, so the lesson focused on more about BECOMING a different and better person. This topic struck home to me because lately I have been so focused on what I CANNOT DO! I have been feeling so sorry for myself and so needless to say, I haven't been a happy camper lately. Now I realize that this is suppose to be a motivational blog and hopefully somehow you have been able to find something good in it, even though I have had quite a few BIGGER THAN ME DAYS lately.

I made a list the other day about things that I cannot do...  ( this was not a good use of my time! )

Problem.... my back and neck....I cannot walk too far, lift my granddaughters without pain, sleep well, and I can't do most normal activities like exercise or bike riding with Jeff and the kids.I cannot sit or stand or walk for very long without a lot of pain.

Problem...my cancer and mastectomy... I now have lymphedema and I can't lift groceries, I can't lift my granddaughters,  I cannot let my left arm get hurt or cut because of greater chance of infection ( no lymph nodes). I cannot wear my prosthetic and bra, because of the pain in my chest from the pneumonia, there for I cannot go out in public much or at least without a puffy jacket.

Problem...my hands, I have arthritis in my both hands and I now hurt when I do any kind of crafts or even handwriting and typing cause great pain and aching.

Problem...bronchitis and pneumonia....I cannot do hardly any activity because I have no air, or if I do then I can't stop coughing. It feels as if someone is always sitting on my chest!

Problem...my knees... I just had surgery in both knees, I cannot kneel, I cannot squat, I cannot shop, I cannot do a lot of stairs and now I can't start PT for my knees because ...of my pneumonia!

Ok, you get the picture, I am not trying to get you to feel sorry for me-because I am already doing a good job of that myself. I just noticed that I  have been constantly focused on what I can't do, I can't take care of my family, can't write letters to my friends, and on and on.  Tonight I realized I have got to learn what I need to learn from all these experiences, instead of feeling sorry for myself and thinking about what I CAN'T DO all the time! 

My point of this blog has always been to share with you my life and lessons I am learning, in hopes that some of you will find great comfort in the fact that you are not alone. I hope that when you and I share some of the same experiences and lessons that life is giving us, that in turn... you will have a shared strength and hope too. Life is hard but I realized tonight, I have got to do two things...One...stop thinking about myself and see what I can do to serve others, even if it is a phone call, or a prayer. Second...I need to understand what it is I need to be learning, from all these challenges that I am having. I realize that will take a lot of patience on my part, and also faith. I know life brings us challenges for a reason. I also know that I need to trust that my Heavenly Father will not give me anything that I cannot handle. So continue to hang in there with me, as we continue to learn these valuable lessons from life! (Hard as they may be!)

Good night dear friends and thanks always for your constant support and love.

"If we're always looking in the rear view mirror it's hard to keep our eyes on the road ahead." - Author Unknown

"3 choices in life:
give up, give in, or give it you all."

Part 2

My last post was about first impressions and how very often we judge one another, and many times unfairly. When I wrote and thank the dear friend (who was the inspiration for my post), this is the poem he sent me. It was one of his favorites on this same subject. It was so good, I felt the need to make a part 2 to my last post. I still think the reason that this is important to me, is because it is something that I need to work on every day.

As Jeff and I talked to the hosts of the B & B yesterday morning before we left, we talked of this very subject. They mentioned how some times when people first come to their B & B, that they are quite and seem sorta distant.  Then usually by the next morning after having a good night sleep and time away from the world, they are different people. I do believe that many of us are over worked, over stressed, under nourished, sleep deprived and on and on. What a great idea it was for Jeff and I to RUN AWAY and get back some time for ourselves ( refill our bucket ),have time for each other and get a much healthier perspective on our life!  So if you ever need a great B & B to run away to, we know the perfect place...

THYME & TIDE in Oceanside,Oregon       www.thyme-and-tide.com

When You Know a Fellow

When you get to know a fellow, know his joys and know his cares, 
When you've come to understand him and the burdens that he bears, 
When you've learned the fight he's making and the troubles in his way, 
Then you find that he is different than you thought him yesterday.

You find his faults are trivial and there's not so much to blame 
In the brother that you jeered at when you only knew his name.

You are quick to see the blemish in the distant neighbor's style, 
You can point to all his errors and may sneer at him the while, 
And your prejudices fatten and your hates more violent grow 
As you talk about the failures of the man you do not know,

But when drawn a little closer, and your hands and shoulders touch, 
You find the traits you hated really don't amount to much.

When you get to know a fellow, know his every mood and whim, 
You begin to find the texture of the splendid side of him; 
You begin to understand him, and you cease to scoff and sneer, 
For with understanding always prejudices disappear. 
You begin to find his virtues and his faults you cease to tell, 
For you seldom hate a fellow when you know him very well.

When next you start in sneering and your phrases turn to blame, 
Know more of him you censure than his business and his name; 
For it's likely that acquaintance would your prejudice dispel 
And you'd really come to like him if you knew him very well.

When you get to know a fellow and you understand his ways, 
Then his faults won't really matter, for you'll find a lot to praise.

"NEVER JUDGE A MAN'S ACTIONS UNTIL YOU KNOW HIS MOTIVES"

"WE JUDGE OURSELVES BY WHAT WE FEEL CAPABLE OF DOING, WHILE OTHERS JUDGE US BY WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY DONE"  ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow