Values

I love this quote, it is so true. It makes life choices...so much easier!
Happy Labor Day and good night dear friends!

Singing your song

Last night I taught a class at church, on the importance of having Family Night. I loved preparing for it, because once again it reminded me that we can not take our family's for granted. We need to provide a home that is safe and that has a sure foundation. Taking one day a week to devote to being together as a family is important. We have always had Family Night with our kids, and they actually looked forward to it. It is a special time and a time to reinforce our love for each other, and also our values and beliefs. Yes, I believe it made all the difference in the world.
Now don't get me wrong, there were times when our Family Nights didn't turn out too successful. Attitudes were bad or someone didn't want to participate. But all in all, I am grateful we did it, week after week. I found this story and I loved it. What a powerful message it was about helping each of us remember who we are, and that we are loved. Read it and see what you think?

They're Singing Your Song 

When a woman in a certain African tribe knows
she is pregnant, she goes out into the wilderness
with a few friends and together they pray and
meditate until they hear the song of the child.
They recognize that every soul has its own vibration
that expresses its unique flavor and purpose. When
the women attune to the song, they sing it out loud. 
Then they return to the tribe and teach it to everyone
else.

When the child is born, the community gathers and sings the child's song to him or her. Later, when the child enters education, the village gathers and chants the child's song. When the child passes through the initiation to adulthood, the people again come
together and sing. At the time of marriage, the person hears his or her song.
Finally, when the soul is about to pass from this world, the family and friends gather at the person's bed, just as they did at their birth, and they sing the person to the next life.
To the African tribe there is one other occasion upon which the villagers sing to the child. If at any time during his or her life, the person commits a crime or aberrant social act, the individual is called to the center of the village and the people in the community
form a circle around them. Then they sing their song to them.
The tribe recognizes that the correction for antisocial behavior is not punishment; it is love and the remembrance of identity. When you recognize your own song, you have no desire or need to do anything that would hurt another.
A friend is someone who knows your song and sings it to you when you have forgotten it. Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; your wholeness when you are broken; your innocence when you feel guilty; and your purpose when you are confused.
You may not have grown up in an African tribe that sings your song to you at crucial life transitions, but life is always reminding you when you are in tune with yourself and when you are not. When you feel good, what you are doing matches your song, and when you feel awful, it doesn't. In the end, we shall all recognize our song and sing it well.
You may feel a little unsteady at the moment, but so have all the great singers. Just keep singing and you'll find your way home.

http://www.inspirationpeak.com/shortstories/singingyoursong.html

"It's surprising how many persons go through life without ever recognizing that their feelings toward other people are largely determined by their feelings toward themselves, and if you're not comfortable within yourself, you can't be comfortable with others."  ~ Sidney J. Harris

"The hardest challenge is to be yourself in a world where everyone is trying to make you be somebody else."
~E. E. Cummings

"You don't choose your family.  They are God's gift to you, as you are to them."  ~Desmond Tutu

What our homes should really be like!

I heard a song the other day on the radio, I wasn't exactly in love with the music but I loved the lyrics. I came right home and looked up the lyrics, this is the part of the song that made me really think. If you want to read the rest of the lines, just look up the song like I did on Google.

The song reminds us what our homes should really be like for our kids ( and for ourselves). A place of safety, where core values are taught, where there are fond memories and teachings that remind you constantly of who you really are. It should be a place where you are expected to be the best at whatever you do. There in our home we should be taught that the sky is the limit when it comes to our hopes and dreams. It should be a place of  unconditional love. Some times in the world we tend to forget who we are, our values and our potential. What a neat thought that just by coming home or seeing home or thinking about home, we can remember all the wonderful things we were taught and gain back our sense of value. Yes our home, should be like this for each of us and for our children. What a good reminder of that today!!!

"Peace - that was the other name for home."  ~Kathleen Norris

Miranda Lambert - "The House That Built Me"

Lyrics:

I know they say you cant go home again.
I just had to come back one last time.
Ma’am I know you don’t know me from Adam.
But these hand prints on the front steps are mine.
And up those stairs, in that little back bedroom
is where I did my homework and I learned to play guitar.
And I bet you didn’t know under that live oak
my favorite dog is buried in the yard.

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
this brokenness inside me might start healing.
Out here its like i’m someone else,
I thought that maybe I could find myself
if I could just come in I swear i’ll leave.
Won’t take nothing but a memory
from the house that built me.

You leave home, you move on and you do the best you can.
I got lost in this whole world and forgot who I am.

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it
this brokenness inside me might start healing.
Out here its like i’m someone else,
I thought that maybe I could find myself.
If I could walk around I swear i’ll leave.
Won’t take nothing but a memory
from the house that built me.

 

"Home is a shelter from storms - all sorts of storms."  ~William J. Bennett

"Home is the one place in all this world where hearts are sure of each other.  It is the place of confidence.  It is the place where we tear off that mask of guarded and suspicious coldness which the world forces us to wear in self-defense, and where we pour out the unreserved communications of full and confiding hearts.  It is the spot where expressions of tenderness gush out without any sensation of awkwardness and without any dread of ridicule."    ~Frederick W. Robertson

“No other success can compensate for failure in the home.”  David O. McKay

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

Faith and Happiness

I believe that we all want happiness in our lives. I also believe that many of us may have trouble finding it on a daily basis. In my reading I found an article about this very subject, and I would like to share part of it with you...

" 600 years ago on the New Year of 1412 in the small village of Domremy, France a baby girl was born who, a little later, changed the political and religious landscape of her world. Through military developments and a variety of personal religious experiences, Joan of Arc, sometimes called the Maid of Orleans, was made a captain in the French army at the tender age of 16. In a rather remarkable series of battles and victories, she brought acclaim to herself and her cause, inspiring not only the men under her command but also the entire French nation. Later she was captured, tried, and put to death---burned at the stake---her life complete at 19 years of age.

As the fires were being ignited around the stake to which she was tied, Joan was given a last chance to save her life and regain her liberty if she would deny her religious---and thus some of her personally motivated political---beliefs. She refused to deny anything she believed or anything she had said about her faith, and thus chose fire above freedom, and principle above politics. Maxwell Anderson, who wrote a moving drama about this young woman and her courage, has her say in his play as the flames begin to consume her, "THE WORLD CAN USE THESE WORDS...EVERY MAN GIVES HIS LIFE FOR WHAT HE BELIEVES; EVERY WOMAN GIVES HER LIFE FOR WHAT SHE BELIEVES. SOMETIMES PEOPLE BELIEVE IN LITTLE OR NOTHING, [AND YET] THEY GIVE UP THEIR LIVES TO THAT LITTLE OR NOTHING. ONE LIFE IS ALL WE HAVE, AND WE LIVE IT AS WE BELIEVE IN LIVING IT, AND THEN IT'S GONE. BUT TO SURRENDER WHAT YOU ARE, AND LIVE WITHOUT BELIEF----THAT'S MORE TERRIBLE THAN DYING---MORE TERRIBLE THAN DYING YOUNG" (Joan of Lorraine, act 2, interlude 3)  ~ Jeffrey R. Holland

This story of Joan of Arc's life is very impressive, she had a faith and beliefs that she stood by her... whole life. I believe that is where true Happiness comes from. I think we need to remember to be like her courageous, strong, truly understand our opposition and remember above all else ....what truly matters in this world!  This article and this example of Joan of Arc, reminded me that we need to "GET SERIOUS" about our faith, beliefs, the changes we need to make in our lives and serious about the decisions we are making on a daily basis. We are all living in a world that is morally coming apart at the seams. We need to know what we believe and value, then live it!

What a great article for the beginning of a new year. I pray that we each will take a personal inventory of our beliefs and faith, then ask ourselves if we are truly as devoted to them as we should be?

I AM A MOTHER!

I am reading a book called I Am a Mother by Jane Clayson Johnson, she was the former co-host of The Early Show on CBS and she also served as a network correspondent for The CBS Evening News and 48 Hours. Since becoming a full-time mother and wife, she has written this book about her experiences. I guess I thought about this because when I was traveling I put on my ticket while at the air port, Lynn Woodard CEO. I got a few comments about it. When I was asked what company I was the CEO of Woodard's and Associates, they just smiled when they finally figured it out that I was a full-time mom.

I can't even begin to tell  you how many times in my life someone has asked me what I do for a living or what my job is. When I tell them that I am a full-time mom, they really don't even know how to respond or some have been rude enough to actually roll their eyes.

One chapter in the book that was discussing this very subject had a quote from Former New York Times reporter and Pulitzer Prize nominee Ann Crittenden: "ANY WOMAN WHO HAD DEVOTED HERSELF TO RAISING CHILDREN HAS EXPERIENCED THE HOLLOW PRAISE THAT ONLY THINLY CONCEALS SMUG DISMISSAL. IN A CULTURE THAT MEASURES WORTH AND ACHIEVEMENT ALMOST SOLELY IN TERMS OF MONEY, THE INTENSIVE WORK OF REARING RESPONSIBLE ADULTS COUNTS FOR LITTLE. ONE OF THE MOST INTRIGUING QUESTIONS IN ECONOMIC HISTORY IS HOW THIS CAME TO BE; HOW MOTHERS CAME TO BE EXCLUDED FROM THE RANKS OF PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS. HOW DID THE DEMANDING JOB OF REARING A MODERN CHILD COME TO BE TRIVIALIZED AS BABY-SITTING? WHEN DID CARING FOR CHILDREN BECOME A 'LABOR OF LOVE', SMOTHERED UNDER A BLANKET OF SENTIMENTALITY THAT HIDES ITS ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE?"

The book goes on to say that the truth is--- that Motherhood is a noble, even heroic, occupation.

I am grateful that I have been able to be a full-time mother and grandmother (Nana). It is hard work, some of the hardest ever, but I hope that I will be reminded of it's importance every day and never be ashamed of what I do. I hope that I will keep my head up (when I am asked what I do for a living) and proudly say..." I am a full-time Mother and Nana! We need to remember to take time out to thank our Mothers and Grandmothers, if you are lucky enough to still have them with you. Good night dear friends!

"EVERY LITTLE GIRL KNOWS THAT MOTHERS MATTER" ~Jane Clayson Johnson

"IF WE STOP TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE DO, REALLY DO, WE ARE BUILDING FOR THE CENTURIES. WE ARE BUILDING CHARACTER, AND TRADITION, AND VALUES, WHICH MEANDER LIKE A RIVER INTO THE DISTANCE AND OUT OF OUR SIGHT, BUT ON AND ON AND ON."  ~ Ann Quindlen

Self Test!

This part of an article and these quotes made me stop and think. I do feel that it is good to do some Self Tests once in awhile, to see how we are doing. Try them out yourself!

Respect for Others and Ourselves

“Ask yourself these questions: Am I an example of respect in my home by the way I treat those I love the most? What is my demeanor during a sports event? If my child has a disagreement with a teacher, coach, or peer, do I listen to both sides of the issue? Do I show respect for the property of others as well as take care of my own? How do I respond to others with whom I disagree in matters of religion, lifestyle, or politics? “As parents and leaders exemplify and teach respect for others, we confirm in the hearts of our children that each of us is truly a child of God and all are brothers and sisters through eternity. We will focus on the things we have in common—on the qualities of heart that bind the family of God together, rather than on our differences.”

" You are who you are when no one is looking!"

These make you think!

“ Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.”
— Oscar Wilde

“ I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time.”
— Anna Freud

“ Maturity begins to grow when you can sense your concern for others outweighing your concern for yourself” -John MacNaughton

I hope these gave you a chance (like me) to reflect on your life and your choices. Good night!

Virtues

It has been in the 90's for the past few days and even at night in the house, it is still in the high 80's. Now those of you that live in Texas, or Arizona might think that we are pretty sissy to be complaining about the heat. Well, it is important to remember that we aren't USED to the heat, that makes a difference. Also no one  in Seattle usually has air conditioning, so the heat does seem pretty unbearable.

I won't write much for a couple of reasons, one it is late and I have my niece downstairs and I want to spend time with her, plus this lap top is getting hot on my legs :)

I will leave you with a couple of quotes that I really touched me today. We must stay true to the values and virtues that we believe in!  We truly should be making a difference in the world every day for GOOD!  Enjoy!

"STAND TALL AND BE STRONG IN DEFENSE OF THOSE GREAT VIRTUES WHICH HAVE BEEN THE BACKBONE OF OUR SOCIAL PROGRESS. WHEN YOU ARE UNITED, YOUR POWER IS LIMITLESS. YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING YOU WISH TO ACCOMPLISH. AND OH, HOW VERY, VERY GREAT IS THE NEED FOR YOU IN THE WORLD OF CRUMBLING VALUES WHERE THE ADVERSARY SEEMS SO VERY MUCH TO BE IN CONTROL"               ~ Gordon B. Hinckley

"The giant oak is an acorn that held its ground."