The Change Chain

I realize that the quote "changed for good" probably elicits thoughts of the Broadway musical "Wicked"  (amazing!), and the powerful, tear-jerking song that accompanies it.  And yet, for me, that song is also one more demonstration of a deeper truth:  that when we are changed for good, having been influenced by some-ONE, we are actually recognizing the Source of the good inside that person, Christ Himself.

 
As I reflect each Christmas season on the One whose birthday we celebrate, it is amazing how His one life, has changed the world!  It has been thousands of
years since He lived and died, and yet still, millions are joined in a common faith in and love for Jesus Christ.  Because of Him, we have a perfect example of how to love, how to endure, how to react in adversity, how to truly LIVE.  As followers of Jesus Christ, should that not be our goal each day?  To be the cause of change for the better?  Is His message not one of hope, of renewal, and of faith that we can BECOME?  Become more kind, more forgiving, more compassionate, more patient, more faithful, more loving?  Our gift to Christ is showing, by how we LIVE, that WE are changed.  That we can spread His message of hope, peace, love, & light.   

Are we changed?  Truly different in how we act, react, think, and desire, because we know Him??  Think back to the time we first gained a knowledge that Christ lives, loves us, and we became "born again" as that knowledge helped us start fresh from that moment on...   Do we still have that light, love, and hope, that accompanies a testimony of Him?  This is a thought that has the power to transform my interactions daily, and has helped me turn a situation around for the better.  It can be so hard, especially in the moment!  I forget this truth, often, and am so imperfect at it.  However, I know it has power, and I DESIRE that perspective, so I know it can change me, and I have experienced that change when I do remember!
 
If I catch myself getting frustrated with a situation or person, and I can have "I am changed, because I know HIM" go through my mind, instantly my outlook and therefore, outcome, are different!  I soften, I remember, and I am humbled.  In a split second, I realize I have the  power to choose and mold what my life will be, starting with that decision, knowing that life is simply made up of individual moments, intertwined together.   

So, my wish for us all, is that this simple phrase does "change us for good"!  That we become a peace and an influence of happiness and hope for all those we interact with, to keep "paying it forward"!  THAT, I believe, is the greatest gift we can give to our Savior this year, and always:  SHOW that we are forever changed, because we know HIM. Hopefully helping others to do the same, keeping the change chain alive to influence another, and another, and another life, until we are all truly different, thanks to

our knowledge of HIM.  HAPPIEST HOLIDAYS :)

Don't choose the Chips

As much as this blog title seems to be about good eating habits or health, it is actually on the importance of what we spend our time on.  I am a believer, that the time we have on earth, should be thought of as our greatest worldly commodity.  It is something that, no matter how intelligent, how thrifty, how good at delegating, how productive one is, time cannot be duplicated nor increased.  The time we have here is the one thing we can never get more of...each day of each life, long or short, is numbered.

 My dear friend was asked to speak at BYU's Women's Conference this past summer, and was given a topic on how we spend our time. She was also given a quote on how, just as the pioneers of times past had to deliberately plan and choose what would fit on their small handcarts based on what was most important, we too, should only choose to spend our time on what we deem most important in life, decluttering our lives from the many distractions that aren't of much value.  To illustrate, she shared how one morning her 4 boys somehow got out some chips and ate them during breakfast, leaving behind a big, crummy mess.  She was going to sit down and read scriptures, but had to run them out to school.  Upon returning, those chips called to her, begging to be cleaned up.  So again, she procrastinated reading, and cleaned them up.  This led to bringing some things upstairs to be put away, which led to a quick clean of the bathroom while she was there, to emptying the trash, to putting in a load of laundry, etc.  Before she knew it, her day was gone, and still no scriptures!  She cleverly stated to us all:  "When deciding what to spend your time on, don't choose the chips!!"

I am also an advocate of remembering that "to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" (Eccl. 3:1).  We do not have to do all things at once, nor be all things to all people, nor feel we have to be perfect at everything all at one time!  We need to revel in the place where we find ourselves, and love LIVING that time of our lives, not beating ourselves up thinking of all that we aren't accomplishing instead.  When we have a newborn baby, we shouldn't expect ourselves to be PTA President (or beauty queens for that matter)!  When we have little ones at home, we can and should do our best to spend as much quality time being WITH them, way more than concentrating on having a pristine home.  When we have kids in school, we can choose to be the perfect volunteer or go back to school too, but don't have regret over all the things we "should've done" or how we could've parented!  The point is, no matter what time of life we find ourselves in, we should cherish those moments, knowing we can never get them back.   

Time should be spent, much like we try and spend our money, budgeting for the things of most worth to us.  There is a show on TV where the characters all have a countdown of how much time they have to live on their arms.  How differently we may act knowing exactly how long we have to live!  

So, how are we SPENDING our time?  I think it is interesting to imagine how it will be one day, to be judged, according to how we chose to use our precious time on earth!  It can be so hard to remember in the heat of the moment, or in the tough times where we feel life is so hard we wish life were over. But I know when I have true perspective, I'm hopeful, happy, joyful, and excited to be free to do with my time what I deem most important and life-worthy! 

My favorite LDS song says: 
"Someday He will come, sure as we live and breathe. 
One day every man and woman living on the earth will see His face, one day. 
Someday He will come, sure as the seasons change, He will call the children to Him,
He will bless the souls of every race, someday. 
(This is the most poignant to me:)
When He comes, the world will melt away.  Earthly things will slip right through our hands.  Leaving just our hearts to stand before Him, just our lives to speak for what we've done, what we've become."

This illustrates how what we choose to spend our earthly moments on, are the very things that will shape our character, our perspective, our hearts.  The moments we spend on people: comforting each other, listening to each other, serving another, forgiving each other.  The time we spend reading the "good word of God" which shapes our perspective and gives us understanding of our divinity and how we need to act, as sons and daughters of God, to shape our souls.  The time spent in prayer softens our natures and deepens our desire to live our lives for good.  It all comes down to what we spend our time here on. The lives we lead and leave behind, when all else is stripped away, is ultimately what illustrates who we've BECOME.  Let us not choose the chips, but LIVE our moments, seeking what matters most! 

Be You

Being a mother of 4, count them, FOUR girls, as well as a boy, I feel this deep need to help my kids, especially my girls, develop true confidence and self esteem.  It is a daunting task considering how much exposure they get about how the world judges beauty and self worth.  It literally surrounds them through social media, internet, music, TV, and magazines.

I was deeply touched when I saw this campaign I came across called "Dove Real Beauty Sketches".  In it a forensic artist from the FBI sits with women on one side of a curtain as they describe themselves to him and he draws their portrait.  Later, they interact with each other and he has them describe someone they have met that day, and does another portrait of a person they met.  They then place them side by side and the comparisons have striking differences!  The women's self described portraits tend to be critical, concentrating on their flaws and imperfections.  In contrast, their portrait someone else described is softer, friendlier, and a more beautiful version of themselves.  


Some had alarming realizations about their self esteem and how they regard themselves, and even described how paramount their view of themselves truly is.  How it affects their interactions with spouses, friends, employers, and children.  How it is the glass through which they see everything else.  How we feel about ourselves from the inside, truly affects how we act and interact with everyone on the outside.  (Here is the link to watch on YouTube...a very well spent 6 minutes!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=litXW91UauE)

It made me think of the power of 6 simple words:  "I am a child of GOD."  :)  No matter your religion, most connect with the idea that we have a supreme creator.  As His children, we have divine roots, divine worth, and divine potential!  It is humbling and mind boggling to really understand and consider what it means to be offspring of the God of the Universe!  In teaching my children, I am struck with the idea for my need to underscore how true self esteem and self worth comes through knowing Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven.  As we come to know, love, and trust in them and be in awe of their love of us and desire for our happiness, we can glory in ourselves.  NOT that we're "all that" as the world may think of self esteem and confidence, but that we can be so happy to be us, because we are HIS.  We can celebrate all that makes us good and right, because that celebrates God, as we are His crowning creation!

I am God's daughter.  I have infinite worth.  I am God's.  What inspiration that provides!  "The worth of souls is great in the sight of God."  May I help my daughters and son KNOW this, feel this, and live according to this truth!  May we see each other not from our worldly perspective, but from His eternal perspective.  May we see each other as He does, knowing He gave His Only Begotten Son in our behalf!

An Apostle, Dieter F. Uchtdorf reminds us:

“And while we may look at the vast expanse of the universe and say, ‘What is man in comparison to the glory of creation?’ God Himself said we are the reason He created the universe! His work and glory—the purpose for this magnificent universe—is to save and exalt mankind....Our Heavenly Father created the universe that we might reach our potential as His sons and daughters.  This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God. While against the backdrop of infinite creation we may appear to be nothing, we have a spark of eternal fire burning within our breast. We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation—worlds without end—within our grasp. And it is God’s great desire to help us reach it.  …Be assured that if you but hold on, believe in Him, and remain faithful in keeping the commandments, one day you will experience for yourselves the promises revealed to the Apostle Paul: ‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.’  Brothers and sisters, the most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of your spirit. He knows you. He loves you with a perfect love.  God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season—He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become. He wants you to know that you matter to Him.  May we ever believe, trust, and align our lives so that we will understand our true eternal worth and potential.”

MAY WE SEE OUR TRUE BEAUTY AND PASS THIS GIFT ON TO OTHERS.

The SECRET word

As one who loves words, quotes, and those who write good and uplifting literature in the world, when I came across Kevin Hall's book, Aspire, I was captivated and inspired.  He focuses each chapter on a word, describes it's true meaning, and applies it to life teaching lessons we can learn from each described word.  The most intriguing of the words he conveys, was one he termed "The Secret Word".  I share a brief summary of how he learned of it and its poignant meaning to illustrate how this word has had a profound affect on me and my family.

Kevin Hall had traveled to Vienna, Austria, to discuss with Viktor's family how to fulfill Viktor Frankl's vision of having a Statue of Responsibility as a bookend monument on the U. S. West Coast, to the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast.  While there, he met a fabric shopkeeper, Pravin Cherkoori.  Pravin noticed the small pin replica of the Statue of Responsibility on Kevin's lapel, of two hands clasped together, and was intrigued by its meaning.  After a brief discussion of how it depicted our responsibility to reach out, lighten each other's burdens, and uplift each other, Pravin brought out a big leather book and asked Kevin to sign his "Book of Greats".  Seeing that people such as Ghandi's family, Viktor Frankl, and Mother Teresa had signed it, Kevin kindly declined saying he shouldn't, nor considered himself "one of the greats" as Pravin had said.  It was then that Pravin invited him to dinner and told Kevin he had a word he wanted to teach him.

At dinner, Pravin taught him about an ancient Hindi word that had an even deeper meaning to him than charity:  'Genshai'.  He told its meaning, relating how as children they were taught to never "look at, touch, or address another person in a way that would make them feel small", including to their own selves.  And how, when Kevin refused to sign the "Book of Greats", he was treating himself "small".  That one, powerful lesson, taught Kevin Hall a myriad of truths.

The whole book, Aspire, is probably my most loved and recommended book to anyone looking for a good read, but the "secret word" of genshai has affected me deeply, and is something I love to share with others.  So, as Scott and I have taught our kids about this principle, they are learning it is not enough to bite your tongue and not say something rude, while giving a mean look.  It really has to come from inside--their genuine desire for others.  It is truly wanting good for everyone, and not wishing any negative or bad for them.  This positive thought process changes something inside for the person thinking it, so they don't want to even giving a glance, a word, or a thought that would make an individual feel small or less than.

Just imagine every interaction with others practicing the principle of Genshai.  As you drive in the car, no matter the actions of others around, keeping calm and never wanting others feel "small", even if they don't return the same to you, can at a minimum change how you feel as you drive.  Imagine the teaching moments with kids, when they have an experience at school or with friends when they felt small--how they didn't like how it felt, how they wouldn't want others to feel the same way, and how they can return kindness for meanness and practice genshai to others even if they don't do the same.  How would interactions with others be affected if we thought of never even giving a glance, an annoyed sigh, or address someone that would make them feel less than. 

Now, I realize this may be a kind of "Enchanted" way to wish real life to be.  But, like that movie provokes thought of how fairy tale characters would think and act and deal with daily life differently than we do (and humorously shows how that fairy tale attitude/perspective really can influence real life interactions), genshai may also have a similar affect on those around us. 
As we act and think differently, we can actually be a force for change in those around us as well.  Think about it, typically we react to others based on how they act toward us.  A crying baby is usually soothed by a soft, shushing mother, but if they hear or sense more stress or agitation by their caretaker, it usually is returned in kind plus more!  A rude response by a child to a mother usually gets one back, as the parent doesn't want to show they tolerate disrespect.  When we come into a room happy and energetic, and get annoyed, mean responses, we tend to change immediately and think, 'What's wrong with them?" and we want them to feel as small as we felt they treated us. HOWEVER, the opposite is also true: If we treat someone rude and carelessly, but they respond back with sweetness and kindness still, it can also immediately change us to act in kind, softening our heart and inspiring us to do better.

It is really the same principle taught by the Savior to love others as He loves us, to turn the other cheek, to return a soft answer for wrath, to treat others and see others how He treats and sees us.


Let genshai affect our daily interactions, knowing it is truly just practicing genuine love, care, and concern for each other, as the Savior does for us!

Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. (Psalms 82:6)

RUN...cherish each moment

I sit listening to a familiar "battle" of my 1 year old, Josh, pushing his fake lawnmower that pops balls up loudly as he walks, and my 5 year old, Avery, trying to watch her PBS cartoon telling him, "Lawnmowers can't go inside, Josh!"  Normally I would start feeling anxious and debate in my head how to approach the situation...do I ignore it knowing that what I give attention to usually increases repetition of it happening again, do I hope it just goes away, do I let one have their way knowing whoever I choose, the other will feel I love them less, do I get involved so there it doesn't turn into a larger fight or am I supposed to let my kids learn to find a solution because if I solve everything for them, I make them dependent on me in life...too much pressure!!  But instead of this inner turmoil, today I decide to lavish in the moment of having small kids, knowing they grow up too fast and before I know it, I will wish I was worried about how to solve an issue between PBS cartoons/play lawnmower, instead of dating, drugs, and bad influences when they get older!

Later, Scott and I sit watching a show.  We begin to become aware of a soft pitter-patter around us.  The sound gradually becomes louder and louder until it is accompanied by a booming, smile-filled yell, as Josh finishes his "un" (run), head first into the couch.  He comes with such force, and he is a tank--so let's face it, when you have a bit of velocity on his side, there's no stopping him-- so that his chubby legs flip up in an arch behind him.  Scott and I look at each other and relish in the joy it is to have a chunky, solid, hilarious, sweet, all-boy, 1-year-old.  I remind myself how HORRID last week was moving our whole house, and try to just be in the moment, taking it all in, instead of let my mind wander to the next "fire" that needs my attention. 


We joke how funny it is that kids have an innate desire to RUN almost everywhere they go, and how it would be even more funny if adults had the same need.  Imagining co-workers wildly running down the halls at work to their cubicles, teachers running down the halls at school reminding students not to do so as they pass them wildly waving their arms behind them, Dads running in the door from work jumping on the couch, even Congress running to the pulpit to debate world issues!  I relate a story to Scott that once at a dance rehearsal where us moms brought our children, I started running around like the kids, and we all couldn't help but bust up laughing at the oddness of the sight of an adult doing what kids do so naturally! 

I realize how silly it is, to let my mind wander to a subject so insignificant as adults running, spawned by me enjoying my boy do just that.  I wonder why it is so HARD to let ourselves live IN the moment?  Why do we let stress overwhelm and paralyze us?  What makes one day happier, harder, or more stressful than another?  Although I know there are circumstances that are truly unlaughable and unimaginably hard that some go through in life, for the most part we can make each day more livable, more happy, more enjoyable, as we stop to enjoy ourselves in the moment.  Smell the roses.  Treasure the view.  Carpe Diem.

Although we can't wish away our hardships, our outlook and perspective can truly make a huge

difference on how we handle them.  This same positive outlook can cause us to look for the memories to cherish, the ones we can't bottle and will vanish with time if we don't enjoy them in the moment.  May we "un" (run) and take time to notice the moments we want to remember, happily. :) 

"My plea is that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life, we 'accentuate the positive.' I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still our voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment and endorse virtue and effort."
--Gordon B. Hinckley

Moving Madness

This week, I have woken up to boxes, tape, and chaos around me.  It is 2 weeks to moving, and each day we are trying to chip away little by little to pack up this household of 7, so we don't get overwhelmed at the very end.  This is a blessing, and a curse, all at once!   It seemed like such a great idea, get ahead of the moving game so it's not all left to the last few days.  As I look around at what I call "the dregs of my house" all around me, I'm not convinced!  Sometimes pushing hard all at once can reap great rewards.

Now that I'm in the middle of packing up, all I can do is push through it!  It is like a woman going into labor--you realize there is no getting out of your predicament--you have to go through it before things improve!  I turn to my husband with a look of bewildered fear like, "what have we gotten ourselves into?!"  He smiles back and says, "Don't worry, it has to get worse before it gets better."  How true this is.  I can either look around and feel doom, since once you empty closets, drawers, and furniture, things appear worse off than when you started, OR, I can focus on the rooms, closets, and drawers that are now empty, marking progress.

As I thought of my current situation, a few things struck me as learning moments.  Moving has reminded me of the Starfish story.  We all are familiar with this popular allegory, when after a storm had washed hundreds of starfish onto the beach, a girl began picking one up at a time, and throwing them back into the ocean.  A man approached and told her she couldn't make a difference, there were too many starfish and her efforts wouldn't make a dent in the volume of starfish who needed help.  After reflecting and being a bit discouraged, she brightened with a thought and continued throwing the starfish back to sea.  Her response as she threw one back?  "I made a difference to that one!"

As I sit buried in a myriad of boxes, tape, and "the dregs of my house", I can either give in to feeling overwhelmed, which stunts my progress since I become paralyzed with the thought that "I'll NEVER get it all done", and that "there is so much to do I don't know where to start", which makes me freeze and do nothing, OR, focus on one "starfish" at a time--one box filled, one drawer emptied, one room done, recognizing that although I may not see a ton of progress on the overall task at hand, I did  "make a difference to that one" room/drawer/box.  What starfish do we see in our lives?  What can we do to "make a difference", one person, circumstance, or attitude at a time?  As I looked up the starfish story, I found a website called "Ordinary People Change the World"--again, underscoring the idea that ONE person has influence, power, and ability to make a difference.  I love that concept and believe so much in the power of ONE!  (More to come on that idea later.)

I also am amazed at how chaos and disorder can truly affect our ability to function and live productive lives.  1 Corinthians 14:33 states: "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace", and Paul tells the Corinthians, "Let all things be done decently and in order" (I Cor.14:40).  In modern revelation we find, "Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion."  I'm not implying that we have to have perfect order always, because that wouldn't allow us to take the time needed to focus on the PEOPLE in our homes, instead of perfect cleanliness.  However, my personal experience of living in "confusion" and disorder, it makes sense to me that my spirit struggles to function fully when surrounded by chaos and disorganization.  This principle applies to us literally, as I have described above, as well as emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, I believe.  What "confusion" and "disorder" do we have around us or that we deal with on these other levels that could use some attention, so we can live more productive lives, progressing?  I know God is a God of order, that He wants us to live in order, that He can teach us how to "declutter" our lives mentally, emotionally, or spiritually, so we can truly feel His PEACE.

Lastly, sometimes things really do "have to get worse before they can get better".  Just as having a splinter deeply stuck in your foot requires a doctor's care, or more pain to remove it before the wound can heal, or a mother "letting" her kids hurt as they get their immunizations so they don't get a major disease later, sometimes in life things feel worse off going through a difficulty, before we see any blessing from the experience.  I am most touched reading about people who, when facing a huge tragedy, still choose to turn something negative into something positive, facing it with faith and humility. 

“Don't be discouraged at seemingly overwhelming odds in your desire to live

and to help others live God's commandments. At times it may seem like David trying

to fight Goliath. But remember, David did win."

 ― David B. Haight

 

So, as I face my "Goliath" moving my family twice, I will focus on the future, that I'm gaining something better, reaching my ultimate destination.  My current surroundings may be "worse before they can get better", that I CAN make a difference, taking one "starfish" at a time, and remembering ultimately that "David did win".  We can trust the same for us, knowing that "With God, ALL things are possible to them that believe."

Toothpaste, TP, and Taupe

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought.” – Buddha

 There is a part of our brain called the reticular activator that stays on alert.  It's job is to help us notice some things and ignore others (because if we noticed everything, we'd not be too distracted to function).  When you shop for a new cell phone, you begin to notice others' phones and options, as your brain focuses and hones in on this detail--that is the reticular activator at work.  It is the part of the brain where motivation, goals, and even the body being awake or asleep is controlled.  It becomes a powerful force for good in our lives, as once we focus on a clear goal and are strongly motivated, it can go to work for us to help it come to fruition.

Here are some examples of the reticular activator working:  We are in the middle of building a home, and it seems no matter where we go, my mind notices home details, like the color of people's soffit and fascia, roof colors, rock selections, and if they have gridded windows or not!  It is the same if you want to paint a room taupe, suddenly your mind starts seeing taupe everywhere and you decide which shade is best for you.  When you are about to have a baby, you begin to notice and scrutinize the names of all those you come in contact with, and collaborate with others on what names you like.

Scientifically, this is all due to our reticular activator in our brain.  The overall principle is, what we focus on, good or bad, GROWS.  Meaning, whatever we hone in on, whether it be details of a home, paint colors, names for our children, or even just generally seeing things in a positive or negative light, our awareness of those things increases. 

Even more profoundly for me is this principle concerning relationships.  When I begin to notice the negative in something or someone, I tend to only find more.  And not because there truly is more negative in that person or situation, but most often, only because my mind subconsciously is focusing on the negative issue and therefore I become even more aware of it.  If your spouse leaves the toothpaste out with the lid off and it bugs you, you start noticing just how often this occurs!  If your child puts the toilet paper on "wrong" (is there really such a thing?!), our mind focuses on this each time we use the TP.

As silly as this seems, truly we see in our lives what we are concentrating on, whether consciously or subconsciously.  Our job is to help our mind hone in on what we want to "grow" and have more of in our lives.  Look for bad, we'll find it!  Look for good, we'll also find it.  It has never hurt me to have a little divine help on seeing good, especially when concerning others.  If I pray to help me see a person as God sees them, or a circumstance as He does, I'm only enlightened.  I come away with more humility, more compassion, and more love for that person.  Thomas Monson teaches: 

"We must develop the capacity to see men not as they are at present but as they may become…."

Here's to not concentrating on the TP and toothpaste, but choosing to see what is worth finding more of in our lives!  See others, ourselves, our lives, as they may become, when we choose to focus on seeing good. 

We are FREE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, U.S.A.!
Celebrating this Fourth of July, I'm so thankful for FREEDOM and for the many amazing men who lived and died so we could be "agents to ourselves".  For someone whose family is linked to George Washington, I can't help but think of the great people like him who sacrificed so much for the freedoms of those unknown millions who would follow after them. 

I was once taught that the power to choose, the power to be free agents for ourselves and live according to our desire and will, is something deeply innate and priceless to each of us, because it is what we all fought so fervently for in the War in Heaven before we came to earth.  It is exactly the difference between God's plan for us, and Satan's proposal that he force us to all make right choices, instead of allow us to choose for ourselves and gain experience. 

It is precisely why, when we feel someone is trying to force or coerce or manipulate us, we dig our heels in and feel so strongly against this dominion.  It truly goes against our grain, to the core.  We know how diligently we fought for our right to choose for ourselves, and our spirit is passionate that we live according to our will, not someone else's.

I draw a parallel in my mind, to Christ's role in helping us be "free".  Along side suffering for our sins, is not the true gift Christ gave us, and the price He paid,  for our gift of agency and spiritual freedom?  To do with this life what we will--to gain knowledge and lose ourselves in serving others, or to waste our time here away?  One wise prophet stated:  "Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself."

So, what are we doing with our power of choice?  Do I choose to spend my time away, without much thought, or do I find out what I want to live for and be actively engaged "going about doing much good?"  Am I teaching my own children, that no matter the circumstances they find themselves in, they can be in control of how they react to what goes on around them and make it the best it can be?  What are we doing with "the time that is left"?

I was at a friend's home once when her grumpy daughter was rushing off to school, complaining of how she couldn't find her coat, she didn't want to walk to school, and she was going to be late, etc.  My friend sent her off with a, "Choose to be happy!  I love you.  Bye!"  Watching her daughter mope down the sidewalk, my friend opened the door and yelled again, "Choose happiness!  I know you can do it!"  Of any time, any era, and any people, how we should choose to live and be happy! 

We have great power over ourselves, our lives, our circumstances, simply by how we choose to view them. and use them.  I love the notion that in this cynical world, we can still find good.  In fact, it is our duty and responsibility to SEE the GOOD in the world.  We can be agents of change for the better, or live without passion or understanding that we could truly do much that mattered.  Listen to that spirit within us that knows we have a destiny and we have a part to play in God's great plan.  Let us be, like our forefathers, diligent in striving to pave a better way for those who follow after us.  We are free!  Let us choose to use this freedom and act and do, being an agent of change and goodness for those around us!  See Good, Be Good. :)

Good for Something

I have recently been feeling like it would do a world of good, if for me only, to start a positive blog.  Similar to what I have heard others doing following Hilary Week's "clicker" idea of counting all the positive thoughts she has each day, I have wanted to somehow start a blog of positivity, being a force for good in the world in some small way. 

I then found this thought by Gordon B. Hinckley, which seemed to sum up my thoughts:

“You are good. But it is not enough just to be good.  You must be good for something.

You must contribute good to the world. The world must be a better place for your presence.

And the good that is in you must be spread to others… In this world so filled with problems,

so constantly threatened by dark and evil challenges, you can and must rise above mediocrity,

above indifference. You can become involved and speak with a strong voice for that which is right.”

― Gordon B. Hinckley, Standing for Something

I hesitated with my thought, doubting the good that little ol' me, one person, could actually make.  I also became painfully aware of my weaknesses, and thought that if I post something, then don't live up to it perfectly in my own life, I would actually cause more bad then good.  This kept me from actually going forward and doing something about my DESIRE to do good in this way, for many weeks. 

Then I remembered something a friend shared a while back with me called "Drops of Awesome".  It is about a mom who tells of a few good things she had done during the day, and as she felt good about her actions and herself, she was plagued with feelings of self doubt and criticism.  She fought her own impulse to put herself down and remember all she hadn't done, instead of focusing on the good things she DID do.  Eventually, it led to what she termed "drops of awesome" that filled in her bucket little by little.  And, although she wasn't perfect, she realized it didn't diminish the great things that she did accomplish, and she chose to privately celebrate each small drop of awesome, good, positive things she had done. She says: "Do not rob yourself of this moment’s joy because of what you failed to do yesterday or what you fear you might not do tomorrow. Every time you do something good, something kind, something productive, it’s a drop in your Bucket of Awesome. You don’t lose drops for every misstep. You can only build. You can only fill." (Here is a link to her blog entry on this: http://www.daringyoungmom.com/2012/12/19/drops-of-awesome/)

So, here goes!  I am launching something to capture these "drops" of awesome, goodness, positivity, and light in my own small way.  Yes, I still will encounter the "bad" & negative, but I choose to focus my energy and thoughts on what IS in my life, what I DID get done, and who I WANT to become!  I'd love your input/feedback on this journey to See Good, and Be Good. 

FOCUS FOR THE DAY:
Decide what it is that you stand for.  How will you "be good for something" today?  Let's spread this to others and be a strong voice for not what is popular, but for "that which is right"!  Share this idea with at least one person-- your child, spouse, co-worker, friend, neighbor.