Faith vs. Worry

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Remember this. I need to remember this. Worry is on the adversary's side of the line not the Savior's. So for today, I choose not to worry. I choose faith. Because faith in him is what will produce amazing results--NOT worry.

Why is it we struggle so often with worry? There's no need. Like my Mom always used to say to say to me growing up: "Worry is like a rocking chair: it uses up a lot of energy, but gets you nowhere." (or something like that).

The Savior has overcome the world. And He lives to help us through every trial we face. Why not choose to push aside the worry trap we so easily fall into, and choose instead the freedom of faith in Jesus Christ? He will help us. And everything will work out for our ultimate good. Of this I know.

Your Happy Challenge for today is to try it and see for yourself. Every single time a worry crosses your mind today, say, "Fear/worry, you do not serve me. I am filled with too much faith and light for you to bother me. You go have a nice day!" And then replace with a scripture or quote that comforts your soul. One of my favorites is: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)

What scriptures or quotes do you use? What is your experience of pushing out worry and filling your mind with faith?

A Friend to Help in our Happiness Quest

Today I wish to record the words of someone much wiser than me, who talks about happiness by following the guidance of the Spirit in a way I could only dream of.  From a past prophet who was born nearly 100 years ago, President Lorenzo Snow gives us one of the keys to happiness.....

"There is a way by which persons can keep their consciences clear before God and man, and that is to preserve within them the Spirit of God, which is the spirit of revelation to every man and woman.  It will reveal to them, even in the simplest of matters, what they shall do, by making suggestions to them.  We should try to learn the nature of this Spirit, that we may understand its suggestions, and then we will always be able to do right.  This is the grand privilege of every Latter-day Saint.  We know that it is our right to have the manifestations of the Spirit every day of our lives."

"From the time we receive the Gospel, go down into the waters of baptism and have hands laid upon us afterwards for the gift of the Holy Ghost, we have a friend, if we do not drive it from us by doing wrong.  That friend is the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, which partakes of the things of God and shows them unto us.  This is a grand means that the Lord has provided for us, that we may know the light, and not be groveling continually in the dark." 

 "The Lord has established certain constitutional desires and feelings in our bosoms, and it is so with all mankind, with the whole human family.  There are implanted and interwoven in their constitutions certain desires and capacities for enjoyment, desires for certain things that are in their nature calculated to promote our peace and well-being, that answer their feelings and promote their happiness, but how to obtain the gratification of those capacities and desires the world does not know nor understand, but he Lord has seen fit to put us in the channel and in the way of understanding those things by being faithful and walking in the light of the Holy Spirit and receiving truth."

 "It is the privilege of the Latter-day Saints to live in the Gospel in such a way that they will feel approved of God.  Of course, we do things sometimes that we are ashamed of when we come to a consider them, but we repent of them in our hearts and determine to do them no more.  That is all the Lord asks of us; and men and women who so live, live without condemnation.  They have righteousness and joy in the Holy Ghost."

"If we keep the light of the Spirit within us, we can so walk in the gospel that we can measurably enjoy peace and happiness in this world; and while we are traveling onward, striving for peace and happiness that lies in our path, in the distance, we shall have a peace of mind that none can enjoy but those who are filled with the Holy Spirit."

"We ought to understand--and I presume that we do generally--that the work which we have come into this life to perform cannot be done to the glory of God or to the satisfaction of ourselves merely by our own natural intelligence.  We are dependent upon the Spirit of the Lord to aid us and to manifest to us from time to time what is necessary for us to accomplish under the peculiar circumstances that may surround us." 

 "We should so live that we shall know that our course of life is acceptable to God.  We should understand the voice and whisperings of the Holy Spirit...No professing Latter-day Satin can enjoy any great degree of happiness unless he thus lives, and thus places himself under divine guidance."

"Make up your minds to live humbly and in such a way that you will always have the Spirit of the Lord to be your friend, to make such suggestions to you from time to time as shall be needed under the peculiar circumstances in which you may be placed..."

"We should endeavor, as far as possible, to forget all worldly matters which grieve and vex us, and fix our minds upon the Lord, having a sufficiency of His Holy Spirit that we may be enabled to receive such knowledge and suggestions as will help us in our onward path." 

Possible Perfection.

Last night I think my perfectionism was completely cured.  Finally after years and years, an answer came in the form of something small and simple--a text from my Dad.  Here is part of the text:

"I am glad you had such a good weekend princess :).  I love your family so much, and I am so very proud of you and everything you are and have become.  Thank you for being so good to your children.  You are the most wonderful mother, and please leave room for a tough day now and then because you know it happens.  I have learned that the perfect mother is not perfect in and of herself and she will even make mistakes from day to day, but her love is perfect, and that is what makes a mother perfect.  You are a perfect mother and daughter and I cherish the relationship that we have always shared. Hope your night is wonderful. Love, Dad :)"

And that's it.  A magic secret that has somehow been hiding from me all these years.  I can rest now knowing that I am perfect in one thing and someday, perhaps, (after many aeons of time and through my Savior's help) I can be perfect in all things.

Love for our families.  We can all be perfect in this one thing.

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Do your Duty.

A talk from Elder Joesph B. Wirthlin shed light upon yet another aspect of happiness.  Said he:

"When we accept duties willingly and faithfully, we find happiness. Those who make happiness the chief objective of life are bound to fail, for happiness is a by-product rather than an end in itself. Happiness comes from doing one’s duty and knowing that his life is in harmony with God and His commandments."

And what are our duties?  They are the assignments given to us from Heavenly Father.  Search your heart to know exactly which duties you've been entrusted with.  May I suggest that for men the God-given duties include being a husband, father, and provider.  For women, a wife, mother, and nurturer.  And for both, accepting the calls the Lord gives to serve our fellowmen.  As life meanders along, calls to serve may change.  But always there will be duties to perform and happiness to find. There is little that compares with the joy one feels after a duty is performed well.  It just feels so good to know that you have done all that is expected of you and your heart swells with gratitude to God for the opportunity to serve.

Happy Challenge:
Think of at least one duty today that you can give your whole heart, mind, and soul.  Do this one duty well and commit to always striving to do your duties with a willing and submissive heart.  Happiness will surely follow.

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Approaching Perfection.

Have you ever considered that happiness, the true kind, the kind that stays in your heart long after a joyful moment or experience has faded into the twilight, bursts forth from the wellspring of a relationship with Deity?  Consider the words of the prophet Joseph Smith:

“We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; and that the nearer man approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sin; and like the ancients, arrives at that point of faith where he is wrapped in the power and glory of his Maker and is caught up to dwell with Him. But we consider that this is a station to which no man ever arrived in a moment: he must have been instructed in the government and laws of that kingdom by proper degrees, until his mind is capable in some measure of comprehending the propriety, justice, equality, and consistency of the same” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith [1976], sel. Joseph Fielding Smith, 51).

"The nearer man approaches perfection"--in other words, the nearer a man approaches God, for is He not the sum of perfection?  This one little phrase, the simplest and yet by far the hardest test of mortality---to  approach perfection.  This one little key can unlock happiness?  This forging ahead and trying and failing and repenting and rising a little higher?  And with each step closer to God, "the greater [our] enjoyments."  The greater our joy.  The greater our happiness.  And if we feel somewhat unhappy today, could we move a step closer to our Maker tomorrow?  Would we, in turn, feel a bit closer to a lasting form of happiness as well?  Yes, we will.  But don't just take my word for it.  Try it out yourself.  And see.

Happy Challenge:
Identify one step you can take to approach a little closer to perfection, a little closer to God.  Just one.  And when you've taken that step, don't be satisfied.  Take another.  And another.  And another.  Measure the increase of your happiness after the span of a week.  And a month.  And even a year.  Record your transformation.  Each step, each habit conquered, is a molding of ourselves to the image of Christ.  Every step makes a difference, each small effort is eternally needed.  Don't discount the small and simple things.

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Quest for Happiness...or something more?

I have been thinking a lot about happiness, as I always do.  It truly seems to be the object and the goal of every person.  To seek joy and receive it in abundance.  But for several days I have been having a slight paradigm shift.  Perhaps there's something more to life than seeking for happiness.

The words of Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin are thought-provoking:

"Those who make happiness the chief objective of life are bound to fail, for happiness is a by-product rather than an end in itself."

A strong statement like that makes me realize that this lifetime quest should be to find the things that will bring happiness if they are done well.  What are some of these things?  I'm sure there are many.  And for the next several days, I will explore the things I have found that bring real and lasting happiness, practical things that any of us can do.  For today, here is one.

1. Maybe we should make the quest of our lifetime, the quest to receive the Spirit of the Holy Ghost.  There is a quote I love by Parley P. Pratt that sums it all up:

“The gift of the Holy Ghost … quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions and affections; and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates and matures all the fine-toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings, and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness, and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation, and social feeling. It invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being” (Key to the Science of Theology, 9th ed. [1965], 101).

Did you catch that?  "It (meaning the Spirit of the Lord) is joy to the heart."  For the past week I have been attempting to make the quest of each day the quest to obtain and keep the Spirit in my heart.  As I have done so, happiness has been my lot.  How can one not be happy when the Spirit covers one wit a sense of sublime peace?  Even if daily circumstances do not seem conducive to happiness, if we will do something, anything to obtain a greater portion of the Holy Ghost, inward happiness, the kind that really counts, will flow to us like manna from heaven.  And this is why I love this thought so much.  This seeking and gaining the Spirit is a sure guarantee for happiness...true happiness that doesn't go away or dissolve or fade.

In closing, ponder on the words of Elder Keith K. Hilbig today.  They are beautiful:

"In the Pearl of Great Price, Moses recorded that Adam, having been baptized and having received the Holy Ghost, 'became quickened in the inner man.'

"When we invite the Holy Ghost to fill our minds with light and knowledge, He 'quickens' us, that is to say, enlightens and enlivens the inner man or woman. As a result we notice a measurable difference in our soul. We feel strengthened, filled with peace and joy. We possess spiritual energy and enthusiasm, both of which enhance our natural abilities. We can accomplish more than we otherwise could do on our own. We yearn to become a holier person."

Happy Challenge:
Today, and every day, seek the Spirit of the Holy Ghost.  When you are feeling down, stop and do something that invites the Holy Ghost into your heart--sing a hymn, read a scripture, serve a child, smile, pray.  Then stand back and watch your happiness meter grow.

How to Simplify Life: Is it Possible?

There are some who say that our modern life these days can't be helped--we're just destined to be busy.  While it may be true that our technologically advanced society is adept at swarming in upon us from every angle, I personally believe that busyness is a choice.

We can choose to be busy, or we can choose to live more simply.  The trick is to know your personal limits, how much you can realistically and feasibly do without becoming frenzied and frazzled.  There is no magic number of things we can take on.  It is different for every individual.  Each one of us must take an inventory of everything that has been placed on our plates, as well as the things we've opted to add ourselves.

Tomorrow I'll mention some ideas for the "how" of simplification.  But for today, believe that life can be simplified.  We may not know all the answers yet; it may take days or even months to begin and complete a personal life simplification.  But know that it is possible.

Virginia H. Pearce, in a BYU Women's Conference last year, told about a little sticky note she has on her desk.  It says, "Keep it small. Keep it simple. Give it time."  I love this.  It is a very good motto to live by.

It reminds me of one of my very favorite verses in the Book of Mormon. Alma 37:6 reads--

"Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise."

 As I was thinking about this verse the other night, it struck me.  This verse is not just speaking about how our little efforts can someday bring about great things.  It's also talking about life itself.  If we choose to live a small and simple life, our lives will turn out great.  And isn't this what we all desire deep down?  To leave a legacy of a life well-lived?  This can best be done by living small and simply.  This I know.


Happy Challenge:

Repeat in your mind and ponder in your heart throughout the day these words:  "Simplicity will bring me happiness.  Small and simple things will make my life great.  I can choose to simplify my life."

How to Simplify Life: It's Time to Slow

Summer for us went from a stroll to a canter to a gallop to a full-out tornado-ish whirlwind. Family weddings, photo shoots, registering for kindergarten, family vacations, plans for building a new house, millions of things little and big seemed to crowd in upon us before we could even blink.  Today was the ground-breaking for our house and tomorrow is my sister's wedding.  Then, maybe, hopefully, next week will start to slow down.

I have sincerely missed the slow ebb and flow of how summer usually is.  Many of the things that have transpired this summer have been out of our control, but, of course, there are things I have added that have made the summer a little more stressful.

Perhaps this is a lesson for me---a warning---to keep this fall, winter, and next summer as small and simple as possible.  I have always been a small and simple kind of girl and busyness and me have never quite meshed.  So many of us want to simplify our lives, but the question is, HOW?  When our fast-paced modern life naturally gravitates toward busyness, how do we fight back?

I think it's time for me to post a series (my first!) on how to simplify life.  Join me for the next few days as I think through this topic (and hopefully simplify my own life at the same time!)


Happy Challenge:

Today, sit down for 5 minutes.  Don't have 5 minutes?  Use your bedtime routine of brushing and flossing or some other automatic part of your day to quietly think.

Analyze your life.  Is it too busy?  Do you need to simplify at all?  If so, (and I think for most of us the answer is 'yes') jot down a few ideas of how you think you could simplify a little.  Don't take too long on this, just follow your heart and your first impressions, then make a few notes.

Then, if you wouldn't mind, leave me a comment with some of your ideas.  I can learn so much from you.  Good luck!

Discover the Jewel.

For a long time I have had a little motto called, "Discover the Jewel."  I believe there is a jewel in every day (and sometimes many!)  All we have to do is find it.  Know at the beginning of each day, that somewhere, somehow, a beautiful thing will happen, something you can rightly name a jewel.  And then watch for the serendipity to come to pass.  It's like going on a treasure hunt daily.  And it certainly puts a happy spin on our otherwise mundane routines.

At the end of the day, look back and count the jewels as you fall asleep, the good things, the miraculous little blessings provided by a loving Father in heaven.  And even on the bad days, there will always be at least one tiny jewel--if we seek hard enough to find it.

Happy Challenge:

Commit to discovering the jewel(s) daily.  Give yourself the childlike joy and elation of a daily treasure hunt.

Our Thoughts.

I can't emphasize enough the truth of this statement.  Are your thoughts pure, wholesome, virtuous?  If so, you will be happy.  Are your thoughts, positive, optimistic, uplifting, edifying, and charitable? If so, you will be happy.

Happy Challenge:


Take a minute several time today to analyze your thoughts.  See if they are adding to or detracting from your happiness.  Applaud yourself or change if necessary.  Do this consistently for a week and note if your days are not noticeably happier...

Charity

It's as if we're not enjoying life to the fullest if we are not fully possessed with charity.  Charity, the pure love of Christ, is one of the supreme keys to happiness, I believe.  Without it, we judge, backbite, fault find, compare, envy, look down upon, and etc., etc., etc.

The absence of charity is like choosing to wear dark sunglasses everywhere.  Outside, inside, everywhere.  If we were forced to do this, eventually, we would perceive that the world is just a dark place, devoid of much light.  And while we would think this was the norm, think of how much we would be missing.

Or you could compare the absence of charity to the absence of glasses when they are truly needed.  Anyone who has experienced the blurry vision of poor eyesight knows that glasses make a world of difference.  I remember when I first got glasses.  I was in 2nd grade.  We drove home from the eye doctor and I could see every leaf on every tree.  The detail was exquisite.  I couldn't believe all that I had been missing.

I think it's this way with charity too.  Until we choose to wear the lens of love, we don't really know what we're missing.  But the exquisite detail that comes from a simple paradigm shift is incredible.  Life is more beautiful and happier.  And we are happier too.  Choosing to see others as our wonderful Savior does is not just for their sake...it's for ours.  Until we learn to consistently take off the dark sunglasses, or wear our prescription glasses, we are missing out on one of the most enlightening and enlivening keys to happiness.  With charity turned on, we see the world around us (including the people) as beautiful.  Everything is beautiful and we are happy.

Happy Challenge:

For today, choose to take the charity prescription and watch your happiness levels skyrocket:

...charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. ~Moroni 7:45

And then, do it again tomorrow.  And the next day, and the next.  Until charity is not just a habit you're working on developing, but it becomes part of your very nature.  And then, happiness will be your lot.

Happy Challenges.

When I first started this blog, my desire was to help others, and to help myself, find the best and happiest things in life.  I ended some of my posts with a "happy challenge," basically a dare to go out and discover some happiness within yourself, your relationships, or the world around you.

And because I loved these little challenges and the adventure of it all, I'll be including one again at the end of every post and a whole list once a week on Mondays...because reading in and of itself isn't enough to produce happiness,  
but doing is.

So, for today, here is a list of happy challenges for you to choose from.  Or even go out and create your own.  Will you take the risk?  For choosing to happify ourselves always involves a bit of risk, but only a risk to leave the state of satisfactory and find the comfort of true contentment.

Today's List of 18 Happy Challenges:

*Make a list of some of the things that make you happy.  Choose one thing and do it!
*Take a step outside, close your eyes, and take 10 deep breaths.  Then open your eyes and see the beauty around you.
*Find a favorite song you own, or one you wish you had (on grooveshare.com or playlist.com) then listen to it twice.
*Do 25 push-ups or 50 crunches or a set of both.
*Eat your favorite treat.  Be present while you eat.
*Find something healthy that you normally don't eat and try it.  Try to savor each bite.
*Meditate for 10 minutes about everything and nothing.  Let you mind take a little mental vacation.
*Take a photo of one thing beautiful and share it with someone.
*Take a lap around the house--or 2 or 3.
*Fall asleep after lunch for a short power nap.
*Take 5 minutes (or 45) and curl up with that book you've been meaning to get to.
*Call your mother just to tell her you love her.
*When you give your loved one a hug today, hold it tight for just a few seconds longer than normal.
*Sit up straight--don't slouch.
*Write that thank you card you've had on the back of your mind for some time now.
*Sing a song when you're alone sometime today--in the shower, driving home from work, on a walk, in your closet...
*Make a handmade gift for someone's birthday or just because.
*Sit and just be still.

Now, go and do one!  Leave a comment with the challenge you chose and the happiness it brought you...good luck!

Finding Light {My Battle Part 2}

It was towards the end of March that I finally decided to reach out for help.  My husband had asked me on numerous occasions if I wanted him to call my mom and seek out a doctor.  I turned him down each time, believing that I would get better if I just gave it more time.

I had tried exercising more frequently, changing my daily routine a dozen times, eliminating distracting activities...the list went on and on.  And while each of these solutions were good and should have helped, they didn't.  I realized that it was my body's hormones and not my external factors that needed a revamp.

But there were so many days that I wished I didn't even exist...for no tangible, logical reason.  My life was perfect, but I felt in the depths of despair.  Even the warm spring and the sunshine outside, which usually served to bolster me and fuel my joy, only made me feel like crawling up in a corner to cry.  The worst part of the depression seemed to hit me in the mornings.  Every morning the weight of the day would hit me like a ton of bricks the second I opened my eyes.  Sleep was my only escape from the terrible feelings of guilt, sadness, and despair.

In the last week of March I finally accepted my sweetheart's suggestions.  He called my mom because I was too sad to admit that I was depressed.  She immediately reached out and called me.  She found a doctor and I set up an appointment.  This was the turning point for me.  She prescribed a serotonin re-uptake inhibitor and I began faithfully taking the medicine.  It took a few weeks to fully kick-in, so to speak, but I found myself experiencing fewer and fewer bad days as time went on.

I continued to practice life-enhancing habits and did my best to eat and drink right.  I began taking afternoon naps with my little ones and found my days gradually normalizing.  I remember in April there was a day that I finally felt like my normal self.  At first these days were sporadic and unpredictable, but eventually they became the majority.

In May I noticed progress.  I noted that my afternoons began to be happier, and little by little, the hour got earlier that I would begin feeling happy.  Noon for a few days, then 11:00, then 10:00.  By June--I hit a landmark.  I was finally waking up happy.  I waited a few weeks and started to feel like my normal self again.  I am just now tapering off the medication and it feels so wonderful to be alive.

While the medication was definitely a catalyst in my progress, there was a spiritual power that activated it.  I truly learned how to call on my Heavenly Father moment by moment for grace and strength beyond my own to face the feats before me.  It was revolutionary and it has changed me forever...this calling upon Him for grace.  Early this year I had been contemplating how I could come to know my Savior better.  Truly, this was the answer.

Do I feel embarrassed, saddened, or bitter that this whole experience of postpartum depression happened to me?  No. 

Though it was excruciatingly difficult, I know that the Lord pulled me from the abyss.  As I learned to rely on Him more, and use the resources He put in my path, my burden was lifted.  And now as I gaze out at the sunlight falling on the summer countryside, I am truly happy.  And I know that even though I feel much like my normal self, I will never be exactly the same.  I am different now.  More refined, stronger than I was, and perhaps, a little more like Him.

Putting Him First.

Morning comes and I find myself on my knees, supplicating my Heavenly Father for guidance, direction, strength, and grace.  Then I retreat to my chocolate-brown couch to curl up in a fuzzy blanket and read His word.  From this vantage point I can see to the left my beloved painting of Christ walking on the water and to the right, the serene countryside through the picture window.  This is my time with the Lord, and I treasure each minute.  With young children who wake up early, it isn't long (only 30 short minutes), but I strive to make it quality time.  The morning hours, are to me, so quiet and still and ripe with promise of a beautiful day.  It is in the stillness that I feel closest to my Father and can introspectively examine the state of my heart.  Despite how tired I feel each morning as I awake and contemplate another busy day with small children, this one practice of a morning devotional has greatly blessed my life.  It is worth the sacrifice of a little sleep.

It hasn't always been this way.  Since the time I was young, I have always tried to spend time in the words of scripture, but because of changing times and seasons, it hasn't always been first thing in the morning, and it hasn't always been for the same amount of time.  It has been quite a journey to finding the perfect way for "me" to feast on His word, but I can attest that for now, this way of physically putting Him first as well as mentally, is the way He has led me.

We are all different, and our schedules and demands placed on our time differ as well.  But one thing can be common among the host of Christ's disciples.  We can strive to always put Him first.  We can soak in His word and meditate upon it throughout the day.  We can teach what we learn to our little ones who live at home, or who are all grown up and living away from home.

And now, some of the practices that have helped me strengthen my own spirituality daily are as follows:

*In my morning prayer, I ask the Father to bless me with inspiration to apply what I will read to the day's needs.
*I purchase an inexpensive copy of the scriptures each year so that as I read each day I can mark them up and write in the margins what impresses me and how the verses apply to my current situation.  In this way, my scriptures become a sort of study journal for me to go back and reflect on how far I've come.
*I leave the scriptures open on the coffee table to one of the pages I have studied and marked so that each time I pass, I am reminded to glance down and remember the words I have studied for the day.
*I pray to follow what I have read often throughout the day.
*My husband and I take a minute to share with each other what we learned before we go to bed.
*I strive to share with my little ones a simplified version of some of the principles I have learned.


May we each have the courage to search within our hearts and ask the Father if we are truly putting Him first in our lives.  I know He will shower down His blessings upon us as we do so.

I'm back.

Finally.  Here I am, back from my much-needed Sabbatical.  The winter was long, and spring was bumpy, but I have truly loved every minute of cradling my sweet little baby girl.  She is worth every struggle and turmoil.  I will recount my journey little by little, but for today, may I simply suggest that the Quest for Happiness is enhanced by suffering and trial.  While it never seems like it in the midst of the darkness, we know deep in our hearts that the dawn will come once again, and that knowledge is what sustains us until the happy sunshine rises again in our hearts.

It is through the hills and mountains we climb that we build stamina and muscle and shed the things that hold us down.  And when we reach the top, we feel enlightened and invigorated, and like we have finally found ourselves again.  But with the vast view below, the view of our inner selves is grander and larger as well.  We see who we were down at the bottom of the mountain, and now at the top, we realize we have become so. much. more.

And then we look heavenward and know with certainty that it was all because of Christ's grace that we have reached this point, this pinnacle.  The clouds roll blissfully above, and we reach up, feeling a vibrant connection with Deity.  We are His.  And now we are even closer to being like Him.

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Journey to 1000 Gifts from Him. {Day 251} SINGING PRAISE

There are mornings when waking up out of REM sleep and ending on the sour note of a bad dream really threaten to discolor the sky of any day.

I wake and try to ponder for a few minutes, but nothing stirs me out of the gloom.  I get up and begin the day with proofreading my sweetheart's paper and brushing through my hair tangle.  The little boys are up so early and I wonder how I'm going to fight through this day...alone...because my sweetheart is going back to school.  I get ready for the day and afterwards let the boys watch a short movie while I spend my much-needed daily time with the Lord...feasting and thinking and feeling.  I plead with Him for answers (as I do on so many mornings), answers to solve my miniscule problems that loom larger than life.

As I read I'm reminded of the dreams I had just before waking...of being left alone time after time...and me struggling to care for my boys all by myself.  And I realize that this subconscious fear is what I've been harboring...knowing that my sweetheart would be returning to school, knowing that soon we will welcome another beautiful spirit into our home and I will be a lone mother again when we move.

But the words I read give me hope and call me to repentance.  The Lord did not leave the Jaredites alone when they crossed the great deep.  He gave them light, He provided them wind, He made is so no whale or sea creature could mar their ships, He brought them out of the depths when they were encompassed about with waves.  And for 344 days, they were driven forth...tossed upon the waves of the sea.  

But what did they do?  Did they bemoan their lot or ask "why" to their Lord?  No.  "...they did sing praises unto the Lord; yea, the brother of Jared did sing praises unto the Lord, and he did thank and praise the Lord all the day long; and when the night came, they did not cease to praise the Lord." (Ether 6:9)

And I felt that this story was for me.  Today.  And everyday as I strive to make the counting of the gifts become part of who I am.

So I sang.  Songs of testimony and commitment and love.  Songs that lifted me from the depths of the encompassing waves and set me aright again on top of the waters.

Songs of praise have this sort of power.  And I wonder why I haven't thought to make the consistent singing a part of my daily praise...

It is now.

"An occasional burst of praise, in the midst of years of complaining, is not what is required. Songs on rare, sunshiny days; and no songs when skies are cloudy—will not make a life of gratitude. The heart must learn to sing always."  ~J.R. Miller, 1912

{ image via pinterest}

908.  Quiet time to relish with my boys and sweetheart every morning this week.
909.  Knowing the Lord will give me gems in my scripture study this morning.
913.  Imagining what my Little Star will look like and envisioning her in my mind.
914.  A fun and memorable library trip.
917.  My sweetheart telling me that I'm the most beautiful woman in the all the world and that he loves me with all of his heart.
922.  Little one hiccups inside of me
925.  My personal "Thanksgiving Celebration" where I will reflect on all that I have learned this year.
931.  German buttery pancakes with homemade Raspberry jam.
933.  The boys always behaving so reverently during Sacrament meeting.
940.  Paper chains--red and orange to count down our time before we move to our Cottage and pastel pink for when Little Star will come.
941.  Actually feeling the singing of praise lifting and energizing my sagging spirit.
942.  Pop reminding me that the waiting and anticipation is just as exciting as the actual having.

Thoughts.

I have long struggled with my thoughts.  It seems as if discouragement, negativity, and doubt enter in the holes in my heart so easily.  I have found that the adversary uses every means possible to tempt us and bring us down--and this is one of the ways he succeeds so often with me.

But today is a new day, a new dawn, a new beginning.  Each day can and must be so if we are to attain the perfection our Lord requires. (see 3 Nephi 12:48).  And today I have chosen to meditate upon a verse of scripture that will empower me to press on and rise above.  And perhaps when I do this, the Savior can heal my holes, patching them up with the perfect peace only He can bestow.

The word brings us closer to Christ.  And why limit the time we feast to the small hours of the morning when we study?  Shouldn't the word be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path?  All day long?

They can be.  And these verses we ponder, and memorize, and cling to will become "stalwart friends" filed away in our memory to call upon when we are in need of comfort or guidance or strength.

So I write out a verse on a notecard...just a simple verse from Psalms, only eight words.  It's burning into my heart just a little more each time I recite it, building my faith, filling me with the Spirit.  And tomorrow there will be a new verse to memorize and recite and draw upon.  What grace the Lord has shown me today in prompting me to begin this small and simple practice.  He knew I needed empowerment.  He knew I needed Him.

"I will love thee, O Lord, my strength."

{Psalms 18:1}

Faith to do His Will {A Key to a Lifetime of Happiness}

The pine needles gleam with an edge of sunlight.  They bend in the breeze and sway to an unheard melody.  This is what I see today as I sip hot chocolate and stand in awe of His handiwork.  They bend as if their whole existence were centered on following the will of Him who manages the cosmos.  And indeed,

"O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are less than the dust of the earth.  For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God.  Yea, behold at his voice do the hills and the mountains tremble and quake.  And by the power of his voice they are broken up, and become smooth, yea, even like unto a valley.  Yea, by the power of his voice doth the whole earth shake; Yea, by the power of his voice, do the foundations rock, even to the very center.  Yea, and if he say unto the earth--Move--it is moved." (Helaman 12:7-13)

 This subject has been on my mind for weeks now and I have been treading softly on new ground.  Not one day has been perfect, but there have been glimpses of a more Christlike heart and a few more heavenly moments.  Like yesterday.  And today.  I planned out my days with the Spirit guiding my heart to know what to pencil in and what to scratch out, leaving for later.  The friends I have visited, the purchases I've made, the way I've handled difficult behavior in my children has been pre-planned and guided by the Spirit...sometimes in the unexpected moment of it all.

And it is interesting to witness the change....in my days, in my demeanor, in my energy level, my health, vigor, and happiness.  Life is just lit with luster when we submit to His will and bend to the rhythm of His breeze.

This all has left me wondering how different my life would be if everyday, in every way, I tried to discern the promptings of the Holy Ghost.  How would my relationship with my children change? {Maybe flourish?}  How would my reactions be altered? {Perhaps all negativity would be eliminated?}  Would my time be better spent?  Would I be happier, more satisfied, content, and fulfilled?  Would this practice enable me to walk with Him daily?

I think I've stumbled upon another key to happiness; another key to making life holy; another key to a life of miraculous moments.

It lies in simply doing His will.

And every time I see pine needles, or leaves, or branches, or grass, or flower, I will think of this principle...and recommit.