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.

photo credit

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.

image source

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.

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.

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.

Filled with Light.

"The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light."

{3 Nephi 13:22}

"And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be full of light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things."

{D&C 88:67}

How often I have read these words, like poetry, straight from the Lord's own mouth.

Knowing that the light of the body is the eye, I have become a vigilant observer of eyes.  After years of watching and feeling, it is usually easy to discern the state of one's heart from the light that shines forth from one's eyes.  In fact, the light of the eye reflects in the whole of the countenance.

But what of the eye being single to the glory of God?

How often I have pondered this deeper meaning.

Today light poured into my understanding, and I understood perhaps a layer of meaning to this phrase.

How do we glory God?  We live our lives in righteousness, always the best we can; we arise and shine forth an example of light; and then we bring Him praise for everything we receive...even the hardships.

This is, I believe, the summation of glorying God.

And if this, this glory-giving, glory-living life is what we focus on singly, or solely, it shows.  It manifests as a shining of light in our eyes.

I go to the mirror and examine my eyes.  There's the blue and the white and the black of the pupil, but I ignore all of these and look deeper.  Is the light there?  And my mind rolls back in time to nearly 7 years ago when I sat in a BYU-Idaho devotional in a little chapel on a cushioned bench.  I do not remember the name of the lady addressing, but I'll never forget what she taught.  She spoke of eyes and light and countenances reflecting the light of the Savior.  And she issued a challenge.   To rise up each morning, go to a mirror, and look for the light.  We were then encouraged to act that day in a way that the light in our eyes would be increased.

Here at my mirror, seven years later, and I still search for the light as often as I remember.  Maybe this coming year it will become a solidified routine.  

To check for the light.  

To examine the eyes.  

To live a life of glory to God...

And the list continues...
ever onward to 1000...

#752 Little inventive boys
#753 Old matchbox cars coursing through brown wrapping paper tubes.
#755 Sweet Pea's countdown inspired by the Spirit.
#757 Prayers and faith pulling Mother through her surgery and post-surgery with no epidural or pain medication.
#764 A sweet tender birthday hug from Pop
#771 Impromptu sweetness last night before drifting into slumber.
#772 This heart-building counting of the graces, while waiting for my own little "Grace" girl.
#773 Little Bug's pure, innocent, unrestrained laughter.
#775 Approaching the 1000 mark and wondering what lies beyond...

A Holy Experience Unwrapping...

Last night I read this:  "They were once a delightsome people, and they had Christ for their shepherd; yea, they were led even by God the Father." (Mormon 5:17)

And then this morning I read this:  "...yea, ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd..." (Helaman 7:18)

My mind has been pondering sheep and the Shepherd and discipleship ever since.

And then I read of how the Nephites grew proud because of their riches and blessings and then they let the adversary get hold over their hearts.  This all happened in just a few years (see Helaman 6-7).  And the question plagued me:  How do I prevent he adversary from getting a great hold on my heart?  What is the formula for keeping him at bay and away?  What is the antidote for pride?

Curled up in my armchair in the peace of this Autumn morning, the answers came...

First, I must listen to His voice moment by moment--continually seeking to do His will and not my own.  {This is how I can keep my heart centered on the Lord and reject the lures of the adversary.}

Second, I must give praise and thanks for every blessing which I receive, acknowledging that every thing comes from the Lord.  I can recognize that trials come to stir us up in remembrance of the One who descended below all things and shape us into more Christlike beings.  I can realize that blessings and talents, too, always come from Him. {This is how I can combat pride on the one hand and bitterness on the other--the two vices that distance ourselves from the Lord.}

And maybe, just maybe, I am beginning to unwrap the gift of learning to live A Holy Experience here in mortality.  To follow and to praise are perhaps two of the keys that unlock the beautiful mystery of learning how to live in holiness each day.

It's as if Autumn has brought me a turning.  A turning of green leaves to a golden hue...and a turning of my green heart to one with just a tint of gold now.

Yes.  All is Grace.

Preparing for the Sabbath

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

"Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

"But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God. ...

"...Wherefore, the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."

~Exodus 20:8-11

If He rested on the seventh day, and hallowed it, and made the Sabbath for man, should we not consider this the pinnacle of our week?

A time to come before Him in worship, for as Elder L. Tom Perry states so beautifully:

"The pattern of Sabbath day observance must always include worship." 

And we worship first and foremost by coming to the Sacrament table to partake of the sacred emblems.

The bread to remind us of His broken body which was bruised and torn for us, but now lives again triumphantly resurrected.

Teaching us that we too may become whole and healed in body and spirit through Him.

The water to signify his blood, which was shed in the garden "for the remission of [our] sins."

Truly, "Partaking of the sacrament is the center of our Sabbath day observance."

They who lived long ago would bring a sacrifice to the altar, to give away, pointing to the great and last atoning sacrifice of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who gave us His very life.

And while the burnt offering was fulfilled in Christ, we still can and must bring to the altar a sacrifice.

A sacrifice of sin, a desire to give them all away in order to know Him.

For our Savior said, "And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit."

So might we begin anew? 

To come to the Sabbath with outstretched arms and cupped hands, ready to receive His divine grace.  Ready to receive His sacrament, ready to sacrifice our sins, ready to rest from all the cares of the world.  

For in Him, they are all swallowed up,

and only peace and joy and love left in return.

Indeed, the Sabbath is a hallowed and holy day.

{This post is also linked up with A Holy Experience and Women Living Well}

Walk as He would...

When shadows are all tucked into the blanket of sky and the moon shimmers as the world's one great nightlight I come to the posture of humble submissiveness--that of kneeling to bring before my Father the minutia of a day.  Somewhere in the middle of it all I ask a frequented question:

What wouldst Thou have me know tonight?

Then at the close of the prayer, I listen perched atop my bed covers, waiting, straining to hear the answer I'm sure will come.  And all I can feel is a tingling, numb sensation in my feet, which I try to brush off and ignore.  But the tingling intensifies and reality strikes me forcefully----

this is the answer. You must walk as He would walk in order to walk with Him.

It's as if the tingles are bathing my feet with a disciple's purpose, imbuing a stunning transformation.

I hold onto the tingles as long as I'm able, willing them to stay for just a moment longer, hoping this revelation will not slip into forgotten by morning.  But the miracle stays even when the tingle fades.   

My feet feel somehow different, more holy.  

And tomorrow I will look at my two feet with different eyes.  Where will they go?  What will they lead me to do?  All is adventure and all could be holiness if I can grant my feet willing emulation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Listing--the Magic Button

Why do I always forget that gratitude, the special eyesight to see His wonder everywhere, is the answer to all woe?  When I refuse to "see" it is only because I have been blinded by he who wants my miserableness.  When my day (or just a few moments) go all wrong I search and seek for some magical answer, some perfect button to push and make everything happy again.  Then I moan when this magic button does not appear and I think I will never find the answers.

But somewhere in the back of my mind a little voice whispers, be thankful, give praise, see gratitude.  When I push it out, I remain in the unhappiness, but when I grasp onto those words and enact them by listing the gifts from God, I am restored to the happiness.

Why do I forget?  Why do I refuse to listen?  Is it because of the smallness of the task, the simpleness of the way?

Oh can I engrave these words into my heart forever?

 "...by small and simple things are great things brought to pass..."

I just need more practice.  And this year is the perfect time to do so...

     I will keep trying to remember...even when I forget or fail.

          Someday I will live eucharisteo perfectly.

{My list continues...}

#389. Open notebook just waiting for more grace.

#391. Pouring over Women's Conference details.

#402. Blueberry muffins in wicker basket.

#404. New day beckoning tomorrow-a perfect day to give away all my will.

#405. Little goodnights breathed through the dark.

#408. Beaded buds on tree limbs

#411. Raindrop smattered shopping trip.

#412 New shoes for little boys.

#414. Home to enjoy the rain from indoors

#415. Tortilla chips with a hint of pepper jack

#417. Forgiveness sweet from Little Bear.

#421. Slow dancing with my sweetheart.

#422. Soft music with breakfast.

#424. Inspiration from heaven teaching me to praise my boys--lavish them with it

#429. The opportunity to make a difference through blogging.

#430. Fresh fish delivered from a dear friend.

#432. Little Bug whispers.

#438. Lovely nap all snuggled under covers.

#446. My sweetheart's presence this morning.

Be Still.

There are times when clouds gather and snow falls in early April, when disappointment knocks on our door, when stress sets in like a frost and our emotions or anger or worry stir up inside of us. Like a pot of maple syrup set on the stove, we warm and then simmer and then heat into a stirring boil that threatens to overspill the confines and submerge the surroundings in a brown-steaming, sticky mess.

This is the way of the adversary. The one who seeks to make us miserable like unto himself.  "...and they were much disturbed, for Satan did stir them up...that he might harden the hearts of the people against that which was good..."  He does not want us to see the good, the beautiful gifts from God all around us.  He would rather us boil over and then harden into an impossible sheet of maple "rock."

But there is another way, a higher way. It is whispered by the dew drops of summer morn, the silent snowfall, the stately steadiness of distant mountains. 
        It is the way of "stillness."

And when the sun beams down in radiance, and the house is quiet, and the birds chortle their morning medley, it is easier to savor the stillness and say, yes.

But when tempers rise, toddlers topple, crumbs scatter themselves all over newly-swept floors, voices rise and so do our internal temperatures and something starts to stir.  Yet this is when the "still" makes all the difference, this is when the "still" calms the raging storm, and only He has power to do that.

"Still" is not easy, or convenient, or even desired in the midst of the way of he who stirs.

But only "still" will bring the inner peace we crave.

And so we fight the stirring, we settle and still and breathe. 

And if we wonder, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?" We will hear the tender rebuke, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

"Be still, and know that I am God..." 

Thoughtful Thursday

There were days when the very thought of getting ready for the morning...the washing, hair coiffing, and makeup painting...was enough to make me weary.  Then before I'd blink, sun would set, little ones were tucked away into dreamland, and night would be fast upon me.  The process would begin again....the washing, and the brushing, and the flossing.  Why so much hassled effort to get ready for the day just to turn around and get ready for the night?

I pondered this puzzle for years.  Until one evening, the water was running clear and my cupped hands reached up to fill with the purity that cleanses pores.   

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." 

 Could this be it?  Could I be engaging in a small ritual of not only physical, but spiritual washing in the morn and the eve?  At night, washing away distress and and anxiety and the tarnish of the day, and in the morn, washing away the soot and dust of slumber?

Washing to prepare to meet my Lord?

For isn't it ironic that evening prayers and a surge of the Word follow evening washing?

And isn't it interesting that morning prayers and a feast in the Word follow morning cleansing?

We wash to "strip ourselves of all uncleanness," to cleanse and purify our bodies and spirits for a small entrance into His presence, for "no unclean thing can dwell with God."

The scales of darkness fall from my eyes as the water runs down my face.

And now I understand.

{This post is also linked with Raising Homemakers, Time Warp Wife, and Women Living Well}