Favorite Encouraging Sentences Ever

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Last night I was instant messaging with Stephanie in Alaska (isn’t technology amazing?!). We were talking (rather… typing) about all the fabulous blessings/hardships/callings we deal with in this life. Even after a hard day … and realizing things were not going to get much easier in the immediate future … what did she say?

Oh, how I laughed.
I absolutely loved it!
I’m not clever enough to think of AWESOME things like that.

Best Encouraging Sentences EVER!

I hope I remember it always, especially when I’m melting into a puddle of tears.

We can do it people.

“We must not lose faith. We will make it to Zion! We will!”

Gratitude: Day SIX

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“Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life
consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. …

“But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. …

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12: 15,31,34.)

A few TREASURES I value:

heritage
love this photo of my ancestors.
I love that the kids aren’t looking and that the moms are trying to get them to hold still.

hard work
My Grandma on her mission.
She is the one standing up… doesn’t she look thrilled to be washing windows?
I really do appreciate all the fulfillment and accomplishment that comes from a job well done.

memories
This was such a fun activity with Charity Michel and Ben Coffin.
We certainly were not the best skiers, but we sure had fun and got some exercise.
James Barrie, the Scottish poet, declared,
“God gave us memories, that we might have June roses in the December of our lives.”

childhood joys
this is my grandma nelson when she was a little girlie.
She had a bit of spunk as an adult and so I love seeing this picture of her as a child.
Doesn’t she look happy?!

love
I read an awesome quote that I wanted to note.
I think after nearly 11 years of marriage, Jimmy realizes how completely weird I am.
But for some reason, he married me. Nice man!
“We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird,
and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours,
we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.” ― Dr. Seuss

family
Look at all those cute cousins. Does Eliza look like me as a wee babe? I guess we’ll see as she gets older.

adventure/fun
Oh – the days when we’d just throw everything in our car and take off for a fun adventure.
This happened to be a camping trip for a recreational leadership class at BYU.
Totally fun times!
I need to scan more pictures in from high school and college.

grace

I read a really great talk by Brad Wilcox about GRACE recently.
I learned a lot … but mostly realized how much I still need to learn about GRACE.

Jelly Beans anyone?

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOu0DuxFAT0&feature=relmfu[/youtube]

My friend Melissa shared this on her bloggie. And I have to say I was quite impressed by it. Each frame was made with jelly beans. That’s nearly 300,000 jelly bellies and a year in the making. It is a cheerful little ditty. Watch the Making of video because it’s fun too.

Makes me want to give my kids a bunch of jelly beans to create a cool piece of art.
… but i’m afraid we might eat them too fast.

Gratitude: Day FIVE

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1. It really is a miracle that we are as healthy as we are. So many families have a member with major food allergies, cancer, juvenile diabetes, etc. I’m grateful that for now all we have to deal with is the flu or colds. Remind me to be grateful when we get the winter sickies.

2. A miracle that Jimmy has a great job with good people (and good health insurance). Think of how many people world-wide who would just love a job with consistent pay … period. I take his job for granted, but really – it’s such a blessing.

3. It is a miracle that I can stay home with the tots. I ought to daily give thanks.

4. A miracle that we have 5 kids. I’m surprised my body could handle that. Pregnancy & birth are a miracle on their own… & then raising 5 kids and enjoying them is a miracle. I’m grateful for the LOVE Heavenly Father blesses us with.

5. Sturdy home… electricity… comfy clothes… healthy food options… tasty treats… soft beds… cars… grocery stores… schools… disinfectant… washing machines… telephones… computers… glass… plastics… all miracles.

6. The gift of education is a miracle. Throughout time – how many people never learned to read?

7. The restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ is a TRUE miracle. The coming forth of the Book of Mormon – a miracle. Joseph Smith accepting his mission – a miracle. Jesus Christ’s atonement – the most marvelous miracle of all. Prophets… Holy Ghost… scriptures… MIRACLES.

8. Medicine & doctors are a miracle. With blood pressure meds, ibuprofen for fevers, antobiotics, immunizations for polio, whooping cough, & measles, iv’s, c-sections… we are alive today.

9. Technology. Especially lately I’ve been so grateful for General Conference… on tv, the internet, in print. I’m so glad I can look up older talks & receive inspiration.

10. Beauty of nature is a miracle to me. I love seeing all of the interesting wonders on this earth.
photo by ilovelotsofpizza

{MIRACLE}:
a beneficial event brought about
through divine power
that mortals do not understand
and of themselves cannot duplicate.

“Just as important as these “mighty miracles” are the smaller “private miracles” that teach each of us to have faith in the Lord. These come as we recognize and heed the promptings of the Spirit in our lives. 

“I am grateful for a teacher who encouraged his students to keep a journal of the whisperings or promptings of the Spirit in their lives. He directed us to note what we felt and what resulted. Little things became evident.  … I believe that all of us can bear witness to these small miracles. … These daily miracles acquaint us with the hand of the Lord in our lives.”

Sydney B. Reynolds, A God of Miracles

After spending some time thinking about miracles… I realize that I take so many blessings for granted. If I were daily aware of all that I have been blessed with, I know i wouldn’t complain as much.

Gratitude: it’s a good thing.

Gratitude: Day FOUR

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ann tanner… love this woman.

1996 – i had just moved to provo from home.
it was a big adjustment for me.
i am a homebody who loves the security of home and parents and family.
i lived with a bunch of wild girls at Liberty Square
(though my room-roommate was the one good and super sweet gal.)
i was trying to figure out where my place was.

enter… ann tanner, my new boss in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department.

Best words to describe her… a real delight.
She has a great laugh… a light heart… and a great attitude.
The last place she wanted to be was working with a bunch of engineers in an office with no light.
All she wanted there was a window… a bit of sunshine in that Clyde building.

But… what she really wanted to do was to be home enjoying family… quilting… and other such home life projects. (She made me a really neat silhouette of children swinging. really neat talent.)

Instead she endured all those engineers… emotional secretaries who were figuring out their life (that would be me), and enjoying the fun secretary (that would be Stephanie).

Anyhoo… I love Ann. She was a dear friend who really did fill my life with LIGHT. I admire her optimism and sense of humor. I love when she would say that people were ‘ornery’. She said it like it was spelled and that was new to me (i always said it like ‘awnry’). She laughed at me when I didn’t know who Tom Cruise was. Oh, she laughed.

Good times with Ann Tanner in the ECEn Department. Good times.

Ann Tanner, Carol Memmott, Heather Price

p.s. dear stephanie, johanna, and stacey… thank you for forcing… yes, forcing me… to grow out my bangs. it was a good choice. love, me.

Gratitude: Day THREE

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Interesting topic today. Gratitude vs FEAR. Love this journaling prompt. My first thought was the similarity to FAITH vs FEAR as noted in the quotes/scriptures below:

“It is the “eye of faith” spoken of by the prophet Alma (see Alma 5:15–26)—the ability to focus and be steadfast, continually holding fast to true principles, nothing wavering, even when the mist of darkness confronting us is exceedingly great.  … In a household of faith, there is no need to fear or doubt. Choose to live by faith and not fear.” – ELDER KEVIN W. PEARSON – April 2009

“May we all recognize and give thanks for the incomparable gift of life we each enjoy and for the breath that He lends us daily. May we choose to have conviction at the crossroads of life and exercise faith in Jesus Christ. My prayer is that we will live by faith and not by fear.” QUENTIN L. COOK – October 2007

“Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.” D&C 68:6

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”  2 Tim 1:7

My conclusion is that
LIVING IN GRATITUDE:
is part of having faith in Jesus Christ…
strengthens our faith…
helps us ‘be of good cheer’…
keeps us grounded in reality (sound mind)…
shows God that we LOVE him…
is powerful…
… only because FAITH increases GRATITUDE (ah-ha!)
which is why it casts away fear.

My loving Father in Heaven blesses me abundantly, which shows me daily that He will stand by me.  Hence… I have no need to be afraid when God is on my side and watching over me.

I’ve always thought that KEEPIN’ IT REAL also means recognizing how abundantly blessed I am even when in the middle of trials. (recognizing blessings = “continually holding fast to true principles” = living in TRUTH)

A bit of randomness (it may not make much sense) … but a good exercise for my wee little brain.

Gratitude: Day TWO

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I was chatting with a friend the other day who had an experience that would have made me grumpy for the day – or the week ($1,000 less than you anticipated. Yikes!). She told me that she chose to view the situation with “Happy Eyes” instead of grumbling about it. I like that. We can choose to see situations with Happy Eyes and make the best of it. I love being surrounded by people who see the LIGHT.

5 minute gratitude list:
surprise dark chocolate orange sticks from Jimmy
max sitting on my lap
Super Why – Truman loves it and is quiet for 30 minutes
Netflix Streaming … to watch Super Why any time of day
Inspiring Messages from church leaders … especially on leadership training/revelation
Fun conversations
Laughter with the fam
Smiles from Max
Yummy smells
Pumpkin Bread
Zu-Zu who smiles when she wakes up – even when she’s sitting in a leaky diaper
Kisses from Tru
Helpful Hannah
Tender-hearted Abe who tries so hard
Scriptures
Comfy Clothes
Soft Carpet
Snuggly Blankets
Heat
Sturdy House (well semi-sturdy anyways)
Cars that will soon be paid off. Yes!
Colors
The Holy Ghost
Dear friends who “GET” me and still love me
Family
Hot Chocolate
Warm Rolls and Bread
Comfort Smells like Baked goods
Education
Opportunity
Freedom
Good Parents
Counsel
Love

Teaching through Attitude

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Elder Johnson said this in a message to Institute teachers, and though he was referring to teaching in a class setting, my mind is spinning with all the applications in my life:

in my calling:
my attitude about the bishop & ward leadership, visiting teaching, service, meetings, welfare. My attitude & words speak loads to the sisters in my ward.

in the home:
my attitude about being a stay-at-home mother, my spouse, chores & never-ending messes/tasks, service in the church, scriptures & temple. Wow! My children can tell by my words, tone of voice, and actions, what the true intent is within my heart.

I’m so glad Jimmy shared this thought with me last night as we were falling asleep. Good stuff.

30 Days of Gratitude: Day ONE

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I am lovin’ this challenge sponsored by Crystal Wilkerson

This is her idea:


Today’s Journaling Prompt:
Think of a time in your life when a trial ultimately became a blessing.

1. Break-up with my first boyfriend. My heart hurt so much. But – it really did turn out to be a blessing. Now I see that I so wasn’t ready to get married. I needed more time to grow up and figure out who I was. A few years later I met Jimmy… who is the Love of my Life. He is really good for me. His family is kind to me. I’m grateful for what I learned from that hard experience, but am glad things didn’t work out as I wanted at the time.

2. There was a period when we lived in Arizona when I had such a hard personal trial. It was one of the heart aches you keep inside. Jimmy was busy with school and work. I was pregnant with Abe and then we moved to Florida for the summer 2 weeks after we had Abe (which was really hard – but turned out to be a fun adventure). Then I was called to be YW President. I was so young – 28. But it was good for our family. I grew. I learned a lot. I think it helped me rely on the Lord more… to find peace, forgiveness, and love.

This quote perfectly explains what I love about this challenge:

by Rebecca Cooper at Simple as That

It’s great to recognize our blessings, but it’s even better to show our appreciate by our actions.
Love that principle!

wait, wait, wait…

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so… I am grouchy when I have to clean up barf?
on the carpet in my warm house?
with a steam-vac?

And here this man devotes his entire life to caring for the poorest of the poor.
I love hearing about good people like Narayanan Krishnan.
Plus, he is so sincere and full of love.

I don’t think this will embed, but it’s worth clicking over to youtube.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiC_9RHTvsA[/youtube]