Tuesday, January 31, 2012

I will go, I will do!

I have been thinking a lot about obedience lately.
Sometimes the things we are asked to do just don't make sense.
Have you ever had days like that when you just say to yourself...
...out loud...
when there is no one even around to hear you..
"Really?"
I have moments like that.
There are some days when I say, "Really?....Really?"
And when I am really frustrated I even say it 3 (THREE) times!!
Usually by the time I get to 3 reallys it is almost funny and I end up smiling and laughing at myself.
Life is really funny huh? (I think I just wrote REALLY about 10 times!) :)
I was thinking about the story of the man that was asked to push on a huge boulder every day for eight hours a day.
Every day he valiantly pushed on that rock. He got more and more frustrated everyday because he could not move the boulder.
One day his master came to see how he was doing. The man said, "I am so mad...I have been pushing and pushing this boulder just like you asked me to, everyday, for eight hours a day and I can't get the rock to budge!!!"
The master then said, "You are doing exactly what I asked, I asked you to push on the boulder, I never asked you to move it."
I do not know the reasons for all things...heck, I don't know the reasons for MOST things. But one thing I do know, and that is...
...sometimes we are just aren't meant to know.

We are just meant to DO.

Let us all press forward with faith. Doing the right thing just because it is the right thing to do.

I love you all!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

2012 Family Focus

Hello family, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

We hope you are all well and that you are excited about this new year, I know we are.

As you all know we had a family project last year building our ark. The year seemed to fly by, and now it is time for a NEW project...I know, you are all on the edge of your seats in anxious anticipation of our new project. Before I go into the new plan I need to tell you how last year went.

We set goals and asked for participation. We had some of you reply, but not all...and that made us kinda sad...but, it is all about free will and choice so that’s ok.

For the most part our goals were reached and I don’t know about any of you but for me personally...I changed, I grew, I learned, and that is what I wanted to happen for me. But I did want all of you to experience that as well, but again, I can’t force you so it will just be what it is, and that has to be ok too.

One of the things I learned last year is that it takes longer than a year to build an ark. I think I just thought that all the struggles would wait for us to get finished, and they didn’t. The storms came and went all while the work was slowly going on. So, with what began as a year project has become a LIFE project. We will just change our focus every year according to the needs of our family.

So this year...2012 we are building an UMBRELLA, to go over our ark. The work has to go on and the storms of life are not going to stop coming so....we are building an umbrella. So no matter when you choose to help build our ark you will be sheltered from the storm.

Our umbrella will consist of 4 sections. Each of those four sections will contribute to the strength of our umbrella. These four things are constants that have to be maintained while all around us is going crazy. These four things will help us weather the storm. These four things are...

1. Prayer. Everyday take the time to pray. I won’t tell you where to do it or for how long. Just Pray.
2. Scriptures. Everyday take the time to read the scriptures. I won’t tell you what particular scriptures to read or for how long. Just Read.
3. Attend the Temple monthly.
4. Do home and visiting teaching monthly.

I don’t need to tell any of you that life is hard. I don’t need to tell you that sometimes things just aren’t fair. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. But I do need to remind you that we have each other. Not one of us need to face our struggles alone.

Life is about making choices. Everyday we make hundreds of them. The hard part sometimes is to make good choices...or BETTER choices. We need to use our Agency to become better. To breathe fresh air into the lives of others instead of sucking it all out. We all have what it takes to succeed. We just need to DO IT!

The other thing that we are focusing on is FOOD. We can't just get on our ark without any food. We all need to work on getting the extra food we need, each of you in your own homes.
So, I am excited about 2012! I am thrilled about the possibilities.

Lets make it a good year!

I love you all!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Oh give me a home...

Hello family,
I am sorry I haven't blogged in so long.
My life has been so busy, I started a new job in November. I work for State Farm Insurance. I am learning so much and for the most part my brain is fried!!!
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a quiet, peaceful, (if not lonely) Christmas.
I have been studying for my state exam to get my license to sell insurance so all of my spare time has been dedicated to that.
I take my test on the 19th of January, I can't wait for it to be over!
It is hard to learn how to study again after so many years of NOT studying. I think my saving grace is that I have been studying Isaiah....if that doesn't fry the brain I don't know what will!! :)
I do love Isaiah, I can't wait to meet him some day...

So, since my life has been crazy I haven't taken the time to be 'inspired'.
But today I did. Today I couldn't wait to come home and share the feelings that I have felt.

Today I attended a funeral. I went because the deceased was the Father-in-Law to one of my sweet friends. I went there to show my support for her. But, today....
today,
I WAS INSPIRED...

What an amazing man. What a sweet, kind, loving, wonderful man. I could feel his spirit as his family shared stories of his quiet yet meaningful life.
He is a man I wish I would have known.

In many ways he reminded me of my dad...and of my brother Ben, all mixed up in one person.
The tears really came when his grandchildren with a fiddle, a cello, and a guitar played and sang, "You are my sunshine".
And then the medley of his favorite songs...
I can't tell you the last time I heard,
"Oh give me a home, where the buffalo roam, where the deer and the antelope play,
where seldom is heard a discouraging word, and the skies are not cloudy all day."
Even now it brings tears to my eyes. It takes me back to my childhood, to those peaceful, chilly nights around a campfire, with the people I loved most.
Then there was, "This land is my land this land is your land..."
"Take me home country roads..."

I learned so much today from the Booth family as they shared their father with me. I learned that funerals are to celebrate life and to say good-bye. It is not for the one that passed on, but for the loved ones he left behind.
I was uplifted and humbled by the pure love of Christ that this stranger taught, even after his earthly life was over.
Like Isaiah, I hope I get to meet Everett Booth one day.

I love you all, my dear family and friends.
Life is good,
I am blessed beyond my mortal understanding.