The Crow

We have a neighborhood crow that lives in the park down the street.  This crow is massive.  She has built a nest in the top of the stadium lights in the park.  It is funny to watch her.  She will fly around the neighborhood in search of things.  Yesterday I saw her trying to carry something that was almost too big for her, it was hard for her to get air- but she made it.

One thing I find a little comical is that when she flies near my home there are a couple of little birds that do not like her, they will charge her, dive bomb her and they "yell" at her.  They are relentless until the crow flies away. These tiny birds do not give up until she leaves.  They are so small compared to her.

I thought about this in my own life.  Which bird am I??......  Am I the crow?  Am I the little bird?...

Do little issues arise, nagging thoughts, pesky habits; do small challenges come up and I get a little tired, turn and give up?  If I understood the strength that I have, and my ability to overcome these things I would never give up.  I would know that I can do all that I put my mind to, that I do not need to give up and fly away.

Am I more like the little bird who see's a problem, even a big problem and dives right in- claim who I am, claim my space, and not let anything come into my space that could hurt me or get me down.  I do not care who/ what is bigger because I am completely confident in myself and my abilities.  I know that I can conquer all that I face, and that I never need to do these things alone.  I always have someone by my side, to help me face, and chase off any challenge or threat to me.  Maybe it is because the little bird was not alone that it had more courage-  you and I are never completely alone.  We were not meant to go through this life alone.  Alone we can do some things but together we can do all things. We need each other.   I think one of the biggest problems is that people think they must do things in this life alone.  We are never completely alone.  We can always have at least one person by our side.  

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.  Philippians 4:13

Christ will give us strength to conquer big trials, but He will also give us strength to overcome nagging thoughts, the pesky habits that we are trying to break, and every other thing you can think of.  He will not leave us alone- But... we must do our part.  We need to be trying, we need to be working, and we need to ask for his help.

Potential

What is my potential? .... What is my children's potential?.....  What is your potential?  ....

I love the new year when I am able to see where I have improved in even very small ways, and also ponder on what I will work on for the next year.  So, what can I become?  What is possible for me?  We really are only limited by our own thoughts.  President Spencer W. Kimball has said on numerous occasions: "We are gods in embryo" - President Ezra Taft Benson has said "As God's offspring, we have His attributes in us.  We are gods in embryo, and thus have unlimited potential for progress and attainment".  I love that we have unlimited potential for progress and attainment, we can achieve anything.  Anything and everything is possible.  We are His children-  We are all His children!  C.S. Lewis wrote "It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship".  My heart is full at how much every person on this earth is loved by our Heavenly Father, and, that if we do all we can to be like Him we can have all that He has- we can be just like Him. 

I have also been thinking a lot about 2 Nephi 2:25- "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy."  We are meant to have joy..... not after this life is over, but I believe we are meant to find joy here, during our life.  So this year I have decided that I will begin my JOY JOURNEY.  I am happy most of the time- but as I contemplate all of the blessings I have in my life, I think I could show my happiness more, I could find joy more often.  After all, I am meant to have joy.  I am going to work on things to help bring joy into my life, I will also try to recognize what blessings I already have that bring me joy.  We know that what we feed, grows..... so if I feed joy..... joy should grow.  If I feed fear, anxiety, pessimism- then fear, anxiety and pessimism grow.  I am going to make a conscious choice in my life.  I choose to feed happiness, joy, love, compassion. 
This year is a test.... what will I let grow this year?

These are the areas of my life that I will be working on and feeding this year:
January:  Positive Energy. 
February: Love, and Marriage
March:  Work
April:  Friendship
May:  Organized... Chaos to Order
June:  Play Hard
July:  Contemplate Eternity
August:  Parenting
September:  Leadership
October:  Talents and Gifts
November:  Communication
December:  Pay Attention

I am excited about the possibilities!  I am excited to see where I am at the end of the year.  I do not think this will all be easy, I expect that I will have some setbacks, and that I will find myself discouraged sometimes.  But, by the end, I believe I will have found more joy in my life.  I invite you to do the same.  Find areas in your life that you would like to "feed".  We are meant for amazing things!  We can do it!!! 

Living up to our potential will be a great quest and an incredible adventure!