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! 

Together... We Can!

I am amazed at the women I know in my life; and I am grateful that I know each and every one of them.  I have been thinking a lot about this the last few days..... Even those women who I admire from a distance, make an impact on my life.  I learn so much from listening and watching them.  I have always believed that if we all pulled together, we could be an incredible force for good!  I think we do pull together, however I know that Satan also realizes this and will do all that he can to keep us each isolated.  If he can keep us feeling alone, unworthy, friendless, maybe jealous and even incapable of contributing then he wins.  He knows that we can do amazing things, and that we have the ability to change this world.  I love that Sister Sheri Dew refers to us as the Lord's secret weapon!


Sister Marjorie Hinckley, wife of President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008), said: “Oh, how we need each other. Those of us who are old need you who are young. And, hopefully, you who are young need some of us who are old. It is a sociological fact that women need women. We need deep and satisfying and loyal friendships with each other.”  

I love and cherish the friendships that I have.  I also have realized that relationships are one of the most important things that we have in this life.  I want to thank the women in my life who make a difference.  I have been taught, unconditionally loved, edified, and lifted by you.  You make me want to be a better person, a better wife, a better mother, and daughter.  Let's remember how much we need each other, and how strong we can be together.  Together we can make a difference!!!   We are not meant to do this alone.  :)

What can I handle?

Recently I attended a semianr with Mike where the speaker said something that I have thought about a lot since then  He said "You are one relationship away from changing your life".  Think about this for a minute- You are ONE relationship away from changing you life.  That one relationship could change your life for the better or it could change it for the worse.  That is why it is critical to choose wisely the people you keep close, and those you choose to start a relationship with.

I pondered this even more as we have had some things come up the last few months that have been challenging, and have found myself at times wondering how much more I can take.  Now, I realize that I am blessed, and I am so thankful for all that I have, however there are still some challenges, and trials that have gone on for a long time and I wonder if I will be able to handle it and endure to the end.

The answer is no- I will not be able to handle it..... at least not by myself.  I will be able to handle it with the help of my Savior though the power of the atonement.  And that through the grace of our Savior I will have strength beyond my own to accomplish things that I could never do on my own.

Elder Bednar said this "Individual willpower, personal determination and motivation, and effective planning and goal setting are necessary but ultimately insufficient to triumphantly complete this mortal journey.  Truly we must come to rely upon 'the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah'".  He goes on to describe grace as an enabling power.  The main idea of the word grace is divine means of help or strength.

In 2 Nephi 25:23 we read .."For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do"  If you have ever read this verse like I have you come away feeling like "Ok I will be saved after all that I can do"  however yesterday my daughter pointed out to me that if we read it again putting emphasis on the word we .... After all we can do- meaning the Savior and me together.  There is so much more that I can do if the Savior is doing it with me.

Have you ever had any of the following thoughts come up in your life, or maybe you have heard others say....
I can't do this any more...
This is too hard....
Why is this happening to me?
I don't want to go on...

The good news is that we are one relationship away from being able to handle anything that is thrown our way!  If we will seek and come to know Jesus Christ our brother, and our Savior.... He will help us handle anything that comes our way.  "He will manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him.... working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders, among the children of men according to their faith".

I know that as I strengthen my relationship with my Savior, He will be able to provide the strength I need to keep moving forward.  "As you and I come to understand and employ the enabling power of the Atonement in our personal lives, we will pray and seek for strength to change our circumstances rather than praying for our circumstances to be changed.  We will become agents who 'act' rather than objects that are acted upon".  -(Elder Bednar)

What are some ways that you strenthen your relationship with the Savior?

Tough or Tender?

I love this quote...... Sometimes it's hard to not get caught up in how the world thinks a woman should be.  God needs strong women who can still be tender, kind, loving, and faithful.  

Former Young Women general president Margaret D. Nadauld taught: “The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.”

As I have read and re-read this quote I have asked myself which woman am I....... Am I coarse or kind?  Am I a woman full of greed or goodness?  

Am I teaching my daughters to be refined, virtuous, and pure?  

To have these qualities does not mean that we are somehow weak, in fact I believe we are stronger when we can exhibit these Christlike attributes.  

Can I??

The last five years of my life have certainly been a roller coaster to say the least.  Without going into too much detail let's just say that it has been both miraculous, humbling, and exhausting and at times (several times) I have cried out "I CAN'T DO THIS"  I have felt both hope, and despair.  It does seem like it may be coming to an end but who knows??? Only the Lord.

I have found strength that I didn't know I possessed.  I have very literally felt the strength that comes only from the grace of God.  The strength that comes from the atonement-  I couldn't do it alone.  This is one of the lessons I believe I was required to learn from these experiences;  that I can do more with the help of God than I could ever do on my own.  It has not been easy in any sense of the word.  It has been a struggle for me to first even admit that I needed help.   I am independent, and in a way I wanted to show my Heavenly Father that I can do this.  Now as I think about it, I remind myself of my toddler who doesn't want help because he can do it.... "don't help me with my spoon when I eat, I love food all over myself" this list could go on and on.  If he could only understand that I can help him and make his life a lot easier; he could learn even better how to make things work, his life would be simplified. Yep! I am a spiritual toddler...... and I hate to admit that at times through the last five years I have even thrown a spiritual tantrum.   How grateful I am that He is a LOVING Heavenly Father.  He has been patient with me, and continues to be.

I have needed to learn that if I will turn my life over to God; He'll do a better job than I ever could on my own.  President Ezra Taft Benson taught, "men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can.  He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds,.... lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends and pour out peace".   I won't lie... this is hard, to turn my life over to Him and align my will with His completely.

It has been interesting as I struggle with crying out "I can't do this"  and realizing that if I turn my life over to Him, He will help me....... I will be able to do whatever is thrown my way.  He will strengthen me.  I have learned that we are not meant to do this alone, He wants to help us.  He needs us..... to let Him help us....... so we can be the people He needs us to be!!!  He will give us the power and strength we need to fulfill all we are here to do.

President Boyd K. Packer said, "When you say, 'I can't!! I can't solve my problems!' I want to thunder out, "Don't you realize who you are? Haven't you learned yet that you are a son or a daughter of Almighty God?  Do you not know that there are powerful resources inherited from Him that you can call upon to give you steadiness and courage and great power?"

I am sad to say that I sometimes forget.... I could use a little more steadiness, courage, and power in my life!!!  And the good news is it is available for me- and for you.  He is there ready to help when we ask.

How do you remember who you are?

What do you do to remind yourself that you CAN!!!???

Fighting Back

I have struggled a little with this post.  I recently viewed a blog that tore down everything that this blog is standing for.  What I really wanted to do was go through and challenge everything that was written.  My problem with doing that was this blog then became contentious, and I would be tearing down another woman which is contrary to why it was created.  My heart broke as I read her thoughts, at first I was defensive and angry, now I feel sorry for her.  As I went through this other blog, it is enough to say that Satan is out in full force trying to diminish what we are doing as mothers, and as women!  It is time to fight back.... we will do this by being the women we were created to be.  We will do this by being the wife, mother, aunt, friend, grandmother, and neighbor that God needs us to be.  

Let's show more love, be more kind, have more fun, laugh a little more and find more joy in our lives.   

When Jewish women bid good-bye to each other they say "Have joy in your children"  This has encouraged me to think.  Sometimes when I am saying bye to a friend it is with a little hesitation about getting back to work taking care of the children, and home; and my farewell sounds a little more like "Wish me luck, I'm going home to the kids"   Am I missing the boat a little?  I think so..... Sister Hinckley said "Have joy in your mothering"    So how do I have joy in my children?  How do I have joy in my mothering?  First of all it's a choice...... I get to choose my attitude towards being a mom and whether or not I am finding joy in my children- and for that matter in my mothering.  I get to choose joy in being the mother, the aunt, the grandma, the neighbor, the friend.  We all have incredible opportunities to do good.  Second, I surround myself with amazing women who can help me see the important things in this life.  So, a big thanks to all of my sisters out there who inspire me to be a little better.  

It occurred to me this week that Eve was called the mother of all living even before she had children.  As I thought about this it seems as though there is more to being a mother than actually delivering a child into this world. You can be a mother to those around you.  There is so much for each of us to do.   As President James E. Faust said: “There is no greater good in all the world than motherhood. The influence of a mother in the lives of herchildren is beyond calculation."  We will make a difference!!! 

This can be done in a lot of different ways.  I have a cute neighbor that decided to create a 4-H club  for her daughter and any other little girls in the neighborhood who would like to participate.  She is amazing.  She is mothering my daughter every time she teaches her a skill and is kind to her, she helps her to become better.  She is fighting back against Satan by loving and teaching these young ladies.  I have told her on several occasions that she is amazing to do this for these little girls. Her reply is always the same... "I like it!"   She finds joy in doing it.  We can all do something.  We can each show love, we can each make a difference in our own ways. 

How do you fight back? 

How do you find joy in your children and in your mothering? 


Today I will choose to not constantly go behind and pick up the mess Olie makes.... instead I will sit down and play with him.  We will see about tomorrow ;) 

Swamp witch or Princess?

What is your identity?

What is your worth?

How do you decided what it is?

What happens when you feel like you have lost your identity, or that you are worthless?

These are interesting questions to think about, because we all know what the "Sunday school" answers are......  I know that I have questioned who I am before and I have at times been very discouraged with what I felt was my identity and my worth.  It is hard to remember who we are all the time, especially when we have Satan and his minions yelling at us that we are nothing.

I read a book several years ago that changed the way I saw the temptations of Satan.  In the book Satan and his minions are on the crest of a hill where they are waiting for morning to come with anticipation.  On this particular day, along with all of the other days, they try to come in and in all ways try to discourage, depress, isolate etc.  As they are waiting to have the humans wake up, Satan tells them to be the very first thought that they have in the morning...... These could include, and have for me at times been "Good morning swamp witch....... Why are you even up this morning?....... You have no friends- Go back to bed!...... You are so fat....... the list could go on and on.  Why doesn't he ever tell me I am a beautiful princess- a daughter of God?  Sometimes it is hard to hear what our Heavenly Father thinks of us, when these devils are silently yelling at me.  Another thing that hit me was the fact that some of the followers of Lucifer are women- there are probably a lot of them.  I don't know why this was such an epiphany to me...... Maybe I thought all devils were men ;)   But of coarse there would be women- and who knows better how to be mean to women; than women?  Isn't it true- sometimes women can be ruthless, and extremely hurtful..... I am sure that "those" women know exactly how to hurt us as women!  They can be really good at making us feel worthless.  Now that I understand where this is coming from, I can say to myself- this is not true, this is not what my Father thinks of me.  I am not good at doing this all the time.  I hope I can get better at hearing the voice of my Father telling me that I am doing good, to just try and do my best- be happy, enjoy life, and have fun... and remember that He loves me.... I am a princess.

I love the quote given by Sheri Dew; "None us us come to this earth to gain our worth; we brought it with us."  We are amazing women with so much to offer to this world!  The Lord needs us to be strong and to stand with Him.  He needs us to understand who we are and what we are capable of.  In studying forordination for a lesson I needed to teach I was excited to again to be reminded of our premortal life.  We are his daughters!  There are specific things that we were sent here to do; none of which was to gain worth.  We could go through and name several men and women who were forordained to come to this earth to do something great...... But so were you!  "Mary and Eve and countless other glorious women as well as countless magnificent men were not assigned to this dispensation.  We were.  It is humbling and a little scary.  But do you think God would have left the last days to chance by sending men and women He couldn't depend on?  There is no chance He would ever be that cavalier or careless." (Sheri Dew)  He knows what we are capable of- do you?

Just as Esther in her day, we were saved for such a time as this!!!

This is our day!  Let's remember that when we hear or think unkind thoughts about ourselves; things that make us want to stay in and not make a difference, and make us feel worthless.... Let's remember who we are, and what we are capable of! I hope that we as sisters can pull together, and remind each other of our true identity and of our individual worth.  Let's remind each other!! Let's do something extraordinary!!!! Try and make a difference today.