Do Something Today

Sunday January 12^th 2014

Today in church I had a few realizations. As I was taking the sacrament and praying I realized that I had not remembered to pray for days. I had made sure to read some scriptures each day, and I keep the Ensign in the downstairs bathroom now to get reading done, but praying hadn't happened. It is scary how easily that can happen. Days can pass of me doing nothing but sleeping and watching Dancing With the Stars while Ken and I are in the midst of financial turmoil and he is sinking into depression, and when we need God more than anything I am straight up forgetting to pray. That is why the Sunday school answers are so important. Not just because each activity matters, but because doing one thing can remind you to do the others. For example, going to church reminded me that I had wasn't praying. Praying can remind you to read your scriptures, etc. God has given us safeguards with daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly tasks, and I really noticed and appreciated that today.

Daily – Read Scriptures, Pray

Weekly – Go to church (attend all meetings), church callings, Sabbath Day Holy

Monthly – Attend the temple, home/visiting teaching (both to give and receive), fast offering, Fast

Yearly – Tithing settlement, General Conference (twice),

Occasional-Live ordinances for family members, temple dedications, firesides, devotionals

This isn't all I am sure. He gives these things not to burden us, but to keep us free. It is Satan that binds us. That takes away our agency and makes us miserable. God provides all of these things as continuous opportunities to repent and come unto him and be made free and whole once again. Satan is relentless and it is so easy to get bogged down by him. Not even necessarily bad things, he can just bog us down with nothingness and keep us from the good. 3 days of Dancing With the Stars and no meaningful scripture study or prayer. If he can just keep us from good he still wins even when we aren't doing bad things. Sunday school was another reminder that hit home. The teacher told about a plant in his office that wasn't being watered. He was hurting the plant or actively destroying it, but by neglecting it and letting it sit the plant began to die. It's not enough to not do bad, you must be anxiously engaged in a good cause. The same is true of a marriage that needs nourishment and love to keep growing. You don't have to be fighting or have a toxic home for a marriage to die. You just have to stop doing good things. Stop holding hands, stop saying I love, don't go on dates or serve each other until it eventually dies. Things in this life don't tend to stay still. If you aren't moving forward you are sliding ever so subtly back.

I watched a great video on LDS.org about “Give us this day our daily bread.” The most important battle you are fighting is right now. What are you doing with today? Satan is so clever getting us to focus on the past or future. I was good yesterday so I can be lax today, or I will be lax today, but I'm going to do better tomorrow. If he can only get us to delay good. It's so very easy to give in to that thinking. A much stronger argument is to reverse that thinking. Maybe I messed up yesterday, and maybe I'll mess up tomorrow, but today, right now, I am going to make the right choice. I am going to win this battle. The video pointed out that this is how Christ helps us, and all he expects of us. He doesn't ask us to be perfect right now. He works with us one day at a time to become just a little better slowly working towards perfection. You see, good things are built just as subtly as they are destroyed. Going back to the marriage example. Saying I love you each day, a small act of service or kindness. Each day doesn't need to be a grand romantic gesture to wake up next to your spouse 6 years later and realize you love him even more now than you did when you married him. In the same way as some people who have neglected their love wake up to find they are no longer in love. Everything is done by small actions one day at a time so the most important thing is to do something NOW!

Also true of goals. Ken wanted me to work towards something, but I didn't know what. He got me a microphone and I realized if I recorded or researched or wrote something every day then at the end of the year I would have an entire library of personal works and a wealth of knowledge and information on my subject. On the other hand I could watch one more TV show and be nowhere in a year. Just watching a different show. By small and simple means are great things brought to pass.

I pray that I can remember this and incorporate it into each day of my life. Do SOMETHING to build my testimony, my marriage, my children, and my career (or hobby rather). And most definitely don't forget to pray.

The Faith of a Child

I was editing the pictures I scanned from my mom's scrapbooks and I found some poems I had written when I was 12. As I read them I was actually feeling very touched by my testimony as a child.

Sometimes when I see children in primary I wonder if they are going to make it. They bear these sweet little testimonies and I wonder to myself if they really understand what they are seeing, if they really believe in such a way that will sustain them when they reach Jr. High and beyond and are exposed to the cynicism and temptations of the world. I have seen so many fall and it breaks my heart. I want so much for all of them to make it. I have seen people faithfully bear their testimonies in Jr. High only to crumble in high school and be lost to this day. They claim they never had a testimony and I know that their past selves would argue strongly to the contrary, and weep to see that faith lost. I pray I never lose mine. Do they know? Do children really know? What right do I have to question them anyways, they probably know more than I do, but will they remember?

Then I found these poems, written by a 12 year old me, and I am reminded that I have always had a testimony which I have always freely shared. I knew. The words I read could have been written by me today (hopefully with better spelling). My journal entries, songs, art, and actions all portrayed my testimony of the gospel. A testimony which I have never doubted. I don't say this to brag, but you can't know all of the thoughts and intents of anyone else's heart but your own, and I am sure of my own heart. As I am about to be a mother and already worrying about my own children I am comforted by my own example. (Despite my many imperfections.) Hopefully it is one my children will follow. I am so grateful to remember that these things were so important to me then, and I hope that they will always be my focus throughout my life. I did know, and I still know that this church is true. That heavenly father and Jesus love us more than we can comprehend. That the atonement is real and that we can use it for EVERYTHING! And that the gospel is true and restored to this earth today. These things mean everything to me. Ken called me a church nerd today and I don't know when I have received a better compliment. I told him heck yes I was and to shout it from the rooftops. May I ever become more and more deeply rooted in the gospel is my prayer forever Amen.

So, here they are. My three poems.

My Dream

I dreamed a dream, and saw a sight

one lonely and very quite night.

I saw a child, a little boy

who carelessly has broken a toy.

And then he cried and to my surprise

in came a woman with such holy eyes.

She hugged the boy and dried his tears

and chased away a world of fears.

For just her presence truly was sacred.

her smile warm, caring, and sweet

She seemed to glow from head to feet.

Watching her handle the child with care

I cried for I knew that the lord was there.

I thought of Gabriel and then I knew

that woman was an angel too.

She glowed with light, her smile bright,

she could bring light through the darkest night.

I asked the lord who could she be

and his answer was, a mother of three.

-By Jennifer Hunt to My Mother

Prayer

Prayer is talking to father above asking for a nice day.

Prayer is a thing so when you need to talk there is always something to say.

Whether it's thanking him for trees, bids, or family, or the wonderful world he made

The pleasures from summer like swimming and play while sipping cold lemonade.

Prayer brings you closer to heavenly father it's our way of communication.

Asking for help so everyday we can try to live to his expectation.

If you need help, or the devils around don't think just fall on your knees

When you get up clouds of gloom go away,

and a bad week can turn to a beautiful day.

Yes prayer is surly the answer for any questions you have.

Just remember when you need to talk with prayer you will never get a busy signal.

Heavenly Father

Moonlight on roses that dance through the spring,

Buttercups beautiful precious serene

All these are things the lord has given us.

Families he gives us to love and to trust.

Everything is from him in the beautiful world

Just shows us he loves us like strawberry swirls.

He is perfect you know and the savior too.

I hope I live worthy to them, you too.

He loves us so much all he wants is one things

For us to return to heaven and rejoice with our king.

Yes God is great, good, and caring too.

I want to be like him as much as you do.

27 Before 27

Ok, it's almost birthday time so here is the report for the year. I didn't get nine of them, but 18 isn't bad

1. Get Pregnant - Nope
2. Get out of credit card debt - Getting close, but No
3. Cook a turkey dinner - Tomorrow!
4. Weigh under 135 pounds (unless I get pregnant) - Nope, but I just joined weight watchers
5. Catch up, and stay caught up in my journal - Yes!
6. Learn the Thriller dance - almost, but no
7. Edit, Organize, and digitally store ALL my pictures
8. Get couches for the front room
9. Decorate my front room (fix walls and everything)
10. Convert Mindy’s DVC to Digital
11. Replace imovie with something on the PC
12. Paint and add flooring to my doll house
13. Get my dollhouse furniture
14. Finish the guest room/baby room (decorating, bed frame and box)
15. Learn 10 yummy salads I can make quickly
16. Get food intolerance/sensitivity testing done
17. Get nice bookcases
18. Scan in all scrapbooks
19. Organize all pictures by date
20. Back up all photos on shutterfly
21. Make special book (c)
22. Be in a play
23. Take a dance class
24. Close 10 loans - I did close 4
25. Develop level one of oil business- nevermind
26. Go to South Dakota to visit Mom & Dad - nevermind
27. Get Arizona LO License (if needed) - nevermind

June & July

"Pin"sperations

So I am now pinterest crazed and one of the things I have been using it to figure out is women's styles. So, here are a few of my attempts.

Note that some outfits are not complete without a border collie. Ha ha, oh Bella. I guess you can't really see my accessories for most of them. I will have to ponder on that.

Family History

So I FINALLY got started on family history yesterday. It has been a goal of mine since I was 12. A really nice lady at worked helped me pull up my fan chart which is amazing.I used that to start looking up family names online and have already found a bunch of pictures and stories that I have begun to pin. It is amazing how interesting and inspiring reading about your ancestors can be. Hooray.

Smart Phone

This is my first post from my smart phone. Interesting, maybe I can keep up more on the go now.