Obviously February ended a couple of months ago. And more happened then I have pictures of (as usual).
My ward had an activity for FHE where we went to Jack and Jills in Lehi for bowling, lazer tag and arcade games. We felt pretty special as we got the private bowling suite. It was kind of fun because I got to meet some new people.
One of my kindergartners brought some nail polish to school one day and wanted to paint mine for me. I was pretty impressed with how focused she was to detail, and I think that they didn't come out too bad.
I bought a new car! Just kidding, Lucy was looking at getting a new car and I worked hard at getting her into a Mazda :) She did really like them but ended up with something that was a little cheaper.
Lucy invited me to go to church with her one time. I've always been open to trying other churches so that I can understand someone else's beliefs and how can I expect them to want to hear about mine if I'm not willing to listen to theirs? It was an interesting experience, much of the time was spent singing and then this guy gave a sermon. It was actually a really good sermon but it was so weird to have a gospel discussion without using the Book of Mormon.
That same Sunday I went to Ben and Sonia's ward because Katrina was the youth speaker in Sacrament...how did my niece get old enough to give a talk!
I love love love that it's bonfire time of year. There's nothing quite like sitting in front of the fire!
Apparently February was the bowling month. I went again with Kayla, Derek, and Brittany one weekend. We tried a new bowling alley in Sandy I believe it was.
February I was lucky enough to get to attend my Stake Relief Society Conference (I wrote a little bit about it HERE).
I got a new toy for Christmas from Mom, that helped pull out the core of a cupcake so that I can put in a filling. I experimented with a new cupcake recipe and filled it with my yummy raspberry cream cheese frosting.
Last Saturday I had the special opportunity to attend a special Relief Society Conference that my singles stake put on entitled "Live Up to Your Privilege." To be honest I wasn't so sure if I really wanted to attend, it was "early" Saturday morning and was 3 hours long plus lunch at the end, I'm grateful that I did end up deciding to attend though, I was spiritually uplifted and it was a great morning spent with Kayla as well. Sorry if my thoughts will seem scattered, these are just bits and pieces that I wrote down/remember/stood out to me.
We all gathered in the Chapel first to hear a couple testimonies, special musicals, to watch a slideshow, and to hear from our Stake President (I love our my Stake Presidency, they are so wonderful and I constantly feel their love for us!). After the time in the Chapel we had the opportunity to choose 2 of 5 workshops (so not fair having to choose!).
The first workshop that I attended was called "Communication and Relationship Building." The number one thing that they sister teaching the class seemed to keep repeating was Being Engaged with and where you are (ENGAGED-Participate, Establish a meaningful relationship).
She spent a lot of time discussing the 5 Languages of Love (if you haven't heard of them you can go HERE to read more about it or to take a test to discover what kind of Love Language you need). I've heard about the 5 Languages in several of my classes but have never really thought a ton about them or what I might be. She recommended that we take the test every 6-12 months ourselves because our love languages do change. One suggestion that she made that her sister does for her kids I loved. She said that most people/kids generally act out when they are not feeling loved so her sister will have her kids take the test to discover what kind of love language they need and work to fill that kind of love for them.
She also showed this clip, I loved the idea and loved the different comments they make, especially the old couple.
The second class was called "Trust in the Lord, His Timing, His Way, His Will"
She started by reading this quote from Richard G. Scott, "We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day." There was more to the quote but this is the part that she had highlighted and repeated several times through the whole workshop and it continues to stand out to me.
She had run out of time but told us to go home and watch this song, Lemonade by Alex Boye (she said it was a good song but she also remarked on his crazy pants :D), somehow I had never heard this song before but I really liked it. After that she was talking about are we more concerned with what is not happening than what is happening which fit it with what the song was about.
After I had listened to the song I also read the notes that Alex Boye had put under the movie and felt that it really did go well with what she was talking about...
This song is inspired by one of my favorite quotes:
"Cease your complaining and fretting.The cause is in yourself, and where the cause is, there is the remedy...Alter your outlook on life, and your outward life will alter."
-James Allen
I've always wanted to write my own Bobby Mcferrin, "Don't worry, be Happy" song. CHECK!! There is a part in the song that says "So many miracles are happening each day, if I can just get out of my own way.
That's a reminder for ME.
A few years ago, even though I had so many amazing things happening in my life, I was so caught up in things that were NOT going right, that I stopped appreciating the things that WERE going right. I would start making a habit of chasing the storms and not the sunlight, and started getting used to feeling sorry for myself. whenever bad stuff would happen to me, i would say things like "Yep, of course that would happen to ME and nobody else!!
I would always be waiting for something amazing to happen to me before I felt good about myself. "If I get that raise, THEN life would be amazing, or if I found the right spouse, or if I get that record deal, or if I win that contest, or got the new car, THEN things would be amazing. I was living in the future and NOT enjoying the PRESENT.
Things started to change for me when I came across a book called "The Magic of believing".
I started to change my way of thinking and realized that we don't have to wait for something amazing to happen. WE ALREADY ARE AMAZING!! I would say that to myself often and then i would start seeing amazing things happen in my life. so glad I found that little truth in my life. It has made ALL the difference.
Im learning now that when bad things happen out of our control, it can either leave us either bitter, or better for going through it. I once heard someone say, "Life can truly be bittersweet. But whatever you bring attention to, expands, so choose wisely."
This is a song about making the most and the best of life, whatever is thrown our way. Thanks for reading this far!!
Best,
Alex Boye'
LEMONADE LYRICS:
I'm just so broke you won't believe
Can't get a dollar out of me
And as far as I can see
I'm losing control like a bad disease
No I just can't get relief
I've been shot down by the life police,
And everyday I try to rise
But I can't succeed
Can anybody find a cure for me?
You can be bitter, bitter, bitter
Or you can be better, better, better
CHORUS
When life gives you lemons
Instead of champagne
Don't worry little children
And don't complain (woh)
Remember you're golden
So find some sugar cane
When life gives you lemons
Make lemonade
Hama kama hama kama heyama kama x2
Now everyday is like a brand new year,
I throw my hands up in the air
Like I just don't care,
I'm moon walking down the streets
Feeling like oh yeah (oh yeah!)
like the bottom of the glass now I see clear
So now I laugh just a little more (Yeeheheee!)
I stand much taller than I did before (Yahahaa!)
I know I'm not where I need to be
But I thank God that I'm not
where I used to be,
I used to be bitter, bitter bitter
And now I feel better, better, better
CHORUS
When life gives you lemons
Instead of champagne
Don't worry little children
And don't complain (woh)
Remember you're golden
So find some sugar cane
When life gives you lemons
Make lemonade
BRIDGE
Hama kama hama
I was saved for a reason
That I can't explain
Got something new to believe in
I'm awakened again (who woh)
So many miracles are
Happening each day
If I can just get out of (Elelele)
My own way
CHORUS
Le-le-le-le-Lemonade
Lemony-lemony-le-lemonade
Lemo-lemo, Woo!
A big purpose of this class was using our patriarchal blessings. "Your Patriarchal Blessing is a window into who you are and who you can become."
She told of having talked to a friend of hers who has been a patriarch for many years and she asked him what he tells people that are receiving their blessings. He told of a suggestion that he always gives and I thought that it was a very unique and good idea. He tells them at the beginning to make several copies of their blessings,
On the first copy mark the blessings and talents that are mentioned.
On the second copy mark what opportunities that you will have in your life.
On the third copy mark what blessings you will receive.
On the fourth copy mark what counsel and teachings your blessing gives you. (you can also mark the warnings that are given or do that as a separate copy).
On the fifth copy mark what insights are given concerning your life mission.
He said then when you are having a bad day go look at the blessings and talents copy. Struggling with a calling, look at the counsel, etc. They always say that every time you read your blessing it seems like you discover or notice something different, I think that looking at the blessing with different parts highlighted will also help.
Sunday in Relief Society it was really nice, they had asked one person that had attended to spend 5 or so sharing some of their thoughts/notes, so even though we weren't able to attend all of the classes we were able to hear some about them. Here are my bullet point notes from them:
Don't worry yourself over which you have no control.
Practice daily receiving personal revelation so we know how the Lord speaks with you. You need to have a desire to know and receive revelation.
True Beauty
We shine when we have the spirit with us.
Deep beauty is Happiness, Bathing in the Spirit.
Circumstances can only determine so much-it's our attitude, choices, reaction, etc.
Emotions take time, they take work and A LOT of talking.
Be a good listener.
You have to take care of yourself before you can help others.
If you are helping someone, you need to have someone that you can talk to.
Our patriarchal blessing is like a recipe, we have the choice to disregard it completely, follow almost completely, or follow it 100% and live up to the full potential of the recipe.
We have a vision of what we want to become through our actions and living each day that we can accomplish that vision.
Conference was wonderfully rejuvenating as normal! (You can listen/watch/read the talks here) I love the opportunity every 6 months of getting to listen to the Prophet and the other leaders called of God. It's a unique thing that we have, hearing words meant just for us and these latter-days. Besides conference my weekend was also filled with a bridal shower, puzzles, taking family pictures for the Skousens, and many more things!
Sunday morning began like this:
I was not too pleased to see the snow...yes it's beautiful but I was hoping that we were getting closer to spring/summer rather than winter.
Brea and Darrell joined Mom and I for the afternoon session, so we got to spend sometime with this cuteness.
Addie and her Daddy took a nap sometime during the afternoon session.
Brea and I may or may not have worked on and almost completed a 1000 piece puzzle!
As soon as the session was over we got ready to take family pictures, Brea has been wanting to take them for awhile and having time where all of them are together doesn't happen very often so we took advantage of the time (despite the snow that wanted to fall on us).
We had our visiting teacher over today after church. She gave us a wonderful message from the March's Ensign (you can see the VT message here). Sister Goa said something though that has been running through my mind all evening, she said that Satan has realized that he can't tempt us with the bad things like smoking, drugs, and drinking. So instead he has begun to tempt us to do "good." Now at first that doesn't sound very bad, it even sounds like a good thing, hey Satan's on my side! But upon referring to the talk entitled "Good, Better, Best," given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during the October 2007 General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (you can read it here). You discover that what Satan is doing is not in the best interest of you and I. He is tempting us to be not the "best" of our abilities.
I think that this has been running through my mind over and over this afternoon because I realize that it is very true for me, not that my days are always filled with bad activities, but they aren't filled with the best activities either.
What does this have to do with time budget? One of my areas that I am not doing the best at is time budget, I spend much too much time on facebook, twitter, playing games and other such things. I am starting a new goal, a new rule, every night I can not be on facebook after 9pm and have to turn my computer off at 10pm, unless I am working on my class. I am hoping that by making this new change/goal that I will be able to accomplish 2 things: that I will be able to go to bed earlier and receive the sleep that I need (lately I have been going to bed between midnight and 1, not a good thing when I should be getting up at 7) and I hope that with the time that I am not using my computer that I have been that I will be able to fill my time with more scripture study, pondering, prayer, conference talk reading, and other wholesome activities meant to build my testimony and help me to become the best that I can be.
