Enough

"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 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."

Margaret D. Nadauld Young Women General President

excerpts in-- What I Think About Sometimes

Happiness

Our preoccupation with happiness has come at the cost of sadness, an important feeling that we've tried to banish from our emotional repertoire.
It is lamentable that young people who are naturally weepy after breakups are often urged to medicate themselves instead of working through their sadness.
Both the happiness and anti-happiness forces actually agree on something important—that we Americans tend to grab superficial quick fixes such as extravagant purchases and fatty foods to subdue any negative feelings that overcome us. Such measures seem to hinge on a belief that constant happiness is somehow our birthright. Indeed, a body of research shows instant indulgences do calm us down—for a few moments. But they leave us poorer, physically unhealthy, and generally more miserable in the long run—and lacking in the real skills to get us out of our rut.

Our adaptability works in two directions. Because we are so adaptable, we quickly get used to many of the accomplishments we strive for in life, such as landing the big job or getting married. Soon after we reach a milestone, we start to feel that something is missing. We begin coveting another worldly possession or eyeing a social advancement. But such an approach keeps us tethered to the "hedonic treadmill," where happiness is always just out of reach, one toy or one notch away. It's possible to get off the treadmill entirely, by focusing on activities that are dynamic, surprising, and attention-absorbing, and thus less likely to bore us than, say, acquiring shiny stuff.

Happiness is not about smiling all of the time. It's not about eliminating bad moods.

What is happiness? The most useful definition—and it's one agreed upon by neuroscientists, psychiatrists, behavioral economists, positive psychologists, and Buddhist monks—is more like satisfied or content than "happy" in its strict bursting-with-glee sense. It has depth and deliberation to it. It encompasses living a meaningful life, utilizing your gifts and your time, living with thought and purpose.
It's maximized when you also feel part of a community. And when you confront annoyances and crises with grace. It involves a willingness to learn and stretch and grow, which sometimes involves discomfort. It requires acting on life, not merely taking it in.

( Psychology Today)

Odd Thing

Here is an odd thing. After family prayer this morning we got to talking about chest hair. Yes, I know, very spiritual. (I blame this kind of stuff on Rae.) Our gathering for prayer has always lead to our being slightly rambuntous for some reason, anyway--I think society wants us to be androgenous! Why should a man have to wax his body? What is wrong with a hairy chest? The same scent for men and women? Please, no. Clothes the same? -jeans, black t shirt, a bandana, and tatoos and skate shoes. I have seen more and more people lately I cannot tell what sex they are.
Well, I guess the basketball player with the ponytale last night sent me over the edge,but I do enjoy a good rant once in a while--back to the topic..
Yea, I know, styles like thes have been around forever but it bugs me particularly this week.
Theyre trying to make it sexy (and a "turn on") when a woman "likes" a woman or if a person goes either way? Maybe by society I really should say Satan.
I say "Vive la Differance!"

even in a world that touts showing lots of cleavage it shouldn'e be appropriate before noon!

Inner Peace--- anonymous

CALMNESS IN OUR LIVES. by a friend of mine
I am passing this on because it definitely works, and we could all use a little more calmness in our lives.

By following simple advice heard on the Dr. Phil show, you too can find inner peace. Dr Phil proclaimed, "The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started and have never finished."

So, I looked around my house to see all the things I started and hadn't finished and before leaving the house this morning - I finished a package of Oreos, the remainder of my old Prozac prescription, the rest of the cheesecake, some Doritos and a box of chocolates. You have no idea how good I feel right now.

I'm Sailing On

This is Important to Me. it is what I have come to know.
Like it or not, I am in charge.
We have the ability and the responsibility to choose what we think about. It is a divine power.

You make me angry" is a false statement. No one, nothing "makes" us angry. We choose.
"We are the captains of our soul"( loosely quoted)

Choose not to be angry. Choose to forgive quickly. Choose to not be offended.
Choose Faith.

D&C 58:28 For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves

Fear of failure?-don't allow yourself to think about it.
(I see this in kids especially, they don't want to do something they are not already good at. It is a sad trap.)
Faith/Fear - Faith/Doubt - Trust/worry -- opposite sides--it is one or the other. You can't really have both at the same time. Whose side are you on?

Don't allow yourself to think about it. Dwelling on some "lie" only gives it more power more of a chance to become a physical part of who you are.

Don't be afraid of criticism from those around you. Don't see it where it isn't.
Do not let fear stop you.
Do try new things and progress.

What are you choosing to dominate your thoughts? Have you considered that as a gift from Heaven?

Your thoughts and memory process are a complicated chemical reaction in your brain. it affects us biologically, spiritually and socially. -- becoming an actual cellular, physical part of who we are.

Proverbs 23:7 As a man thinketh so is he.

Choose what you think about wisely. It becomes part of you and influences what you do and say and become, and it amplifies with age. This is one of my favorite topics. I may speak on it often.



a lighter aside- from out in left field- If you have seen the old movie "9to5" they would never have done any of those things if they hadn't "imagined" them first. (It's been remade into a Broadway musical by the way).

Clothing for those who need it.

"All the clothing we need for the poor is in the closets of the Saints". I am sure they will give If we can just get the message to them. (the last part isn't exact)

This quote is why I normally don't do garage sales, and have saved my major clothes sorting for the end of this month instead of for the garage sale. I think we all have too many clothes. something about shopping for them is a balm. (I have some kind of clothing issue I guess I can hardly stand to hang up my clean laundry.)
I guess I will start mentally preparing now for the sort. Connie, where are you when I need you! Ha ha.

Don't forget to give to Deseret Industries. Don't just let things sit in there til they are out of style. Give ,em out now to someone who can really use and appreciate them.
Every one piece in - means two out.

A Ward Visited

It was a fairly isolated ,unchanging Ward, and I made some observations. (The Speakers were really good, some of the best ever, even.) Those observations are the topic for todays Dinner table.
Observed in Sacrament Meeting;

No one singing
teenager studying for the Drivers Test
reading a novel held up high in front of face
drinking from a water bottle pulled from a brown paper bag (full of food too?)
ipod earphones in
doing hair
leaning forward with ears covered
sleeping
back massages- the distracting kind
preparing a lesson
serious snacking

I did not see any texting or hear a phone ring.

These were not little kids either.

I really was trying to listen to the great speakers.
It took some effort to keep from being distracted.
How did the speakers feel I wonder, was anyone even looking at them?

What if we had been investigators?

How am I in my ward?

Opposition in All Things I Guess

There is a beautifully simple chapel built high above Sedona. It seems to almost grow out of the rocks and mountains themselves. Candles are lit and prayers ascend, people ponder and meditate there, and the views are beautiful, except for one thing--Someone is building a horrendous mansion right across the way!
It is gaudy and ostentatious in the extreme. The contrast is like day and night, good and evil, and it is blatantly worldly like a "great and spacious building". It is not quite completed, and no one lives in it yet, but the architect has a sign up procaiming his ownership in the creation of this folly, this blight on the landscape, but, it is also sure that someone will soon move in, oblivious to the insult.
This is beyond one of those "McMansions" I dislike so much. I was appalled at its "grotesque audacity". (Okay, now I am stretching.)
I know I am ranting, but I couldn't help myself this time and it is my blog, perhaps I will start using this forum more often. I do love to climb on the old soap box once in a while.

If we become aware of this frightening trend, we can battle it in our own way. I don't know what that way may be but I hope we find it. I know awareness is the first step toward change.

Here is a photo in one direction from the courtyard entryway of the Christian chapel. ( I think it was Catholic) I did not take a picture the other way. I could not bring myself to do so. Maybe I should have. No, I don't think so, that might have given it some sort of perverse recognition "it" somehow craves.

Mind reading is unhealthy.

Just an additional thought on not" mind reading". ( believing some one doesn't mean what they say and try to figure out what they '"really mean"). It is way too much pressure and is a tell-tale sign of unhealthy thought processes.

If you know someone is "lying" to you about how they feel or what they want or what they can do, and you feel the need to "read their mind" and try to discern what they are really feeling inside, you can still do that if they are fragile perhaps, but tell them and call them on it. Do this enough times and it may start to sink in.

We need to be able to believe and trust what people say.

If mind reading is unhealthy and it is, so is being dishonest about your wants and needs and expecting others to believe you. People can be pretty perceptive.

We are to be an honest people.

One of the initial thoughts on Mind Reading is...

Don't do it! We have to go with what people say to us, to believe their words. That is how it needs to work, and vise versa of course.

More on "Blooming Where You are Planted"

Doctrine and Covenants 51:16,17

And I consecrate unto them this land for a little season, until I , the Lord, shall provide for them other wise, and command them to go hence;

And the hour and the day is not given them, wherefor let them act upon this land as for years, and this shall turn unto them for their good.

Why do we have to stand? My 2 cents worth.

Standing up in sacrament meeting, so the Ward can Acknowledge you, is goofy!

Then you are handed a flower or chocolate. Don't get me wrong I like the gifts I just don't like the "please stand up" part.

None of us jump right up, they usually have to announce it at least twice before we slowly stand, grasp our hands together and look down at what's happening on our bench.

This particular ward is all about chocolate . It is discussed at length and often. We got Symphony bars and fudge today. I bet it's because the plants die.

The Living Daylights

Who invented this crazy stuff called daylight savings time?

Was it some crazy politian who bet his cronies he had so much power over his sheep that he could get them to do something really stupid not just once but twice a year?

Let's get rid of it?

Any counterpoints?

Allison, you are now 3 hours different than I am.

Remember Heavenly Father is in charge. He is not gonna let one little teacher mess up something so right. There may or may not be repercussions just do the best you can, especially if there is nothing else to be done.