Life is Sometimes Funny!

LIFE IS FUNNY!

Sometimes life is funny, and we just have to embrace it.  I spent some time today working on this invitation and thought I would share.  Trying to knock some things off my to do list so I can go on vacation!!

"The whole thing is to learn every day, to get brighter and brighter."  

Sometimes Life is Hard...

Tap tap is this thing on?!!

Sometimes Life is Hard...

It's been forever since I have blogged; I seem to have forgotten how?!!  So many things in blogger have changed since I used to blog, and forget about me doing it on my phone or iPad.  I tried multiple times and it wouldn't work!!

Life has been crazy challenging in many different ways.  And, I am learning a lot.  Life is definitely a school.  A place where we learn and grow (if we allow it to let us).  And it seems the best, most effective method for learning and growth is through trials.  And one of the major ways that my trials have come is through the agency of others.  Though I have certainly made a lot of mistakes on my own.  It's been excruciatingly painful at times.  It's been a challenge to find joy and happiness while in the midst of the difficulties.

And certain trials and difficulties are more private than others.  It was not intended for everyone to know everything that we are facing or have faced.  But, if we can be vulnerable about our trials with safe people (not people who would gossip, or unfairly judge, we call those unsafe people).  Because there are so many "unsafe people" out there, we tend to keep our trials inside and don't expose them to the light, as a protection of sorts.  But, if we can get brave enough to start talking about our stories, then we can start to heal.  And, in the process we learn that others, and in some instances many others, are going through the same thing!  And, boom, instant friendship!  It has been such a blessing for me to read or listen to others who have shared their hard times.  It has helped me through some very heavy stuff, and it has helped me to not feel so alone in my own challenges.

Some people have a greater capacity to empathize than others.  And some people have a great capacity for empathy, but they just don't know what to say or do because they have never experienced this kind of trial, or that kind of trial before.  And, some people have very little ability to empathize, and mostly only know how to criticize.  And there are other people yet, who can't seem to offer any words, critical or otherwise, because they are in the thick of their own stuff and they are feeling too paralyzed.

I don't know how much blogging I will do here going forward.  But, I do know that the blogs I do from this point forward will be real.  (Not that I haven't been real in my past blogs, but from this point forward, they will be more real.)  I will not be hiding behind my mask or a facade.  Life isn't all butterflies and rainbows. And my house isn't always clean.  My marriage isn't perfect, and neither are my kids.  I am completely imperfect, and so is my life.  I am a sinner, I need the Atonement every day of my life! And my age is catching up with me, and I now have wrinkles on my face.  Although, there is still joy and laughter, yes!  And I hope there is much more of that in my future, and in your future!  And I trust that there will be.  But, just because life is tough, nobody likes a bunch of negativism either.  So, blogging through trials is like walking a tight rope. It's finding that balance of sharing the tough, without oversharing or sharing too much negative, and sharing the good while still be real and honest, and not misrepresenting.

Welcome to my Messy Life!

Life..

Life...

Sometimes life just doesn't happen the way one expects it to go.  And when that happens we just have to make the best of however it happens, and 'Enjoy the Journey' as President Monson has so wisely instructed us!

Lately, I've been running my kids around like crazy to school, preschool, soccer practice, cross country practice, piano lessons, swimming lessons, ballroom dance, and musical theatre!  My calendar is fuller than I think it ever has.  

But busy is sometimes good.  And right now, that is the season of my life!!  And though I don't always like super busy, I'm enjoying the distraction that it is from other, sometimes heavy things going on.

And so right now, I'm 'Enjoying the Journey!'

My three youngest after a recent swimming practice.

Kyle running Cross Country.

Alyssa is in Cosmetology School for her Senior Year of HS, and so she has been helping us all with our hair these days, which is SO nice!! 

Kids are SO much fun!  I'm so grateful for them, and for their sweetness, their resilience and for the fun that they are!!  <3 nbsp="" p="">

Principles

Principles

I believe this quote is from Dave Ramsey. And I really agree with this quote!!

I like to think of myself as a principle-based person. And this quote has caused me to ponder on some of the greatest principles in my life:

-Integrity. This is so much more than honesty. It's transparency. It's trustworthiness. It's doing the right thing even if no one is watching.
-Putting God's will above my own (this one is a daily challenge, but I believe it's a true principle and continue to work and do this.)
-Charity: the pure love of Christ. I think this Christmas Season could be summed up by this one word, actually!! But, we need charity in our hearts all year long!
-When we are in the service of our fellow beings, we are only in the service of our God. This great principle was given to us by King Benjamin, but we see this great example set for us repeatedly by our Savior, Jesus Christ in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. He showed He loved His (our) Father by loving and serving others.
-Faith precedes the Miracle. By small and simple things, great things are brought to pass. I just experienced a great miracle in my own life. A miracle healing of my leg and back. The two bulging discs in my back have debilitated me to pretty much bed rest the past 5 months. I prayed in faith, fervently. I received Priesthood blessings. My back was healed without surgery. Though, sometimes this is not always the case. Sometimes surgery is the miracle healing. I give all the credit to my God for my healing.
-The Atonement has great healing power! It encompasses healing of every kind: physical, spiritual, emotional, mental. Every time either I or one of my kids experiences healing, I try to acknowledge my Savior and his Atonement. If we have faith, and repent we can be healed of our ailments. Sometimes we may not receive complete healing until the resurrection. But, our most important healing is our spiritual healing. And that comes by Faith, Repentence, Baptism, Covenant Making, Covenant Keeping, Continuous Striving and picking ourselves up when we fall down, Hard Work in relationships, Choosing the Right Every Day, and Becoming the Person who He wants us to be!!
- We are never alone when we stand with God! Though we may not have a single earthly person standing next to us, when we make the brave choice to not follow the ways of the world, or succumb to peer pressure, we will be standing strong with God!!! And we will also be standing with Nephi, Moroni, Joseph Smith, and so many other great people!!!
-Never sacrifice what you *really* want, for what you want right now!!! This is a big part of my "conservative character." If this is not what you really want in life but you are feeling tempted or pressured, do NOT give in!!! Hold out awhile longer for what you REALLY want!!! I am a huge believer in this!! There is a lot of self control that comes with this principle, but it is SO rewarding!! It's a huge part of who I am!!! And I invite you all to try it!!
-Relationships are the most important thing. Family is everything. We were organized as families by God. He assembled us in he pre-mortal world. I used to feel like I was mismatched in my own family of origin, only to find as I am aging, that who am I to question God's all knowing. And only to realize as I strive to strengthen the relationships with my own 9 brothers and sisters, and parents that who am I kidding?! I was placed in a family of awesome-ness!!! These guys are all great, and unique and love every one of them with my whole heart!!! And not only is it just family relationships that are important, so our our friendships, and probably our relationships with all that we interact with. We should leave every single person feeling better about themselves than when we met them.
-Be your best self. If you've learned how to be kind, be kind, even when it's hard! If you learned the value of hard work, do it! If you've learned truth, live it!!

And I have other abiding principles in my life that I will have to save for another time, when I have more time to write. But I challenge any who reads this to ponder and find out what your abiding principles in life are, it is a great mental and spiritual adventure!!

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Love at Home

When There's Love at Home...

Inside of our Family Room

I love the hymn, Love at Home.  When I was a girl growing up, from time to time when my siblings and I would squabble my Mom would sing this song.  I can hardly think of this song without remembering my childhood, and my Mother singing those words to us.  At the time I was bereft about it, but now it is a fond memory!!

There is beauty all around when there's love at home

There is joy in ev'ry sound when there's love at home.

Peace and plenty here abide, smiling sweet on ev'ry side.

Time doth softly sweetly glide when there's love at home.

Love at home, love at home.

Time doth softly sweetly glide when there's love at home!

In the Cottage there is Joy when there's love at home

Hate and envy ne'er annoy when there's love at home.

Roses bloom beneath our feet; all the earth's a garden sweet

Making life a bliss complete when there's love at home.

Love at home, love at home.

Making life a bliss complete when there's love at home!

Kindly Heaven smiles above when there's love at home;

All the world is filled with love when there's love at home

Sweeter sings the brooklet by; brighter beams the azure sky.

Oh, there's one who smiles on high when there's love at home.

Love at home, love at home.

Oh, there's one who smiles on high when there's love at home!

Hymns p. 294

And the Rebellious Shall be Pierced with Much Sorrow

Sorrow...

The Rebellious Shall Be Pierced With Much Sorrow

One of the most significant lessons I have ever learned is involved with the story of a prize Holstein heifer calf who got into the alfalfa, and bloated because we could not build a fence which would hold her. One day after dad had built a particularly strong fence to hold her in, I remember thinking to my self that I still hoped she would get out somehow. At that time I admired her independence and wanted her to assert herself against the best efforts of my dad. Well, she did get out and ate green alfalfa, and despite the best efforts of dad to save her, it cost her her life. I remember my feelings the next day when her body was being hauled away in the by-products truck. Her rebellion had cost her her life.

Sometimes our rebellion against authority can cost us dearly. The very things that seem to restrict our freedom are the things that ultimately assure our freedom. True freedom only comes from obedience.

D&C 1:3, And the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed.

—Jack R. Kapp
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Received from Sue Farson Kapp on 2 June 2013 for posting on FamilySearch.org.

**I came across this interesting story on FamilySearch. I left all the information of the Author and source on the posting to cite proper ownership.

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Family Ups and Downs

Family Changes:

 

I love these people more than any others in the world!!! I am so grateful for them. We've been through a lot together, and we continue to go through a lot together!!

So many of the trials we are experiencing, I never dreamed we would be experiencing. But here we are, in the middle of some heavy stuff that I won't go into!! I know The Lord is helping to make my burdens lighter. I know that He helps me when I turn to Him, and when I position myself to receive His help by choosing the right. If I don't make good choices, He can't help me as much, even though He wants to.

 

 

 

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