My Future Generation...
10 years ago
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Halloween Hello...
Today we went to a Halloween Playgroup and I was blessed to talk to a few mom's about parenting, especially a general conference talk from last conference about disciplining your kids. I know my Savior doesn't want me to be "reactive" parent... but plan for my responses and discipline of my children. He was the perfect example of teaching!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
remembering...
Well, I wasn't great keeping up with recording how I am striving to remember my Savior each day for two weeks!! I went of vacation and it all went out the door. Here is to second chances:
Friday Oct 28th: attended Trunk or Treat and contributed soup! I really IS important to be involved in church activities!
Saturday Oct 29th: Prepared YW lesson on 'loving yourself and others.' I spent several hours on the preparation because it really hit home with me. I felt so close to the Savior as I learned, again, that to love yourself means to know WHO YOU ARE. And that is a Child of God!
Sunday Oct 30th: Conducted family home evening on "the Holy Ghost" just in time for Halloween. I realized it was the first time I've talked to Olive about the Holy Ghost. How do you teach a three year old about the holy ghost? We felt the spirit. She really listened. It's such a miracle to watch little ones take in new concepts! I'm so grateful for the Holy Ghost to testify of truth, to guide me to do the right things, and to watch over and protect my family. He testifies to me that Jesus IS the Christ!
Well... that makes a weeks worth. Lets see if I can be more consistent this week! I want to think of his EXAMPLE in the way I conduct myself in my home this week, and then focus on his atonement when I don't conduct myself very well. This week is keep my temper week!
Friday Oct 28th: attended Trunk or Treat and contributed soup! I really IS important to be involved in church activities!
Saturday Oct 29th: Prepared YW lesson on 'loving yourself and others.' I spent several hours on the preparation because it really hit home with me. I felt so close to the Savior as I learned, again, that to love yourself means to know WHO YOU ARE. And that is a Child of God!
Sunday Oct 30th: Conducted family home evening on "the Holy Ghost" just in time for Halloween. I realized it was the first time I've talked to Olive about the Holy Ghost. How do you teach a three year old about the holy ghost? We felt the spirit. She really listened. It's such a miracle to watch little ones take in new concepts! I'm so grateful for the Holy Ghost to testify of truth, to guide me to do the right things, and to watch over and protect my family. He testifies to me that Jesus IS the Christ!
Well... that makes a weeks worth. Lets see if I can be more consistent this week! I want to think of his EXAMPLE in the way I conduct myself in my home this week, and then focus on his atonement when I don't conduct myself very well. This week is keep my temper week!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Taking His Name Upon Me...
Doing some personal progress again here! The Diving Nature Experience 4 wants us to memorize the sacrament prayer and then do something each day to be "willing to take upon them the name of thy son, and always remember Him.." I'm so grateful for this challenge. It reminds me of the reason I started this blog with Elder Eyring's example of recognizing the hand of the Savior in our lives each day.
Here's a few things that have helped me remember my Savior this week, helped me grow, and hopefully take His name upon me:
Sunday: I was asked to sing in church. It's been a while and a first in this ward. I feel like people know I'm from New York, I'm an actor, and in my head, I'm SURE they're expecting me to be spectacular. I started fretting because, well, it's tough to be spectacular. But I quickly realized my head was in the WRONG place. There were no expectations but to bare my testimony through song, which was my favorite way to do it. I felt the spirit as I sang. Heavenly Father heard my prayers to forget myself and helped me feel the spirit of the song. It was "Abide With Me" and I felt that he DID abide with me as I sang. I'm so grateful I was able to feel the spirit and take his name upon me, instead just do a performance. (there was also a great talk about pride... obviously I needed that too!)
Monday: I had a wonderful spiritual experience/humbling experience as I was running on monday. I decided to share it on blog HERE.
Tuesday: Olive had her first "dance recital"! I felt like a real MOM! I know these are the joys spoken of in The Family: The Proclamation to the Word. I was so grateful to be a mom when I watched her whirl and twirl!
Wednesday: I've made a new resolution to, once again, be better and meaningful scripture study! PP helps!! as usual. I'm excited to report daily on how I'm striving to remember my Savior every day! I also memorized the sacrament prayer for the bread! Can't believe I've never done that before. It's amazing.
Here's a few things that have helped me remember my Savior this week, helped me grow, and hopefully take His name upon me:
Sunday: I was asked to sing in church. It's been a while and a first in this ward. I feel like people know I'm from New York, I'm an actor, and in my head, I'm SURE they're expecting me to be spectacular. I started fretting because, well, it's tough to be spectacular. But I quickly realized my head was in the WRONG place. There were no expectations but to bare my testimony through song, which was my favorite way to do it. I felt the spirit as I sang. Heavenly Father heard my prayers to forget myself and helped me feel the spirit of the song. It was "Abide With Me" and I felt that he DID abide with me as I sang. I'm so grateful I was able to feel the spirit and take his name upon me, instead just do a performance. (there was also a great talk about pride... obviously I needed that too!)
Monday: I had a wonderful spiritual experience/humbling experience as I was running on monday. I decided to share it on blog HERE.
Tuesday: Olive had her first "dance recital"! I felt like a real MOM! I know these are the joys spoken of in The Family: The Proclamation to the Word. I was so grateful to be a mom when I watched her whirl and twirl!
Wednesday: I've made a new resolution to, once again, be better and meaningful scripture study! PP helps!! as usual. I'm excited to report daily on how I'm striving to remember my Savior every day! I also memorized the sacrament prayer for the bread! Can't believe I've never done that before. It's amazing.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Faith...
I've recently thought of my childhood as I look back on how my mom raised us. I remember her taking us to dance class with her, and we could sit in the corner or roam around the facility (which was a HUGE 2 level performing arts center... hardly appropriate for a 6 year old to wander!). Wasn't she worried? What if I got into trouble. What if I got trapped somewhere? What if I decided to go outside (which I did) and someone came and picked me up? I've asked her WHAT she was thinking!? She said she brought us everywhere. She was never AFRAID of what people might think, what fits we might throw, etc. Whatever happened, she said, she had an innate sense of herself to be able to handle it. There was no fear, therefore she was never held back, and neither were we for that matter.
Well, this is my very first value project of my Personal Progress as an adult leader. I'm a beehive advisor and was so excited when I learned that I could do my Personal Progress again. It came a such an amazing time because I had fallen behind in my habit of scripture study and felt like I was in a rut. What a perfect way to study!! I also love the PP book always wants you to record your thoughts in your journal.
After almost 3 weeks of prayer in the morning and night, I've found that I'm not great at morning prayer. I'm usually woken up by kids, or wake up before kids to exercise and I have a hard time remembering to pray right when I get up.... at 5:30am! Luckily for my prayer rock, and Olive's obsession with it, she eventually reminds me to say my morning prayers. She loves helping put the stickers on my prayer chart:) I've missed a few days but I'm grateful to have started the habit. I really feel additional blessings and a sense of focus on what's important as I start the day. I have more peace, more patience, and more motivation. It really is the right way to start my day, and I'm sad I have to train myself to do it. I hope that one day this will become second nature like my evening prayers!
Along with reading the required scriptures and listening to talks on faith, I had been prompted lately to read my patriarchal blessing. It had been a REALLY long time. Then someone mentions 'patriarchal blessings' and I think OH YA I need to read mine. Then I forget. BUT I did finally read it and wanted to record a small thought and bright ray of hope that I had as I read it, as pertaining to the faith that I had been focusing on these past few weeks.
There are about 3 times in my patriarchal blessing that mentions something about being "sorely tried" and having difficult trials in my life. Whenever I read these things I get a pit in my stomach. My mind immediately goes to the worst of things: husband dies, becoming paralyzed or handicapped, losing a child, etc. I am filled with fear. Then when I read the subsequent words of ...well hope really.. that if I endure well, or keep the commandments, I will be able to get through those trials, I feel somewhat overwhelmed. How, when my husband DIES, will I be able to continue on reading my scriptures, going to church? The blessing says that even others will be uplifted by how I deal with MY trials. Of course I imagine I am supposed to become a public speaker or something dramatic and talk about the devastation in my life. But I don't want to do that. I don't want to be sorely tried. And cue more fear!
As I listened to a talk by Elder Russell M. Nelson from this last General Conference (April 2011) entitled "Facing the Future with Faith" I realized quite simply what I already know. Faith is the opposite of fear. Every person absolutely will be tried on this earth. No one is exempt, not even Christ himself. But as we increase our faith in the Savior and in the gospel principles, we have no need to face the future with FEAR but only with faith. I realized how I need to work on my faith. I need to make sure that my faith is strong. I have been through trials in my life, and BECAUSE of my faith in the gospel they have felt fairly small, and in the grand scheme of things they are small. But now I see that they may have also felt minimized because of my faith, and my eternal perspective. I have no reason to believe that whatever trials I face in the future I cannot get through and should be afraid.
I felt a sense of peace. How lovely it is to go through life without fear knowing that whatever life throws at you, you can handle. What a great lesson to teach your children. Thanks Mom:)
I hope and pray I'll be able to face my future trials with faith, whatever they may be. And my prayer WILL be twice a day:)
Well, this is my very first value project of my Personal Progress as an adult leader. I'm a beehive advisor and was so excited when I learned that I could do my Personal Progress again. It came a such an amazing time because I had fallen behind in my habit of scripture study and felt like I was in a rut. What a perfect way to study!! I also love the PP book always wants you to record your thoughts in your journal.
After almost 3 weeks of prayer in the morning and night, I've found that I'm not great at morning prayer. I'm usually woken up by kids, or wake up before kids to exercise and I have a hard time remembering to pray right when I get up.... at 5:30am! Luckily for my prayer rock, and Olive's obsession with it, she eventually reminds me to say my morning prayers. She loves helping put the stickers on my prayer chart:) I've missed a few days but I'm grateful to have started the habit. I really feel additional blessings and a sense of focus on what's important as I start the day. I have more peace, more patience, and more motivation. It really is the right way to start my day, and I'm sad I have to train myself to do it. I hope that one day this will become second nature like my evening prayers!
Along with reading the required scriptures and listening to talks on faith, I had been prompted lately to read my patriarchal blessing. It had been a REALLY long time. Then someone mentions 'patriarchal blessings' and I think OH YA I need to read mine. Then I forget. BUT I did finally read it and wanted to record a small thought and bright ray of hope that I had as I read it, as pertaining to the faith that I had been focusing on these past few weeks.
There are about 3 times in my patriarchal blessing that mentions something about being "sorely tried" and having difficult trials in my life. Whenever I read these things I get a pit in my stomach. My mind immediately goes to the worst of things: husband dies, becoming paralyzed or handicapped, losing a child, etc. I am filled with fear. Then when I read the subsequent words of ...well hope really.. that if I endure well, or keep the commandments, I will be able to get through those trials, I feel somewhat overwhelmed. How, when my husband DIES, will I be able to continue on reading my scriptures, going to church? The blessing says that even others will be uplifted by how I deal with MY trials. Of course I imagine I am supposed to become a public speaker or something dramatic and talk about the devastation in my life. But I don't want to do that. I don't want to be sorely tried. And cue more fear!
As I listened to a talk by Elder Russell M. Nelson from this last General Conference (April 2011) entitled "Facing the Future with Faith" I realized quite simply what I already know. Faith is the opposite of fear. Every person absolutely will be tried on this earth. No one is exempt, not even Christ himself. But as we increase our faith in the Savior and in the gospel principles, we have no need to face the future with FEAR but only with faith. I realized how I need to work on my faith. I need to make sure that my faith is strong. I have been through trials in my life, and BECAUSE of my faith in the gospel they have felt fairly small, and in the grand scheme of things they are small. But now I see that they may have also felt minimized because of my faith, and my eternal perspective. I have no reason to believe that whatever trials I face in the future I cannot get through and should be afraid.
I felt a sense of peace. How lovely it is to go through life without fear knowing that whatever life throws at you, you can handle. What a great lesson to teach your children. Thanks Mom:)
I hope and pray I'll be able to face my future trials with faith, whatever they may be. And my prayer WILL be twice a day:)
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
two year olds...
Today was a hard day. It started with a night of not much sleep. But I've been really struggling parenting my two year old. We seem to fight all day long. We are at a loss as to how to discipline, and yet part of me thinks we are trying to discipline too much. I've been completely impatient and I go to sleep guilty every night. I feel like I need to spend time with her, and yet I feel like I need the house to be clean, the finances to be done, calendar set, and THEN I can sit down in a 'prepared' home and play with her. I know that isn't right, but I admit I just put of "playing" to do other things.
It's been especially bothering me because I can feel the spirit leave our home. And it isn't because of her. It's because of the way I deal with her. I want to feel the spirit in my home. I think she will learn from that spirit in a way that I could never teach her.
I guess I feel the Savior's hand in my life, though I am in the middle of hardship, because I KNOW I can pray. I know the only answers that will be productive will be from my Father in Heaven. I know that my Savior is the only way I can become better, that He will make up my weaknesses, and make them strengths. I feel close to the spirit because I am SEEKING it so readily in my desperation. I feel like a crappy mother. I feel a little out of control. I feel a little silly that I am letting my TWO year old have that much control over me. I feel tired....
But I feel the spirit. I feel the nearness that I know that I need now. I pray that I might be open enough, and humble enough, and patient enough to HEAR and be inspired.
It's been especially bothering me because I can feel the spirit leave our home. And it isn't because of her. It's because of the way I deal with her. I want to feel the spirit in my home. I think she will learn from that spirit in a way that I could never teach her.
I guess I feel the Savior's hand in my life, though I am in the middle of hardship, because I KNOW I can pray. I know the only answers that will be productive will be from my Father in Heaven. I know that my Savior is the only way I can become better, that He will make up my weaknesses, and make them strengths. I feel close to the spirit because I am SEEKING it so readily in my desperation. I feel like a crappy mother. I feel a little out of control. I feel a little silly that I am letting my TWO year old have that much control over me. I feel tired....
But I feel the spirit. I feel the nearness that I know that I need now. I pray that I might be open enough, and humble enough, and patient enough to HEAR and be inspired.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
January 3, 2011
Previous to this date:
I had interviewed at Loma Linda University, Midwestern University and Boston University and had been accepted to only BU. In addition, BU was requesting a deposit of $3,000 to hold my seat. Erin and I had been praying ever so earnestly to for either LLU or MWU to let us know ASAP so we could make a decision and not have to loose any money.
Here is what happened:
At 8am I received a phone call from Dr. Polk at MWU. He invited me to join the entering dental class of 2011 of Midwestern University. We had already sent the check to BU just 3 days earlier. We had the thought that if BU wasn't the place for us to go that we could still cancel the check. So we decided to pray about it! I said the first prayer asking our father in heaven which dental school we should attend... realizing heavenly father would never give an answer to a prayer that easily (thereby robing us of our opportunity of trail and faith) I ended the prayer and said to Erin "That's never going to work." "Let me try again and tell heavenly father that we feel that we should let Boston go and go to AZ and see how we feel about that"
After the prayer, I felt uneasy or unsure... but Ers said the thought came to her mind
"This is the opportunity to save the money you have been praying about."
I was very intrigued because this was not the response I had received at all. We then decided that she would pray in the same manner and I would try to listen to the spirit. She did and I felt a peace come over me that solidified what she had felt and thought.
Thus we cancelled the check to Boston and have no doubt we're on the path the Lord would have us be on. What an amazing blessing prayer is. The capacity to communicate with our heavenly father truly is a blessing and one that blesses our lives with faith and love!!
- Jordan
I had interviewed at Loma Linda University, Midwestern University and Boston University and had been accepted to only BU. In addition, BU was requesting a deposit of $3,000 to hold my seat. Erin and I had been praying ever so earnestly to for either LLU or MWU to let us know ASAP so we could make a decision and not have to loose any money.
Here is what happened:
At 8am I received a phone call from Dr. Polk at MWU. He invited me to join the entering dental class of 2011 of Midwestern University. We had already sent the check to BU just 3 days earlier. We had the thought that if BU wasn't the place for us to go that we could still cancel the check. So we decided to pray about it! I said the first prayer asking our father in heaven which dental school we should attend... realizing heavenly father would never give an answer to a prayer that easily (thereby robing us of our opportunity of trail and faith) I ended the prayer and said to Erin "That's never going to work." "Let me try again and tell heavenly father that we feel that we should let Boston go and go to AZ and see how we feel about that"
After the prayer, I felt uneasy or unsure... but Ers said the thought came to her mind
"This is the opportunity to save the money you have been praying about."
I was very intrigued because this was not the response I had received at all. We then decided that she would pray in the same manner and I would try to listen to the spirit. She did and I felt a peace come over me that solidified what she had felt and thought.
Thus we cancelled the check to Boston and have no doubt we're on the path the Lord would have us be on. What an amazing blessing prayer is. The capacity to communicate with our heavenly father truly is a blessing and one that blesses our lives with faith and love!!
- Jordan
Thursday, July 29, 2010
The small things...
July 29, 2010
There's been a lot of trials for my family lately. I've had a reoccurring thought all summer and this months visiting teaching hit on it too. It was called "Strengthening at every Oppurtunity".
It talks about strengthening your family by doing all the small things!! Family prayer, family home evening, scripture study, church attendance, etc. Could it really be that easy!! The inspirations I've been feeling confirm it. It's a layer of protection for us and our families! I don't want to forget the small stuff no matter how tired or busy we are.
There's been a lot of trials for my family lately. I've had a reoccurring thought all summer and this months visiting teaching hit on it too. It was called "Strengthening at every Oppurtunity".
It talks about strengthening your family by doing all the small things!! Family prayer, family home evening, scripture study, church attendance, etc. Could it really be that easy!! The inspirations I've been feeling confirm it. It's a layer of protection for us and our families! I don't want to forget the small stuff no matter how tired or busy we are.
The Colby Chronicles
