Mare's Borrowed Thoughts

2012-02-07T11:29:00.001-08:00

(source from pinterest)

Faith

2012-02-06T06:42:00.001-08:00

2012-02-02T10:50:00.000-08:00

(picture from pinterest)

Trust the Engineer

2012-02-01T06:25:00.000-08:00

2012-01-30T07:40:00.000-08:00

(Source)

Good Things To Come

2012-01-29T08:39:00.000-08:00

(picture from Pinterest)

2012-01-28T11:41:00.000-08:00

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

By Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound’s the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

2012-01-26T07:02:00.000-08:00

2012-01-25T11:08:00.001-08:00

“May I share with you a formula that in my judgment will help you and help me to journey well through mortality... First, fill your mind with truth; second, fill your life with service; and third, fill your heart with love.” ― Thomas S. Monson

Pushing Against The Rock

2012-01-24T07:51:00.000-08:00

"There was a man who was asleep one night in his cabin when suddenly his room was filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told him he had a work for him to do, and showed him a large rock, explaining that he was to push again that rock with all of his might. This the man did, and for many days he toiled from sunup to sundown; his shoulder set squarely against the cold massive surface of the rock pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture--placing thoughts in the man's mind, such as 'Why kill yourself over this? You're never going to move it.' or 'Boy, you've been at it a long time and you haven't even scratched the surface.' etc--giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was an unworthy servant because he wasn't moving the massive stone.

These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man and he started to ease up in his efforts. 'Why kill myself?' he thought. 'I'll just put in my time, putting forth just the minimum of effort and that will be good enough.' And that he did, or at least planned on doing until one day he decided to take his troubles to the Lord. 'Lord,' he said, 'I have labored hard and long in your service, putting forth all my strength to do that which you have asked of me. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock half a millimeter. What is wrong? What am I failing?'

To this the Lord responded compassionately, 'My friend, when long ago I asked you to serve me and you accepted. I told you to push against the rock with all your strength, and that you have done. But never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. At least not by yourself. Your task was to push and now you come to me, your strength spent, thinking that you have failed and ready to quit. But is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled. your back sinewed and brown. Your hands are calloused from constant pressure and your legs have become massive and hard.

Through opposition you have grown much and your ability now far surpasses that which you used to have. Yet still, you haven't succeeded in moving the rock. And you come to me now with a heavy heart and your strength spent. Your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in my wisdom. And this you have done. I, my friend, will move the rock." Author Unknown

2012-01-23T06:53:00.000-08:00

"I believe in Christ as I believe in the sun at noon day; not that I can see it, but by it I can see everything else." C S Lewis

2012-01-22T14:12:00.000-08:00

"Serious sin enters into our lives as we yield first to little temptations. Seldom does one enter into deeper transgression without first yielding to lesser ones, which open the door to the greater. . .It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the devil to enter a door that is closed. He seems to have no keys for locked doors. But if a door is slightly ajar, he gets his toe in and soon this is followed by his foot, then by his leg and his whole body and his head, and finally he is in all the way.
This situation is reminiscent of the fable of the camel and his owner who were traveling across the desert sand dunes when a wind storm came up. The traveler quickly set up his tent and moved in, closing the flaps to protect himself from the cutting, grinding sands of the raging storm. The camel was of course left outside, and as the violent wind hurled the sand against his body and into his eyes and nostrils he found it unbearable and finally begged for entrance in to the tent.
'There is only room for myself,' said the traveler.
'But may I just get my nose in so I can breathe air not filled with sand?' asked the camel.
'Well, perhaps you can do that,' replied the traveler, and he opened the flap ever so little and the long nose of the camel entered. How comfortable the camel was now! But soon the camel became weary of the smarting sand on his eyes and ears, and he was tempted to ask again:
'The wind-driven sand is like a rasp on my head. Could I put just my head in?'
'Again, the traveler rationalized that to acquiesce would do him no damamge, for the camel's head could occupy the space at the top of the tent which he himself was not using. So the camel put his head inside and the beast was satisfied again--but for a short while only.
'Just the front quarters,' he begged, and again the traveler relented and soon the camel's front shoulders and legs were in the tent. Finally by the same processes of pleading and of yielding, the camel's torso, his hind quarters and all were in the tent. But now it was too crowded for the two, and the camel kicked the traveler out into the wind and storm.
Like the camel, Lucifer readily becomes the master when one succumbs to his initial blandishments. Soon then the conscience is stilled completely, the evil power has full sway, and the door to salvation is closed until a thorough repentance open it again." The Mirale of Forgiveness

Arise and Shine Forth

2012-01-21T18:30:00.000-08:00

“Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations” (Doctrine and Covenants 115:5).

I love the 2012 mutual theme--it's awesome!!!!

STOP YELLING!!!! :) :)

2012-01-20T18:37:00.000-08:00

Something I need to remind myself after having the kids home for 2 snow days in a row. :)

New Goal

2012-01-20T18:22:00.000-08:00

I'm teaching the YW this Sunday so I've been working on my lesson all week. I was going through an old thought book I put together when I was still in college and was reminiscing over some of my favorite thoughts. And then I remembered this blog and how I've really neglected it this last year. So I decided that I would make a goal to post a thought every morning. Some days I'll take the time to expand on a thought and sometimes I'll just post a quick quote. I have so many favorites I'd like to share so hopefully this will help me to do so without taking too much of my time. (Though I'm wondering if anyone even comes to this blog any more since I have neglected it for so long!)

Forget Not

2011-09-25T08:26:00.000-07:00

I loved this talk of Elder Uchtdorf's from the General Relief Society Meeting last night. His talk was just what I needed. And it doesn't hurt that forget-me-not's are one of my favorite flowers :)

Here is a link to the entire broadcast.

The price we paid

2011-07-24T19:36:00.000-07:00

I need to take some time and write my thoughts about our trip to Martin's Cove but I don't have enough time tonight. (I know, I have really been neglecting this blog!) But since it is "Pioneer Day" today I wanted to post one of my favorite quotes from the handcart pioneers.

Some years ago President David O. McKay (1873–1970) told of the experience of some of those in the Martin handcart company. Many of these early converts had emigrated from Europe and were too poor to buy oxen or horses and a wagon. They were forced by their poverty to pull handcarts containing all of their belongings across the plains by their own brute strength. President McKay related an occurrence which took place some years after the heroic exodus:
"A teacher, conducting a class, said it was unwise ever to attempt, even to permit them [the Martin handcart company] to come across the plains under such conditions."
Then President McKay quoted an observer who was present in that class: "Some sharp criticism of the Church and its leaders was being indulged in for permitting any company of converts to venture across the plains with no more supplies or protection than a handcart caravan afforded.
"An old man in the corner . . . sat silent and listened as long as he could stand it, then he arose and said things that no person who heard him will ever forget. His face was white with emotion, yet he spoke calmly, deliberately, but with great earnestness and sincerity.
"In substance [he] said, 'I ask you to stop this criticism. You are discussing a matter you know nothing about. Cold historic facts mean nothing here, for they give no proper interpretation of the questions involved. Mistake to send the Handcart Company out so late in the season? Yes. But I was in that company and my wife was in it and Sister Nellie Unthank whom you have cited was there, too. We suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but did you ever hear a survivor of that company utter a word of criticism? . . .
" 'I have pulled my handcart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I could hardly put one foot ahead of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and I have said, I can go only that far and there I must give up, for I cannot pull the load through it.' "
He continues: " 'I have gone on to that sand and when I reached it, the cart began pushing me. I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart, but my eyes saw no one. I knew then that the angels of God were there.
" 'Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company.' "1

(You can read Pres. Faust's entire talk here. It's a great talk!)

Opportunities to do service

2011-06-27T07:20:00.001-07:00

We had a great lesson in Relief Society yesterday. It was taken from Elder Eyring's talk in General Conference found here. It reminded me of this post I made last year. I pray that I might do better at seeing the needs of those around me. And providing opportunities for my children to give service as well.

The Invisible Woman

2011-05-08T18:56:00.000-07:00

Since it is Mother's Day today I pulled out one of my favorite books on mothers. It's called The Invisible Woman: When Only God Sees by Nicole Johnson. It reminded me of the importance of my calling and why I do what I do. And I must say thanks to my own Mom-- for all your hard work--then and now!
Here's an exerpt from the book followed by the youtube video:

The Invisible Woman
It started to happen gradually. One day I was walking my son Jake to school. I was holding his hand and we were about to cross the street when the crossing guard said to him, 'Who is that with you, young fella?' 'Nobody,' he shrugged. Nobody? The crossing guard and I laughed. My son is only 5, but as we crossed the street I thought, 'Oh my goodness, nobody?' I would walk into a room and no one would notice. I would say something to my family - like 'Turn the TV down, please' - and nothing would happen. Nobody would get up, or even make a move for the remote. I would stand there for a minute, and then I would say again, a little louder, 'Would someone turn the TV down?' Nothing. Just the other night my husband and I were out at a party. We'd been there for about three hours and I was ready to leave. I noticed he was talking to a friend from work. So I walked over, and when there was a break in the conversation, I whispered, 'I'm ready to go when you are.' He just kept right on talking. That's when I started to put all the pieces together. I don't think he can see me. I don't think anyone can see me. I'm invisible. It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'mon the phone?' Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.' I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going... she's going... she's gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything. A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.' I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.' At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree. When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.' As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

2011-04-17T17:11:00.000-07:00

"Let me begin now, this very night, to emulate Christ. Cast off forever will be the old self and with it defeat, despair, doubt, and disbelief. To a newness of life I come--a life of faith, hope courage, and joy. No task looms too large; no responsibility too heavy; no duty is a burden. All things become possible." — Thomas S. Monson

Daughter of a King

2011-04-14T07:22:00.001-07:00

I read this today and was taught so I thought I'd share. It gave me a clearer understanding that I have so much to work on.

I can do hard things

2011-01-02T17:31:00.000-08:00

So I've been mulling this post around in my head for about a month. And since my mind keeps pulling it to the forefront I thought I'd post about it. I hope it doesn't turn into a big jumbly mess.
From a young age I've had a testimony of the scripture 1 Nephi 3:7 I've always believed that the Lord will provide a way for us to accomplish his commandments. If we're trying to do what's right the Lord will help us to reach that far destination. I still believe this but recently I've learned that more times than not, the way the Lord has provided is no walk in the park. The way is hard--sometimes really hard.
As we studied the birth of the Savior as a family last month I noticed something I'd never really thought about before. Joseph and Mary were on their way to Bethlehem. They were part of an event that had been prophesied of for hundreds of years. The Savior of the world was going to be born. Such an event is certainly deserving of a little "spoiling" right? Yet as we know there was no room for them in the Inn and our Father's only begotten Son was born in a humble stable and layed in a manger. Mary and Joseph didn't have it easy even though it would seem "fair" for them to.
The more I ponder this point the more I see it in other examples around me--Joseph Smith and the early Saints for one. And I've seen it in today's world as well, especially in events that occurred this last year in our ward family and community. The Lord does require us to do hard things--and when my brain first thinks that thought it scares me to death. Instantly the question rises, "what hard things will the Lord require of me?" But I know the Lord doesn't want us to be filled fear, but with faith and steadfastness to his commandments. The refiners fire has a purpose. And I also realize that this is easier said than done. I pray that the Lord will write these truths upon my heart that I might have the strength to lean on them in times of need---and remember that I CAN do hard things.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge him and he will direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-16T09:13:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! I can't believe Christmas is almost here! I thought I would share one of my favorite talks on Christmas! You can find it here.

God be thanked for the gift of His Son, the Redeemer of the world, the Savior of mankind, the Prince of Life and Peace, the Holy One.

Giving Thanks

2010-11-23T11:20:00.000-08:00

Small And Simple Things

2010-11-15T10:24:00.000-08:00

I scored a cute little book at the thrift store a few weeks ago. It's called "Small and simple things" and it's by Marjorie Hinckley. I was so excited to see it cause I love her other book--(I blogged about it here!) and it was 50 cents! SCORE!!
Anyway, it's a tiny book filled with little thoughts on each page. I wanted to share the thought she wrote concerning the title of this book--small and simple things. It comes from the scripture found in Alma 37:6

"By small and simple things are great things brought to pass."

"I couldn't possibly have understood this when I was young like I do now. When we look back on decades of life we see that the seemingly insignificant thngs we do over and over actually weave the pattern of our lives. And if those small and simple things are good, we will end up having lived a fulfilling life--and that is a great thing!"

The longer I'm a mother the more true this statement is. Liston is getting baptized next year--I can't believe it!! So I've been talking to him about his decision to be baptized and what he thinks about it. I want him to be ready for that big day. And I've come to realize that his preparation will come mostly from the "little things" we do everyday: from having FHE, having family scripture study and family prayer, etc--little things that don't seem like much but mean so much in the end. I'm so grateful for the council of our prophet and general authorities who admonish us to include these things in our lives. To invite the Lord into our homes each day. I pray that I can do more to invite the spirit and to be taught and refined. And to create an environment where my children can recognise the Spirit and be taught as well.

2010-11-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

I've been neglecting this blog. I really want to do some posting this weekend. In the meantime, I'm posting this talk by Elder Eyring. I have really been wanting to write in my journal more--to record the hand of the Lord in my life each day. I going to start today :)

2010-10-02T14:40:00.000-07:00

Read this post today and was taught and enlighted. As I've followed her blog I've been amazed at her wisdom--and pray for the Lord's peace for their family.

2010-10-02T14:26:00.000-07:00

"Gratitude on a daily basis means we express appreciation for what we have now without qualification for what we had in the past or desire in the future."
Robert D Hales

2010-08-31T15:22:00.001-07:00

I've heard this pioneer story from time to time and have always enjoyed it for it's simple message. I heard it again on Sunday and was reminded of my previous post on service Can the Lord count on me to help those who need it--can I be his hands?

This story comes from a journal entry of pioneer Joseph Millett, who with his large family was suffering through some very difficult times.

"One of my children came in and said that Brother Newton Hall's folks was out of bread, had none that day.

I divided our flour in a sack to send up to Brother Hall. Just then Brother Hall came.

Says I, 'Brother Hall, are you out of flour?'

'Brother Millett, we have none.'

'Well, Brother Hall, there is some in that sack. I have divided it and was going to send it to you. Your children told mine that you was out.'

Brother Hall began to cry. He said he had tried others, but could not get any. He went to the cedars and prayed to the Lord, and the Lord told him to go to Joseph Millett.

'Well Brother Hall, you needn't bring this back. If the Lord sent you for it you don't owe me for it.'

That night Joseph Millett recorded a remarkable sentence in his journal:
'You can't tell me how good it made me feel to know that the Lord knew there was such a person as Joseph Millett.'

2010-08-31T06:35:00.000-07:00

2010-08-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

No Hands But Our Hands

2010-08-09T06:17:00.000-07:00

So I was sitting in Sacrament Meeting today, juggling Coleman on my lap with one hand and scrambling around in my scriptures with the other. It was the time of sacrament meeting where reverence is important and I usually spend it trying to keep my kids from being rowdy. Well, today I wanted to actually block out the world for a little bit and put a little drop of oil in my ever-drying lamp. So to get on with my story I was turning the pages in my scriptures looking for a scripture that might inspire me and I turned to James 1:27 which reads:
"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world."
I read the verse, it is one of my favorites, and the first point really stuck out to me--Pure religion is to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction. I thought about it for a little while and then moved on to another scripture which was Hebrews 12:12:
"Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees."
Hmmmm was I seeing a message here? Was the Lord trying to tell me something about my lackluster attempts at serving my fellowmen? Well, as that thought entered my mind it was immediately confirmed. I really have a testimony of service and it's role in drawing us closer to our Heavenly Father. As I type this I'm reminded of the story told about a statue of the Savior.

Shortly after the culmination of World War II, a devastated
city in England began it's heartbreaking and wearying
work of restoration. In the old city square had
stood a large statue of Jesus Christ with his hands outspread
in an attitude of invitation. On the pedestal were
carved the words "Come unto me."
In the process of the restoration of the statue with the aid
of master artist and sculptors, the figure was eventually
reassembled except for the hands of which no fragments
could be discovered anywhere in the surrounding rubble.
Someone made the suggestion that the artist would have
to fashion new hands since the former hands could not be
found.
Later came a public protest, couched in the words NO,
Leave Him without hands! So, today in the square of
that English city the restored statue of Christ stands
without hands and on the base of it are carved the words,
"Christ has no hands, but ours!"
I love that story because it is so true! We are His tools in bringing about His purposes. When the Lord wants something done He sends one of us! I know this--so why am I so terrible at serving my fellowmen? At lifting the hands that do hang down and the feeble knees?
Well, sitting there in sacrament meeting I felt ashamed of myself. Ashamed of not putting myself out there to be an answer to someone's prayer. Ashamed of my inability to hear the Lord's call at times when it has come. In those few minutes, I can say that I was sufficiently humbled :) I AM the Lord's hands! So today, I sit with a new resolve to be the hands that the Lord needs--to see the needs of those around me and be there to lift up and enlighten. I pray the Lord will increase my courage and my ablility to hear Him when He beckons.
As a sidenote, the rest of the meeting entailed some talks by a couple of sr returned missionaries who served in the London England Temple. I was reminded of another important way in giving service by attending the temple--something I must also improve on! I'm definitely a work in progress! And yeah, you wanna guess the closing song? "Because I have been given much". Sometimes I think the Lord must feel like He has to hit me over the head to get my attention! And I think I've got the bump to prove it!

Mothering

2010-07-13T06:27:00.000-07:00

Read the entire talk here

Finishing

2010-07-12T06:48:00.000-07:00

Heard this story in Sacrament meeting today and loved it so I thought I'd share:

Unlike Carl Lewis and Daley Thompson, Derek Redmond is not a name that conjures up memories of Olympic gold medals. But it is Redmond who defines the essence of the human spirit.
Redmond arrived at the 1992 Olympic Summer Games in Barcelona determined to win a medal in the 400. The color of the medal was meaningless; he just wanted to win one. Just one.
He had been forced to withdraw from the 400 at the 1988 Games in Seoul, only 10 minutes before the race, because of an Achilles tendon injury. He then underwent five surgeries over the next year. This was the same runner who had shattered the British 400-meter record at age 19. So when the 1992 Games arrived, this was his time, his moment, his stage, to show the world how good he was and who he was.
Derek's father Jim had accompanied him to Barcelona, just as he did for all world competitions. They were as close as a father and son could be. Inseparable, really. The best of friends. When Derek ran, it was as if his father were running right next to him.
The day of the race arrives. Father and son reminisce about what it took for Derek to get to this point. They talk about ignoring past heartbreaks, past failures. They agree that if anything bad happens, no matter what it is, Derek has to finish the race, period.
The top four finishers in each of the two semifinal heats qualify for the Olympic final. As race time approaches for the semifinal 400 heat, Jim heads up to his seat at the top of Olympic Stadium, not far from where the Olympic torch was lit just a few days earlier. He is wearing a T-shirt that reads, "Have you hugged your foot today?"
The stadium is packed with 65,000 fans, bracing themselves for one of sport's greatest and most exciting spectacles. The race begins and Redmond breaks from the pack and quickly seizes the lead. "Keep it up, keep it up," Jim says to himself.
Down the backstretch, only 175 meters away from finishing, Redmond is a shoo-in to make the finals. Suddenly, he hears a pop. In his right hamstring. He pulls up lame, as if he had been shot.
"Oh, no," Jim says to himself. His face pales. His leg quivering, Redmond begins hopping on one leg, then slows down and falls to the track. As he lays on the track, clutching his right hamstring, a medical personnel unit runs toward him. At the same time, Jim Redmond, seeing his son in trouble, races down from the top row of the stands, sidestepping people, bumping into others. He has no credential to be on the track, but all he thinks about is getting to his son, to help him up. "I wasn't going to be stopped by anyone," he later tells the media.
On the track, Redmond realizes his dream of an Olympic medal is gone. Tears run down his face. "All I could think was, 'I'm out of the Olympics -- again,'" he would say.
As the medical crew arrives with a stretcher, Redmond tells them, "No, there's no way I'm getting on that stretcher. I'm going to finish my race."
Then, in a moment that will live forever in the minds of millions, Redmond lifts himself to his feet, ever so slowly, and starts hobbling down the track. The other runners have finished the race, with Steve Lewis of the U.S. winning the contest in 44.50. Suddenly, everyone realizes that Redmond isn't dropping out of the race by hobbling off to the side of the track. No, he is actually continuing on one leg. He's going to attempt to hobble his way to the finish line. All by himself. All in the name of pride and heart.
Slowly, the crowd, in total disbelief, rises and begins to roar. The roar gets louder and louder. Through the searing pain, Redmond hears the cheers, but "I wasn't doing it for the crowd," he would later say. "I was doing it for me. Whether people thought I was an idiot or a hero, I wanted to finish the race. I'm the one who has to live with it."
One painful step at a time, each one a little slower and more painful than the one before, his face twisted with pain and tears, Redmond limps onward, and the crowd, many in tears, cheer him on.
Suddenly, Jim Redmond finally gets to the bottom of the stands, leaps over the railing, avoids a security guard, and runs out to his son, with two security people chasing after him. "That's my son out there," he yells back to security, "and I'm going to help him."
Finally, with Derek refusing to surrender and painfully limping along the track, Jim reaches his son at the final curve, about 120 meters from the finish, and wraps his arm around his waist.
"I'm here, son," Jim says softly, hugging his boy. "We'll finish together." Derek puts his arms around his father's shoulders and sobs.
Together, arm in arm, father and son, with 65,000 people cheering, clapping and crying, finish the race, just as they vowed they would. A couple steps from the finish line, and with the crowd in an absolute frenzy, Jim releases the grip he has on his son, so Derek could cross the finish line by himself. Then he throws his arms around Derek again, both crying, along with everyone in the stands and on TV.
"I'm the proudest father alive," he tells the press afterwards, tears in his eyes. "I'm prouder of him than I would have been if he had won the gold medal. It took a lot of guts for him to do what he did."

2010-05-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

"Make up your mind to be happy-even when you don't have money, even when you don't have a clear complexion, even when you don't have the Nobel prize. Some of the happiest people I know have none of these things the world insists are necessary for satisfaction and joy. Why are they happy? I suppose it is because they don't listen very well. Or they listen too well-to the things their hearts tell them. They glory in the beauty of the earth. They glory in the rivers and the canyons and the call of the meadowlark. They glory in the love of their families, the stumbling steps of a toddler, the wise and tender smile of the elderly. They glory in honest labor. They glory in the scriptures. They glory in the presence of the Holy Ghost. One thing I know for certain: the time we have here goes by far too quickly. Don't waste any more time sitting on the bench watching life pass you by." Joseph B. Wirthlin "Lessons Learned in the Journey of Life"

I read this quote today and felt like it was ment for me. This life does pass far too quickly. May I not forget to enjoy it!

PS Do you love that tree picture or what? I'm stealing it for my sidebar :)

2010-02-09T11:45:00.000-08:00

Found this blog today. I was not only touched by her story, but by her testimony born over and over in her posts. And my testimony was stengthen--so I'm sharing.

Love this Moment

2010-01-05T12:54:00.000-08:00

I know I've talked about enjoying the journey before, but I read this poem today and thought I'd share it. It's also important to choose the right journey. If you want your destination to be somewhere else change your path.

LOVE THIS MOMENT
By Lisa Frost

One day as I trudged wearily
Down a path not far away,
I came upon a bright old man
Traveling the other way.

He walked along with a jaunty step
That was so free and light,
While his smile shone like the fullest moon
Upon the darkest night.

When our paths did meet I begged of him
To stop but a little while,
For I had to ask in bafflement,
“Dear sir, why do you smile?”

“For I walk this road every single day
Through wind and rain and sun,
And for each heavy step I tread
I wish the journey done.”

The man replied in a merry voice
That was music to my ears,
“My friend, I’ve learnt a thing or two
Throughout my many years.”

“While it’s great to have a purpose
From which you do not stray,
More important by far it is to love
Your journey along the way.”

To that reply I looked askance
And voiced my inner doubt,
“How can you love a well-worn path
That rambles all about?”

“For it does not run straight and true
Towards my desired goal,
Instead it wastes my precious time
With all its bumps and holes.”

“And do you know the worst thing of all,
That makes me quite lose heart?
While every morning I reach the end,
Each night I’m back at the start!”

That wise old man smiled knowingly
And gently turned to say,
“You won’t travel very far in life
Marching the same track every day.”

“You think that to gain your far off dreams
This path needs to re-arrange,
But there’ll never be a different end
Unless you decide to change.”

“To reach a dream that seems remote
You must round every bend,
Instead of always turning back
To retrace your steps again.”

“And once again I say to you,
If I might be so bold,
While the dream may be the silver,
The journey is the gold.”

“For every person’s true desire,
Throughout their very soul,
Is to live a life of love and joy.
To be one and true and whole.”

“It is our hope most precious,
To connect with all the Earth,
To feel life’s energies within
All moments from our birth.”

Then he answered my next question,
Which was very simply, “How?”
“Just live each day inside your heart.
See the beauty of right now.”

“For no matter if the path you step
Is an old one or a new,
Behold it with the eyes of your soul
To find wonder in all views.”

“When you are grateful for all the world
As a gift from up above,
You’ll realize that what you’re doing
Is simply allowing love.”

“And when that love completely fills
Every crevice of your heart,
Your journey will be one of joy
- What you wanted from start!”

Then satisfied he’d made his point
This great man did turn away,
To continue down the splendid path
Of magic in every day.

Since that encounter I have walked
Many roads towards my goal,
With forever his gift inside my heart:
To love this moment with all my soul.

Fireproof

2010-01-04T13:36:00.000-08:00

I rented the movie Fireproof from the library a few months ago. (See how far behind I am on this blog? But it will all come together--hopefully!) Anyway, I loved it! It was a little predictable in parts but it made me think. To evaluate myself and how I treat Todd. Do I put him first? Do I put his needs before my own? Do I show him love everyday? And I love that the movie talked about our Heavenly Father and how He needs to be a part of our lives and marriages. For the rare few who actually read this blog there is a book called The Love Dare that is like the one in the movie. I'd love to read it--if you have leave a comment about it!
So why am I writing about this now? Glad you asked! I was reading the November ensign last night and found a wonderful talk by President Eyring. It is entitled Our Perfect Example. In it Pres Eyring talks about love and how it can motivate us to become more like the Savior. And he says that our families are the ideal setting for us to learn how to love as He loves. His counsel to husbands and wives was this:
"Pray for the love which allows you to see the good in your companion. Pray for love that makes weaknesses and mistakes seem small. Pray for love to make your companion's joy your own. Pray for the love to want to lessen the load and soften the sorrows of your companion."
I loved this paragraph. And as I was sitting there thinking about the goals I wanted to make for the New Year,(yes, I'm a few days late!) I knew this had to be one of them. I feel like sometimes I get wrapped up in taking care of my children and fretting over if my house will ever be clean again etc. . .and when it comes to Todd I kind of put him on the back burner. Not that I don't show him love and appreciation cause I do but it needs to be more of a priority for me. So that's one of my goals for the New Year. What about you? Share one of your goals!

2009-12-14T09:44:00.000-08:00

I read this 10 part article this morning and bawled like a baby! I've followed Nie Nie since the accident but this article explained everything so beautifully! And it inspired me--to be BETTER. To think better, to live better, to love better. And to remember the things that matter. The things that matter most.

My favorite quote from the article:
"There is in every true woman's heart a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity; but which kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity."
Washington Irving

Oops!

2009-12-06T16:07:00.000-08:00

Wow I've really let this blog fall through the cracks! I promise I'll post again soon!!!

What matters most

2009-09-18T20:57:00.000-07:00

I was watching mormon messages on youtube tonight and saw this one by President Monson. And it was just what I needed to hear :)

Nienie also has a wonderful one on her blog about Hope.

Waiting upon the Lord

2009-08-30T17:43:00.000-07:00

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

When I lived in Provo during my single college years one of my favorite spots was the public library. Sounds boring, I know! But the library there was bigger than any this small town girl had been in and it was awesome--especially because it had tons of LDS literature. I remember checking out a book of BYU Speeches and I absolutely fell in love with a talk by Elder Eyring entitled "Waiting Upon the Lord". I love this talk and just recently dug it out again. He talks about bringing down the powers of heaven in our every day lives. This talk is pretty much my ideal--if I can some day come to be the person Elder Eyring urges me to be in this talk. . .well let's just say I have a long ways to go to get there :) I'd just like to share a small segment of it here now but go ahead read the whole talk--it's worth it!!! You can find it here

"Let me encourage you by telling you a story. It was told to me by my father. He told it with the intent to chuckle at himself. It was a story about his trying to do his duty, just the way you try to do your duty.

Now you have to know a little bit about my father. His name was Henry Eyring, like mine. He had done some of the things students of this university are preparing to be able to do. His work in chemistry was substantial enough to bring the honors some of you will someday have, but he was still a member of a ward of the Church with his duty to do. To appreciate this story, you have to realize that it occurred when he was nearly eighty and had bone cancer. He had bone cancer so badly in his hips that he could hardly move. The pain was great.

Dad was the senior high councilor in his stake with the responsibility for the welfare farm. An assignment was given to weed a field of onions, so Dad assigned himself to go work on the farm.

Dad never told me how hard it was, but I have met several people who were with him that day. I talked to one of them on the phone the other night to check the story. The one I talked to said that he was weeding in the row next to Dad through much of the day. He told me the same thing that others who were there that day have told me. He said that the pain was so great that Dad was pulling himself along on his stomach with his elbows. He couldn't kneel. The pain was too great for him to kneel. Everyone who has talked to me has remarked how Dad smiled, and laughed, and talked happily with them as they worked in that field of onions.

Now, this is the joke Dad told me on himself, afterward. He said he was there at the end of the day. After all the work was finished and the onions were all weeded, someone asked him, "Henry, good heavens! You didn't pull those weeds, did you? Those weeds were sprayed two days ago, and they were going to die anyway."

Dad just roared. He thought that was the funniest thing. He thought it was a great joke on himself. He had worked through the day in the wrong weeds. They had been sprayed and would have died anyway.

When Dad told me this story, I knew how tough it was. So I said to him, "Dad, how could you make a joke out of that? How could you take it so pleasantly?"

He said something to me that I will never forget, and I hope you won't. He said, "Hal, I wasn't there for the weeds."

Now, you'll be in an onion patch much of your life. So will I. It will be hard to see the powers of heaven magnifying us or our efforts. It may even be hard to see our work being of any value at all. And sometimes our work won't go well.

But you didn't come for the weeds. You came for the Savior. And if you pray, and if you choose to be clean, and if you choose to follow God's servants, you will be able to work and wait long enough to bring down the powers of heaven."

Prayer

2009-08-09T13:31:00.000-07:00

"I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go." Abraham Lincoln

This quote was shared today in sacrament meeting and I loved it as soon as I heard it. All of the talks were on prayer and I sat there and bawled through the whole thing. It seems the older I get the more I cry :)I asked the Lord this morning to send me a message--to help me learn something for me in sacrament meeting today. My prayer was rather short and truthfully not very heartfelt but I offered nonetheless because I felt I needed to. The woman who spoke based her talk on the ensign article by Elder Eyring in this months ensign--I'm definitely going to have to read that one today! And the two main talks are what I needed to hear. My prayers have been pretty crappy lately when they've been uttered at all. I find I've let my life crowd out things that are of most importance. And at a time when I need the most guidance as I strive to raise his children with a desire to return back to Him. The man who spoke emphasized the importance of daily devotionals where we take the time to feed our souls and receive enlightenment. And his wife shared a story from her life where she needed the Lord's guidance and so she turned her will over to the Lord. She prayed ferevently that His will would be made known in her life. So that's my goal for not just this week or this month but for however long it takes! Because I know it's more of a process of development then a simple thing you can attain and cross off the list. I'm going to give some of my time--which is actually the Lord's anyway--to the Lord. For FEREVENT prayer, and study and just reflection. And strive to give my will to him--to finally come to know what He would have me do. . .and do it.

ETA: A friend posted this on facebook today and I thought it went well with this post:

Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples

2009-08-03T08:37:00.000-07:00

I'm the primary secretary in our ward and one of my duties is a monthly newsletter. I both enjoy and loathe compiling the newsletter :) Each month I make up a primary presidency message and the August theme is on temples. So I went digging through all my temple info and decided upon a talk given in the last general conference. (Ensign General Conference issues are gems!!! So full of great talks!) The talk is entitled "Sared Homes, Sacred Temples" and it's by Elder Gary Stevenson. And it had just the message I was looking for. Here are my favorite quotes from his talk:

"I remember a warm, sunny afternoon when spring was trying to nudge its way through a long winter in Cache Valley, Utah. My father, whose Saturdays were always filled with chores for his grandsons, stopped by our home with an offer to “go for a ride.” Always happy to ride in Grandpa’s truck, our four- and six-year-old sons scurried into the back jump seat, and I joined my father in the front. Our drive took us through the streets of downtown Logan, which wrap around the Logan Temple, prominently situated on a hill, centered beautifully in the city. As we moved further away from the city, we turned from paved, busy streets to seldom-used dirt roads, where we crossed old bridges and weaved through trees far into the country. We were far from any other traffic and all alone.

Realizing his grandsons were in a place they had not been before, my father stopped the truck. “Do you think we are lost?” he asked the wide-eyed boys as they gazed out the windshield across the valley. Followed by a moment of silent assessment came the profound reply of a young child. “Look,” he said, pointing his finger, “Grandpa, you are never lost when you can see the temple.” Our eyes turned, focusing with his, seeing the sun glistening off the spires of the Logan Temple, far across the valley.

You are never lost when you can see the temple. The temple will provide direction for you and your family in a world filled with chaos. It is an eternal guidepost which will help you from getting lost in the 'mist of darkness'. It is the house of the Lord. It is a place where covenants are made and eternal ordinances are performed."

Recently, in a stake conference, all present were invited by the visiting authority, Elder Glen Jenson, an Area Seventy, to take a virtual tour of their homes using their spiritual eyes. I would like to invite each of you to do this also. Wherever your home may be and whatever its configuration, the application of eternal gospel principles within its walls is universal. Let’s begin. Imagine that you are opening your front door and walking inside your home. What do you see, and how do you feel? Is it a place of love, peace, and refuge from the world, as is the temple? Is it clean and orderly? As you walk through the rooms of your home, do you see uplifting images which include appropriate pictures of the temple and the Savior? Is your bedroom or sleeping area a place for personal prayer? Is your gathering area or kitchen a place where food is prepared and enjoyed together, allowing uplifting conversation and family time? Are scriptures found in a room where the family can study, pray, and learn together? Can you find your personal gospel study space? Does the music you hear or the entertainment you see, online or otherwise, offend the Spirit? Is the conversation uplifting and without contention? That concludes our tour. Perhaps you, as I, found a few spots that need some “home improvement”—hopefully not an “extreme home makeover.”

In order to keep the temple and those who attend it sacred and worthy, the Lord has established standards through His servants, the prophets. We may be well-advised to consider together, in family council, standards for our homes to keep them sacred and to allow them to be a “house of the Lord.” The admonition to “establish . . . a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God” provides divine insight into the type of home the Lord would have us build. Doing such begins the construction of a “spiritual mansion” in which we all may reside regardless of our worldly circumstance—a home filled with treasure that “neither moth nor rust doth corrupt.”

This talk made me realize that I have some work to do! I want my home to be a house of the Lord--a place where all who enter may find refuge from the storms of the world. And I've got to start with me. I find that the old saying, "if mama aint happy, aint nobody happy" is quite true. I usually set the tone in our home. May I speak with more kindness and love. And to put it bluntly--stop yelling!!! There's nothing that drives the Spirit out of our home faster than a tired, yelling Mom!!!

The Ministry of Angels

2009-07-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

Today when I was pondering about what to write this conference talk came into my mind. It's entitled "The Ministry of Angels" and it was given by Elder Holland in the October 2008 General Conference. I loved the talk when I first heard it and so I decided to read it again today. It's a wonderful talk and I'm going to quote quite a bit of it! :)(But you should really just go to lds.org and read the whole talk!) I'll start with him relating an account given to him by a friend:

"Referring to his childhood on a large Idaho farm, Brother Barrus spoke of his nightly assignment to round up the cows at milking time. Because the cows pastured in a field bordered by the occasionally treacherous Teton River, the strict rule in the Barrus household was that during the spring flood season the children were never to go after any cows who ventured across the river. They were always to return home and seek mature help.

One Saturday just after his seventh birthday, Brother Barrus’s parents promised the family a night at the movies if the chores were done on time. But when young Clyn arrived at the pasture, the cows he sought had crossed the river, even though it was running at high flood stage. Knowing his rare night at the movies was in jeopardy, he decided to go after the cows himself, even though he had been warned many times never to do so.

As the seven-year-old urged his old horse, Banner, down into the cold, swift stream, the horse’s head barely cleared the water. An adult sitting on the horse would have been safe, but at Brother Barrus’s tender age, the current completely covered him except when the horse lunged forward several times, bringing Clyn’s head above water just enough to gasp for air.

Here I turn to Brother Barrus’s own words:

“When Banner finally climbed the other bank, I realized that my life had been in grave danger and that I had done a terrible thing—I had knowingly disobeyed my father. I felt that I could redeem myself only by bringing the cows home safely. Maybe then my father would forgive me. But it was already dusk, and I didn’t know for sure where I was. Despair overwhelmed me. I was wet and cold, lost and afraid.

“I climbed down from old Banner, fell to the ground by his feet, and began to cry. Between thick sobs, I tried to offer a prayer, repeating over and over to my Father in Heaven, ‘I’m sorry. Forgive me! I’m sorry. Forgive me!’

“I prayed for a long time. When I finally looked up, I saw through my tears a figure dressed in white walking toward me. In the dark, I felt certain it must be an angel sent in answer to my prayers. I did not move or make a sound as the figure approached, so overwhelmed was I by what I saw. Would the Lord really send an angel to me, who had been so disobedient?

“Then a familiar voice said, ‘Son, I’ve been looking for you.’ In the darkness I recognized the voice of my father and ran to his outstretched arms. He held me tightly, then said gently, ‘I was worried. I’m glad I found you.’

“I tried to tell him how sorry I was, but only disjointed words came out of my trembling lips—’Thank you . . . darkness . . . afraid . . . river . . . alone.’ Later that night I learned that when I had not returned from the pasture, my father had come looking for me. When neither I nor the cows were to be found, he knew I had crossed the river and was in danger. Because it was dark and time was of the essence, he removed his clothes down to his long white thermal underwear, tied his shoes around his neck, and swam a treacherous river to rescue a wayward son.”12

My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify of angels, both the heavenly and the mortal kind. In doing so I am testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face. “[N]or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man [or woman or child] upon the face thereof to be saved.”13 On occasions, global or personal, we may feel we are distanced from God, shut out from heaven, lost, alone in dark and dreary places. Often enough that distress can be of our own making, but even then the Father of us all is watching and assisting. And always there are those angels who come and go all around us, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal.

May we all believe more readily in, and have more gratitude for, the Lord’s promise as contained in one of President Monson’s favorite scriptures: “I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, . . . my Spirit shall be in your [heart], and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.”14 In the process of praying for those angels to attend us, may we all try to be a little more angelic ourselves—with a kind word, a strong arm, a declaration of faith and “the covenant wherewith [we] have covenanted.”15 Perhaps then we can be emissaries sent from God when someone, perhaps a Primary child, is crying, “Darkness . . . afraid . . . river . . . alone.” To this end, I pray in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen."

I know I have been blessed in my life with angels from both sides of the veil. I'm sometimes amazed at the way the Lord uses others to bless my life--to teach me, to love me, to humble me at times, to strengthen me. I am truly grateful to those "angels" who have come to my rescue in times of need. May I learn to be a "little more angelic" and be a means of saving those in need around me.

Quick Quotes

2009-07-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

I made a goal to try to write a few thoughts down on this blog each Sunday. Unfortunately I don't have a lot a time today so you get it short and sweet! Todd and I watched "The Emma Smith Story" a few months ago. I really liked it and found myself writing down a few quotes during the movie. The following two are my favorite:

"God's tender mercies are all around us--we just have to be willing to see them."

"Strength isn't something you have, it's something God helps you find."

I love these lines. They're simple yet cause me to ponder. I hope they inspire you!

Redefining Joy

2009-06-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

I recently read a book entitled "Redefining Joy in the Last Days". It's a tiny book--a very easy read. It was great book for me, my very spoiled self, to read. It helped remind me of my tremendous blessings, why I'm here and that we've all got trials. I wanted to share with you a story he tells in the first chapter. He was in the Air Force and had been away from home for a number of weeks. He was anxious to get back home to his family but he was having problems with his plane so he landed in the Philippines to have it fixed. Because of the short notice there was no room for them on the base so he stayed downtown in a hotel. He'd been up all day and was very tired and in a foul mood. The rest is an exerpt from the book:

"I was frustrated that we had spent so much time messing with a broken aircraft, frustrated that I was thirsty but afraid to drink the water, frustrated that I had to spend another night away from home. The bed looked lumpy. The room had bugs, of course--everything in the Philippines had bugs. I knew the only American shows I'd be able to watch on the television would be old reruns of The Brady Bunch. I was out of gum. I had a broken lace in my boot. My head was starting to pound.

My list of reasons for being in a bad mood was long and full.

Hoping for a quick nap, I went to the window to pull the curtains closed. My window happened to be at the back of the hotel on the second floor. Looking down, I saw the reason for the fence, for there behind the hotel was an open aqueduct with several terraced levels upon which hundreds of people had built a shanty camp. Families were living all along the sides of the canal--some in cardboard houses, some in tents, many in the open. For a long time I stood by the window in my air-conditioned room, tired but not hungry, with a headache but otherwise healthy, and very happy that I was going home. Home to the United States, land of Freedom and plenty. Home to a wife and family who were fortunate enough not to live in a ditch and who had never once in their lives gone hungry. Home to more blessings that I could even count.

Standing by the window, I watched a young mother as she washed her daughter's face and hair with the filthy water that was fushing from a pipe feeding into the canal. The scene touched me deeply. I can remember it very clearly, even through the years.

And as I watched this young family, hungry, dirty, homeless, and certainly nearly hopeless, I suddenly felt so ashamed of my selfishness.

I leaned a lesson that day about feeling sorry for myself.

I think of that experience from time to time, especially when, once again, I find myself feeling a little down. Sometimes I have to wonder if I learned the lesson well enough. Do I appreciate the blessings I've been given? Or do I forget sometimes--I guess we all do--the attitude and persprectives it takes to live a happy and joyful life?"

The book goes on to talk about why we came to earth, and gifts we've been given, and trials we face and how trials can be blessings. He talks a lot of perspective. I really enjoyed it and hope to take his words to heart. I am extremely blessed and sometimes feel like I must have some huge trial coming because of the easiness of my life. But at the same time I certainly find plenty to complain about. There are certain lessons to be learned in having as well as needing. I hope I can more readily see my blessings and the service I might render because of them. And I hope I can see the lessons the Lord has to teach me through my trials as well as my blessings.

Reflections of Christ

2009-04-29T13:35:00.000-07:00

My brother posted this video on our family blog a few months ago. I wasn't able to view it then because our internet was sooo slow. Well now our internet is a tad faster so I watched it this morning. And I loved it! The pics are awesome and I love the song!!

Caring For One Another

2009-04-07T22:21:00.000-07:00

Wow! I've really fallen behind on this blog. I really do have a lot to post and will try to catch up.

I was asked to give a talk at the Relief Society Birthday Celebration last week. The sweet sister asked me to speak on the joys of visiting teaching and I couldn't tell her no even though the thought terrified me. I try to be a good visiting teacher but I'm probably pretty mediocre at best. Which I guess was a good reason to ask me to speak. I needed to strengthen my testimony of visiting teaching and this assignment really helped me to do just that. Here are a few of my favorite quotes from my talk:

“Visiting teaching is more than a visit or sharing a thought with a sister. It is how we connect with one another. We share hearts and souls and extend charity. Visiting teaching brings the love of the Lord to every home and to every sister. It is a sacred trust we have been given. Why do visiting teachers do visiting teaching? Mosiah describes it this way, “To bear one another’s burdens. . .to mourn with those that mourn; yea and comfort those that stand in need of comfort”. (Mosiah 18:8-9) LDS.ORG

I learned recently of loving service given to a mother when her children were very young. Frequently she would be up in the middle of the night tending to the needs of her little ones, as mothers do. Often her friend and neighbor across the street would come over the next day and say, ‘I saw your lights on in the middle of the night and know you were up with the children. I’m going to take them to my house for a couple of hours while you nap.’ Said this grateful mother: ‘I was so thankful for her welcome offer, it wasn’t until this had happened many times that I realized if she had seen my lights on in the middle of the night, she was up with one of her children as well and needed a nap as much as I did. She taught me a great lesson, and I’ve since tried to be as observant as she was in looking for opportunities to serve others.” Pres Monson

“Visiting teachers minister in behalf of the Savior. Our hands are his hands, our love in his love, and our service is his service. Good visiting teachers know the sisters they visit. They love them, serve them and help them learn the gospel by the Spirit. They focus on fortifying homes and lives. There is no greater privilege than to watch over and strengthen another person. It is truly the business of Salvation.” Julie Beck

I do have a testimony of the importance of Visiting Teaching. The Lord has given us stewardship over one of His children, and we are to watch over them---not just for that one 1/2 hour each month but always! He wants us to know of their needs and struggles, to pray for them and to come to love them. He wants us to serve them and help them draw nearer to Him. I pray that I can seek to give greater care to this important calling. And I know the Lord will guide me as I seek to do so--He is always there!

Create!

2009-02-22T12:46:00.000-08:00

I saw this video on youtube and loved it! It inspired me to try a little harder to fulfill my potential!

More Holiness Give Me

2009-01-18T12:47:00.000-08:00

I was sitting in sacrament meeting today juggling the boys around trying to be quiet. Then we started singing "More Holiness Give Me" for the sacrament hymn and I immediately felt the spirit. It had been a long time since I'd heard this song and I love it! The words have always spoken to me, urging me to seek after the Lord and those things that will sanctify. As I sat there listening to the words and just about bawling I made a promise to myself to seek after that which is holy. To purge myself of the unimportant and inappropriate. To seek after that which will build up, edify and uplift. To be filled with more reverence and awe for my Savior. And more heart-felt gratitude for His atonement.

More holiness give me, more strivings within.
More patience in suffering, more sorrow for sin.
More faith in my Savior, more sense of His care.
More joy in His service, more purpose in prayer.

More gratitude give me, more trust in the Lord.
More zeal for His glory, more hope in His Word.
More tears for His sorrows, more pain at His grief.
More meekness in trial, more praise for relief.

More purity give me, more strength to o’ercome,
More freedom from earth-stains, more longings for home.
More fit for the kingdom, more useful I’d be,
More blessèd and holy, more, Savior, like Thee.

Great Post

2008-12-31T11:40:00.000-08:00

I hopped on C Jane today for a quick peek while I sat down to nurse Coleman. I love the way she writes and always leave there inspired. Today was no disappointment. Her post about the new year spoke to my soul and encouraged me to seek after the important things in 2009 and let go of the negative. You can read her post here under the post "Be Forgot".

2008-12-24T10:57:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!!! I can't believe Christmas is already upon us! I just wanted to share a few quotes I read in the Ensign this morning and then I'm off!

"True Happiness comes only by making others happy--the practical application of the Savior's doctrine of losing one's self to gain it. In short, the Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit, that makes our hearts glow in brotherly love and friendship and prompts us to kind deeds of service.

It's the spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ, obedience to which will bring 'peace on earth,' because it means--good will toward all men." David O McKay

"Giving, not getting, brings to full bloom the Christmas spirit. Enemies are forgiven, friends remembered, and God obeyed. The spirit of Christmas illulminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world's busy life and become more interested in people than things. To catch the real meaning of the 'spirit of Christmas' we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the Spirit of Christ." Pres Monson

A Christmas Carol

2008-12-17T09:17:00.000-08:00

"A Christmas Carol" is one of a few books I try to read each December. I love this book! It's a quick read and has many of my favorite quotes. One of them comes at the part of the book where Marley's ghost is visiting Scrooge. Marley is truly a troubled spirit and is mourning over his wasted life. Scrooge tries to comfort Marley and himself by telling him he was always "a good man of business". Marley replies:

"Business! Mankind was my business! The common wealfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence were all my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business". He laments and shakes his chains and says, "At this time of the rolling year I suffer most. Why did I walk through crowds of fellow beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode? Were there no poor homes to which its light would have conducted me?"

Then the story moves on and before Marley leaves he asks Scrooge to join him at the window. Scrooge looks out and sees countless spirits chained as Marley is flying through the night sky reaching out to those around them. And Dickens states:

"The misery with them all was, clearly, that they sought to interfere, for good, in human matters, and had lost the power forever."

I just love this whole scene because it's not only a warning for Scrooge but for us all. This life is the time for men to perform their labors---for us to serve one another and in so doing give service to God. To love each other--and to put that errand first in our daily lives. I pray that I can rededicate myself to this First Commandment and let the useless and unimportant fall more by the wayside. (And yep that probably means a little less blogging!!)

And one last quote because I love it:

"It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself."

"

Gratitude

2008-12-03T09:43:00.000-08:00

With the coming and going of Thanksgiving and the Spirit of the season my thoughts have been drawn to the subject of gratitude. And I've been pondering three of my favorite thoughts and wanted to share them. The first is a poem by Riley. It speaks of envy but I've always applied it to the subject of gratitude. How often am I envious of someone's possessions or talents I don't have instead of seeing the bounteous feast of blessings the Lord has placed before me. Far too often I must admit.

"I saw a man and envied him beside--because of this world's goods he had great store;
but even as I envied him he died, and left me envious no more.
I saw another man and envied still--because he was content with frugal lot;
but as I envied him the rich man's will bequeathed him all and envy I forgot.
Yet still another man I saw, and he I envied for a calm and tranquil mind
that nothing fretted in the least degree--until alas! I found that he was blind.
What vanity is envy! For I found that I have been rich in dross of thought, and poor
in that I was a fool, and lastly blind--for never having seen myself before."
James Whitcomb Riley

My next 2 thoughts have always just been my favorites. Probably because they relay a message I need to hear---over and over again!

"Think to thank. In these 3 words are the finest capsule course for a happy marriage, a formula for enduring friendship, and a pattern for personal happiness."
Thomas S Monson

"When you finally develop a little gratitude in your heart, make up your mind to express it. 'Appreciation unexpressed is not appreciation'. If you can't find someone to say thank you to for something, just take a look at your toothbrush and say, 'Thank you for being. You are a wonderful little gadget!'

'Thank you' is a wonderful phrase. Use it. It will add stature to your soul. Never let a day go by without saying thank you to someone for something--and especially to your Heavenly Father." Marjorie Pay Hinckley

(the last quote is from the book "Glimpses into the life and heart of Marjorie Pay Hinckley". I love this book---READ IT!

A Crooked Stick

2008-11-14T13:26:00.000-08:00

Yeah, I kind of let this blog fall through the cracks! Thanks Sarah for motivating me to write a new post!

Okay, I'll admit it--I read in the bathroom :) Some days it's the only room in the house to find some peace (and quiet!) So I lock myself in the bathroom and read a few pages before the kids realize I'm missing and come pounding on the door! Well a few weeks ago I was hoovering in my "hiding place" and I happened upon a great article that really spoke to ME. It's from the Oct Ensign entitled "Why did the Lord call me?" In it the author quotes the line :

"The Lord can draw a straight line with even the most crooked of sticks."

I love this quote---when I read it two thoughts entered my mind. One, thank goodness this is true because I'm definately a crooked stick. And two, why don't I allow Him to use me to accomplish His work more often? I really have a testimony of magnification. I've been in situations when I felt a power beyond my own leading my thoughts, enpowering my words and strengthening my actions. The Lord can make a whole lot more out of us than we can--if we'll let Him. I pray that I can let Him more often. Here are a few quotes from the article:

“Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ” (Moroni 10:32).

I know that I can never be perfected through my efforts alone, and there are still times when I feel as if I am sinking like Peter. However, I am strengthened when I remember that Christ’s commandment is not for me to become perfect and then come to Him. Instead, He invites me—and each one of us—to come unto Him and to be perfected in Him. This power has helped me be a better parent and a better teacher than I could ever be on my own. When I focus on Christ, do my best, and recognize my dependence on Him, I am strengthened. Crooked though my stick may be, the Lord is somehow able to draw a straight line, and I become an instrument in His hand

“The enabling and strengthening aspect of the Atonement helps us to see and to do and to become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity.” Elder David A. Bednar

Mothers

2008-10-20T10:55:00.003-07:00

Since I am a SAHM, my thoughts are often drawn to how I can be a better mother. I wish I was a perfect mother--alas I fall short in numerous areas that would take far too much time to go into right now. But I'm always trying to do better which I guess is all we can do sometimes. Anyway, to get on with my point in this post. Elder Ballard gave a talk that I LOVED in the April 2008 General Conference entitled "Daughters of God". I'll insert a link to it later if I figure out how! Here are a few quotes from it:

"There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family. Many are able to be “full-time moms,” at least during the most formative years of their children’s lives, and many others would like to be. Some may have to work part- or full-time; some may work at home; some may divide their lives into periods of home and family and work. What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else."

"Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: “The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less”(Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11)."

Well I'm going to have to cut my thoughts short cause I've got a little guy here screaming for attention--literally!

About Mare's Borrowed Thoughts

2008-10-17T07:44:00.000-07:00

I'm a self-proclaimed borrower, mostly of ideas. I borrow ideas for Primary activities, birthday presents, preschool lessons--you name it. I guess what I'm really saying is that I don't have a single creative bone in my body :) But I do recognize others wonderful talents in this area so I borrow from them! Anyway anyone who has known me for very long knows that I like to collect thoughts--I'm so inspired by uplifting words. The problem is I have them scattered all over the place--on little scraps of paper, taped to the fridge, hidden in old notebooks--you get the picture. So this blog is going to be a collection of my most favorite borrowed thoughts. I don't really expect anyone to read this blog, it's mostly just for me. But if you come here and get inspired by what you read, that's an added bonus!