Mothering

Read the entire talk here

Finishing

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."

"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 :)

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

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

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!

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