Comparison is a Beast

I quit Facebook. And yet I didn't. I figured ten minutes to get rid of all my notifications wouldn't be a big deal.

Boy, was I wrong.

In ten minutes, I fought being offended and I fought being disgusted by what others think is okay for their kids.

I need to REALLY quit Facebook. It's not good for me.

New Beginnings

My second daughter attended New Beginnings tonight, as one of the new Beehives coming in this year. The YW president talked about all new beginnings, not just coming into Young Women. It made me think of what my new beginnings are.

Or what I want my new beginnings to be.

I want to get back to all my positive qualities that I've tried to attain through the years. It seems I get into good habits and then I forget and slide back down after a little while. I just want the habits to stick permanently. Wouldn't life be so much easier if that's how it worked?? :D

My new beginnings are actually old beginnings that I want to resurrect!

Ponder

(image courtesy)

I love this quote from Elder Hales:

Pondering takes our thoughts from the trivial things of this world and brings us closer to the gentle, guiding hand of our Maker as we heed the “still small voice” of the Holy Ghost (see 1 Kgs. 19:12; 1 Ne. 17:45; D&C 85:6). In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord spoke to David Whitmer: “Your mind has been on the things of the earth more than on the things of … your Maker … ; you have not given heed unto my Spirit” (D&C 30:2).

Pondering the things of the Lord—His word, His teachings, His commandments, His life, His love, the gifts He has given us, His Atonement for us—brings about a tremendous feeling of gratitude for our Savior and for the life and blessings He has given us.

(found in this talk)

Spring Cleaning

(image courtesy)

Spring is basically here, and I'm feeling it! It was a LONG winter this year, so I'm just excited to let the kids go out and play for hours a day!

I feel the urge to physically clean, but I'm also feeling a mental "spring cleaning" wanting to emerge. I want all areas of my life to be cleaned out and "rebooted."

Having a one year old makes it nearly impossible to have some quiet time, but I'm going to make it happen!! I want to be the one choosing how my life goes. I'm done letting life happen to me!

This Life is a Journey

(image courtesy)

Some days, I get to the end of the day and wonder, "What did I do all day??"

My friend says these are days where "victory lists" are essential. These are lists of the things I DID accomplish, rather than to-do lists of things still left undone.

I love this concept of Victory Lists. But even still, I don't want my entire victory list to be things like, "I threw in another load of laundry." Yes, laundry is important. But I want a victory list full of ESSENTIAL things.

What IS essential?

The answer to that question will be different for all of us. We're all in different seasons in life, with different things pulling at us and shaping us.

But for me, having a bit of silence is one of those ESSENTIAL things.

The world is so loud. So busy. So distracting.

Sometimes I feel like Jasmine in Disney's Aladdin, when Jafar sticks her in the hourglass. The sand just keeps falling on her. She tries to escape, but there is none. Finally, Aladdin breaks the glass, and she's free! Silence is that freedom for me. Silence helps me get centered again. It helps me realize the other ESSENTIAL things I need to be doing.

My new goal: Have a bit of silence in the morning! Maybe if I start my day off right, I can create one of those victory lists to be proud of!

Blog Title

(image courtesy)

The chorus to I Am a Child of God reads:

Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday.

I've always wondered when - or if - they'll change it to "Teach me all that I must be."

I can go through the motions and still not truly have a testimony.

I can show up to church and still not believe.

But to be?

I want to BE kind, not simply ACT kind. I want to BE happy, not PRETEND to be happy.

I want to be. And thus, a new blog has emerged. I'm not really sure where I'm going to go with this blog, but welcome to the journey!