Every morning when our family gets together to have scripture study before school, we also have a family devotional. Each week the topic changes and each day the person giving the devotional changes.
Today was my day to give the devotional and the topic was on "being cheerful". My though was that we cannot control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond and react to what happens to us. It is all about our attitude. We can "choose to be" cheerful, even when things don't quite go our way.
Later on in the afternoon, I was reading a paper that came home from one of my kids teachers and it talked about attitude. How fitting!! I was inspired by the quotes on the paper and thought I would share, especially since they went so well with my devotional;
"Attitude is everything!"
"Go for the WOW factor!"
"Effort is the key to success"
"If you don't believe, you will never achieve"
"What you put in is what you get out"
"If you aim for nowhere, that is just where you will go"
"Failure comes with can't, success comes with can!"
Amen! Attitude really is everything!
This week's challenge: aim for a positive attitude
Monday, November 14, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Week 41: Gratitude, Gratitude, Gratitude
Yesterday was a pretty amazing day. The night before on Friday, my husband mentioned that one of his lung cancer patients was raising money for lung cancer and was participating in the "2011 Free to Breathe" race. He said that he would like to participate and wanted to know if I would like to join him. "Sure" I responded. A nice 3.1 mile run in the morning sounded good and it was for a good cause. Little did I know what I was about to gain from that little decision.
We arrived the next morning and registered for the race. 600 people were there. It was a beautiful fall morning and the excitement was in the air. Many people wore signs who they were running "In memory" for. Some of the people had green shirts on. They were special, because they had lung cancer and were running for themselves. One of them was my husbands patient. She was ecstatic to see us. She greeted my husband with a big smile and warm words of gratitude to him for supporting her. Before the race started, she was able to speak to all the participants in gratitude for what they were doing and for helping support lung cancer. She mentioned gratitude for her family and even for her oncologist (my husband) for being there. I could tell this meant a lot to her.
The race started and we actually did quite well. But what was really rewarding was watching all the people cross the finish line in support of Free to Breathe and those with lung cancer. I was touched by those in the green shirts who were racing for their lives.
As we were waiting for the awards, my husband's patient was eager to introduce her parents, sister, and family members to my husband, her doctor. I listened to her parents thank my husband for helping their daughter and that just a year ago at the same race her mother didn't think they would be there yesterday. How grateful they felt. I sat there and listened to my husband's patient brag about and praise my husband to her family. I sat in awe and listened to her say how much she appreciated and loved my husband for what he had done for her over this last year since she had been diagnosed. Very sincerely she told me that my husband helps make her feel that she can do this. Then she began to thank me for sharing him and how hard that must be for me to sacrifice being away from my husband so much so that he can help touch the lives of his patients for the better.
I was more than humbled as I sat and listened to what was being said. I was humbled and grateful for this incredible husband I have and for the blessing I got to see first hand how his life touches the lives of others. And I was humbled to be in the presence of this amazing woman who has not sat back and said, "Oh, poor me, I have cancer, I will just sit back and give up the fight", but who has stood with courage over this last year with a smile on her face and in service to others and in the fight for herself and others with cancer.
I walked away yesterday getting so much more out of this experience than I went in giving. I walked away with a greater desire to be more like this amazing woman and to live my life with an attitude of gratitude for every day I have to live and for the little things I have, with the courage to make a difference in the world, with a desire to serve, to attack every day with a smile and positive attitude, and to never take anything for granted.
I am grateful that Heavenly Father allowed me to have and learn from this experience. It was truly a tender mercy that humbles me to strive to be better in all aspects in my life and to always be grateful for the little things.
This week's challenge: to live with an attitude of gratitude!
We arrived the next morning and registered for the race. 600 people were there. It was a beautiful fall morning and the excitement was in the air. Many people wore signs who they were running "In memory" for. Some of the people had green shirts on. They were special, because they had lung cancer and were running for themselves. One of them was my husbands patient. She was ecstatic to see us. She greeted my husband with a big smile and warm words of gratitude to him for supporting her. Before the race started, she was able to speak to all the participants in gratitude for what they were doing and for helping support lung cancer. She mentioned gratitude for her family and even for her oncologist (my husband) for being there. I could tell this meant a lot to her.
The race started and we actually did quite well. But what was really rewarding was watching all the people cross the finish line in support of Free to Breathe and those with lung cancer. I was touched by those in the green shirts who were racing for their lives.
As we were waiting for the awards, my husband's patient was eager to introduce her parents, sister, and family members to my husband, her doctor. I listened to her parents thank my husband for helping their daughter and that just a year ago at the same race her mother didn't think they would be there yesterday. How grateful they felt. I sat there and listened to my husband's patient brag about and praise my husband to her family. I sat in awe and listened to her say how much she appreciated and loved my husband for what he had done for her over this last year since she had been diagnosed. Very sincerely she told me that my husband helps make her feel that she can do this. Then she began to thank me for sharing him and how hard that must be for me to sacrifice being away from my husband so much so that he can help touch the lives of his patients for the better.
I was more than humbled as I sat and listened to what was being said. I was humbled and grateful for this incredible husband I have and for the blessing I got to see first hand how his life touches the lives of others. And I was humbled to be in the presence of this amazing woman who has not sat back and said, "Oh, poor me, I have cancer, I will just sit back and give up the fight", but who has stood with courage over this last year with a smile on her face and in service to others and in the fight for herself and others with cancer.
I walked away yesterday getting so much more out of this experience than I went in giving. I walked away with a greater desire to be more like this amazing woman and to live my life with an attitude of gratitude for every day I have to live and for the little things I have, with the courage to make a difference in the world, with a desire to serve, to attack every day with a smile and positive attitude, and to never take anything for granted.
I am grateful that Heavenly Father allowed me to have and learn from this experience. It was truly a tender mercy that humbles me to strive to be better in all aspects in my life and to always be grateful for the little things.
This week's challenge: to live with an attitude of gratitude!
Week 39: I am a daughter of God
I had a really special experience the week before Halloween that made me stop and remember that I am loved by my Heavenly Father.
As I said, it was the week before Halloween. My plate that week was FULL beyond full. In fact, it was about to topple over, it was so full. It was Tuesday of the week, I had all of my kids off to school except for my two youngest ones. I had just finished teaching a group exercise class and needed to quickly shower so I could put my baby down for a nap and then clean the house before I started teaching piano lessons.
As I quickly got in the shower, I found myself in a moment of feeling VERY overwhelmed as I recalled all I had to do for that specific day in addition to all I needed to accomplish the rest of the week. I felt stretched to thin and as if I was running a marathon without a break and yet not completing all that needed to be done. I immediately found myself in humble prayer, pleading to my Heavenly Father for strength and courage to accomplish all that I needed to do and asking for guidance that I might be able to use my time wisely to complete what was required of me as a mother, a teacher, with my new business, in fulfilling my callings, etc. I got out of the shower and continued to finish getting ready, when I just felt an even deeper need for my Heavenly Father. I needed to know right then that He was there. I just needed to feel His strength. I needed to feel Him close.
I stopped right there, got down on my knees again, and told my Heavenly Father that right there at that moment I needed His strength and I just needed to feel Him near. I told Him (mind you, I have never done this) that I was going to open my scriptures right then and I needed Him to tell me where to read. I stopped and waited, when right away a scripture verse came to my mind as clear as day as if someone was typing it in my head. The verse was Mosiah 27:13 in the Book of Mormon. I opened my scriptures and went directly to the verse.
This chapter in the Book of Mormon describes the story of Alma the Younger and how he, with the four sons of Mosiah, were destroying the Church. Verse 13 begins with an angel, who appeared to them in the previous verse, speaking to them and asking them why they were persecuting the Church? Then the angel said in verse 14; (which is what I felt Heavenly Father wanted me to hear)
"And again, the angel said; Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith."
Nothing more needed to be said. I was overwhelmed with a deep feeling of love from my Heavenly Father to the point that I could physically feel His arms around me. It was as if He was saying, "I know you, I hear you, I am here to be your strength, and I love you." I was reminded again at that moment that I am a daughter of God, that He knows me personally, that He hears every one of my prayers, that He is here to strengthen me and to cheer me on, and that He loves me more that I could ever fathom.
My testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ grew leaps and bounds that moment and in the testimony that I am a daughter of God. That knowledge is priceless and will ever be a beacon of strength to me throughout my life. For that I am ever grateful!
This week's challenge: to live my life in a way that reflects the knowledge that I am a daughter of God
As I said, it was the week before Halloween. My plate that week was FULL beyond full. In fact, it was about to topple over, it was so full. It was Tuesday of the week, I had all of my kids off to school except for my two youngest ones. I had just finished teaching a group exercise class and needed to quickly shower so I could put my baby down for a nap and then clean the house before I started teaching piano lessons.
As I quickly got in the shower, I found myself in a moment of feeling VERY overwhelmed as I recalled all I had to do for that specific day in addition to all I needed to accomplish the rest of the week. I felt stretched to thin and as if I was running a marathon without a break and yet not completing all that needed to be done. I immediately found myself in humble prayer, pleading to my Heavenly Father for strength and courage to accomplish all that I needed to do and asking for guidance that I might be able to use my time wisely to complete what was required of me as a mother, a teacher, with my new business, in fulfilling my callings, etc. I got out of the shower and continued to finish getting ready, when I just felt an even deeper need for my Heavenly Father. I needed to know right then that He was there. I just needed to feel His strength. I needed to feel Him close.
I stopped right there, got down on my knees again, and told my Heavenly Father that right there at that moment I needed His strength and I just needed to feel Him near. I told Him (mind you, I have never done this) that I was going to open my scriptures right then and I needed Him to tell me where to read. I stopped and waited, when right away a scripture verse came to my mind as clear as day as if someone was typing it in my head. The verse was Mosiah 27:13 in the Book of Mormon. I opened my scriptures and went directly to the verse.
This chapter in the Book of Mormon describes the story of Alma the Younger and how he, with the four sons of Mosiah, were destroying the Church. Verse 13 begins with an angel, who appeared to them in the previous verse, speaking to them and asking them why they were persecuting the Church? Then the angel said in verse 14; (which is what I felt Heavenly Father wanted me to hear)
"And again, the angel said; Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith."
Nothing more needed to be said. I was overwhelmed with a deep feeling of love from my Heavenly Father to the point that I could physically feel His arms around me. It was as if He was saying, "I know you, I hear you, I am here to be your strength, and I love you." I was reminded again at that moment that I am a daughter of God, that He knows me personally, that He hears every one of my prayers, that He is here to strengthen me and to cheer me on, and that He loves me more that I could ever fathom.
My testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ grew leaps and bounds that moment and in the testimony that I am a daughter of God. That knowledge is priceless and will ever be a beacon of strength to me throughout my life. For that I am ever grateful!
This week's challenge: to live my life in a way that reflects the knowledge that I am a daughter of God
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