Finished or Not

Finished! What a wonderful word! In the past number of months I have looked for things in my life and projects around my house that I can finish. I have finished a blanket that took two years to crochet. I have started and finished a baby afghan for my daughter. I have set goals in doing genealogy and I'm beginning to see those completed. I have finished teaching most of the lessons in seminary, with only two weeks left to go. I have finished two rugs in the last week. I have finished another year of art classes and the associated projects. I have even completed three of our family year books already this year! That has been on my list for a long, long time.Yes to be finished a project or complete a goal brings with it a wonderful feeling.

There are other things that fill my time, that though I diligently work at them, they may never be finished. Working in my yard, doing laundry, caring for my children, cooking meals, baking bread, and the list goes on and on and on. However, with each of these things on my list, there is still a sense of satisfaction as I work on them. I especially love it when I see progress or when I see the lives of those I love enriched or blessed in someway. It is the little daily acts of caring that bring meaning into my life. Some might call these things menial and drudgery. But I find great satisfaction in performing the small acts of service for my family and those I care about.

In addition to things that I can finish, and things that might at some point in time be considered finished though they recur, there are also things that I will never consider finished. Probably raising my family is the top thing on that list. I once heard someone say that, "once a mother, always a mother". I believe that that is true. Half of my children have left home, and yet, I think I worry about them more than I ever did when they were here in our home with us. I don't get to talk to them as often and I don't see them every day anymore. But my heart and my thoughts are very much focussed on them regularly. Another thing that I will never be finished is my scripture study. While I may finish a book of scripture every year, maybe even more, I will always immediately begin another. I love to learn the Gospel and I don't think I will ever be able to learn it all. For this reason I study the Scriptures, conference messages, and seek out uplifting reading material. This has proved to be such a great blessing, and it helps me immensely as I care for my family.

With Mother's Day only a few days away, I can't help but reflect upon the things that fill my time, my thoughts, and my heart. Most of the tasks that I perform are done with my family, or those that I love in mind. I am so grateful to my good husband who works so hard, providing for our family, allowing me to be able to be in our home taking care of these things. I love being a mother! I love having my children visit, share their thoughts, tell me what they're excited about, or even share concerns. I love those moments we have together to play, to counsel, to laugh, to visit, to share, and to teach. Motherhood brings me more joy than any other thing I have ever done in this life. I am so thankful for the privilege and blessing it is to be a mother.

Fake Treats

With one of my children being grade 11 this year we are involved in the annual production of the grade 11 play. As parents we always help out. In addition to helping with the meal, this year I also accepted the assignment to make fake baked goods which will be used as props on the set. This has been a project that was more challenging than I had anticipated. Making fake food takes way longer than just making up a batch of goodies. Being a crafty sort of thing, I have had the participation and help of some of my children in this endeavor. Together we have made cupcakes, brownies, cookies, and donuts. The cupcakes are made out of plaster-of-paris with half a styrofoam ball glued on top and then iced with royal icing which turns rock-hard. The brownies are made out of sponges painted brown and then iced with brown royal icing. The cookies and donuts were made out of salt dough, baked until they were completely dry, and then painted and frosted. Everything looked very real and quite delicious. If you hadn't known what the ingredients were you might be tempted to sample something.

I found it ironic that we finished making all these sweet confections just before April Fools' Day. We never thought to use them as a joke, but afterwards the kids couldn't help but think what a great joke it would have been! We had a few people that saw the treats and if we had not told them that they were fake they were pretty convinced that they were real. I even had one person who when they saw them, they said, "it looks like you've been doing some baking!" Had she actually sampled one of them I think she would have been very disappointed.

Because I know what these foods are made from, it doesn't matter that they sat for a week waiting to be taken to the school. It doesn't matter that I see them more than once a day. There is no desire in me to eat or sample what their appearance suggests that they are. One of the hardest things in life is to discern the difference between a deception and a truth. We live in a world that is filled with deceptions and falsehoods. So how do you tell the difference? Recognizing the reason for deceptions and lies is a big help. All these things come from the great imitator, our mortal adversary, even Lucifer himself. He imitates good things all the time. He whispers lies into our ears and tells us that to partake of these things will be wonderful and satisfying - they will enrich our lives. He seeks to convince us that happiness is an equivalent of a momentary pleasure. He would have us believe that to give into selfish desires will make us feel whole and complete. He even tries to convince us that religion is outmoded or "old-fashioned". He would have us believe that we do not need God. He is very good at making these things look real and sound appealing.

Would you like to sample a cupcake or perhaps bite into a brownie? When you know that it is false the whole feeling of desire for that treat is lost. As we learn to discern between between good and evil that same thing happens. As we desire goodness, anything that we can recognize as being from the adversary loses its appeal completely. As we engage in actions and habits that lift, it becomes easier to discern between the two. We have scriptures and modern-day prophets that speak to us the words of Christ and testify of where happiness comes from. As we pray upon these things our hearts are quickened and discernment comes. Our Sunday meetings and worthily partaking of the sacrament also increase our ability to discern between good and evil. These things represent real food that is satisfying and enjoyable. It is the food of the spirit which sustains us and gives us hope and joy and happiness. 

Fake food, no matter how good it looks, is of no value to us. There is no nourishment. All things that come from the adversary are designed to sap our spiritual energy and offer us nothing in return. Let us seek for the genuine thing, found through the Saviour Jesus Christ, bringing joy and peace and happiness in its wake. The truth of goodness and righteousness is found in the living of a Christ-like life.

Fish Tailing

A couple of weeks ago I was on my way home with my daughter who was driving. We were on a gravel road which had some pretty pronounced grooves in it and the gravel in between was deep. At one point a little gopher hopped up out of the ditch and ran across the road as we approached. My daughter has a definite distaste for gophers, and she immediately swerved to hit the gopher which put her into a very deep, thick gravel. Immediately the car began to fishtail and I could see her foot going for the brake. I calmly stated, "Do not brake," and then I put my hand on the wheel and helped her stear as we went back-and-forth being pulled by the gravel. As the car slowed, control was regained and we were able to continue on without incident. She thanked me and I could tell she meant it, for there had been a moment of fear there when she had felt the car being taken from her control as the driver. I know that she learned a valuable lesson that will serve her well when she is driving on her own in the future.

In the time that has followed I have thought about this experience. Driving on a gravel road can be related to life. Sometimes we get distracted and we veer off the proven path and suddenly find ourselves in unfamiliar territory, fish tailing uncontrollably. We no longer know how to respond to the situations or circumstances that we find ourselves in. And quite often there is fear in our hearts as we wonder how we can possibly get our lives under control and get back on the path that will take us to the destination we seek. Listening to those we trust can really help us in these times of uncertainty. Just as my daughter listened to me, and allowed me to help her we must be willing to listen to our Savior, Jesus Christ and his prophets who are upon the earth, teaching and guiding us with His words, even the words of eternal life. We also find this direction in the holy Scriptures, and I know that as we pray about the things we read that the Holy Ghost will testify to our souls of the truth and that we will also receive revelation, personal revelation, that will guide us back to the path as we make the necessary changes in our lives that are required of us. 

By focussing on the Saviour of this world, we exercise faith rather than fear. This is essential for our progress toward God. Those little gophers may manifest in many different ways. They may be distractions. They maybe pressures, deadlines, attitudes, and even beliefs. But anything that takes us away from the Savior, Jesus Christ, can cause fishtailing and requires a course correction. I am so grateful for the stabilizing influence of my Redeemer. Just as my daughter and I felt calm and peaceful as the car came under control, Jesus Christ can bring peace to our hearts as we seek Him. I am so grateful for the joy this knowledge of brings to me. I have been blessed to feel of His peace, even in those times when life seems to be fishtailing uncontrollably, He has been there for me. Because of His presence and guidance, I am able to hang on without panicking and hitting the brakes and I know that I am carefully guided and assisted back toward the path that will lead me to the destination, the Eternal destination which I seek.

The Cat of Many Colors

Last night I enjoyed the first of a series of oil painting classes. For my palette, I used a palette shaped board but it did not have a cover of any kind. As the class lasts for several weeks, I felt that I would like to figure something out to prevent the paint from drying out before the class ends, but I couldn't think of what to do... Meanwhile my palette sat out in the open. Before lunch I prepared the next board for next weeks class but I still hadn't figured out a solution for my oil painting palette. Quite honestly, I forgot about it as there were several other things pressing upon me and requiring my attention.

About three hours later, we happened to notice our cat who was soundly sleeping on the living room chair... he looked like he was bleeding. Upon closer inspection I immediately knew he had found my oil paint palette. He had blue's and reds all over his paws and in a few other places. Now how do you clean oil paint out of a cat?!? Chad was here and he was able to help me, thank goodness, because it was a minimum of a two person job! After rubbing as much off of him with a dry cloth, we decided it was time to use soap and water. Thankfully, oil paint is a vegetable base paint so it cleans up with soap and water quite nicely. However, Charlie did not like the tub of water we put him in. He kept meowing his displeasure, but you know he submitted to what we were doing. He got pretty wet, but he cleaned up well. There is a little residual on his paws that we were not able to get. Hopefully, he didn't swallow too much of it in his own efforts to remove it. Naturally, the chair he had been sleeping in, areas on the floor and other places he had been also needed attention.

There are two things about this experience that come to mind. First of all, it was pretty much my fault that he got into my paint. I had left it with the intention of taking care of it and then forgotten. Despite my fault, nobody pointed a single finger at me, for which I am deeply grateful. Instead, everyone pitched in and helped clean up the mess (the kids were home before we got done). Second of all, Charlie who was the one who suffered for my mistake, yet he didn't lash out or scratch or bite, he simply submitted to our ministrations and allowed us to clean him up. The effects of sin are so much like that paint! It leaves its telltale signs. When a person sins, pointing fingers of blame or accusation increase the damages by hurting relationships and feelings. There was none of this, not even from Charlie. Sometimes we are hurt by other peoples mistakes, yet Charlie taught me something about how to respond to that kind adversity. He submitted and allowed me to do my best to correct the problem. Sometimes when we are hurt we fight back and make it difficult for others to correct their mistakes. In some cases we even refuse to recognize their efforts. We must never give in to this type of temptation. 

Charlie's example of submission also teaches me to submit to the ministrations of my Savior in my life as He helps me overcome my weaknesses and mistakes. The process isn't always easy, in fact it usually is hard, but it is always worth it. Imagine... To discover such lessons from a cat! I am thankful to be reminded of the joy of the atonement today. I have had much on my mind, and to discover these simple yet divine truths in a simple experience is exciting and joyful. Oh, and Charlie cleaned up beautifully as he dried near the warmth of the fireplace.

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Last night as I was finishing lesson preparations from the book of Ezra which deals with the adversity the Jews faced in rebuilding the temple even with the support of King Cyrus, I was reminded of a lesson from my youth where we were taught about lemons. As a second thought, I decided to include the same quote in my lesson...

It just so happens that I had lemons in the fridge so this morning I grabbed some sugar, a knife and my lemon and brought them to seminary. I printed the above photo on a sticky note for each of my students and I was set. What I didn't anticipate was the degree to which I would be taught by my students!

I displayed my lemon prominently at the front of the room all through the lesson without explanation. At the end of the lesson I showed the following saying about adversity...

I asked my class how God had watched over them in times of adversity or helped them in their challenges. One girl shared her feelings about the atonement, saying that she has found that she has to rely upon the enabling power of the Atonement of Christ to help her when she doesn't feel strong enough. I realized as she spoke, that it is the enabling power of the Atonement of Christ that is the sweet nectar that changes bitterness into sweetness, or lemons into lemonade. 

After the lesson I provided the materials needed for each of my students to experience making lemonade from a real lemon. I provided each of them with a quarter of a lemon, ample amounts of sugar and of course water. They were not told how much to use, but were left on their own to make their lemonade. One student who had never made lemonade from a lemon before was so amazed at how good the drink was. She commented a couple of times on her discovery and expressed a desire to go home and make more after school.

I couldn't help but think how our adversity and challenges in life CAN become as sweet and amazing as her lemonade was to her. They never feel that way when we are in them, especially at the onset, but as we apply the sweetening nectar of the Atonement with its enabling and strengthening power in our lives, those trials become sweet and almost hallowed. We begin to see God's hand helping us and guiding us, strengthening and supporting us. And as we become aware of His great goodness we begin to understand that it was through our adversity that we were turned to Him and the sweetness and joy of His blessings begin to abound... even if the adversity persists. I KNOW because I have had some very hard challenges in my life, and yet, those things have become sacred to me because of what they have helped me become, and because of the awareness they instilled in me of the love of my God for me. There is great joy in the process of refinement, even though it is hard. To draw closer to God rather than away from Him in our adversities yields blessings untold.

One Tiny Little Rock

The other day as I was coming home from teaching seminary, I began to notice an awful squealing noise... At first I was hopeful that it was coming from on of the nearby farms and that it wasn't my car, but after I got off the gravel road, and turned onto the highway, there was no longer any doubt - it was me. I didn't go more than a 100 feet down the highway before turning around and high tailing it for the mechanics shop. As I drove the noise persisted. I couldn't help but wonder if our mechanic could hear me coming from his shop!

I was blessed in that when I arrived at the shop, the mechanic was able to take a look at my car. He diagnosed a rock in the tire, but could not find it in the usual place, meaning he had to take the tire off. I sat down to wait, hoping that he would indeed find a rock and not some other malady. About 10 minutes later he came in holding a very tiny piece of gravel - about half the size of my fingernail. I was amazed that such a tiny rock could be the culprit for so much noise! I was so thankful to have it gone! I guess a rock in a tire is kind of like having a rock in your shoe, until you get it out, it is hard to think of anything else! 

I was blessed further in that my mechanic did not charge me for the work he did. That leaves it up to me to pay it forward. 

Our plans for the day, were to drive to Cardston to attend the temple. As we traveled I worked on my next seminary lesson, but there was something about that little rock that left an impression on me. Sometimes, we get little rocks in our souls and we don't always treat them like we would if they were in our shoe. If we get a rock in our shoe, we usually stop, and dump it out. It is quickly forgotten and we move on steadily and confidently. However, a rock in the soul is often lodged so deeply and securely near our heart that we don't know how to get rid of it. It may be an injustice we have suffered, a shock, a betrayal, or even an act of abuse. By choosing to leave it there, wedged next to our heart, we are barely able to function and go about our daily responsibilities. Relationships suffer, individuals are pushed away or discarded, all in the name of the tiny squealing rock. It looks and feels like a boulder. 

Rather than removing the rock, we begin to blame others for its presence in the first place and for the resultant noise it is making. Gossip starts, collusion begins, alliances are formed, and before we know it our heart is in a state of war as it listens to the insistent screams of the rock which is now so firmly wedged, that the thought of removal is promises pain. As odd as it may sound, if it were removed, all the excuses and justifications would have to go with it. Faced with that, the rock has become a safety net - painful though it may be, it is clung to as though it were part of our original composition. We begin to lie to ourselves just so that we can hang onto all we have built up around it... We think about it everyday. If we were let it go what would we focus on? How would we continue to justify everything we have done thus far to explain our need for that squealing rock?

And yet, the rock is still a foreign object. It doesn't belong where it is. And if we really honestly asked ourselves about it's presence, we would quite quickly wish it away. But we have put to much work into explaining its presence that to have it removed is scary. Someone we value might label us bad or not want to associate with us anymore. Is it worth getting rid of? And how do you get rid of a rock that is wedged so tightly near your heart even though you hate the noise of it in your life?

Just like I did not know how to fix my car, there is only one way to get rid of a rock that is wedged near our hearts. We must go to the Master Mechanic. Only through His redeeming love can it be removed. It is also up to us to help him. We do this by desiring to have it gone from our lives, and then letting it go. When the mechanic showed me the rock I was amazed by it smallness because it seemed like something making that much noise should have been a LOT bigger! I had no desire to keep it. It was quickly discarded in the garbage and forgotten. When we give our rocks to the Savior, we should do so so completely that we would never consider asking for them back, or wishing that we had them. However, if we were to look at them, we would be shocked at just how small they really are!

The great beauty in all this, is that the Master Mechanic does not require a fee for His services just like my mechanic did not require a fee of me. Instead, all He asks of us is to do good to others, to be a blessing in the lives of all we know rather than a curse. As we do this, He lifts our burdens from us and we become free to feel happy again. Free to let the bonds of justification and blame drop away. The happiness that comes is so tangible and liberating that it is worth giving away EVERY sin to possess it! What joy fills my heart as I ponder the great love that my Savior, Jesus Christ has for me. He has removed many rocks from my soul, and I have been blessed to know of the happiness that is promised. He is the surest, fastest way to JOY that we have and others see it in us. Later that day as I was leaving the temple, I had a lady approach me and tell me how happy I looked. I WAS happy. I still am HAPPY. My happiness has come through letting little rocks be removed from my soul through Christ.

Valentine's Package

We had so much fun yesterday! We have been collecting items for the last four or five days to fill a special box just for Naomi. Her first care package from us. We wanted to go along a Valentines theme even though she won't receive it for Valentines. So here's what we did.

First we used red wrapping paper to line the inside of the box and then we covered the bottom of the box with white glitter paper just to make it look pretty. The insides of the flaps were decorated with pink and red scrapbook paper that we wrote messages of love on and decorated. Charity and Breanna did most of the box decorating. While they were doing that Myles and I, worked in the kitchen baking a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies to send along. Hopefully they stay fresh enough that she can enjoy them by the time that they get to her. While we were doing that, dad was popping popcorn and filled a great big bowl for us. As soon as the cookies were done baking we mixed up a light caramel sauce and then made caramel popcorn. By that time the box was all decorated. We filled it full of things that we hope will delight Naomi. We put in red sticky notes, red chocolate bars like Kit Kat and Crispy  Crunch, we put in some brand-new pens, and an address book so she has a place for the addresses of the special people she wants to remember. Charity made a little heart pillow, and we made half a dozen candy roses out of Hershey kisses, creating a small bouquet of flowers to go on top of everything. Last week I also crocheted a headband for her to help her keep her ears warm out there in the cold. The box also had two dozen cookies. It was well packed. Once all the items were in we put a great big layer of cellophane on top and then we dumped in as much caramel popcorn as we needed to fill all the spaces. We left a small hollow in the top to hold the bouquet of flowers. And then we folded in the flaps and added a few little springing hearts and a card for her to find as she begins to open her box. And then Dad helped us tape it all up nice and solid. We used so much tape, that we were tempted to blame the wrapping job on Brandon and Alisha… Ha ha.

Well we didn't stop there. After we had the box all taped up in the address put on, we wrote messages on the outside of the box with a marker. It was Ffamily Day, but to our surprise the post office was open so Charity, Breanna and I set out to mail our package. It weighed almost 7 pounds. We were told she will receive it next Tuesday, a week from today. I wish I could be a fly on the wall and watch her open that package. If she has as much fun opening it as we had packing it will have to do this often. What a great family project! It gets everyone involved!

I forgot to take pictures as we made the package so I can't even include pictures but, maybe she'll take some pictures of her opening it up - that would be cool. There is much joy in the thoughtful things that we are able to do for each other.

Serve With Honor

Serve with honor – those are the words we used to send our sweet daughter, Naomi, off into the mission field where she will share her knowledge and belief of God and his restored gospel here upon this earth with all who will listen to her. What a great challenge and what an honor for her to be entrusted by the Lord to take His message of joy and happiness to a corner of the world where it is needed. Naomi will spend two weeks in Provo, Utah in the Missionary Training Center where she will be taught a crash course in how to teach by the spirit. The material she will be teaching is nothing new to her, as she is already well acquainted with the gospel of Jesus Christ. From Utah, Naomi will travel to Halifax, Canada where she will serve for a period of up to two months. This is her visa waiting portion of her mission. From Halifax, Naomi will then travel to the Nampa, Idaho mission where she'll spend the remaining months of her mission time there.

Here is Naomi with her group in the MTC. Sister Mata, her companion, is standing to her right.

I have to admit, that as her mother I have felt a little bit of anxiety at times as we have gone through the process of letting her go. She is never far from my thoughts, but I am so excited for her and the experiences she is having. There are times when I am almost envious. When she flew from Utah to Halifax there was one connection where she only had 30 minutes to catch her next flight. I was a little bit concerned about that one. I remember looking at the clock at five minutes before her flight was to leave and offering a silent prayer that she would make it to her gate on time. As we spoke later that evening she told me that she had actually sat in the wrong gate. Moments before her plane was to leave she got up and asked someone who knew. I am certain that the Lord heard and answered my prayer and as a result she was impressed to ask for assistance, because she had just enough time to get to where she needed to be to catch her plane. What a delightful blessing it is to have the Lord watching over my missionary. I love the spirit that has come more abundantly into our home as we ponder on missionary work and as we send letter and packages to her.

Naomi has barely been gone two weeks but already we feel the blessings flowing into our lives. The Lord is so aware of us. He is so mindful of our needs. He is so generous in blessing us daily. I am so thankful for the opportunities we have to ponder His hand in our lives as well as to see His hand guiding and training Naomi in His work - that of building up His kingdom here on the earth.

A Lifetime of Accumulation

Last week I was privileged to help an older couple pack up their home in preparation for moving. They have lived there for nearly 20 years and there was a lot of stuff to go through. How do you decide what you keep and what you throw away? How do you decide if someone else would find it usable or garbage? How do you decide when to let go of the sentimental things that you have collected through your life?

This is not the first time that I have helped older couples pack up their belongings in preparation for a move. I have helped people organize rooms and spaces and the same questions are just as relevant in that time as they are in a move. In fact, I have asked myself some of these questions when I declutter in my own home.  

It is my experience that when we downsize and simplify our homes, there is a feeling of space or freedom that comes. It is a delightful! It would seem that every possession we have to keep track of in our homes causes mind clutter. We have to mentally keep track of it too. There are times when I have purchased things and completely forgotten that I even have them. But more often than not, I remember purchasing something, but I simply cannot remember where I put it away.

So taking all these things into consideration, I was talking with my husband a few nights ago and we were talking about letting things go. There are feelings we experience in life that build, accumulate, and sometimes become overwhelming. How do you decide what to let go of? How do you decide if a feeling blesses or curses you or those you love? How do you decide which feelings have been accumulated simply from habit and comfort rather than from need? How do you decide which of those comfortable feelings are harming you? And most importantly, how do you let go of them?

I have been told by some that you cannot let things go – rather you have to hang onto them, cling to them, as you work through them. But what is the sense of holding on, and clinging to things that hinder your progress. Is it not like trying to shove one more material item into a box, or a corner, or a cupboard and finding all of those things so full that you find yourself having to leave it on the floor? have you ever tripped over one of those things?

 The day will come that if we want to move on with our lives we will have to box up some of these feelings and completely eradicate them from our hearts. This is what I saw this older couple do with their possessions last week. They had so many bags and boxes that they filled full of items that were no longer useful or beneficial to them. Some of it went to the dump, and some of it went to recycle. Either way, these are things that they will never stumble over again and wonder what to do with. 

Our feelings that trip us up, need to be boxed up or bag and carried from our lives. We may decide to take them to the dump, symbolically letting them go as we recognize that they hold us back and prevent us from progressing. We may bag them up and send them to recycle symbolically handing them to our Savior where He takes those negative feelings, purifies and perfects them and then offers us the replacements in the form of love. Love for ourselves, love for our neighbors, and a love that radiates to all we meet! He is there to bless us and help us as we let go and eliminate things that should not linger permanently in our hearts. AndHhe is the only one that can do this.

I have felt Him work his miracles work in my heart. I have had an increase of joy, love, and all forms of goodness as I have given over to Him the destructive, dark feelings that have sought a place in me. I am so thankful I have not hung onto them, or found comfort in them or felt the need to cling to them for some idea of identity or purpose. I am so grateful I can purge my life of the useless feelings that do not benefit me. This is a moving job for the Savior. He comes into your heart and helps you box up those unneeded things and he takes them away for you and that makes room in your heart for love, peace, and joy everlasting.

Knowing Better

The other day as I came into the living room, there was a flutter of wings and a lot of commotion near the birdcage. Upon investigating I discovered that my cat had managed to get himself in between the house plants and the cage and it was really upsetting the birds. Now, Charlie knows better. We have gotten after him a number of times over the last year for similar incidents. In fact, he even knocked the birdcage down one Sunday shortly after we got him. It scared him so bad that he went and hid until we got home from church. Thankfully the birds had the good sense to stay in the cage because they could have gotten out. So he knows better. Stuck in a space barely big enough to turn around, he was caught and reprimanded. I firmly said, "Charlie, get out of there!" And it was enough to send him running. He literally exuded guilt. 

He is similar when it comes to scratching the furniture. He knows better, he knows that that isn't allowed. But for some reason he can't seem to resist. When I hear it happening, All I have to do is firmly call out "Charlie, stop it!" Usually he'll stop and slink away but if he doesn't, all I have to do is start walking toward him, and off he goes.

It is an interesting phenomenon. Not only do I see it in my cat, but I have witnessed it in my children quite often. I have to chuckle when I come around the kitchen corner, just in those hours before it's time to eat, and discover them they're eating something that they know they shouldn't be eating that close to supper. They always jump, or act guilty, or try to sneak away without discovery. But I know that they know better.

What is it about us, that when we know better, we still justify doing something we know we shouldn't do. I have taken the opportunity over a period of several years, for frequent self-introspection. I have always had a high guilt consciousness, or as I often fondly refer to it as my overactive conscience. However, I am thankful for my conscience. It has prevented me from doing things that I knew I should not do and as a result, I have seldom found myself stuck between houseplants and birdcages, wishing for a way to escape. I am so thankful for this blessing. I don't know what I did to deserve such a diligent conscience, but I am thankful to my Heavenly Father for it. It has never steered me wrong. Doing something you know is wrong, even when no one is around, will never relieve you of the guilt and regrets that come with it... Especially when you know better.

I will continue to remind my cat to behave. I will continue to remain my children of the blessings of obedience. And I will continue to be grateful for my own blessing of an overactive conscience. Listening to that conscience has become a source of joy that brings with it peace and happiness. I am thankful that I know better!

Congestion to Health

Happy New Year! I can say that now, because I mostly have a voice again, and I can breathe like I'm supposed to!!! Today I celebrated my return to health by doing some serious cleaning in my house. I focused my efforts on only one room. I found dust bunnies, dirty laundry, I even found a knitting pattern that I thought I had lost forever… It feels so good to have things organized and in their place where they belong.

This morning I attended a Relief Society breakfast. After the meal they gave us a message and encouraged us to set some goals specifically for ourselves. When I came home, I pondered the goals that I wanted to set. I have goals that I made last year or the year before that I want to continue to do for the rest of my life. I realized that to be at my best, and to be most effective in achieving these new goals as well as carrying on with the old ones, that having things neat and tidy and clean would help me accomplish this desire. This room being clean makes it possible to study the gospel more effectively, think clearly, pray sincerely, and feel the peace of the Savior. In fact, I think that this was the first step in accomplishing the goals I have set for myself for this year.

Now having just gotten over a bad cold, I feel much like this room being recently cleansed and organized again. There is no longer anything in my sinuses plugging me up and inhibiting me from taking a breath, my lungs are mostly clear, my eyes are no longer heavy and droopy, my skin is no longer chapped and dry, my throat is no longer itchy and sore, and I no longer have a cough that expels every drop of breath within me. Having those things gone is so much like cleaning a room. It feels great!

As a seminary teacher, I can't help but see the parallel to the atonement of Christ which both heals and cleanses our lives. I'm so grateful for the reminders of these things that I've had today. It is a joy to me to be clean and pure. I am not perfect, I make mistakes, and just like the room that I cleaned today – sometimes things get cluttered and need to be put right again, and sometimes I catch a bug and get sick, but I know that it is through the atonement of Jesus Christ and through obedience to His laws that spiritual cleansing and purification come to pass.