What do your SPIRITUAL EYEGLASSES allow you to see?

There's a tool for some silly faces on a photo editing app that I used😄 Sister Connie L. Blakemore gave a talk back in 1998 "Our Spiritual Eyeglasses: What You See Is What You Get" where she put on several pair of glasses demonstrating how with each one she had a different perception of things... "The concept of the belief window = The beliefs that we have are the lenses of reality for each of us & are through which you see the world. What you believe determines your focus and in turn your actions. You are seeing things as you believe they are—not so much as things really are. Our challenge is to “finally see as God sees,”....
"...The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7
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I have a body

I have a body & though it is not in the  health that I would like it to be I loved the hope & inspiration to NOT GIVE UP that I received from listening to this today...

"The human body is a magnificent gift and a significant responsibility. It is our Master’s finest creation. Our bodies are sacred temples, worthy of special care and respect. Sacrifice is required to keep our temples in good condition. Do not give up. A fit body is a righteous desire. If we will turn to the Lord and call upon Him, He will help us, but He will not circumvent our agency. With the right attitude and the Lord at our side, we can learn to live a healthy lifestyle, which will enable us to more fully participate in life and enjoy its blessings."

The Human Body: A Gift and a Responsibility - Larry Tucker May 2013

BYU Speeches

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Memorial Day Weekend

Love you Grandpa Rey🌷

"God gave us families to help us become what He wants us to be—

This is how He shares His love, for the fam’ly is of God."

The Family Is of God - Words and music by Matthew Neeley

D&C 89:16 "Good for the use of man"...

Even though I'm not a huge fan of beets, I know how good they are for us & I've become a bit obsessed with their beautiful color, especially when they're juiced! I love President Ezra Taft Benson's talk -Do Not Despair 1974
"The condition of the physical body can affect the spirit. That’s why the Lord gave us the Word of Wisdom...the more food we eat in its natural state and the less it is refined without additives, the healthier it will be for us. Food can affect the mind, and deficiencies in certain elements in the body can promote mental depression."

Being diagnosed with clinical depression 15 years ago, I can certainly attest to the affects & power that food can have over me. I'm learning more & more about this concept of eating foods in a more natural state. I continue to battle addictive behaviors especially with food so I am truly grateful we can turn to the scriptures & heed the counsel of prophets for the help & support we so desperately need & desire.

Raise our voices to him forever...

"I believe Nephi's experience provides a model, a pattern we can apply when we are discouraged or feel affliction or grief.  

If the enemy has us encompassed and we want to rejoice but cannot, we can

...

1. express delight in the things of the Lord and continually ponder our blessings,

2. recount how he has helped us in the past,

3. ask ourselves if we really want to linger in sorrow or despair,

4. direct and command our will and thoughts toward the Lord,

5. ask the Lord to clear the way before us, protect us, and deliver us from our enemies,

6. commit to him that we will trust him and raise our voices to him forever."

My Soul Delighteth in the Things of the Lord -  Stephen Jones April 2004 BYU Speeches

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THE WORDS WE SPEAK...

I love this pencil drawing "A Time to Laugh" by Jean Keaton. I just placed it on a HAPPY YELLOW background:) Listening to a talk by Sister Rosemary Wixom this morning put several things into perspective for me as a parent. Take a moment to listen...
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/the-words-we-speak?lang=eng

"One of the greatest influences a person can have in this world is to influence a child. Everyone within the sound of my voice has the power to increase a child’s confidence in himself or herself and to increase a child’s faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through the words they speak."
Rosemary M. Wixom "The Words We Speak"
Artwork www.jeankeatonart.com

@sharehopehealingpeace (IG)

I do not take the scriptures lightly, but it is my belief that our Father in Heaven has a great sense of humor! He would have us be meek, submissive, full of love as well as FULL OF LIFE... like a child:) Mosiah 3:19... "putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."
#sharehope #sharehealing #sharepeace #mormon #ldsmom #lds #hopehealingpeace #sharegoodness #light #truth #knowledge #peace #prosperity #growth #faith #hope #quoteoftheday #healing #heal #quotesdaily #inspire #inspiringwords #words #laughter #redheads

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May 24, 2016 Most precious gift...

I have been blessed with the opportunity to be an adoptive mother, as well as give birth to 3 of our children. Through our experience with adoption, I have heard birth mothers express concerns of feeling "selfish" because they have chosen to place their child for adoption. My desire is for these Daughters (& Sons) of God to realize that they are not "selfish" in wanting more for their lives. Their strength & their ultimate act of SELF-LESS sacrifice is one of the most pure & precious examples of Christlike love I believe there is.

The following words do not come from our birth mother, but is from an article entitled "Could I Let My Baby Go?" Ensign 2002 - Name Withheld...

"I gradually realized how difficult it was going to be to say good-bye. I had grown to love this baby so much! Through repentance and through turning to the Lord, I had seen a trial become the most precious gift I would ever be able to give: the gift of a child to a childless family.

When the time for parting came it was so hard to see my baby go, but through the comforting strength of the Spirit of the Lord, I found the courage and strength to entrust my child to a couple who had waited and prayed for him for such a long time. I learned that the impossible is in fact possible if one turns to the Lord for help. I had done what our Father in Heaven wanted me to do. I was so grateful for my baby; his strong spirit helped me through many long months. I helped give him life, but he helped give me a second chance at life."

May 19, 2016 Not quite 2 month SABBATICAL😊

A story is told of a caterpillar named Yellow who was trying to find out what she should be doing with her life. In her wanderings she discovered another caterpillar seemingly caught in some gauzy, hairy filament. Concerned, she asked if she could help. He explained that this was all part of the process of becoming a butterfly.

When she heard the word butterfly, her whole insides leapt. “But what is a butterfly?”

The cocooned caterpillar explained: “It’s what you are meant to become.”

Yellow was intrigued but a bit defiant. “How can I believe there’s a butterfly inside you or me when all I see is a fuzzy worm?”

On further reflection she pensively asked, “How does one become a butterfly?”

And the answer? “You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar.”
(Trina Paulus, Hope for the Flowers)

Taken from Wendy L. Watson's Apr 1998 "Change: It’s Always a Possibility! BYU Speeches

Maycee brought her caterpillar home a few weeks ago from school. When I read this butterfly story this morning I knew I would need to pair it with my red-head's fuzzy caterpillar work of art...

💜The ARTIST with her ARTWORK💜

Easter Sunday Mar 27, 2016

WHY WEEPEST THOU?
by Liz Lemon Swindle

John 20:11-16

11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 

12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 

13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 

14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 

15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 

16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

I am so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. and for the gift of His resurrection. I know that He lives & loves each one of us. I know that he made the ultimate sacrifice for us all. He died, so that we all may live. I am grateful that He knows my strengths, He knows my weaknesses, He knows my name......He knows me......and still he shows his grace & mercy. 

He is my everything....

I'm a believer!! Believers ACT!!

Change requires desire & action. One of the many things I've been working on is my personal development...my education. I'm not talking about being enrolled in night classes at the local college either. I've read or listened to several amazing books from people who have mentored, coached, served & helped others along their way.  The remarkable Jim Rohn said, "Don't get lazy in learning. Learning is the beginning of wealth & the beginning of health." I firmly believe that! Who doesn't want to have a higher quality of health, or of wealth? Pick ME! I do!! I've heard it said that if we would read 10 pages of a good book each day, compounded over time- a month, a year... the personal growth resulting from that would astound us. We all know that knowledge is power.  We'll leave this life pretty much how we entered it...except that we get to take our life's lessons, our experiences, our knowledge.  Some of my top choices of "good books", talks & articles:

Mind of Steel - Kirk Duncan
Instrument of Your Mind & the Foundation of Your Character - Boyd K. Packer/BYU Speeches
You Are My Hands - Dieter F. Uchtdorf
The Slight Edge - Jeff Olsen


Proverbs 4:7 "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding."

Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me 

Enough to die for me! 

Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me! 

 (“I Stand All Amazed,” Hymns, no. 193.)

I just keep thinking about how the apostles & prophets have had successful business careers. I need to search & see what their advice is on trying to have all of it work for the good. I want to build the kingdom as well as build my business.

I feel like I'm on a roller-coaster going in all different directions. I can feel myself disengage & just want an out so...enter, food!! Binging is the quickest way to shut down my brain. My body is just protecting itself from over heating, if I can look at it that way. That's kind of a light bulb moment right there. I need to stop being angry at my body for doing it's job to protect & find "comfort".

I will focus my study time on what I've felt prompted to do the last few days which is to LEARN OF ME, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.  -Matthew 11:28-29

I love SUNSHINE!!!

"Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended."
Isaiah 60:20

There is sunshine in my soul today, 

More glorious and bright 

Than glows in any earthly sky, 

For Jesus is my light. 

Oh, there's sunshine, blessed sunshine 

When the peaceful happy moments roll. 

When Jesus shows his smiling face, 

There is sunshine in the soul.

Text: Eliza E. Hewitt, 1851-1920
Music: John R. Sweney, 1837-1899

Gratitude: the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation...

I am so grateful for leaders who guide, instruct & offer words of comfort...from Jeffrey R. Holland, “Like a Broken Vessel,” Ensign, Nov. 2013, 40–41.

"I wish to speak to those who suffer from some form of mental illness or emotional disorder, whether those afflictions be slight or severe, of brief duration or persistent over a lifetime. … These afflictions are some of the realities of mortal life, and there should be no more shame in acknowledging them than in acknowledging a battle with high blood pressure or the sudden appearance of a malignant tumor. …

"Let me … concentrate on MDD—‘major depressive disorder’—or, more commonly, ‘depression.’ When I speak of this, I am not speaking of bad hair days, tax deadlines, or other discouraging moments we all have. Everyone is going to be anxious or downhearted on occasion. … Today I am speaking of something more serious, of an affliction so severe that it significantly restricts a person’s ability to function fully, a crater in the mind so deep that no one can responsibly suggest it would surely go away if those victims would just square their shoulders and think more positively—though I am a vigorous advocate of square shoulders and positive thinking! …

"So how do you best respond when mental or emotional challenges confront you or those you love? Above all, never lose faith in your Father in Heaven, who loves you more than you can comprehend. … Never, ever doubt that, and never harden your heart. Faithfully pursue the time-tested devotional practices that bring the Spirit of the Lord into your life. Seek the counsel of those who hold keys for your spiritual well-being. Ask for and cherish priesthood blessings. Take the sacrament every week, and hold fast to the perfecting promises of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Believe in miracles. … Hope is never lost. If those miracles do not come soon or fully or seemingly at all, remember the Savior’s own anguished example: if the bitter cup does not pass, drink it and be strong, trusting in happier days ahead [see Matthew 26:39]. …

"If things continue to be debilitating, seek the advice of reputable people with certified training, professional skills, and good values. … If you had appendicitis, God would expect you to seek a priesthood blessing and get the best medical care available. So too with emotional disorders. Our Father in Heaven expects us to use all of the marvelous gifts He has provided in this glorious dispensation."

Psalms 31:24
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart,
all ye that hope in the Lord.

Faith is like a little seed...if planted it will grow...

It amazes me how forgiving a little plant can be...my wild geranium has been buried under about a foot of snow for weeks. Our temperatures have been single digits in the evening & the day's highs in the teens...These last couple days of beautiful sunshine have coaxed it out enough to show the bright new green growth!






My heart warms at the HOPE of it all. My FAITH is always present, whether it's wafer thin & feeling that it may blow away at the sign of a light breeze... or on certain days, I am an unstoppable freight train.... or so I hope to be.

I will never give up hope that my faith can grow. It can always be strengthened one little stem, one little leaf, one little seed at a time....

FAITH

Faith is knowing the sun will rise, lighting each new day.
Faith is knowing the Lord will hear my prayers each time I pray.
Faith is like a little seed: If planted, it will grow.
Faith is a swelling within my heart.
When I do right, I know.

Faith is knowing I lived with God before my mortal birth.
Faith is knowing I can return when my life ends on earth.
Faith is trust in God above; In Christ, who showed the way.
Faith is strengthened; I feel it grow
Whenever I obey.


Words: Beatrice Goff Jackson, b. 1943. (c) 1978 IRI
Music: Michael Finlinson Moody, b. 1941. (c) 1978 IRI

I love this talk!!

In a very profound talk entitled "Learning the Healer’s Art" by Elaine S. Marshall it says, "Sometime in your life you will know a crashing crisis or heavy heartache that will threaten all sense of logic or hope or certainty—from which, no matter how you emerge, nothing will ever be the same. Hurts come as unique losses, unwelcome surprises, fading hope, or grief." Sister Marshall then reminds us, "Healing is active—you have to be there. Your friend or your husband or wife or your mother cannot do it for you. You have to face the problem and the pain. To begin healing, you must acknowledge and feel the hurt. Only those who don’t feel, those without conscience, cannot heal."

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/elaine-marshall_learning-healers-art/

I, just like "Ogres & Onions" have layers...

Just a bit at a time...I have been practicing something for the last several weeks. First thing in the morning I write the top negative emotions that I feel. (try to limit to 5) I then go through them & come up with 2 POSITIVES for each one. This has been a challenge because I literally have had enough negatives to fill a page...it has become easier though as I peel back the layers. The idea is to separate the lists whether on a different post it note or piece of paper, or just rip the lists apart from each other. Once I have my positives down, I take the negatives & with GRATITUDE I release them...rip them up, stamp on them, burn them in wood stove, flush them down the toilet...whatever feels good at the time to GET RID OF THEM. I have discovered a pattern with several words having the same underlying emotion. I realize that this is a process & as I do this daily, I notice a difference with how I feel, my mood, my energy. I'm grateful for the opportunity to "get this right", even if it is just one little piece, LAYER, step at a time.

Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; 

that thy profiting may appear to all.

1 Timothy 4:15 

Be still my soul...

Ahhhh!! How does that happen?? I was able to release some emotions this morning & felt really good about myself! Went to the gym & sweat like crazy beatin' the snot out of the punching bag...that felt GOOD!! I also grabbed a 25lb medicine ball & chucked it around. Luckily there weren't too many people that could hear my grunts & groans:) The past few hours though I have not been able to get out of my head. What am I trying to accomplish here? Try to find hope or just complain...blah, blah, blah...What I want to know is how did I come up with so many thoughts of never being enough & that I have no worth...the thing is, I'm not coming up with those thoughts. The adversary continually & relentlessly bombards us, packing any little available space with lies & ugly, despicable thoughts, until we are so covered in mud & filth and feel such disgust & we don't understand how we got here. Oh, please Father in Heaven, help me to let my light shine! I know it's there! I know that it is beautiful & wants to bust out of it's hiding place. Help me uncover it & clean off the muck...tears want to come, but I'm stifling them & I don't understand...help me feel thy love. I've abused this amazing mind & body. I've allowed myself to be filled with such ugliness & there's plenty of guilt. Help me to allow His atonement in to cleanse, & purify & heal once & for all.

Psalms 107:26-29
26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

Health IS a blessing...

Looking over a journal entry from just last month...oh, so grateful for growth, but MAN does it have to hurt so bad?!!
Dec. 19, 2015 Last night I had fallen asleep on the couch & in waking up and getting ready for bed I felt a very intense weight...oh, please no... please...an anxiety attack was coming on.  My heart was racing so fast & I my body was shaking terribly. I was literally pleading with Heavenly Father, even though I knew that I had done this...I was the one that gorged on so much processed food that my body was struggling to digest it all & I was a natural magnet to negative thoughts & emotions.  I was in a frenzied panic as I felt so claustrophobic & couldn't breath.  Even thinking of the darkened sky outside weighed so heavily on me. I truly would never wish this feeling upon anyone...It is completely debilitating...I ransacked by bathroom cupboard looking for the Xanax...the 2 pills have left me "not all here"....in search of comfort...

Health is a Blessing by Steven Horne
"We need to keep in mind that all of us, including the righteous, are imperfect. We may be righteous people; filled with love & faith & desire to keep the commandments of God, but this does not mean we can violate the laws of good health without suffering the consequences. God wants all of his children to be healthy, just as any loving parent does. He does not delight in seeing us suffer. However, in his love for us He must allow us to suffer the consequences of natural law or we will not grow & learn. He allows us to make choices which eventually lead to sickness & other problems, because He knows we must learn to be responsible for our own choices."

January 14, 2016 When is it going to be enough...

Here I am a 45 year old woman, wife, mother of 4 & blessed beyond belief!! Truly, I am so blessed so my confusion is very real when I find myself asking, "What are you looking for? You have so much already!" I have spent the last 25+ years of my life trying to figure out just that. I'm sitting here at the computer typing when I should be doing so many other productive things. My heart is heavy...

One thing that continues to resonate is food. Not only due to the fact that I'm an addict, for sure, but I know that I need, I must eat better. Food is a huge chunk to my answer for physical, spiritual, & emotional health. I've started & stopped, excelled & regressed, began then had a glorious FLOP on many, we're talking "MANY with a capital M" eating programs! My hope, my prayer, my dream is that this the MILLIONTH TIME will in fact BE THE CHARM!!

I was sitting in my favorite thinking spot...Nathan Ralph you know where that is:)...& decided that I will create a blog to journal thoughts, inspiration, desperation, helps so that maybe someone out there can relate & then know for themselves that it is never too late. In the words of a wise philosopher,

"I choose life!" Sid the Sloth:)