Lift

This hit deep in my soul, and brought tears to my eyes.

Religious or not, this video is a good reminder of what really matters in life.  And how to be happy. 

:-)

Peace.

The worth of souls is great!

As I was walking down the hall to work this morning,

I passed girl who was looking at the ground, avoiding eye contact as we crossed paths.

I don't know why she avoided eye contact, but it got me thinking--

A lot of times we avoid eye contact with people because we feel shame,

Or, maybe for some reason, we are afraid of what we will see in their eyes.

What will we see?

Maybe we'll see reality? 

 (I wrote a post about that in January)

Sometimes, when we look into another person's face, I think we look for reassurance.

Reassurance of our worth, by their reactions to us.

Maybe that's why we fear to look at another's face sometimes,

--Because we're afraid we won't be validated.

I don't know for sure.

But this I do know:

We each, individually, have 

infinite worth.

Forever, always.  

Your worth is unlimited.  Absolute.  

It will never change.

And the same is true for the worth of everyone else around you.

Yes, everyone.

Next time you look at someone's eyes,

Search not for your own worth,

But seek to get a glimpse of theirs.

{photo from lds.org}

:)

- peace - 

Qualitative Equations

Beauty = Love

Love = Beauty

*As long as it's real beauty, and real love

Just ponder on that for a while till it sinks in.

It's a beautiful, beautiful truth.

:)

Through another's eyes

This video really touched me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDDWvj_q-o8&feature=kp

peace out

Our powerful roles as women, and men. As God's children.

Though I don't know everything, I know this:  

I am a daughter of God, my Heavenly Father, who loves me, and has great plans for my growth and happiness.  

This speech is pretty long (almost an hour), but it is worth listening to, especially if you have concerns about how Mormon's regard and treat women.  Please, listen with an open heart to the beliefs of Sharon Eubank, director of Humanitarian Services and LDS Charities.  I enthusiastically agree with her.  There is more to life than this temporary world!

Link is here

A glass half full

{image from fearlessmen.com}

This analogy gets a lot of use, and a lot of criticism.  But there's really something to it: we do get a lot more out of life, and are a lot happier, when we focus more on the positive than on the negative.

This works especially when people are involved.  

Progress and happiness grow in love, not fear.  (2 Timothy 1:7)  

People grow through love, not fear.  

When people feel loved rather than criticized

--when they know that they're enough, and worthy of love--

they have a greater capacity to grow, succeed, and serve.

{image from raya's paradise}

That's why I believe "constructive criticism" is rarely constructive (to use the words my Dad has said).  People can often feel attacked and belittled when receiving "constructive" criticism, no matter how true the criticism might be.  In one book of scripture (D&C 121:42-43), God commands us to be gentle, patient, long-suffering and show kindness to others as the general rule -- only giving correction when "moved upon by the Holy Ghost" (aka when God tells us to) and then being sure to express an increase of love towards that person, so that they know we are on their side.

So instead of focusing on what's wrong in others and ourselves, why not seek to catch them doing something right?  

For example,

Why not focus more on how kind it was of so-and-so to open the door for what's-her-name, instead of criticizing so-and-so's outfit?

Why not focus more on how much we enjoy doing [insert physical activity here], instead of hating ourselves for being overweight? 

Why not focus more on how we can make someone's day a little better, instead of wishing what's-her-face would make our day better?

There is a time and a place for the negative.  But in my book, it should be far, far outweighed by the positive.  As we keep our eyes single to hope, gratitude, love, forgiveness, etc., we will be able to see clearly, and recognize that though bad stuff exists, it does not have nearly as much power over us as we once thought.  Even though there are things you want to change in yourself and others, keep working on your goals, and being grateful for the good in yourself, others, and the world around you.  As you do this, the bad stuff will eventually fade away like shadows overpowered by a bright and glorious light.

{image from lds.org}

It's true.  :)

--Big thanks to my Dad who sparked the idea for this post, and both Dad and Mom who proofread this!--

Feel-goods and Feel-bads

Emotions.
They are a peculiar thing.

Whether it's that fluttering you get inside when you think you're falling in love,

The pain of betrayal by someone you trusted,

Or those tender feelings of compassion when you sympathize with another human being,

You notice your emotions.

And sometimes, you struggle with them.

David A. Bednar (shown above) once said:

"In the classroom of mortality, 

we experience tenderness, love, kindness, happiness,

sorrow, disappointment, pain,

and even the challenges of physical limitations

in ways that prepare us for eternity.  Simply stated,

there are lessons we must learn and experiences we must have, 
as the scriptures describe,

'according to the flesh.'"

{{Things As They Really Are}}

See also: 1 Nephi 19:6; Alma 7:12-13

My thoughts?
I believe that we all existed as spirit children of our Heavenly Father before we came to earth.
That we did not have bodies before this earth life; and that
a huge part of our reason for coming was to obtain our own bodies.

David A. Bednar said that we experience those feelings in mortality as preparation for eternity.  "According to the flesh" means that ways in which we we experience them are likely unique to our mortal life (where we live in the flesh).

Personally, I think that these emotions we feel--tenderness, love, kindness, happiness, sorrow, disappointment, pain, etc.--at the intensity we feel them now, are new to us.  I think we had emotions before, but our physical bodies enhance them to a level that we've never experienced before.  Maybe part of this earth life is meant to be a learning experience for us on handling emotions.

Look around and you'll see all the different ways that people try to deal with their emotions.  We have developed so many ways to suppress, escape, or communicate them. Some examples and/or consequences include medications, art, food, drug addictions, behavioral addictions, posturing, music, dance, prayer, exercise, etc.
{Let me just put a special plug in for prayer!  God hears you.}

We are learning beings.  Always learning, learning, learning...

I don't mean to imply that emotion is "the answer to everything."  I just mean to say that, I believe, the intense emotions we experience might be entirely new to our souls, and therefore it's normal and expected to be a little unsure about what to do with them.

But let's keep this in mind:
Emotion, by definition, is meant to lead to motion.

So let's put them to good use!
"...bear one another's burdens that they may be light.... mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that stand in need of comfort..."
Mosiah 18:8-10

beautiful things:
our bodies
emotions
learning and growing from the good and painful
love and service to others

and much, much, more.




peace out.

The Savior wants to forgive

I met this humble and good man at the Utah Valley University Addiction Conference last year.

These words are true.  God is still with you, with His hand stretched out still.

(see Isaiah 5)

Beautiful is the peace that repentance brings. 

No matter how many times you have to do it.

Chemistry and the Gospel

The sun

image from: sherbornpastor.blogspot.com

Is the source of all energy on earth.

Light from the sun enables

Plants to create sugars (which provide energy) using photo-synthesis.

Animals and humans then eat the plants and/or other animals who eat plants,

And thereby get the sugars created by the plants via photo-synthesis,
To use as energy for needed physiological processes.

Basically, the energy you and I use to move, think, and even just exist,

Ultimately comes from the sun.

Similarly,

And much more importantly,

The Son, Jesus Christ, is the source of all energy in the universe--in heaven and on earth.

image from: https://www.lds.org/media-library/images/woman-taken-in-adultery-948852?category=jesus-christ&lang=eng

beautiful thing:  sweet symbolism

Heaven's help is there

this one-minute video is beautiful.

very, very well worth your time.  i promise.

#didyouthinktopray?

this video brought me back to my knees.

time to be grateful.

I'm grateful for when people say "thank you."

I'm grateful for opportunities to serve.

I'm grateful for sunshine.
(Oh, what joy!)

I'm grateful for friends and family.

I'm grateful for people who look me in the eye, and sincerely ask me how I'm doing.

I'm grateful for a functional body that can change and improve.

I'm grateful for sleep.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<∙>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

What are you grateful for?

life sure is beautiful!

Corn dogs for everyone!

Happy Valentine's Day!

assume they love you

because you are lovable :)

image from blog.freepeople.com

We need food

Our bodies, this world, our lives... are all symbolic of eternal truths.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

{there is beauty in the seemingly insignificant}

peace.

What's in a face?

That's my face.

Isn't it beautiful?  ;)

^^^^^^^^^

Looking at another person's face is one of the most profound ways by which we can lose ourselves, 

and remember another person's innate human value.  Making both of us happier.

^^^^^^^^^

"Hearkening to the call of Christ from His Spirit,

or through another's countenance,

or both, we become genuinely honest, simple, solid, true--

often together with someone we may not have trusted before.

[do you want to be that?  genuine.  honest.  simple.  solid.  true.  i sure do.]

"Whether it is felt in His breast or in ours, 

the Savior's love can achieve what force cannot

because where force calls forth counterforce,

love calls forth love...

"How then shall we come unto Christ...?  

By sacrificing all taking of offense.  

By giving up criticism, impatience, and contempt....

By giving these practices their true name, 

violence, 

and abhorring even their first appearance.  

By renouncing war in every form and 

proclaiming peace....

"Listen attentively to the teacher whose lectures may be a little dry.  

Read with particular care the papers of students who struggle to write.  

Befriend the one who feels different, lost, or lonely.  

Embrace the child who seems to resist you.  

Take seriously the advice of parents who have trouble following that advice themselves.  

Invite to dinner those who lack the graciousness or the means to invite you back.  

Even 'love your enemies, do good to them which hate you' (Luke 6:27)....

"This kind of love is who we really are.... 

And anything less

--judging others and withholding our favor from them--

capitulates to Satan."

[Quote from this speech by C. Terry Warner]

{He's founder of Arbinger Institute, the group that wrote The Anatomy of Peace and Leadership and Self-Deception}

^^^^^^^^^

I have seen through personal experience how true this is.

Join me in putting these promises to the test.

Whether you're renewing your previous commitment, or turning over a new leaf.

Let us forget ourselves, and go to work.

Rethink how you treat others

It's only about 3 minutes.  You'd spend that much time trying to decide whether or not to watch this, anyways!  I promise you won't regret pressing play.

Beautiful:  The Savior loves each and every one of us, His children, more than we can comprehend.

You belong

On the topic of loving people for who they are and appreciating the good in them,
despite their past mistakes and/or experiences:

In short:
I agree.

In long:
Everyone is worthy of love and respect.  We cannot justifiably condemn or judge a person; we don't know what they are going through, or where exactly they're coming from.  We haven't been through it.  We are all human, we all make mistakes, and we can love each other for it!  We can help each other get through our trials, overcome our weaknesses, and seek a better path.  

We can help each other.

I think most people believe this.

And yet, often our interactions with others are only surface-level.  We are too afraid to show what we consider to be weakness, too afraid to be vulnerable to the evaluations of others.  This prevents us from really caring about, connecting with, and reaching out to others--especially those who need us the most.

If we want to change society, if we want to battle the hypocrisy and judgement that we are so quick to see in those around us, we must start within.

Here's the rub:
In order for our culture to become more loving and appreciative,
We ourselves must become more loving and appreciative of others,
And of ourselves.

If we don't love and rejoice in our own goodness, can we truly love and appreciate others?
And if we don't love and appreciate others, how can we expect others to accept us?

We must take that leap of faith by abandoning shame,
ceasing to compare ourselves to others,
and most importantly,
loving God and humbly submitting to His will.

It starts with you.
It starts with me.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?'  Actually who are you not to be?  You are a child of God.  Your playing small does not serve the world.  There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.  We are all meant to shine, as children do.  We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.  It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.  And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

- Marianne Williamson -

peace out.

Our Savior's Love

I was so moved by how much the Lord loves and cares for this man.

He longs to embrace you, too.

peace.

Keep our eyes fixed on Christ

http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/14.29?lang=eng#28 

24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

 25 And ^ain the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good^acheer; it is I; be not afraid.

 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was ^aafraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little ^afaith, wherefore didst thou ^bdoubt?

 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

- Matthew 14 - 

Just keep swimming! ;)

You know what's beautiful?

Your faith.

It's an amazing, and powerful thing.

And you don't have to be religious to have faith.

All you've got to do is believe what's true, even when you're tempted to doubt.  

Especially when you're tempted to doubt...

But faith,

Is what fuels our ability to push through the hard times,

Knowing that if we are true to what's right,

It will all work out.

Not saying we have to be miserable and put off our rewards until everything's perfect.

Not at all.

But there are inevitably going to be hard times when all you can do is push through.

So do it.

Push your hardest.

No matter what opposition faces you, 

No matter what distractions divert your path,

Get back on the right path,

And keep longing.

Keep trying.

Keep praying.

Keep loving.

Keep moving, and hoping, and working at it.

And I promise, 

You will be rewarded.

God promises,

You will be rewarded:

"Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your ^breward in heaven: for so ^cpersecuted they the prophets which were before you."

Matthew 5:12

(I believe this applies even when the persecution is all in your head.)

If your reward hasn't come yet,

It will.

Have faith.

(As much as I love Josh Groban, he's not the most important person who loves you ;) But this song is great.)

If you could see yourself grow and glow are you're going through this,

You would be in awe of the person you are becoming.

peace out