priorities

mine have changed fast. my definitions of a want and a need have changed. and i'm thankful. this experience has changed me and i will forever be changed. i will be more understanding of people going through disasters. i will know how to help them and not just helplessly want to help but not know how. i will think twice about what i buy and what i consider a need and how i spend my time.

we didn't have any bowls, so we ate out of measuring cups and glasses and tupperware containers... and guess what? they work just the same!

i literally did not brush or comb or condition my long hair in 15 days. that has to be some sort of record for a "high-functioning" professional adult wtih a full-time job.

what do i do with my time? i hug dan. i scratch his back. i tell him i love him. i just lay with him and we talk. i sit and think. he's all i need. he is what i have chosen to dedicate my life to. he is more important than keeping the house clean or doing a project or any other thing. i try to avoid extra projects/signing up for things/putting more on my plate. i have the basics and plenty more.

i have learned to simplify in such a real, wonderful way. it's more a change of mind that anything else. i'm not always wanting more. i want less. i've realized what a burden material possessions & a full schedule really can become. we have everything we need and so much more. we are so blessed. we have love and life and need nothing more.

happy people

think about the happiest people you know. how do they do it? i love to think about this. isn't happiness just what we all really want?

happy people do what they love.

they figure out what they love, and they do it.

happy people sing. if they love to sing, they sing. even if it's not convenient or they haven't found a way to make it full-time or it may seem silly at times... they make time to sing. because they know it fills their soul. [singing is an example. may be substituted with other things such as fishing, playing soccer, sewing, running, baking, etc]

happy people go on picnics. they make time to enjoy two often overlooked parts of life- food and the great outdoors. they don't live off the vending machine and eat in their room. they prepare their food and their meals. they go outside to enjoy it because the sun is the best medicine sometimes. [this is an example of taking something simple that we do every day and making it enjoyable and fabulous]

happy people don't compare themselves to others. they've realized that will never bring satisfaction. if you're looking, you will always be able to find someone prettier, skinnier, richer, more fashionable, smarter, or "happier" than you are. "keeping up with the jones" is a never-ending search for a thirst you will never quench.

happy people aren't slaves to... anything.

they aren't slaves to television or overeating or addictions or shopping or whatever else may tempt them. they don't let their appetites control them. they don't indulge themselves too often. they know that moderation in all things brings balance and peace.

happy people are satisfied with who they are. the size 00 model envies the girl who is a size ten who is confident and comfortable in her own skin and doesn't live her life trying to be something she's not. she doesn't care if she's not "perfect." who would want to be vogue magazine's definition of perfect anyways?!

happy people are happy because they have chosen to be. they are satisfied with the life they have made for themselves. even when life is hard, they find joy in the little things and focus on the things that matter most.

nursery!

i love how light and bright this nursery is. the parents who did this nursery didn't find out if they were having a boy or a girl so they had to get creative and make it workable for either! i love it. they used all recycled materials to create this room and did most of it themselves. the bottles hanging from the ceiling is a lamp! how cute.

via design sponge

tooty fruity.. a la rooty!

i want my world to revolve around my hubby & children. i want to be there for them like my sweet mother always was for me. i want to wake up and make them blueberry pancakes and send them off on their days with love notes in their lunches.

it's the little things in life that make it magical! like these fruity tootie stickers perhaps? i think so.

[soo cute! made by twig and thistle and they are downloadable&free!]

a spark

so this is where it all began...

saturday, october 2, 2010

"of things that matter most"

by dieter f. uchtdorf

this was myyy talk.

for me,

to me,

loved by me.

"Have you ever been in an airplane and experienced turbulence? The most common cause of turbulence is a sudden change in air movement causing the aircraft to pitch, yaw, and roll. While planes are built to withstand far greater turbulence than anything you would encounter on a regular flight, it still may be disconcerting to passengers.

What do you suppose pilots do when they encounter turbulence? A student pilot may think that increasing speed is a good strategy because it will get them through the turbulence faster. But that may be the wrong thing to do. Professional pilots understand that there is an optimum turbulence penetration speed that will minimize the negative effects of turbulence. And most of the time that would mean to reduce your speed. The same principle applies also to speed bumps on a road.

Therefore, it is good advice to slow down a little, steady the course, and focus on the essentials when experiencing adverse conditions.

This is a simple but critical lesson to learn. It may seem logical when put in terms of trees or turbulence, but it’s surprising how easy it is to ignore this lesson when it comes to applying these principles in our own daily lives. When stress levels rise, when distress appears, when tragedy strikes, too often we attempt to keep up the same frantic pace or even accelerate, thinking somehow that the more rushed our pace, the better off we will be.

One of the characteristics of modern life seems to be that we are moving at an ever-increasing rate, regardless of turbulence or obstacles.

Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, in a recent general conference, taught, “We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.”

The search for the best things inevitably leads to the foundational principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ—the simple and beautiful truths revealed to us by a caring, eternal, and all-knowing Father in Heaven. These core doctrines and principles, though simple enough for a child to understand, provide the answers to the most complex questions of life.

There is a beauty and clarity that comes from simplicity that we sometimes do not appreciate in our thirst for intricate solutions.

Leonardo da Vinci is quoted as saying that “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” When we look at the foundational principles of the plan of happiness, the plan of salvation, we can recognize and appreciate in its plainness and simplicity the elegance and beauty of our Heavenly Father’s wisdom. Then, turning our ways to His ways is the beginning of our wisdom.

Printed material, wide-ranging media sources, electronic tools and gadgets—all helpful if used properly—can become hurtful diversions or heartless chambers of isolation.

Yet amidst the multitude of voices and choices, the humble Man of Galilee stands with hands outstretched, waiting. His is a simple message: “Come, follow me.” And He does not speak with a powerful megaphone but with a still, small voice. It is so easy for the basic gospel message to get lost amidst the deluge of information that hits us from all sides.

The holy scriptures and the spoken word of the living prophets give emphasis to the fundamental principles and doctrines of the gospel. The reason we return to these foundational principles, to the pure doctrines, is because they are the gateway to truths of profound meaning. They are the door to experiences of sublime importance that would otherwise be beyond our capacity to comprehend. These simple, basic principles are the key to living in harmony with God and man. They are the keys to opening the windows of heaven. They lead us to the peace, joy, and understanding that Heavenly Father has promised to His children who hear and obey Him.

Brothers and sisters, let us be wise. Let us turn to the pure doctrinal waters of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us joyfully partake of them in their simplicity and plainness. The heavens are open again. The gospel of Jesus Christ is on earth once more, and its simple truths are a plentiful source of joy!

Brothers and sisters, indeed we have great reason to rejoice. If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most.

Strength comes not from frantic activity but from being settled on a firm foundation of truth and light. It comes from placing our attention and efforts on the basics of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It comes from paying attention to the divine things that matter most.

Let us simplify our lives a little. Let us make the changes necessary to refocus our lives on the sublime beauty of the simple, humble path of Christian discipleship—the path that leads always toward a life of meaning, gladness, and peace. For this I pray, as I leave you my blessing, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen."

see full talk here.

what beautiful, clear words that touch the core of my heart every time. the truthfulness of these words is undeniable. the first time i heard this talk every word was like a tall glass of cold water to a starving soul. it was for me. four months later it has changed my life, and i am soo glad!

dreams

in my perfect world, money would not matter. so why does it?

because in order to have time to love and make memories, i must have money. i do not love money, i love time to be with my family... &money can bring that to me. that is the most important thing to me.yes, i could make memories living outside and searching through dumpsters and live without money... or i could work hard now so i have money later and make memories playing games and dancing around the house singing (because i am not burdened by 12 hour shifts multiple times a week) and going on relaxing trips to the beach with my family(because my husband busted his bum for ten years so we could live a comfortable life).

i want to live simply.

a life burdened by a blasting television, video games, computer games, constant texting, a cluttered unclean home, too much stuff that we don't need, envy, sin, bodies burdened by too much sugar and caffeine, and an unhealthy lifestyle do nothing but distract from what we really want in life...

happiness and love.

i want my life to be full of love, happiness, simplicity, time, memories, service, healthy food, gardens, bike rides, trips, adventures, cuddling, the Gospel, fruit trees, baking fresh pies, classy outfits, soft blankets, comfy pillows, singing, dancing, croquet, open space, laughing, contentment, family, friends, home, and beauty.

does that sound like an unreachable fantasy that is not realistic in our wicked world? yes, it does. but it's not... because my life is full of most of those things now! and if i work for the rest then i know i will reach it.

simple love

my life is evolving in simple and beautiful ways. i am learning to realize what truly matters in life and how i can make the most of my life by simplicity and love. when we rid ourselves of all the extra "stuff" that distracts us, we can focus on those things that we truly love... and that brings me happiness and peace. the two greatest gifts i could ever ask for!