Smooth

Lately I have noticed that things go a lot smoother with just a little bit of planning. Since I have Young Womens meetings on Wednesdays, I have to have a plan in place or I end up running late and everyone in my house ends up fending for themselves. Also, this year our church is at 9:00 a.m. and so in order to get everyone to church on time or shortly after (let's be realistic) I have to have things prepared. Since I am a planner and I'm trying even more so to be organized, I was looking online for a meal planning sheet (instead of just a scrap paper) and I came across this website that I though had some useful things. Just thought I would share if anyone wanted or needed something like this.

The best gift

Last night I went to our Relief Society Christmas Program. It was wonderful!!! It couldn't have come at a more perfect time. Lately I have been thinking about simplifying and making Christmas more Christ centered. I don't want my children to think that Christmas time is about gifts and things (all though that is one fun part) but I want them to truly understand the real meaning of Christmas. As I have been thinking about this my thoughts turn to my mom. Since 2 years ago this time she was sick. I want my Christmas to be more focused on Christ, helping others and giving.
The reason that it couldn't have come at a more perfect time, is because the person that spoke was a lady named Patti Epperson. She was an amazing speaker and talked about a personal experience that she had. How she was able to cope with the changes that it made in her life. She referenced a talk by Elder Wirthlin. This is my favorite part of it, which is why it couldn't have come at a more perfect time....

In all the history of the world there have been many great and wise souls, many of whom claimed special knowledge of God. But when the Savior rose from the tomb, He did something no one had ever done. He did something no one else could do. He broke the bonds of death, not only for Himself but for all who have ever lived—the just and the unjust.⁶

When Christ rose from the grave, becoming the firstfruits of the Resurrection, He made that gift available to all. And with that sublime act, He softened the devastating, consuming sorrow that gnaws at the souls of those who have lost precious loved ones.

I think of how dark that Friday was when Christ was lifted up on the cross.

On that terrible Friday the earth shook and grew dark. Frightful storms lashed at the earth.

Those evil men who sought His life rejoiced. Now that Jesus was no more, surely those who followed Him would disperse. On that day they stood triumphant.

On that day the veil of the temple was rent in twain.

Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Jesus, were both overcome with grief and despair. The superb man they had loved and honored hung lifeless upon the cross.

On that Friday the Apostles were devastated. Jesus, their Savior—the man who had walked on water and raised the dead—was Himself at the mercy of wicked men. They watched helplessly as He was overcome by His enemies.

On that Friday the Savior of mankind was humiliated and bruised, abused and reviled.

It was a Friday filled with devastating, consuming sorrow that gnawed at the souls of those who loved and honored the Son of God.

I think that of all the days since the beginning of this world's history, that Friday was the darkest.

But the doom of that day did not endure.

The despair did not linger because on Sunday, the resurrected Lord burst the bonds of death. He ascended from the grave and appeared gloriously triumphant as the Savior of all mankind.

And in an instant the eyes that had been filled with ever-flowing tears dried. The lips that had whispered prayers of distress and grief now filled the air with wondrous praise, for Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God, stood before them as the firstfruits of the Resurrection, the proof that death is merely the beginning of a new and wondrous existence.

Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.

But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come.

No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come.

I testify to you that the Resurrection is not a fable. We have the personal testimonies of those who saw Him. Thousands in the Old and New Worlds witnessed the risen Savior. They felt the wounds in His hands, feet, and side. They shed tears of unrestrained joy as they embraced Him.

After the Resurrection, the disciples became renewed. They traveled throughout the world proclaiming the glorious news of the gospel.

Had they chosen, they could have disappeared and returned to their former lives and occupations. In time, their association with Him would have been forgotten.

They could have denied the divinity of Christ. Yet they did not. In the face of danger, ridicule, and threat of death, they entered palaces, temples, and synagogues boldly proclaiming Jesus the Christ, the resurrected Son of the living God.

Many of them offered as a final testimony their own precious lives. They died as martyrs, the testimony of the risen Christ on their lips as they perished.

The Resurrection transformed the lives of those who witnessed it. Should it not transform ours?

We will all rise from the grave. And on that day my father will embrace my mother. On that day I will once again hold in my arms my beloved Elisa.

Because of the life and eternal sacrifice of the Savior of the world, we will be reunited with those we have cherished.

On that day we will know the love of our Heavenly Father. On that day we will rejoice that the Messiah overcame all that we could live forever.

Because of the sacred ordinances we receive in holy temples, our departure from this brief mortality cannot long separate relationships that have been fastened together with cords made of eternal ties.

It is my solemn testimony that death is not the end of existence. "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."⁷ Because of the risen Christ, "death is swallowed up in victory."⁸

Because of our beloved Redeemer, we can lift up our voices, even in the midst of our darkest Fridays, and proclaim, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"⁹

When President Hinckley spoke of the terrible loneliness that comes to those who lose the ones they love, he also promised that in the quiet of the night a still, unheard voice whispers peace to our soul: "All is well."

I am grateful beyond measure for the sublime true doctrines of the gospel and for the gift of the Holy Ghost, which has whispered to my soul the comforting and peaceful words promised by our beloved prophet.

From the depths of my sorrow, I have rejoiced in the glory of the gospel. I rejoice that the Prophet Joseph Smith was chosen to restore the gospel to the earth in this last dispensation. I rejoice that we have a prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, who directs the Lord's Church in our day.

May we understand and live in thanksgiving for the priceless gifts that come to us as sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father and for the promise of that bright day when we shall all rise triumphant from the grave.

That we may always know that no matter how dark our Friday, Sunday will come is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

For me this was perfect, because at this time of year I not only think of my mom, someone who was very important to me, but also of my Savior, the person that gave his life, so that I might be able to live, partake in the atonement and be able to live with those I love again.
We were encouraged to read the Book of Mormon and every time "Christ" was referenced, to mark it. At the end of the year we are supposed to look back at the number of times our Savior is mentioned and see that the Book of Mormon is truly another Testament of Christ.

What a great reminder of Christ and the fullness of the Atonement at this time of year!!!!

A must for Thanksgiving

I bet you thought I was going to say Turkey or Pumpkin pie, but.....with Thanksgiving fast approaching....I have been thinking about all the food and indulgence that takes place from Turkey Day all the way into the New Year, when people realize, hey...maybe I should set a goal and start eating better...possible work out a few times a week. Ha ha ha. Well why not start now. (Me included trust me....I'd like to shed a few pounds). So here is what I've been doing. Tuesday mornings I go to a totally awesome circuit class. My friend Brecke is a certified trainer. She is just darling and I just love going to her class (can I say that since I'm not a morning person???) It's been great, and I will be bummed when it ends. My goal is to get back into shape, and start eating even better. I want to have a healthy lifestyle. Check out her blog even if you just want some great work out songs or tips on eating.
Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Keep it SIMPLE!

The past little while I have been thinking that I need to simplify my life and do only the things that are the most important. I'm going for that feeling like when you have your email in box totally full of so many messages and then you finally get it cleared out to just one or two important messages....ya that's the feeling I'm going for, but for my life and not just my in box (although that would be nice too!) I was looking for ideas on the internet and I came across these tips. Check it out here.
I just loved it, because it seems like it's this time of year that you start thinking about all the millions of things that you have to do, places to go, things to buy and all that, and then in January, you look back while you're setting those goals and think, what the heck was I doing. So this year, maybe I will try and follow these tips for simplifying and stay sane during the Holidays this year.


7 Tips for savoring the simplicity:

1. Plan ahead: I have my gift list bought before December begins. I buy a little throughout the year for extended family members and I depend on the items I buy after Christmas every year for small gifts (teachers, friends, Sunday School teachers, etc). I also make many of my gifts. (Every Friday in November, I'll be sharing some homemade gift ideas!)

2. Create a budget: Make your list and check it twice! If you commit to buy only three gifts for your children, stick to it. Don't impulse buy and don't use your credit card.

3. Plan birthdays/anniversary parties at the beginning of the month.

4. Be the Master of the calendar, not the slave: commit to things that you will enjoy! It's okay to say No.

5. Involve your kids in the decorating, wrapping, gift-making, and cleaning up of the aftermath. If there's a "kid's table" during holiday dinners, use brown paper as a table cloth, so they can draw place settings or turkeys. Use fun holiday kid-friendly plates too!

6. If your hosting a big family meal, it's okay to ask guests to help out. Delegate side dishes and desserts to willing guests. Don't try to do it all by yourself.

7. Be reflective with your family. Before you eat Thanksgiving dinner, share why you're thankful. At Christmas, remember what the day truly celebrates.

**Please let me know if you have any tips or have seen any cool tips on Keeping things simple. I would love to have you share them. (Not just for the Holidays either)

Miserable or Happy...

Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves; the happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others. By and large, I have come to see that if we complain about life, it is because we are thinking only of ourselves. Gordon B. Hinckley
Thanks Tami for this wonderful quote. This past week I have been thinking about what makes other people unhappy and how they take their feelings out on others.....this quote is perfect and I intend on applying it more in my own life. Thanks again for the quote!