I am grateful today that there is so much good in the world. We just have to open our eyes to the positive. We can easily find the bad, just watch the news. But, what if we were constantly looking for the good.
This is where I found the good in the world today. In the form of a flash mob. Pay attention to the light these people brought to those who witnessed it. For some, this may have been a miracle in their lives. I am grateful for good people, and good moments like this one.
Satan knows exactly what to say to us to make us believe the lies that he tells us. He wants us to believe that we are not worth anything. He tells us that we will never amount to anything, and that everything we do is a failure. I know he was telling me this yesterday.
Last night, I had feelings of failure torment me. I knew that I had done good things for people all week, and that I would be blessed for it. I knew that even though I hadn't done everything perfect in the last four weeks since I have been teaching a first grade class, I had made a difference. And yet, I felt overwhelmed with the amount of homework I had and the things that I hadn't done and should have.
In other words, Satan would have me focus on my imperfections rather than the good things I have done. I woke up in the middle of the night and decided to watch this movie Tangled. I started comparing Gothel to Satan. She tells Rapunzel that she knows best in the song Mother Knows Best. She deceives her, much like Satan does, into thinking, that she should fear the world. She tells her that she will never be able to leave the tower (which I compare to any kind of sin or imperfection we are trying to overcome) that is keeping her captive. She insults her telling her she is "sloppy, under-dressed, immature, clumsy," but makes it sound like it is for her own good. She tells her that she will never make it in the world, so she might as well settle with being captive.
Okay, those were the lies. Here is the truth.
Elder Jeffery R. Holland-"Broken things to mend"
"When He says to the poor in spirit, “Come unto me,” He means He knows the way out and He knows the way up. He knows it because He has walked it. He knows the way because He is the way.
Brothers and sisters, whatever your distress, please don’t give up and please don’t yield to fear. "
President Dieter F Uchtdorf-"Happiness Your Heritage"
-"Don’t let fear of failure discourage you. Don’t let the voice of critics paralyze you—whether that voice comes from the outside or the inside."
Rapunzel fights against these lies throughout the whole movie. In the process of finding out who she really is(a princess), she creates wonderful things in the process. She blesses the lives of thugs and helps them realize their dreams, she heals others, and she brings light to others in darkness.
If I let Satan discourage me with thoughts of fear and failure I will forget that I am "Tangled" in good fortune all around me. I have so much going for me. I know that I have touched the lives of several children this last month. However, in His wisdom, the Lord decided to remind me of this. This reminder came in an actual fortune cookie. It was by no coincidence that I opened my fortune cookie last night and found this message inside:
Remember, that like Rapunzel, we can find out who we are, if we will overcome fear of failure instilled in us by Satan. We have to take that step, out of the tower and into the unknown, and believe that we will have good "fortune" all around us. And, remember to lift others along that path.
Okay, I am going to be honest. I had a little breakdown last night. It seemed like everything was falling apart. There were about 5 things in my life that happened at the same time and combined to make a seemingly insurmountable trial.
Through lots of prayer, I was finally able to grab some peace and the thought I had as I went to bed last night was that somehow it was all going to be okay. Today, I kid you not, everything fixed itself! Everything! And on top of that I received many additional blessings that were very unexpected.
My favorite quote from the movie happens when Coach Gelwix asks Rick to be captain. Rick responds saying that he(Rick) is a "no good spy who cheap-shotted [his] star player last year" The coach responds, "let's focus on where you could end up, not where you were or are; and - God doesn't make a no-good ANYTHING." When we are being hard on ourselves, we need to remember to look for our potential. Don't focus on the past. Satan would like you to think that you can never change. That you will continue to make the same mistakes over and over again. This is not true. Let us focus on where each of us can end up if we keep trying to change. Its a process.
Today I am grateful for:
My ability to continue striving to achieve the great expectations the Lord has for me.
Tonight, I went to Ashley's Doctrine and Covenants class with her. Her teacher quoted Brigham Young's wife saying that he was so kind that he must have been "God-taught". I pondered on this throughout the rest of the class period. At first I thought about being as kind as Brigham Young.
Then I realized a bigger lesson. God is teaching me every day. I have a place in my dinky closet to pray. In there I have had some of my most spiritual and sacred moments. During these conversations with my Heavenly Father, am showing God that I am ready to learn what he has to teach me that day or that moment. In other words, I am being God-taught.
Most of the teaching usually occurs as I go throughout each day. Today, I learned a lesson about pain. I didn't realize that recovery from surgery could be so painful. However, as I reflected upon this experience, I realized that through the struggle I am going through, I am learning to have empathy for others.
Also, I know that after this experience, other physical pains will not seem as bad to me. It reminds me of when I was learning to drive. I drove part of the way from Oregon to Utah. As I drove on the flat parts at first, I was tense, and scared because I had to go so fast. Then, we came to one of the most difficult parts of the trip. It was the steep winding hills part. FUN! I was even more stressed, but you know what? When it went back to being flat. It was soooooo much easier. I felt pretty good about my driving skills.
Sometimes the Lord pushes us to feel pain(whether physical, emotional, or mental) so that when we get back to the flat portion of life, it is sooooo much easier. We are more grateful for the little things that we overlooked before things got much harder.
Usually we don't stay on the flat road too long before the Lord, in His wisdom, and through His immense love for us, allows us to learn even more and become even stronger.
What a thrill it is for us to be God-taught. If we open our eyes, we will see the lessons that He teaches us, and we will be grateful for those lessons. Even during the trying and hard times.
Today I am grateful for:
Pain that increases my tolerance and gratitude
Mary for studying so hard so that she knows exactly how to take stitches out. I would be in so much pain if she didn't know how to take out the accidentally left over stitches.
Quotes and cute videos from my niece, Emily
Our roommate time when we all forgot our homework and giggled about ridiculous things together-this was one of those moments that matter most that I talked about in the previous post.
The school song that my first graders sing every monday that makes me cry. EVERY TIME.
Well, I am finally coming to the end of my recovery from hand surgery. My bandage came off today and my stitches came out. So now I am just working on getting full use of my hand again.
I have been sitting in the library for a while trying to work my hand out while trying and failing to motivate myself to do homework. I didn't even notice that I was starting to let my mood go downhill.
Then, who knew exactly what I needed? The Lord of course. Some random guy walked by and gave me a smile. That's it. A smile. I say he gave me a smile because of course, what did I do, I smiled back. Then, what do you know, I was smiling!
I started to reflect on many of the talks by President Uchtdorf. He most often instructs us to slow down and pay attention the the ordinary moments of life.
Here is a good example:
I also am reminded of this talk by our prophet President Monson. He teaches us to be grateful for the ordinary.
To go along with my thanksgiving theme, today, I am grateful for that smile. Although it was such an ordinary moment, gratitude has made it into an extraordinary moment; it has brought me closer to my Heavenly Father as I realize that he chose to bless my life through a stranger.
We all need to smile more; we will never know how many smiles we create on the faces of others this way.
Its the time of year that fills us with fond and warm feelings. I have often thought about why we love this time of year so much. I think a lot of it is because we spend so much time with those we love. \
There is even more to it than that. We spend time coming closer to our Heavenly Father and our Savior. My favorite thing about this time of year is that during November, we focus on being grateful for all we have. It sets the stage. We begin to look back at all we have been given this year, and all the ways we have grown. Gratitude is one of the best ways to find happiness and contentment in life. It is also a great way to come closer to our Father in Heaven and feel the spirit.
Next, in December, we focus on Jesus Christ. I love that it seems like everyone turns their attention to the Savior through singing praises and serving those around them. That is why we feel so much Joy.
Then we take all of this positive energy and throw ourselves into a new year with excitement. I love the transition here. We can look back and see where we were, and where we are now. Then we plan where we want to be at the end of the next year.
What and inspired time of year! And we share it with those we love!
Things i am grateful for today
My mom and my sister came all the way from Oregon to visit me. We had such a good weekend full of good food, shopping and movies. I love those two so much!
My dad gave me a Nexus 7. Yeah. That's right. It is the coolest thing I have ever owned. But it isn't just the fact that he gave me such a cool gift, it was the thought behind it that makes me SOO happy. He told me he was proud of me and wanted to do something for his "Amydo". I am so lucky to have parents that show their love for me every day, and support me in all that I do.
Rachel and I made fort. Yes. A fort! In our living room! How lucky am I to have a roommate that would get just as excited as me to spontaneously build a fort in our living room.
