Easter and the Atonement . . .

I love Easter, I love Conference. I have to say that conference is one of my FAVORITE things in this world. I love to hear the words of the Prophet and those called to serve the Lord. I love to have my testimony feed by their testimonies. I had questions and I received direct answers. My husband and I had prayed the night before for a specific answer and I can truly say that while listening to conference it seemed as if President Monson turned directly to me and said, "you will find peace in the Temple". My husband and I were both sitting on the couch and looked at each other. We both felt that this was our answer and we will be going to the house of the Lord soon to seek that peace we have been yearning for. I am so~ grateful to have a Lord who KNOWS us and who loves us. I am so~ grateful for temples and the sacred ordinances we are blessed to partake of when we attend. I am so~ grateful to be a member of the church during the last days where the gospel presence is strong on the Earth and I am not left to wonder too long, as the answers are there. I am grateful and I am blessed.

Video Provided by the Church . . .

Oldies but Goodies . . .

My cousin posted these videos on his facebook account and they are great reminders that the things that were true in the 1970's are still true today . . .

Hate is a strong word and life is a long time . . .

With all this crazy weather lately (a lot of snow where I am) I hear a lot of people talking about how they HATE winter. (Mostly my hubby). And I find myself saying, "don't say that . . . can't we find something we like about it because Hate is a strong word and Life is a long time. So it would be sad to take an entire season of each year and hate it." My hubby just laughs at me (because I don't think he REALLY hates it) but I have decided in my life that I won't hate anything. Why waste a portion of life or a part of this world that the Lord has created for us with bad feelings. Have we not heard "there is beauty all around"? Now while there are parts of life, I do not necessarily enjoy I have tried to prevent myself from saying that I hate something (and especially someone). When life is so long (and eternity even longer!) I don't want to rule out that someday I will enjoy or even LOVE the very thing I was tempted to "hate".

I feel that when you say you "hate" something, it seems to become a part of who you are. Like say, I hate broccoli (which I don't, but I know a few children who may say this). What if I always said that I hated it. I turned it down whenever it was offered to me, I started to see it in the store and make disgusting faces, I turned down meals that included it and then I just decided that me . . . I hate broccoli. Think of the great meals that may be missed!

How about this, decide that broccoli isn't my favorite thing right now, but let's not say we hate it. Let's not make it a part of who we are. Let's not rule it out. Because like mushrooms to a child, the taste may gross you out but it may grow on you and you may love them when your "taste buds" mature.

Why not find joy and greatness in EVERYTHING! Why not look for a reason to LOVE the snow instead of hating it. Look at the beauty it creates, look at the simple life you live when "snowed in". Look at the joy in your children's eyes when you make a snow fort or snowman.

Maybe for some things our "taste buds" haven't matured to the beauty something beholds. So don't rule it out, find the beauty in everything and everyone.

Heaven on Earth . . .

I have been thinking often about my family and what I need to do to improve it. I hear quotes and comments about how "this is the time" when my littles are little. Celebrate it, enjoy it. So I want to. So I have been using a road map to make this Holiday Season a fun and memorable one, to start family traditions.

Tonight was the first night of our "adventure". I purchased a "project" from the relief society super Saturday. It was a darling ribbon with 24 tiny mis-matched socks to use as an advent calendar. I then used ideas from my hubby's aunt's book PHENOMENAL FAMILY to create some activities we could do each day to make memories and I put one activity per day until Christmas in each sock.

Our first one was a Family Home Evening Lesson. We also made popcorn (by using our stir crazy and taking off the lid, the kids LOVED how it flew all over the room and it's a memory I have from when I was little.) I had then been to the Library and picked up some Christmas themed children's books and wrapped them up, so the kids could pick one to read. As I sat there listening to my oldest daughter read this book and to see my 3 year old sitting practically on her lap eating popcorn off the floor. I had to take a moment to take it all in.

I looked around the room . . . the Christmas Lights, the overly decorated tree, the nativity on the mantel, the popcorn ALL over the floor and the girls huddled together reading a book . . . I thought, "this is what heaven is like". This is what they are talking about.

I thank my Lord for the ability to have pieces of Heaven here on Earth. Granted the moment was short lived as the girls argued over who got to take the book to their room, it was Peace on Earth for me for but a moment and I'll take it!

"I can't LIVE without you!"

When my husband and I first started dating I had turned my life over to the Lord, I literally stood on the back porch of my parents house and said, with my eyes facing the sun, "I can't do it, I can't do any of it, I need you to take over and guide me."
And I tell you what, he did. Ask and ye shall receive right!

So there were many parts of our relationship that weren't typical dating etiquette but they were just what both us needed to KNOW that this was the right choice. The eternal choice.

"I can't live without you!"

How romantic right? When someone tells you this you just melt with a big blushing AWWWHHHHHH! BUT . . . I tell you what, if this is a TRUE statement, not just a romantic blurb of words . . . beware. I have been there, where someone truly claims to not be able to live without you. While this may be fine and dandy as long as you want to be with them . . . but imagine this . . . you don't. Not because they aren't a good person, not because they aren't worth your love, but because the person you have become when you are with them is not the person the Lord wants you to be and in order to get back on track you must remove yourself from the entire lifestyle you have been living.

When I first meet my husband I had just come out of a long relationship in which my life and spirituality took backseat to the needs and wants of another person. Our relationship had become unhealthy for both of us and we both needed to move on and seek out happiness.

One of the best things my husband said to me while we were dating was this, "If we were to break up, I would be sad, but . . . I would be okay." Now, some of you may be thinking, WHAT! How romantic is that? BUT to me, it was JUST WHAT I NEEDED TO HEAR! I had spent 6 years of my life with a person who HAD to be with me. Who's life may possibly come to an end if I left. This is no way to be in a relationship. So this concept that this man didn't HAVE to be with me, he WANTED to be with me. His life was just fine without me, but he felt it was better with me. He individually was a stable person who knew that his happiness did not depend on another human being. I was thrilled!

I don't know why he said this, but I do . . . I know that the Lord knew I needed to know that my life didn't have to take a backseat to this man's, we could walk together.

There's a beautiful picture of two swans flying and it's titled "freely committed" (I NEED to find this picture) but it shows how they mate for life and when one is tired the other one flies in front to take the wind, and they switch back and forth, but while they may be able to take flight and leave the other swan they CHOOSE to be freely committed to one another and fly together. I love this, they are not chained together, one is not dragging the other one, they are FREELY COMMITTED. I love it.

I do have to say that now that I have been married to my eternal companion for 6 years, I do REALLY like having him around and understand that we do become ONE when we are married, but the strength and happiness that we have comes from within ourselves and through the Lord and is NOT solely dependent on the actions of another person.

I am FREELY COMMITTED, now that's romantic!