Our world is full of voices and sounds. Do you hear the commotion and confusion? Everyone is in such a hurry. Do you hear the voices of despair and discontent or the cries of pain and suffering? Do you hear the sorrow and agony of someone who is lost and broken? Those people are all around us. They are in our neighborhoods, our work places and even in our families. Do you hear anger and contention? Do you hear words and voices that lift you up or pull you down? How do you process what you hear? What are your children hearing?
If you listen closely you can hear sounds that enlighten your understanding. Words that teach goodness and patience, and have the ability to enlarge your soul. Do you hear laughter, playing and singing, or the many sounds of nature? Some voices encourage and give hope, others ring with determination!
If we listen with our hearts, we can hear so much more than with our ears. There are voices reaching out for help and guidance, or the voice of someone needing a friend and a listening ear. Don’t forget to listen for the silent voice that is screaming, that only your heart can hear. Are you careful of those things you say to others? Words have such a strong impact. What kinds of things do you tell yourself? Do you listen to thoughts and impressions that inspire you to act?
I hear these things loud and clear! With my ears and my heart. Do you hear what I hear? It is so easy to become distracted by all the sounds around us, but we can choose what we listen to. We can decide what voices and sounds we will ignore and which ones we will allow to penetrate our souls. We can be grateful for those voices that give us the courage and strength to move forward, boldly and proud, facing life’s challenges with a happy heart.
Do you hear Him?
Listening with your heart can lift you to a whole new level of wisdom and understanding!
Who would have ever thought that emptiness could bring complete fulfillment and indescribable joy!!! The Empty Tomb is music to my ears!!! If you know me at all, you know how much I love music! But the empty tomb of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ plays a song above all other songs I have ever played or listened too. There is no comparison!
St.Luke 24:1-7
“Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came into the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass as they were much perplexed thereabouts, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”
Because Jesus Christ broke the band’s of death, all men will be resurrected. I testify of the truthfulness and reality of that statement. I look forward to resurrection morning when I will have the opportunity, if found worthy, to be with my husband, my two sons, my daughter, my mom, my dad and numerous other relatives and friends who have passed on.
The Empty Tomb swallows up all fears and uncertainties about whether or not there is life after death. One seeking for that knowledge can know of its reality through the power of prayer and the witness of the Holy Spirit.
I love Easter and the celebration of Eternal Life! It can be difficult to be separated from those we love but our sorrows can turn to comfort, peace and even joy! Come unto Him who made it possible for all to live again!!!
Our amazing brains are very good at collecting information from those things we hear and see, but they are also very good at collecting and storing thoughts we have, both good and bad. So how do we get rid of those negative thoughts we have in our heads??? Let me share with you the things I have done to change my thought process.
First you need to determine wether or not this is an issue for you. I never realized how much negative and distorted garbage was in my head until I tried this experiment. For several days I carried a notepad around with me as I went through my daily routine. I paid attention to the thoughts I was having and jotted them down no matter what they were. It turned out to be quite a bit of writing. At the end of each day I read my notes. Sad but true, the majority of my thoughts were negative. Some about other people and their actions and comments, alot about myself, past issues and unpleasant memories. Not much about the present or what I was doing at the moment. Frankly I was quite shocked.
I want to share with you the things I did to eliminate those negative falsehoods from my thought process. I have to be honest in telling you that this is probably the hardest work I have ever done. I have been working at this for about five years now. It’s not really important how those thoughts enter our minds but much more important to stop the destruction they are causing to us as a person. But don’t get discouraged. It is possible to change your thinking!
Research has shown that mental illness can also affect our physical wellness. I am a total believer of that theory! Feeling worthless, sad or depressed can also affect the way we treat other people.
As I continued to pay attention to my thoughts, and noticed that I was thinking something negative, I would stop what I was doing and put it to the test. This required asking myself some questions. Is this thought true? Could there be another explanation? Was this person having a bad day? Does this thought do me harm or good? Should I replace this thought with something positive? Am I a good person in spite of what happened to me? Am I going to let someone else control my thinking or will I take charge of what I allow to enter my mind? The first few months I did this it was a little challenging but eventually it became a habit? I still use this technique occasionally but I am much quicker to discard the negative thought and replace it with truth.
Stop assuming you know all the facts behind someone’s rude comment or action. Assumptions generally are far from the truth. It is almost impossible to love other people when you don’t like yourself. Decide who you are and what makes you happy. If you have been abused, harboring bad thoughts allows your perpetrator to continue having power over you. Choosing to let go of destructive thoughts gives you the ability to make good choices. Happiness is a choice! Be grateful! Think positive! Be forgiving and you will feel a weight lifted. Give yourself credit for the good thoughts you have!
You are a child of God. He loves you with a perfect love. His Son came and suffered for all mankind. He felt every pain and suffering known to men. He knows those thoughts and feelings you hold within yourself. He has deep compassion for you and will strengthen you so you can endure your suffering if you will only ask Him. Christ can help you replace lies with the truth. Seek after Him who truly knows how you are feeling.
Don’t let bad thoughts trap you in darkness! Share your feelings with someone you trust!
Read Related Posts of Mine
‘Cleaning Out the Closet’ and ‘A Work in Progress’
Comments welcome on facebook or at ctr75@comcast.net
This post is for teens and adults who have struggled to feel safe and secure in your relationships. But really anyone can apply these principles in helping to establish healthy relationships. I am here to tell you that settings boundaries can take away those feelings of inadequacy and uncertainty that have a way of damaging self esteem and keeping one from being their true self.
Settingboundaries is a skill that I learned from my therapist while struggling with the effects of abuse and loss. In my youth I had somehow adapted the feeling that I had to please everyone by going along with whatever was asked in order to feel excepted and loved. What a falsehood that was. That belief I had developed, caused me to end up in alot of uncomfortable situations, some of them even dangerous. I eventually became very introvert.
My therapist used the analogy of a house to compare with different relationships and their level of respect and trust. Of course we want to be kind to everyone and some of our relationships are simply very casual, only being aquainted with someone that we see occasionally in passing. Those people most likely remain on the sidewalk in front of our home. We don’t share much about our lives with them. It’s generally just a “Hi, how are you?”
Next there are those who we consider our friends. The depth of that friendship can vary. We may allow some to come through our gate to visit with us on our porch. We share the day to day events going on in our lives, but nothing too personal.
Other friends we may have developed a stronger bond with and we invite them intoour living room.We enjoy spending time together and serving and helping each other.
The deepest kind of relationships are those with deep respect and trust. They may be a friend or church leader, a therapist or advisor, a spouse or a family member. We feel accepted and loved unconditionally and feel we can invite them into all the rooms of our home. We can be open and honest with these people. We have a deep love and respect for them. We feel we can share personal things. We know we can trust them to keep confidences. We can voice our opinion even if it is different than theirs without feeling judged.
It is okay and sometimes even necessary to set boundaries. It’s okay to say no. You get to decide who you allow to come through the gate and be involved in your life. You don’t have to go along with the crowd or what everyone else is doing just to fit in or feel excepted. You are unique! You are a child of God! You will feel a burden lifted when you are true to who you really are!
Set boundaries that protect you from harm.
Please comment on Facebook or at ctr75@comcast.net
The scriptures contain numerous accounts of Angels visiting mortal beings to bring messages of truth and warning, ministering to their needs, and providing strength and protection. It was an Angel who pronounced the pending birth of Jesus Christ to the young woman Mary, who would be His mother. The Savior himself was visited by an Angel to give Him strength while He was suffering in the Garden of Gethsemene. I believe that for some of our loved one’s who have passed on, a calling or responsibility might be to minister to the needs of those of us still living here on Earth. The blessing of ministering Angels may or may not be recognized but it will always be sacred.
In my opinion there are two kinds of Angels, those you can see and those you can’t. My main focus for this post is to talk about those Angels we pass by in the grocery store, or who sit across from us on the bus or plane. There are Angels that live in our neighborhoods and maybe in our own families. My street…. should be called Angel Street! I have been so blessed to be surrounded and uplifted by Angels who live nearby. All Angels have hearts of gold filled with the pure love of Christ. Their thoughts turn to the need’s of others before their own. Angels exemplify the highest form of love called Charity.
Years ago I wrote a true story called ‘Angels from Orem’. It was based on an experience our family had in 1986. We decided to take our five daughters, ages 7 months, 3 years, 6 years, 8 years and 10 years, to the pageant in Manti, Ut. We got off the freeway in Orem for a bathroom stop and our old van decided to quit running right in the middle of the intersection. The first Angel was a nice young man who helped my husband push our van out of the road and into a neighborhood. Luckily my husband had some mechanical experience and soon determined our fuel pump had gone out. By that time our kids were restless and wanted out of the van. We sat on the curb, (I’m sure being quite a sight), while my husband continued to remove the fuel pump. It wasn’t long until a flood of Angels came our way, offering a ride to the parts store, water, sandwiches and cookies, and extra hands to help install the new fuel pump. Before long we were on our way to Manti. My heart was so touched that I couldn’t wait to get home and write about our experience.
It is so easy to get caught up with our own responsibilities that we can’t seem to find time to be there for others, but… Youand I might just be the Angels that someone else is praying for.
Do You Believe in Angels? I Sure Do!!!
Comments welcome at ctr75@comcast.net or on facebook
These past two years have brought very distinct and dramatic positive changes into not only my life but also my self as a person. My convictions and beliefs are stronger, being aware of others and their feelings matter more, forgiving is easier, and how I think of myself and take care of myself has changed for the better. My agenda for each day is more planned out with a purpose for the things I do. As I compare my life six years ago to my life now, it is easy to see that I am in a completely different place in almost every aspect.But don’t get me wrong I still have much need for improvement!
As I continue to learn and grow I can’t help asking myself how did I get here? As I look back I remember that dark and dreary day six and a half years ago when my whole world as I knew it, crumbled. Feelings of failure and life’s unfairness crept in. Unpleasant memories and regrets surfaced. I doubted those things I thought I believed in and in a very real way I lost my desire to survive. As I have pondered why my husband’s passing was so difficult for me I have thought about the structure of my life. I have also wondered if I was simply going through the motion’s of each busy day without having a strong conviction, base or foundation to build on.
I realize now that the support or foundation I had built my decisions, and actions on was obviously a shaky one. I believed in Christ and My Heavenly Father’s plan and I strived to keep the commandments contained in the scriptures but I don’t think that I really knew Christ well enough or trusted Him enough to let Him be that main support for me. Therefore when difficult trials came my way I crumbled.
I can testify that no matter who you are, or what you believe in, that Jesus Christ is a solid foundation we can build on. If we learn of Him and His role as Savior and Redeemer of all mankind and gain a strong conviction to follow him… allowing him to be the base and foundation of all the decisions we make in life, He will bear us up when uncertainty and hardships come. I know He lives. I know of His character and attributes. He loves each one of us. He died for us and resurrected on the third day. He was completely selfless. He is knocking at the door and wants us to let Him in.
I know that as I put my trust in Jesus Christ and have faith in His desire and ability to support me and carry me when necessary, that I will be able to handle any trial that comes without crumbling. This is my testimony to you. The Savior of the world will be that structure and support upon which you can build.
Concrete foundations eventually deteriorate, but Jesus Christ will never fail you!
I love the Seasons that Utah offers with all of its variety. This time of year we begin to see little bits of green sometimes peeking through the last of the little mounds of snow. If nourished, they will grow and bring joy to many. Although January is the common time for goal setting, I find that this time of year is when I begin to feel some renewed motivation stirring within myself.Another chance to make changes in my life, to be better, do more, take better care of myself and pay more attention to the things and people around me. I have come to love being amongst God’s creations and the peace and quiet that resides there. The symbolism of spring, birth and second chances brings a serene calm to my soul.
This is not the way I have always felt. For many years I had blinders on thinking that the gloomy way I pictured my life was reality. It takes some of that spiritual vision with a broader picture in mind to truly see Springtime and new beginnings the way God wants us to. There are many lessons to be learned beginning with recognizing our value and helping it to blossom by only partaking of the good things of life. Things that give us peace and strength even when we are in the middle of a storm. This Worldwide Pandemic has definitely been a storm for all mankind in varied degrees.Nourishing our souls will help us get through any storm that comes our way.
Everyone has a need to be better, to change, to try harder and sometimes that growth can be painful, but it will always be worth it! Just like those tiny blades of green grass coming through the hard ground. Change is more than a possibility, it is a reality accessible to anyone who truly desires it. Spring is almost here with new life and opportunities for growth. The grass isn’t greener on the other side of the hill. Choose to be happy right where you are. Choose Christ to be apart of your life, A big part! Then share what you have learned. We can do hard things! We can change!
I feel not only happy but compelled to share this part of my story. I hope my words will be of value to you or even to parents who may have children who are struggling. I truly wish all children could grow up knowing their worth, their potential and the possibilities life has to offer them. Unfortunately that isnt the case.
I remember from a very young age being teased, bullied and even abused. I became very shy and was labeled an introvert. I remember cruel comments even into my adult years that only made me close within myself even more. Somewhere along the way I developed ‘victim identity’. I dont know when or why that happened, but it did. It became a part of who I thoughtI was. Always the victim. But it really wasn’t me at all. I came to except that bad things would happen to me through the words and actions of others, and they did. You would think that I was wearing a sign around my neck that said ‘hurt me’.
Having ‘victim identity’ robbed me of self esteem, self worth, good relationships, confidence, trust, integrity, hope and faith. Even though I felted trapped I also felt somewhat comfortable, (if that makes any sense) I guess because thats what felt familiar to me. As I have said before I felt safe in my own home. But when my husband passed it was like a train crash. Being completely derailed was definitely not what I expected. That’s when I came to understand that my survival would require the support of others. It would require opening up and facing those things that had happened to me, seeing them for what they truly were and discarding them. That is when I began the long road of pushing through those stumbling blocks that were keeping me from finding my true self as a daughter of God and believing in my royal heritage that came with strength, and Faith in my ability to succeed.
It was through professional counseling that I began to recognize those false attributes that I had accepted as who I was. Victim Identitywas one of the biggest stumbling blocks I had to face. At first I felt so ashamed that I had allowed a false identity to control me. I couldn’t undo the hurtful words, actions and abuse but I could undo the effects those things had on me by changing my thought process and accepting the healing and enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
The first step to shedding this false identity was to recognize and understand which stumbling blocks were having a negative effect in my life. One thing I needed was a support team. At first it was very difficult to trust anyone. Praying for strength consistently eventually gave me the courage to take those first few steps in the dark and reach out for help. I had a few trusted friends that I will be forever grateful for who stood by me buoying me up when I could not stand. I learned many helpful skills through counseling such as looking for the positive things in my life, expressing gratitude, being kind to myself, serving others, and forgiving those who had hurt me.
As I took control of my thoughts and actions, quietly and slowly over time I truly felt the healing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I began to know my true self. I testify that as you truly and consistently put forth effort to change and even discard those negative things in your life that Jesus Christ will give you the strength you need. That is a truth I could never deny!
Don’t let ‘Victim Identity’ rob you or someone you love from finding your true self.
Itseems only appropriate with today being Valentine’s day to write about LOVE. Four simple little letters, L-O-V-E….. to express a very powerful word! Of course today is more about the romantic kind of Love but there is so much more to Love than hugs and kisses, a box of candy, or little words of expression on a post a note.
Love means to be deeply committed or connected to someone or something. Love comes in different degrees of depth. Love can be taught by example. Love can bring change in others. Love is patient and kind. Love defines the nature of someone. Love shows deep expression. Love is a listening ear. Love builds up without tearing down. Love requires more than saying “I Love you.” Love is expressed through actions. Love must be nurtured. Being loved is a human need. Love is never lustful.
As a young girl of 16 I was certain I knew what love was. But a marriage at age 17 opened my eyes to all of the things that love was not. What a great learning experience that life brought to me at that point in time. A learning experience that has helped me become who I am today. I now have a much broader understanding of Love and what it is and isn’t.
I have developed a love for good wholesome things such as music, nature, hobbies, friendships and family relationships. I love my fellow man. I am learning to love myself. My love for my late husband continues to grow deeper. I love the freedoms we have in this great land. I love my Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ and those who represent them.Death does not take away Love, for true Love is Eternal!!!
This World Needs Love!
Comments welcome at ctr75@comcast.net and on Facebook.
I have recently been reading a book called ‘The Gospel at 30,000 Feet’ by Dieter F. Uchtdorf. As a young European boy he was forced to flee his home more than once during a war-torn era and later grew up to be a Chief Pilot and Senior Vice President of a major airline. He also became an Apostle and a counselor in the first presidency for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. His book has been fascinating to me and the lessons taught while he compares our journey called Life to the ability a pilot has to fly a plane. Complete with lift, drag, turbulence and guidance. And finally reaching our ultimate destination.
The Wright brothers knew that there were three main requirements in order to fly an aircraft. The first being someone to control the plane. Pilots are skilled in their knowledge of those controls that will allow a plane to take off, fly and land safely. Second, Wings that would produce lift. This happens when air passes over the wings of an airplane in such a way that the pressure underneath the wing is greater than the pressure above the wing. And third, a powerful engine that would keep the aircraft aloft. Pilots must learn to trust those who build and maintain and care for those engines that will give power to the plane they are flying.
Likewise in life we all have the gift of agency to choose for ourselves and take control of our actions. Hopefully we gain enough skill in Self Control that we can get through life safely ending up where we want to be.
Second, those things that produce Lift in life may vary for each individual. I can testify that as a person who has hit rock bottom that those things that produce lasting lift are things of a spiritual nature such as drawing closer to Christ through study and prayer, following His example and striving to develop His attributes. I believe that Christ is truly the wind beneath our wings.
And last but definitely not least is that power or source that keeps us moving upward, just like those plane engines. That source is the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit that powerfully guides and directs us keeping us on course so we can reach our destination. We have to learn to trust that source to warn us of upcoming dangers in our flight path. Dangers that will cause us to crash and not reach our full potential or enjoy an Eternal destination with our loved one’s who have passed on.
Accepting Christ as the wind beneath our wings is a sure and constant source of clarity and safety.
