“Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
I have a chest where I keep my precious things, mostly things of sentimental value. Sadly I cannot take any of those things with me when I pass from this mortal life. But I can take to Heaven the treasures of my ❤️.
So what do you treasure most in your heart? What is most important to you? Don’t get caught up in worldly things and lose sight of what really matters!
Look inside your treasure chest and seek after Eternal jewels!
Isn’t it amazing how quickly things accumulate over the years. But this post doesn’t just apply to ‘stuff’. It applies to anything that wears you down and keeps you from having the life that you desire. Holding grudges is certainly something worth throwing out. Also baggage from unresolved past issues. It might not be as simple as tossing a bag in the garbage can, but those kinds of things can be discarded over time with the right attitude and possibly with needed help.
Throwing out unwanted things can be as simple as cleaning out a junk drawer. It might be necessary to look at each item carefully to determine what is ‘junk’ and what is something worth resolving or keeping. Not all junk is bad. Some items can be turned into something beautiful or might be kept as a memory. Junk can be internal or external. Less stuff or junk means less stress!
Past mistakes and sins can be discarded through the gift of repentance. Nothing can be sweeter than discarding those kinds of burdens. I testify that repentance brings freedom and peace. God is there to help you! Jesus Christ paid the price for all of mankinds mistakes and sins.
What can you discard from your life to make it better?
This picture beautifully symbolizes calm to me with with its cool blues and soft green. Calm as we know it is the opposite of anything stressful. It is hard while living in this world to find calm, but definitely worth seeking after.
I can easily tell you the difference between feeling stressed out and feeling calm. However calm has not come easily for me where stress seems to pop into my life without an invitation. So what can we do to relieve the stress in our lives and stress less?
Here are a few things I have learned that have greatly reduced my stress:
Stop comparing yourself and your life to others. Be content with who you are and the experiences you and your family have had. Our Father in Heaven knows what we need as individuals.
Own your day, leaving a little wiggle room for the unexpected. Make sure you give yourself time to breathe and relax. Waiting in my car for my granddaughter to get out of school has been fourty five minutes that I look forward to each week. Figure out what helps you feel calm and make a little time for it each day.
When you have raised and taught your children to the best of your ability, cut those apron strings and learn to let them govern themselves. This has been a hard one for me but I have faith in my kids to eventually figure out those things that will bring peace and true happiness into their lives. All I can really do is pray for them and be a good example.
Stop trying to change the things you have no control over. Instead have the courage to accept that there is simply nothing you can do with this particular situation. Exercise patience and Trust that God is aware. He is there to help and support you through difficult things if you call on Him.
Take care of yourself physically, spiritually and emotionally. Eat healthy, get plenty of rest and exercise. If your stress level becomes unmanageable get help. And don’t forget to treat yourself every once in a while. Try listening to relaxing music or eating chocolate. You deserve it!
Although I grew up eating whole lemons, adding a little sweetness to this tart fruit can turn them into a refreshing drink! Life often brings ‘lemons‘ in the form of hardships and trials into each of our lives. These tart and sometimes bitter experiences can bring sorrow and grief beyond what we feel we are capable of handling.
There is no correct way to handle the unpleasantness of Opposition, for we each have our own strengths and weaknessess. It will take time to figure out what helps you pull from the depths of despair and find that lemonade!
I want to share with you what has helped me the most when I have felt that life was just too hard. While leaning on my Savior Jesus Christ was helpful, that wasn’t when the real help came. Striving to live as He did and serving others was truly when I began to feel those hard things becoming almost delicious to me. Serving others brought joy back into my life!
There will always be someone in need of your service. I love this quote, “I might not be able to do everything for everyone everywhere, but I can do something for someone somewhere.” You can make a difference and it just might do you a world of good too!!!
Without those lemons there would be no lemonade!!!
For the past couple of years I have been doing some remodeling and finishing some rooms in my home that had never been finished since my house was built in 1976. These changes have not only been good for my home but also for me as a person. Our surroundings often affect the way we feel inside.
This year has got me motivated to make some more changes in other rooms that are in desperate need of help and replace a deck that is falling off of my house. I have already made a plan with steps that if followed will lead me to my desired result. Those steps will require throwing out the old, giving walls and floors a fresh new look. Not an easy task and very time consuming. Some of the work will require a professional with more knowledge and skill than I have myself.
So what about remodeling ourselves……our person, inside and out. Maybe this new year is the perfect time to take inventory and a real hard look at the person we are or the person we are becoming. While a few new wrinkles can be lines of wisdom, clutter on the inside can damage our soul. Do you need to strengthen your floor or foundation that supports your structure and keeps out those things that may harm you? Or do you need a complete renovation?
Building your foundation upon Jesus Christ is the greatest remodel we can ever complete. The results will be pleasing to the eye and will sanctify ones soul.
The Holy Scriptures contain complete instructions on how to remodel your person!!!
There are all kinds of things that motivate a person to act or react. Some of the most common are fear, reward, duty, punishment, responsibility, love and even hatred. The most beneficial kind of motivation comes from deep within one’s self when you have carefully decided what your behavior will be.
How often have you reacted to a person or situation only to realize a few seconds or minutes later that you are not happy with the outcome. Self Motivation begins with truly knowing who you are and what you stand for. It takes a great desire and determination to portray your trueself one hundred percent of the time and not be persuaded to react in a way contrary to your beliefs.
What a great time of the year it is to set goals and have the self motivation to reach them. I failed so many times this past year to do just that, but there is always tomorrow when we can try again. So dig deep down inside of yourself and ask the question, what am I determined to achieve in 2024? Make sure that your goals are realistic. God will help you if you ask in faith believing in Him and His ability to help you.
The world would be quite a different place if everyone took the time to think things through carefully before acting. Believe in yourself and act instead of reacting!
Let self motivation be the driving force behind your thoughts and actions!!!
Light is so fascinating! Where would we be without Light? When darkness comes upon us each night we have faith that the sun will rise the next morning bringing light to our day. Our Father in Heaven did not want His children to walk in darkness.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Jesus Christ brings light, Jesus Christ is light!
Light and darkness cannot exist together. When even the smallest hint of light enters a room the dark dispels quickly. Following Jesus Christ brings light to your soul. Others can see that light within you. There is no better way to dispel the darkness in your life than following Christ and living as he did by sharing that light with others.
Matthew 5:16 ” Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Give the gift of Light and Love this holiday season!!!
I love this season!!! It is truly my favorite time of year! I love the beauty of freshly falling snow, the smell of pine, the taste of shortbread cookies, and the brightly colored lights, but mostly….. I love the giving!!!
Giving can be simple and heartfelt yet have a great impact on the receiver. There are so many ways one can give and lighten the load for someone else or bring a smile to their face. You can give love and compassion. You can give sympathy and empathy. You can give service. You can give a listening ear. You can give a hug!
Since my husband passed away nine years ago I have been the receiver of so much giving. Sometimes it is hard to receive but at the same time I am so grateful for all of the wonderful people around me. Their acts of kindness give me the desire to serve others.
The greatest gift ever given was from Our Father in Heaven to each of His children! John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ all men will be ressurected! Striving to follow the teachings of Christ and love and serve others is the best gift I can give back to Him.
Finding peace with yourself begins with truly knowing who you are and the unlimited potential you have as a Child of God, then striving to meet that potential by becoming the very best version of yourself!
One cannot find lasting peace while harboring feelings of malice, hatred or jealousy. The world may present counterfeits of peace and happiness but none will bring everlasting joy like knowing who you are and acting accordingly.
You are truly the spiritual offspring of Heavenly parents who desire for you to progress and grow and reach that potential that lies within each of us. Potential that will bring out the best in you!!! And you will find peace with yourself!!!
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could depend on someone to help us every minute, of every hour, of every day. I am here to testify to you that our Father in Heaven has provided that help through His Son Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Ghost who comforts, teaches and heals.
One might think that you can’t call upon God for trivial matters or that you have to be next to perfect to ask for divine help. Nothing could be further from the truth! Our Father in Heaven wants his children to call upon Him in all matters good and bad. He desires to help us no matter what we are struggling with and even desires to hear about those positive experiences we are having. He is there every moment of every hour, of every day. I know this to be true! Oh how I need Him!
Today I had one of those moments where I found myself in one split second calling upon God to please help me when I accidently turned two pages instead of one while playing the piano for my church choir. While my dilemma only lasted for two measures, I somehow recovered and got back on track. I believe that God helped me because I asked for his help. Although the piece did not turn out perfect as I wished, it was still beautiful and brought the Spirit into the meeting.
I often think about how different my life would be if I depended on onlymyself to make all the choices I am faced with each day. We might sometimes think we don’t need to include God in our decisions, but I have learned that it is always best to include Him even when His will is different than our own. Aligning our will with His will always bring the best results!
Call Upon God, He Loves You and is Ready to Help You!!!
