The Gospel ROCKS! (and so do clean socks...)

Monday, February 28, 2011

I'm Grateful for... Today I'm grateful for a few serious things, and a few "silly" things.

1. Today I got home from the grocery store at 8:30 and was feeling rather down. I opened up my email to find a link my Mom sent me with a UTube video of a temple celebration in the Ukraine. It was the BEST reminder I could have received of what this life is all about. The Lord knows who we ALL ARE as individuals. He is spreading the gospel to as many as will receive it world wide, and those who prepare themselves are able to take upon themselves sacred covenants, that will bless their lives for eternity. How inspiring it is, to KNOW that I'm a daughter of a God who has given his listening children SO MUCH joy in this life. Amazing!

2. Clean laundry. Olivia folded my laundry (hence the clean socks... yeah, cheezy, but I AM my mother's daughter) today and left it for me to find on top of the dryer. What a GREAT act of service my friend! Thanks!

3. The ability to think clearly. Sometimes I come home from work and my mind WON'T WORK... this is a problem, when I have HOURS of homework to do. Tonight, I got home, and after some inspirational reminders, I had a clear mind and was able to accomplish MUCH.

4. Showers. I don't wake up so well without them... I'm so glad that I have this morning "jolt" to help me get started with my day! (Plus, I'd stink without them - so you all should be grateful for them too!)

5. Weight Watchers. Yes, I'm a lifetime member of WW, and I'm grateful for the things it's taught me about being healthy, and living healthy, so I FEEL good. Yep, I'm making better habits. (And NO, they didn't pay me to say that... but maybe they SHOULD!)

Service:

1. Spent time helping a fellow co-worker who is not doing as well as she'd like!

2. Helped my sis with her homework (well kinda... bit of a stretch, but I tried) :)

3. Shared some recipes with Brett & Kerri. :)

more Gratitude/Service ...

So... no surprise, but I've been busy and didn't blog last Sunday... and I'm not so sure that I did a great job writing down my "Grateful Service" for the past two weeks, but here's what's been going on...

Feb 27, 2011

Grateful for...

1. The spirit. I sure do miss it when I'm not listening for it! It testifies of all things that are TRUE and is a Valuable part of my life.

2. Chances that help me learn humility. I seem to have had a few weeks of opportunities to learn humility. Though I don't love eating humble pie, it is good for me and helps me to grow - and I'm grateful for those opportunities to GROW.

3. Olivia making dinner and inviting good friends over to share it with us! Love good friends!

4. That I found carrots growing in my "backyard" garden from last year! Those seeds just started growing I guess. :) What a fun surprise!

5. That today I'll finish the Book of Mormon once again. Can say enough how grateful I am for this beautiful gift! What a lucky person I am to have the word of God so readily available to me whenever I'd choose to partake of it. I feel SO BLESSED!

Service:

1. "ushered" at stake conference.

2. Saved seats and gave a seat to friends at stake conference, so they could sit in the "soft seats"

3. Did a "puppy" drive by again today for my friend who's lost her dogs.

Feb 26, 2011

Grateful for...

1. Watching people do things they didn't think they could! We have to potential to do MUCH MORE than we think we can - it's pretty darn amazing when we realize we CAN DO just about ANYTHING!

2. Playing Soccer (even though I feel like I got beat up by this SUPER out of control team) I sure do enjoy it 99% of the time!

3. Stake Conference - having the spirit remind me that just because I'm not where I'd LIKE to be, it doesn't mean that I can't GET to where I'd like to be with the power of the atonement.

4. Being able to serve.

5. Order in all things. Sometimes life get's so busy, and crazy, and I get so caught up in it all that I forget that there's an "order" for all things. And if I will take a step back, and let things have "order" and create "order" in all things - then miracles will happen, and I'll see the bigger picture in what my life SHOULD be - EVEN when it's super crazy.

Service:

1. Helped a friend watch for her missing dogs.

2. Invited 2 gals to Stake Conference, who didn't know that it was happening.

3. Bought dinner for a friend.

Feb 25, 2011

Grateful for...

1. The opportunity to have a student teacher - I've gotten SO MUCH DONE!!! Every teacher should get one for a few weeks each year. It's been SUCH A GREAT, GREAT blessing in my life - and I'm grateful that the Lord knew I'd need her! (Don't know how I'm going to stay sane without her help!!! I believe in miracles - guess I better start praying for some!)

2. Seeing people make progress in their lives.

3. Good people who teach gospel principles in their lives, but just LIVING their lives and baring testimony of what they believe in their actions/general conversations - Had a temple worker remind me that I have the rite to receive revelation ALL the TIME today - it was a GREAT lesson for me to be reminded of...)

4. That the temple is open at 6am, so I can go before work and still have time to stay after work to get things done!

5. Seeing my friends have a good time in my home.

Service:

1. Temple service

2. Made cookies for Olivia 'cause she wanted some. (maybe not so great for ME though - I ate too many of them!)

(missed more days... not doing so great!)

Feb 21, 2011

Grateful for...

1. Sleeping in - needed it!

2. Getting things done! Marked off almost the WHOLE list!

3. Spending the day with FRIENDS!

4. Finishing my shredding (took me a week or two - it was built up!)

5. Had another Flower Order come in! Great!

Service:

1. Helped organize a night out with some gals in the ward that I'm just getting to know...

2. Helped clean our house! (that's service, right? or is it just selfish...)

(missed a few days - yeah, I know... I'm working on it!)

Feb 17, 2011

Grateful for...

1. To have the experience to be a mentor, both with my student teacher Cynthia Lloyd, and with the other teachers at my school. Has been a GREAT learning experience.

2. I got to sleep in (do you see a pattern?) because I had a meeting at Westminster this morning.

3. Found a cheap paper shredder! Yeah for saving $ (I could use more of it ya know!)

4. Made it to the gym AND the temple today!

5. Organization - it makes my life so much better!

Service

1. Temple attendance with the stake.

(missed a few days! OOPS!)

(has nothing to do with my post - but was our valentines day card to our friends - my roommates rock!)

Feb 14, 2011 (Day of LOVE!)

Grateful for...

1. The Scriptures - they sure make me feel great!

2. Learning from people who came before me. It's great when someone else can teach me what I need to know without me making the mistakes and learning purely on my own.

3. SLEEPING IN! I got "furlough-ed" today and was able to sleep in and take care of my business responsibilities (Trish Flowers). Sure was AWESOME!

4. Seeing old friends! - Got to see Liz and deliver her flowers...

5. Good times with two of my favorite people in the world - Olivia and P-dawg. Thanks for coming to FHE friends. :)

Service:

1. Ran errands for people

2. Took a card to my Grandparents

3. Supported my friend at our FHE activity tonight!

(this is us delivering our valentine - notice that you can't see the card - but you CAN see the "no soliciting sign in the background... nice)

Feb. 13, 2011

Grateful For...

1. The sacrament - I love being able to take it each Sunday and remember WHY I come to church.

2. Being able to have a change of attitude.

3. Having self control - Sometimes I don't know that I have any - but I always feel good about life when I DO!

4. My awesome family!

5. Olivia and I did some "valentine" deliveries, that were pretty awesome... even knocked on the door and hid!

6. Borrowed milk from my parents neighbors house. It was pretty awesome calling the McDaniel's and asking to borrow a cup of milk - reminded me of when I was a kid and would do that so we could make cookies with the family on a Sunday evening... good memories!

Service:

1. Made cookies to share with friends for Valentines day.

2. Sat by a new gal at church, so she wasn't all alone.

Grateful / Service...

So, as I posted before, I've been keeping a gratitude journal each day, and have been trying to do 3 acts of service each day too. I was supposed to be taking a picture each day to document these things, however... I've gotten progressively worse and worse at the picture thing - sooooooo, I'm going to attempt to do at least one a week, and call that good... If I'd been more on the ball, I'd have started posting these in January - BUT, I'm NOT on the ball - so I'll just start now, and attempt to post them each Sunday from now on... Or at least for 2 or 3 weeks, until I get progressively worse at that too. :) Just being honest here. But to be hopeful, here's grateful service blog 1...

Sunday Feb 6th

Grateful For:

1. The Holy Ghost. Feeling it testify of the truth is s GREAT blessing in my life.

2. Reminders of what I could be doing better in my life.

3. The scriptures.

4. My talents - the fact that my parents encouraged me to develop them when I was young.

5. The opportunity to fast. It's pretty much amazing.

Service:

1. Fasting for someone.

2. Playing the piano for a fireside.

3. Cleaning the kitchen - even though it wasn't my dishes in the sink. :)

Saturday Feb 5th

Grateful For:

1. Finding a new, closer Weight Watchers location

2. The chance to play soccer each week.

3. The cushion things that I put in my shoes, so my feet weren't screaming at me!

4. Moments when I realize that I need to just calm down, and life will be okay.

5. People who have patience with me when I'm NOT calm.

Service:

1. Purchased rolls for my roommates dinner.

2. Agreed to play the piano for a fireside.

Friday Feb 4th

Grateful For:

1. The end of the work week.

2. President Monson's biography... teaches me lessons!

3. The opportunity to learn patience.

4. Church activities - even when I don't want to go to them.

5. Good people that surround me and make me want to be better.

Service:

1. I went to the temple.

2. I helped an old lady at the grocery store.

3. Drove us all to the activity.

Thursday Feb 3rd

Grateful For:

1. The friendly bank lady who knows my name, even though I'm one of 100's customers that go to that bank.

2. A clean room/ house! I love clean!

3. Relaxation time. I don't have enough of it.

4. A good run!

5. Getting things done that are weighing me down! It's nice to be PRODUCTIVE!!!

6. Talking with old friends!

Service:

1. Put the weights back were they go at the gym.

2. Cleaned out the workroom at school! It was messy!

3. Cleaned my house - dishes, vacuum, etc.

Wednesday Feb 2nd

Grateful For:

1. Help from my classmates on our reading... cause I admit, I didn't do it! :( I'm not always a great student...

2. A gym that is close to work.

3. A garage that allows me to get into a warm car each morning.

4. Nalgene water bottles. They rock my face off!

5. The atonement. I make so many mistakes in my life!!! And want to be so many things that I'm not! I am grateful that I can become better with the Savior's help!

Service:

1. I held the door open for someone that was behind me.

2. I straightened my classroom for my student teacher.

3. I helped one of my co-workers with some planning.

Tuesday Feb 1st

Grateful For:

1. Modern Medicine. (I don't do well with pain)

2. My deep rooted testimony of the gospel.

3. Answers to prayer and the opportunity to pray.

4. Good conversations. I know that I talk a lot - probably too much - but I love to have a good conversation, especially after a long day...

5. Taking a class with my little sister. I don't know that I'd enjoy it nearly as much as if I was all alone...

Service:

Today after a long day of work, being sick, and then going to class, I met up with a few girls who have had a rough time lately for ice cream. We sat around and visited for a good hour and a half, and were able to get to know each other better, and hopefully forge a friendship that will help them to see that the gospel really is what this life is all about... I hope it was a good thing!

Monday Jan 31st

Grateful For:

1. Stress relieving gym experiences! Sometimes a good run makes ALL the difference!

2. An irreverent FHE... yes the back row of 30 year olds were giggling and laughing during the scripture chase games. Seriously, so immature!

3. Opportunities to make tomorrow an even better day.

4. Blessings from Heavenly Father - I met my budget for January! It wasn't easy - but it was possible.

5. Nachos. They are my new favorite treat.

6. My little sister Paige, who turned 28 today! I LOVE YOU LITTLE SISTER!!!

Service:

1. I made us all dinner.

2. I was able to take Kerri home from FHE.

3. I talked to a gal that I don't know so well at the grocery store... I think she's in need of some friends, and though it may have been more for my benefit, I felt like perhaps it was a service to her as well...

Sunday Jan 30th

Grateful For:

1. The Stake Missionary "conference" that I went to. The Salt Lake Area Mission President & councilors were there and encouraged us to be doing more missionary work. I was INSPIRED and will be praying for opportunities to share the gospel with people who are looking for it.

2. My awesome family! I only spent an hour with them, but they really lift me up and make my life pretty wonderful.

3. My friend joined me at church. He's not always there - but I sure am grateful when I'm there with people that I love and appreciate.

4. Repentance - I am FAR from where I wish I was in life, and through repentance I can change my bad habits into better ones. Change is sometimes so great.

5. The Amazing scriptures that teach of the atonement. What would I do without them!!!

Service:

1. I helped arrange for a pair of Elders to give a blessing to a friend who was in need.

2. I called a gal that I don't always see at church, but who I miss when she's NOT there...

3. Sat by some new gals at church.