Day 13

Today I am grateful for my mother.

She is the wind beneath my wings.... as corny as that sounds, it is actually true. I feel like I can fly whenever I talk to her.

Her background has made her the person she is today and I am forever grateful for that. She has raised me to always depend on the Lord, family comes first, and that God has a plan for me. I love her so much and I wish that words could describe it.

Unfortunately the English Language doesn't have the words to describe how much I love and appreciate my mother.

But I want her to know that I am the woman I am today because of the way she raised me and the experiences we shared together. She is a woman of virtue and love. She has a brilliant mind and intellect.

I love you mom.

Be Better

I had a friend in high school that always told me I took things too seriously.  I never understood certain jokes or sarcasm.  Sometimes I feel like Sheldon on the Big Bang Theory..... 

I can take things personally and get offended easily. It isn't good and I know I need to do better.  But I love this quote because it isn't about the person or the things that transpired, but it's about the take-away- the things I learn.

Lately, I have been always on the phone with my mom telling her about everything that is happening to me including all the drama that I create for myself.  It is hard for my mom to always hear about the bad things.  I don't want that sort if relationship with my mom.  

On Sunday, she told me that most of the stuff I wanted advice for were things I already knew.  These experiences teach me everything I need to know.  I just need to remember them.

So my goal is to write down the things I learn.  

Especially with my mission to Nauvoo, I need to remember how to be better and how to be teachable in circumstances that may seem so out of control and hurtful.

I love learning new things and I really want to be better.

I think I've said this before....

I truly believe my mom is inspired every day to think about something and share it with me, on her blog, with her friends, etc... She searches for ways to increase her knowledge of spiritual things.  She finds quotes and talks that uplift and help guide the mind to think more about Christ and less about oneself.

She blogged a couple weeks ago with this quote and for some reason it hit me so hard.

"It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which . . . you would be strongly tempted to worship. . . . There are no ordinary people." C.S. Lewis

We know that we are spiritual brothers and sisters.  We know that God created us in His own image and gave us unique and special gifts that help us become the people we are meant to be.  We know that we will become gods and goddesses.  But when you look at someone, do you think, wow, they are going to be a great ruler in this next life?

I know I haven't.  I look more on the style they have or the color of their eyes.  Sometimes I like what I see, but sometimes, I have criticisms.

Reading this quote, I want to go and tell everyone I see just how amazing they are.  They deserve to know how brilliant they are and can become.

I want to be told that. I want someone to come up to me and tell me that I am going to be an amazing goddess.

Every one is different, but everyone has something to offer.

My mom's thoughts...

My mom is brilliant.... and I am pretty positive this isn't the first time I have said this.... hahah
But she posted something about the shooting in Connecticut and it made me cry.  So I will share it with you.  Her thoughts:

so many, many posts on facebook...

so many, many reports on the news...

so many, many yahoo articles...

I COULD NOT PROCESS IT ALL!

then in the quiet of the evening

I shared with Keith of an article

that I had recently read

about a retired psychologist

who lived near the school

who looked out the window of his small home

and noticed 6 little children sitting in a circle

at the end of his driveway...

he had heard the gunfire

and the children quickly reported to him why they ran away
and why they couldn't go back to the school

so he brought them into his home

and called each parent to let them know;

he went upstairs to retrieve stuffed animals

and with Grandpa-like care
he offered them to the little kids

and gave them juice

one child clung to the toy animal and said little,

just peered out the window and waited for her mom

while others shared details of the horrors they witnessed

(which he would not repeat)

one by one the 2 boys and 4 girls were picked up by family

and when the house was empty of these six little ones

who had bravely escaped their school
 to find refuge

in the home of this elderly gentleman

a knock came at the door

and a young mom looked into his face

and asked,

"I am looking for my son.  I heard a few children ran for safety and came here...
is my son one of them?"

tears flowed 

as he had to tell the mother

that her son's name was on the list of victims.

And then I sobbed.  And sobbed...

and I said to Keith,

"I can't get out of my mind what the children kept repeating to their teacher

while they were huddled in the closet:

'I don't want to die.  I just want Christmas.' "

Well, for those of us who have a clear understanding

of what this holiday is all about

then these sweet souls

surely have what they wished for

they now have

CHRIST(mas)

in all it's glory and delight!

Merry Christmas little children.
And...
peace
to
your
families.

Thanks mom for your wise words and thoughts.