Have I Done Any Good?

Isn't this the truth? We can profess to be lots of things, but it is our actions that speak louder than our words. If you think of our Savior, when did he ever just SAY to be kind, SAY to forgive, SAY to fast and pray, or even SAY that we should keep our covenants?  In every instance, our dear Elder Brother ACTED the part just as we should. 

In Matthew 25:40, Christ says, "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

So, I must ask myself have I done any good in the world today? As a representative of Jesus Christ, how have I acted in that definition?

If not, what can I do, how can I act to reflect the Savior in my actions? 

I Can Do This!

Photo Source

This morning, I was hiding in my bed (as I am wont to do) as Derek was getting ready for work. Suddenly, I heard chaos and frustration from downstairs.

.

The result of this chaos and frustration was that my couch, living room carpet, hallways carpet, stairs, Ezra's bedroom, the kitchen floor and Ezra himself got washed thoroughly. 

Oy. Some days I feel like it would be more effective to simply hitch a ride to ANYWHERE and come back in a week or two when I no longer feel like giving up. 

We have a birthday party tomorrow and everyone is beyond excited which means that they are all acting like caged monkeys. I have MORE house to clean, a cake to frost (attempting fondant for the first time, Heaven help me) and a house to decorate. 

And I have a flippin' headache. 

I shall sign off now to avoid TOO much negativity. I will prevail. I can do this. I can do this. I can DO THIS. 

Peace out ya'll. 

You Are You For a Reason

Hello!  I feel like sometimes it's hard to remember that you are you for a reason, in this time and in this place.  It's not an accident. Heavenly Father wants you to be who you are right now. He wants you to keep getting better too, but he accepts what we can offer right now.

Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great (D&C 64:33).

You are doing good things that will lead to great things. Be happy you are you.

A Wee Bit of Inspiration

I am finding inspiration these days in unlikely places: CHURCH! Don't laugh, I'm serious. When you have five little children to keep quiet during sacrament meeting, the idea of actually HEARING what someone is saying up front is pretty ridiculous. But for a few moments yesterday, I got to nurse Miriam in the Mother's lounge with only ONE extra kid and so, I got to breathe and listen to the words. It was lovely, and beyond the speaker, I had some ideas that I need to get into a word document. That doesn't happen much on Sundays (ever, actually, I try not to work on Sundays), so rather than risk losing my ideas, I jotted them down right then and there (also a miracle, I HAD A PEN AND PAPER!)

I'm thankful for small tender mercies, like a hungry baby and a quiet toddler. I'm thankful that my spiritual self is learning to listen over a bit of chaos as well. Sometimes my best ideas come while I'm wiping off a table or loading the dishwasher, and I'm grateful for that.

(Please note the pile of rocks behind my notes. My life is strange. I can't deny it.)



So, I'm trusting that John 16:13 is true when it says, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."

I trust that I will hear and be shown the things that I need to do to get this project finished. :)

In the meantime, I shall also continue to try and not yell at my kids when they make messes when I'm distracted. It's a process, people. A PROCESS.

Happy Friday!

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” 

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Airman's Odyssey: Night Flight / Wind Sand and Stars / Flight to Arra

When you look at this quote from a gospel perspective, it takes on a whole new meaning. Nothing left to take away... we will be perfected and eternal in the next life. There will be nothing to take away, only perfection upon eternal progression. What an awesome thought!

In this life though, as they say nothing is final until you're dead, so can we ever be perfect? Not so much. Our job now is to simply keep swimming. 

So, to send you into your weekend with good cheer, don't give up. Keep getting a little better each day.

There is Sunshine in My Soul

I'm not feeling particularly sunshine-y today. It's already been a rough morning. But I am determined to not give in to the frustrations that are threatening. So I whipped this up to remind myself of all that IS good, and IS right in my world. Let's face it, most of life IS good.

May your day be full of sunshine, even if you really have to peer through the clouds to find it. 

<3

Why is it Called "Practicing Perfection"?

Derek and I hashed this out a bit last night. We want the message of all THIS to be "No one is perfect, you can't be in this life, but that's okay because we keep trying to improve, to be better and in the end, our Savior makes up the difference."

But that was a very long title for a blog or book.

So, we settled here: Practicing Perfection. You keep going, you don't stop trying, you try a little harder to be a little better. You practice for eternity each and every day.

The JST of Hebrews 6:3 says, "And we will go on unto perfection, if God permit." 

Go on, eventually, someday, we'll get there in the next life. This life is a trial, a practice-run for the real deal. Practicing, improving and getting better, working toward our eternal goals is vital. So that someday, through Grace of our God, we'll be perfected in Him.

So, we practice. Every time we get out of bed, we are working on being better, and having faith that in the end, it'll all be okay.