Do you ever have a day, week, month, or sometimes a year that just seems to much to bear? I do. Usually it is only a day or two at a time. But, when those days are upon me I don't really know how to move forward. Thankfully this month has been a month full of promise and good advice.
On the 11 I was able to attend a church meeting for all of the adult women in our area. The theme was "Choosing Happiness." The speakers were fantastic! I don't think that there was a dry eye in the room through some moments because the things they taught us were so precious. I left that day resolved to be a happier person (although I am sure my children and husband think I am still just as mean and ornery as ever). I came away with a renewed sense of purpose being a mother and wife. I came away feeling like what I am doing does matter and I am not just a maid to my family. I knew (and still know) that God loves me and He gives me trials and obstacles that are just right for me. Those trials will help me to be happy when I choose to let them do so.
As I have been reading more I am finding myself drawn to books not only to live in someone else's world for a few hours but to gain knowledge. This month in the book club I attend we read "The Phantom Tollbooth." It is a children novel but has so much hidden truth inside of it for adults. I found myself too closely connected with the main character Milo in that I often rush through my day without stopping to enjoy the beauty of the moments I am living. I have been taking a moment each day to just watch my children, individually, and what a wonderful thing it has been for me. I have been trying harder to do meaningful things and not just things to fill my time with. What a difference it has made for me.
I am currently reading another book about different ways to work with my children while raising them. It has caused me to reflect on my parenting methods and some of the things I can improve on. I don't feel like I am a horrible parent. My children know I love them and that I would do anything for them. I do like to try new things and see if I can help my children in better ways. Since my girls are so different than Spencer I am having to try new things to help them deal with the issues in their lives. I am excited to implement some of the methods I am reading about and see if any of them work (I am sure they will).
Last night I went to another church meeting for the neighborhood women. We talked about the different shoes or roles we juggle with everyday in our lives. It has made me reflect on which shoes I am wearing now and what shoes I want to be wearing. I know I cannot stand still but that I must keep moving forward and so maybe I need to change my shoes so to speak.
I am not sure if any of this makes anyone else feel better but I feel better getting some of my thoughts out of my head. I hope that we can all choose happiness. Choosing happiness is a frame of mind, it is an attitude, it is refreshing. I can honestly say that I am trying to be happy, not just content but truly happy. The question for you is: What do you choose in your life? Do you choose to be happy? Do you choose to enjoy life? Even when things are hard do you find ways to be happy that Heavenly Father is there to help you? What do you choose?
Friday, January 31, 2014
Thursday, January 2, 2014
A Better Me
My Dad taught me that I shouldn't wait until the beginning of a new year to change bad habits or set goals in my life. "If you want to change something in your life just do it right then." Yep, my Dad is the best.
Yet, I still am not the best at changing some things as soon as I think about them. Some things are really easy to change, and sometimes fun to change, like the furniture arrangement in the kids bedrooms. Yep, this past week Mark and I moved about half of the furniture in our house because I decided I didn't like the girls in the same room. I am getting a little off topic. Maybe this will all be spelled out in my next post. Stay tuned...
So, now is a good a time as any to change some of the bad habits and increase the good ones too. It has been said that writing down your goals helps you achieve them. Here is a list of five things that I think will make me a better version of me, the one I really want to be, and probably a closer version of what I really should be.
1. I want to be better about reading scriptures with my children. Before, we have read the picture stories to them and they have loved it. They still get the good lessons from the stories and it has gotten them in the habit of sitting to listen to a book that isn't trucks or princesses. But I don't want my children to regret not reading the Book of Mormon as a family. We actually started this a few days ago and haven't missed a day yet. Some nights we have read a whole chapter but most nights I am sure we will only read half a page. It isn't about how many pages but the lessons we can learn as we go.
2. I want to be better at keeping a clean house. I love to be in a clean environment but I have always had an excuse as to why I am not cleaning. So, I am committing to doing 10 minutes of cleaning a day besides the normal dishes, straightening, etc that happens already. I made a chore chart for the kids a couple of years ago and I think it is time to dust that off and put them to work as well.
3. I want to be better at going to health check ups. Things like the dentist and regular health visits have not happened a lot the past couple of years (2 of my kids haven't seen a dentist ever). That really bugs me some days so I am just going to be better about making appointments. I already am off to a great start this year. Today I took Spencer to the eye doctor (since the school recommend I take him back in September). Yes, he does need glasses. And I am so glad that I just took him in.
4. I want to get back in shape. Exercise four days a week (Monday thru Thursday) for 45 minutes a day. I would like to start dancing again but to do that I first have to get in shape and practice. Along with that I have to quit eating like a teenager. A lot less sugar! A lot less sugar! That is my weakness. Sugar!
5. I want to be a crafty person again. I have set a time on my phone once a week for an hour to stop what I am doing and go play in my craft room. Spencer and Katherine love to have craft time and so would I. I am behind on my scrapbooking and I would really like to be caught up with all of my kids books by their birthdays (2 in September, 1 in December). I know I can do it as long as I do a couple of pages each week. I already did 2 for Spencer and 1 for Katherine.
There are lots of other things I want to improve but these five are the big ones right now. Maybe in a couple of weeks I can add a few more because these ones will be going so well. Until then...
Yet, I still am not the best at changing some things as soon as I think about them. Some things are really easy to change, and sometimes fun to change, like the furniture arrangement in the kids bedrooms. Yep, this past week Mark and I moved about half of the furniture in our house because I decided I didn't like the girls in the same room. I am getting a little off topic. Maybe this will all be spelled out in my next post. Stay tuned...
So, now is a good a time as any to change some of the bad habits and increase the good ones too. It has been said that writing down your goals helps you achieve them. Here is a list of five things that I think will make me a better version of me, the one I really want to be, and probably a closer version of what I really should be.
1. I want to be better about reading scriptures with my children. Before, we have read the picture stories to them and they have loved it. They still get the good lessons from the stories and it has gotten them in the habit of sitting to listen to a book that isn't trucks or princesses. But I don't want my children to regret not reading the Book of Mormon as a family. We actually started this a few days ago and haven't missed a day yet. Some nights we have read a whole chapter but most nights I am sure we will only read half a page. It isn't about how many pages but the lessons we can learn as we go.
2. I want to be better at keeping a clean house. I love to be in a clean environment but I have always had an excuse as to why I am not cleaning. So, I am committing to doing 10 minutes of cleaning a day besides the normal dishes, straightening, etc that happens already. I made a chore chart for the kids a couple of years ago and I think it is time to dust that off and put them to work as well.
3. I want to be better at going to health check ups. Things like the dentist and regular health visits have not happened a lot the past couple of years (2 of my kids haven't seen a dentist ever). That really bugs me some days so I am just going to be better about making appointments. I already am off to a great start this year. Today I took Spencer to the eye doctor (since the school recommend I take him back in September). Yes, he does need glasses. And I am so glad that I just took him in.
4. I want to get back in shape. Exercise four days a week (Monday thru Thursday) for 45 minutes a day. I would like to start dancing again but to do that I first have to get in shape and practice. Along with that I have to quit eating like a teenager. A lot less sugar! A lot less sugar! That is my weakness. Sugar!
5. I want to be a crafty person again. I have set a time on my phone once a week for an hour to stop what I am doing and go play in my craft room. Spencer and Katherine love to have craft time and so would I. I am behind on my scrapbooking and I would really like to be caught up with all of my kids books by their birthdays (2 in September, 1 in December). I know I can do it as long as I do a couple of pages each week. I already did 2 for Spencer and 1 for Katherine.
There are lots of other things I want to improve but these five are the big ones right now. Maybe in a couple of weeks I can add a few more because these ones will be going so well. Until then...
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