The Right Perspective

Sunday morning between being awake and asleep, kinda dreaming...

I was feeling down and thinking about my situation.

I envisioned a tree with a bunch of withered and broken branches. There was a single leaf 🍃 hanging from one of the branches.

I kinda woke up and felt awful and alone.

Then I fell back to sleep again, the sad little branch showed up in my mind again. Then, my view widened and that branch became part of a big, beautiful tree with lots of leaves 🍃 and my one leaf became part of many. It wasn't alone.

I wasn't alone.

Then I went to church and a stake person talked about the conference talk with the pebble. If you put the pebble in front of your eye, it looks like a boulder. It obscures your view. But, if you change your perspective it's not the boulder it seems to be.

Then in relief society the lesson was on our pioneer heritage.

I reflected back on my own, I realize how many people both past and present are there for me...

The big beautiful tree! The right perspective!

When I woke up and thought about what had just happened in my head and go... huh...

Then going to church and have it all come together made another week look tolerable.

My Heavenly Father loves me! It's amazing! I have tender mercies right when I need them. It truly amazes this me.

Lesson Learned

I am reading the New Testament. It's funny how I just read it, yet I learn new things every time or something new stands out. 

I was listening to Matthew 13:14-17 and its talking about how Jesus speaks to the people in parables. They were asking him why. Basically, you can hear and not understand, and see but not perceive. But...he says at any time people can see and be converted. AT ANY TIME.

17- "...many prophets and righteous men have desire to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard"

Our leaders sometimes don't see things clearly. It can happen.

As I read this it just made me realize that we are all fallible. We all do our best, we all learn at our own pace and as we desire. We are all children of God, period. He is in charge and made it possible for us to use faith in learning without pushing us. Parables are genius. They become teaching tools without offending, or preaching... they just cause thought and then we internalize them and learn something from them if we want. Genius.

Then Matthew 18: 18-20 I listened to this and was comforted in the fact that we will be a family forever, for what is bound on earth is bound in heaven. 

In verse 20- For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

I read that and thought... hopefully Riley and I are able to bring the spirit into our home... even if it's just the two of us...ish. (Riley struggles.) Such good verses that give much comfort. That is what the Savior does, brings us hope and comfort. 

I realize that in the last few years I have held a lot of anger and frustration because of our situation. I realize how I have kept the spirit away and I have had to really worked on being more grateful and accepting... that I can't control or influence others, I just have to control myself. If I do that, I am happy. I just have to let everything else go and do MY best. It's been a revelation, to love others...period. And, do ME...go to church, go to the temple, read the scriptures, pray, and let God keep his promises that my children will return back to what they were taught and accept God one day. *sigh* That's all I can do.

I was a sheltered girl that thought if I did my part, and did all the right things nothing would go wrong. HA! Little did I know that other peoples agency would come into play and change my perfect Mormon life. Hello? But... did I learn from it? Yes. I have learned a ton and I think the best part is having a reason to convert myself and get to know my Savior and to rely on the atonement. Then I learned how important it is to love others and not judge. I don't know if my perfect Mormon life would have taught me any of that. Darn it.

What A Blessing, because...

I love my job!
It has taken 5 years to say that and I didn't know if I ever would. Now that I am at the High School level, I can actually say it was the best move I ever made. Great prep time, great classes with zero classroom management. I don't worry to much about the sleepers, I mean, it will catch up with them eventually and if they want to graduate, they will wake up. Ha.

WHAT A BLESSING! Because...

You know that saying "Just when you think it couldn't get any worse" well, that is how I would describe the rest of my life. I just can't catch a break.
But here is the bright side:

• Trials make you turn to prayer more than ever
• Prayer makes you rely on the Savior
• The gift of the Holy Ghost is precious
• Love is above all the most important thing
• Learning that Faith and Hope are intertwined and Doubt and Fear are not part of Gods plan.

Don't Say I'm Bored!

I need to take my own advice.

Let me fill you in first. At school I can't stand to hear someone say "I'm bored". It's ridiculous and rather obnoxious to hear a kid say that before class even starts or when they have plenty of work to do. Just DON'T say it.

I struggled last week, and this week has begun the same way, I'm bored! I have literally nothing to do. I've cleaned under every sink, gone through drawers, cleaned closets, keep up with the laundry and dishes. I've pretty much gotten my lesson plans worked out as to what I'm doing in my classes, I'm almost done watching "Friends" from start to finish. I'm stumped as I sit in this place alone as to what...to...do. Instead of say "I'm bored" I've got to come up with a plan. Maybe I should start a painting, or go in search of a chair to reupholster...something.

Time to go back to work!

...and then there was THREE

Out of the blue we decided to go to Southern California. We left on a Monday.

It happened to be a week the Angel's were playing at home so we went to a couple of games. The first game Evy, Renan, Cassi, and Grandpa went with us. They were handing out free hats, you can see in the pictures. They lost horribly, but who is keeping track? We are all decked out in red to distract from the score.

The next day was a day game and the tickets were cheap to be down on the first base line. The only thing wrong with that is how hot it was. It was super hot and we ended up back in the shade, but the seat were still good. They lost horribly, but who is keeping track like I said? They were playing Houston and I may have to become a fan I think my eyes may have shut behind my sunglasses and a nap ensued.

Back in December we went to Knott's Berry Farm and actually purchased a year pass, so we went back to Knott's. I tried my best to go on more rides than usual this time, but there's still some I refuse to go on. I'm getting to old for roller coasters sadly. It turned out to be a nice day, no lines with fast passes and we had a great lunch that tasted so good. The sun was out and the temperature perfect.

We spent a couple of days at the beach. The first day we were at Corona Del Mar and it stayed overcast the whole day but it was actually nice. I would look at Riley and think how lonely he looked hanging out with his parents. Poor kid. It's just weird to be down to one child. How did we get here? How is there just three of us?

As usual Gregg Bjorn had to have a funny experience as usual. I didn't get to see it happen gosh darn it. He was rescued by a life guard! Hahaha I can't even tell the story correctly but he came back to where I was under the umbrella with a red mark around his chest and said, "I was just rescued". Apparently, he was swimming out pass the breakers and the lifeguard came out of nowhere and said "grab on", and threw him the life preserver thing. G. Bjorn was saying, "no, I'm fine" when the lifeguard came in and clipped the preserver around his chest. He wanted to stop and tell him he was fine and knew what he was doing but he couldn't do anything but have the kid drag him in. Once they were in G. Bjorn told him thanks but that was unnecessary. Then he showed up where I was with the red mark around his chest and a funny story. Amazing how something always has to happen to him.

The second beach was Laguna. It was a beautiful day and not many people for the 4th of July weekend. The sun was actually out but it wasn't super hot. We had a chat with the lifeguard about tide pools and told him about the incident the day before. Later on when G. Bjorn decided to go swimming the lifeguard came up to me and said, "should I go rescue him?" Haha What a jokester. He then said I can tell he knows what he's doing. By the way... cutest lifeguards ever! Rescue me! Oh, that's right I hate sea water it's sticky and has lots of fish pee. A girl can dream.

Since being home my mind is on work. I'm coming up with new lessons, ideas, power points etc. I love doing it I suppose or I wouldn't be doing it. I'm getting anxious for High School. I can't wait to set up my classroom and get organized. Right now it's all on a fold out table in my bedroom.

That's a wrap until next time. We should be on our way to Mammoth Lakes in a couple weeks.