Joy, Sorrow

Journal topic:

My Greatest Joys__

As I reflect on this blog entry I can't help but list my family. My family is truly one of the greatest joys in my life. As our children have grown into such neat people my joy continues to grow I have truly enjoyed each stage of their lives. The joy of having a kind and thoughtful spouse is a joy I treasure daily!

Another joy I have thought about is, the joy of freedom . The older I get the ability to make choices I appreciate more and more. As I experience the consequence that come with choice I find myself being more careful in the choices I make. We truly become free from our choices.

Education is a joy I add to the list. I have had a life time of learning and every phase has brought with it new perspective and knowledge. I have learned and I am continually learning the joy knowledge brings.

My greatest joy is in knowing that there is a God. That there is purpose to living, purpose in loving, and purpose in growing. Coming to know who I am in God's plan is empowering. This joy is one I want to share with others.

My Greatest Sorrows__

As I comtiplate this topic I come to realize that my sorrows are connected to my joys. When my family members are experiencing sorrow my sorrow is deepened. I guess that comes with motherhood! My choices sometimes bring sorrow. And when I act against my knowledge of who I am, my sorrow deepens.

I am learning that we cannot truly know what joy is without knowing what sorrow is!

Are these topics you have thought about? Take some time today to reflex on your greatest joy, and greatest sorrow.

Have a great day!

Up-date

Up date!

With all that is going on in my life, blogging is often pushed to the back of the list. So today is a catch up day. I love the cool crisp days of fall! I love the colors the beauty of the world we live in. I just finish the "Great and Terrible" series by Chris Stuart! This book has really given me a new perspective on life. I recommend this series to everyone. I appreciate my freedoms and the experience of living more. I appreciate my family and the power of standing for good together. I appreciate my wonderful husband more. I appreciate those who fight for freedom. I appreciate and treasure the knowledge I have, that we are children of a loving Heavenly Father who cares about us and wants us to be happy and experience joy.

I am really enjoy learning again. Yes, it has taken me a couple of weeks to get over the shock of homework and how to adjust and balance all that is going on in my life. I have a hunger to learn and I am doing better that I expected to do! This old brain still works!! Mid-terms are coming up and I am realizing I am half way through my first semester!

I am taking an English class, and learning to write better. Having to turn papers in for subjection is tough, yet at the same time having someone teach you how to do something better is a great feeling. I am understanding the value of writing to communicate. My bio-calculaitons class has been rough! So much information in math, so many formulas, interpretations, and facts this class is really stretching me! My med-term class is my favorite! I love learning about the body and how it works. I have learned over 400 new words!! That has been the tough part, spelling, definitions and a ton of memorization!!

My family has been wonderful and very supportive!! We are learning together the power of a family!! My husband never complains, pitches in and does laundry, canning and housework! He gives me neck rubs and keeps me sane.......my wonderful children keep me encouraged, tutor me, and have really stepped it up doing jobs around the home. I feel sad at times that I don't have days to cook and clean and nurture and be the mom. I am moving on to a new phase of life and change always brings a mixture of emotions!

Sister
Life is too short to wake up with regrets.
So love the people who treat you right.
Love the ones who don't just because you can.
Believe everything happens for a reason.
If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands.
If it changes your life, let it.
Kiss slowly.
Forgive quickly.
God never said life would be easy.
He just promised it would be worth it.



Today is sister's day, send this to all your sisters,
mothers, daughters, girlfriends even me if I am like one.
If you get back 7,
you are loved.
Happy Sister's Day!

I LOVE YA SISTA'!!! :-)

Girlfriend and Sister's Week
I am only as strong as the chocolate I eat,
the hair spray I use and
the friends I have.
To the cool women that have
touched my life.. Here's to you!
National Girlfriends Day
What would most of us do without our sisters, confidants and shopping, lunching, and traveling girls?

Let's celebrate each other for each other's sake!

Thanks Kathryn! You are one of those most amazing women that; when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says~~
"Oh darn, She's up!"

Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says~~
"Oh darn, She's up!"

Its Friday again? How did that happen??

Food 4 Thought

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Breakfast

What is your favorite part of FALL? EVERYTHING!! I love the cooler temperatures, the colors, the food, Friday night football, fall soccer. I really enjoy living in a place that has seasons. I think I might get board if the weather and atmosphere stayed the same. I love change!!

Lunch

If you could go anywhere this weekend, where would you go? I would fly to Oregon! I have always wanted to go to that part of the country in the fall! Vermont would be a second pick.

Dinner

What are you currently addicted to? Eating good food! I have been off dairy, refined sugar,and glutton for 3 plus weeks and I feel wonderful!! I have sooo much energy it is an amazing addicting feeling!!

Midnight Snack

Have you already begun your Christmas shopping? Are you kidding me? I hope I get grocery shopping done this week! I have a nine page major writing assignment due in two days, a major medical terminology test TODAY and a major math test on Monday!

Recipe of the Week (instead of your recipe for life, what is it just for this week?)

Whatever you can dream you can do, begin it; boldness has genius, power and magic in it." Goetheo

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"The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." ~Browning

It should come as no surprise that the secret to living a rich, full and happy life lies in the second sentence of this quote. Every time we face a difficulty we have two choices: wilt or grow--it is that simple. We can complain about the difficulty, analyze it, dislike it, think it is unfair or unjust--and we might be right. But that doesn't matter. Whether we are right or wrong, the difficulty remains. We can make the difficulty a statue in our life by focusing on it, or we can make the difficulty crumble, by growing and stepping past it.

As some of you know I have gone back to school at the ripe old age of 43!! I seem to have many days that I want to wilt, turn in the towel and just give up!!. Life is just too hard with all its demand to add another to my schedule!! When this is my focus I most likely will wilt!! Yet I have another choice, to put on my cowgirl boots and cowgirl up!! (a phrase from my past) When I make the second choice I know I will grow, and not only that I will accomplish my goal!

With goals comes obstacles, to help us know if what we are seeking is truly our desire! If we are willing to stick it out when the going gets tough then what we seek becomes our destiny!

Hope happens when we look past the obstacles!!

Where have you been seeing difficulty instead of opportunity? How would it feel to remove the stone statue of "difficulty" and replace it with fertile ground for hope to grow? What can you do today to begin crumbling that status?