Spiritual Sundays: You're Getting Warmer...

The view of a West Virginia sunset  from my parents' back deck on Thanksgiving.

"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience."

I was recently reading O Magazine and I came across an article by Martha Beck that I found very interesting. In the article, she discusses how oftentimes we find ourselves in a life that we don't like, and we're not quite sure how we got there or how we're supposed to change it. Many don't even know what kind of life they want- they can't even envision it- they just know that the life they have isn't working for them.

Beck then explains that each of us has our own personal GPS navigation system built in. She compares it to the game Warm/Cold, where something is hidden and in order to find it, you must respond to vocal cues of whether the direction you're going is "warmer" or "colder." If you are getting "warmer", then you should continue in the same direction. Likewise, if you are getting "colder" then you should change your course. 

We each have different aspects of our lives that make us feel warmer and colder. Some call our awareness of these feelings an "inner compass", some call it our conscience, and some just chalk it up to natural affinity. However, I believe that these feelings Martha Beck was writing about are the manifestation of the Light of Christ within each of us. In a talk entitled, "The Light of Christ", Elder Boyd K. Packer described this gift by saying, 

"The Light of Christ is defined in the scriptures as 'the Spirit [which] giveth light to every man that cometh into the world' (D&C 84:46); 'the light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed' (D&C 88:13; see also John 1:4–9; D&C 84:45–47; D&C 88:6; D&C 93:9)."

Personally, I see the Light of Christ as being kind of like a little tracking beacon that we each have that reminds us where we came from. No matter where we are, or what state we may be in spiritually or emotionally, there is still that little bit of our Heavenly home that is embedded within each of us, and it will lead us back there if we allow it to guide us.

I really love the quotation that I placed at the beginning of this post (I actually have it displayed in my home office) because it reminds me that above all things I am a spirit daughter of my Father in Heaven, and even though I may get all caught up in the human things of the world, it is those things that are not seen, those things that are only felt, that are the true purpose of my life here. This life is but a short human moment compared to the rest of my spiritual existence. It really puts things in perspective, doesn't it? I think really that the Light of Christ is simply a peaceful feeling of familiarity we get when we're engaged in activities that are true to our spiritual selves. It's kind of like when you're all grown up and out on your own and suddenly you catch the scent of your mother's perfume. There's a peace there, a sense of home and love that reminds you who you are and where you came from.

So back to the article about the warm/cold. I thought that Beck's comparison to the warm/cold game was really insightful. I may call it something different from her explanation, but the concept is the same: we are each searching for the warmth, and it is only when we pay close attention to what feels right that we can find it, and thus find the life we were meant to lead. When I say "what feels right" I'm not talking about the things that make our bodies feel good or the things that are entertaining to us. I'm talking about that spiritual homing beacon, that feeling of peaceful familiarity. That's what we should be paying attention to, and what will lead us to true joy.

I think that the most important part is to listen. We are all playing our own games of warmer/colder because in essence, we are all searching for one thing: real happiness. It would be ridiculous to play the game with earplugs in, yet that is what so many of us do- we wander around aimlessly, searching here and there, sometimes getting closer to our goal, sometimes moving farther away, never really paying attention to the clues that could lead us right to it, because we're far too busy with the business of searching. It's time to stop and listen, to look inside and hear that inner voice telling us which way is warmer and which is colder. I believe that by following the gentle guidance of the Light of Christ each of us can find the warmth of the  beautiful life that He has in store for us.

To learn more about what I believe as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please visit www.mormon.org.

Funny Friday: The Onion

I'm sure that most of you have heard of this publication before, but just in case you haven't, I must share it with you. The benefit? If your New Years Resolutions include both keeping up with current events and laughing more, I've got you covered!

Visit The Onion to read newsworthy stories with provocative headlines like these:

Recently Unearthed E-mail Reveals What Life Was Like in 1995

Google Announces Plan To Destroy All Information It Can't Index

New Software Yellows Neglected Digital Photos Over Time

I'm heading over there now to read the most intriguing: Illegal Immigrants Returning to Mexico for American Jobs.

Enjoy! Hope your Friday is Funny!

New Years Goals

Notice that I did not title this, "New Years Resolutions". There is just something about that word that I don't like. Maybe it's just the idea that so many people are supposedly "resolute" and "resolve" to change their lives, and then they never do. But a goal- a goal is not something that you just decide to do one day and from then on you've done it. A goal is something that requires smaller steps to accomplish it; it is a desired end result of a process, rather than an instant fix. As long as you're always reaching for a goal, then you are accomplishing it, just a little bit at a time. Whereas it seems with a resolution that if you mess up once, there goes your resolve and you're screwed.

So here are a few of my GOALS for the coming year:

1. Keep up with the laundry. I will try to do at least one load a day, and get it in first thing in the morning when I go downstairs. I will fold it during the little ones' quiet time.

2. Pick up and put away. I will try to give myself at least 3 15-minute sessions of this each day (morning, afternoon, and night) so that I can keep up with it.

3. Get the dishes done every evening. I will make myself do them before I crash for the night so that I can wake up to a clean sink in the morning.

4. Vacuum every day. The dog simply requires it.

5. Swish and swipe the bathrooms weekly and dust weekly. I always seem to forget about these...

Those things are all very simple, and should take very little amounts of time. If I just try to do them a little bit each day, then I should have plenty of time to do the following:

6. Read my scriptures and have morning prayer daily.

7. Spend at least 1 hour of quality play time with the kids every day. It's sad, but I don't do this on a regular basis. 

8. Get to bed before 11pm each night.

9. Start doing some scrapbooking/paper crafting again.

10. Redecorate my little girl's room.

11. Work on making my office a comfortable, creative space.

12. Send more thank-yous and remember more birthdays.

13. Be nicer to my husband. :-)

It may seem like a long list, but I know I'm not going to do it all from Day 1. I am going to be thinking about it, and definitely making an effort, but I know that if I just "resolve" to be perfect and do all those things, I will most likely crash and burn within 2 weeks. However, if I give myself permission to take smaller baby steps and just focus on one goal at a time, then I can gradually build up good habits that will last all year. And if I do crash and burn, I give myself permission to forgive myself and just start trying with baby steps all over again. 

So, Happy New Year, everyone! 

Leave a comment and share your goals for the new year!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Happy Birthday to Me! I am officially old. Well, not really, I shouldn't complain. I thought I'd post a few pics so you can see what I did on my big day! The main event was ice skating, thanks to some tickets my sweet sis got for us for Christmas. Above is a picture of me clinging to the rail as I gingerly scooted around the rink. Don't worry, by the end of the day I had let go of the rail!

I was so proud of my little man- this was his first time ice skating, and he was so nervous to try it he was nearly in tears, but he got out there like a champ and with the help of some buckets, before long he was scooting along all by himself! And he loved it!

Here is Chad and our little princess, who is FINALLY feeling better after having come down with the flu on Christmas Eve (poor little thing!). She wasn't so much a fan of the ice skating, so we just let her watch.

Can you tell I am SO happy she's feeling better?

This is me and my dad, who stopped by this morning on his way to work to give me this very sweet homemade card, and to let me know he's getting me a gun for my birthday. I love you, Dad!

The rest of my family is coming into town at the end of the week for a belated Christmas celebration, so I am excited to see them and celebrate some more! I am so grateful to God for all that I have been given, especially for all the special people in my life who make me so happy. Thanks everyone! I love you!

Makeover Monday: Cleaning in the New Year!

Okay, so we're approaching a new year, and in my house, instead of spring cleaning we do New Years cleaning! My hubby usually takes a week of vacation between Christmas and New Years, and we typically use part of that time together to get our house in shape. I am pretty good with keeping up with the day-to-day tidying in our high-traffic living spaces- kitchen, living room, bedrooms- but the clutter seems to collect in the corners, and especially here- try not to scream- THE OFFICE! (insert screeching violins here)

Yeah, this is the not-so-beautiful part of the beautiful thrifty life. But I have heard a rumor that the "home office" and/or "guest room" in many people's homes has a tendency to end up this way. It is not a place that really belongs to anyone, and it's not a place that's usually seen by the public. Therefore, it becomes the dumping ground for all the paper clutter, wrapping supplies, craft stuff, and pretty much all that stuff that you just don't know what to do with.

Well, our office is also my craft room, and doubles (triples?) as a guest room (there's a futon couch along one wall- not that you could tell...sigh...) when we have company (which, by the way, is usually the only time it's clean). Last year around this time we had guests, so I frantically worked to get this room clean, and I remember how following Christmas after our guests had left, I realized that I enjoyed having a clean office far more than any other gift I had received for Christmas. Over the year it collected clutter again, and got sporadically cleaned again when the arrival of company was pending, but as of this week it looked, yet again, like a bomb had gone off. 

One of my goals for this post was to demonstrate how something that seems overwhelming can actually be quite surmountable, if you start small. This is what I accomplished in this room in less than an hour:

It may not seem like much, and much of the cluttered look is due to my craft supply organization (or uh, lack thereof), but I now have floor space, desk space, and the couch is completely clear as well. 

I'd like to continue working on this room as my pet project over the next few months, and I will be sure to keep you updated. Honestly, I want it to be my gift to myself. My vision for this space is to have it be someplace truly beautiful, relaxing, and inspiring, where I can come to blog, create, and unwind. Already after I took this photo I had my husband help me hang some things that had been sitting under the desk for I-don't-know-how-many years! Included in those things were some awards I've received for musical performance, horseback riding, and academics. I wanted to have them displayed, because as a stay-at-home mom, sometimes it's nice to have a reminder of the "grownup things" you are capable of achieving!

Here are a few other "corners" that got decluttered this week:

My linen closet, aka, "Alternate CVS Stockroom". If you look closely, you can see the labels I put on the shelves. Yep, labels. :-) (By the way, that stack you see in the upper right-hand corner goes up another foot or so. It's mostly composed of toothpaste and feminine products!)

And my laundry room- it may not seem like much, but this is the first time in months that I've been able to see the floor and the top of my washer and dryer. My husband also installed more shelves (you can barely see them in the upper left corner) to hold all the extra cleaning supplies I've accrued from my deals shopping.

So again, it's not much, but it's feeling really good every time we take another load of garbage out to the trash cans, and pack another box full of stuff to take to Goodwill. I have really found that it's so much easier to keep your stuff organized when you have less stuff. As more corners get decluttered, I will be sure to share my successes.

Oh, and for all you guys out there who are wondering why I get my own space, you should know that my husband has his own man-cave down in the garage, with laminate flooring, walls covered in sports memorabilia, big screen tv, recliner, etc. So he's not missing out on anything. ANYTHING.

Have you started any New Years cleaning? Now is the time! Go for it and then leave a comment to share your success!

Spiritual Sundays: Time for a Check-up!

Back in October I did a Spiritual Sundays post entitled, "Making Home a Sanctuary." Now that the new year is coming upon us, I would like to go revisit a few of the ideas I laid out in that post, and give you a brief accounting of how well I've done with the goals I set.

1. Begin each day with a prayer- I have been fairly consistent with doing this with the children as part of our morning devotional (it helps having a slightly OCD 4-year-old reminding me every day!) but I have not been good about my personal prayers in the morning. That is something I would like to work on.

2. Prepare for each day the night before- I have been pretty good about doing this, though there were definitely some nights where the dishes didn't get done, my son's clothes didn't get laid out (probably because he didn't have any that were clean) and the house was more cluttered than I would have liked it. I have found, however, that doing those things is like giving myself a gift. When I wake up to a clean house, a son who is dressed, and my things for the day by the door and ready to go, I feel so much calmer and happier. This year I will push myself a little bit more in the evenings so that I have that peaceful feeling when I wake up.

3. Plan dinner ahead of time- this has probably been the area where I would get the "Most Improved" award! Each week I have sat down and planned my menus at the same time I'm planning my grocery list, and as soon as I'm done, the weekly menu plan gets printed off my computer and posted on the fridge. Then, when it's dinnertime, it's a no-brainer to just check the menu.

4. Play some soft instrumental music- During Christmastime I always had the radio on the Christmas music station, and it really brought a cheerful spirit into the home. I think that I will continue to use music to uplift the mood and atmosphere in our home.

5. Light a nicely scented candle- okay, so this wasn't really a goal, but I have done it more often. My sweet sister-in-law and her husband gave us the most wonderfully scented candle for Christmas and I just love the warmth and the atmosphere. Definitely going to continue doing that. :-)

6. Open shades and blinds to let sunlight in- oops, haven't really done that in my kids' rooms. I will work on that.

7. Keep smiling- Oh, it's hard, but how I try!

8. Speak softly- I don't necessarily know if I have gotten better at this, but I have certainly become more aware of the volume level of my voice over the past few months. The thing I most need to work on is when I hear bickering or crying in another room and I'm busy doing something elsewhere and so I just scream for the kids to come to where I am so I can break up the fight. I think I'll try to go to the source of the problem so I can avoid escalating the contention with my tone of voice.

9. Give abundant praise and express heartfelt gratitude- I will admit, I am much bettter about doing this with my children than I am with my husband. I need to make it a priority to focus on all the things he does right rather than nitpick at his shortcomings. I will work on that.

10. Leave extra time- this is an area I still need to work on a LOT! However, I have had a few days when I have just decided that what I wanted to do was not what was best for my family, so I have cut out a few activities so we weren't running around like maniacs, and I think I need to continue to have that kind of awareness of my family's needs. I also need to plan my time better to allow for slower-paced conversational moments with my kids (rather than "PUT YOUR SHOES ON ALREADY!!). That would be good. :-)

11. Display reminders of what you believe in- I actually have a framed copy of The Living Christ sitting in the hallway ready to hang. Seeing images of my Savior on a daily basis helps me to remember to whom I am truly accountable.

12. End the day with a prayer of thanksgiving and a blessing upon your home- I have had the habit of saying my evening prayers every single night since I was a little girl, and I have found that I can't go to sleep without it. That time, those thoughts, and those words are special to me, and I especially see it as a time to express my gratitude to my Father for all that He has given to me. It is a habit I hope I will never break.

From this list I can see that I still have many things to work on; but I can also see that I have done a lot of things really well, and so I am hopeful that if I just keep trying, with the help of my Heavenly Father I will be able to strengthen all my weaknesses. I'll just try to do a little better every day, and with each day my home will become more of a sanctuary, and thus a haven where my family can flourish. I know that it is a process, and there is a time and a season to everything. 

Speaking of a process, I am currently in the process of a massive cleaning/decluttering/organizing undertaking in my home, which should also help with making it a sanctuary. Check back tomorrow for Makeover Monday to see the progress we've made thus far!

What have you done to make your home a sanctuary? What are some of your goals for this for the coming year?

Some After-Christmas Sale Tips

Chances are, if you're reading this then you're interested in saving money, so you'll probably be up for hitting the after-Christmas sales for some hot deals. I happened upon this great website with some really interesting info about the things to look for and how to shop. Just wanted to pass it along...check it out for some great tips!

Photo by Deseret News