Think to Thank 11/22/2010
 
With this time of Thanksgiving and then Christmas following right after it there are several different feelings that people are having.  With the stress of the economy it can be a feeling of being overwhelmed and wondering how you are going to pull the holidays off at all.  Then there are others that have so much to do that they are moving through their check list and not really stopping to really think about the holidays and why we celebrate.  For others they are taking time to really think about what each of the holidays mean and striving to get the most out of each of them.  
Regardless of where you are at in your life it is important to take a minute each day and "Think to Thank."  Whether it is thanking those around you that bless your lives or just remembering to thank those that do the simple things throughout the day for you.  Whether it is holding a door open for you or a taxi cab driver or a boss, children, wife, husband, etc.  As you "Think to Thank" you will be amazed at how much better you will feel. All of a sudden you will find that you are giving something that truly comes from the heart. 
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No Regrets. . . 11/21/2010
 
This is really deep, but something that I have been thinking about a lot lately and this week hit home really strong.  Over the last several years I have found myself not wanting to leave people with bad feelings or even having a fight carry on for very long.  I have always thought to myself that I didn't want to have any regrets if something happened to someone I loved and couldn't fix the silly fight or mean things that were said.  We never know what people are going through and what is causing them to act they way they are.  In the grand scheme of things is what we are fighting about really worth the fight and harming family or friendship relationships.  

The other thing that I have thought about is that we more than likely won't ever have the same people, same activity, same feelings, same experiences happen all at one time again besides the moment that it actually happens.  How do you want to remember that moment?  How do you want to feel about that experience?  Do you want to remember the stress you were feeling, the list of things that have to be done or should be done instead of being there, being mad at someone who is there, etc.  Or , if you have taken the time to go to the event do you want the memory to be fun, laughter, conversations with positive memories, etc.  

With these things to think about there have been a couple of experiences that have happened this week that has caused me to reflect much deeper on this:
On Wednesday, November 17th an instructor and student from a local college were in flight.  Their plane stalled and it ended up crashing near an elementary school.  Both the student and instructor were killed.  The student had just recently gotten married.  The instructor was a mother of a 4 year old and an 18 month old.  I didn't know her at all, but the story struck me really hard.  It has caused great emotion in me.  I found her husband on Facebook and he posted the day that she passed away that he had lost his wife.  Then the next day he posted a video he made of his 4 year old saying bedtime prayers.  It is a short prayer, but the power behind the prayer is very powerful and emotional.  He wants Jesus and Heavenly Father to take care of his mom and misses her.  As I watched this I thought about my own children and what memories I would want my children to have of their mom if something happened.  What memories and things am I teaching my children.  

The other thing that struck me was an interview her husband did on the news and he talked about the last thing that he remembers with her is giving her a hug and a kiss and telling her that he loved her.  What a great last memory to have with her.  What if they had just had a fight and they had said mean things to each other as she left?  What do you want your last memories and words to be with the people you love in your life?  At least he doesn't have any regrets on what his last words were to her.  

We were at a Family Christmas Party (I know it is a little early) last night and a family tradition that this family has had for as long as I have been in the family is to have my husband's grandpa read the Nativity.  There have been years with young children that I have thought to myself that we needed to get it over with so my kids wouldn't be so noisy and frustrating to everyone.  I have thought at times that I know the story and so do my children and do we need to do it every year at the family Christmas party since we do it on Christmas Eve.  These have been thoughts that I realize now I shouldn't have had.  

To my children it is their Great Grandpa and the years with him here with us might not be many.  Over the last couple of years that he has read the Nativity it has been a more emotional experience for me.  I want to always be able to capture Grandpa reading the Nativity.  My children will never forget the sweet spirit that comes with him reading the Nativity.  It is something they know happens every year and something they talk about.  

How will you live your life with NO REGRETS?  During this holiday season as the list of things to do and places to be becomes longer than you can possibly do take a minute and think about these things.  Capture the memories and take time to enjoy right where you are at.  The list of things to do will continue to grow and will always be there, but the people won't.    

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On a Septic Tank Truck in Oregon:
  Yesterday's Meals on Wheels 

 On a Septic Tank Truck sign:
  "We're #1 in the #2 business."
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 Sign over a Gynecologist's Office:
   "Dr. Jones, at your cervix."
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 At a Proctologist's door
   "To expedite your visit please back in."
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 On a Plumber's truck:
   "We repair what your husband fixed."
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On a Plumber's truck:
   "Don't sleep with a drip. Call your plumber.."
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 Pizza Shop Slogan:
   "7 days without pizza makes one weak."
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At a Tire Shop in Milwaukee:
   "Invite us to your next blowout."
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 On a Plastic Surgeon's Office door:
   "Hello. Can we pick your nose?"
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At a Towing company:
   "We don't charge an arm and a leg. We want tows."
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 On an Electrician's truck:
  "Let us remove your shorts."
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 In a Nonsmoking Area:
   "If we see smoke, we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action."
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 On a Maternity Room door:
   "Push. Push. Push."
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 At an Optometrist's Office
   "If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right  place."
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 On a Taxidermist's window:
   "We really know our stuff."
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In a Podiatrist's office:
   "Time wounds all heels."
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 On a Fence:
  "Salesmen welcome! Dog food is expensive."
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 At a Car Dealership:
   "The best way to get back on your feet -- miss a car payment."
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 Outside a Muffler Shop:
   "No appointment necessary. We hear you coming."
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 In a Veterinarian's waiting room:
   "Be back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!"
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At the Electric Company:
   "We would be delighted if you send in your payment.
     However, if you don't, you will be."
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In a Restaurant window:
  "Don't stand there and be hungry, Come on in and get fed up."
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 In the front yard of a Funeral Home:
   "Drive carefully. We'll wait."
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 At a Propane Filling Station,
   "Thank heaven for little grills."
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 And don't forget the sign at a ChicagoRadiator Shop:






 "Best place in town to take a leak."
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Many of us have watched the TV reality show, "America's Got Talent" . On the show there are always amazing people along with some less than amazing people. It is a fun show to watch. A lot of the contestants have a story behind their talent that has made them great at what they do. 


The same is true of this armless Chinese man on China's version of the same show. This video is truly amazing to watch. I think my kids no longer have reason to not practice the piano. :) 
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This is a video that I thought that you might like to see. In fact, share it with your husband. You will be laughing and he will be getting a "subtle hint" about how he can help be a bit "nicer". :) Enjoy.
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For most people they have gone through two thirds of their summer with children home.  Were you one that when the kids first came home you were wondering if you would survive the summer and now you are thinking that the summer is going too fast and are not ready for the summer to end?  It might be that you are not ready for the homework again or maybe it is the early morning hours or you have found that you have really enjoyed having your children home.  For other parent's they might be feeling guilty and wishing that they would have done more with their children over the summer.  
Regardless of where you are at with the summer, remember that you do still have a month.  You can get up everyday and enjoy the time you have with your children.  If you wished that you would have worked with your kids on certain school skills or reading, but haven't, it's not too late.  Do you wish you would have gone to the local public pool or played at the park with your children?  Then do it.  Maybe you had visions of working with your children on their bedrooms over the summer, but haven't gotten around to it.  Take time and do it.  

You might be thinking that it isn't that easy due to your schedule or even your children's schedule.  Don't live with regrets or with pressure to do it all.  Remember you have each day, one day at a time, to decide what you are going to do.  Your children are going to grow up despite what you do so enjoy some time with them.  Teach them, love them and have fun with them.  Some of the best memories and lessons learned in life are times when my parent's spent time with me doing something that we both cared about.  Sometimes it was working hard and other times it was having fun.  There is a balance.  Don't regret another day.  Remember twenty minutes with your children can be invaluable to your children then you can get back to the pressing things in your life.  
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Have you ever been so sick that you were willing to go through whatever the doctor told you to do?  Maybe it is bad knees so you have to have knee replacement surgery.  Maybe it is stomach problems so you have to go on a strong medication to fight off whatever the problem is.  For me I have fought endometriosis since I was a teenager and have had surgery a couple of times.  It had gotten to the point where I was in pain over twenty days of the month that caused me to have to take pain medication on some of the days.  I was to the point that I was willing to do whatever the doctor said I needed to do.  
So, I go to the doctor and when he gives me the options I decide to go with the "simplest" way to start with the pain.  I take medication to curve the pain.  It has worked.  I haven't had severe pains since a couple of weeks on the medication, but what I didn't think about is the other side effects that could come.  The headaches, extremely tired, lack of motivation, some depression and pulling away from things.  As I read about the medication and side effects I find several people who have posted the same things and are swearing off the medication.  I start thinking that I am going to do the same.  Then I start to think about which is worse.  What am I willing to go through to get rid of the severity of the pain that I had gone through for years?  Am I willing to put up with some of the side effects?  
As I have thought about my situation I have thought about a friend of mine that would commonly talk about the pain she suffered in her knees.  She had decided that she was going to have a knee replacement done because everyone she talked to said it was worth it.  It has been a couple of weeks and as I have read her Facebook posts she has had to do therapy, can't walk up and down stairs, can't get around, is in a lot of pain and is now missing the freedom that she did have before this.  Was it really freedom?  She was suffering a lot of pain to the point it held her back from doing things.  Now she is in a different kind of pain and it might feel like it is out of reach to feel better, but she is actually on a better road to recovery.
So, where are you at in life?  It might not be a physical pain, but an emotional pain.  Maybe it is a struggle with what to do and you might be thinking the grass is greener on the other side.  It can be, but it is important to recognize that there are growing pains on both sides of the fence.  Just because you decide to take the leap and hope for better there might be pains to get to the better life.  It will come, but patience is what is necessary. It is important to not blame people or your decision, but go into it with high hopes of things getting better.  
Just think about this quote, "Every thought is a seed.  If you plant crab apples, don't count on harvesting Golden Delicious."  Bill Meyer
What seeds are you planting as you go through your challenges whether it is health, emotional, financial, relationships, etc?  The mind can win. 
   
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I have known of this song for sometime, but I just come across it again and thought you might like this. It is great and very true!
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Internet Privacy InfoGraphic
Internet privacy is an issue of our time. More than ever our privacy is under attack. I saw this infographic on the internet privacy issues and thought that I would share. I will let each of you determine what you choose to keep private and what you do not, but education about what is happening is what we all need to have the level of privacy that we would like. 


The controls are in place for us in many cases to control our privacy, but we must take that control and not leave it up to someone else to decide for us. Click to see a larger version of the internet privacy infographic.
This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.
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Today in Sacrament Meeting there was a very wise 13 year old that spoke.  She said, "Sometimes I want to be unhappy, but that doesn't make any sense.  Why wouldn't I want to be happy?"  That might seem pretty basic, but have you ever had a time that you have felt frustrated, depressed, hurt, guilty or mad?  You might feel justified and you probably are for a time, but then as you start to calm down and see things differently you are determined to hold onto the unhappy feelings.  You figure you are going to punish those around you or the person that did you wrong.  This is your way of getting even.  Why?  Does that make sense?  
Think about this quote as you ponder that thought:  "Resentment is like you drinking poison and waiting for it to kill your enemy."  It will probably never kill your enemy and when we are unhappy or hold onto anger this is exactly what it does.  It will kill us long before it kills anyone else.  It isn't worth it.  Other people will move on and if they choose to be happy they will choose a different direction.  
So, the next time you are having a rough day make a choice to be happy.  Decide to look for the good.  Think about this story and be just like this child.  A boy comes up to bat in a baseball game.  He goes at the ball with all of his might, but when it comes right down to it he ends up striking out.  He looks a little discouraged, but then he says, "Boy that boy is a great pitcher." 
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