Daily Choices

"By small and simple things are great things brought to pass."

- Alma 37:6

"The course of our lives is seldom determined by great, life-altering decisions. Our direction is often set by the small, day-to-day choices that chart the track on which we run. This is the substance of our lives - making choices."

-Gordon B. Hinckley

I've had a couple of things happen today that made me think about the choices we make. The commitments we make. Then tonight I was looking for something in my office and saw President Hinckley's book: "Stand a Little Taller". One of his first quotes was about the time having come for us to stand a little taller, to lift our eyes and stretch our minds to a greater understanding of the mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It's time to do what is right regardless of the consequences. I get it, at least I hope I do. I know that the covenants I have made make me want to do whatever I can to further this work. Even if it's hard, or inconvenient or requires a sacrifice. What I don't get is why everyone doesn't get it. If we put sports before Church attendance or doing our calling, what are we saying about what is important to us? If we just blow off our Church responsibilities, what are we saying to the Lord about where He stands on our priority list? It really is about the small choices, isn't it. So, I hope that the choices I make are the right ones to help bring to pass great things, things that will further the work. I love the Lord and know that He needs to be at the top of my priority list. I'm committing right now to do better.

Treatment Program needed . . .

Help! I am looking for a treatment plan - for me. You see, I am finally admitting it. Yes, I have Martha Stewart Syndrome. I know, all of you that know me well are not too surprised, but the first step to recovery is to acknowledge that I have a problem. This current journey of self-awareness started with a simple idea for a Christmas gift for the grandchildren. I normally stress out from October until the middle of December about finding the "perfect" toy/gift for each of the grandchildren. This year money was tighter, my time was more limited, I didn't need additional stress and I thought the kids probably had enough toys anyway. So I found this great idea - "Grandma's Cookie of the Month club". Easy, right? Make a batch of cookies once a month and take some to each child. What could be simpler? That's pretty much what I did in December (besides make each one of them a pair of pajamas and a home-made Christmas ornament - the symptoms of this syndrome show up everywhere!). This month - I completely lost it. I had good intentions - start early in the month and do something easy. Then on the Internet one night I found the cutest pattern for a child's chef hat. That's all it took - MSS took over. I started cutting, sewing and oohing and aahhing! Before I knew what happened, I was in the middle of making 12 chef's hats, had an idea for a "do-it-yourself" cookie mix and was deep into another crazy project. The good news? I think the hats turned out supper cute and the kids even liked them. But I really do need to find a treat program before February gets here. Hearts, valentines, cute sugar cookies frosted in pink with sweet sayings on them. . . .

New Year

I'm not usually much of a "New Year's Resolution" kinda' gal, nor am I generally much on setting goals, but this year . . . I'm going to give it my best effort. I recently read a talk by Joseph B. Wirthlin called "Three Choices." The talk was about repenting and changing your life for the better. It was one of those talks that made me think about how I could apply it to my life. I'm not like the guy in the story he told - drug/alcohol addict, living on the street, in despair. I have more blessings than I can count. But, like everyone, there are many areas where I can and should improve. So, I've decided to follow his three suggestions for self-improvement:

1. Today is the day of decision - begin to repent.

2. Put first things first - prioritize.

3. Do the things our Heavenly Father would want me to do - keep the commandments.

Under each of these three areas, I've thought about more specific things that I want to do. Hey, maybe I am a goal-setting gal after all, who would've thought? I have used my Patriarchal Blessing as a guide for what I want to do - I sometimes forget to read that more often. It's certainly a great place to begin when you are looking for guidance on what you need to be changing in your life. Since these 'goals' are personal and spiritual, I'll not share them here, but I will write them down and post them in my office so that I can remember to work on them.

Holiday Traditions

Making gingerbread houses at the family party.

Jense and I did some cooking together during Thanksgiving in Rexburg.

More gingerbread houses. . .

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Tonight I got out the tree and all the decorations. I'm so late! I usually have this all done Thanksgiving week-end, but I'm so excited to get it done and then sit back and enjoy this month of Christmas holiday. I love Christmas, the lights, the tree, the presents, the snow - everything!

Choices and Consequences

"Have you ever looked at a great farm gate that opens and closes? If you look at the hinge, it moves ever so little. Just a little movement of that hinge creates tremendous consequences out on the perimeter. That is the way it is with our lives. It is the little decisions that make the great differences in our lives."

- Gordon B. Hinckley

This week I learned this lesson (again). I made one tiny little decision that resulted in my computer crashing. The consequences were HUGE. I lost 2 years worth of pictures, files that can't be retrieved and hours or work by my sweet husband to save what could be saved -not to mention the $ involved in getting me back up and running. The parallels in life are obvious. A seemingly harmless decision can have horrible and sometimes everlasting consequences. Those things that are lost, can't always be brought back. I think I will be a little more careful now - not just on the computer, but with all my decisions. I don't want to loose anything else.

Another Awesome Week-end!

Inside the condo.
Early morning sunrise out the back door.

Friday afternoon view from the deck.

We had a beautiful, peaceful, fun couple of days with great friends in Homer. Steve & Bobbie, Del & Carolyn and Greg & I all went to Homer this week. We stayed in a gorgeous condo right at the end of the spit. We could look out the HUGE picture windows at the beach and Kachamak Bay, open the windows and hear the surf. It was nearly perfect. The boys would have thought it was perfect if they could have fished both days instead of just one. Rough seas kept the girls at home on Friday and even rougher seas kept us all off the water on Saturday. But even with that, it was a great time and a lovely memory. Thanks Steve & Bobbie - we're so blessed to have you in our life!