Something Little

by Julie // March 4, 2012 // No Comments

“What holds us back from helping another?

I have thought about this and realized that I tend to make grandiose plans, and it is hard for me to settle for “something little”. I don’t want to just send one valentine, I want to send everyone a valentine. I don’t want to just stop by for a 10 minute visit to my widow neighbor, I want to bake bread and take it over to her when I visit and stay an hour. In the process of daily life, and being realistic about what I can manage, I end up losing heart and doing . . . nothing! Sad, huh?

Today I thought about the little things. Don’t they make a huge difference in your life? As I entered church this morning, a leader up in the front smiled and nodded at me. That was little. But I felt so much better, as it had been a discouraging morning. I know that took hardly any effort, and no forethought. But it made a difference to me! A big difference. I think it changed the outcome of my day.

Just think! If everyone just did something, no matter how small, what a enormous wave of good works it would create. If we all followed through on even 1/10th of our good intentions, it would transform our neighborhood, church or community. When I was a young mother, we lived in Holland. The Dutch housewives would come out in the mornings and wash their porches with a mop and a bucket of suds. They had a saying: “If each wife washes her own porch, the whole world will be clean”. How true! Each of us doing something small would have an tremendous effect! Doing something little reminds me of the children’s picture book—Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed—about how one ordinary little girl’s small act of kindness actually multiplied to touch everyone on the planet!

If you are like me, with idealistic plans that end up sabotaging your good intentions to love and serve others, let’s work on this together. Can you manage just a very small act every single day this week? Just one valentine to someone who might be lonely. Just one short visit, minus the homemade bread. A phone call. Even just a smile and a nod really matters! Something little. Loving kindness administered in small enough doses that you don’t overwhelm yourself and wear yourself out.

Are you up to the challenge?

Just something little.”

Source: entire quote taken from Diane Hopkins

I just couldn’t have said it better myself. This morsel really spoke to me. It pretty much IS me. I LOVE to serve and little things have always meant so much to me. I forget though, sometimes, how much a single kind word or gesture can literally saves someone’s day. I have seen it happen and have had it happen to me. Be always on guard to serve someone “a little something”.
Amy

Image from Google.

Love: The Lodestar of Life

by Julie // February 19, 2012 // No Comments

“Love, like faith, is a gift of God. It is also the most enduring and most powerful virtue.”

“Love is the only force that can erase the differences between people or bridge the chasms of bitterness.”

“Love is the very essence of life. It is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Yet it is not found only at the end of the rainbow. Love is at the beginning also, and from it springs the beauty that arches across the sky on a stormy day. Love is the security for which children weep, the yearning of youth, the adhesive that binds marriage, and the lubricant that prevents devastating friction in the home; it is the peace of old age, the sunlight of hope shining through death. How rich are those who enjoy it in their associations with family, friends, and neighbors!” (President Gordon B. Hinckley, Standing For Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Our Homes, pg 3.)

I am thankful for the love my Heavenly Father has shown me through those around me. Love shown through the countless acts of kindness rendered in my, and my family’s behalf–each appreciated immensely. I hope that I can repay those kindnesses by serving those around me with love and compassion. With Charity. For isn’t this why we’re here on earth? To buoy one another up?

For “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40)

Quiet Service

by Julie // February 5, 2012 // No Comments

Image Credit: lds.org Media Library

I was at a Stake Relief Society function last weekend at which I got to enjoy a class on missionary work. Sometimes I don’t feel like I do enough of it. Sometimes I also feel like I don’t serve others enough. So when I came across this quote from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland in “Created for Greater Things,” I found it reassuring and encouraging.

“All but a prophetic few must go about God’s work in very quiet, very unspectacular ways. And as you labor to know Him, and to know that He knows you; as you invest your time–and your convenience–in quiet, unassuming service, you will indeed find that ‘He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up’ [sic] (Matthew 4:6).”

So let’s keep on keepin’ on (by doing things like serving our families by cooking dinner, for example–in case you didn’t get my pic), and our loving Heavenly Father, Who knows our hearts, will help us out. 🙂

Choose The Right

by Julie // January 29, 2012 // No Comments

At Church I have the amazing opportunity to work with the children ages 18 months – 12 years old. This year when we were planning out everything and all the new materials were being delivered, I was thrilled to see that the new Theme for 2012 was “Choose the Right.”

Many people are familiar with this little ring and what it stands for. If you’ve never heard about it, well… today is your lucky day!

The Ring and symbol was brought about in the mid 1960’s. The Church wanted something to help the children of the church to have a good moral code. Enter, the CTR Ring. The shield is to remind us to “shield” us from temptation. The green background was given to remind us of the evergreen tree, a tree that remains constant as seasons change. “CTR” stands for Choose the Right. We are to do the right thing, in every place and in every situation. We have been given this wonderful gift of agency, and we are to use it wisely.

I love this goal! There is a song that goes along with this theme, the very end I just love…. “Choose the Right way, and be happy…. I must always Choose the Right!”

The Power of Patience

by Julie // January 22, 2012 // No Comments

Lately I feel as though I have come to understand the saying, “all at once or none at all.” Am I alone here, or do we feel as though trials and tests seem to appear all at the same time? Maybe it’s just that as soon as one difficulty shows, we look for anything else that add to burdens, no matter how small, so that we can feel just a little sorry for ourselves. Thankfully, I am usually quick to understand that there is always someone else with bigger problems, greater challenges and heavier burdens than myself.
We all encounter trying situations in our lives. These situations and experiences are personal and unique to each one of us. Isn’t it amazing that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ understand each and every experience that we face? Sometimes it’s almost hard for me to comprehend. I know that our prayers are heard and answered, specifically for us.
Recently I found a quote that gave me a lot of perspective, but mostly just put me in my place.

“Sometimes we want to have growth without challenges and to develop strength without any struggle. But growth cannot come by taking the easy way. We clearly understand that an athlete who resists rigorous training will never become a world-class athlete. We must be careful that we don’t resent the very things that help us put on the divine nature.”
Paul V. Johnon
April 2011 General Conference

One of the greatest blessings in my life, is an answer to a prayer at the right moment and with a solution that my Heavenly Father sees fit.

Take Care of It Now

by Julie // January 2, 2012 // No Comments

When I was a young child I did not like doing certain chores. I would often go to great efforts to make it appear that I had completed my task when it would have been much easier to do it right the first time. I would have to go back and “redo” things. My parents would say “if you take care of it now you don’t have to worry about it”. I have said something similar to my own children telling them they will also have more free time to do other things.

I believe that there are times in life where we put more effort in trying to explain why we can’t do something instead of just getting started on what we need to do. I have reflected on this much over the past year especially as it pertains to the gospel and life.

In his early teen years our oldest son decided to read the scriptures everyday for a year. When he had completed that goal it had become such a part of him that it was just part of his day. It is even more of a benefit to him now as he is serving a full time mission. At that time, I didn’t want him to be the only one reading every day instead of most days, so, I started out small – just a month, then two until I had read everyday for a year. It really makes difference in my day.

Asking myself what else do I need to take care of now I realized that ” Taking care of things now” fits in many situations. If we repent now, forgive now, read our scriptures each day – now, Keep the Sabbath Day Holy – now, show more kindness now, help someone now, follow the promptings of the spirit now, etc. we are blessed. We have more “freedom”. There is protection in obedience to the laws of the gospel. We gain more knowledge when we study the scriptures but most importantly we become more Christ like.

I generally don’t make New Years resolutions just adjustments along the way. However, my goal this year is to take care of more things now. To take care of what is essential first, to enjoy family and friends more and the rest will fall in line.

Happy New year to you and your family!

Christmas Spirit

by Niki Lewis // December 4, 2011 // No Comments

I am so excited that my turn to share a message with you falls on the first Sunday of December! We love Christmas! This time of the year is, with out a doubt, the most demanding for our family. My husband is a District Manager for a retail company and this requires him to travel a lot, and around Christmas his schedule gets worse! It can be exhuasting for him, and us, because we miss him. Things like this and other demands this time of year can, if you let them, really make you lose the “Christmas Spirit”. We don’t want that to happen! So, when we are together we try to make it count.

We love our families and naturally want to give them everything we can. But, the most important thing we can give, is our time and to teach our children about Christ. “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins” (2 Ne. 25:26).

This year, let’s not get bogged down with shopping and going and coming. Let’s remember the real reason for this Christmas season…our Savior’s birth. Merry Christmas!

Refiner’s Fire

by Julie // October 30, 2011 // 8 Comments

My life, like everyone’s, has been full of ups and downs.

And every time I thought, “This is it. This is the one from which I’ll never recover.“

Amazingly, I was wrong. Every time. I not only recover but I come out stronger. Every time.

Most recently I was diagnosed with breast cancer. At age 31. With two young children. And that nagging “I’ll-never-recover” thought took on a whole new meaning.

Throughout the first week of my diagnosis the phrase ‘refiner’s fire’ kept popping into my mind, so I took a moment to look into it and found references throughout the Old Testament, 3rd Nephi, and the Doctrine and Covenants.

The phrase refers to how a refiner of metal uses fire to not only rid the metal of impurities but also to make it more flexible so it can be molded or re-shaped.

Symbolically it is referring to the Savior as the refiner and the cleansing of the earth in preparation for the Second Coming. And I know that it applies to us individually as well. That the trials we go through in this life are a refining fire and how, if we let Him, the Savior can rid us of impurities and mold us into His image.

In a 2006 General Conference message, President James E. Faust states, “In the pain, the agony, and the heroic endeavors of life, we pass through a refiner’s fire, and the insignificant and unimportant in our lives can melt away like dross and make our faith bright, intact, and strong. In this way the divine image can be mirrored from the soul.”

The good news is that, once again, I have recovered – emotionally, spiritually and even physically. And I have learned so much through this adversity that I never would have otherwise.

In 2nd Nephi, Chapter 2 we learn that there must be opposition in all things because without it we could not discern the bitter from the sweet. My life has proven repeatedly that the blessings and tender mercies of the Lord far outweigh any trials I may face.

I am a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father who has even more in store for me.

[If they were yours, you’d want to show them off too.]

The Race of Life

by Julie // October 23, 2011 // No Comments

From almost the very moment we are born, competition lurks around every corner. Even if you find yourself saying, “I’m not a competitive person,” I’m sure there has been some point in your life where you compared yourself to someone else. For example, “Our baby is DEFINITELY cuter than their baby,” “Is our kid as fast as their kid?” “Am I as smart as her?” “Do I talk, sing, dribble a basketball like him/her?” “Am I as skinny or as stylish?” “Is my car as shiny?”

Our Saviour taught about the Prodigal Son. I’m sure we’ve all heard the story, but as Elder Jeffry R. Holland points out, sometimes we get so caught up in the plight of the son who loses his way, that we forget the story of the second son. You know who I’m talking about. The son who was ever loyal, never faltered in duty, and was his father’s right-hand-man.

The point of the Second Son’s story is that yes, he was loyal. Yes, he was dependable, but when push came to shove, he himself was guilty of comparing himself to his wayward brother. As Elder Holland says, “the older brother lives in some confinement, too. He has, as yet, been unable to break out of the prison of himself. He is haunted by the green-eyed monster of jealousy.²He feels taken for granted by his father and disenfranchised by his brother, when neither is the case. He has fallen victim to a fictional affront.”

Do we not all fall victim, in some way or other, to these very things? Do we find ourselves saying, “Why does that person get that recognition when WE have done it all along?”

Elder Holland asks, “Who is it that whispers so subtly in our ear that a gift given to another somehow diminishes the blessings we have received? Who makes us feel that if God is smiling on another, then He surely must somehow be frowning on us? You and I both know who does this—it is the father of all lies.³It is Lucifer, our common enemy, whose cry down through the corridors of time is always and to everyone, ‘Give me thine honor.’”

It is hard to remember sometimes. I think for most people, if not everyone. It is so easy to find fault with ourselves or others around us. I think one of the most important things we can do is to be generous, uplifting, and supportive to those around us. Remember that we are ALL children of our Heavenly Father, doing the best we can to get back to Him. Our Father in Heaven sees us each, individually, as we TRULY are and loves each the same as the other. And so must we learn to see.

We are ALL apart of this race of life, but as Elder Holland so eloquently puts it, “The race is against SIN, not against each other.”

*Photo courtesy of sportscience-kathy.blogspot.com

Our Most Important Assignment

by Julie // October 16, 2011 // No Comments

“Our most important and powerful assignments are in the family. They are important because the family has the opportunity at the start of a child’s life to put feet firmly on the path home.”

Help Them on Their Way Home

Henry B. Eyring

On a recent week-long trip to Western North Carolina, my husband and I were able to introduce our one-year-old to the beauty and wonder of the mountains. She waded in cold pools below waterfalls, collected acorns, stood on a granite cliff, and fell asleep watching a campfire. With joy we watched our daughter discover a new world.

This experience reminded me that I am responsible for providing experiences of discovery not only in the natural world, but within my daughter’s spiritual world as well. It is my “most important and powerful assignment,” because these experiences will shape her life eternally. Helping our children grow in the Gospel should fill us with extreme joy. We can know that we are setting them on a path that will lead them back home to their Heavenly Father.