Start the Week Right: Less Guilt

"Those who have the time and energy to can their fruit and vegetables develop a skill that will serve them well in time of need--and in our uncertain economy, that could be almost any time.  But they shouldn't look down their noses at those who buy their peaches or who don't like zucchini in any of the thirty-five ways there are to disguise it, or who have simply made a conscious choice to use their time and energy in some other purposeful way.

"Obviously the Lord has created us with different personalities, as well as differing degrees of energy, interest, health, talent, and opportunity.  So long as we are committed to righteousness and living a life of faithful devotion, we should celebrate these divine differences, knowing they are a gift from God.  We must not feel so frightened, so threatened and insecure; we must not need to find exact replicas of ourselves in order to feel validated as women of worth.  There are many things over which we can be divided, but one thing is needful for our unity--the empathy and compassion of the living Son of God."

Patricia T. Holland, "One Thing Needful: Becoming Women of Greater Faith in Christ, Ensign Oct. 1987)

I just finished mopping my floor and cleaning my bathrooms.  It's been about 2 weeks since I've done it and it really needed it.  But as I worked (without whistling), I thought a lot about guilt.  And then I remembered the above quote.  And read it.  And loved it.  And realized a few things.

I am a believer in doing the best you can.

Sometimes that means giving 110% and sometimes that means saying to yourself, "right now, this is the best I can" and not feeling guilty.

Some guilt is good -- that guilt that spurs you to improvement of yourself, to greater happiness.  But not the guilt that comes from comparison.  And I think I've been having a little of both lately.

So I'm going to start the week off right and change the things that I need to change -- one at a time -- and let go of the things that I need to let go -- probably also one at a time.

So change number one:  get back to reading my scriptures regularly.  I need all the help I can get anyway!

Let go number one:  Celebrate others' strengths/talents/looks/personality.  That does not make my lack thereof an inadequacy.

I feel better already.  And my floors are clean -- we'll see how long that lasts!

Life Takes Over

I feel as though these past few weeks have been all-encompassing.  They have been the kind of days where I look around at the end of it and wonder what I have accomplished.  Most days it's not even a clean house.  But that's partly because the last thing I want to do in my child-free time is clean the house.  And the house doesn't get clean if the kids are up and about. 

Is your house that way too?  I hope mine isn't the only one.

Anyway, I know that everyone struggles with something (or multiple somethings) in their life.  Life itself contains highs and lows and lately, I'm feeling awfully low.

Then I had an idea.  A lightbulb.  A hopefully glorious (but simple -- I don't need any more complexity!) lightbulb that will help me think "lemonade" when I'm facing screaming, crying "lemons".

When I was in college, I kept a beautiful notebook full of quotes that I loved.  I still have it.  And I love the idea of writing down those things that inspire and uplift me so that I can go back to them.  Problem is, I don't go back and read them all.  That beautiful book is collecting dust as we speak.

But what if I merged that idea with the calendar/quote a day idea?  What if I got a jar and wrote down those quotes and put them in the jar so that when I need them, there they are?

I think I'll try that.

Not original or brilliant but, hello, why haven't I done this before?

And if it's ok with you, I might just share them here too.  Because sometimes it helps to share.