Sunny

I think it is sad that in this world, cheerfulness and optimism are not valued enough. There is SO much negative in the world with what is in the media, the way we talk to one another, and the societal shift in how we perceive happiness. Happiness now equates to things, and this is mine and look at me and a shift to me me me. I mean do not get me wrong, it is good to be proud of our accomplishments by all means but what I am talking about is truly being humble when serving one another for one purpose only, that being  the desire to serve your fellowman to become a better person - not for glory.

One of my goals this year is to keep a blog for a year, tracking my journey on how my perspective changes in being optimistic and grateful.

I feel like when I am counting my blessings, they seem to add up faster than when I am looking down and focusing on the negative. I am hoping with this little experiment of mine for 2014, that I will see the sunny moments in my day that God sends down to me so I will have the desire to give back more, to serve more and become that person I want to become. I hope that even on those bleak days, I will be able to stop and always see what he is trying to tell me. When we are in tune with our Heavenly Father, we can move mountains and if being more grateful gets me there, by golly I am doing it!

Want to join me? 

Some of my goals other than this for the year are: 

1. To run 2 half marathons

2. To hit my high school graduation weight

3. To read the Book of Mormon in 90 days. 

4. To run a 5K in 25 - 26 minutes. 

5. To keep a gratitude blog for 365 days (Mine is below)
  http://www.365rosecoloredglasses.blogspot.com/

6. To read a spiritual book once a month 

7. Save up money to surprise my daughter with a trip to Disneyland

8. Make each of my kids a quilt for their beds for Christmas. 

9. Run Hood to Coast again

10. To meditate for 10 minutes a day

2014 is going to be a great year!

Rose colored glasses

For the month of November, like many people, it got me to thinking about my blessings. For me as a person, I want to be optimistic, happy and to see the glass full. I want to be full of gratitude for what the Lord has graciously blessed me with in my life. I want to see in front of me, all of his divine goodness and work, working together, for the benefit of me and my family because he loves me. 

In those little things, BIG things, medium things...

He is there.

He is thinking of you because HE loves you and knows the desires of your heart. 

In this fast paced world where it is common to be crude, sarcastic, and selfish, it leaves for little room to see the good. It covers up what has been there the whole time. So it is time to put on my rose colored glasses. I desire to see my life with a heart full of gratitude. It is not about wanting what we do not have - it is about wanting what we DO have. 

This article touched my heart so much. The president of our church lost his wife and you could tell the depth of his loss has left him with an ache. Through all of that, he has been buoyed up by the strength of his Savior and the goodness the people in our church and communities. His heart full of gratitude inspired me. In such a heartfelt loss, he found the good, he clung on to the blessings he felt from the Lord. 

One of my favorite quotes was, "The difficulties which come to us present us with the real test of our ability to endure. A fundamental question remains to be answered by each of us: Shall I falter, or shall I finish? Some do falter as they find themselves unable to rise above their challenges. To finish involves enduring to the very end of life itself." Thomas S. Monson. 

When we see the Lord working in our lives, we are more apt to be in sync with him. We will be able to hear the sweet whisperings of the spirit in all that we do and say. It will make us the stronger in the end to endure and say at the finish line, "Lord, I have fought the good fight. I did my best. I finished." He is there to hold your hand and fight the good fight.

So go out today and see what you can see with your rose colored glasses.

I assure you, though life looks bleak sometimes, He is there. 

Blessing you in ways you do not even know of.

♥

Catch

Some days I look at my husband and stop.

 

I think to myself, "What did he EVER see in me?"

 

He is such a caring, sweet, attentive husband who thinks about others before his needs.

 

He is there for me, to cheer me on, to support me, and best of all to be my best friend.

 

I am lucky.

 

He was a catch.

 

Everyday I try to better myself so I can be a better wife to him.

 

For the past few years I've had a stove and washer and dryer set that worked....

 haphazardly and that kept on going because his attentiveness to fixing them whenever they would fail.

 

It was nothing that really bugged me per say but when the dryer broke for the millionth time right after Charleigh was born (well it seemed like that least to me....12 loads at the laundry mat is no small feat to accomplish pregnant or with a new baby), I had had it.

 

Part after part had been ordered and hours of fixing appliances was starting to wear on my poor husband.

 

Poor guy!

 

But not ONCE did he complain.

 

He would look up you tube videos or read up on literature to figure out the problem so we did not have to pay money for someone to come out and fix it.

 

 

Well in May he learned of a program at work that would allow him to earn money if he biked so many miles to work. He then, had the idea to use that money to but new appliances.

 

I was NOT happy when he suggested this to me one night.

 

He said, "The money can be used to buy you a new washer and dryer and oven. It would make your life easier."

 

I replied, "NO! You will have to bike along 15 miles of a BUSY highway to get to work (well 7 miles of it is along the hwy)."

 

Long story short: My husband is stubborn and loves me.

 

When he puts his mind to it, he does it.

 

Today, he finished biking all of those miles and to support him we went and cheered him on as he biked home.

 

The kids would get out and yell, "GO DAD!!!"

 

We must have look CRAZY stopping so much along the road to do so but WHO CARES.

 

It was so much fun :).

 

That man is amazing and each time I hear my new washer and dryer sing to me, I think of my husband and how much he loves me.

 

♥