3 Goals

My roommate and I have started listening to a conference talk every morning before we both leave for the day.  It is a really great way to start the day.  This week we listened to "Three Goals To Guide You" given by President Thomas S Monson in Oct of 2007.  I have been thinking of some of the things it said all week and wanted to share my favorite parts.  And recommend everyone to go read or listen to it.
http://lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/three-goals-to-guide-you?lang=eng

You never know what a girl is worth,

You’ll have to wait and see;

But every woman in a noble place,

A girl once used to be. 

1. 1. 
   Study diligently.
2. 2. 
   Pray earnestly.
3. 3. 
   Serve willingly.

 President Gordon B. Hinckley, said of you, “God planted within women something divine that expresses itself in quiet strength, in refinement, in peace, in goodness, in virtue, in truth, in love.”

My dear sisters, do not pray for tasks equal to your abilities, but pray for abilities equal to your tasks. Then the performance of your tasks will be no miracle, but you will be the miracle.

 I sometimes think I make huge amazing wonderful goals which is good but a reminder of the important basics is always a treat.

sweet or tart?

simply sweet

Hoo Hoo- As in the owl noise.

Yesterday I rode to Mililani with my roommate and a few other girls for a WallyWorld adventure.  I finally got a second pillow and slept wonderfully last night :)

Our next stop was Ross.

Everyone else bought.....


(these aren't the ones they bought.  They all bought modest ones of course this is just a google image result for cute dresses)

And I bought...

(not the best photo but i didn't feel like trying to change the lighting to make it better. sorry. even in bad lighting I LOVE them!!)

I fell in love with these owls as soon as I saw them.  Everyone kept asking me if I love owls but I don't I just really loved these two.  I just know that some day when I am decorating my own little house these owls will look perfect in it.  But then I considered having to get them back to Tennessee = hassle.  So I put them back.  But as I kept trying on clothes I couldn't get them out of my mind.  So I bought them.  And now they are sitting on my dresser for a while and maybe I'll ship them home sometime or maybe they'll live here in Hawaii with me till I leave...

All of this got me thinking though.  While other girls were buying cute dresses for an upcoming dance I was buying future home decorations.  Maybe I am one step ahead of myself. Maybe I should buy a dress to look cute to attract a boy to marry me so I can have a future house to decorate.  (I do realize that there's a lot more to the process then those three little steps and it takes a lot more than just a cute dress to attract a boy- and if it doesn't he's not the boy I want- but ya know work with me here)  But the more I thought about it the more pleased I was with myself.  First, I didn't find any dresses there I don't already have the same style of and don't wear often enough. Two, (this is where the "Sunday Ponderings" comes in) just because I'm not married yet doesn't mean I shouldn't be thinking about and preparing for that stage of life.

I'm still trying to find a happy balance between enjoying these singles fun (or not so fun) years and looking forward to the married/family ones (which I'm sure will be fun and not so fun too). Sometimes I forget to have fun now because I am looking forward so much to the next stage and for a split second I was worried the other girls would think I am nuts... But really who cares if I don't have a husband or a house yet. I have owls and i am having fun and appreciating this single time and I'm implementing and perfecting hopefully life-long habits like scripture study and prayer and not spending to much time watching tv while it's just me I have to worry about.

 And I am happy with where I'm at.

I know this post is getting really long but I have to add this too because it's Sunday Ponderings and I have been pondering this one all last night and into the morning.  At the Wal Mart I bought some new polka-dotted sheets that were on sale for my bed because my old ones were too big.  Last night when I laid down I was thinking about how these sheets aren't very cute and I wish I would have gotten a different color but the other colors weren't on sale. I was even totaling how much another cuter set would cost.. And then I thought about how terribly unthankful I am sometimes.  I have a bed.  With sheets on it. New ones because the old ones were too big.  In  Hawaii.  Where I got to college. Which I am able to afford because of the blessings of so many wonderful church members. and I'm worried about the color of my sheets?  Pathetic.  I have more things to be grateful for than there are polka-dots on my sheets. And I'm keeping these sheets to remind me of that.  I'm so glad the Lord helps me to have humbling thoughts.



sweet or tart?
I googled it and most owls think peaches are yucky but some think they're sweet.

Dreaming of the Madre

A picture of a picture so kind of blurry but this is my favorite picture of my mom holding me as a baby.

My mom died in 2004 when I was 15.  Shortly after her death I had a dream where we were sitting on a front porch in some rocking chairs chatting.  All of the sudden there was an accident down the road that included someone important. (I never figured out who that person was but I knew they were important to me) In the dream I had the biggest sense of urgency to run to the accident to help but at the same time could not leave my mom.  She looked at me and told me to go.  She told me she loved me and I would be ok and then she told me to go.  We hugged and I ran to the accident and woke up before ever returning to the porch with my mom.   I have never read a whole lot into the meaning of that dream but only remembered how happy I was to see her face and hear her voice again after her passing.

In the past seven years I can count on one hand the times she has reappeared in my dreams and each time it is like a sweet treat from her. One night this week I had another dream with her in it.  It actually turned out to be a scary dream in which we thought there was someone in our house but just turns out they were creeping in the car (i have issues with the fear of being kidnapped).  Anyways before the scary part started my mom and I were laying in her bed talking and she was laughing her amazing witchy cackle laugh and it was wonderful.  And when she smiled she had her old crossed teeth smile that was pre-braces.  What a tender mercy to let me get to see her face and hear her voice just like I remember it :)

The next day while I was at the gym I listened to a recording my mom had made talking to my sister on her mission. The recording includes her sweet voice, my brother singing, and a Sunday family dinner.  It was recorded on the 17th of October of 2003  The tears began to fall right there, hopefully blending in with the sweat from showing that elliptical who's boss, as I listened to the life that I had 8 years ago at this time.  I miss that life sometimes. Actually a lot of the time.  And regardless of my knowledge and faith in eternal families and being able see my mom again some days I just want her to be here with me now.  But she can't.  So I must wipe away the tears and carry on knowing that someday I will see her again and it will be sweeter than any dream.   

Oh how I miss that amazing mother of mine.



sweet or tart?
sweet tender mercy 

Timshel- Thou Mayest

One of my favorite books is East Of Eden by John Steinbeck which is a novel based on the story of Cain and Abel from the Old Testament.   A major theme of the book is based on the Hebrew word timshel or timshol.  A word I have spent a lot of time researching and pondering and have come to love.  And since it has been prominent in my mind this week I want to write about it. 

Without getting too in depth the word is brought to attention in the book as the Chinese servant, Lee, is studying different translations of the Old Testament and comes upon a variation. 

In Genesis in the Old Testament Chirst is speaking to Abel who has committed many sings. It says in chapter four “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him."

Then Lee reads the New American Standard Bible translation which says "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and do thou rule over him."

Lee takes this variation to the Chinese elders who research and find that the original Hebrew word that was translated is timshol which would translate into timsh’l and therefore written and said as timshel in our time.  Although this word can have varying translations depending on the words surrounding it in this instance it is most often translated as thou mayest. As in our agency given to us through Jesus Christ by our Heavenly Father.

 

In the book Lee says “ The “word timshel—‘Thou mayest’—that gives a choice.  It might be the most important word in the world.  That says the way is open.  That throws it right back on a man.  For if ‘Thou mayest’—it is also true that ‘Thou mayest not.’” (p. 349)


Lee continues, “’Thou mayest’… makes a man great, that gives him stature with the gods, for in his weakness and his filth and his murder of his brother he has still the great choice.  He can choose his course and fight it through and win.”

And now each time I face a difficult situation, an unexpected turn in the road or even worse a big ol’ bump in the road I think to myself- timshel- Thou Mayest. 

The past couple of years I faced a lot of unexpected challenges and my love for having a life plan made and carried out solely by me was humbled.  I found myself in situations that left me wanting to turn my back on what I knew was right and run.  But I didn’t.  I stayed and fought.  Fought to gain a greater understanding and stronger relationship with my Father in Heaven. 

Thou Mayest.  Thou Mayest conquer evil.  Thou Mayest overcome seemingly unbearable trials.  Thou mayest be strong even in your weakest moments with the Lord at your side. Thou mayest return to Him some day after enjoying and enduring this mortal life. 

sweet or tart?

savory sweet