Upon what are you reflecting?

"If you are irritated by every rub, 

how will your mirror be polished?"

 Rumi

prayer

"Prayer is not asking. 

It is a longing of the soul. 

It is daily admission of one's weakness. 

It is better in prayer to 

have a heart without words 

than words without a heart."

 Gandhi

this can be a positive or it can be a negative if we don't chose wisely

"What we love determines what we seek. 

What we seek determines what we think and do. 

What we think and do determines who we are  and 

who we will become." 

time

"Love is spelt T.I.M.E."

 Dieter F. Uchtdorf 

“You can do hard things.”

“When you can't see God's hand, trust His heart.”

Just being you is BeYouTiFul!

"As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you."

faith in every foot step

minimalist

our children will follow our example not our advice

“One masterpiece is the work of ten thousand rough drafts”

"Time molds and kneads life into different shapes as we go along" 

Defining Moments by Hilary Weeks

A year ago we moved from Lehi to Woodland Hills.  It was a tough decision to uproot the family and plant new roots in unfamiliar soil.  But this has been the most beautiful, fertile soil and lovely blessings have come from the decision to make a change.

Parents always worry about their kids making good friends.  That concern was at the forefront of our minds as we packed and unpacked U-Haul boxes. I am so grateful, relieved and thrilled to say that our girls have made the finest of friends in our new area.  I have made new friends too.  One friend was a little unexpected.  His name is Ted and he is 86 years old.

We met when our ward went Christmas caroling.  Would you think less of me if I told you I did not want to go?  And could I earn back any of that respect if I told you it was like 80 below zero?  At least it felt like it.  It was cold that night!  But my youngest daughter really wanted to go…thank goodness.  Because that was the night we sang to Ted.  And that was the night he gave the carolers some nuts and candy from his house, which made my heart melt.  Which made me want to be his friend.  Which has led to a delightful friendship.

This is beginning to feel like "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie."

Our family loves Ted.  He loves when we visit.  He tells us stories, gives us hugs and his eyes twinkle when he smiles.

Ted loves to write.  He is writing a book right now about defining moments and defining people in our lives.  He asked if I would contribute.

I count Ted among the defining people in my life.  With all the doubt and fear that swirled around our decision to move, he has been a confirmation to my heart that we are in the right place.

 The word defining means, "critically important."  A defining moment is one that is crucial in shaping our lives.  It has a lasting and significant effect on us.  The definition doesn't indicate the size of the event – it could be something simple and small, or it could be monumental in nature.

For Ted's book, I chose to share a small, practically forgettable, moment from my childhood.

Mrs. Stephens was my 2nd grade teacher.  She was so pretty.  She had thick, straight, long, blonde hair and was tall and thin.  She used to leave scratch and sniff stickers on our desk when we had a good day.

 They have since lost their scent, except for the pickle.  You can still smell the slightly gross dill if you're (un)lucky.

Mrs. Stephens was my favorite teacher.  I might have been her favorite student.  Or, more likely, she treated everyone like they were her favorite student.

During the school year, she had the nerve to go on vacation and leave us with a sub for a week.  She went to Roundup, Montana where she saw and took a picture of a Solar Eclipse.

She sent me the picture.  Me.  Little 'ol second grade me.  I still have the picture and I pulled it out of my scrapbook so you could see.

 Why was that defining for me?  Because a woman that I admired – a woman with endless sheets of scratch and sniff stickers – thought about me when she was on a road trip.  She remembered and cared enough about me to take a picture, put it in an envelope, add a stamp and drop it in the mail.

Every day in class, after I received that letter, I knew I was special.  I knew I was loved.  I knew that someone awesome thought I just might have a little awesome in me too.

Defining moments are sometimes the smallest moments.  We "give pictures of solar eclipses" to people all the time without even knowing how special it is to them.

Mrs. Stephens is one of the reasons I value small acts of kindness.  I learned first-hand in second grade how lasting, important and meaningful they can be.

By the way, Mrs. Stephens didn't know this, but on the day I was born, there was a solar eclipse.

self portrait

You really Are here

dancing in the rain

Dancing in the Rain

Jody VanDrimmelen

video to Hillary Weeks fabulous song... created for a single adult conference in Arington Texas 2013.

we all have that built in compass as to what is right

Why God?

Can You See It?

Hilary Weeks

I talk to  my plants.  They hear me.  (At least I pretend they do.)  I believe my plants like hearing they look pretty and are doing a great job of growing.  During a recent plant-whispering moment, I found a beautiful surprise!

Can you see it?

 How about now?

There was a beautiful (and huge) moth resting in my flower pot!  It didn't even fly away when I got closer.  I gently reached in and moved the leaves of the plant for a better view.

The moth didn't seemed bothered by me being there so I said, "Can you open your wings and show me how pretty you are?"  I kid you not, this beautiful creature opened it's wings for me (and now you) to behold!

I thought about how easy it would have been for me to miss the moth.  I might have walked right past the plant and not even noticed it nestled there.  Here comes the analogy for I cannot help myself…

I wonder how often we miss the beauty around us because we are in a hurry or we don't take time to pause or we simply don't notice.  We are surrounded by God's grace, tender mercies and miracles.  Goodness is everywhere.  Beauty fills our world – it's there, all around us, if we will look, pause, notice, appreciate.

Take 30 seconds today to reflect on the beauty you have seen and felt today.  Pull the leaves aside and look deep.  Let gratitude fill your soul and draw you close to God.  He is there.

You can make a pathway bright if there is sunshine in your Heart! 4th of July

With God we Gott This

Cucumber & Feta Salad

Salad:

4 cups seedless watermelon, cubed

2 cups cucumber, sliced into half moons

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

⅓ cup crumbled feta

Dressing:

2 - 3 tablespoons honey

2 - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Instructions

1. Toss the salad ingredients together in a large bowl.

2. Whisk the honey and lime together in a small bowl. Pour over the salad and toss.

3. Add more honey and lime to taste.

4. Best served fresh and cold

Grape Cucumber Salad

INGREDIENTS

2 cups red California grapes, sliced in half
1 medium cucumber, sliced and then cut in half

Dressing:

3 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt to taste

A choice land

He knows you perfectly

We hold these truths to be self-evident

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

 

Lady Liberty

 

I lift my lamp

 

Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

 

United we Stand Divided we Fall

 

One nation under God

 

from sea to shining sea

 

Happy 4th of July

 

4th of July

a better day always comes

No matter how chaotic it is, wildflowers will still spring up in the middle of nowhere. 

Sheryl Crow

Happy Birthday Susan Powers!!! :D

Best of Wishes to a Wonderful, Inspirational Woman!!!

Thank you so much Susan  for your friendship. you truly bless my life.

  

I love you!!!

Sweet dreams

Man Along the Moor - Paul Larson Original

Let it grow

Shadows On My Wall - Paul Larson Original

Because you are

This Summer Rain - Paul Larson Original

a child's laugh

a child's laugh could simply be one of the most beautiful sounds in the world

Baby Laughing Hysterically at Ripping Paper (Original)

BruBearBaby

Living You - Paul Larson Original

Right By Your Spell - Paul Larson Original

eyes wide open

see it for what it is, 
not what you want it to be.

a mistake repeated more than once is a decision

 you are free to choose but you are not free from the consequence of your choice.

She's a Friend of Mine - Paul Larson Original

the breeze that goes round the world

"Whatever we learn has a purpose and whatever we do affects everything and everyone else, if even in the tiniest way. Why, when a housefly flaps his wings, a breeze goes round the world; when a speck of dust falls to the ground, the entire planet weighs a little more; and when you stamp your foot, the earth moves slightly off its course. Whenever you laugh, gladness spreads like the ripples in a pond; and whenever you're sad, no one anywhere can be really happy. And it's much the same thing with knowledge, for whenever you learn something new, the whole world becomes that much richer."

-Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth

Ignore the yappers

In Your Eyes - Paul Larson Original

actions speak louder then words

characterize people by their actions and
you will never be fooled by their words.

Long Time Comin' - Paul Larson Original

external influence

when a flower doesn't bloom, 

you fix the environment in which it grows,

not the flower.

Some Kind of Mountain - Paul Larson Original

Be the light

The choices we make not only shape our lives but, in a way, show on our face. We all know people who seem to have a light in their eyes, people who seem to light up a room. In most cases, it's not their charisma but their character that impresses us—not their personality but their purity. The goodness of their lives is reflected on their countenance. They project the kind of confidence that comes from living with honor and integrity. 

Paul Harvey, the famous radio commentator, put it this way after visiting the campus of a religious university known for its high moral standards. "Each . . . young face," he said, "mirrored a sort of . . . sublime assurance. These days many young eyes are prematurely old from countless compromises with conscience. But [these young people] have that enviable headstart which derives from discipline, dedication, and consecration."

Several years ago, a student was traveling abroad when her connecting plane was unexpectedly delayed overnight. Even though the airline made accommodations for the passengers' overnight stay, the young woman felt frightened, alone, and unprepared. She looked around at the other passengers and noticed a young mother who seemed to radiate peace and confidence in spite of the stressful situation. The student approached her and asked for some guidance. They ate dinner together, and the young mother calmed her fears. The next morning when they boarded the plane at the same time, the student thanked the young mother for her kindness. The student explained, "Somehow I knew you would help me." 

We have all been blessed by people who radiate goodness, and we can be that person for someone else. Of course, none of us is perfect, but if we are honestly striving to live in a positive way, it will show in our face, in our eyes, and in our countenance. And thus we can be a source of light to those around us. 

-Lloyd D. Newell

When I Held Your Face - Paul Larson Original

try as I may and try as I might try try try be the light

Show respect even to people who don't deserve it,
not as a reflection of their character, but as a reflection of yours.

Somewhere - Paul Larson Original