The Lord's tender mercies are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Truly, the Lord suits "his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men"

Tender Mercies brought me home tonight…

I am in awe tonight of God’s love. So in awe, of his sweet and tender mercies in my life.  I stand all amazed that he, the father of all living and creation, is concerned for me. That he expends to me his strength, guidance and inspiration. That he knows me by name and is aware of my needs.  How patient and lovingly he is ever watching and waiting to bless my life and answer my prayers. Waiting to help me become all I am meant to be. And I am so grateful that tonight I was in the right place at the right time.

Tonight I had a wonderful experience, a confirmation really, that the things I have felt prompted and inspired to do over the last year of my life have in fact, been the tender mercies of a loving Heavenly Father… leading me, guiding me, calling and encouraging me, step by step in what I loving refer to as my “butterfly quest”.

We are all connected in this life… to each other and God uses us to accomplish his purposes for each other…

Many of you do not know that Peggy, my daughter, is a certified Microsoft instructor. She is an awesome teacher and does an amazing job. While I have been visiting family here in Greenville SC this winter, I have sat in on many of her classes hoping to better my computer skills. I really would like to work again soon. Retirement is liberating but pretty much renders one poor. Anyway, one of the benefits of Peggy’s job is that she is able to rub shoulders with others in the same genre.  Many of her work friends and associates are instructors who teach not only business and software courses but life skills as well. A couple of weeks ago, one of her instructor friends, invited her to attend a class called ‘Intentional Living’.  Not really knowing what to expect from the course, other than what you might assume from the title, Peggy thought it would be fun to take it with her mother. Not to mention Peggy had never sat in on any of her friend’s classes and was anxious to experience her teaching techniques.  

I don’t believe in Spiritual Coincidences...they are deliberate and are truly tender mercies in our life

 I do not believe in spiritual coincidence, and tonight as Peggy and I attended our first class, I felt the sweet and tender mercies of God in my life.  In fact many of the events of the last year of my life had brought me to this very class, on this very night.  As Stephanie, the instructor read over the principles that would be taught in the class and explained what we would be learning and challenged to do, a light came on within me… and the soft warm glow of enlightenment began to glow in my heart. By the end of the class I realized that I had been inspired by a loving Heavenly Father all along, even though-out this entire year. As Stephanie began explaining how to live intentionally and change your life, I could not believe how close to her outline my life butterfly quest had been. That losing weight is a head thing and that the first step is to love you. I could go on and on about how the class outline reflected everything I had been inspired to feel, try, believe and do, one step at a time, throughout this entire year. Everything she was saying just affirmed and confirmed that I was being inspired and directed in my quest. AND I was doing it right!  It was hard to hold the tears back as I realized how mindful God has been of me at such a late time in my life. The fact that he thinks I still have the potential to achieve ‘my best self’ was an amazing feeling. I realized for the first time since I started this quest that I am doing it right. No more guess work. What I am doing is going to get me there. I looked down at the booklet, the reading list, (by the way, the reading list had a couple of books on it that I had just recently read); the outline on the board, the light in the eyes of an inspired teacher and a chill ran up my back. A warm feeling swept over me and I felt I was finally home. Like a scene from the movie “Close encounters of the third kind” was playing out in my life. I felt like Richard Dryfus as things finally made since and I knew this wasn’t just the ranting’s of a crazy but exactly what I needed to be doing.

Home at last J

Over the next 6 weeks I will be sharing my experiences from the class and how it affects my butterfly quest. I have to say I am extremely excited and more hopeful than ever before. Hopefully you, who may be reading will find that you are, as well as me, feeling the tender mercies of a wonderful and loving Heavenly Father in your life.

The Tender Mercies of the Lord

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/the-tender-mercies-of-the-lord?lang=eng

 "We should not underestimate or overlook the power of the Lord's
tender mercies.
The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the
tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us in the
troubled times in which we do now and will yet live.
When words cannot
provide the solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is simply
futile to attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and
reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and
inequities of life,
when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient
to produce a desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so
totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and
made mighty even unto the power of deliverance
" But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance." (1 Nephi 1:20)

Elder David A. Bednar

“My future is determined by my Vision.”

Where there is no vision, the people perish… Proverbs 29:18

The Israelites had no positive vision for their lives – no dreams. They knew where they came from, but they did not know where they were going. Everything was based on what they had seen and could see. They did not know how to see with “the eye of faith” They had no vision.

I am reading “Battlefield of the Mind” by Joyce Myer. Actually, have just finished the book and felt her insights were inspiring and right-on the money much of the time. So I recommend it if you are looking for some inspiration for building a better life.

Health is a Mind Thing -

As I said in one of my first postings on this blog site, I believe that my quest for a healthy body is a mind-thing. I found ‘Battlefield of the Mind’ to be about overcoming our carnal mind and how we will become what we think. Many things in Joyce’s book were inspiring to me but chapter 16 made me think about my vision. The Israelites wandered 40 years in the wilderness because they could not see the vision of what God had in store for them. The journey should have taken about 11 days according to scripture but most of them never made it and the ones who did took 40 years. Ouch…I may not have 40 years to finish my quest?? I found myself rereading this chapter and really thinking about it. I wondered if I really had a vision of myself. Could I really see myself at the end of my quest - healthy, trim and happy? After thinking long and hard about it I realized I did not.

There was a popular song the year my youngest daughter graduated from high school that went something like, “I believe I can fly. I believe I can touch the sky. If I can see it, I can be it.” As I thought about Lindsey singing this song and was recalling the beautiful lyrics, I realized I needed to have a vision like this for my butterfly quest and really…it would not hurt to have a clearer idea as to what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. So of course, I did a lot of soul searching and found my friend “Google” had lots to say on the subject to help me. J

My youngest daughter Lindsey with her husband Ben

My Mission Statement: Mission Statement: Concise statement of your life purpose.

To live a life that cultivates self-esteem, self-respect, self-fulfillment and happiness and to motivate, encourage and inspire others to do the same.  

I like what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Everyone has the power for greatness-not for fame but greatness, because greatness is determined by service."

My Vision Statement: Vision Statement: Concise statement of the unique and distinctive ways that you will accomplish your purpose.

Using God’s help, strength and inspiration I will live a life that cultivates self-esteem, self-respect and happiness. I will work to become my best self.  I will seek ways to inspire and motivate others to do the same by using my example, life style, musical and writing talents, sacrifice and service, and love of family and humanity.

Henry David Thoreau said, "In the long run men only hit what they aim for."

I am sure my vision statement may change and need to be adjusted as I work to fulfill my quest, but working on this really gave me a better idea of the ’big picture’. I now realize that God, love, respect, family and legacy are a driving force in my life. Music and writing fill my heart with joy and light. I more clearly see the purpose of these talents and can’t wait to use them. I want to love and give to others - it fulfills me! I can do this with God’s help and tonight I find myself smiling about the future again. :-) I have my new purpose, heart, soul and future envisioned. I can see the future. I do believe I can fly, if I can see it, I can be it! The future looks awesome!

Just a comment about what I wrote -

Reading back over this…it seems to read a little corny… but I hope you can receive this as just ‘’me sharing” something that is important to me because I really do want to make a difference in my life… for me, my children and grandchildren. And for you as well… if you will let me!

Here are a few ideas in case you want to try writing your own mission and vision statements –

http://www.lifetoolsforwomen.com/p/write-mission-vision.htm

The vision statement encompasses uniqueness and specificity? It is the vision statement-not the mission statement-that reflects your unique gifts and strategies.

Your vision statement serves as a compass to keep things going in the right direction. It helps you measure your progress, set goals, establish priorities, and know when to use one of the most important words in your vocabulary: No.

The number one deadly fear of most people is "having lived a meaningless life."

Why, then, does writing a mission statement seem like such a daunting task?

When you were a child you probably learned how to start a fire by focusing sunlight through a magnifying glass. Sunlight alone could not start the fire; it had to be focused through the magnifying glass. This reflects a basic principle of solar energy-though a large amount of sunlight falls on the earth, the light is diffused. For the sun to be utilized for heating, solar energy units must be designed to collect and concentrate the light.

The same principle applies to purpose. It must be focused to produce results. With no focus, there is no mechanism for establishing direction or goals.

Writing mission and vision statements will provide the focus you need to reach your goals and dreams

You may not see a clear picture right now, and that's fine. Relax. Don't sweat it. Enjoy the process.

In other words, your mission statement is not written in stone. You can and should revisit it periodically. Most likely you will revise and fine-tune it time and again. Don't be concerned about whether it is precisely accurate. Pray and ask God to lead you in this endeavor.

Take time out from your busy schedule to prayerfully reflect on your personal mission, as you understand it at this point on your journey. Look at the big picture, and ask yourself questions like, Who am I? Why am I here? What are my desires and dreams? What is my mission, or purpose?

Defining your purpose should be a stimulating and motivating exercise. It should stir enthusiasm and excitement.

Many people feel that purpose must relate to a vision of achieving something of great magnitude or something that affects a nation or even the entire world. But purpose does not necessarily involve grandiose ideas.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Everyone has the power for greatness-not for fame but greatness, because greatness is determined by service."

Judy Rushfeldt is an author, speaker, and online magazine publisher who has been writing for 25 years. Her passion is to inspire and equip women to reach their dreams. Her latest book, Making Your Dreams Your Destiny - - a woman's guide to awakening your passions and fulfilling your purpose, is now available in quality bookstores. To read more about this book, including a sample chapter, or to order online, click here: MakingYourDreams.com

You can FLY butterflies. I can see it!

Pick Yourself Up Rocky!!!!

2012    To much holiday cheer left me feeling unmotivated and defeated. Then I remembered my son in law Ben and his hero Rocky Balboa.
What would he tell me to do? Here is what I learned.

The scene attached below is a great reminder that character is not defined by what happens to you, but rather by how you react to what happens to you. When you get hit, do you stay down? Or do you reach down somewhere deep inside of you and pull up the courage that lifts you back on your feet to keep moving forward? You do have a choice.

Rocky explains how to be a winner: Click the link to follow on You Tube
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-V1tXhJniSEc/rocky_balboa_it_ain_t_about_how_hard_you_hit/

Rocky; "Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain't you! You're better than that! "
Keep moving forward…

I believe we all came to this earth to be tested, to learn and to grow, so how is it then that I act so surprised and feel so sorry for myself when I face challenges and trails? If I believe the first, then having trails and tests are going to be part of what causes me to grow and learn, right?  Of course it is. If I really believe this to be true then I should react as I did with my first and earliest test; learning to walk. As a baby I chose to struggle to my feet and take a step of faith and eventually learn to walk. How is it that at age one I never failed to pick myself up and try again. I had never heard of the internet or Google or Rock Balboa and never searched for advice on how to motivate myself or walk. At age one I already had all the courage I needed to learn something I had no idea how to do. I trusted my instinct that I could and after the trials, falls and spills of picking me up over and over and over, I did it, I WALKED! That same ability to accomplish my goal is here inside me today.

 I know my son in law, Ben will be proud that I chose to use Rocky as my inspiration this week. So I dedicate this to Ben. Ben thank you for your example of inner strength; for all the good things you try to accomplish for my daughter and your children. Thank you for all you do to encourage my little grandchildren to learn and grow. You are a great father and a special man. So glad you are part of my family.

Ben is a great father...This is a photo of Ben and Hope when she was just a few months old and already inlove with her Daddy :-)
 

Leave your mistakes and regret in the past. They don’t define your value, then or now. When you stay in the past you become stuck and unable to move forward. We all have made mistakes with our job choices, friends and relationships. The consequences can hit us pretty hard. However, to begin learning how to put these experiences behind us – by letting them go, we can begin to live in the here and now. Give yourself the gift of forgiveness and keep moving forward.

Peggy's Wishes for 2012 inspire us all. Here is how balloons helped us let go of sadness on New Year's Eve.

Mark and Leighton writing their dreams for 2012

                                                            Emilee and her niece, Autumn

Peggy

Letting them go…

ON New Year’s Eve Peggy and I had a ‘heart to heart’ talk about my sad feelings at this time of the year. I told her I was struggling to stay positive and she came up with a little “letting go” activity to help me. She disappeared into the local Five and Dime Store and came out with a beautiful bouquet of balloons. That alone brought a smile to my face. We then took them home to share with the family. She gave each of us a balloon and a marker and told us to write all the great things we want to do in 2012 on the balloon or if we wanted, write everything we wanted to change in 2012. We then took our 2012 balloons outside and on the count of one, two, three, released our hearts desires to the sky. Watching all our greatest hopes and wishes for the New Year go soaring into the heavens this way was fun and exciting. Not to mention it got rid of all my sadness. Thank you Peggy, what a fun tradition you have now started for your little family. I love you SO much!



Learning from failure and having regret are two separate things. Regret is an emotion; a feeling of disappointment along with a modest amount of shame or guilt. But to look back at a circumstance and figure out what went wrong gives you some very important information. This review allows you to evaluate what worked and what didn’t, and more importantly, why. Often when you are removed from a situation, you can look at it more objectively which will allow you to make better choices to keep moving forward.

The Example of Hope

As a grandmother I have watched my grandchildren learning and growing so much differently than I did as a mother. For one thing you are not only watching your grandchildren learn something new and exciting about life, but are blessed to witness the joy of parenting in your own child. You get to see your children as the teacher, the motivator the cheerleader and the parent. It is definitely one of those moments in life that take your breath away. “Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away”.

Anyway, my granddaughter Hope learned to walk over a period of about a month or so. Each day was a struggle as she tested first her strength and balance, and then used what she had learned to stand, and fall and get up and fall again until she finally had learned all she needed to do to actually start taking steps. What a delight to be present and watch this child I loved with all my heart, take her first steps. Add that to seeing the look of awe and pride in the eyes of my own baby daughter, Hope’s mommy, and WA La there you have it…a breath taking moment in time. The quote above brought this memory back to my mind as I realized that not once in this process did Hope have any regrets for yesterday’s struggles or about how many times she fell and had to start all over. Each day she tried over and over again and again with a beautiful and excited smile of delight on her sweet little face, until she did walk…giggling with each step, across the room from her mommy arms to her daddy. And of course we all cheered and she giggled and beamed with pride. What an awesome thing to witness. And what a powerful lesson these little ones do teach us GROWN UPS with their determination to succeed and never give up.

Pictures of Hope who is now 4 years old and her Daddy Ben.

How badly do you want it? How badly do you really want to achieve what you are working so hard to accomplish? When you get hit hard, you have an opportunity to answer this question. It’s one thing to say you want to do something, or to be something. But to walk through the pain; to get up and keep moving forward knowing there may be more pain ahead, is a test of your determination and resolve. When you find yourself getting back on your feet, you have indeed answered this question and there’s no doubt you will keep moving forward.

 

 Hope Elizabeth Maxwell

Hope on her 4th birthday in August 2011.

Faith: A strong belief in something without proof or evidence
At the end of the day when you are weary from all of the effort and energy you have expended and you are sore and tired from being hit hard so many times, but the dream is not realized, the one thing that tells you to keep going; to get up tomorrow and to keep moving forward, is your faith. Honor this and cherish it. Faith is what makes you human. It gives you energy and hope. And if you let it, your faith will deliver you to wherever you want to go in life.

I feel better now butterflys. Ready?? Lets finish this thing!!!!!!!

 A phone call brings me inspiration for the New Year…

A friend called last week to say Merry Christmas and catch up a bit. We exchanged lots about our families and what we had been doing…you know;  fun stuff, challenging and concerning stuff, and lots of  just plain simple everyday stuff. During the course of the conversation though, two things were talked about that inspired me. Two simple things really, nothing new, just things I already believe I need in my life. But because I am human, need to be reminded over and over again that these are the things that work.

1)     Stay in a hopeful place no matter the challenge

2)     The importance of routine in avoiding unhealthy choices in your diet

More about the conversation…

My friend and I talked about all the fun and yummy treats we are surrounded by at this time of year.  Neighbors and co-workers want to say “happy holidays” and often do so with homemade treats. Since my friend lives and works in the same building, it sounded like there had been lots of these homemade gifts given. One was mentioned however that made me have visions of sugar plums… you know “as in dancing in your head”, and I was doing a lot more than dancing with it in MY Head. Home-made Reese Cups. I have encountered these before and know first -hand how good they are, so when I heard,” I have not tasted these yet…but they look really good”, I was impressed by the self-control it must be taking to not partake. As my friend explained why, I had one of those Aw Ha! Moments. My friend was in a “place of routine” that kept the temptation at bay. A place of routine. I have those. We all do and we can use this place to help have a healthier life.

Places of Routine…

We all have these “places of routine”, some bad and some good. I am thinking of the good ones where being there always keeps temptation at a minimum and much easier to deal with. We can have these good ”places of routine” whether we stay at home or we work, or both. We have to create them though. Having retired last April, I know that having something worth-while to do every day keeps my focus on eating healthy so much easier. I want to work on that place this coming New Year.

Once someone has inspired me I try to research stories, articles and quotes to reinforce how I can best use the inspiration to benefit my butterfly quest. I found a pretty simple and straight forward article in my research about having a healthy and simple daily routine that I thought I could use. For me the simpler the better. All the blue text here is from that article.

http://www.naturalnews.com/024500_exercise_wellness_health.html

There are four main components to a successful wellness routine. They are:

1.Exercise
2.Nutrition
3.Spiritual Practice
4.Rest and Relaxation

 I usually wake up thirsty and sometimes hungry. I get up and go for a drink first off. I am so grateful to say that it is usually cold green tea and not my old beverage of choice, coke. What an addiction I had to that stuff. The drink refreshes me so I can abstain then from eating until I feel alive again.

The green tea and a warm soapy shower have become the routine that resurrects my sanity.  I try not to eat until I can think clearly.  I am not a morning person. I wake up feeling like a duck…not knowing where I even am sometimes. This is one of my routines that is a must unless there is an emergency that keeps me from it. Life and death emergency I am talking here. J

Exercise…

I try to fit stretching into my daily routine every day. I lie on the bed and do leg lifts, sit ups and a few other things to mostly just get the blood flowing and my joints moving. When I am in a hurry I skip this part of my morning routine…if I skip this too many mornings I can tell that the stiffness starts to set in about noon. Ouch!  I did go swimming every day during the summer but I am too cold natured to venture to the recreation pool now. I have tried it and my teeth chatter so hard that I can hardly breathe, so I am going to add something new to my winter evening routine this New Year.   There is a weight room here at the apartment complex where Peggy and Mark live so I will go there to ride the bike and use some weights before dinner each day. This should only take me about 30 minutes and should make a big difference I hope. I also love music and dancing and would like to add some zumba to my life. I can think of only one other thing that affects me like music and that is nature. I will keep you posted on this. Donna has some zumba cds, she would probably help her mother out don’t ya think? J

Your daily exercise should be doable and not require you to take a fitness class to accomplish. This type of exercise is more about moving your body than giving yourself the most challenging workout of your life. Examples of a daily exercise routine include:

1. Taking a walk around the neighborhood in the morning or after work.
2. Performing a simple yoga or qi-gong exercise in the morning or evening.
3. Riding your bike to the park.
4. Dancing to your favorite music in the comfort of your living room.

The important thing to remember is that you need to move your body each and every day to stay healthy and happy. Don't make exercise in to a huge obstacle to overcome. Find a way to fit more movement into your daily life and your body will thank you for it.

Nutrition…

I try to keep this simple and doable as well. I have not made a lot of drastic changes to my life with nutrition… There are simply some things I do not eat any more. Anything refined needs to be limited for me to almost null.  I have kept the things I love that are good for me as I mentioned before, salsa is a keeper for me.  Protein, salad and veggies are keepers. I need more fruit and I know that. I will have to work on that one. The problem is I love the summer fruits the best. Melons and peaches are some of my favorites. I do like Clementine’s and V8 juice a lot. Of course the salsa girl would love V8.

Diet and nutrition can be an overwhelming subject. Unless you are one of those people who enjoy counting calories and spending hours in food preparation, adjusting your diet may seem impossible. Try coming up with a moderate diet that provides leeway and space for those moments when you have a chocolate craving. Rather than rigidly trying to subtract specific foods from your diet, add nutritious, healthy options to your existing plate.

Spiritual Practice…

I try to keep my goal and desires foremost in my prayers and thoughts. Always listening and looking for inspiration. I have found the closer I listen and look the more spiritual I feel. God wants to inspire us. We sometimes let our lives become so cluttered with noise and worldly priorities that do not include him. This noise and clutter keep us from seeing the forest for the trees; or hearing the still small promptings and tender mercies and miracles all around us.  I need to keep working on this in the New Year.

Daily spiritual practice is the positive habit of connecting with a higher power or ideal, whether that is God, nature, or the mystery of the universe. You do not have to be a spiritual person to have a spiritual practice. Atheists, for example, might engage in a spiritual practice that consists of mindful journal writing each morning.
The purpose of daily spiritual practice is to disengage from the petty irritations and distractions of life and open the mind and spirit to see the bigger picture. A daily spiritual practice should nurture, uplift, and inspire.

Examples of daily spiritual practice include:

1. Prayer
2. Journaling
3. Creativity (art, music, writing)
4. Meditation

The benefits of a daily spiritual practice are cumulative and over time will lead to more peace of mind and a greater ability to handle life's challenges.

Rest and Relaxation…

Sometimes I have a very hard time sleeping lately. I then feel tired the whole next day. I have found that drinking diet pop too close to bed time is bad for me. I am up going to the bathroom too much and then my mind becomes active and I can’t get back to sleep. I know feeling rested is important because I don’t make good choices when I am feeling tried. I would never try to make a life changing decision late at night…go to bed and sleep first. Life looks so much more uncomplicated the next morning.

In our hurried world, the benefits of rest cannot be overstated. Too often we are running on fumes – too little sleep and too much activity. Sleep deprivation has been associated with all sorts of problems, from anxiety and depression to unsafe driving. Some scientists are studying a possible link between sleep deprivation and obesity (the theory is that sleep deprivation disrupts the production of important hormones).

Relaxation is also important. Your mind needs rest and play. If all you did was work from the beginning to the end of the day, you would become less effective overall due to the stress. Spend time relaxing every day, even if it's just a half an hour to read a favorite book or partake in a hobby.

Keep things simple….and hopeful!

At one point in my conversation with my friend I was told to stay “Hopeful”. Hmmmm, I did not react too positive at first to this advice… but once I thought about what was being said to me, I realized I had become pretty negative during the course of our conversation. Wow…talk about putting me in my place. J  Thinking about this challenge from my friend, to stay hopeful, has inspired me this week.

Once you leave your hopeful place you are not effective any more. Not effective in conversation or anything else you are doing. We need to stay hopeful.  Remember that just like anything in life; living a healthier life style will never be easy. Someone once told me that anything worthy of my time in this life would have a challenge and a sacrifice attached and that would be how I would recognize it as worthy. There will always be things that make it hard to stay hopeful and positive in life as well as trying to do and say the right things. Hopefully though! (No play on the word intended) we will be brought back to our senses, if not by our friends, then by ourselves, to our hopeful place. In this case a place of routine….where life can be simple and hopeful. A life style that will bring health of body, mind and spirit.  

Happy New Year… and I challenge you to make some routines for yourself in this New Year where you will more easily be able to stay hopeful and positive about everything worthy of doing in your life.

Good night butterflies