Joy!

What is Joy?  

Peter Kreeft a Christian philosopher said, " Joy is more than Happiness, just as happiness is more than pleasure.  Pleasure is in the body.  Happiness is in the mind and feelings. Joy is deep in the heart of the spirit, the center of the self.

I came across this song as I was studying joy and what it means.

I found it on a day when I was feeling rather hopeless.  As I was looking around at the world wondering if my children and my grandchildren will have a chance to find joy and peace in a world that is in chaos and commotion.

As I watched this video and listened to this song a few phrases stood out to me.

"Make peace with yourself-

Let's stick together

Nothing really matters, we have everything that we need

Take a big leap and jump right over 

I think joy can be found by remembering these key phrases.

Do what you need to do to truly find peace with in yourself. Do you need to forgive someone, do you need to apologies to someone, do you need to change a habit, do you need to be kinder to yourself.

Nothing really matters, we have everything we need

This is so true. We do have everything that we need to have joy.  We have a great family and we like each other and we like to be with each other.  We have the knowledge that we are an eternal family. We have beautiful surrounds. We have beautiful mountains and rivers,  beautiful sunrises and sunsets, we have beautiful clouds, and some days we have the bluest skies.  We have our talents that we can share with others, we have a gospel that brings us hope and peace. 

Also the phrase "stick together"  There is joy in relationships.  You can't find true joy when you are focused on yourself. Joy comes from looking through out the day to help others.  I have a better day when I ask the Lord to bless my eyes to be open that I may see those that can use a little help.  

The last phrase that stood out to me is "take a big leap and jump right over". Joy is a choice, it doesn't just happen.  

My life changed when Pres. Monson gave the talk Finding Joy in the Journey. One phrase stood out to me and it has shaped my life:

 "This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now.

I learned from this one phrase that this my one shot at mortality and I don't know how long my mortality will be. I could be gone tomorrow for all I know.  But when I die I want to be able to look back on my mortal life and say I lived life to the fullest and found joy in each day and in each moment. 

2 Nephi 2:25-Men are, that they might have joy

Choose Joy!

Love mom

My Love for Each of You

Since it is that time in life when you my children are starting to leave the safety of my home; you are headed out to discover who you are, what you believe, and what you will stand for.

I no longer have the opportunity to share a mom moment with each of you at family home evening so I thought that I would start a weekly "mom moment".

I recently went to the temple to figure out the my roll as a mom as each of you are getting older. I discovered that my new role as a mom is to be your calm in your storm and your anchor when you yourselves are not feeling anchored.

The mothers of the Stippling Warriors have always have been my hero's.  Because like them I want my children to be able to say " we do not doubt our mothers knew it" Alma 56:48

 “How is it that a human being can love a child so deeply that you willingly give up a major portion of your freedom for it? How can mortal love be so strong that you voluntarily subject yourself to responsibility, vulnerability, anxiety, and heartache and just keep coming back for more of the same? What kind of mortal love can make you feel, once you have a child, that your life is never, ever your own again? Maternal love has to be divine. There is no other explanation for it. What mothers do is an essential element of Christ’s work. Knowing that should be enough to tell us the impact of such love will range between unbearable and transcendent, over and over again, until with the safety and salvation of the very last child on earth, we can [then] say with Jesus, ‘[Father!] I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.Elder Holland, Oct. 2015

I want each of you to know that I will love you no matter what choices you make and the pathways you may take.  I will always be the calm in the storm and your anchor.

Here is a song that I like, and if at the end of each day you don't feel this way then let me know because I need to change.  Mother's Love

All my love, mom

Are your Burdens Heavy Part 2

 I took my own advice and the for the past couple of weeks I have been focusing on asking the Lord to help ease my burden.  I had a lot on my plate and I wanted help to deal with the stress that comes with being pulled in so many directions.  

So every morning I have been praying to the Lord to help my burdens to be lighter.  Which the Lord did, I have had very little stress with all that I had going and was able to clearly think through everything that I needed to do.  

However I was not prepared to have all my burdens eased, even burdens that I didn't realize that I had been carrying.  Twenty plus years ago someone I loved really hurt me emotionally.  I thought that I was over this experience, I held no grudges towards this person and I now have a great relationship with this person. So it shocked me when my husband pointed out that I truly had not dealt with the emotions and the scars that were left from this experience. 

I spent 24 hours crying and confronting the scars that were still in my heart. But when I asked the Lord to once again to ease y burden of the pain and hurt that I felt, it was gone in an instant.  But not until the burden had been lifted from my heart, did I realized how heavy laden I was because of the hurt I had been carrying. 

Richard G Scott said, “Complete healing will come through your faith in Jesus Christ and His power and capacity, through His Atonement, to heal the scars of that which is unjust and undeserved. You may find that hard to believe with your current feelings. I have witnessed how the Savior has healed aggravated cases of abuse in that way. Ponder the power of the Atonement.  Pray to understand how it can heal you.”   

I testify to you that if you will humbly go to the Lord and ask for your burdens to be eased he will ease them, even the burdens you didn't realized you had.

It had been a week since I had this experience.  The joy that I feel is amazing.  And my relationship with the person that hurt me; is even better that it was before.

I hope that you will take a leap of faith and ask the Lord to ease your burden on a regular base for a while.   See if the Lord reveals unto you any hidden burdens that you have been carrying, or maybe you are right in the middle of your burden.  Just keep praying with faith and humility and your prayers will be answered. 

Be Your Own Kind Of Wonderful

For some reason about this time every year I take inventory of my life and look at all the things that I fall short at; and have a pity party that I’m not good enough.

 I was whining to my husband about all the things that I am not good enough at and telling him all the things that I fall short at.  When he asked, “Why is it that women spend energy worrying about the things that they fall short at, why can’t you focus on the things that you are good at?”  Basically he told me, “ Charissa be your own kind of wonderful.  You have your own talents that God gave you and you use them for good.  Don’t focus on the talents that you don’t have.”

My wise husband shared the story of the painter Vincent Van Gough, how he never thought that he was a great painter.  The paintings that he thought were of value he gave away, and those paintings that he thought he failed at he hung in his house.  That’s probably why he went crazy; he chose to keep the paintings that he thought were failures close to him instead of focusing on his master pieces.

My husband pointed out that I have great talents and I love sharing them with others.  So what if I am not the best house keeper, or the most organized person, or can’t give eloquent lessons, or  my house isn’t  cutely decorated, and of course I don’t write well. My husband reminded me to look at my “masterpieces “ and find joy in the talents that I do have, and be patient with myself  with the talents I’m developing.

James E. Faust Said, The Lord entrusts all of His servants, with talents. The Lord, who endows us with these talents, tells us: “I believe you can. I believe you can.” While we are not all equal in experience, aptitude, and strength, we have different opportunities to employ these gifts, and we will all be accountable for the use of the gifts and opportunities given to us. ( OCTOBER 2002 I BELIEVE I CAN, I KNEWI COULD)

I hope as you go about your week that you will focus on your "masterpieces" and find joy in them, and be patient with yourself and find joy in the journey as you strengthen your other talents.

Are you Burdened Down?

Life has been weighing me down this week.  Every day I had a lot that I needed to accomplish and I have a lot to accomplish in the near future, and I might be at my breaking point.  Because of this I have had a heavy heart, a distracted mind and I have not been mentally with my family because I am worrying about the hundred things that are going to be coming at me.  Does anyone else feel this way? And honestly I didn't know that this was how I felt until yesterday, I was in a Relief Society* Presidency meeting when my dear friend said our opening prayer and it went something like this, “Father we come to thee burdened downed”.  Not until then did I realize that this is how I was feeling, and the tears flowed freely.  I finally recognized that I was feeling a heavy burden.

 In Mathew 11:28-30 we read,

 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

This scripture is me. I am laboring with all my might, and I am very heavy laden.  But did I come unto Christ as the scripture said?  No, I haven’t.  Not once this week did I say in my prayers, “I am feeling burdened with all that I have going on in my life, can you help me with my burden?”  No, all I prayed for was that I would make it through the day.  But He promised something better than just making it through the day.

               

                In verse 29 and 30 it reads:  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

A yoke is a harness that goes between two oxen.  It is usually made of wood so that it cannot flex, so that one ox cannot get ahead of the other.  The yoke makes it so that they must be side by side so that they can pull the burden equally.

                If Christ is saying take my yoke upon you, is He not saying keep me right next to you so that I can help you carry your burden.

                How do we yoke Christ next us?  It tells us in the very next sentence. I have never noticed until just now.  LEARN OF ME. What? I am burdened down with all that I have to do and Christ wants me to take time to learn of Him. He wants me to take time to read my scriptures, pray, and do things in my life that will bring me closer to Him. I am too busy; why should I? 

Why should I take the time in my busy life to learn about Christ?  Because I want the promise that follows, “and ye shall find rest unto your soul.” Isn’t that what I want, to feel peace; I don’t want to feel burdened by all that I need to do.  I want to feel peace.

But aren’t reading my scriptures and praying just more things to add to my burden?  Christ answers that question in verse 30:

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

He just told us that His burden is light. His burden – doing those things in our lives that will bring us closer to Him – does not add to our load.

Mosiah 24:15  And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

So this week I am planning on praying that the Lord will help me bare my burden, and Learn more of Christ, so that I can feel peace. 

If you find yourself feeling burdened I would urge you to join me in Coming unto Christ, and then share with me your experience.

*Relief Society is an organization of women from ages 18 and up in the Church of Jesus Chris of Latter Day Saints. This organization has a president, two counselors, and a secretary.

Happy Birthday Grandma

Happy Birthday Grandma!!!Today is my grandma’s birthday, and in honor of her memory I made Caramel Corn Pops. My grandma would make this for picnics and lazy summer evening.  I really miss her.  Grandma loved to cook, we went to her house every Sunday and she would have dessert for us.  She also always had homemade cookies waiting for us whenever we would pop in for a visit during the week.  My grandma was amazing.  I have so many great memories of her.

Grandma passed away back in January of 2001.

Grandma Delores was the perfect grandma.  The most important thing to her was our grandpa, and the next important thing to her was her family.  Grandma was a woman of service.  She was always cooking for someone, always crocheting something for someone, or doing something for someone. Grandma always made everyone feel that they were special to her.

Grandma took really good care of me when I was in elementary school.  My parents struggled finacially while I was growing up.  Grandma made sure I had a new dress for special occasions, new clothes for school and every summer she would let me come stay at her house for a week.

Grandma left us with many family traditions that we still celebrate with our families today.  Pizza for Christmas Eve, Christmas parties with hors d' oeuvres, homemade spudnuts for Halloween, and sugar cookies for every holiday.

Because of Grandma Delores’s example I am the person I am today. At grandmas funeral one of her children spoke about how she loved others and that she emulated the Savior.  That’s what I want others to be able to say about me.  I often find myself wondering  “what would grandma do?”

The last ten year of grandma’s life she was bedridden , I know that it was very frustrating for her, but she bore her trail with grace, patients and never wondering why me.

In proverbs 31 talks about the kind of woman Grandma Delores was.

10 ¶Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

 11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

 26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

 27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

 28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

 29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

 30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

When grandma Delores passed away in 2001 she left a hole in everyone’s heart that knew her. But because I knew her I am better person today, and even in death she makes a difference in my life.  I look forward to seeing her again.  Love you Grandma, Happy Birthday.

For the recipe for corn pops you can find it on my other blog Little Delights Cafe

What have I done today?

I certainly can relate to this message, I don’t know about you, but I have had some of those days. There are those days when my list seems to get longer and longer, and the people around me are in  need  of my help and I just feel frustrated and want to yell “what about me, when is it my turn?”

 What I love most about this message is that we get to see what effect that her influence and service had on others.  Most of the times we never get to see the outcome of our influence and service to others. And most of the time we don’t take the time to stop and realize what we have done, we just look at what we didn't accomplish, or we are just focused on what we want to do most.

This is one of my favorite hymns, I do find myself singing this hymn when I have had days like is illustrated in this clip.  It sometimes helps me have perspective.

Have I done any good in the world today?

Have I helped anyone in need?

Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?

If not, I have failed indeed.

Has anyone’s burden been lighter today

Because I was willing to share?

Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?

When they needed my help was I there?

This is posted as the tag line for this clip; I think it will be going on my bathroom mirror for a while.

“How many things did you get checked off your “to- do” list today? Sometimes, the most important things you do each day were never even on your list. As we help a neighbor or family member, we often overlook the results. You might worry about the things you never get done, but President Gordon B. Hinckley reminds us, “You never know how much good you do.”

Let us remember the words which King Benjamin taught us “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” Mosiah 2:17.  (in the Book of Mormon)

Have a fabulous day and go and do something good today!!