I snagged this from my friend Robyn's facebook
A careless word may kindle strife.
A cruel word may wreck a life.
A timely word may level stress.
A loving word may heal and bless.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Changing Our Lives
I have a friend that I sort of have a psychic connection with. I know that sounds bizarre, but I've seen it many times during the years we've known each other. Let me explain how it works with us. First of all, I should mention that she is a very spiritual person. She doesn't have a religion per say, but she does believe in God, and does pray. That could be why we are in tune with each other. She lives many hours away, and we haven't seen each other for years. Time goes on and I forget about her in a way. But then all of the sudden I find myself thinking about her. What usually happens is that I DON'T react to my thoughts about her. I SHOULD call her, or write her an email, but usually I just think about her. But what usually happens is that within a few days, she calls me. Every..time. It isn't a regular thing. We could go years without speaking, and then I find myself thinking about her, and then she calls. But sometimes when I find myself thinking about her, I actually tell myself to write an email because if I don't, she will call first, and it will look like I am never the one who calls. lol
A few months ago I made friends with her on facebook. This past week I was thinking about her, and noticed a note on facebook urging me to "reconnect" with her. This time I paid attention and wrote a note to her. As soon as she saw my note, she called. I asked how she has been, and she said that she has become a minister for the hospital. This is the perfect position for her, because she is particularly gifted at grief counseling. She isn't a minister in the normal religious sense of the word. She doesn't preach, she mainly just listens.
She also told me that she started a new business working as an NLP. I asked what that meant and she said, "Neuro Linguistics Practioner". She said she went up to Oregon and got her certificate so she could practice this. She explained a little about what she does. This is a kind of therapy where the FLP helps people to look at their life, and why they do the things they do. I don't think I'm explaining this very well, because I don't fully understand it yet, but what she explained to me was very interesting.
She explained that in her practice, she doesn't focus on all of the bad things that happened in the person's life, but focuses on that person's own decisions. She explained that we can't change what has happened to us in our life, but we can change the way we look at ourselves. This is kind of like what Amber was saying about how we decide whether or not we are going to be happy. The way I understand it, is that sometimes we get stuck in living our life the same way we always have, and then blame our circumstances on others instead of ourselves. This therapy helps us to focus on why we do what we do, and how we can change our paradigm to help us get different outcomes.
Some examples of people that get "stuck" are: The girl who always seems to choose bad boyfriends, or the person who complains that they never have any friends, or the person who people always seem to take advantage of. It could be the person who was abused as a child, but then goes on to be abused by numerous people in their life. It could be a person who can never seem to hold down a job, or the person who can never seem to overcome an addiction. What this therapy does is to help us to see how we keep ourselves in that "stuck" position. No matter what other people say to us, it doesn't help us to change because we can't see life in any different way. We limit ourselves because we don't understand what got us "stuck" in the first place.
I was telling her about someone who lives near me who said they don't have any close friends, and asked how I could help this person. She said, "Ask them what life would be like if they DID have close friends." It's kind of like the old adage about success; imagine yourself already successful, and you will probably become that way. I really think this therapy is also about taking responsibility for our circumstances. Instead of blaming others, it helps us to look at why WE have allowed ourselves to be put in this position.
I'm very intrigued by what she explained to me, and I want to study a little more about it. It's so interesting to me because just this week I have been praying to know how to help a friend who is having some problems, and then out of the blue, this friend called and gave me some tools to help. I feel blessed to know her, and also to learn from her.
A few months ago I made friends with her on facebook. This past week I was thinking about her, and noticed a note on facebook urging me to "reconnect" with her. This time I paid attention and wrote a note to her. As soon as she saw my note, she called. I asked how she has been, and she said that she has become a minister for the hospital. This is the perfect position for her, because she is particularly gifted at grief counseling. She isn't a minister in the normal religious sense of the word. She doesn't preach, she mainly just listens.
She also told me that she started a new business working as an NLP. I asked what that meant and she said, "Neuro Linguistics Practioner". She said she went up to Oregon and got her certificate so she could practice this. She explained a little about what she does. This is a kind of therapy where the FLP helps people to look at their life, and why they do the things they do. I don't think I'm explaining this very well, because I don't fully understand it yet, but what she explained to me was very interesting.
She explained that in her practice, she doesn't focus on all of the bad things that happened in the person's life, but focuses on that person's own decisions. She explained that we can't change what has happened to us in our life, but we can change the way we look at ourselves. This is kind of like what Amber was saying about how we decide whether or not we are going to be happy. The way I understand it, is that sometimes we get stuck in living our life the same way we always have, and then blame our circumstances on others instead of ourselves. This therapy helps us to focus on why we do what we do, and how we can change our paradigm to help us get different outcomes.
Some examples of people that get "stuck" are: The girl who always seems to choose bad boyfriends, or the person who complains that they never have any friends, or the person who people always seem to take advantage of. It could be the person who was abused as a child, but then goes on to be abused by numerous people in their life. It could be a person who can never seem to hold down a job, or the person who can never seem to overcome an addiction. What this therapy does is to help us to see how we keep ourselves in that "stuck" position. No matter what other people say to us, it doesn't help us to change because we can't see life in any different way. We limit ourselves because we don't understand what got us "stuck" in the first place.
I was telling her about someone who lives near me who said they don't have any close friends, and asked how I could help this person. She said, "Ask them what life would be like if they DID have close friends." It's kind of like the old adage about success; imagine yourself already successful, and you will probably become that way. I really think this therapy is also about taking responsibility for our circumstances. Instead of blaming others, it helps us to look at why WE have allowed ourselves to be put in this position.
I'm very intrigued by what she explained to me, and I want to study a little more about it. It's so interesting to me because just this week I have been praying to know how to help a friend who is having some problems, and then out of the blue, this friend called and gave me some tools to help. I feel blessed to know her, and also to learn from her.
Blowing in the Wind
Inklings posted about her "hiding place", and it made me think of my youth as well. For as long as I can remember, I have loved to have wind blow on me. In Chinese medicine, that shows a weakness in the gall bladder, (it could also be a strong dislike for wind) and in fact I had my gall bladder out, so there may be something to their theories. Even as an adult, I love to sleep with a fan blowing on me.
When I was a kid, I used to love to go out to the side of the house where the air conditioning unit was blowing hot air from the house. I used to sit out there as long as I could stand it. We lived in Texas, and it was hot most of the time, but I still loved that hot blowing air. Sometimes I would take a blanket out there and make a sort of a tent around the air conditioner unit. I would use rocks or bricks to hold the blanket on top of the unit, and I would lay on the bottom of the blanket to keep it from blowing up. I would sit in that hot air tent as long as I could stand it. I remember a couple of times I fell asleep, and woke up with near heat exhaustion. I think Twist used to do this too, that may have been where I learned it.
One time when I was a young teenager, I decided I liked blowing air so much that I turned on my hair dryer and blew it on me. Then it felt so good that I put it IN my bed! I fell asleep, but woke up because it was so hot it was starting to burn me! When I looked under my covers, the entire hair dryer was glowing red! I think that if I were a cat, that would have been one of my nine lives used up.
I don't like hot air so much as an adult, but I still love blowing wind. Where my parents live the wind blows most of the time. Many people dislike it, but I LOVE it!
When I was a kid, I used to love to go out to the side of the house where the air conditioning unit was blowing hot air from the house. I used to sit out there as long as I could stand it. We lived in Texas, and it was hot most of the time, but I still loved that hot blowing air. Sometimes I would take a blanket out there and make a sort of a tent around the air conditioner unit. I would use rocks or bricks to hold the blanket on top of the unit, and I would lay on the bottom of the blanket to keep it from blowing up. I would sit in that hot air tent as long as I could stand it. I remember a couple of times I fell asleep, and woke up with near heat exhaustion. I think Twist used to do this too, that may have been where I learned it.
One time when I was a young teenager, I decided I liked blowing air so much that I turned on my hair dryer and blew it on me. Then it felt so good that I put it IN my bed! I fell asleep, but woke up because it was so hot it was starting to burn me! When I looked under my covers, the entire hair dryer was glowing red! I think that if I were a cat, that would have been one of my nine lives used up.
I don't like hot air so much as an adult, but I still love blowing wind. Where my parents live the wind blows most of the time. Many people dislike it, but I LOVE it!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Gov. Jon Huntsman and Family
This video is in Chinese, but I thought even those who don't speak chinese might enjoy watching this report on Chinese TV about the U.S.'s new ambassador to China. I taught his brother in the MTC. I used to collect news articles about Jon Huntsman when he went to China with Pres. Reagan.
You Are Getting Sleeeeeppy......
I think I've mentioned before that whenever I talk to my husband at night, it makes him fall asleep. I don't really take an offense at this because he calls my voice "lulling", and "soothing". Ramana wrote about his voice that old people like. It made me take a second look at my voice.
I actually have a very low voice. A high percentage of the time, when people call my house and I answer, they think I am my husband answering the phone. I can actually sing tenor. I can sing a low D, and I think with training I could probably go lower. However, I can barely get up to a high D, and then only on a good day. Dog trainers like you to talk in a high voice to your dogs when you are pleased with them, because they respond to high voices. But my poor dog can't even get a good falsetto out of me.
I was listening to Dr. Laura the other day and she said that psychiatrists use a mellow, even voice when they want to hypnotize someone. I think I sort of talk like that most of the time. Now it's beginning to make sense why total strangers in the grocery store start talking to me and end up telling me their life story. It makes sense that one of the students in my seminary class falls asleep if I am talking too long. Now I understand why my husband can't stay awake if I talk to him at night. We actually have a running joke that if he has insomnia, he should wake me up so I can talk him back to sleep.
I need to figure out how to change this so that my seminary students can stay awake. But on the other hand, maybe I should throw in some subliminal messages while I'm talking. You know: "Repentance is essential for our salvation... read your reading assignment every day this week....The atonement can help us to overcome sin in our lives......eat all your vegetables...."
Hmmm...might just work! ....send me all your money..... ;)
I actually have a very low voice. A high percentage of the time, when people call my house and I answer, they think I am my husband answering the phone. I can actually sing tenor. I can sing a low D, and I think with training I could probably go lower. However, I can barely get up to a high D, and then only on a good day. Dog trainers like you to talk in a high voice to your dogs when you are pleased with them, because they respond to high voices. But my poor dog can't even get a good falsetto out of me.
I was listening to Dr. Laura the other day and she said that psychiatrists use a mellow, even voice when they want to hypnotize someone. I think I sort of talk like that most of the time. Now it's beginning to make sense why total strangers in the grocery store start talking to me and end up telling me their life story. It makes sense that one of the students in my seminary class falls asleep if I am talking too long. Now I understand why my husband can't stay awake if I talk to him at night. We actually have a running joke that if he has insomnia, he should wake me up so I can talk him back to sleep.
I need to figure out how to change this so that my seminary students can stay awake. But on the other hand, maybe I should throw in some subliminal messages while I'm talking. You know: "Repentance is essential for our salvation... read your reading assignment every day this week....The atonement can help us to overcome sin in our lives......eat all your vegetables...."
Hmmm...might just work! ....send me all your money..... ;)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
National Hug a Mormon Day: Friday
On facebook I have been invited to join a group, "National Hug a Mormon Day". I guess the day they chose is this friday, the 20th. So all of you get out and hug your favorite Mormon. But of course, if you don't know any Mormons, this might be a problem. I should note that missionaries are supposed to keep an arm's length away from the opposite sex, so please don't hug them. :) If you don't know any Mormons, just go out on the street and call out, "Are any of you Mormons?" and I'm sure you will get some response. Be sure and hug them good, then let me know their response to your hug. ;)
Monday, November 16, 2009
Who Let the Dogs Out? ♪♫
Last week I was sick for most of the week, so only walked the dog on Monday and Tuesday. I think some dogs are perfectly content to lay around without every leaving the house, but my dog has so much energy, and gets frustrated if she doesn't get exercised regularly. I planned to take her for a walk this morning, but ended up going with a friend to visit a friend who moved away. My dog about went crazy when, for the 7th day in a row, I didn't take her for a walk. Every night the people in our housing development meet at the school yard to let their dogs play together. I don't usually go because it's right during the time when I make dinner, but tonight I put dinner in the oven, and took the dog down to play.
I think there were about 15 dogs there tonight! Sally ran and played the entire time. It's so fun to watch the dogs enjoying chasing each other. I think it's really healthy for them to socialize this way.
My only problem came when it became dark out. All of the other owners leashed up their dogs and walked home. But my stubborn terrier wouldn't come when I called. I think she probably thought she was going to be cooped up for another week, so she ran to her heart's content. Just when I thought I could get her on leash, a few swallows came swooping through the field chirping at and dodging the dogs. Sally ran around and around chasing the swallows. At first I was happy, thinking that it was good exercise for her. But as it got darker and darker, I realized I was going to have a hard time getting her back on leash. Just when I was getting really frustrated, it occurred to me that she might come if I offered her some water from the fountain. (don't gross out, but all of the dogs drink out of the fountain. Just remember that dogs' slobber is cleaner than humans' ) She came running over, but was so tired she couldn't even stand up to get a drink. Finally I was able to get her back on leash.
After we ate dinner tonight we were sitting around talking when my husband said, "Oh, by the way, when I came home tonight, I noticed the side gate opened." What????? Why did he wait a half hour to tell me that!? I got in the car and drove around the block looking for my dog. Luckily I found her not too far away. Is this the payback for not walking her all week? :)
I think there were about 15 dogs there tonight! Sally ran and played the entire time. It's so fun to watch the dogs enjoying chasing each other. I think it's really healthy for them to socialize this way.
My only problem came when it became dark out. All of the other owners leashed up their dogs and walked home. But my stubborn terrier wouldn't come when I called. I think she probably thought she was going to be cooped up for another week, so she ran to her heart's content. Just when I thought I could get her on leash, a few swallows came swooping through the field chirping at and dodging the dogs. Sally ran around and around chasing the swallows. At first I was happy, thinking that it was good exercise for her. But as it got darker and darker, I realized I was going to have a hard time getting her back on leash. Just when I was getting really frustrated, it occurred to me that she might come if I offered her some water from the fountain. (don't gross out, but all of the dogs drink out of the fountain. Just remember that dogs' slobber is cleaner than humans' ) She came running over, but was so tired she couldn't even stand up to get a drink. Finally I was able to get her back on leash.
After we ate dinner tonight we were sitting around talking when my husband said, "Oh, by the way, when I came home tonight, I noticed the side gate opened." What????? Why did he wait a half hour to tell me that!? I got in the car and drove around the block looking for my dog. Luckily I found her not too far away. Is this the payback for not walking her all week? :)
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The Outward Appearance
A friend of mine that I used to work with in the church found out she had breast cancer. I think it's been a year or so now, and she seems to be doing well, although she did have a mastectomy. I haven't had a chance to talk to her since she got sick, since she lives in a different town. The interesting thing is that her father died quite young because of heart problems. She missed having him in her life. She decided that she was going to do all she could to stay healthy for her children. For as long as I've known her, she has exercised every day. I'm not talking about my kind of exercise where I walk for 45 minutes, then plop on the couch. I'm talking about hard aerobics. She was driven to keep herself healthy, but then breast cancer ironically threw her a curve ball.
I saw her last night at a church meeting, but still didn't get the chance to talk to her. We are having our stake conference, and the chapel and overflow were full of people. But I did see her come in the room and she looked so amazing, it was incredible. It appears that she has had to go through chemo, and that she lost her hair. But now it has grown back, although it is quite short. But to me, her hairstyle looked very chic, very high fashion. It made me want to go out and cut all my hair off. :)
This week while I wasn't feeling well I watched a lot of television as I lay in bed, and one of the movies I watched was Gandhi. One of my favorite parts of the movie is when he told the people to stop relying on the textile industries of England, and to make their own textiles. He encouraged them to spin and make their own handmade cloth. He admitted that it might not be as fine of cloth as what they could buy from England, but he told the people to wear the works of their own hands, and to wear it with dignity.
As I saw my friend with her short hair, I thought about what Gandhi said. I thought about how it doesn't really matter how we look, as long as we act with dignity. Gandhi spent his life wearing a loin cloth, and carrying a handmade shawl. He met with heads of state, and the greatest of military leaders, but never shrank because of his appearance. I think the same goes for weight. I have known many very overweight people in my life. Some of them wore their weight well, and others let their weight wear them. I realized that those who held their head high with dignity were those who I didn't think of as "fat". When I think of them, I don't think of their size, I think of their personality. There is a blog I have started reading of a blogger in Provo who, with her husband, survived a plane crash. Most of her face is scarred because of the accident. But when I see the pictures that she posts, I see a beautiful woman. She carries herself with dignity.
I was thinking about this scripture in the Old Testament: "7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 I wonder if this scripture could be interpreted: "for WE look on our own outward appearance". I know that many people do focus on the outward appearance. But I think what is important is that we look at our own heart, as the Lord does, and not focus on our outward appearance. Then if we act with dignity, others will be able to overlook our outward flaws.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
LDS Church Backs Non-Discrimination Law
I got an email today from a religious group that sends me emails about political things that affect religion. They were very upset with our church because the church backed a Salt Lake City ordinance that fights discrimination in employment and housing. Click here to read the church's news release. I have to say that I think that most religions out there don't like our church to begin with, so jump at any chance to try to discredit us. I frankly don't see the issue here. This ordinance doesn't affect our religious freedoms in any way, and doesn't affect the institution of marriage. The group that sent the email, "One News Now" made a poll to see why people think our church supported this issue. Here is the question, and the choices they used in the poll:
"Why most likely did the Mormon Church decide to support a local ordinance providing special treatment based on sexual orientation? (related article)
--The church did not want to be accused of being homophobic
--The church is seeking to repair damage to its public image following passage of Prop. 8 in California
--It allows the church to effectively play both sides of the fence on the issue of homosexual rights - i.e., be politically correct"
What I don't like about this poll is that it is very biased, and doesn't allow for other reasons the church might have backed this law. First of all, their question is very biased. This law doesn't provide for "special treatment", only provides protection from abuse.
I don't think any of the poll options are valid. I think the church took a stand because it was the right thing to do. We don't hate gays. You know I hate the gay agenda, but I don't hate gays. I don't approve of their lifestyle, and I don't approve of their parades and such, but I have gay friends. I have said all along that in the state of California, they should be allowed rights as partners, but I just don't agree that they should be allowed to be married, because that decision affects all of us, and affects our freedom of religion.
This whole poll makes me wonder about their view of gays. Do they hate them? Do they believe God hates them? I do believe that God hates sin, but He doesn't hate the sinner. The gays may not agree with me on this. They may think that by preserving marriage, I am showing hate to them. It isn't hate of them, but a desire to preserve the institution of marriage, and to preserve my religious freedoms. To me, to fight all rights for gays would be showing hate.
"Why most likely did the Mormon Church decide to support a local ordinance providing special treatment based on sexual orientation? (related article)
--The church did not want to be accused of being homophobic
--The church is seeking to repair damage to its public image following passage of Prop. 8 in California
--It allows the church to effectively play both sides of the fence on the issue of homosexual rights - i.e., be politically correct"
What I don't like about this poll is that it is very biased, and doesn't allow for other reasons the church might have backed this law. First of all, their question is very biased. This law doesn't provide for "special treatment", only provides protection from abuse.
I don't think any of the poll options are valid. I think the church took a stand because it was the right thing to do. We don't hate gays. You know I hate the gay agenda, but I don't hate gays. I don't approve of their lifestyle, and I don't approve of their parades and such, but I have gay friends. I have said all along that in the state of California, they should be allowed rights as partners, but I just don't agree that they should be allowed to be married, because that decision affects all of us, and affects our freedom of religion.
This whole poll makes me wonder about their view of gays. Do they hate them? Do they believe God hates them? I do believe that God hates sin, but He doesn't hate the sinner. The gays may not agree with me on this. They may think that by preserving marriage, I am showing hate to them. It isn't hate of them, but a desire to preserve the institution of marriage, and to preserve my religious freedoms. To me, to fight all rights for gays would be showing hate.
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