Happy Books

Happiness runs in a circular motion...

Just like the little boats upon the sea....

You can be happy anytime, anywhere,

You can be happy if you let yourself be.

That was a song that we sang at Girls Camp ... and there is so much truth to that.

Happiness doesn't just run in a circular motion but it is contagious.  The happier that we are the happier the people around us are.  I have a dear wonderful friend who has a "Happy Book" (she has 6 such books actually).  Inside each are numbered thoughts of people ... the things that make them happy.  I was priveleged to write in her book a few weeks ago.  It has been years since I was able to do so.  The number that my happy thoughts started at?  25,128.  That is a lot of happy thoughts from a lot of people! 

What kind of world would we live in if we all practiced writing our "Happy Thoughts" down at the end of the day?  If we all kept a "Happy Book" and focused on those good things that happened during the day? I think that there would be less depression, less arguments, less contention.  It is a choice to be happy. So,   just grab a note book, a sheet of paper, a journal, a BLOG; anything will do.  And just start writing those thoughts.  The simple things: watching the leaves turn colors, carving pumpkins, wrapping Christmas presents, being able to go on a walk, a clean house, your children, your spouse, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Write down anything and everything that made you happy during the day.  It will surprise you.  Once you get started those things that made you smile just pour into your mind and onto paper. 

I challenge each of you to start tonight.  Take that empty notebook or journal and start with the number 1.  Write ten things tonight.  Just ten.  And see where it takes you.  See how you feel.  Remember we are asked to be grateful.  Focusing on our Happy Thoughts is a great way to do that. 

So if I am issuing the challenge I had better take the challenge myself!  Here are my Happy Thoughts for this day:

1- Technology that allows me to communicate with my husband when he is far from home.

2-A healthy body

3-Cyvanna

4-Riley

5-Cale

6-being sealed to my Richard for eternity

7-Friends who infulence my life for the better

8-My Mom and Dad and for all that they taught me

9- walking during the cool mornings

10-having 5 amazing sisters who teach me with their example

11- being a mother

12- homemade bread fresh from the oven

13-baking

14-Training for a 5k

15-Facebook and Blogging

16- Dawna Clements - founder of the Happy Book

17- Myndi Jones Smart and her friendship

18-Jesus Christ and his Atonement

19-The Resurrection

20 - Cross-stitching

Start now.  Start today.  Record those happy thoughts.  You will be blessed with a sense of wonder as you realize all of the things that there are in your day that made you happy.  Good luck and God bless in your happy lives.  Remember that happiness is not a destination but a journey.

Bowling

The kids are always wanting to go bowling ... but we all know how much that costs and right now it isn't really an option.  So when I came across a blow-up giant bowling game on clearance at Wal-mart I couldn't pass it up.  This was our Family Night activity.  The kids didn't really get the concept of ROLLING the ball into the pins but we had a blast nontheless.

Setting up the Pins

Cales turn!  He used the wrong ball ... but he knocked them all down (eventually :) )

Cyvanna got tired of using the ball so she became the ball

After this we set the pins up and had the kids summersault into the cones.  We were able to turn it into human bowling!

We didn't keep score.  There wasn't any point to that since the kids each took three or four turns. But we had so much fun.  And will continue to be able to have fun with this game. 

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Temple Square

I love to see the Temple.

I'm going there someday.

To feel the Holy Spirit,

To listen and to Pray.

For the Temple is the House of God ...

A place of Love and Beauty.

I'll prepare myself while I am young,

This is my Sacred Duty.

We took the kids to Temple Square early in Septmeber, 2011 to visit the temple and to see the replica that they have on display in the South Visitors Center. We were able to see into the interior of the temple.  The kids are always asking when they get to go inside so this was a wonderful opportunity to let them have a glimpse inside.  (We are excited for the Open House of the Brigham City Temple to come!)  We were blessed to see a few brides.  This opened up the door for some discussion on temple marriage.  We are so blessed to live in a time when temples dot the earth in great abundance. 

I LOVE to see the temple.  And I am hoping that my children are learning to love it as well.  I know that Families are meant to be Forever and that we are blessed with the knoweledge of temples.



September 11

As I try to collect my thoughts on this beautiful, yet solemn Sabbath morning, they are turned to those who gave their lives in an hour of terror.  The following link provides a beautiful memorial to these precious lives that our Heavenly Father took home to him.  http://vimeo.com/28318096 . 
I remember where I was. 

Do you remember?

Do you remember the horror of being in college, being utterly alone in your apartment and turning the TV on just to check what the weather was going to be like so you knew how to dress for the day? 

Do you remember the images that greeted your eyes?

Do you remember calling your mom, wondering if she knew, wanting the comfort of her voice ... only to get a busy signal ... time and time again?

Do you remember giving up on your mom and calling one of your sisters and finding out that it was real ... that it wasn't some terrible movie that they were playing on TV?

Do you remember watching as the second plane hit Tower Two?


Do you remember the reports that came in about a plane going down in an empty field in Pennsylvania?

Do you remember watchng the people stream out of the Pentagon as they rushed to help their fellow fallen?

Do you remember watching the first tower fall, grasping the phone in your hand as your sister gasped on the other end?
       

Do you remember the tears that streamed down your face as you watched thousands of people lose their lives?

Do you remember the terror that filled your heart as you wondered how we would ever heal from these terrible attacks?

Do you remember the look on President George W. Bush's face as he was notified of this disaster as he sat reading to a roomfull of first graders?  Can you imagine the amount of courage it took to sit there and finish reading "The Pet Goat"  book so he wouldn't strike fear into the hearts of those innocent little ones?
    

Do you remember the heroes of those dark and troubling hours?

     

Do you remember the unity that came that evening as our nation joined in prayer?

And fasting?

And hope?

And love?

And Patriotism?

Do you remember the faith in our God that joined us as a nation?

President Thomas S Monson wrote a beautiful article for the tenth anniversary of this tragedy.

"There was, as many have noted, a remarkable surge of faith following the tragedy.  People across America rediscovered the need for God and turned to Him for solace and understanding. Comfortable times were shattered.  We felt the great unsteadiness of life and reached for the great steadiness of our Father in Heaven.  And, as ever, we found it.  Americans of all faiths came together in a remarkable way.

Sadly, it seems that much of that renewal of faith has waned in the years that have followed. Healing has come with time, but so has indifference. We forget how vulnerable and sorrowful we felt. Our sorrow moved us to remember the deep purposes of our lives. The darkness of our despair brought us a moment of enlightenment. But we are forgetful. When the depth of grief has passed, its lessons often pass from our minds and hearts as well.

Our Father’s commitment to us, His children, is unwavering. Indeed He softens the winters of our lives, but He also brightens our summers. Whether it is the best of times or the worst, He is with us. He has promised us that this will never change." (For the whole article go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/911-destruction-allowed-us-to-spiritually-rebuild/2011/09/08/gIQAbkjKCK_blog.html?fb_ref=NetworkNews&fb_source=profile_multiline)

Do you remember your God?  Do you remember to be faithful?  As we revisit this tragedy ... let us remember.