Reason & Will

This is part of an email I got from John Assaraf (from The Secret movie).  It kinda goes hand in hand with our challenge.  Just thought I'd post it as food for thought.

Are you ready to take the conscious part of your brain to the next level?

Well, you may be surprised to learn that the conscious part of your mind has six intellectual functions! The first of these functions is reason, your ability to evaluate what you want and feel. That's why, if you don't like the results in your life, you need to use reason to consciously make different choices. And if you're not so good at this, if you struggle to understand your own reasons for making decisions about your life, ask a friend or mentor to help you when you need to make an important decision. 

Your second intellectual function is will. Your results in life are determined by the greatness of your will. Without will, or mental toughness, you can't have a life of abundance. Your will keeps you going even when your body or mind want to quit. 

Don't have a strong will? You can change that. Find your passion: the more driven you are by something, the more will you'll have for it. It develops like a muscle—the more you use it, the stronger it gets. Find something big and challenging and take it on! Choosing a big goal that you really want to accomplish is scary and requires mental will to achieve. Don't settle for being comfortable, challenge yourself to be scared and really go for something worth being scared about!

As you continue to discover the subconscious beliefs that are holding you back, think about how your will and your reason can work for you to enrich and empower your life. Be sure to evaluate yourself carefully and honestly so you can discover which of your beliefs need alteration. This will help you see where you are and where you've been; your conscious mind, including your will and reason, will be responsible for reprogramming your unconscious mind and thus taking you to the next level.

Here is a quote to keep in mind:

"You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind."  —Mahatma Gandhi

Mommy, why does something smell like throw up?

That would be the pumpkin that spilled on the carpet three days ago, Joey.

Why do bad things happen to tired mommies?

My poor little Robbie.  He has his mother's temper.  Need I say more.  Of course, that's what blogs are for.

Sam was supposed to take him out for a "special night" that he earned three months ago and asks Sam about EVERY night.  So, finally tonight's the night.  After FHE, Sam was going to take him to the mall to the arcade.  I don't know exactly what happened but Robbie was supposed to sweep the kitchen floor after dinner and Joey was nagging Robbie about something and started screaming at Joey.  (this happened more than once) Sam finally announced that they weren't going tonight.  

Oh...those magnificent words with a frightful scream out of such a little body.

"YOU'RE THE WORST DAD IN THE WORLD!!!!!"

At which point he slams the basement door just to make sure we heard him.  My basement door has a rack on it that acts as my little pantry because I have no cabinet space otherwise. Robbie slammed the door so hard that the rack pulled right out of the door, screws and all, and came tumbling down with ALL the food bouncing down the stairs.  

Luckily, Sam grabbed Leah just as the rack pulled from the door or she could've been very hurt.  Robbie runs away screaming at the top of the decibel level as though he had a leg severed or something.  Of course, he couldn't really run if the leg was severed but you do get my point.  I'm so tired right now I'm starting to get a wee bit punchy.

Anyway....I start to navigate the stairs with Leah in my arms to get he to safety, BECAUSE a quart size mason jar of pumpkin pie filling had broken and was EVERY WHERE.  EVERY WHERE!!!!!  It was on everything as well.  Sam was livid and was just trying not to hurt anyone.  Usually he's the one that cleans up the messes...he's so good at it.  Not this go around.

I've been up and down the stairs scrubbing the pumpkin goo and picking of slivers of glass.  I just got finished vacuuming the stairs and decided to take a rest before I go back and spray the resolve cleaner on them.

UGH!  I hate it when kids do this.  I sure hope I sleep well tonight.

OK..so here's the exercise.  I'm thankful for this experience because...my stairs have been vacuumed, Sam put a new light bulb in the stairway fixture (it's been out for months), Leah didn't get hurt, I've got a head start to the holidays since my stairway smells like pie.

That's it for now.  Yes, you're welcome to laugh when you see the orange stairs.  Don't put white carpet down when you have kids no matter how desperate you are for the basement to be done.

Nighty night!

The challenge continued

Ok. I've heard from a few of y'all. I'm really excited to know that we'll be working together. So, I thought I'd update you on my list o' things to change.
1. Learn Spanish
2. Learn Guitar
3. Learn PhotoShop
4. Write my book

My sister told me I should write the book I've been talking about for a year now. That seems to be the hardest thing to do. :) Should I start easy or just go for broke? Right now isn't the best time to make that decision. It's nearly 1am and I'm a ding-a-ling for being up right now.

So, your turn. Tell me...I need to know. What are you going to work on?

Good Night!

Another Picture of Lucy

I've been working on Lucy's baptism book and goofing around with PhotoShop. I'm getting a little bit better. I have to say that I really like this picture that I did. This will be the picture on the cover on the book. When I'm done with the book, I'll see what I can do to post it to the blog. I'm almost done.

Lucy's Baptism

Lucy and Sam
The whole family including Lucy's cousins Wiley, Wyatt and Wylan Marsh.

Lucy was baptized on Friday July 18th. What a beautiful day! It couldn't have been any more fabulous than it was. The Lord just poured His spirit out on our little group. We had everyone there that we had hoped for and then some more.

The challenge

I listened to a really great CD the other day.  It's called "Turn off the TV and Get a Life" by John Bytheway.  

I'd like to repeat a story that he tells.  I have already shared it with some of you but I'd like to share it with all my loyal readers.  He he.  Plus, I'd like to issue a challenge to go along with it.

So, when John Bytheway was a teenager, he went to the school library to find a book on how to "make it through high school".  More emotionally and socially and less about the academics.  Well, there was not such book to be found.  He told himself that he would write that book one day.

One day turned into many years.  Finally, he told himself that he really needed to write the book.  But, he couldn't figure out when during the day he'd find the time to do it.  He decided that he would give up his 10pm-12am "channel surfing" time and get up at 5am to be at the office at 6am and write for two hours before he had to start work.

He did give himself an incentive of a glass of "fresh squeezed" Tropicana OJ if he got up at 5am. He also programmed his alarm clock with a recording of a Gordon B. Hinckley quote about discipline.  I'll have to see if I can find it.  He said that hearing Pres. Hinckley talk about the importance of discipline got him out of bed.

He admitted that some mornings were tougher than others, especially during the winter.  Some mornings he was only able to write a paragraph, other mornings he got out two or three pages.  He continued on until he had enough for a chapter or two and he faxed it over to Deseret Book. Sheri Dew called him and said that she wanted to see the rest of the book.  Needless to say, that motivated him to get out of bed and finish it.  

His book was eventually published and changed his life.  He has since sold 100 of thousands of books and tapes and is a highly sought after speaker.

I was very impressed by his diligence, determination and discipline.  Lord knows, I've tried to be as disciplined but failed.  Not that failing is a bad thing.  One surely learns from failure.  I'm thankful for my failures and I'm looking forward to being successful because of the wisdom I've gained through my failures.

I started considering the numbers.  He said that it took him four months from the first morning he got up at 5am until his book was finished and ready for editing/publishing.  So multiplying it out that's two hours five days a week for four months.  Approximately 160 hours.  That's it!  He changed his life in 160 hours.  Isn't that amazing!!!!

So, here's my challenge.  I'd like to encourage each of you to pick something that you've always wanted to do or change and starting August 1st begin to apply yourself for two hours a day.  Your four months will be over on December 1st.  Can you imagine that type of Christmas you'll have?  Seriously.  Something WILL be different in your life.  How exciting!!

So you have about 15 days to ponder and pray about what it is that you're going to give yourself permission to learn/change.  I personally am so excited about this challenge that I can't decide what to start with first.  I want to do everything.  So, I've decided that I'm going to have to pray about it and get a little direction.  I'm sure Heavenly Father smiles at the thought of receiving that prayer but I really need a little help.  I know, I know....He's big on people making their own decisions.  This is kind of like me being a little girl in a candy shop.  It's all going to be good, but I'm sure one has got to be the best to try first. :)

So, will you join me in my challenge?  I sure hope you will.  I'll be your biggest cheerleader, you know that.  I'm excited to see what great things we can accomplish.  I also encourage you to invite others to join our 160 hour challenge.  We are great women. (I don't know if any men read this, but you're included to in the "men" part of women...gosh I crack myself up)  We can do great things. 

We're all spread out across the country and have super busy families, callings, jobs and hobbies. But we can support one another in a huge embrace for our aspirations and efforts.

Let's do it!  I'll let you know what I choose once I figure it out.  Hopefully sooner than later.  Please give yourself permission to create in yourself what you've always wanted.