“I am in control of my feelings, not you, and I refuse to let you dictate how I feel. Unfortunate things happen in this imperfect world. There’s no sense hoping the right thing will be done because it won’t. All I can do is choose happiness even when surrounded by sadness. I’m in control of […]
The mirror shows me the reflection of my true self. For my entire life I’ve only ever seen myself as a good person. I’m grateful for only ever seeing my goodness; I’m thankful that no matter what happens to me I won’t be defeated. (“You can’t make me less than beautiful because I was born […]
Dare to show the world who you are. Live in your truth and know that you’re only responsible for yourself. It’s brave to be who you are…authentic…transparent. Be unashamed, have no regrets and enjoy an empty closet with no skeletons. Haters are gonna hate, ignore them. You know what you want…ignore the naysayers who hold […]
I love this quote by President Ezra Taft Benson: The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of the people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by […]
Leaving the church doesn’t necessarily mean leaving the gospel. There are many people out there with bright, deeply spiritual feelings who don’t fit in at church, or don’t attend church, or who have stepped away from church or otherwise. To them I say, “I understand.” I know what being shunned feels like. I know the […]
In 2008, before getting MS, my son did a school report on stress and I remember thinking that I didn’t have any. (Wrong!) I was involved in many things and responsible for some, but I and my friends just figured, “Do what needs to be done. No whining. Just put your head down and keep […]
April 19, 2020 Certain things caused expectation, disappointment and sadness today. The melancholy feeling stayed in my heart and I felt life getting complicated. “I just want to let it all go and be with my Lord” I thought and longed for the simplicity of just Him and me. YEARS AGO: Exasperated and close to […]
What I can do as of today is: Take myself on a ride. Attend church, remotely. Write in my journal. Study something. Read. Ponder. Pray. Recognize beauty. Be grateful. Realize “It is what it is” and focus on things within my power to control. Forgive and let things go. Decide being happy, optimistic, seeing the […]
I do what I can do. Why lament about what I can’t do? It won’t change anything except make me feel sad. So I go about my day, wanting in my heart to do more, but accepting that “it is what it is.” Accepting that “it is what it is” is a tremendous perspective shift […]
I’ve been dealing with MS for 13 years now and in all that time my moods still go in stages. Over the years I’ve experienced ups and downs and have accomplished many things, but the best thing is that through it all I’m still me. In the beginning of what I would deem the most […]
How can the Atonement of Jesus Christ work for me if I act like I’m perfect and like I don’t need His Help? I’m imperfectly flawed and need the do-overs of repentance and the strength of Christ’s Atonement. I don’t know how Christ works His miracle of helping me, all I know is that it’s […]
With all my heart I believe that my trials can be overcome with faith in Jesus Christ by relying on his divine power and grace. The Lord wants to help me overcome (be free from) the hard things I face in life and so I let him help me. I pour my heart out to […]
My mood is up to me – no matter what. Sometimes life can be hard and the things I face can really get me down. My trials can bring me to sorrow and despair, but Eerk! Stop! Reality check! Here’s me counseling myself in a positive way: “Everyone goes through hard times, not just me. […]
Experienced just now: Bad feeling in my heart: Disappointment. Bad thought in my mind: I’m not important and am unloved. Another bad feeling in my heart: Sadness. Good thought in my mind: All the words to I Know That My Redeemer Lives: I Know That My Redeemer Lives I know that my Redeemer lives. What […]
The most beautiful song I’ve ever heard is “Slow Down“ sung by Sissel because it goes straight to my heart. Music surpasses language; who needs words when understanding is felt? “Slow Down” was written by Chuck Girard in 1975, and Sissel sings it beautifully, as did Chuck Girard. Slow down. Slow down. Be still, my […]
In the last twelve years I’ve known, intimately, that if I don’t move fast I get left behind. People want to keep their pace and if I’m slow it cramps their style. That means me having no friends and doing things alone, at my own pace. That’s just how life is and for me it […]
Having the faith to move mountains for others is easy because I’d gladly help move mountains for them. Helping others is noble but so is increasing my own faith. The idea of having faith isn’t selfish by thinking of myself but is trusting by relying on the Lord and letting Him into my life to […]
The 23rd Psalm means so much to me while having MS. During the first couple of years of having MS my world was greatly shaken up. I felt very transparent and that people could see right thru me. All my skills had left me and I became like a child who had aged 40 years. […]
This morning’s plan was cleaning out my closet: Throw away things no longer wanted and organize new stuff. But I knew I was done two seconds after being in there. What occurred to me in the two seconds was how most of my clothes didn’t reflect “me.” (The old clothes will be replaced with new […]
The conversation was informative and enjoyable but then it took an unexpected turn. Later my thoughts wandered to thinking about the unexpected turn which led to unhealthy paths of thought. “Think about something else” was profoundly there and so in my mind I though uplifting words. I kept thinking good things and never thought anything […]
Sadness crossed my heart when knowing that MS stopped me from making me or my home look pretty. Me not improving was greatly on my mind and then it hit me that I have greatly improved. “I may not have physically improved” I told myself “but my character has improved in many, many ways.” That […]
Think about it… Why is there so much emphasis on hating ourselves, and having low self confidence, and feeling not good enough? I’m gonna go out on a limb and not mince my words but speak directly and honestly. Because the adversary hates us because of our goodness. (He is the liar that was cast […]
I know, with all of my heart, that as I link arms with the Lord and pray for Him to be in my life that He will be there. It’s not a matter of me having the courage or strength to fight my battles alone but of me knowing that with Him in my life […]
In my mind’s eye I see the world and a ring of righteous people surrounding it, like a cutout of paper dolls holding hands and hugging the earth. Stepping back and letting go of drama releases me from sadness (it is what it is) to embrace goodness. Having love in my heart, no matter what, […]
Early this morning, at 517am, I recorded a scripture in my journal that was in my mind: “How exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not.” Then I went to the Gospel Library app to read that chapter. The first counsel the Lord said was to repent: “Repent, lest I smite […]