Thankful

"The happiest people I know are not those who find their golden ticket; they are those who, while in pursuit of worthy goals, discover and treasure the beauty and sweetness of the everyday moments. They are the ones who, thread by daily thread, weave a tapestry of gratitude and wonder throughout their lives. These are they who are truly happy." - Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I've been thinking a lot about gratitude this week. One woman said, “Don’t try to be happy. Try to be grateful and then happiness will naturally follow.”

1 Chronicles 16: 8 “Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.”

Mosiah 2:23-24 “And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him. And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you: for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are and will be, forever and ever: therefore, of what have ye to boast?

D&C 59:7 “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.”

“Mercies and blessings come in different forms—sometimes as hard things. Yet the Lord said, “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.” D&C 59:7; [emphasis added.]

All things means just that: good things, difficult things—not just some things. He has commanded us to be grateful because He knows being grateful will make us happy. This is another evidence of His love.”– Bonnie D. Parkin

Please bear with me as I share just a few things that make my life so rich: I'm so thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I'm so thankful for the freedom of religion, I'm thankful for my little family and for good people everywhere I go. I believe the majority of people are good in every land and every country, so I say I'm thankful for the good people all over the world. I'm so thankful to live in the United States, I'm thankful for the freedoms I enjoy here and the men and women throughout this country's history that have given their lives to make it free. I feel so blessed!

Catholics and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Unite

See the devotional here Francis George Catholics and Latter-day Saints: Partners in the Defense of Religious Freedom February 23, 2010 BYU Broadcasting

Science and Religion

My husband is studying to be a scientist. Currently he is working toward a degree in physics and astronomy.

Also this year I am doing an online school with my kids. I don't make the curriculum but I get to teach it. (This is my first time trying an online school and I really enjoy it for the most part.) I've been teaching my first grader and third grader about the different phases of matter, about, molecules, elements, atoms, protons, neutrons and electrons etc.

As I teach these things, I can't help but be in awe of how science compliments religion and visa versa. Some may believe just the opposite of this but I truly believe God is a Scientist. It just makes sense that He would be. Therefore I believe when we understand our true nature, God's true nature and the eternal nature of matter and the elements then science and religion come together in a most beautiful fashion.

"They do much good"

I was just listening to some conference talks from this most recent conference. And I really liked this part from Elder Quentin L. Cook Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, entitled, "Our Father’s Plan—Big Enough for All His Children"

"Notwithstanding the significance of our doctrinal differences with other faiths, our attitude toward other churches has been to refrain from criticism. They do much good. They bless mankind. Many help their members learn of the Savior and His teachings.

A reporter for the Washington Post visited one of our Church meetings in Nigeria. The reporter interviewed one new member and told of his conversion. The reporter states:

“[He] said . . . he jumped off a city bus and walked into the [LDS Church building]. . . . He immediately liked what he heard inside [the chapel], especially that no one preached that people of other faiths were going to hell.” This echoes the feeling of numerous converts to the Church since its organization.

Our leaders have consistently counseled us “to live with respect and appreciation for those not of our faith. There is so great a need for civility and mutual respect among those of differing beliefs and philosophies.”

It is equally important that we be loving and kind to members of our own faith, regardless of their level of commitment or activity. The Savior has made it clear that we are not to judge each other. This is especially true of members of our own families. Our obligation is to love and teach and never give up. The Lord has made salvation “free for all men” but has “commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance.”- Elder Quentin L. Cook Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Please pray for our Country!

Pray for our Country!!! Pray for good and righteous men and women to stand up for moral issues, for the family, for the importance of children deserving a mom and a dad, for the sanctity of childbearing and womanhood. Pray for the good people of this earth to rise up in defence of religious freedoms. Pray that we will not let down our guard. We cannot afford to support those who mock or strive to tear down the Ten Comandments. If we kick God out of this Country then we are "biting the Hand that feeds us," and we will crumble. This Nation was founded on God. We need Him. We are helpless without Him. Pray for our Country!!! Let's use our freedom to do all that we can to fight for all that is pure, honest, virtueous and good! We can't afford to just sit on the sidelines and do nothing.... I believe we will be held accountible for that.

I've shared this observation about the fall of civilizations before and I'll share it again:

"It's appalling that since the dawn of history no less than 22 civilizations have risen and fallen. When you look for and classify the reasons, they are monotonous in their similarity:

1. They lost their religious convictions and flouted basic morality

2. They became obsessed with sex

3. They debased their money of its intrinsic value and let inflation run rampant

4. Honest work ceased to be a virtue

5. Respect for law disintegrated, and violence became an accepted method of achieving individual and group desires

6. They reached the point where the citizens were no longer willing to be soldiers and fight for the defense of their nation and their heritage; they resorted to paid mercenaries or tried to buy off their attackers" - Kenneth McFarland

Fall of Civilization

I read this observation in a book a while ago but I recall it every time I see these things manifested in our world today.

"It's appalling that since the dawn of history no less than 22 civilizations have risen and fallen. When you look for and classify the reasons, they are monotonous in their similarity:

1. They lost their religious convictions and flouted basic morality

2. They became obsessed with sex

3. They debased their money of its intrinsic value and let inflation run rampant

4. Honest work ceased to be a virtue

5. Respect for law disintegrated, and violence became an accepted method of achieving individual and group desires

6. They reached the point where the citizens were no longer willing to be soldiers and fight for the defense of their nation and their heritage; they resorted to paid mercenaries or tried to buy off their attackers" - Kenneth McFarland

God's Way / The World's Way

The following is just some observations I have made. It's not a poem although it's kind-of in poem format. It's basically just something I wrote randomly.

I'll Choose the First.

God's way...
We percieve things with our hearts,
And not with our eyes and ears.
The world's way...
We percieve things with our eyes and ears,
And not with our hearts.

God's way...
We become more self-less.
The world's way...
We become more selfish.

God's way...
We seek after righteousness.
The world's way...
We seek after self-righteousness.

God's way...
We practice humility.
The world's way...
We practice "high mindedness."

God’s way…
We say, “thank you” more and complain less.
The worlds way…
We complain more and say, “thank you” less.

God's way...
We love more and judge less.
The world's way...
We judge more and love less.
(including ourselves)

God's way...
We love to serve.
The world's way...
We "have to" serve.

God's way...
We focus on the blessings.
The world's way...
We focus on the scarcities.

God's way...
Changes things from the inside-out.
The world's way...
Changes things from the outside-in.

God's way...
We understand each other more.
The world's way...
We fight with each other more.

God's way...
Instills trust and fidelity in relationships.
The world's way...
Instills mistrust and infidelity in relationships.


God's way...
Defends and protects
The sanctity of marriage and the chastity of women.
The world's way...
Exploits and degrades marriage
And mocks the chastity of women.

God's way...
We nurture a spirit of optimism.
The world's way...
We nurture a spirit of pessimism.

God's way...
Increases our perspective.
The world's way...
Decreases our perspective.

God's way...
Rules protect us.
The world's way...
Rules limit us.

God's way...
Always brings freedom.
The world's way...
Always brings bondage.

Conclusion:
Following God and His ways is guaranteed to bring everlasting happiness.
Following the World and it's ways is guaranteed to bring everlasting misery.

Let us be "in" the world.... but not "of" the world.
Let us choose the first!By- Alicia Rawlins http://aliciarawlins.com/