60 Goals

My kids are some of my greatest teachers. Today we had our family Halloween party and one of my sons wasn't there because he had gone to Denver to watch a Broncos game. His wife told me that it was on his list of 40 goals to be completed before he turns 40 just like he had done with the 30 goals before his 30th birthday.

Since my 60th birthday (give me a minute to catch my breath) is just a couple of years away, I thought I should make a list of 60 things I want to accomplish before I am 60. My daughter suggested I put sky diving on that list. I don't think so. Instead maybe the list should include:

1. pick out a good nursing home-maybe put together that sorority house for women without husbands because lets face it, most of us will probably outlive our husband and we will need a place to socialize and party.
2. shop for support shoes-maybe start a design company for fashionable support shoes. I mean life won't be worth living without cute shoes.
3. make regular appointments to have random facial hair removed

Seriously, I think Gabe had a great idea and so I will start compiling my list of 60 things.

Words Have Power

I don't have to read very far in the scriptures before I come across a word or a phrase that jumps out at me as an important message that I need to reflect on. When I look up the definition and ask how that relates to me, I am filled with inspiration and direction.  No wonder we are encouraged to search the scriptures and ponder and pray about them. It is the best start of my day.

Connection

 This morning as I turned on the computer, I discovered that I wasn't connected to the internet and it was interesting how limiting that was for me. I need connection in order to do many important and, unfortunately, unimportant tasks. I couldn't help but think of the important analogy to what had come to me about feelings I had just the night before as I am dozing off of how important it is to have  a greater connection to the Spirit and letting that guide my thoughts and actions. Just like I need to be connected to the internet on my computer to perform important tasks, it is even more important that I am connected to my Heavenly Father to find direction and perform worthy pursuits. Even mundane ones. I am limited in my thinking; but He is limitless. I need that source of power. I long to always be connected.

Bad Attitude

I admit it. I was having a bad attitude about my primary calling. Until today. What a difference a change it attitude can make. I loved teaching them today and they responded so beautifully to my new attitude and recommitment of wanting to love this opportunity. My new state of mind helped me be more proactive and positive. I was able to look each of those sweet, rambunctious boys in the eye and tell them I felt it was a privilege to be with them and feel the Spirit together. I encouraged them to be more respectful and reverent so that we could have a very spiritual experience at the same time that we can enjoy fun little activities. Mandy Hale, you are right. A good attitude allows the love and blessings to flow.

Weird

It is weird how this keeps happening to me. I was eating an apple and immediately had the thought that I should eat more apples--possibly one a day. I call it my personal little message of inspiration that, let's face it, had been previously programmed in my brain. I just feel like I got a little reminder to pull it up (something short of a miracle considering how foggy the old brain is getting).  Immediately after having that thought, I pick up a magazine and it randomly opens to a page with a little message entitled, "An Apple a Day" and says that those who eat apples are "less likely to suffer from some forms of cancer." Not only do a get that little inspiration but I get scientific validation--a second witness of sorts. Okay, so an apple a day it is! If only I can remember...

Passion for Reading

I love to read. I have always wanted to read anything I can get my hands on. I have spent a lot of time reading some great novels in the last few months along with my usual psychology books and have loved it. There is so much gained from reading a book from different places and time periods about people in all walks of life. I realize that often I spend way too much time reading stuff that doesn't create the magic that a good book can offer. So.... I took the facebook app off of my phone and will instead log on to my kindle app and all the wonderful books that I can read when I have that spare moment to read because that kind of reading is so delicious!

August Flew By

What a great month I had. It was so eventful that I didn't have time to post each day like I had planned to.

I finally did something I have always wanted to do. Since both of our husbands were out of town, Taylee and I packed our bags and headed to the airport and just asked the person at the desk where we could fly using our miles for just a couple of days. She suggested Newport Beach (which coincidentally we both wanted to go) and off we went on the next flight out. We had a grand time.

We came home late one night and I had to quickly unpack, do some washing, and repack for an early flight out to Seattle with Kev the next morning. I love to travel and so that little bit of late night "chore" was really my dream come true--unpacking and repacking all at once!

Kev and I had a glorious time in a quaint little cabin on the coast of Washington. We had the unique opportunity of learning from a doctor who is an adjunct professor at UofU medical school and oversees research on brain functioning and well-being. It was an enlightening and life-changing experience. Something I am going to learn more about and hopefully teach others.

We arrived home just a couple of hours before our 40th high school reunion (UGH, that is painful to write let alone publicly admit!) Unfortunately I didn't have time for some botox treatments and so I had to go looking as old as I am. Luckily I was able to leave my walker home and navigate without it for a couple of hours. Seriously, it was great seeing old classmates. Hard to believe it has been that long.

The next couple of weeks were filled with several one-day trips to Park City with friends and a weekend getaway with just Kev and I to Island Park. The month ended with a bang because on my birthday, we sailed away on a cruise to Alaska with my Mom and siblings and spouses. It was a spectacular journey filled with a lot of laughter and great walks down memory lane with my family.

I am now in love with August, and with any month for that matter because now I know everything is what I make it. If it is to be, it is up to me.  I now know that nothing can make me happy. I have to create it my own happiness. I just made August a happy month.