American Idol

It is late at night and I just finished watching the American Idol finale.  I was happy that Phillip Phillips won.  Not only did I love his music and originality, but he reminded me so much of our fourth son, Talmage.  I honestly felt like I was watching my little boy up there and I loved it.  I was especially touched by him breaking down in tears as he sang his title song and bee-lining to his family's arms.  I cried knowing that his family's love and support was so important to him and that is where he wanted to be.  Yes, we are all home.   

Distractions

I was running at the park this morning and I was reminded of an experience one day years ago when we were feeding the ducks at this same park.  There was a mother duck and her babies, and several people were throwing food at her.  She became so distracted with the abundance of food that a seagull swooped down and gulped down one of her little ducklings.  I was horrified and surprised because I only thought seagulls fed on crickets and garbage at the dump.

To me this was a dramatic lesson in the power of distractions.  There are so many distractions in my life that I know keep me from fulfilling some of my life purposes.  It takes constant focus and refocusing to stay on course.   

Be versus Doing and Having

I am still haunted by the anorexic images I viewed on Dr. Oz. It really came to me how destructive it is to want to gain control over what we do or don't do (eat) and have (thin body) instead of what we want to be (healthy). Putting our focus on doing and having instead of just being and letting that healthy state of existence determine what we do and have, puts us at risk for anything to take over and finally control us, just like the disease of anorexia finally controls these poor girls.

I have talked about this before but it is worth repeating because this principle has a multitude of applications and not just having to do with our bodies.  If what we do or have doesn't help what how healthy, good, and loving we ultimately become then it has a tendency to start to control us because we can never do or have enough of anything that doesn't end in an healthy outcome.  

Thought to Remember

I was touched by the message on the bumper sticker that President Urchdorf shared, "Don't judge me because my sins are different than yours." Knowing that we all sin and fall short is no new revelation, but how that plays out and what I do about it is something I need to always remember.

I have loved studying Human Development and one thing that I now know that I didn't often realize when I was prone to judge other people's choices is how we tend to make choices and do things that we hope will alleviate our pain and suffering. Some of us can do things that don't seem like as big of a sin or damaging (sin is really only that which we do that harms us and alienates us from God), while others do things that seem blatantly destructive to themselves and others. And let's face it, everyone's pain is different and it seems the bigger the pain, the more drastic the way to deal with that pain.

I recognize that I use eating and especially sugar as a form of comfort to alleviate pain. Because my pain isn't that great, sugar seems sufficient and I head down to Neilson's Frozen Custard to cope, and can still think that I am "righteous."

Elizabeth Smart

I have just been reading about Elizabeth Smart's dream wedding. Now that girl is such a great example of not becoming a victim to some horrible experiences and using it to empower others instead. She exemplifies that it isn't what happens to us but how we respond to what happens to us. She is an amazing girl and I am happy that she has found her true love.

Get Over It

I think I have said this before in my blog but in case I haven't written it but just thought about writing it, here it is for the first time (it could be the fifth time but you know how us old people say the same thing over and over again).   I realize for most of my life I have just tuned into the beat of songs because I love to dance, and since I can't and luckily don't sing, I haven't often paid attention to the words.  This morning while doing my dance exercise and rocking out to the song Get Over It by the Eagles, I was so surprised at how profound the lyrics are.  Who knew?  All the rest of you, of course.  Anyway, here are the lyrics to chew on.  It is definitely food for thought.

I turn on the tube and what do I see
A whole lotta people cryin' "Don't blame me"
They point their crooked little fingers at everybody else
Spend all their time feelin' sorry for themselves
Victim of this, victim of that
Your momma's too thin; your daddy's too fat

Get over it
Get over it
All this whinin' and cryin' and pitchin' a fit
Get over it, get over it

You say you haven't been the same since you had your little crash
But you might feel better if they gave you some cash
The more I think about it, Old Billy was right
Let's kill all the lawyers, kill 'em tonight
You don't want to work; you want to live like a king
But the big, bad world doesn't owe you a thing

Get over it
Get over it
If you don't want to play, then you might as well split
Get over it, get over it

It's like going to confession every time I hear you speak
You're makin' the most of your losin' streak
Some call it sick, but I call it weak

You drag it around like a ball and chain
You wallow in the guilt; you wallow in the pain
You wave it like a flag, you wear it like a crown
Got your mind in the gutter, bringin' everybody down
Complain about the present and blame it on the past
I'd like to find your inner child and kick its little ***

Get over it
Get over it
All this *****in' and moanin' and pitchin' a fit
Get over it, get over it

Get over it
Get over it
It's gotta stop sometime, so why don't you quit
Get over it, get over it

Games People Play

Our basement dwellers and I have been playing this game almost every night.  It is a playful way to realize that sometimes life needs to be rearranged if we want to succeed, and it takes creativity and some calculating to achieve that.

One thing I've learned in college is that species that have a longer play period in their developmental years, develop higher ordered brains.  That is what I hope will happen playing this game every night.  I hope this nightly play period will help my declining brain.  It might be too late.