Fun Ideas :D

Directions:

Put a cup of Vaseline into a small microwavable bowl.
Heat until it is easy to stir, about 30 seconds. Be careful not to let it turn into liquid. (The Vaseline in the very bottom may liquefy, but the key is to just get it warm enough to stir.)
Sprinkle Kool-Aid into Vaseline and stir.
Transfer to container and enjoy For more Great ideas



Base Ball Birthday Cake. 

A Pillar of Salt

          I have looked back.  I have looked back ALOT...  Just as Lot's wife did on Babylon.  Although I am not looking back on a sinful life if you will, I have missed our old life.  The life we had before struggle.  The appearance of "all is well."  I have felt grief.  I have felt regret.  I have longed to go back.  As I would let mysef fall into this trap every so often I would neglect to check myself.  I would feed my "pain body"... until one day Russ compared "looking back" to the story of Lot's wife.

           If I cannot accept what we have chosen... to move forward and let go, then I mind as well be a pillar of salt.  -Unable to move forward, being stuck in the past.   We chose to move on.  We acted without hesitation.  We gave up those things that were chaining us to a below mediocre life.  I hope as I work on looking forward that it will get easier to let go.  I know we made the right decision(s) 4 years ago.  There is no doubt in my mind.  We dream of a better life.  A life full of all the good this universe has to offer.  A life full of giving.  A life of leadership.  "As a man thinketh, so is he."  May I be strong and believe in our dreams.  May I cease to let doubt enter.  May I shortly come to see our dreams unfold before my eyes. 

Shreck the Sheep

Loved this little analogy.  Had to save it to my blog to keep it handy.

-Shreck The Sheep-

This is Shrek the sheep. He became famous several years ago when he was found after hiding out in caves for six years. Of course, during this time his fleece grew without anyone there to shorn (shave) it. When he was finally found and shave...d, his fleece weighed an amazing sixty pounds. Most sheep have a fleece weighing just under ten pounds, with the exception usually reaching fifteen pounds, maximum. For six years, Shrek carried six times the regular weight of his fleece. Simply because he was away from his shepherd.
This reminds me of John 10 when Jesus compares Himself to a shepherd, and His followers are His sheep. Maybe it’s a stretch, but I think Shrek is much like a person who knows Jesus Christ but has wandered. If we avoid Christ’s constant refining of our character, we’re going to accumulate extra weight in this world—a weight we don’t have to bear.
When Shrek was found, a professional sheep shearer took care of Shrek’s fleece in twenty-eight minutes. Shrek’s sixty pound fleece was finally removed. All it took was coming home to his shepherd.
I believe Christ can lift the burdens we carry, if only we stop hiding. He can shave off our ‘fleece’—that is, our self-imposed burdens brought about by wandering from our Good Shepherd.
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
This is perfect

Remember

As children of out Heavenly Father, we are all promised that we have more power over the adversary than he has over us.  "He shall have power to bruise thy heel, but ye shall have power to crush his head."  Keeping that in mind, we may have to use that mental imagery or simply say "get thee hence" several times in one day.  But I KNOW as we do, we will overcome.

Being a "help meet" for Russ, I try to remember that when he gets discouraged I have the ability to lift him up and out.  Often times it is very difficult not to sink and give in to doubt and fear, but if I can just remember to give him words of encouragement he will eventually overcome the doubt and fear that plagued him.  I have seen it work and I have given up on it all too often.  I am writing this to remind myself of this truth. 

"Four Titles" by Dieter Uchttorf -April 2013 Conference, Preisthood Session