Luck

Well, this will be the last post for eighteen months! I'm off to serve the Lord in Portland, Oregon :) My quote this week is about luck, but that word can be interchanged with blessings. “Some luck lies in not getting what you thought you wanted but getting what you have, which once you have got it you may be smart enough to see is what you would have wanted had you known.” -Garrison Keillor. I know that the Lord called me to this mission for a reason and I can't wait to see how it unfolds. If you would like to follow my mission blog, the address is: http://umbrellasandbicycles.blogspot.com/

Change

On Sunday I gave my 'farewell' talk since I will be serving an LDS mission starting next week. My topic was missionary work but I narrowed it down to change. One of my favorite quotes about change is by Henry B. Eyring: “Most of us have had some experience with self-improvement efforts. My experience has taught me this about how people and organizations improve: The best place to look is for small changes we could make in things we do often. There is power in steadiness and repetition. And if we can be led by inspiration to choose the right small things to change, consistent obedience will bring great improvement.” Something I have been working on changing lately is my public prayers. I tend to direct my words to the audience, rather than my Heavenly Father. I get too caught up in the perceptions of others as well as my wording that they aren’t really heart-felt. At least I’ve noticed that this is an area in which I can improve and have been striving diligently to become better. Next Tuesday will be my last post on this blog for eighteen months. I hope during that time I can facilitate the changing of others through the gospel of Jesus Christ as well as become a better, changed individual.

Attitude (+)

"A bad attitude is like a flat tire; you can't go anywhere until you change it." What a difference attitude makes! Nobody likes to be around a Negative Nelly. I've seen the power of a positive attitude in my life. And the best part about positive attitudes is, they're contagious! (See previous post about smiling) Is yours worth catching?

Live and Let Live

The quote for this week is by Thomas Murton: “The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.” I really like the message from this quote. Sometimes I find myself attempting to mold others to fit my expectations. This is very flawed thinking; I need to accept others as they are—quirks, eccentricities, habits—and all. Furthermore, I find myself adapting to the different groups I spend time with, when I should always just be me. BE YOUrself. 

Smile :)

I don't have very much time, so this will be a quick post. I have a few quotes about smiling: "Smiles are contagious, let's start an epidemic." "Save an egg, crack a smile." "Your day goes the same way as the corners of your mouth." "You're not fully dressed until you're wearing a smile." "We all smile in the same language." When I see someone smile, I can't help but smile back :) Make sure to smile once in awhile! You may brighten someone's day.