Good thoughts

So here's the thing with negativity. Once you entertain one lousy thought, then your mind attacks you with a billion more such thoughts.

For the last few days I've been muddling in some self doubt and general unhealthy mental behavior. Comparing myself to others and feeling rather crummy about life. It took a phone call to a friend as well as my mom to help me gain some perspective. Talking my feelings through helped me think in a more sensible way. Life is not happening to me, it is happening for me.

An easy prayer is to ask that all trials be removed so that we can have joy. Right? But maybe instead of the trial being removed, how about praying for the ability to endure with joy. I'm guilty of wanting the problem to be over in order to learn the lesson. But now I'm trying something new, to think of every and any trial as a planned gift that is brought into my life for a purpose. Be it to learn to become more understanding, more sincere, more appreciative...

To become someone I can be proud of. Someone whom my Heavenly Father can be proud of.

And such thoughts have the power to re arrange your mind into a place of better understanding. I'm so glad to have finally moved on from that negative space and to be seeing my life through eyes of gratitude again.

And here are some pictures of moments I'd like to remember for an eternity. From watching the kids play in the garden as I wash the dishes. To seeing them enjoy a chocolate chip cookie on a warm autumn afternoon right after Urijah made my day: he saw me deep in thought, rode his scooter towards me and said "oh mommy, before I forget, um Jesus Christ told me to tell you that He loves you" and then he rode off. Yep, melted my heart! These are moments I treasure. Even witnessing their deep interest in catching worms.

Here's to treating ourselves better and knowing that we are all loved by Him who created the heavens and the earth.