Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Heros

Soldiers' selfless acts should inspire at holidays
By Mike Scotti, Special to CNN
December 6, 2010 11:16 a.m. EST

http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/12/06/scotti.medal.honor.holiday/index.html

I am continually amazed at stories like this one. The true hero of the war. The true hero of a nation is the one that will lay down his life for his brothers. I think the selfless acts of these soldiers are really just a telling of what all humans have inside of them. They are thrown into a situation where they must act. But I do believe that many of us, thrown into a situation in which we must act, will.

I am grateful for the soldiers who honor their patriotic duty. I am thankful for the selfless service of these men and women. Not only do they help fight for our freedoms, but they inspire us all to be better. Better brothers and sisters, better family members, better stewards of our country. The soldiers are more than the war, thank them and let them inspire you.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Good in the news

I think that I am going to try a new tactic this week with the blog. Rather than just pointing out the blessings I've seen in my life as they come, I am going to actively try to find good news. This is difficult. Newspapers, and subsequently online journalism, tends to print unhappy stuff. Sensationalism sells. But I did find this article on the New York Times website. You really should read the article.

New Meningitis Vaccine Brings Hope of Taming a Ravaging Illness in Africa
Published: December 4, 2010
The aim is for immunization to spread from Senegal to Ethiopia, saving an estimated 150,000 lives by 2015.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/world/africa/05meningitis.html

This is pretty huge. Isn't it amazing that there are people smart enough, endowed with wisdom and creativity, that can produce vaccinations. So many more lives are saved because of these technologies. We live in an amazing age. We live in a time when we can find cures. We can relive suffering. I am grateful for the people who work to keep people healthy. From nurses to pathologists, isn't it amazing what we can do as a species?

Friday, December 3, 2010

Blessings will show in time

Today I have to pause and thank my Heavenly Father for blessing my life with amazing people. There are three (or four, maybe five..) things in particular that have happened in the past 24 or so hours that have made my heart leap.

1) I have a hard time with feelings of rejection and loneliness, especially when I feel like I've tried really hard to make connections. So, there are some people that I get really frustrated with and pretty upset over. (Thing # 1 I'm trying to work on, being patient with people). I got an email yesterday, from someone close, that couldn't have come at a better time. I thank her for taking time to engage me. Short though it may have been, it asked about me and how I was doing. Which is something I've been needing so badly, to feel like I exists to people.
2) Again, I've been struggling with feelings of not being accepted in some realms. But I got a text from someone yesterday wanting to find some time to spend with each other before they moved away. It was a note from the right person at the right time.
3) Last night I suddenly realized just how unprepared for the childbirth process I am. I only have four more months and haven't even begun truly researching birthing methods other than medicated versus natural (which by they way I am planning natural, don't talk me out of it). And I just got completely overwhelmed! I have so many questions, many of them I can't ask family because I want to do things in a less traditional to them way, and they are as clueless as I am. But I put a post on Facebook about how overwhelmed I was and I got a flood of messages and responses giving me helpful advice. I don't really like Facebook, but when I got on this morning I started to cry from all the helpful responses. And I'm sure being pregnant wasn't at all the reason I started to cry.
4) I have one friend that I haven't know for long and really haven't spent much time with, but there was one of those soul sister type of connections. I haven't heard from her in a while, but she messaged me last night and made me feel so empowered. And while I am still in need of study and research, I don't feel nearly as overwhelmed. There are great people who are always around and wanting to help.
5) I kind of realized that my sister has been completely amazing my entire pregnancy. Other than she's lending me tons of stuff that I can't afford, she's been supportive and excited the whole time. She's always telling me what a cute baby bump I have. And she talks to her little niece in there. She answers as well she can all my stupid first time mom questions ("Is this supposed to hurt like this?" "Yes, Julia, you're fine..."). So I have much to be thankful for with her.
6) As part of my religious beliefs and practices we are encouraged to attend the temple whenever we can. Usually I try to go with my husband but he's been super busy with school and work and we haven't been able to find time together. And so I go alone. But today I was able to go with both my mom and dad. It was so nice and special to share that morning with them.

So moral of today's story... Be patient, and keep your eyes open. There are blessings all around us, waiting to descend at the right time. God knows what we need when we need it. We just need to be ready to receive it with gladness and a thankful heart. What have you seen God bless your life with recently?

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Will Rogers

A few weeks ago I was hanging out with my mom and dad and my dad flipped to TMC and there was this movie on about the life of Will Rogers. I don't know much about him. I kind of knew who he was, but I usually get him confused with Roy Rogers... Other than that movie was absolutely eye opening about the way government works, it was also eye opening about human nature. If I could remember the name of the movie, I'd suggest it, all I remember is that the actor who played Will was his son. At the end of the movie they showed his most famous quote, "I never met a man I didn't like." I wanted to write about that concept, so I did a little more research about him and I found the entire quote that that bit is linked to. I found it on Wikipedia, so...

"I bet you if I had met him and had a chat with him, I would have found him a very interesting and human fellow, for I never yet met a man that I didn't like. When you meet people, no matter what opinion you might have formed about them beforehand, why, after you meet them and see their angle and their personality, why, you can see a lot of good in all of them.[27]
How amazing is that statement?  If you get to know them, you can see the good in them. Boy do I need to figure that concept out! I almost always jump to conclusions about people. I"m a big first impressions sort of person. You know what? There is so much more to a person than a first impression. And how much am I missing because I don't get to know them?

I am so grateful for people who have already learned things like that because I can learn from them! And if I take time to learn about people how much more am I going to be able to learn?

Welcome, friends!

Welcome! My purpose and hope in this blog is to point out, either daily or weekly, the good in the world. I want to share the things I am thankful for as well as news articles about great things that have happened or snippets and quotes about gratitude. I invite you to share what you find gratitude for. I invite you to consider the good things in the world and thank those you can for bringing them about. A recent quote that I've heard sums up what I'm trying to do. It is from a talk given by Thomas S. Monson, president of the LDS church in October of 2010,

"This is a wonderful time to be on earth. While there is much that is wrong in the world today, there are many things that are right and good. There are marriages that make it, parents who love their children and sacrifice for them, friends who care about us and help us, teachers who teach. Our lives are blessed in countless ways.
We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Someone has said that “gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”8


So from whatever sources you find most beautiful and uplifting, even your own heart, please share. Maybe, together, we can make this little corner of the world a better place.