My Application

Tonight, our family read "Nephi's Psalm" from 2 Nephi 4. About a year ago, I read a book where the author, when she was speaking somewhere or was a leader in her ward, gave everyone the challenge to write their own psalm. When I read her experience (and those of others), I decided I would write my own psalm patterned after Nephi's. So, here it is:

"O fickled woman that I am! Yea, I keep doing stupid things like being hard on myself and uncertain of my abilities and talents. I'm surrounded by temptations like reality TV and Internet websites that aren't bad but zap away precious moments better spent preparing lessons or helping my children with their chores now that mine are done for the day. And I'm sorry that I don't seem stronger, that I sometimes give in. And when I desire to rejoice and finally get started on those scrapbooks that have piles in the corner, I find myself getting frustrated with the fact that I put it off for so long and my inadequacies.

However, there have been many times I prayed and received strength and support from my God. I remember receiving help from my Heavenly Father one time when I was extremely frustrated after a rough day of an unruly child. I was not the kind of mother I wanted to be but I turned in prayer to find that through Him, tomorrow is a new day and the change to be that mother again. He has blessed me with great children who, in their ways, have shown that they are listening. He has blessed me with a wonderful, supportive husband who love me in spite of me. He has blessed me with many great friends who I have quickly numbered as my family. They have come to mean so much as I have learned how to be a better person from each of them.

He blesses me so much that I shouldn't get weighed down with something as silly as the kitchen floor that hasn't been swept in days or that my skin isn't as perfect as I would like it to be. He has guided me in my callings, He has comforted me in my loses and I know He has rejoiced when I have stretched beyond what I thought I was capable of.

Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart. I WILL NOT GIVE UP TRYING! I will not get down on myself or give up because another activity, lesson or spiritual moment didn't go as I thought it should. I will not give up on my righteous goal of reading the Relief Society lesson just because they only one I can bounce my thoughts off is my sweet, patient husband. I will not give up on my closest friends who have strayed from the light because I know they need the warmth of the light just as much as I do. If the Lord has helped me before, then I trust that He will help me now! I will lift up my voice unto my God in prayer because I know He answers prayers. I will pray fro more faith, humility, and strength as I accept this new calling in the face of ever increasing turbulent world. I will pray for guidance, answers and blessings but most of all, I will never quit praying for help. Amen."

I wrote this shortly after I was called to be our ward's Young Women's President (hence the mention of calling). I was feeling a little overwhelmed with magnitude of what I was about to face (as I wasn't sustained by that point). A year later, I still feel overwhelmed from time to time but I know that Heavenly Father has truly blessed me with strength. I have seen growth in our efforts and I have seen growth in myself. The interesting thing though is that the more growth I have seen or experienced, the stronger the challenges seem. Very interesting!

Keep the faith and endure to the end!

Sometimes peer pressure isn't a bad thing!

When I'm asked about peer pressure, I can now say that sometimes it's not a bad thing. I have a good friend who started blogging about her shopping trips (thebargainjargon.com) and how she got those great deals. I have been following now for a couple of months and today was my first venture without checking out what someone else did because I had several Walgreens register rewards coupons that were expiring today and later in the week so I took advantage of adding to our storage. Here's what I was able to do:

So, here's how I did it (just remember that I only got these things because I had free money that was going to be thrown away if I didn't use them today and I just couldn't let that happen):

Transaction #1 :

(3) boxes Kellogs Special K cereal $10

(3) Mars brand candy bars $.89 each

(1) Colgate MaxFresh toothpaste $2.99

Then I used:

In-ad coupon for the Mars brand candy bars for $.49 each (limit of 6).

(3) $1 off coupons for Special K

(1) $1 off coupon for Colgate

(1) $2 off Walgreens register reward earned in previous weeks

(2) $3 off Walgreens register reward earned in previous weeks

I paid $2.75 out of pocket and received a register reward coupon for $3 from the Special K and $2 from the Colgate toothpaste. So I got everything in this transaction for free and earned $2.25.

Transaction #2:

(1) Omega-3 Fish Oil Tablets $8

(1) Colgate MaxFresh toothpaste $2.99

(5) Mars brand candy bars $.89 each

Then I used:

In-ad coupon for the Mars brand candy bars for $.49 each (limit of 6).

(1) $1 off coupon for Colgate

(2) $3 off Walgreens register reward earned in previous weeks

(1) $2 off Walgreens register reward earned in previous weeks

(2) $2.50 off Walgreens register reward earned in previous weeks

I paid $2.96 out of pocket and received a register reward coupon for $8 from the fish oil and $2 from the Colgate toothpaste. So I got everything in this transaction for free and earned $7.04.

Transaction #3

(1) Colgate MaxWhite toothbrush $2.99

(2) Mars brand candy bars.

Then I used:

In-ad coupon for the Mars brand candy bars for $.49 each (limit of 6).

(1) $1 off Colgate toothbrush

(1) $2 off Walgreens register reward earned in previous weeks

I paid $1.25 out of pocket and received another register reward for $2 making everything in this purchase free too and earning $.75.

I know that is a lot of candy bars but when you're using register rewards with manufacturer coupons, you need some filler items. It's a good thing I bought some toothpaste and a toothbrush to go with them! Anyways, I may have been able to do better but I think I didn't do too bad with my first on-my-own Walgreens trip. Thank you Christy for helping me become a better steward with the money the my Heavenly Father has entrusted my husband and I with!

It's been awhile since we've (or I) have posted and I can't really say why. Time just flies so fast that I can't keep track anymore. Here we are only a week or so before Kate's 2nd birthday and I keep asking myself wasn't it just yesterday that she was just a tiny infant in our arms? It's crazy but it's also amazing to see the growth that she and the rest of us have gone through just having her in our lives. We love her very much.

Brent is still dealing with school and is really glad the last term is over. He really struggled this last term with balancing life, work, family, church and school and the result was lower grades. He passed the classes enough to keep on the good side with Boeing but not enough for himself. So he's set the goal of doing school work early in the week especially since we have busy weekends.

Morgan, Britt and Jesse just finished this state's standardized testing and I'm certainly glad to have that behind us. Washington has opted to stop their current test and go to another. I don't understand what the big deal is about it because the requirement that the children still pass it in order to graduate is still there. What happened to the days when these tests were administered to test the results of what was being taught in the classroom and the children's retention? Oh well, I'm just hoping that with this new test and the promise that they're going to make them computerized might actually help Morgan and he loves the computer.

For me, things have been a virtual roller coaster. My mom has now been living in Washington about 8 months and it's been harder for me than I thought. There have been days where I've just called her to say that I just can't do it that day. I love my mom and I know that she deserves to get out to but sometimes I just can't add one more thing to my plate and I will not cut out my husband or children. She wears on me a little more emotionally than I thought she would. She struggles with her own identity (a daughter of God and being worthy of that) that it's hard to be around the negativity. No matter how much I tell her I know that she is a cherished daughter of our Heavenly Father, no matter how many scriptures I quote or give to her to look up, she doesn't let it took root into her heart. I love her and it breaks my heart that she is struggling so much. My prayer for her is that she can someday find peace with who she is and that she is worthy of all the blessings Heavenly Father has promised to each of us as she does what she can to live the commandments and make Him apart of her life.

I've now hit the year mark in my calling and I can't believe that has gone by so fast. These young women that I serve with are amazing. They have had so much thrown at them but yet they are firm in their testimony and even love to share it with their friends. They each have amazing talents and abilities that make coming to Mutual and Church meetings enjoyable and rewarding. They make me want to be a better person too.

I hope that you are all doing well. Remember to keep the faith and endure to the end, especially today.