Chapter 1
Why on earth do I do this to myself? Feeling to share something. Knowing I will not forget. Procrastinating blogging it. Jotting a note down (for just in case I do forget). Ending up with scraps of paper that are so jumbled and messy that they are cryptic! Ideas. Words like Salk/Barbara Streisand/Wright Brothers/fountain pen. NYT-Obit. $$$$$/Pres. Hinckley. 4 wheels. Japan/misery. Temple. & all sorts of scripture references with no subject- just name/numbers!
It all made total sense when I quickly
Chapter 2
I believe it all started as I contemplated the New Year and my creed points and without reading, pulled up from memory, those points I wanted to hold onto for 2018. Such as:
Nothing changes if nothing changes.
If it's to be- it's up to me.
I bring about what I think about.
Trust but verify.
Even the thinnest of pancakes has 2 sides.
Forgive everyone everything.
Have a gratitude attitude.
Unconditional LOVE.
Chapter 3
That led me to think about a question on a FB post that my friend Chelle had asked. Single word/ideas that would be a persons goal for the New Year. My word would have been Transformation. Change.
I want to be like Jesus. He went about doing good. That is what the scriptures tell us. I thought of the month of daily acts of service in December with the Light the World campaign. I mulled over several ideas and then seemingly out of the blue...this popped up.... here Interesting isn't it? How I was thinking about that and this comes into my line of vision.
Ideas. Thoughts. Where the magic in our lives happen! I believe that we, as LDS mortals, all heard the Gospel plan together in the long ago council. Here on earth we sometimes act like we have discovered the Holy Grail because of something we figured out Church-wise. The leveling influence in my life is this...I believe that each of us has to learn the same lessons. We have to learn the exact same patterns of religious behavior on the most basic levels...prayer/study/fasting/Sabbath/tithing and on and on. None of us are any better than the other. All of us were there. All of us are here. We are in the same boat.
Sometimes we are arrogant enough to think we have a totally original idea but careful mind observation/excavating will prove us wrong. There may be a new twist or a different slant but the basic idea is still in place. That is what I love about General Conference-hearing new inspiration/interpretation of a basic idea.
Anyhow...thoughts. ideas. I treasure/appreciate my own ability to think. to pray. to study. to ponder. to receive guidance and inspiration and revelation in my own life. Love it!!
Sometimes I think there must be some sort of pollen of ideas floating in the air, which fertilizes similarly minds here and there which have not had direct contact. (William Faulkner)
Chapter 4
Ideas. Thoughts. Where the magic in our lives happen! I believe that we, as LDS mortals, all heard the Gospel plan together in the long ago council. Here on earth we sometimes act like we have discovered the Holy Grail because of something we figured out Church-wise. The leveling influence in my life is this...I believe that each of us has to learn the same lessons. We have to learn the exact same patterns of religious behavior on the most basic levels...prayer/study/fasting/Sabbath/tithing and on and on. None of us are any better than the other. All of us were there. All of us are here. We are in the same boat.
Sometimes we are arrogant enough to think we have a totally original idea but careful mind observation/excavating will prove us wrong. There may be a new twist or a different slant but the basic idea is still in place. That is what I love about General Conference-hearing new inspiration/interpretation of a basic idea.
Chapter 5
Anyhow...thoughts. ideas. I treasure/appreciate my own ability to think. to pray. to study. to ponder. to receive guidance and inspiration and revelation in my own life. Love it!!
Sometimes I think there must be some sort of pollen of ideas floating in the air, which fertilizes similarly minds here and there which have not had direct contact. (William Faulkner)
(I have no idea who drew this but I am sure glad they did!)
"The air is full of ideas. They are knocking you in the head all the time. You only have to know what you want, then forget it, and go about your business. Suddenly, the idea will come through. It was there all the time." - Henry Ford
Ideas also cause "simultaneous discoveries" (called "multiples").
I think of Lainie Kazan. She sang with the exactness of Barbra Streisand. Because Barbra got a big break. Perhaps her idea of how to further her career? ...Lainie's singing career was pretty much deep-sixed.
Mark Zuckenberger and the Winklevoss twins.
Salk...Sabin.
Wright brothers...wasn't there someone else that had the same idea around the same time?
Bill Gates and Steve Jobs!
Speaking of Steve Jobs...
(Nigel Smith- shared this in 2015. below...)
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The last words of Steve Jobs -
I have come to the pinnacle of success in business.
In the eyes of others, my life has been the symbol of success.
However, apart from work, I have little joy. Finally, my wealth is simply a fact to which I am accustomed.
At this time, lying on the hospital bed and remembering all my life, I realize that all the accolades and riches of which I was once so proud, have become insignificant with my imminent death.
In the dark, when I look at green lights, of the equipment for artificial respiration and feel the buzz of their mechanical sounds, I can feel the breath of my approaching death looming over me.
Only now do I understand that once you accumulate enough money for the rest of your life, you have to pursue objectives that are not related to wealth.
It should be something more important:
For example, stories of love, art, dreams of my childhood.
No, stop pursuing wealth, it can only make a person into a twisted being, just like me.
God has made us one way, we can feel the love in the heart of each of us, and not illusions built by fame or money, like I made in my life, I cannot take them with me.
I can only take with me the memories that were strengthened by love.
This is the true wealth that will follow you; will accompany you, he will give strength and light to go ahead.
Love can travel thousands of miles and so life has no limits. Move to where you want to go. Strive to reach the goals you want to achieve. Everything is in your heart and in your hands.
What is the world's most expensive bed? The hospital bed.
You, if you have money, you can hire someone to drive your car, but you cannot hire someone to take your illness that is killing you.
Material things lost can be found. But one thing you can never find when you lose: life.
Whatever stage of life where we are right now, at the end we will have to face the day when the curtain falls.
Please treasure your family love, love for your spouse, love for your friends...
Treat everyone well and stay friendly with your neighbours.
I know that appears to be totally off track of "ideas" but it is really on point on all levels.
Chapter 6
I marvel at the idea of an idea cloud! Just think...years ago people used to long for contacts. They would bemoan how expensive they were. They would sigh about the inconvenience/the uncomfortableness of glasses. How they would get dirty. How they would bother their noses. How they would misplace them. How they would get scratched. the list went on and on. Nowadays??? Ideas rained down and....It is now fashionable to wear glasses, with the biggest frames possible, even if you don't need glasses!!
The idea popped into my mind that I really wanted a fountain pen. Do they still make them...do they still fill them with ink bottles...do they still use blotters? and on and on went my thoughts. Well, who'd of thunk it?? I love my Hobby Lobby fountain pen Christmas present from my son! Little ink cartridges nowadays.
So those ideas sprinkle down, are absorbed, acted upon and suddenly we have modest clothing available and houses decorated in similar colors and Instant Pots to replace a perfectly good working Pressure Cooker.
Who had the idea that FB pictures taken with gaping mouths is the way to go? Oh, that's out? right. Now it's- pucker those lips- so you can get a peek at how your age lines will look.
Anyhow a lot of ideas create change that impact the masses (actually all would be a better word than a lot) are about financial gain for companies. Profit.
But, I'm about Prophets. and what they say about the mighty $. More on that in a minute.
Chapter 7
I've decided, in 2018, to move myself ahead in the 4 areas that the Savior grew in...intellectual/physical/spiritual/social. That is my idea of the meaning of -
Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
Like 4 wheels on a car. In order for the car to move ahead...all 4 wheels must rotate. Together. In sync.
So I've been planning. Using my mind. Gathering ideas. Following those promptings. It's feeling rather like a Matriarchal situation here with Terry being sort of down and out but we agree this is our way right now!
Chapter 8
Terry and I desire for our lives, what President Hinckley said, in part, in October 1998 General Conference
This is a part of the temporal gospel in which we believe. May the Lord bless you, my beloved brethren, to set your houses in order. If you have paid your debts, if you have a reserve, even though it be small, then should storms howl about your head, you will have shelter for your wives and children and peace in your hearts. That’s all I have to say about it, but I wish to say it with all the emphasis of which I am capable.
Chapter 9
At this point in our lives we are retired and on a fixed income. I was able to search through every single document regarding $, setting up a budget that is reassuring for us, being guided as to what to check out, to research, and then what to do with certain aspects of our $. I cannot tell you the peace, actually joy, that I feel with all bases covered as I make sure the intellectual wheel on our car is not flat.
As I reviewed my spending habits, suddenly someone shared an idea that they had about No Shopping. It was interesting and motivating and inspired my budget in many ways. No Shopping here
I also enjoyed watching a documentary called, of course, Minimalism. And then this article by the fellows on the documentary- TheMinimalists.com here
It seems the ideas of downsizing/less shopping/minimizing/simplifying/ etc. etc. are falling as rain from that invisible idea cloud!
I even found a really great Simplify Magazine that I can read online. Now I, of course, wish it was paper but it's interesting to read. Ideas are everywhere!
Chapter 10
I need to place my self in timeout and tie my hands behind my back and stop this way to long blog!
I think I will now call it a book and go back and put some chapter numbers in. I am really going to try to not get a logjam like this anymore. I went back to first paragraph and I hit most of the things I listed except for all of the scriptures and the NYT Obituary for President Monson and also the Japan-Misery but this is way overboard as it is. maybe tomorrow.
Chapter 11
I am feeling a "brightness of hope". full blown! and it feels terrific. actually-feels perfect! I'll absorb it and enjoy it as these overall, filled to the brim with feelings of joy, don't hold forever. I'll just soak it up. Ahhhh! feels so good!!! Reality is... in mortality it will fade but right now?--BLISS!
2 Nephi 31:20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.
2 comments:
Great post today, Nancy. I especially like the thought of "no shopping". This might be a subject that sisters in my Ward need to discuss and receive info on....don't ya think? James and I have been TRYING to clean our and throw away for months now constantly asking: "Where did all this STUFF come from?"
Thanks so much, Natalie!
That "no shopping" article really made me think also. As for all of the STUFF we have...we actually shopped and purchased. I've been amazed with the thought that we are just coming off of Christmas and now we are deluged with "bargains" to purchase. We are encouraged/invited all over the place to buy.
Good luck on the getting rid of stuff and not buying more unneeded stuff!
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