My little theme for my goals for this year is "ME - RE - 23". "Me" because it's about ME! RE because I'm trying to REset, REevaluate and REdirect my focus and attention and my life. 23 because that's this year of focus.
So last month, as I was starting to think of what goals I wanted for the new year, a youtube ad caught my attention where Brooke Castillo talked about a power sentence (don't know where the ad is, but she's got a whole podcast episode about it that I just found! I'll have to go listen to it...) and shortly after that I read the talk by Elder Ballard and he said:
Experts on goal setting tell us that the simpler and more straightforward a goal is, the more power it will have. When we can reduce a goal to one clear image or one or two powerful and symbolic words, that goal can then become part of us and guide virtually everything we think and do. I believe that there are two words that, in this context, symbolize God’s goals for us and our most important goals for ourselves. The words are return and receive.
So getting a goal down to one or two words. "Return and Receive" and I was like "Hey! That's better than a power sentence - those are power words!" Well I'll take that a step further and I have found myself some POWER Syllables ha! Well, not really, I'm actually simplifying it to RE because I couldn't decide on a power word. So I've got a whole list of them. The one I'm going to focus on this month is REDUCE. That goes along with "Subtraction" which I've had on my mind for a few months and I'm trying to apply to my daily life. ANYWAY... it really is just about training our brains. Teaching our brains, our mind, to be in charge of our body and the actions the body takes. We are here on this earth to prove that we can get our spirits in charge of our brains. Don't let my brain control my body. And don't let the body do dumb and stupid things. Well, (this was a part of scriptures tonight, I'm typing it up cause not all the kids were paying attention but I'm preaching to myself... I've got a bit of Wim Hof on the brain after I learned about him on Saturday (Wes told me about him and how Wesley's started to take cold showers, anyway...)
So, I went to youtube to watch a Wim Hof video, but I GOT DISTRACTED of course, by Shark Cookie (I love their shorts - so beautiful and inspiring!)
which had my brain tell me "let's keep watching these" and then I wasted time until I was watching totally dumb shorts and I was like "Why does this have so many views?" and I'm curious about who these youtubers are and I watch that and DON'T watch the video I came to watch. Well, a bit later, it happened again, and soon I was watching more dumb videos, and I was like "I NEED TO TAKE BACK MY BRAIN!!!" Why do I do that?!?! I don't like how I feel after watching dumb things. I wouldn't like to make videos like that. I went back to trying to clean up my desk, and I found a little quote that I have now written up and have in two places in my bedroom for me to see to remind me to REDUCE time on youtube!
"When your greatest desire is to let God prevail, to be part of Israel, so many decisions become easier. So many issues become non-issues! ... You know what to watch and read, where to spend your time, and with whom to associate. You know what you want to accomplish. You know the kind of person you really want to become." - President Russell M. Nelson - Let God Prevail
And I probably shouldn't have provided links to all of my time wasters today, so ignore those (please don't waste your time, to my children, when you read this.) But DO go read or listen tot he talk by President Nelson. So after that, I was thinking later as I loaded the dishwasher about what does GOD want ME to do. It's definitely NOT watch youtube. If I want to become like the Savior, I need to be about my Father's Work. I loved Choosing Glory's podcast today - It really is a miracle that we have been invited to become joint heirs with Jesus Christ. What a miracle! BUT that is not going to just happen. I need to BECOME like Him if I want to become like Him! He can help me, he has, he's shown me the way to do it, I need to be about my FATHER's business. I need to always REpent and REdirect my focus to that over and over again (those are two of my "RE"s)
For scriptures tonight, we read from the lesson in the manual for this week -
Jesus Christ gives us “power to become” the sons and daughters of God.
Although we are all spirit daughters and sons of God the Father, when we sin we become estranged, or separated, from Him. Jesus Christ offers us a way back through His atoning sacrifice. Ponder what John 1:11–13 teaches about becoming daughters and sons of God. Consider also what these scriptures teach about how we receive this gift: Romans 8:14–18; Mosiah 5:7–9; Doctrine and Covenants 25:1. What does it mean to you to have “power to become” a daughter or son of God?
The scripture from John got me started with this thought that I'm trying to share here:
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
NOT THE WILL OF THE FLESH! The verses from Romans are amazing too:
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
So no offense to those youtubers, but I did not feel edified after watching your content. I don't think I'd feel edified if I made those videos either. If that is what they feel led by God to do, then more power to them, and I'm glad that's not my path. I'm sure there are people who would say the same about raising a large family "Good for you, you go, and I'm glad it's not me!" But I love this more than anything and I know it's what God wants me to do. I want to make my life better, and as I do, I'll help make our life better and our kids lives better. That is where I need to spend my time. I want to bless and inspire and make a lasting difference in my children's lives, and if anyone out there reads this and it blesses your life too, well I'm happy to take that bonus point.
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