Working on Character Defects.........Being Honest With Our Selfs

Working on Character Defects

What wonderful things could happen in my life if I could get rid of my natural impulse to justify my actions!  Is honesty so deeply repressed under layers of guilt that I cannot release it to understand my motives?  Being honest with ourselves isn’t easy.  It is difficult to search out why I had this or that impulse, and why I acted upon it.  Nothing makes us feel so vulnerable as to give up the crutch of The Alibi.

Yet I know that self-deception multiplies my problems.  How shall I correct this?

Today’s Reminder

I will pick out just one character defect I can freely admit, and reason it away, right out of my whole being.  Let’s say I analyze my impulse to resent.  If I convince myself of its futility, I will see unexpected, welcome changes in my experience.

I will examine my real reasons for every decision I make that involves taking action.  If this shows me I am deceiving myself as to my true motives, I will try to correct this self-deception at its sourse.

“We know well enough how to excuse and color our own doings, but we find it difficult to accept those of others

President Monson...Fear Not.....

Ensign, May, 2009, pp. 89,92

None of us makes it through this life without problems and challenges—and sometimes tragedies and misfortunes. After all, we are here to learn and grow from such events in our lives. We know that there are times when we will suffer, when we will grieve, and when we will be saddened. However, we are told, “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”2

How might we have joy in our lives, despite all that we may face? Again from the scriptures: “Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you.”3…

From the holy scriptures we read, “Behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in [Him], they who have endured the crosses of the world,… they shall inherit the kingdom of God, … and their joy shall be full forever.”9

I testify to you that our promised blessings are beyond measure. Though the storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of the gospel and our love of our Heavenly Father and of our Savior will comfort and sustain us and bring joy to our hearts as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments. There will be nothing in this world that can defeat us.

My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith.”

2. 2 Nephi 2:25.

3. D&C 68:6.

9. 2 Nephi 9:18.

Moments For You, Hope Fo You.......

Moments in Life

There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real!

When the door of happiness closes, another opens; but often times we look so long at the closed door that we don’t see the one which has been opened for us.

Don’t go for looks; they can deceive, don’t go for wealth; even that fades away.  Go for someone who makes you smile, because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.  Find the one that makes your heart smile.

Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.

The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can’t go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.  Live your life so at the end, you’re the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

There has never been another you in the history of the world, and there never will be.  You are uniquely designed and gifted, with a core purpose for being in the world.  That was God’s plan, and for you to reject that and say, “I am not good enough” is not ok.

Just sending you some of my favorite sayings that have helped me change my attitude now and again.  Hope you enjoy.    Linda

Detachment...

“We know that we are required to do all that we appropriately can do to promote the spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being of those the Lord has entrusted to our care.  But when older children and other adults behave in ways that are very distressing to us, it is easy to become involved in ways that do not help them or ourselves.  We may be so emotionally entangled that we think obsessively about what the other is doing, and this involvement is a blend of resentment, self-pity, and guilt.  These we need to set aside.  With our thoughts on bringing ourselves to the Savior, we will be less affected by what others are doing to the contrary.  Thus, one who wishes to enter into at-one-ment first learns a special detachment from others whose behavior they can’t control.  Detaching ourselves emotionally, ceasing to manipulate the other person’s life, letting that person take responsibility for his or her own behavior-this frees us from soul-sickening stress.  This detachment does not mean that we withdraw our love and compassion or any appropriate help.  It means that we can turn our attention to the things we have neglected, the things that truly are our concern.  This special detachment produces inner serenity as we take full responsibility for what we do, repenting and correcting ourselves as necessary, and giving others responsibility for what they do.  This kind of detachment is essential to any healthy relationship.”  Spiritual Lightening, Catherine Thomas, p88-89

Carry Your Cross.....

Another cross that isn't always visible but on occasion can be very heavy and worrisome, is the cross of self-unacceptance--a continuing rejection of oneself through self-condemnation and low self-appraisal. Can you find it in your heart to once in a while give yourself a good grade on your behavior? Or do you give yourself low marks no matter what you do because you carry the cross of self-unacceptance?

An unannounced, but obviously self-imposed, personal-enemy-number-one status in regard to ourselves is a heavy cross. Sometimes in solitude and in humility there is only one person on earth that can be your advocate, and that must be you--someone who will not condemn you under that cross and cause you to fail.

Being down on ourselves is destructive. As we bear this kind of a cross we have a tendency to reach only the low levels we expect of ourselves. What a cross it is to convince yourself, "I'm no good. I can't do it. I can't make it." What a cross! It doesn't even show. But by lifting that cross we can become more than we would have been had we not been required to carry the cross. Some of us spend too much time protecting our wounded selves.

Carry Your Cross MARVIN J. ASHTON Brigham Young University on 3 May 1987

Small Pebble, Eternal Persective......

Elder Scott (May 1988)

“When I take a small pebble and place it directly in front of my eye, it takes on the appearance of a mighty boulder. It is all I can see.  It becomes all-consuming—like the problems of a loved one that affect our lives every waking moment. When the things you realistically can do to help are done, leave the matter in the hands of the Lord and worry no more. Do not feel guilty because you cannot do more. Do not waste your energy on useless worry. The Lord will take the pebble that fills your vision and cast it down among the challenges you will face in your eternal progress. It will then be seen in perspective. In time, you will feel impressions and know how to give further help. You will find more peace and happiness, will not neglect others that need you, and will be able to give greater help because of that eternal perspective.”

Enduring.........

Friends and loved ones often offer strength and support when our own resolve is weak. In turn, our own strength and capacity will be doubled when we help others endure.

I pray that God will help us to endure well, with purpose and power. When we so do, the meaningful declaration in 2 Tim. 4:7 will take on a new dimension:  “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”

When heartaches, tragedies, disappointments, injury, unusual attention, fame, or excessive prosperity become part of our lives, our challenges and responsibilities will be to endure them well. God will assist us in our quest to conquer, triumph, and continue if we humbly rededicate ourselves to the meaningful declaration “We have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things.” (A of F 1:13.)

God does live. Jesus is the Christ. One of His marks of greatness, His endurance, stands as a constant beacon for us to emulate. During His earthly sojourn He endured well as He suffered agony and rejection in their deepest forms. I bear my witness that God will help us to endure as we put forth the effort to live His teachings, seek His guidance, and keep His commandments. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen

Marvin J. Ashton, “‘If Thou Endure It Well’,” Ensign, Nov 1984, 20