It was the cinnamon!

Late last night, I was wanting a treat.  I looked in the refrigerator and there wasn’t anything that sounded exciting.  Then, I looked in the pantry…nothing!.  I was really wanting something…just wasn’t sure exactly what it was.  Once upon a time, I had treats dropped off at my home quite frequently…I never had to think of what I wanted to snack on because it was always there.  But…tonight was a different story.  I checked the refrigerator again…nothing too appealing.  Then, the thought popped into my head…Delicious Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars.  Now…that sounded mighty tasty.

 

So, I whipped up batch and waited for them to bake.  The smell was heavenly.  The buzzer dinged and it was time to take them out of the oven.  I tasted that delicious gooiness.  Yes, it was almost heaven…but there was something missing.  I couldn’t figure it out.  They were delicious but I just could not pin point why they were different. 

Fast forward a few hours….I was studying this morning and came across a quote…”Scripture study is like cinnamon.  It doesn’t take very much cinnamon to flavor a whole recipe and make it taste good.  It just takes a little scripture study to make our whole day good.  Heavenly Father knows we don’t have hours to spend studying each day.  He will magnify the effort we make.  He will teach us and fill us with power as we dedicate time each day to studying and pondering the His word. Believe that opening the scriptures opens your life to light and power from on high.” ~Hilary Weeks

As I pondered on this quote…It was the cinnamon…the missing ingredient.  I forgot to add cinnamon.  It doesn’t take much but it does make these Delicious Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars even more tastier.   Just like reading the scriptures a little bit each day…having that effort…our Heavenly Father “will teach us and fill us with power as we dedicate time each day to studying.”   This is what I needed to read…I needed to find this quote. Yes, to figure out that I forgot to add the cinnamon.  But, most of all, to know that our Heavenly Father will teach me and fill me with power as I dedicate time each to studying and learning more about Him and our Savior.

~Michelle

I love sweet little gifts.

I love tender mercies that our sent from our Heavenly Father.  I seem to receive those sweet little gifts from Him when I need them the most.  They seem to come when I am questioning the purpose of my life and mostly, when I am wondering if I really make a difference in anyone’s life.  You know those moments when you just question your existence?  I have been deep in thought the past little while on those types of questions…just wondering…you know…deep in thought.  Knowing all my questions and thoughts that have been plaguing my mind, my Heavenly Father sent me a tender mercy.  I won’t share all the details…for they are too sacred to share but I do want to share apart of it….

A few days ago, I had finished studying my scriptures and was falling fast asleep (that never happens…the falling fast asleep) when I heard my cell phone “chime”.  It was late (or should I say early in the morning)…I hadn’t officially fallen into a deep sleep so I will say it was late.  I checked my phone.  It was a text. 

“Michelle?”

I responded, “What?”

“Will you please pray for me?” At that very moment, I did.  My heart filled with pure love for this sweet young woman.

She then asked “Can you have faith for me?”  “I can and I will”… was my immediate response. 

My thoughts and prayers were with this special young woman throughout the night and into the morning.  How grateful I am to know that we have an Eternal Father in Heaven who loves each one of us individually.  He is aware of everything that we are going through from the challenges of everyday life to the exciting moments that bring us happiness and joy. I am grateful for such a strong testimony of the knowledge that He is there.  I am grateful for a testimony of the power of prayer.  So grateful for it.

Tired and exhausted…I arrived at work with only a couple of hours of sleep. As I was pondering on the events that took place during the night, I heard my phone “chime” again.  It was from this sweet young woman.  It read, “Michelle, I love you!” The tears began to flow.  The loss of sleep and worry was well worth it…for those 4 words brought amazing peace and calmness into my heart with so much gratitude.  I am grateful that I have the opportunity and privilege to have these precious daughters of God in my life.  They help build my testimony each and every day and strengthen my faith in ways that I don’t think that I can even describe.  I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve.  I love tender mercies sent from above especially when I need them the most. I love them!! 

~Michelle

The sweetest little angel turns 4!

Everyday is a perfect day for a party when it comes to the most adorable 4 year old in the world.  This amazing special little angel turned four today.  It truly was a day full of celebration.  A celebration filled with family, fun and laughter.  Oh, might I add that there was plenty of pizza, cake and presents.  A day perfect for a princess! 

Happy Birthday Brylie!!  I love you so much!!! 

This book has become apart of me!

What brings me a great amount of peace into my life? It is the most incredible book that I have ever read.  It is the Book of Mormon.  I love to read and ponder from this amazing book.  Last year as I was reading and pondering, my thoughts turned to the young women in the stake that I currently serve in.  We have amazing young women in our stake.  They are incredible…each in their own way.  As I thought about the struggles that they were going through in their lives…my thoughts turned to a quote by President Ezra Taft Benson, “There is power that flows into our lives when we read and study the scriptures on a daily basis that cannot be found any other way.”  They needed to read the Book of Mormon.  We needed to read The Book of Mormon.  They needed to strive to have a testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  We needed to strive to have a testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Through reading and studying, we can have a power that flows through our lives that will make us become stronger that wouldn’t happen any other way.  

As a Stake YW Presidency, we challenged each of our young women and our leaders to read The Book of Mormon by Young Women’s camp.  When the challenge was given, they had 9 months to read the entire Book of Mormon.  We encouraged them to accept this challenge and watch how their lives would change. We are now down to 95 days.  I am so curious to find out how many young women and leaders accepted this challenge.  I am kinda scared to know how many actually did. 

For the leaders, we gave them each an inexpensive blue Book of Mormon.  You know the ones that you pick up at the distribution center for a couple of dollars.  We asked them to read…mark…write…anything in these books…their thoughts…their ideas…their questions.  I want them to make this inexpensive book the most valuable book that they own.  I want them to gain a testimony that is so strong…that nothing can destroy it.  By doing this, I know that they could influence our young woman to do the same.  Think of the blessings that they would receive and the examples that they would be to our young women.

After they have feasted…we would collect all of the books and re-distribute them to those that also accepted the challenge.  Oh, I hope that our leaders accepted the challenge. 

Guess what?  I accepted the challenge and I do NOT want to give my book away.  I have written so many things in it.  The verses are marked, the margins are written in, and the pages have tears that have been shed on them.  It is something that I cherish.  It has become apart of me. My testimony has been strengthened due to the daily reading, pondering and studying. I am so grateful for this experience.  I hope and pray that others have had the same type of experience.   As I think of the day that I have to give this book up….I cringe.   I don’t want to just give it to someone who doesn’t know how much it means to me.  Is this selfish? I feel that it is but…I want to give it to someone who really knows how much I love this valuable book. 

This book has become a part of me!

~Michelle

a crumpled piece of paper…

Another sleepless night...I find myself reading quotes that make me smile, inspire me, and help me understand a little more about myself.  As I look through a file folder stuffed with  different sizes and colors of paper, I find a piece of paper that has been crumpled and worn.  The writing is smeared but the words are real.  The words, “...in the final analysis, it is between you and God; it was never between you and them anyway” pop out as if they were the only ones on the page.  My heart starts to pound and a tear escapes my eye as I reflect on the amazing relationship that I have with my Heavenly Father.  Gratitude fills my heart and warms my whole body.   How grateful I am to know that my Heavenly Father loves me.  I feel it everyday even…during the many sleepless nights.  He is real and when it comes down to it...everything is between He and I. 

“People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;  Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, People may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, People may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, They may be jealous; Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.”
~ Mother Teresa

~Michelle

 

I would watch it again and again because it’s worth it!

Making cookies, watching Winnie the Pooh and friends (over and over), eating treats, giggling and hanging out in our jammies…that is what sleepovers are all about—especially when it is with the most adorable little girl on this earth.  I love having Brylie at my house.  Her tender hugs & kisses and I love you,  Michelle’s"” are  precious beyond anything that I could ever imagine.  Every time I hear her say, “I love  you, Michelle” it tugs at my heart strings and warm fuzzies glide through my body.  It happens a lot and…I love it! 

She is so happy all of the time.  She loves to laugh and giggle.  Watching her watch Winnie the Pooh and friends just makes me smile.  She loves her little TV friends.  She sings with them and has such a great time. 

After watching the DVD in it entirety…3 times through, I announced that it was time to go to bed. She asked me what we were going to be doing tomorrow.  She is a very detailed little girl and she doesn’t forget anything.  I told her that we were going to make waffles, finish making the cookies, and read some books.  She asked if we could watch Pooh again.  Are you serious?  (Sarcastically) Of course…how could we forget Winnie the Pooh (I am sure that watching it for the 4th time wouldn’t be so bad).  Plus, I thought that possibly she would forget when she woke up in the morning. 

I woke up with sweet little kisses on my check and a “good morning, Michelle”.  Aw…what a sweet little girl.  Instantly, she said, “waffles, cookies, books and Pooh.”  She did not forget a thing.  She headed downstairs and when I arrived a few minutes later…she had her stuffed animal, books, and her yogurt waiting waiting to watch Pooh for the 4th time. 

Guess what?  I would watch it a 5th, 6th and as many times as Brylie would want.  I love her so much and I am so blessed she is apart of my life. 

~Michelle