This is stolen from another blog but I love it, and it is just what we all need on the Easter week off! Good luck, this week, I am nervous, and anxious about getting through it unscathed. My favourite thing said in this letter is "FALLING ISN'T FAILING." We only fail when we give up and don't try anymore, something is better than nothing, head up , shoulders straight, one foot in front of the other.

Dear friend,

I just wanted you to know that I see how much you’ve been struggling lately. I know things have been difficult, but I wanted to remind you of a few things…

One, you’re awesome.

Two, this path you’re on, it’s rough-and-tumble stuff. One day you feel like you’re on top of the mountain, the next you’re rolling back down in a out-of-control somersault. And we both know that the climb back isn’t so much treacherous as it is tiresome. Some days we just get so darn weary with it all…

That said, look at how far you’ve come. You may think it’s nothing to celebrate, what you’ve achieved thus far, but I say every step… every freakin’ step… is worthy of being celebrated.

Three, falling isn’t failing. You’ll have bad days here and there; we all have setbacks that shake our confidence and exhaust our resolve, but I’m convinced that you’reconvinced that you know what to do now, and more importantly, what’s at stake. Going back to the way things were simply isn’t an option.

Four, it’s all worth it in the end. I know you question whether that’s true or not, but I promise you that it is. It may seem so far away right now, but every step forward brings you closer to where you want to be.

This is a long journey we’re on; don’t be afraid to lean on your friends from time to time.

And lastly, have I told you lately that you’re awesome?

Take care of yourself.

xoxo

Barb

The wisdom of friends

I had a good friend, go home to her maker, and her sweetheart this last week. I have been thinking about her and all the things she taught me. I remember that she has a painting in her "fancy room," of the Ten Virgins. This parable has always meant a lot to me. It can be interpreted in many different ways. I was thinking of it in two different ways, one way was about being prepared, and the other way was about those five virgins who could not share their oil.

When Heavenly Father created women He created them to be a help meet which means, a helper suited to, worthy of, or corresponding to him. He did a very good job. I don't know of a women out there who don't have a desire to help some one. Satan takes this wonderful value and twists it to his own use. He gets some women so caught up in helping or feeling like they are just never doing enough that they start to really feel bad about them selves. I am such a woman as this. I love helping other people. I love helping people in my community, my ward, my country. I love helping my family, but I feel like I can never do enough. Another good friend, said to me " we cannot fill everybody's lamps." Talk about a stop me in my tracks moment. I found huge relief in that statement. I can tell people how I am losing weight or how I find peace and salvation in the scriptures, and by attending the temple, but I cannot physically fill their lamps for them they have to do that themselves. Everybody has their own journey to fulfill. Knowing how unique, hard, joyful, hard, stupendous, and hard my journey has been I wouldn't want it given to me or I wouldn't want it given to anybody. It wouldn't mean as much.

Where ever you are, whatever your doing now on your journey, rejoice, because it is YOUR journey. No one else can do it for you, and when you have success you will understand that you wouldn't want anyone else to do it for you.

The other is being prepared, my lovely friend, was prepared to home.

"....but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear"

-D&C 38:30

Realizing that I just posted a blog on this whole subject I will be brief.

The only way to fill our lamps and vessels and keep them filled so we can be prepared is to do it consistently, drop by drop. The wisdom of consistency is all around us. How does a lake get filled? Drop by drop. How does the snow melt drop by drop. How do we become what we want to be? By consistently being who we want to become. (Richard G. Scott) Thanks Theodora, I love you always.

Good week until this weekend, but today is Monday and I am going to do better.

xoxox

Barb

Standing after Arrows

"The arrow seen before cometh less rudely"

-Divine Comedy - by Dante Alighieri

I have heard this quote a couple of times, this past year, but for some reason it hit me today. (No pun intended)

The fact of the matter is I get cocky. I have dodged arrows and tried to prepared myself against most arrows that are going to be thrown my way. But then arrow, which I have seen before, in fact EVERY MONTH, (sorry men) comes. I really think that, if I see the arrow coming than I can avoid the arrow. But that is really not what this quote says. It doesn't say if you seen it coming you can avoid it, it says if you see it coming it might not be so hard. You are still going to get hit with the arrow. It will still pierce you. It will still hurt. You will still have to treat the wound. But maybe just maybe, I can have the alcohol swabs and dressing ready to roll, so the wound won't feaster and take over my life for two weeks. Ok so now that I understand it maybe next month won't be so hard.

Meanwhile, I have stopped doing P90X, because I have started training for the Legacy 1/2 Marathon on May 28, 2011. I am using this training schedule, which is only three days a week, so that means the other three, I am still doing ABs, and Kettlebells. Jesse passed his HKC a couple of weeks ago in Seattle, and so we have been setting up workshops, and he has his first client already. I have to say I miss the intensity of the P90X.

I have been struggle lately with Food, just eating too many treats, so I cleared out the house again. It is funny how they just keep sneaking in seriously it is worse than having mice. But it is always very powerful feeling to throw them in the garbage.

I have been thinking a lot this week of my Mom and Dad again, I miss them. So glad they are serving our Heavenly Father but still missing them. I was remembering one time when I was riding my horse Dandy, and all of sudden he started bucking on me. I was terrified, and held on for life. Once he was done I started climbing off, and I have never seen my father move so quickly in his life, he came running across the pasture yelling at me to "GET BACK ON!" I was crying very hard, and when he reached me he dusted off my jeans and put me back in the saddle and had me ride around a little longer, then get off. I have to say that has been one of the most important experiences in my life. Every time I have physically,or emotionally fallen down I can always picture my Dad running toward me yelling

"Get up and Get back on"

I think there is a poem I read about it once. But I did find this song which is worth the read, I am dedicating it to my dear friend who always posts great songs on her blog. You know who you are!

Stand By Rascal Flatts

Written by Dan Ortan and Blair Daly

You feel like a candle in a hurricane
Just like a picture with a broken frame
Alone and helpless
Like you've lost your fight
But you'll be alright, you'll be alright

[Chorus:]
Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you're made of
You might bend, till you break
Cause its all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you've had enough
You get mad you get strong
Wipe your hands shake it off
Then you Stand, Then you stand

Life's like a novel
With the end ripped out
The edge of a canyon
With only one way down
Take what you're given before its gone
Start holding on, keep holding on

[Repeat Chorus]

Everytime you get up
And get back in the race
One more small piece of you
Starts to fall into place
Oh

[Repeat Chorus]

Ok, you been pierced, so get up, and Stand!

xoxoxox

Barb

Preparation

No, not as in Preparation-H you notty potties out there.

I have been thinking a lot this week on preparation, and hence forth this scripture.

"I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner whichshall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shallshake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear."

D&C 38:30

I mostly know this scripture only by the promise at the end. "but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear." But reading it anew this week has put a different spin on things.

"I tell you these things because of your prayers, "

How often do I get my prayers answered by scripture? As often as I will allow it to be. Heavenly Father cannot answer my prayers with scriptures unless I choose to be in the scriptures. So check one if I want to be prepared better be reading my scriptures.

"..treasure up wisdom in your bosoms"

When you think about something that you really love and want to protect where do you hold it? When you think about how you hold an infant? I love the wisdom I receive from my Heavenly Father and I do hold it close.

"...lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness"

If we don't treasure, ponder, pray, and continually grow upon the wisdom, and blessing that Heavenly Father has given us, we have more venerability to listen to the wickedness of man.

"....in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth"

Ok so this one is a little bit of stretch, but when I read this it reminded me of what kind of music do we listen to? We now live in a world where people are literally plug into some kind of voice in their ears. I also thought of people who have sound systems in there car that are so loud that they shake the earth. Why do they have to listen to it that way? Is it so they won't or can't hear the spirit?

So what does this all have to do with weight loss?

Well I have to admit that I got kicked this week, the eating was not what it should be. Treats, left, right and centre. It has to do with missing my parents again I think? But I have to wonder why I am sabotaging myself by allow the treats in the house? I have decided not to beat myself up over it. Little steps, little steps, I am changing my lifestyle, not my weight. My drop in weight is only one of many positive repercussions.

But not all the days were bad, the days that I did succeed were days where I had planned out what I was going to eat the night before. Therefore the "preparation". I do better when I am prepared. When I have food in my house that is the right kind of food, so that when I am hungry there is good food to eat. When I am prepared I do not fear. When I have a plan I eat better.

I have also tried to prepare myself for General Conference this weekend. I have done this by attending the temple twice this week, and by earnest prayer, and scriptures study. I love the temple.

I am feeling like this post is weak, but its all I have got. So once again life, just like in running, keep your head up, focus on the end goal, and keep lifting, placing, and moving one foot in front of the other.

xoxxoxo

ps This was suppose to be posted last week. So I should have another one for this week, maybe!!???