Can I do the little things?

Let me start off by saying my weight loss is coming along slow and steady. As that was what this blog was started for I thought I would add an update on that subject every now and then. I read that just losing 10% of your weight has extreme health benefits to one's health and that is the direction I am going. I will take little steady steps, enjoy the small successes and by doing so will experience the goal I am looking for.

In saying the above it brings me to my title, (Can I do the small things)? Looking for the grandious things in life I believe is the nature of humans. We are always looking for the complicated approaches, nothing can be simple and work.

One of the first things that comes to mind is when the children of Israel were in the desert and serpents were sent to bite them and those bitten died. Moses was told to set a serpent on a pole and all who looked upon it would live. There were those who had faith and looked and others who said, that cannot cure us, it's too simple so they turned away and died.

Or how about when we are asked to love our neighbors, live the golden rule, follow the Ten Commandments:

Thou shalt have no other gods before me, (money, clothes, vehicles, bigger house)
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image (can use the above worshiping
things rather then God)
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them (I will pay the credit
card when it comes in and this is such a good deal)

Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord thy God in vain (GD this and GD that,
enough said)
Remember thy sabbath day and keep it Holy (A day of rest and to do good for
others,we have six days to do what we want)
Honor thy father and thy mother (This one is becoming less and less practiced
as we blame all of our ills on them, what they did or did not do for us)

Thou shalt not kill (This is pretty clear, yet what about killing the smile,
hopes,and confidence of others to build ourselves up)
Thou shalt not commit adultery (enough said)
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor (I think of gossip here)
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, wife nor his manservent, nor his ox,
nor his donkey nor anything else that is thy neighbors.(Jealousy is an ugly
thing)

Do I return kind words when sharpe words are spoken to me?
Do I work on bettering myself or look at other's faults to feel better about myself?
Do I whine over my lot in life or do I rejoice that I have life?
Do I place myself above others or treat all fairly?
Do I follow the Golden Rule?
Do I bring joy to others or gloom?

Do I do the little things each and everyday that will ready me for the bigger things or do I think I am deserving of more, bigger, better because of who I am?

I seem to dwell on the bigger things, those things that make the biggest impact and while those things can have there place we know it is the little things day in and day out that can make or break all relationships...marriage, friendship, families, businesses, neighborhoods, cities, states, our country and ultimately our salvation.

So again I ask, (Can I do the little things), day in and day out, I can honestly say I fall short each day and that each day I try again.

Go out and do the little things....it will make your world a better place for all especially for you.

What manner of Woman am I

There are so many additional questions and answers to the above question.

What manner of wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, friend, employee, neighbor, citizen, follower and example of the above am I.

Am I good wife, do I cherish my husband and our eternal marriage daily or only when things are as I want them to be, when all is going right?
Am I a mother only to Michael, Nikki, Kirsti, Rich and Tim or to all of the children I am in contact with and do I mother with love unconditionally, do I follow the spirit and my heart?
Am I a granmother only to Landon, Annika, Mikey, Brody, Kloe, Dega and the newest grandbaby who will be here in August or to all of the little one I come in contact with and am I a good example to them?
Am I a good daughter,loving and honoring my parents?
Am I a good sister there to help my siblings, love them, encourage them, a sister they know they can count on?
Am I a good friend ,do my friends ever question that?
Am I a good employee, giving 100% each and everyday I work?
Am I a good neighbor to all, do I know my neighbors, do they know me?
Am I a good citizen, taking an interest in what is going on in my city, state, country?
Am I a good follower of my Savior's example and in,(Do onto other's as you would have them do onto you), do I live that way, does it show?

As I think of these questions I am at first grief stricken in realizing that in many areas I fall short. I want to be, I try to be though put all together it seems an overwhelming task. There are many areas I excel in and many areas I struggle in though I think this is the human condition.

I am realzing that if in any of these areas I am filled with charity, selflessness and desire to do good I am able to accomplish good. That if I take each area as it comes with love in my heart I can be, (The Manner of Woman), I hope to be.

The more I realize that if I but make a small difference for good in any of the above areas the task is not daunting and my heart swells with joy. To know the Spirit is always there to help me if I will listen makes fullfilling all of who I am and want to be possible. To know that its the little things that matter most not the one time grand things it all seem that much more possible.

To smile, to listen, to be kind, to be present, not too busy, cry with, laugh with, hug, reach out and many, many more small things, doable things.
These are the things I strive for on a daily basis with prayer and the Spirit that help me to be, (The Manner of Woman), I hope and pray to be.

What Manner of Woman or Man are you?

Another wonderful week with pounds lost and lessons learned.

The pounds are coming off slowly which I keep hearing is the way they are suppose to come off so okay I will relax and let it happen. Down 6 pounds which is so much better then being up 6 pounds or not losing any at all. I'm making better eating choices and exercising each day in some fashion and that is working for me slowly, yet working all the same.

A great lesson I learned this last week deals with not letting others steal my joy, dampen my dreams or affect my attitude. How many times do we as a people let this happen? Someone cuts us off on our way to work and we get all mad letting it set the tone of our whole day. How many times do we let someone else's rudeness cause us to be rude in return? How many times do we let anything negative pull us in that direction?

As I pondered these thoughts it occurred to me that I can be a change agent. I can smile and make eye contact, I can let the car in, I can offer a sincere "have a good day" to the person who is rude, I can take a moment or a minute to bring joy to someone else's life. I can go about doing good and who knows it might actually help change the joy factor in someone else's life.

The best part of all is that I am the one who will be blessed as I have no doubt that by doing little acts of kindness I am the one who will be filled with joy!

So what do you say, lets all be the change agent, lets make our little part of the planet a better place filled with smiles and joy.