Lets begin with the rehashing of how much I LOVE TO COOK! I really do. It is nice to feel good and have the desire to cook again. I have been cooking up a storm and haven't ran across anything I wouldn't make again. Taking pictures of my creations has been a goal that I have been decent at accomplishing. Lets see just to name a few tasty foods:
Bowtie Pasta with Tomatoes, Sausage and Cream (SUPER GOOD,....no picture)
Bran Muffins entitled: The Best Bran Muffins (and they could possibly be THE BEST! Excuse the blurry picture....I tried but my camera just wasn't working with me that day)
Italien Beef Sandwiches! (Surprisingly SUPER tasty....made for a dinner gathering...yet again photography is lacking of the delight)
Orange Bundt Cake (made for the same dinner gathering as above)
I think that is all for now, accept this is on the dock of "things to be cooked." Check out the cool pictures! (I will work on my photography skills and someday my blog may be as full of equally as inticing pictures! =) (I haven't yet figured out how to insert a link and MAKE it work.....so copy and paste. =)
http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2009/01/thaaank-you-betty.html
On a more serious note I have had many different topics on my mind recently because of various situations in my life and have been enjoying writing down my thoughts in my journal. Just to share one: The idea of happiness.
What makes you happy? What defines happiness for you? Do people or events determine your happiness? Is it possible to always be happy? Or can it only occur part of the time?
I believe happiness can be a constant. We are capable of always 'living in a manner of happiness.' As in all areas of our lives we can CHOOSE to live in a manner of happiness. I am a lover of words and the definitions of words. When I looked up happiness it provided cheerful and willing as two definitions of the word happy. I like cheerful but LOVED the word WILLING. We can be WILLING to be happy. The power to choose our actions are there, and we can submit our will to being happy.
I know it sounds goofy but I have found a new found happiness in all areas of my life! I am happy to do AnYtHiNg, I think mainly because for so long I couldn't do everything I wanted. Choice is a HUGE blessing we have on this earth. It is all part of the plan, to choose good or evil. To follow the Savior or Lucifer. At church today we were talking about the premortal existence and the different plans by the Savior and Lucifer. It is nice to know that we all chose the Saviors plan, the plan where we still get to choose here on earth.
Choosing to be happy is my choice today. We all have that choice. We don't have to be stuck in being sad or unhappy. Making the best out of what we do have, today, right now is my new focus. Even the bad parts of the day, when practiced, can become better parts. We can take our life, our challenges, in stride and keep on running (my favorite activity!) down the path of life!
May we all be a little bit happier. Yes, life still stinks sometimes, and frustration will still sneak in, but lets find happiness in all things. The Lord really DOES love us. As we are singing this song in the church choir:
I feel my Saviors love, in ALL the world around me.
His Spirit WARMS my soul, through EVERYTHING I see.
He knows I will FOLLOW Him, give all my life to him.
I feel my Saviors love, the love he FREELY gives me.
I feel my Savior's love, it's gentleness ENFOLDS me,
and when I kneal to pray, my heart is filled with PEACE.
I feel my Saviors love, and KNOW that He will BLESS me
I offer him MY HEART, my SHEPARD He will be.
I will share my Savoir's love, by serving others freely
In serving I am blessed. In giving I receive.
He knows I will follow him, give all my life to him
I feel my Saviors love, the love he freely gives me.
No one can MAKE you happy. But because of the atonement our Savior understands ALL that we may feel. He can help us in our endeavor to be happy with all things in our life!
Speaking of HAPPINESS, my brother, Elder Whatcott, gets home WEDNESDAY! Woot Woot! Party times shall begin again and happiness shall be in ABUNDANCE!
3 comments:
I like the creations you made!! And I agree with you I think that it is important to always be happy and have a positive attitude! I hope that you have fun when chad comes home!
I loved reading this post! Thanks for having such a positive attitude about life - you are a great example to me. :)
Hooray! I'm so glad my pestering worked! I really love bundt cakes; they are yummy and can feed a LOT of people. And I'm sorry, but I'm going to need another picture of that bran muffin...
I do agree with you about happiness. Maybe this is a bit picky...but I would go so far as to say that happiness is the result of making certain choices in our lives that then allow us to feel happy. If you are living wrong, making bad choices, you can't wake up one morning and decide, "I'm going to feel happy today," no matter how willing or determined you are. Happiness has to come from all the small, tiny choices we make day to day that allow us to feel at peace with ourselves and with God.
What about, though, when tragedy comes or we are really hurt by someone? I sometimes wonder about the danger of always putting on a happy face. I do think that at times, it is good and right to feel sadness and loss, grief, and heartache. Those emotions too, are part of our mortal experience that we are to have here.
But I think that is a tangent from your point, which (I think) was to remind us that we are the masters of our attitude about life, and we can and should make the choice to be positive.
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