Wednesday, February 5, 2014

"Be Positive"~

Beautiful Things
Lately, I have not been my positive self. I have a phrase in my patriarchal  blessing that says: ....."be optimistic and cheerful." I do feel that is part of my nature.
I realize that it is OK to have a bad day; but I don't like it when it runs into more than one day. It seemed like everyday last week brought some sad or bad news. I felt very stressed. On Sunday my pleading prayers were answered. Our opening song was exactly what I needed to hear.
Eight years ago my husband lost his job and he was out of work for 9 months. It was hard for both of us.  We were planning a trip to Salt Lake City to attend a Wedding for our Niece in the Salt Lake Temple. That day my husband received three job offers. Each one was in a different area. There was one where we lived; but not a firm offer. The other two were in Fort Worth,Texas and Salt Lake City, Utah. We are from Salt Lake City; but hadn't lived there for many years. We were living in Spokane, Washington at that time and had lived there for 15 years. Spokane felt like home to me.
After the wedding we decided to go for a walk on the Temple grounds. We were both praying about what job he needed to accept. The one in Texas was for more money and lower cost of living than the job offer in Salt Lake. As were sitting on a bench I noticed a sign that talked about families. Here in Salt Lake City, Heber City and  St. George; we had a lot of family on both sides. I all of a sudden knew he was to accept the job in Salt Lake.  The message to me was profound but I knew that my husband needed to have a good feeling about it too. As were walking around the grounds I noted that my husband had tears rolling down his face. He said, "We are to take the job here in Salt Lake City". He said that the words to a hymn came to his mind and as he said the words to me we were both in tears. The words came from the following hymn:
 How Firm A Foundation",Verse 3:
"Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand".
We moved here not knowing why; but within a short period of time we learned exactly why we were brought here. Since that day it seems like when that hymn is sung at our church it is just exactly what we needed to hear that day. 
It was an interesting day because I had been thinking also about my blog. I had a dear blogging friend that mentioned that she thought blogs should be fun. I totally agree. I think we get so much negativity from media and social sites. Daily we are divulged with negative news.  Bad news always trump's the good news. Even the TV we watch is so full of sarcasm, violence and etc. What we write about on the social sites is important. I want to be positive. I know that there may be causes to fight for; but in general I would say that most of us thrive on uplifting media and news. I love to wake up to good news.
positive quotes photo: Be positive bepositive.png
Both President and Sister Gordon B. Hinckley had a positive influence in my life. President Hinckley was one of our prophets. He made the following statement:
"I see so many good people everywhere - and there's so much of good in them. And the world is good. Wonderful things are happening in this world. This is the greatest age in the history of the earth...
We have every reason to be optimistic in this world. Tragedy is around, yes. Problems everywhere, yes.... You can't, you don't, build out of pessimism or cynicism. You look with optimism, work with faith, and things happen. (Ensign, June 1994, 4.)
I am asking that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life we "accentuate the positive." I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment virtue and effort. I am not asking that all criticism be silenced. Growth comes of correction. Strength comes of repentance. Wise is the man who can acknowledge mistakes pointed out by others and change his course.
What I am suggesting is that each of us turn from the negativism that so permeates our society and look for the remarkable good among those with whom we associate, that we speak of one another's virtues more than we speak of one another's faults, that optimism replaces pessimism, that our faith exceed our fears. When I was a young man and was prone to speak critically, my father would say: "Cynics do not contribute, skeptics do not create, doubters do not achieve. "(Ensign, April. 1986, 204).
Sister Marjorie Pay Hinckley had such a loving and kind personality; I love this thought from her: "Who knows but that something wonderful may happen today. Have faith that it will. After all, every morning is a chance at a new day!"
So my challenge is that we all try harder to write those things that are uplifting, inspiring and that bring happiness into our lives. Even Sunday our blessed home teacher told us a story and then stated; "Perhaps, we should pray to be happy." So let's pray to be happy and positive.
In addition I wanted to share some of my favorite blogs. I love these blogging friends because they are positive, fun, and creative. These friends do share wonderful messages of hope and wonderful experiences.  Perhaps you will enjoy reading some of their uplifting thoughts. I will share two or three of these links each week. I have many blogs that I love.
Debbie does beautiful photography of her surroundings with wonderful thoughts too.
Marie, has a great recipe site, along with her positive personality and does fantastic artwork:
 photo thatwillbemylifeCOPYRIGHT.jpg
Anna-Marie does homeschooling and her adventures with her children are wonderful.
 I am always learning new things from her.
Sue is a fantastic writer of books and poetry. Her writings are so inspiring.
You must visit her site here.
Next week, I will share more positive and uplifting blogs~


9 comments:

Alex Barlow said...

Thank you for this Leann. I really needed to read it tonight.

And I agree with the positivity aspect! I've been trying to subscribe and read positive blogs and only follow people on Facebook who post positive things. I've also been trying to share my own positive thoughts at my new site latterdaypoet.com

Anyway, again, just want to say thanks. This was just what I needed to read tonight, especially that verse from How Firm a foundation. Best wishes!

Denise said...

Amen sweet sis, love you, praying for you. Thanks for sharing the great blogs.

Unknown said...

You are such a positive, uplifting person LeAnn. I have felt the same way for several months now, and it seems every time I get sucked into social media I slip into the same negativity.

Thank you for your words of wisdom. And for reminding me I have the ability to change myself.

I really enjoyed hearing how God worked in you and your husbands decision to take the job in Utah. What a blessing you both are.

singing/granny said...

Once again...thank you LeAnn! I loved your quotes from Pres. and Sis. Hinckley. What marvelous examples they were of living positively. I needed that today! Blessings and hugs to you!!! Melody

Susan Anderson said...

Thanks for the shout out to my blog, and also for giving us some others to visit. Really enjoyed your post, and I agree that looking on the bright side is almost always best for all concerned. Not that we don't have to go through our feelings sometimes, but we don't need to wallow in them overlong.

At least, that's my belief.

=)

Christy Monson said...

I love your concept. I'm going to pin your first poster. I do love your message. Thanks and hugs.

Kendra said...

I just had a discussion about this with some friends last night. Life is hard for so many people, but we just need to choose to be happy and not focus on the negative! Thanks for the sweet post!

Debbie said...

your opening image is PERFECT!! the words could not be truer!!

i do believe that happiness is a choice. a choice that sometimes takes effort. sometimes, it just happens. we all need to be mindful of our happiness, how to create it and how to sustain it!!

my life is not always rainbows and butterflies, i make it rainbows and butterflies, with the occasional dragon. but my dragon is always brightly colored and he breaths gorgous flames.

i can feel your love for me, every single time you stop by my blog. your comments are always so positive and supportive, they make me smile. your words here are so thoughtful and heartfelt leann and you wrote them not knowing if i would ever see them. i are such a kind, self-less soul!

The Adventurer said...

How sweet you mention my blog, that was so nice...I loved your message today as my dear friends in the UK have been out of work for 13 months and they have been in my prayers daily and I know they are getting so discouraged and worried. Thankfully they have supportive family around and are making end met. I keep telling them and myself that God is using this time to teach them something and at the end of the lesson with be this amazing job...but the faith does flicker a little with each passing day...thanks for your uplifting story and I pray my friends will have the same experience and very soon