SIMPLIFY...

The months of November and December somehow always turn out to be the craziest and busiest months in my life...I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels this way!!  It seems between all the holiday madness and birthdays we have during this time we have to also find time to live our normal lives...ok our somewhat normal lives...what may seem like normal to some can seem like total craziness to others!  

Its usually around this time of year that ALL the stress from the last year starts to catch up with me...not to say that I didn't show the stress during the year...especially this year, which seemed more stressful than other years...but for some reason it ALL seems to manifests itself around now!  I noticed this in High School when I use to stress out about finals...like clockwork, Christmas vacation I WAS SICK...Christmas morning I WAS SICK!  Nyquil was my BEST FRIEND during this time! Well like alot of things in our lives this has continued in my life...usually around the holidays I start to feel the stress of life, push through it and then my body says...nope you can't do that...and BAM! I'M SICK!!  Well, of course every year I fight it tooth and nail and this year is NO DIFFERENT!!  

Yesterday was a very emotional in our family!  My dad, for those of you that know him Ron Waldron, was released as Stake President of the Phoenix West Maricopa Stake for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  He served as Stake President for 10 years and before that as 1st counselor for 9 years.  It was a very sweet morning as testimonies were shared...as messages of love and service about my dad and and his two counselors, Greg and Todd, were shared.  Also what sweet testimonies were given my the new incoming leadership and their wives.  Emotions were very high that morning, tears were being fought back by everyone.  Even the two General Authorities were fighting the tears.  Its going to be fun to see what happens not that this chapter closes and an new one opens today for all these families!  

(Pictures from Kathy C)

As we came home from this very spiritual and emotional meeting and I entered my house and looked around, I almost had a melt down.  You see this past two weeks has been a crazy rollercoaster ride it seems like...This week we had our ward Christmas party.  I was asked to help with the committee again this year.  We thought we had a simple plan...whats that saying about the best laid plans...well, everything that could happen, probably did.  Lets just say there were family health issues, family issues, school issues, church issues...any kind of issue that could pop up in my life it did..........................SOOOOOOOOO my house kind of blew up during this time!  I got Christmas decorations out and started putting them up and well it just seemed to add to the mess...YOU KNOW YOU ALL CAN RELATE WITH THE ISSUE...............But on a side note-the Ward Party was GREAT...the decorations-GREAT, food-AMAZING, Youth program-AWESOME and FUNNY (ok side note...my youngest son added a bit of comic relief when he slipped of the back of the stage the wisemen where standing on...then all the youth started laughing...yep my son, the youngest one! LOL), over all night -PERFECT!!!!

So back to Sunday, as I looked around and I thought its Sunday I really don't want to clean to much on Sunday I started straightening the counter anyways and I came across this flyer, I guess you would call it, I read it and as DJ where it came from.  He said they got it last week in their High Priest lesson.  As I read it, I started thinking about my crazy two months and really, I need to "SIMPLIFY"...The message is "Is the Gospel Working For You?" by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf.   But there are so many ways to take this message into you life..................

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It starts with a story......(Most women can TOTALLY RELATE TO THIS)...

One sister, a Relief Society Instructor, was known for preparing flawless lessons.  One time she decided to create a beautiful quilt that would serve as the perfect backdrop to the theme of her lesson, But life intervened - there were children to pick up from school, a neighbor who needed help moving, a husband who had a fever, and a friend who felt lonely.  The day of the lesson approached, and the quilt was not completed.  Finally, the night before her lesson, she did not sleep much as she worked all night on the quilt.  The next day she was exhausted and barely able to organize her thoughts, but she bravely stood and delivered her lesson.  And the quilt was stunning - the stitches were perfect, the colors vibrant, and the design intricate.  And at the center of it all was a single word that triumphantly echoed the theme of her lesson:  "SIMPLIFY." 

What is the difference between those whose experience in the Church fills their souls with songs of redeeming love and those who feel that something is lacking?   FIRST:  are we making our discipleship too complicated?  SECOND:  start where you are.  I pray that we will focus on "the simplicity that is in Christ" and allow His grace to lift and carry us during our journey from where we are not to our glorious destiny in our Father's presence.  As we do so and someone asks us, "How is being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints working for you?" we will be able to say with pride, in all humility, and with great joy, "It works wonderfully!"  

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So as I look around my house, as I look at my list of things to get done, as I look at my calendar of events coming up...One thought now comes to mind - SIMPLIFY!  Am I focus on the right things this time of year or for that matter all year!  I'm worried about getting sicker and not having time to finish all the work that needs to get done...is that what truly matters or should I focus on the "Simplicity that is Christ."   Time to refocus...time to SIMPLIFY!!