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Here is a podcast with prompts to get you thinking:  Writing Challenges

Writing Challenges

I would LOVE to see a reaction video from Joanne Rowling on YouTube with her reacting to this video.  I love this video and enjoy watching Kate’s adventures in writing.

My Day Today

I don’t know why I feel exhausted, but yesterday when I got home I went straight to bed and crashed until about 1am.

Needless to say, my day started rather early with my feeding the cats at that hour and eating some crackers to put food in my stomach so I could go back to sleep.

Later this morning I had a dental appointment.

Afterwards, I picked up some pancakes and sausage at McDonalds and went home to eat and take my medication.

Then I got my second wind.

I started a load of dishes and a load of laundry.

I got the plastics and cans together in the mesh laundry bag that I used for my recycling and drove to Tempe to place it in their recycling bins.  Now that Mesa has stopped providing recycling centers, getting the recycling out of my home has become more complicated.

Then I picked up the refill prescriptions at Walgreens.  

I drove over to Costco in Gilbert, but the line getting into the parking lot was stretching down the road to the light at Baseline.  That place was a zoo.  I tried to go up McClintock to go to the North Scottsdale/Paradise Valley Costco, but much of McClintock is down to 1 lane of traffic in a lot of places and traffic was backed up.  After waiting through several lights, I finally was able to turn around and ended up going to one of the corner gas stations by my home.

After that, I went to Walmart by my home, but it was less crazy there than Costco, so I purchased a bunch of groceries.

I came home and while putting the bags on my kitchen counters, a spider decided it was going to land where my hand was at, so I moved quickly away from it.  The spiders have been forming a “slow moving coup” trying to take over my home and this hit my last nerve.  I got my vacuum cleaner out and cleared out the spiders taking over my pantry shelves in the dining room and areas of my kitchen.  I felt a great sense of satisfaction after doing this!

Came home and felt quite icky.  My mouth was sore from the dental work and all of the driving in a lot of traffic made me nauseous (of course watching a poor woman throwing up on the side of the road on my way to Costco didn’t help), so I called it a night and messaged a dear friend that I was going to have to pass on the dinner out.  I need some rest and some peace after a day of anxiety.

The cats have been feed, I’ll fix something for myself to eat and probably call it an early evening tonight.

All in all, though, I did get some things done.

Progress!

How Is Your Load?

The Christ Child

Beauty For Ashes

Source:  

https://media.ldscdn.org/images/media-library/christmas/prophet-isaiah-foretells-christs-birth-39469-gallery.jpg

This past Thursday (November 21st), I learned a new lesson from God.

I have a coworker who hasn’t always been kind towards me, much of it undeserved.  This coworker is now starting the caregiving journey I have finished, so the amount of stress this person is experiencing has pretty much tripled.

Thursday this individual was going to pick up family at the airport and were super stressed about all of the paperwork associated with healthcare of the people in their charge.

I had on my desk their solution.  The mean Dawn was thinking I should let this person suffer, but my good side took over and I brought a multi-tabbed envelope, similar to what I used with my Mother, to sort out all of the health forms based upon the various doctors we go to as we get older, to this person and explained to this person how to use it.  The light bulb turned on and they realized there is a way to sort and store everything you accumulate from various doctors and hospitals and this was the solution they needed.k

I later heard from my boss he had heard about the gift I had given.

This Holy Ghost hit me strong when I returned to my desk with a clear message:  beauty for ashes.

I remembered this from the Holy Bible, however I had to look up where it was found.  It comes from Isaiah Chapter 61:3.

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;...

Instead of giving an eye for an eye, give love the way our Savior loves and cares for each of us, even when we don’t deserve it.

By providing some assistance and some relief, I demonstrated the love of Jesus Christ and His ability to provide for us the help we all need from Him.

Even when someone is burning their bridges with you, you can still give beauty for the ashes.

Mist of Darkness - Book of Mormon

As you may have read earlier, I am seeking light, knowledge according to the personal plan of happiness God has in store for me (and everyone on this Earth).  One of the questions that I’ve had for a while - and was answered today - was regarding the Book of Mormon’s account of Lehi’s Vision in 

1st Nephi chapter 8.

My questions were:

How does Lehi’s Vision account for the uniqueness of our individual journeys through life?

Is there a Rod of Iron for each of us, or only one?

Where in the dream accounts for the trials of our lives, particularly when Satan is coming at us?  When we experience pain, grief, depression, anxiety and other physical afflictions?

Where does the Atonement of Jesus Christ apply to us in this dream?

I found the answers to most of this while studying and praying regarding these questions today.

The answer is in the mist of darkness described beginning in verse 23.

The mist of darkness is where the view of the Tree of Life is obscured and we must choose who we will serve, God or man.  Where will our faith be?

All of those different paths our lives take occurs in this mist, not just the temptations to leave, but also grieving, pain, depression, anxiety and other afflictions.  This is where the Atonement of Jesus Christ was suffered for and meant for us to take into our lives to keep the mist at bay.  The light of God, for some, can even part the mist to provide a clear vision - personal revelation.

Happy Veterans Day

To all who have served, thank you.

For Dad:  Happy Veterans Day.

Taking A Break From Social Media

I got triggered with a recent online feud between two people I’ve never met.  Thankfully, I had an appointment with my therapist this morning, so between him and the meds I was able to make some sense as to why this triggered me.

The two people are feuding over gossip and rumors.  When do rumors become gossip?  When does sharing information  become slander?

My opinion is both parties are at fault.

Is it hurtful when people talk about you behind your back?  Yes, and it ruins any trust that might have been there between you and the other person.  Trust that is hard and takes years to regain, if at all.  I’ve been the object of hurtful gossip and hurtful behaviors from people I should have been able to trust and from a place where I should have expected love and acceptance.  Yet, I couldn’t let it go.

There have been other times, however, when I have been the one lashing out and saying hurtful things towards others, and others, in a place where there should have been love and acceptance instead faced criticism and snarky comments from me.  I have repented of these times, but it doesn’t mean I don’t remember and feel regret and remorse.

My problem has been letting go and letting God, as used by Alcoholics Anonymous.  I’m learning.

In the meantime, I’m hoping these two people can move on with this feud and find the love and acceptance they seek.

In the meantime, I’m taking a break.  I don’t know how long a break, I’ll know when I’m ready to come back.

Answers To Prayer

Something To Keep In Mind This Christmas

Consider the differences between the original and the knockoff.

And... the knockoff.

Guess What Came In The Mail...

...a new beginning towards a nicer looking me!