What's Important to Me

We had a department off site lately where we talked about things that frustrate us, make us laugh, what we do for fun, what we love, and what is important to us.  I think my posts over the past couple weeks showed what frustrates me, especially about work, so I thought I'd write about what is important to me this time.  There are three things that top the list of what I believe to be important. 


First, is my faith is my faith in the Lord, His son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.  I know that seems like three things right there, but I'm going to just put them all in the bucket of faith so I have room for the other top things.  I may not be the best at reading my scriptures daily (or weekly for that matter) or remembering to get down on my knees, but I know with a certainty that the Lord has a plan for us, that Christ prepared a way for us to return unto His presence, and if I live worthily, I will always have the companion of the Holy Ghost to comfort and guide me throughout my life.  I grew up in a household that was confusing, to say the least, in regards to how we interpreted the purpose and meaning of religion.  The reasons I seem to remember my parents choosing our church was because my mom had cancer and the uncertainty of her fate caused a need to help us find a spiritual foundation, just in case.  I also seem to recall a story about my dad going in to the church, seeing a lady in cut-off Levi shorts and then learning that they would welcome the thought of having his band play at church as being an influencing factor in his decision process.  Nonetheless, a decision was made to send us to a Catholic school, catechism classes, and go to church on random holidays and when my dad's band played.  I'm not sure I actually got a lot out of it, what kid/teenager ever does?  Any way...We had a priest named Father John who used Winnie the Pooh and Frog & Toad references in his sermons and I always loved that part.  I don't remember what the specific lessons were about, but the main concept that I took away was that the gospel plan is simple and we shouldn't try and complicate it.  Frog and Toad would get frustrated or mad at each other over simple things because they failed to consider the other perspective, but they always made up in the end when they looked at the good in each other.  I think there is a lot to be learned from these lessons.  I encourage everyone to read the Tao of Pooh and Frog and Toad Together.


Second on my list of importance is my family.  My husband and girls are my world.  I can't believe how blessed I am to have been entrusted with these girls to raise.  They make me laugh, cry, frustrated, happy, and scared.  My husband is a great partner, lover, and father too.  Don't get me wrong.  Our family isn't perfect and we have definitely had our share of ups and downs and left and rights, but we love each other.  There are plenty of days when I want to run away from my life or trade it in for someone else's (for at least a few hours anyway), however, there is also nothing like the feeling of coming home and walking in the door to be with people who love me.  It kind of sucks that I use all of my good energy at work and my family gets what's left at the end of a long hard day, but they don't hold it against me, and I'm grateful for that.  My family consists of more than those in my immediate household.  My sisters, my niece's and nephews, my dad and step mom are also very important to me.  My family, as dysfunctional as we are, is also my rock.  Plain and simple, I know they have my back and I will always have theirs.

So... the last of my top three would have to be my inner strength.  I went through a time in my life when I allowed someone else to take away my strength and my ability to believe in myself.  As crazy as this sounds, I think it was that experience that helped me become even stronger because I had to build myself up and learn how to believe that I was beautiful and worthy of all things good.  When I look in to the reflecting glass, I see someone who knows she is a daughter of our Heavenly Father who cherishes morals and who tries to find the positive in just about everything I do.  When life weighs me down, I find a way to release the negativity, even if it means having an emotional meltdown.  Then I pick myself up, dust myself off, and move on.  No looking back.  I take the lesson and throw away the pain.  I focus on what lies ahead of me instead of what tried to hold me back.  I've learned how to forgive.  Both myself and others.  There are times when I want to kick myself for allowing my life to spin out of control, but then I receive gentle reminders that we aren't meant to control everything.  Some times, we have to just roll with the punches and let go.  If we find a way to turn the challenges in to opportunities and recognize that God wants us to experience both the good and the bad so we can grow, everything else starts to fall in to place.

My list of what is important to me doesn't end with these three, but it is definitely where it begins.  If you are reading this, you are most likely part of my family and I am grateful to have you in my life.  Thanks for making my top three :-)