tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22548297987363031962024-03-05T00:56:24.565-07:00Enthusiastic FantasticI love sharing my enthusiasm for life!Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.comBlogger183125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-29933560834220672772023-05-15T14:23:00.000-06:002023-05-15T14:23:18.639-06:00Where's Adrie? 😄<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hello out there! Is anyone still reading <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic </i>these days? 😄 I totally wouldn't blame you if you're not because I've taken such a <i>ridiculously </i><span style="font-size: large;">long</span> break from blogging! While I'd like to feel shocked that I haven't blogged since 2021, I'm not. 😂 Taking an extended blogging break definitely <b>didn't </b>happen on purpose, life just kept me more busy than I <i>ever </i>planned on! So, here are some updates:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Way back on June 27th, 2021, I was called/sustained to be my ward's new <span style="font-size: large;">Primary President</span>! And now I've officially been in this calling for 22.5+ months! <i>Oh my goodness, say what?!</i> 😲 That was an event I definitely wasn't planning on, but it <i>was </i>in the back of my spiritual mind for a few years. Yes, I'll just admit that I totally <span style="font-size: large;">saw</span> this Primary President calling <span style="font-size: large;">coming</span>—just like I saw the Young Women President calling coming to me when I lived in Texas!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In Texas 2012, I received that almost-unbelievable spiritual prompting/knowing several minutes before the calling of <span style="font-size: large;">Young Women President</span> was extended to me in my bishop's office. This time around, I felt that I would <i>eventually </i>be my ward's Primary President, but I wasn't sure exactly <i>when </i>it would happen. I guess the Lord wanted me to have ample time—years, in fact—to prepare spiritually for when this calling actually came.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thus, I've been very <b>busy </b>with <span style="font-size: large;">everything</span> the <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/my-calling-as-a-primary-president?lang=eng" target="_blank">Primary President calling entails</a>. It's been such a <i>beautiful</i>, marvelous experience 😇 and I wouldn't change it for the world(!)—but it definitely keeps me looking at my Google calendar! 😄 <i>Thank goodness</i> for electronic alerts to keep me on target because I would be lost without them!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just before I was called to be my ward's Primary President, Greg and I decided to redo the entire outside of our house with new vinyl siding, and install new windows. It was an <i>exhausting</i> event that took up <span style="font-size: large;">a lot</span> of my time in terms of moving items around our house to make room for the workers (they needed access to the windows both inside and outside of the house), and meticulously cleaning up after the workers finished.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That said, it was a financial <i>gift from Heaven</i> that we were able to drastically improve our home—but it was definitely based on Greg's <b><span style="font-size: large;">amazing</span> </b>work ethic. My incredible husband is an absolute <span style="font-size: large;">work <i>machine</i></span>. He is <span style="font-size: large;">unstoppable</span> and I am <i>beyond </i><b>blessed </b>to have him for my very own! <span style="font-size: large;">😍</span> Cheesy? <span style="font-size: large;">Yes.</span> I am still 100% <i>smitten </i><span style="font-size: large;">in <span style="color: #ff00fe;">love</span></span> with my handsome, intelligent, funny, <i>wonderful</i> Gregor! 💖</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Redoing our siding and windows completely wiped out our savings for quite a while—which was a bit of a <span style="font-size: large;">scary</span> situation to be in, but we're slowly rebuilding our reserves. 🙏🏻 Even though our remodel was extremely pricey—due to supply chain increases caused by the <span style="font-size: large;"><span>stupid</span> </span>COVID-19 pandemic (<i>grrr</i> 😠)—it was <b>worth </b><i>every </i>penny! We have zero regrets about improving our happy home! <i>Yay!</i> 🥳</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thankfully, our 70s house is no longer <i>The Disco Dandy</i>! Hallelujah! 😂 I've now nicknamed our lovely little cottage<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Sunshine Blue</i>! 💙</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>I truly <span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"><b>love</b></span> the way it looks, and our triple-pane windows are <span style="font-size: large;">more wonderful</span> than I <i>ever </i>could have imagined! Plus, it's <span style="font-size: large;">really</span> helped us save money on our heating and cooling expenses! I had <span style="font-size: large;">no</span> idea what a huge difference new windows and siding make 🤯—but I'm a believer now! 😁</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In 2021–2022, I was also a busy mama who made <span style="font-size: large;">darn sure</span> my youngest child finished out his senior year of high school <span style="font-size: large;">well</span>. All of my children are <i><span style="font-size: large;">very </span></i><span style="font-size: large;">strong willed</span>, and my baby is no exception! 😅</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Before he graduated from high school, I spent <i><b>so </b></i>much time, energy, sleepless nights 🥱, prayers, fasting, and tears on my baby boy—you have <b>no</b> idea. *If any of you didn't already know, teenagers are <span style="font-size: large;">a <i>lot </i>of work</span>! 😅 Raising children is the absolute <span style="font-size: large;">most rewarding endeavor <i>ever </i>💛</span>, but it is <u>serious</u> <u>business</u> that takes <i><span style="font-size: large;">everything</span> </i>you have and <b>more</b>!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After endless conversations, and many disagreements and frustrations, we finally came to an agreement that my wonderful, <span style="font-size: large;">brilliant</span>, charismatic, sweet, entertaining son would graduate <span style="font-size: large;">early</span> from high school. He was <b>insistent</b> on this point and would <span style="font-size: large;"><u>not</u></span> relent because he had <span style="font-size: large;">more</span> than enough credits to graduate with honors. <span style="font-size: large;">You can't debate a 3.89 cumulative GPA!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To my son, school was <i>pointless</i>, and there was no convincing him otherwise. There wasn't anything more I could say or do to persuade my darling boy to finish out his senior year <span style="font-size: large;">strong</span>. (We all have free agency.) He was completely done with high school and there was no going back. Thus, on April 11th, 2022, we had him put on home release for the rest of his senior year.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thankfully</span>, my handsome son still walked with his class at graduation(!), which was very important to Greg and <i>especially </i>me. I wanted our family (and a few extended family members who were actually willing to join us) to <span style="font-size: large;">celebrate</span> all of his hard work for so many years! <span style="font-size: large;">🎓💚</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When we talked with my youngest son's high school counselor, he validated that my son's high school experience was royally <span style="font-size: large;">messed up</span> (my words, not his) because of the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the lockdowns and school closures really did a number on my baby boy's desire to have <i>anything </i>to do with school anymore. 😢 I'm very grateful for my son's counselor's kind, understanding heart! <span style="font-size: large;">*And I will say <b><span><u>boo</u></span></b> <i>forever </i>to the stupid, unhelpful, unnecessary COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the most unexpected events of the past three+ years happened on July 30th, 2022. My mom's new husband died without warning. 💔 There is <b>so much</b> I could write about <span style="font-size: large;">all</span> of it—it could be considered months of <i>free therapy</i>, but out of respect for my grieving mother, I will stay relatively silent for now.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Over the final 18 months of his life, I ended up occasionally texting with my mom's husband; I spoke on the phone with him exactly <b>once</b> for about <span style="font-size: large;">10</span> minutes; he was very kind to me. <span style="font-size: large;">I never met my stepfather in real life.</span> After he died, I finally ended up visiting my mom's new home and observing the <i>bliss </i>she moved to for her new husband. <span style="font-size: large;">Seeing my mother's new life for the first time—that was ironically ending</span> (there's <b>no </b>amusement in that, <i>whatsoever</i>)<span style="font-size: large;">—was surreal beyond words.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The unbelievably <span style="font-size: large;">happy</span> news is that in December 2022, my youngest child decided to enroll in one of our <span style="font-size: large;">great</span> local universities as a full-time student! 🎉 He finished his first semester with straight 'A's!!! He's even continuing in their 2023 summer semester with a full schedule! This happening is an <span style="font-size: large;">absolute </span><i><span style="font-size: large;">miracle</span> </i>compared to what my wonderful son said at the end of high school. Suffice it to say, my husband and I are <i>beyond </i><b>thrilled </b>that our <i>beloved </i>youngest child sees what the real world <i>really </i>is, and has now done a complete 180 in terms of furthering his education! 😁👏🏻</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've also been a very busy piano teacher! I currently have <span style="font-size: large;">19</span> <i>delightful </i>piano students who keep me on my toes every week. I will possibly gain another three piano students in the near future, bringing up my total to <span style="font-size: large;">22</span>. For quite a while over the past two+ years, I had <span style="font-size: large;">26</span> piano students! I absolutely <span style="font-size: large;">love</span> teaching piano to such wonderful children 💛, and I'm so grateful that their fabulous parents want me in their children's lives 🥰, but teaching piano is also tiring. Keeping up with laundry, cleaning, organizing, shopping, paying bills, cooking, etc., also takes up a lot of my time—but of course it's <i>always </i>worth it! That said, my bathrooms are atrocious and seriously <span style="font-size: large;">need</span> to be cleaned! 😂 Darn. Such is life.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One thing I will absolutely <b>never </b>give up is <span style="font-size: large;">exercising six days every week</span>. Yes, there are random days once in a great while when I have to skip working out one day, but for the most part, I hit my <i>exercise-six-days-every-week</i> goal and it feels <span style="font-size: large;">super <i>flippin'</i> awesome!</span><span style="font-size: large;"> 🤩</span> I definitely stay healthier and my clothes fit nicely because I continually workout. 💃🏻 <span style="font-size: large;">The <i>fantastic </i>benefits of physical exercise are truly endless!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since March 2020, I spent <span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>a</u> <u>lot</u></b></span> of my free time researching COVID-19, masks, and vaccines. I've wanted to do an <span style="font-size: large;">epic</span> <i>All-Things COVID-19</i> blog post for years, but my research continued to be never-ending. Whenever I felt like I'd <i>finally </i>researched <span style="font-size: large;">enough</span> to write my post, I would inevitably stumble onto something new that I needed to research <i>more</i>!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Up until last week when the COVID-19 pandemic was declared officially over(!)/finished(!)/ended(!) 🎉🎆🎊, I'd been <span style="font-size: large;">greatly concerned</span> that if I write my true feelings here and share the <span style="font-size: large;">many</span> things/issues I've discovered/researched about COVID-19, masks, and vaccines, I would put my <i>beloved </i>blog in jeopardy. I <b>never </b>want to lose my favorite <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i>! I would literally <i><span style="font-size: large;">cry</span> </i>if I ever lost my blog! 😭 I was also concerned that if people I personally know and care about were to read my epic CV19 blog post, I would be ostracized in some way or many ways.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At one point in 2022, after doing <i>a lot</i> of research on <span style="font-size: large;">free speech</span> and <b>many</b> different social media platforms, I had decided that I would <i>only </i>be able to write my CV19 thoughts and discoveries on <a href="https://substack.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Substack</span></a>. I planned to create my <span style="font-size: large;"><i>epic </i>CV19 post</span>, publish it on Substack, and share the link to it here on my blog. It <i>really </i>bummed me out that I had to do that, but I felt it must be done that way—that I had no other option because Google was actively censoring websites and users that went against the global COVID-19 narrative. I was <i>sooo </i><b>not </b>pleased! 😠 The fact that I felt I must be extremely careful with my words made me feel like we were (<i>are we?</i> 😬) in a version of <span style="font-size: large;">George Orwell's "<a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nineteen-Eighty-four" target="_blank">1984</a>"</span>! The situation was <i>beyond </i>frustrating to my soul—and actually frightening to some extent.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Speaking of social media, I'm <span style="font-size: large;">ecstatic</span> that Elon Musk bought Twitter!!! 🥳 <i>Hip hip hooray</i> for free speech <b>winning</b>! 🎉🤩 I've used Twitter <b>a lot</b> over the past two+ years to learn and study about things that I <i>never </i>would have found via regular search engines. <span style="font-size: large;">Amazing</span> Twitter users have been absolutely <i>vital</i> for my discovery and research! I'm 100% <span style="font-size: large;">grateful</span> that said <i>amazing </i>Twitter users were and are willing to put their reputations, careers, and livelihoods on the line to fearlessly make sure the <span style="font-size: large;">whole truth</span> is available for those who work to find it! 🌟</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, I was <span style="font-size: large;">happy</span> <i>beyond description</i> that I was able to <b>freely</b> share my thoughts/feelings/research on Twitter, without worry/fear that Twitter would ban me for "misinformation." I'm <span style="font-size: large;">so sick</span> of self-righteous people who think they have the <i>only </i>authority to judge and enforce what is true, vs. what is <i>misinformation</i>—without even being <i>open </i>to any new information at all! It's <b style="font-size: x-large;">so</b><b> </b>beyond<b> </b><span style="font-size: large;">stupid</span>! 😖😣</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Basically, it's been an <i>incredibly </i><span style="font-size: large;">long time</span> since I've felt that I have time to blog. I also didn't dare write what was in my heart for fear of censorship and losing said wonderful blog. 💔 I'm <span style="font-size: large;">ecstatic</span><span> </span>that I <i>finally </i>feel like I not only have room in my life for blogging again, but I actually feel <span style="font-size: large;">free and safe</span> in writing all the things I've been researching/studying for the past three+ years! <i>Yay!</i> I've missed blogging <span style="font-size: large;">so much</span><span>, you have <i>no </i>idea</span>!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There's absolutely <b>no way</b> I'll be able to write about <span style="font-size: large;">all</span> of the COVID-19 information I've researched over the past three years. But I will give my <span style="font-size: large;">best</span> efforts to document my family's and my personal experiences with all-things CV19! I'm excited, ready, and willing to do so! 🥳</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As we all know, there are times and seasons for everything. <span style="font-size: large;">My incredible husband and our three beautiful children are the number one most important <i>everything </i>in my life 💛</span>—followed by my church, teaching piano, and exercising. *It's difficult to put exercising last in that lineup because working out is absolutely <i><span style="font-size: large;">vital</span> </i>to me successfully fulfilling my life's mission. I would <b>not </b>be who I am if I didn't workout as much as I do!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In reflecting over the past three+ years, I have <span style="font-size: large;">no doubt</span> <i>whatsoever </i>that I've spent my time on the right things. I'm just very glad that blogging is getting some love, time, and attention again! <i>Hip hip hooray for happy blogging days! </i>💛 <span style="font-size: large;">Thanks for reading!</span> I hope you have a very happy day! 😁</span></div>Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-19965946757386180932021-05-30T23:39:00.000-06:002021-05-30T23:39:35.897-06:00 A Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hi hi!</span> On November 29th, 2020, I spoke in my ward's sacrament meeting! <i>Yay!</i> It had been a while since I'd presented at our podium, so I was excited to be given the opportunity again! 😀</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><br /></span><span>To prepare for my big </span><span style="font-size: large;">12</span><span>(+/-) minutes, I spent a few days listening to <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference?lang=eng" target="_blank">General Conference talks</a> and reading the <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures?lang=eng&platform=web" target="_blank">scriptures</a>. I had an overall idea of how I wanted my talk to go, but then came the time consuming part of putting it all together!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><br /></span><span>I spent about two days writing, reading, editing, and practicing my talk in my basement. It was a </span><span style="font-size: large;">fun</span><span> endeavor because I </span><i><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;"><b>love</b></span> </i><span>the gospel of Jesus Christ and His Church sooo much! 💗 But I was also </span><span style="font-size: large;">tired</span><span> while working on everything because Thanksgiving was the day before I actually started writing my talk; I was </span><span style="font-size: large;">worn out</span><span> from a busy week and a full day of cooking! #colormetired! 😂</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>I felt the time crunch—</span><i>hello adrenaline!</i><span> 😁—but finished writing my talk with </span><span style="font-size: large;">plenty</span><span> of time to get everything ready for Sunday morning—</span><i><span>and</span> </i><span>I got to workout to one of my </span><i>faaavorite </i><span>fitness videos on Saturday night! </span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Yeah yeah yeah!</i></span><span> It was such a great workout, it made me </span><span style="font-size: large;">smile my guts out!</span><span> Plus, after sitting at my computer for pretty much <span style="font-size: large;">two days straight</span>, I needed some serious <span style="font-size: large;">physical activity!</span> On Friday morning, I went walking with Greg for 38 minutes and did stretching yoga for 40 minutes before I started writing, but by Saturday night I was </span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>super </i>antsy</span><span> to get my body </span><b>moving</b><span>!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><br /></span><span>And now, here's my talk! 😀</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">A Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Adrie Peterson</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: center;">11/29/2020</div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/12.19?lang=eng&clang=eng#p19" target="_blank">3 Nephi 12:19</a>, Jesus Christ teaches us, “And behold, I have given you the law and the <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/ten-commandments?lang=eng" target="_blank">commandments</a> of my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent of your sins, and come unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit.”</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><br /></span><span>In </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/9.20?lang=eng&clang=eng#p20" target="_blank">3 Nephi 9:20</a><span>, He further teaches, “And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost…”<br /></span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>At times, it may feel difficult to humbly approach our Savior with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Younger Saints might not know exactly what it means to </span><i>have </i><span>a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Others may wonder if it’s </span><i>really </i><span>necessary to possess either.<br /></span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Elder D. Todd Christofferson </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2004/04/when-thou-art-converted?lang=eng" target="_blank">taught</a><span> that a broken heart is a </span><span style="font-size: large;">repentant</span><span> heart, and a contrite spirit is an </span><span style="font-size: large;">obedient</span><span> spirit—that “it is the gift of [ourselves]—what [we] are and what [we] are becoming.”</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Elder Bruce D. Porter </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2007/10/a-broken-heart-and-a-contrite-spirit?lang=eng" target="_blank">explained</a><span> that “Those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit are willing to do anything and everything that God asks of them, without resistance or resentment. We cease doing things our way and learn to do them God’s way instead.”</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>In the Church’s <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics?lang=eng" target="_blank">Gospel Topics</a>, the section on </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/sacrifice?lang=eng" target="_blank">sacrifice</a><span> describes a broken heart and a contrite spirit as “a willingness to repent of sins and a desire to follow Jesus Christ and align one’s life with His commandments.”<br /></span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>So why </span><span style="font-size: large;">should</span><span> we desire and strive for a broken heart and a contrite spirit? In our beautiful </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/sacrament/bread?lang=eng" target="_blank">sacrament prayers</a><span>, we are taught that if we “…are willing to take upon [us] the name of [Jesus Christ], and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given [us]; …[we will] always have his Spirit to be with [us].” That </span><i>alone </i><span>is a beautiful promise!<br /></span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Yet in </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/2.6,7?lang=eng&clang=eng#p6,7" target="_blank">2 Nephi 2:6–7</a><span>, we are further taught that “…redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth. Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.”<br /></span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Thus we see that in Jesus Christ’s extraordinary sacrifice of not only redeeming all of humanity—so that we may live </span><b>eternally </b><span>with our dearest loved ones—He is also willing to </span><span style="font-size: large;">be with us</span><span> spiritually each and every day of our lives! Through the spectacular gift of the Holy Ghost, Jesus Christ can absolutely influence our lives for the <span style="font-size: large;">best</span>! We simply must </span><i>freely </i><span>give our whole hearts and souls to Him—and </span><span style="font-size: large;">ultimately</span><span> to our Heavenly Father—because as Jesus tells us in </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/john/6.38?lang=eng&clang=eng#p38" target="_blank">John 6:38</a><span>, “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”<br /></span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Despite the marvelous promised blessings that come from giving ourselves so completely to the Lord, at times we may struggle.<br /></span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>In </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/11.11?lang=eng&clang=eng#p11" target="_blank">3 Nephi 11:11</a><span>, Jesus Christ gives us some pretty important reasons as to why we should not only </span><i>want </i><span>to give ourselves to Him, but why we should happily </span><span style="font-size: large;">jump</span><span> at the chance! He shared His perfect heart with us when he vulnerably said, “…behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.”</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Wow</i></span><span><span style="font-size: large;">.</span> That clears things up pretty quickly, doesn’t it? Thinking of our perfect Savior suffering for the benefit of </span><i>everyone </i><span>makes His thought-provoking request not only logical, rational, and reasonable, but a true </span><span style="font-size: large;">privilege</span><span> and </span><span style="font-size: large;">honor</span><span> to willingly participate in.<br /></span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>So what does that mean for each of us individually? How do we implement this wonderful, life-changing idea into our lives? For a little more motivation, Elder Porter </span><i>beautifully </i><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2007/10/a-broken-heart-and-a-contrite-spirit?lang=eng" target="_blank">said</a><span>, “The Savior’s perfect submission to the Eternal Father is the very essence of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Christ’s example teaches us that </span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>a broken heart is an eternal attribute of godliness</b></span><span>. When our hearts are broken, we are completely open to the Spirit of God and recognize our dependence on Him for </span><i>all </i><span>that we have and </span><i>all </i><span>that we are. The sacrifice so entailed is a sacrifice of pride in all its forms. Like malleable clay in the hands of a skilled potter, the brokenhearted can be molded and shaped in the hands of the Master.”<br /></span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>I become a little teary when thinking of </span><span style="font-size: large;">all</span><span> the utterly unexpected ways I’ve been molded and shaped in my life by the hands of </span><i>the Master</i><span>. Every single experience I’ve been given has </span><span style="font-size: large;">greatly</span><span> improved my soul. I’m so thankful I’m willing and open to learn from all of my trials and challenges—for I absolutely would </span><span style="font-size: large;">not</span><span> be who I am today without them!<br /></span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Elder Porter </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2007/10/a-broken-heart-and-a-contrite-spirit?lang=eng" target="_blank">shared</a><span> that “a broken heart and a contrite spirit are also preconditions to repentance,” and that “when we have received a forgiveness of sins, a broken heart serves as a divine shield against temptation.” The protection of a </span><i>divine shield</i><span> sounds pretty great to me! 😀<br /></span><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>President David O. McKay </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2004/04/your-personal-influence?lang=eng" target="_blank">taught</a> (as quoted in President Thomas S. Monson's General conference talk)<span>, <span style="font-size: large;">“There is one responsibility that no one can evade. That is the effect of one’s personal influence.”</span> 💛 That is such a </span><span style="font-size: large;">vital</span><span> message for everyone! Our life missions are </span><span style="font-size: large;">meant</span><span> to be unique, but each of us has the glorious opportunity to make a </span><b>significant</b><span> difference in our world if we are simply willing to be fully </span><span style="font-size: large;">open</span><span> to what our Heavenly Father has in store for us.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Having a close relationship with our Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost is yet another major reason to </span><span style="font-size: large;">connect</span><span> with Jesus Christ through our own broken spirits and contrite hearts. When we break down the walls surrounding our individual wills, we basically become </span><span style="font-size: large;">unlimited</span><span> in the ways Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ can utilize us for the <span style="font-size: large;">benefit</span> of those within our circle of influence! It’s </span><i>beyond </i><span>exciting to think about how each of us can reach our highest potential and simultaneously </span><span style="font-size: large;">bless</span><span> the lives of others!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>I absolutely love </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2004/04/your-personal-influence?lang=eng" target="_blank">this thought</a><span> that President Thomas S. Monson wanted each Latter-day Saint to internalize,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><p></p><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>“The Redeemer chose imperfect men to teach the way to perfection. He did so then; He does so now.</span> </span></div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>“He calls you and me to serve Him here below and sets us to the task He would have us fulfill. The commitment is total. There is no conflict of conscience.</span> </span></div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“As we follow that Man of Galilee—even the Lord Jesus Christ—our personal influence will be felt for good wherever we are, whatever our callings.”</span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elder Jeffrey R. Holland <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2004/04/abide-in-me?lang=eng" target="_blank">shared a <i>sweet</i> story</a> about a man he felt prompted to call to a stake presidency in Latin America. The brother owned a bicycle, but no automobile. Elder Holland said, “Many leaders across the Church don’t have cars, but I was nevertheless worried about what that might mean for this man in this particular stake. In my terminally-ill Spanish I pursued the interview, then said, ‘[Brother, don’t you have a car?]’ With a smile and not a second’s hesitation he replied, ‘[I do not have a car, but I do have feet and I do have faith.]’ He then said he could ride the bus, ride his bicycle, or walk…he smiled—‘like the missionaries.’ And so he does.”</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>We each need to remember that outside of the fundamental </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-principles?lang=eng" target="_blank">principles</a><span>, </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/ordinances?lang=eng" target="_blank">ordinances</a><span>, and </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/manual/basic-doctrines/basic-doctrines?lang=eng" target="_blank">doctrines</a><span> of </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/the-gospel/the-gospel?lang=eng" target="_blank">the gospel of Jesus Christ</a><span> found in </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/?lang=eng" target="_blank">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</a><span>, our </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/god-the-father?lang=eng" target="_blank">Heavenly Father</a><span> and </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/jesus-christ?lang=eng" target="_blank">His Son</a><span>, </span><a href="https://jesuschrist.churchofjesuschrist.org/SonOfGod?lang=eng" target="_blank">Jesus Christ</a><span>, don’t have a list of requirements as to how our lives should look. There is no standard checklist of worldly accomplishments or endeavors to which each of us should be checking boxes. Instead, we should individually be striving each day to be inspired by the </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/holy-ghost?lang=eng" target="_blank">Holy Ghost</a><span> to </span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>live</b></span><span> the lives that our Heavenly Father envisions for us—the ones that Jesus Christ </span><i>died </i><span>and was resurrected for! Our gift to Them in return is then following through on the inspiration we receive—</span><span style="font-size: large;">regardless</span><span> if we like the answer, or not.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>In helping us achieve our goal of desired </span><span style="font-size: large;">closeness</span><span> to God and Jesus Christ through the Holy Ghost, Elder Christofferson wisely </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2004/04/when-thou-art-converted?lang=eng" target="_blank">shared</a><span>, “As a first step, you must lay aside any feeling of pride that is so common in the world today. By this I mean the attitude that rejects the authority of God to rule in our lives. …You hear it expressed today in phrases such as ‘Do your own thing’ or ‘Right and wrong depend on what I feel is right for me.’ That attitude is a rebellion against God…”</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Throughout our wonderful marriage, Greg and I have experienced </span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>so</i></span><span> many crossroads where we knew without a doubt that our </span><span style="font-size: large;">Heavenly Father had different plans for us</span><span> than what we wanted or expected. Each time we realized—through </span><i><span style="font-size: large;">amazing</span> </i><span>spiritual confirmations—that our carefully prepared plans needed to change, there was inevitably a grieving period involved. Yet after we let ourselves mourn our wishes and dreams for a little while, we eventually came full circle and were in harmony with Heaven. Hindsight being <span style="font-size: large;">2020</span> (sorry, I couldn’t resist! 😄), we clearly saw each and </span><span style="font-size: large;">every <b>miracle</b></span><span> that was brought into our lives simply because we followed the inspiration and revelation we received through the Holy Ghost. </span><span><span style="font-size: large;">The simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ is </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">truly </i><span style="font-size: large;">beautiful!</span><br /></span><span><br />One recent example of this happened in September 2019 when Greg was hired to do his </span><i>dream job</i><span>. It was such a </span><span style="font-size: large;">miraculous</span><span> happening in our lives, there’s </span><span style="font-size: large;">zero</span><span> doubt that divine intervention was involved! Thus, we </span><span style="font-size: large;">weren’t</span><span> thrilled when a few weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic, Greg was notified that his salary would be reduced by <span style="font-size: large;">20%</span>. Even worse, just one short, blissful week after his salary was returned and we thought life was happily trending toward “normal,” Greg’s company let their employees know of the upcoming merger with a competitor. They were transparent in the fact that </span><i>every </i><span>employee could possibly face a layoff.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>At that point, </span><span style="font-size: large;">I was <i>beyond </i>disappointed</span><span> because Greg had already been through two major layoffs with previous companies—I knew </span><span style="font-size: large;">all too well</span><span> what could be coming to our family, and I was </span><span style="font-size: large;">worried</span><span> about the potential upheaval. I spent the next four months planning and preparing to the best of my abilities for the possibility that Greg would have to start </span><i>all </i><span>over again in his career for the </span><span style="font-size: large;">third</span><span> time.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>As Greg and I patiently waited for the “layoff ball” to be dropped in our laps, we received a </span><span style="font-size: large;">surprise</span><span> knock at the door. It was our ward mission leader with our stake's two full-time missionaries! As we chatted with them, Greg shared that he was waiting to see if he would be laid off the next day. Our ward mission leader instantly got a </span><span style="font-size: large;">sad</span><span> look on his face for our situation. After we talked about it some more, I said to the missionaries, “…so please put us on your prayer list and pray that Greg keeps his job!” They enthusiastically agreed and said they would pray for us. We set up an appointment to do another Zoom meeting with the missionaries, and they went on their way.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>What those kind men </span><span style="font-size: large;">don’t</span><span> know is our very happy history with the Church’s missionaries as a whole, and their positive influence in our lives. While Greg and I have always been </span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>so strong</b></span><span> in our testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His Church, we have still been helped by the missionaries throughout our time spent living in Colorado, Texas, and Utah. Thus, when the missionaries unexpectedly showed up on our doorstep <span style="font-size: large;">the </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>very </i>night</span><span> before Greg was to find out if he would keep his dream job or be laid off, we took it as a </span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>blessed</i></span><span> sign from Heaven that regardless of the outcome, the Lord was aware of us and He had a plan for us. 💛</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>The happy ending to that story is that Greg was one of the lucky ones who kept his dream job—</span><span style="font-size: large;">for now</span><span>. He knows that as the merger of his two companies continues, there is a possibility that his responsibilities and job title could look different. My heart </span><i>aches </i><span>for Greg’s coworkers and their families who didn’t experience the same positive outcome as we did. Yet in that same breath, I have </span><span style="font-size: large;">full faith</span><span> that there </span><span style="font-size: large;">is</span><span> a plan for each of those former employees, too. I </span><i>know</i><span> they will be cared for, led, and directed on the path the Lord has for them! While we never know what’s coming our way, we can and </span><span style="font-size: large;">must</span><span> have faith that we will be taken care of </span><i>regardless</i><span> of what happens.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">This life is meant to challenge and <i>change </i>us for the best!</span><span> 💗 One of our goals should include not only </span><i>enduring </i><span>life’s challenges, but enduring them </span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>well</i></span><span>—to the best of our abilities. I wholeheartedly believe that if we are willing to stay close to our Heavenly Father by being dedicated disciples of Jesus Christ, we will not only become strong in our trials, but we can find joy as we struggle through our challenges.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>As we choose to give our broken hearts and contrite spirits to the Lord, He promises us </span><span style="font-size: large;">marvelous</span><span> additional blessings found in </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/ezek/36.26?lang=eng&clang=eng#p26" target="_blank">Ezekiel 36:26</a><span>, <span style="font-size: large;">“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”</span> </span><span>Oh, how I <i>love </i>that scripture!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Bear testimony.)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 😀</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">**********</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, there you have it! I wish I would have finished writing this blog post sooner, as I've forgotten most of what happened after I gave this talk. In my defense, there has been <span style="font-size: large;">a <i>lot</i></span><i> </i>going on in our <i>COVID-19-pandemic-mess-of-a-world</i>, so I've been a little <span style="font-size: large;">distracted</span> over the past six months! 😄</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I <i>do </i>remember that my talk was received positively, so that was a huge relief! I <i>more </i>than <span style="color: #ff00fe; font-size: large;">loved</span> getting such <span style="font-size: large;">kind</span> text messages, phone calls, and emails from people who watched my talk (online and in person) and <span>gained</span> something <span style="font-size: large;">beneficial</span> from it. It <i>really </i>meant <span style="font-size: large;">a lot</span> to my happy soul! <span style="font-size: large;">💛</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lastly, it's <span style="font-size: large;">super </span><span style="font-size: large;">fun</span> that my official <span style="font-size: large;">YouTube debut</span> was giving this talk in my ward's sacrament meeting! Ha ha. 😄 <span style="font-size: large;">Yay yay</span> for all of this <i>amazing</i> technology that continually blesses our lives! I hope you have a <span style="font-size: large;">wonderful</span> day! 😁</span></div><p></p>Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-67421727743512241692021-04-25T15:37:00.000-06:002021-04-25T15:37:07.479-06:00Follow By Email<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Happy Sunday, everyone!</span> I originally came to my blog today—for the first time in a <i>very </i><span style="font-size: large;">long</span> time—to post my sacrament meeting talk from several months ago. When I opened up Blogger, I saw that some <span style="font-size: large;">changes</span> had been made to my blog that I <i><span style="font-size: large;">didn't</span> </i>approve of, which is super frustrating and confusing to say the least! #whattheheckGoogle?! While investigating what happened, I realized that Blogger is also making changes to the way some of you get alerted to my new published blog posts. Here's the official notice I received:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div></div><blockquote><div>"<b>FollowByEmail widget (Feedburner) is going away</b></div><div>You are receiving this information because your blog uses the FollowByEmail widget (Feedburner).</div><div>Recently, the Feedburner team released a system update <a href="https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2021/04/changes-to-feedburner?authuser=0" target="_blank">announcement</a>, that the email subscription service will be discontinued in July 2021.</div><div>After July 2021, your feed will still continue to work, but the automated emails to your subscribers will no longer be supported. If you’d like to continue sending emails, you can download your subscriber contacts. Learn how"</div></blockquote><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><span style="font-size: large;">Boo</span></i>. Thus, I went to Feedburner's site for the first time <span style="font-size: large;">ever</span> (how hilarious is that?!) and saw my email subscribers list. It was super <span style="font-size: large;">fun</span> reading the names of people who have subscribed to my blog—<span style="font-size: large;">thinking of all of you totally warmed my heart! 💛 I sincerely <i>thank you</i></span> for subscribing to my little spot on this vast internet <span style="font-size: large;">full</span> of information that none of us will <i>ever </i>be able to fully digest!</div><div><br /></div><div>I will look into other email subscription services that I can use after July 2021. If you're interested in receiving email updates for <i><a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/" target="_blank">Enthusiastic Fantastic</a></i> and you haven't already subscribed, please continue to subscribe via the "Follow By Email" box on the desktop version of my blog.</div><div><br /></div><div>On July 31st, 2021, I will do one final check of my email subscribers on Feedburner to make sure I didn't miss anyone. After that, please use the "Contact Form" listed on the desktop version of my blog. You only have to include your email address—I don't need your name or a message if you don't want to send anything else.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thank you again for reading! I know I've been <i>very </i><span style="font-size: large;">absent</span> this past year, but I hope to be spending more time on <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i> in the near future! I hope you have a delightful Sunday! 😇😁</div></div>Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-83759797530909185322020-07-26T21:51:00.000-06:002020-07-26T21:51:06.842-06:00Home Church and the Book of MormonHappy Sunday, everyone! 😁 I hope you are all doing well on this lovely sabbath day! As with every Sunday, I have <font size="5">church</font> on my mind! <i>Boy oh boy</i>, do I love <font size="5">all</font> things related to church, spirituality, divinity, and religion! 😇<div><br /></div><div>Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, my family and I have mainly been doing <font size="5">home church</font> since March 15th. That said, on May 19th <font size="5">(The 23rd anniversary of when my darling Gregor proposed to me!! 💕💍💖)</font>, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced: "we now authorize some meetings and activities to be resumed on a limited basis using a careful, phased approach." <i>Yay yay happy day! Hip hip hooray!</i> #clapclap 👏</div><div><br /></div><div>Thus, on June 21st, we so very happily celebrated our return to worshiping with our ward members in our <i>actual </i>church building! It was such an exciting event! We've been on a rotating schedule of doing home church on the first, second, fourth, and fifth (if applicable) Sundays of every month; we have in-person sacrament meetings with our wonderful ward members on the third Sunday of every month. Our second in-person sacrament meeting was this past Sunday, July 19th—it was so great, I loved it so much!</div><div><br /></div><div>While I dearly miss regular in-person church, my family and I have been having some absolutely <font size="5">amazing and </font><i><font size="5">profound</font> </i>home church experiences together!</div><div><br /></div><div>I began having my family focus our home sacrament meetings on the brilliant <i><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/come-follow-me/individuals-and-families?lang=eng" target="_blank"><font size="5">Come, Follow Me</font></a></i> program that was introduced to the Church's membership in July, 2018. It's absolutely <font size="5"><u>not</u></font> a coincidence that the Church implemented their "home-centered, Church-supported" study program in January, 2019—one year before COVID-19 became a global pandemic. It's fully amazing that we had had <font size="5">an entire year</font> of studying <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/the-gospel/the-gospel?lang=eng" target="_blank">the Gospel of Jesus Christ</a> <font size="5">at home</font> together with our families in <font size="5">greater depth</font> than we <i>ever </i>had before.</div><div><br /></div><div><font size="5" style="font-style: italic;">Talk about inspiration! </font><font size="5">💛</font> They didn't know it at the time, but the leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were unknowingly preparing Church members for the worldwide pandemic that would <i>paralyze </i>our entire planet just one year later. It truly <i>blows </i>my mind when I think of their level of inspiration! 🤯</div><div><br /></div><div>After the first couple of weeks of our family home church—consisting of opening and closing prayers, studying <i>Come, Follow Me</i>, and partaking of the sacrament, I felt <font size="5">greatly inspired</font> to have us start watching the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/BookofMormonVideos/videos" target="_blank">Book of Mormon Videos</a> on one of The Church's YouTube channels. I told Greg of my feelings, and he agreed with me. Yay! 😍</div><div><br /></div><div>Each week after that, my family has had opening/closing prayers and partaken of the sacrament as usual, but I've now included having us watch and discuss a couple of Book of Mormon videos, followed with our stake leadership's weekly YouTube video message—which we've sometimes discussed, but sometimes those talks stand on their own and they haven't needed further discussion. Oh, and to make our experience even better, I signed into my YouTube account through our Roku YouTube app so we can watch the Book of Mormon together on our <font size="5">big</font>-screen TV—which is <b>so </b>cool cool cool! 🤩 *Bonus points if you know what "cool cool cool" is from! 😄</div><div><br /></div><div>It's been utterly <i><font size="5">astounding</font> </i>to me how greatly the Book of Mormon Videos have enhanced our home church! They <i>instantly </i>and fully bring the Spirit into our home! They give fresh insight, important context, and <i>beautiful</i>, tender feelings to the stories we've read and studied <font size="5">for years</font>—I've had little tears while watching them more times than I can remember! 🥺 They show <font size="5">great</font> examples to my family that I will be <i>forever </i>grateful for! 💗 And they <i>always </i>lead to wonderful, faith-filled, hopeful discussions about this life and eternity. They succeed at what movie makers for generations have tried to accomplish: positively impact audiences in ways they'll never forget! The Book of Mormon Videos evoke such depth of emotions that totally complement the way one feels while reading the actual book. 📘</div><div><br /></div><div>I still absolutely <b><font color="#ff00fe">love</font></b> reading, studying, and listening to the scriptures. Watching the Book of Mormon Videos will never take the place of traditional scripture study by book. I know beyond <i>any </i>doubt that the Holy Ghost gives us the <font size="5">gift</font> of <b>vital</b> truths when we sincerely read and study the scriptures. The holy scriptures are <font size="5">there</font> for our benefit and use—every single day of our lives! Yet the Book of Mormon videos are one more <i><font size="5">brilliant</font> </i>way to <i>really </i>come to understand and love the messages that the Book of Mormon prophets, writers, and contributors are trying to convey and help us implement into our lives.</div><div><br /></div><div>When I knew that the Lord wanted me to show <font size="5">all</font> of the Book of Mormon Videos to my family, I decided to create a private playlist on my YouTube account. You see, The Church's YouTube channel has <font size="5"><i>a ton</i></font> of Book of Mormon Videos: longer videos, and snippet videos of particular stories that are also part of the longer videos.</div><div><br /></div><div>While it's helpful to have so many <font size="5">excellent</font> videos—especially for when you're teaching a specific principal found in the Book of Mormon, it's also a little confusing to know if you're re-watching snippet videos that you've already seen in the longer videos. Trying to navigate which videos my family should watch for our home church was a little time consuming; I clicked on too many videos, wondering if we should watch that snippet video, too, or if we'd already seen it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thus, I created my first-ever playlist on YouTube! 👏😃 You laugh, but that was <i>quite </i>the momentous occasion for me! It's taken me many years, but I am <i>finally </i>an active participant and huge fan of all the <font size="5">goodness</font> that YouTube has to offer. And of course, I <u>stay</u> <u>away</u> from all the weirdo, strange, and trashy videos out there. #nothankyou! 👎</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm <i>sooo</i> grateful to my beloved church and its participating members for creating such lovely, spiritual <i><font size="5">masterpieces</font> </i>that will positively affect countless souls and bless humanity <i>forever</i>! Or, at least for as long as technology survives! 😄</div><div><br /></div><div>I <font size="5">can't wait</font> until <b>all </b>of the Book of Mormon Videos are completed and released! 2021 can't come soon enough, and it's not just because we want the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic to finally end! Ha ha. I hope that The Church will one day release a full-length Book of Mormon Movie with all of their fabulous videos rolled into one big cinematic <i>masterpiece </i>for the world to enjoy in movie theaters! Wow, can you imagine how <font size="5">spectacular</font> that would be?! 😁</div><div><br /></div><div>But back to the inspiration of The Church's leadership...again, I'm <font size="5">amazed</font> at the <i>perfect</i> timing of the release of the Book of Mormon Videos. They were given to us <i>exactly </i>when we needed them: less than six months before COVID-19 upended our lives. <i>Just wow</i>. I'm super <font size="5">thrilled</font> that even more of their wonderful videos are coming 👏—they will continue to support and inspire us through these crazy changes we're experiencing on nearly a daily basis! #pandemicfatigue 😟</div><div><br /></div><div>Today, I decided it was time to release my playlist publicly(!) so that others can enjoy it, too! Yay! I reviewed all of the videos in my playlist, and they are all up to date. 👍 I'll update my playlist every time The Church releases a new video.</div><div><br /></div><div>Without further ado, here is my beloved playlist of <font size="5">The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ</font>! I dearly hope you'll press play <i>many </i>times and let your soul go on a life-changing journey that will bring you <font size="5">joy</font>! 😇 </div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLfYd9KI0iY-sXmZyc4ZIjk-gcQXKdm4oP" width="560"></iframe></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">*As with anything, having the <font size="5">right mindset</font> before participating in an activity makes <font size="5">all</font> the difference. If you can watch the Book of Mormon Videos with an open heart and mind, your experience will be <i>that </i>much better. I highly recommend praying before watching them for the first time: pray that your heart and mind will be open to the Spirit; pray that you'll understand and internalize the many great <font size="5">truths</font> being offered; pray that your soul will be willing to make those changes that will <font size="5">bless</font> your life and others; pray that you'll have a soft heart toward things you might not understand or agree with.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please know that I <font size="5">love</font> The Book of Mormon with my <i>whole </i>heart and soul! It has been a fixture in my life for as long as I can remember. Yet I'm most definitely <b>not </b>simply just a "blind" follower of my religion. I have spent uncountable hours upon <i>hours</i> studying, researching, and praying about <font size="5"><i>all</i></font> things related to Heaven. I have spent my entire life desiring to be <font size="5">extremely close</font> to God, our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ—the literal Savior of our world and all of God's children. I have done <i>everything </i>possible to cultivate a working, <font size="5">successful</font> relationship with the Holy Ghost who allows me that <font size="5">closeness</font> with Them and Their angels. I continually <font size="5">choose</font> to allow Them into my life to influence me for good—even though the outcome of whatever comes my way might not be <i>exactly </i>what I wish for or desire at the time. The Gospel of Jesus Christ and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are two of the <font size="5">most important</font> aspects of my life and who I fundamentally <font size="5">am</font>—I <font size="5">love</font> them and refuse to <i>ever </i>be separated from them! As the saying goes: I am <font size="5">true blue</font>, through and through! 💙😊</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UEMDk4W93rI/Xx4pvy597sI/AAAAAAAAIpw/25Wkmc7JHtsauuvmuuJQq-moPJF1u9QewCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/girl_holding_book_of_mormon.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UEMDk4W93rI/Xx4pvy597sI/AAAAAAAAIpw/25Wkmc7JHtsauuvmuuJQq-moPJF1u9QewCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/girl_holding_book_of_mormon.jpeg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><font size="2"><i>Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/image/girl-holding-book-of-mormon-83077bc?lang=eng" target="_blank">Gospel Media Library</a>, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints<br /></i></font></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Finally, I must share this fascinating tidbit: as I was writing this blog post today, I received an email from my ward's clerk. In it, our ward was told about our new in-person sacrament meeting schedule. Much to my <font size="5">delight</font>, my ward now gets to meet more often than we have in the month of June and July! <i>Yay!</i> We're not back to in-person sacrament meetings each and every Sunday, but I'm so grateful we get to at least meet together twice a month now! 👏😀</div><div><br /></div><div>Some may be skeptical, but I truly believe my ward's news that was delivered today is a beautiful <font size="5">tender mercy</font> just for me! Yes, this updated sacrament meeting schedule will <font size="5">benefit</font> our entire ward, but today's announcement was an <i>incredible </i>reminder to me that my Heavenly Parents, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost <i>dearly </i>love me and are <u>very</u> <font size="5">aware</font> of the desires of my heart! And yes, I am super cheesy today! Okay, let's be realistic: when am I <i>not </i>cheesy?! 😂 I can't help but relish the overwhelming feelings of <font color="#cc0000" size="5">love</font> from Heaven that are sent directly to me. And it feels really good. 💛💛💛</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><font size="5">"But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance."</font></div><div style="text-align: left;">– <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/1.20?lang=eng&clang=eng#p20" target="_blank">1 Nephi 1:20</a></div></blockquote><div>*If you'd like to read, listen to, and study the Book of Mormon in its entirety, download the app! 😀</div><div>• <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.lds.bom&hl=en" target="_blank">Android</a></div><div>• <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-book-of-mormon/id547313550" target="_blank">iOS</a></div><div><br /></div><div>If you'd like to read the Book of Mormon online, please <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm?lang=eng" target="_blank">click here</a> and have a happy day! 🤗</div>Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-51753971894120986132020-06-02T00:56:00.003-06:002021-02-15T00:56:45.933-07:00What Are We to Learn From This?<div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hello, it's me! Yes, I'm still here nearly </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">11</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> months after my previous blog post! I actually began writing this post in February 2020—</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">before</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> the </span><i style="font-family: inherit;"><font size="4">unbelievable</font> </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">COVID-19 pandemic put our entire planet </span><font size="4" style="font-family: inherit;">on hold</font><span style="font-family: inherit;">. Then there was the little matter of the </span><a href="https://quake.utah.edu/special-events/2020-magna-earthquake-sequence-faq" style="font-family: inherit;">5.7 earthquake and thousands of aftershocks</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> we've experienced here in Utah. And now we're watching protests galore unfold across America and some parts of the world. 😢</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">To some, this post might seem a little odd to share at this point in our history. Yet I'm publishing what I wrote anyway because I took the time to write it, and I enjoy remembering our lives pre-pandemic, pre-earthquake, and pre need for current protests—because, yes, <font size="4">I <i>dearly </i>wish there were no racism, no inequality, and no injustice</font> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>anywhere </i>in our world! I want <font size="4">everyone</font> to feel safe, secure, protected, loved, cared for, etc. 😔</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Before I continue, please <font size="4">rest assured</font> that everything is <span style="font-size: large;">great</span> in my little world. 😁 I am <span style="font-size: large;">so</span> happy, healthy, and <span style="color: magenta;"><i><b>loving</b></i> </span>my days at home with my husband and children! My life is truly <i>beautiful</i>! That said, let's take a little trip to where I've been for the past several years <span style="font-size: large;"><i>outside</i></span> of my happy life with Greg and our adorable children...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There's no easy way to start this, so I'll just dive in: In September 2019, <font size="4"><span style="font-size: large;">my one and only mother married a man that I've <b>never </b>met!</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span>And she specifically chose <b>not</b> to tell <i>any </i>of her children, extended family members, or friends that she was going to marry him! </font><font size="2">😱</font><font size="4"> My mom never told a <i>single </i>soul about her wedding plans</font> outside of the man she married and the <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/temples/details/nauvoo-illinois-temple?lang=eng">Nauvoo Temple</a> staff!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There were no cleverly worded invitations, no exciting wedding preparations for my mother's children, grandchildren, sons-in-law, daughter-in-law, siblings, etc., to be involved with. There was no <i>beautiful </i>wedding experience, no reception, nor any kind of happy celebration to enjoy for the people who love and support her. There were no cheesy, adoring, or artistic photos snapped. There are no videos of the "blessed day" to be enjoyed or laughed at by my mother's posterity. There hasn't been <i>any </i>sort of <i>anything </i>that we could happily post to any of our social media accounts. That said, my mom's new husband's family threw them a marriage celebration in Hawaii a few months after their wedding—but <font size="4">none</font> of my mom's family or extended family were invited...including not me. 😢</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I found out that my mom <span style="font-size: large;">married</span> said-man-that-I've-<font size="4">never-met </font><span style="font-size: large;">eight days </span><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">after</span> </b></i>her wedding and sealing was finalized in the Nauvoo Temple! Adding insult to injury, I found out about my mom's wedding/sealing from <font size="4">my sister</font>—and my sister found out all of that information through <span style="font-size: large;">a <b>text</b></span><b> </b>that my mom sent to my sister and brother! 😣 In my mom's <i>somewhat</i>-defense, she <span style="font-size: large;">emailed</span> me about her wedding/sealing the very next day after she texted my brother and sister. My mom claims that technology issues were to blame as to why I didn't receive her life-altering text, but the situation <font size="4">hurt</font> my heart more than I can <i>ever </i>express. Because—<i>Hello!</i>—<font size="4">a phone call would have been nice!!! Even</font></span> now as I read what I wrote, I still <font size="4">can<b>not</b></font> believe that my mother <i>did </i>all of that!<div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Prior to her new marriage, my mom lived off-and-on in her now-husband's house (she had her own separate bedroom) in a different state from us, for about four+ years. So my siblings and I were dealing with all of <i>those </i>continuing challenges even before our mother's unsettling elopement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">While I won't go into great detail, just know that my mom and I were extremely <span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">close</span> emotionally speaking before all of this happened. Unfortunately, things have absolutely <span style="font-size: large;"><u>not</u></span> been the same between my mother and me since October 2013. It's been such a <span style="font-size: large;">rough</span> six+ years, you have <i>no </i>idea! </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I could go on and on and </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">on </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">with maddening details of my childhood family's situation. <span style="font-size: large;">I could <i>literally </i>write for </span><span style="font-size: large;"><font size="4">endless</font></span><span style="font-size: large;"> hours about the frustrations, turmoil, heartache, bad dreams, etc., that my mother's actions have caused</span>. I'm sorry if this is too vague for some of you, but there are many things that are too private to share...<i>just don't let your imagination get the better of you.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Suffice it to say, after praying, </span>studying, and researching <b>innumerable</b> articles, podcast episodes, videos, devotionals, and books by wonderful licensed therapists, happy life coaches, <i>amazing </i>religious/spiritual leaders, incredible motivational speakers, uplifting TED Talks, inspiring holy scripture verses, etc., <i>and </i>talking things through with my childhood family and extended family members, friends, and <i>especially</i> my most precious husband, Greg 💖, I am <i>finally </i>at a point where I'm able to somewhat deal with my mother's new life. *But I'll never support nor condone her actions of marrying with<i>out</i> including anyone in her joyful occasion besides her new husband. #noiwillnot! 😒</div><div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All of that said (yes, there's more 😅) I will <u>never</u> be able to fully express how <b>devastating</b> my mother's actions have been to me, nor can I adequately convey how <span style="font-size: large;">difficult</span> it was for me to get through those first four+ months after my mom's elopement. And I thought the previous five+ years had been rough! <span style="font-size: large;"><i>Ha!</i></span> Unfortunately, they were just the prelude to my childhood family's new reality that repeatedly <font size="4">smacked</font> us in the face like a dying fish out of water! 🎣</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div>While I'm thankful I've mostly turned the corner in terms of coming to accept the <font size="4">shocking</font> reality of my mom's new life—and trying to get used to the spoken-and-unspoken <font size="4">conditions</font> that have been established by her (many of which I absolutely <b>don't</b> agree with)—<i>getting </i>to this point was only possible <i>because </i>of <font size="4">untold hours</font> of researching, listening, talking, writing, praying, and many<i> </i>tears. Even after all of that work, it was only <i>after </i>I realized that I had a version of relationship PTSD—that those in the psychology world define as <font size="4"><i>mother wounds</i></font>—that I was finally able to pick myself up and start moving forward. I'm so thankful I was finally able to begin grieving my mother and find a way to "deal" with her choices!</div></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yet as much as I thought I've been making great progress these past additional four+ months, just three nights ago, I had a <i>doozy </i>of a dream that showed just how <font size="4">much</font> my subconscious is <i>still </i>struggling big time with my mother's new life. I was <font size="4">stunned</font> at how revealing and truth-filled my dream was! It makes me tear up when I think about it—but again, I must <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmW3H-EXYS0">keep moving forward</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Even last week, my brother, sister, and I had a group text going where we shared our <font size="4">grief</font> at missing our mom and wondering when we would <i>ever </i>get to see her in person again—and it has nothing to do with the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, as <font size="4">our mother and her new husband are vacationing in another state...that is not where her children live!</font></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />To illustrate just how <font size="4">much</font> mothers mean to their children throughout their entire lives, please read this section from <a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/podcasts/series/the_science_of_happiness">The Science of Happiness Podcast</a>, <a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/podcasts/item/36_questions_intimacy_connection">Episode 66</a>—it's a great listen:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><font face="arial">Rebecca Vitali-DeCola: My father’s mother died in childbirth with him. And in our first set of questions, there was a question about, like, if you could change one thing about your childhood... ...Anything about the way you were raised. What would it be?</font></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><font face="arial">Joe DeCola: My mom. Yeah. I really think she would have been really an interesting woman.</font></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><font face="arial">Rebecca Vitali-DeCola: Yeah.</font></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><font face="arial"><br /></font></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><font face="arial">Joe DeCola: And a really good thing in my life.</font></div></span></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="arial" size="1"><br /></font></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="arial" size="2">.....</font></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><font face="arial" size="1"><br /></font></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><font face="arial">Rebecca Vitali-DeCola: [His mom] was so central in his narrative. There was a moment, and I think in set three, I think where it’s like, "If your apartment is burning and you can get all the people you love out and pets out of it, but you had to, like, go back for one material item, one possession. Like, what would you run back for in a fire?" And he said "This, you know, photograph I have of my mom." And yeah, I mean, I just kept crying. I could not stop crying, listening to him talk. And I didn’t know that. I mean, and that’s very significant. So, yeah, that was a revelation. It was just really poignant. He’s you know, he’s <font size="4">82</font> and he never met her. And she still occupies such an important part of his life and consciousness.</font></div></span></div></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><br /></div><div>Oh, how that story <font size="4">tugs</font> at my heart strings! 😥 It's amazing that an 82-year-old man can still <font size="4">miss</font> his mother <i>that </i>much! It makes me feel better knowing that my siblings and I aren't the only ones who are <font size="4">so</font> attached to their mom. Mothers and fathers really do make the world go 'round!</div></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Obviously, there are many sides to every story. My mom has her version of her dating/marriage story, too. My entire childhood family and my mom's siblings each have their individual perspectives about what </span>occurred<span style="font-family: inherit;"> with my mom's new relationship and marriage.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">*So, to anyone reading this blog post, just know that I dealt with my mom's situation in the </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">best</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> ways I knew how—and I was </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">always </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">trying to improve myself while processing everything! </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I tried <i>so very hard</i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> throughout the past six+ years to </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">do </b><span style="font-family: inherit;">and </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>be</b> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">the best</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> that I could for my parents, siblings, and myself. <font size="4">Regardless of anyone else's life experiences, <b>no one</b> can ever fully understand what I've been through, so I hope you will proceed with compassion and empathy toward me.</font> <i>My broken heart thanks you.</i> 😔</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">While working through my issues with my mom's elopement and her new marriage, I pondered various coping mechanisms I could utilize. One of the best ways for me to process life is by <font size="4">writing</font>. Yes, journal writing is always a <span style="font-size: large;">great idea</span>, but blogging is my absolute <font size="4"><i>favorite</i>! </font>💛</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thus, I felt a strong desire to share my thoughts and feelings about my "mother issues" through my blog. I even drafted a few blog posts about my mom and her situation over the past year+ (including before she eloped), but they remain unpublished. After being reprimanded by my sister because she felt a blog post about nearly everything in our situation was too hurtful, I decided to do more research.</span><br />
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Not publishing my previous blog drafts about my mother and her dating/marriage situation was probably a good idea. It's no surprise that I can be <span style="font-size: large;"><b>feisty</b></span> and "cutting" with my words if I want to. Most of the time, my words are lovely, uplifting, and kind. But I was <i><font size="4">so</font> </i>emotionally <b>hurt</b> by my mother that I was <i>more</i> than ready to let my pain and suffering <span style="font-size: large;">explode</span> like words spewing from the Hoover Dam! #<font size="4">no</font>shame! <i>Oh, the stories I could tell would make your head spin!</i> Even though it would have felt <font size="4">really great</font> to unload my feelings like that, it's probably best that I didn't publish my explosive sentences! 😄<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">While researching, I was so happy to read in several online sources that many experts state that <font size="4">sharing</font> our personal stories is <span style="font-size: large;"><font size="4">super helpful</font></span> for each of us. <span style="font-size: large;">Sharing our stories really <i>does </i>make us better people</span> and might even help others learn something new in the process! I immediately felt <font size="4">relief</font> and decided to compose a blog post that served not only my emotional healing, but one that could possibly help prevent others from making some of the mistakes I've endured (due to others' choices) over the past several years. <i>Yay for story sharing days!</i> 😁</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>By the way, it feels incredibly <font size="4">great</font> to finally be blogging again! 👏🏻 I've wanted to blog about endless topics over the past few years, but I was <i>so </i>torn up inside about the situation with my mom that I just couldn't go there. Plus, I spent quite a bit of my free time trying to <i>process</i> everything, so I truly didn't have it <i>in</i> me to blog about all of my issues until now. I'm <font size="4">so happy</font> to be posting on <i><a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/">Enthusiastic Fantastic</a></i> again! 😁</div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's what I've learned from my childhood family's issues—from my earliest memories, to literally today—in no particular order:</span><br />
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<li><font size="4"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you are a parent, you must </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><u>be</u></b> the parent</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> for your child no matter how old you or your child are. </span></font><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Don't "reverse" the roles of parent and child!</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Every child <font size="4">needs</font> and deserves their parents until the day they die. Even in the afterlife (I believe in the postmortal </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/spirit-world?lang=eng" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">spirit world</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">), parents should be watching over and helping their children to the extent possible. I truly believe the role of </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">parent </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">continues throughout eternity. *</span>A sweet example of parents always being there for their children in the proper parenting roles was shown in episode 10, season 6 of <i><a href="https://www.cbs.com/shows/madam-secretary/">Madam Secretary</a></i>. Stevie (First Daughter) is sitting between her parents, Elizabeth (Madam President) and Henry (First Gentleman), in the presidential limousine on the way to her wedding:</li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="arial">Elizabeth: So sweet of you, by the way, to drive with Dad and me. That means a lot. It's very sweet. Thank you.</font></div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="arial">Stevie: Yeah, well, I, um...I thought that it would give us a chance to talk.</font></div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="arial">Henry: Absolutely, What's on your mind?</font></div></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><font face="arial">Elizabeth: Listen, sweetheart, no matter how old you get or how many kids of your own you have, you can always come to us with anything, about anything.</font></div></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;">The scene continues in funny banter between spouses, parents, and child, but it fully illustrates the point that parents should remain a significant, <font size="4">devoted</font> source of comfort, safety, and love throughout their child's life. *As a side note, I'm super bummed that <i>Madam Secretary</i> was canceled! ☹</div></blockquote><div><ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><font size="4"><u>Regardless</u> of how your child is acting/behaving, <span style="font-size: large;">you must <i>always </i>show up as your child's parent!</span></font> Unless a parent has a significant impairment that prevents them from understanding that they are a parent, parents should always <font size="4">rise above</font> and <b>be </b>the good parent their child deserves. *If you have questions as to how to be a good parent, take the necessary time to <font size="4">learn</font>, be humble enough to make needed changes, and then continually put forth your <font size="4">best efforts</font> to become the wonderful parent your child deserves. It's never too late! Start today! Change happens the <i>instant </i>you decide!</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><font size="4">Realize how <i>incredibly </i>important you are to your child.</font> There is <font size="4"><u>nothing</u></font> that can <i>ever</i> replace the importance of a parent in a child's life. Parents are absolutely <font size="4"><a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2014/03/paramount-parents.html">paramount</a>!</font> Of course, nearly every child will one day create their own life, but they still need their parents no matter their age or the level of success they achieve!</span></li><li><font size="4">Create good, healthy relationships and support systems within your family, friends, and community.</font> Then, when you're struggling—because we all struggle at times throughout our lives—make sure you reach out to <i>that </i>support system you've created to help you work through your issues. <font size="4">Never put your child in the role of "therapist"</font> unless they are a fully grown adult who is happily established in their own life. Even then, <font size="4">use caution</font> with how much you rely on your child; keep your child as your <font size="4">first priority</font> in your relationship with them. If you're really in a jam and can't seem to unscramble the mess, find a well-credentialed <font size="4">therapist</font> who will help you figure everything out—it will benefit you, your entire family, and your posterity.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><font size="4">Give your loved ones a heads up if you are going to elope!</font> There is <i><u>never</u> </i>any excuse good enough to justify not sharing your upcoming wedding news with those closest to you. That <font size="4">doesn't</font> mean you need to include people <b><i>in </i></b>your wedding day specifically, you can totally have a private wedding, but you should definitely <font size="4">clue them in</font> as to what's about to happen! *I recently read <a href="https://www.standard.net/news/local/kaysville-couple-finds-true-love-marriage-in-this-crazy-age-of-coronavirus/article_ac708140-1a00-5a3a-909b-8edcb8ded7d4.html">this lovely story</a> about an older couple that found <font size="4">true love</font> during the COVID-19 pandemic. I ate up every word about the darling couple and <i>daydreamed </i>about how amazing it would have been if my mom had simply given me the <font size="4">opportunity</font> to somehow be involved in her engagement and wedding. 😢</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><font size="4">Do your utmost best in choosing your spouse.</font> Look at <i>every </i>characteristic possible to determine if you two are a match. Spend <font size="4">ample</font> time fully communicating about <i>everything </i>relevant to your future marriage and family. Don't leave <i>any </i>topic to chance! You don't want to discover a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Fx4I6CFupk">deal-breaker</a> after you've already made the serious, life-changing commitment to your spouse. Then, do <i>everything </i>within your power to help create and sustain a happy, loving, long-term marriage and family! Marriage depends on <font size="4">both</font> spouses continually giving their very best to each other—including forgiveness! 💛</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><font size="4">Unless there is abuse happening, <b>stay married</b> to your chosen spouse! Love each other wholeheartedly, unselfishly, and unconditionally throughout this life and into the next!</font> </span>Your first spouse should be your <i>only </i>spouse!<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Divorce should be your very </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>last</b> option</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> after </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">every </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">other resource has been exhausted. Only resort to divorce if your marriage is truly "dead" beyond recovery. For further thoughts on this, please read this wonderful talk, </span><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2007/04/divorce?lang=eng" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">"Divorce," by Dallin H. Oaks</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. *I fully understand there are certain situations that warrant divorce. I'm <font size="4">not</font> saying that divorce should never happen. I'm just saying that every couple should try their very best to make their marriage happy, healthy, and loving, and then </span><font size="4" style="font-family: inherit;">stay married</font><span style="font-family: inherit;">!</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div>So, where am I emotionally today? Well, I'm feeling a lot better compared to the emotional "bomb" I experienced in September, 2019, that's for darn sure! Obviously, blogging isn't the perfect answer to work through issues, by any means, but writing out and sharing my story has definitely helped—so thank you for reading! 😊</div><div><br /></div><div><font size="4">I still haven't met my new stepfather</font> (not even virtually or via phone call!) <font size="4">and I don't know if or when that will happen.</font> That feeling totally sucks, but I'm getting used to it. I know...that's complete and utter <i>craziness</i>, but it's the truth.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, on to a few happier things:</div><div><br /></div><div>The fantastic news is, I've paid to have my <a href="https://domains.google/">domain name</a> remain <font size="4">active</font> for <i><a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/">Enthusiastic Fantastic</a></i> through 2029! <i>Woohoo and yippee skippee!</i> I find <font size="4">great satisfaction</font> in knowing that my blog will live on for at least another nine+ years—it gives me true <font size="4">joy! 🤩</font></div><div><br /></div><div>And I must share these happy photos that my children took of Greg and me on Mother's Day, 2020! My children know that one of the very <font size="4">best</font> gifts they can give me are photos! 📸 Greg, our three darlings, and I spent quite a bit of time posing and taking photos as my main Mother's Day gift. We had the <b>best </b>time together! 💛💙🧡💚💜</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm so very thankful for my <font size="4">amazing</font> family—that literally exists because Greg and I fell <i>eternally</i> in love! 😍 Greg and I are 100% committed and faithful to each other, and I'm beyond grateful that our family reaps the benefits of our happy, healthy marriage every single day!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ovNtLU59yeDLtbtp9JEDzZbtzO_qZj6WrEodyYZiknR2KgZzp1XTNLRC2oZwuWyiwA0QvmhX6SEWLhfGvDGpFSQSB7o9nEy4WXliuAqVNwaD2aHYQ7fKfap7uAmAwZYFH57vrL-CDarU/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2227" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ovNtLU59yeDLtbtp9JEDzZbtzO_qZj6WrEodyYZiknR2KgZzp1XTNLRC2oZwuWyiwA0QvmhX6SEWLhfGvDGpFSQSB7o9nEy4WXliuAqVNwaD2aHYQ7fKfap7uAmAwZYFH57vrL-CDarU/w354-h640/%25C2%25A9+Mother%2527s+Day+2020+1.jpg" width="354" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Greg & Adrie Peterson 💙💛 05/10/2020 🥰</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvM-9QBOosevU8JVF4sZkJvFsBSzHAULgts2xuvEg8ltdI4FpWR7FCpxbmULstOYjqvtOPDm0ql7OyGXcOkHy8w6eXojNcN28sINjTvCTRhztwnBJbIBtzEYcrxpDdr-bw6BKz-R7ssyFK/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3545" data-original-width="2203" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvM-9QBOosevU8JVF4sZkJvFsBSzHAULgts2xuvEg8ltdI4FpWR7FCpxbmULstOYjqvtOPDm0ql7OyGXcOkHy8w6eXojNcN28sINjTvCTRhztwnBJbIBtzEYcrxpDdr-bw6BKz-R7ssyFK/w398-h640/%25C2%25A9+Mother%2527s+Day+2020+2.jpg" width="398" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Greg and I were acting like robots for this one! #robotdancers! Ha ha 😂</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">*02/15/2021—Update:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Things are getting a <i>tiny </i>bit better in my childhood family. I've had a <i>smidgen </i>of contact with my new stepfather—both through kind holiday/birthday cards and gifts, and a couple of text messages. But no, I still haven't met him in person, nor have I talked with him over the phone or even virtually. I really don't know <i>if </i>or when <span style="font-size: large;">any</span> of that will <i>ever</i> happen, and it's <span style="font-size: large;">confusing.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">My mom and I have had several more talks via phone call and the Marco Polo app; we're working on this new normal of our family dynamic. I'm bummed I haven't seen her in one-and-a-half years, and I don't know if/when I'll see her in person again. 😔 Overall, it's still a difficult situation for me, but the difficulty has lessened a little as time passes. I wish I had better news for this <i>unbelievable </i>situation, but it is what it is!</div></span></div></div></div>Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-34551943682524304432019-07-08T14:39:00.003-06:002019-07-12T01:04:09.196-06:00My Jerry Maguire Moment<span style="font-family: inherit;">At 10:37 p.m. this past Friday, I published a blog post that took me a couple of days to write. It was a deep, heartfelt, very <i><span style="font-size: large;">raw</span> </i>piece of work. I worried about sharing it here on <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i> because it contained <b>a lot</b> of <span style="font-size: large;">truths</span> that would probably hurt the feelings of my childhood family (i.e., my "first" family; the family of my birth), and possibly further damage our relationships, but I posted it anyway. 😬</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Around 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, I awoke with my heart pounding and the thoughts <i>rushed </i>into my mind, <span style="font-size: large;">"What have I <i>done</i>?! I need to go revert my blog post back to a draft RIGHT NOW!"</span> Yes, it was a true Jerry Maguire moment—I <i>laugh </i>that I now feel such a kinship to a fictional character! 😂</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Like Jerry at the beginning of his journey, I typed and typed and <span style="font-size: large;">typed</span><b> </b>to create my truth-filled blog post! I endlessly wrote my feelings about, observations of, and solutions to my issues with members of my childhood family—things I've thought throughout the years but haven't said publicly. It was <i>such </i>a therapeutic opportunity for me and I <span style="color: magenta;">loved </span>every minute of it! 💛 <i>But then</i> the <b>panic</b> set in, just like Jerry Maguire's realization moment!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sadly, this YouTube clip doesn't show Jerry's pit-in-the-stomach scene when he finally internalizes what he's done by creating his 25-page memo and sharing it with everyone in his company (they edited it out 👎). <i>Spoiler alert!</i> Jerry's bold, truthful actions got him <span style="font-size: large;">fired!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="text-align: center;">Side note:</i><span style="text-align: center;"><i> </i>you can watch</span><i style="text-align: center;"> Jerry Maguire</i><span style="text-align: center;"> (the creator of this video clip spelled Maguire wrong!) for </span><b style="text-align: center;">free </b><span style="text-align: center;">on </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jerry-Maguire-Tom-Cruise/dp/B00170M2JY" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Amazon</a><span style="text-align: center;"> if you're willing to watch it with commercials! 😃 *Also, I don't normally endorse rated R movies, but I saw </span><i style="text-align: center;">Jerry Maguire</i><span style="text-align: center;"> when I was a </span><i style="text-align: center;">very </i><span style="text-align: center;">young adult and I hadn't made the commitment to not watch rated R movies. I personally own the content-edited-for-TV version and I absolutely love it! #noswearing 😀 Despite its conflicts in many areas with my personal beliefs and commitments, </span><i style="text-align: center;">Jerry Maguire</i><span style="text-align: center;"> has some </span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">great</span><span style="text-align: center;"> universal truths that everyone can learn from.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I had the same type of <span style="font-size: large;">freak-out</span> thoughts when I awoke so early Saturday morning: <span style="font-size: large;">If members of my childhood family read my brutally honest blog post, they just might not recover! I could be <i>fired </i>from my childhood family! 😂</span> And, when I <i>really </i>thought about it, <b>no</b>, I didn't and don't want to be fired from my childhood family. Because, for good and bad, family is family, after all. <span style="font-size: large;">💔</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I quickly got out of bed and sleepily hurried down the stairs as <i>speedily </i>as I could without falling over—I always get headrush when I get out of bed too fast! When I pulled up my blog's stats on "Hmm, What to Say," I was relieved to see that only three people had viewed my blog post—<i>whew!</i>—and I was one, if not two of them! Ha ha. 😅 After I clicked "Revert to draft," I felt <i>immediate </i><span style="font-size: large;">relief</span>! My heart quit pounding, and I happily and very slowly went back upstairs to bed. I <span style="font-size: large;">instantly</span> fell back asleep and slept <span style="font-size: large;">well</span> the rest of the night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When I awoke a few hours later, I wondered if I had overreacted by reverting "Hmm, What to Say" back to a draft. I pulled up my blog post on my phone—thankfully, it was still there from the night before! I felt so <span style="font-size: large;">sneaky</span> reading my blog post that technically wasn't there anymore—it was <i>such </i>my <span style="font-size: large;">fun</span> little secret! 😄 That sounds <span style="font-size: large;">so silly</span>, but I loved it!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I read through "Hmm, What to Say" again and was <span style="font-size: large;">very happy</span> 😇 with my blogging efforts—it was a <b><span style="font-size: large;">great</span> </b>post that I loved writing and reading! Yet after analyzing my words in the <i>very </i><span style="font-size: large;">bright </span>morning <span style="font-size: large;">light</span> of my corner bedroom, I <i>knew </i>I had made the right decision to revert it back to a draft and not keep it posted here.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sunday, after church, while Greg and I were having a <span style="font-size: large;">deep</span> conversation about both of our childhood families, I read "Hmm, What to Say" to him. It was such <span style="font-size: large;">fun</span> reading aloud my words that I had so painstakingly composed. Greg thought it was a great post, too! <i>Yay!</i> Disclaimer: I <i>gushed </i><span style="font-size: large;">quite a bit</span> about Greg in my post, so of course he enjoyed it! Ha ha.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Greg eventually agreed with me that I <span style="font-size: large;">shouldn't</span> post "Hmm, What to Say" on my blog. He only admitted that after I <span style="font-size: large;">pestered</span> him to <i>really </i>tell me what he thought. Greg <b>is </b>and has <i>always </i>been 100% supportive of my blogging efforts here on <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i>. He continually says, "Write <i>whatever </i>you want! It's your blog!" and has never wanted to get in the way of any of my blog posts. So it took <b>a lot</b> for him to tell me not to post it—and I definitely listened to him <i>because </i>of that fact.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the end, I'm <span style="font-size: large;">so thankful</span> I took the time to blog about something so serious, even though I didn't keep it published here. Writing is <b>so </b><span style="font-size: large;">therapeutic</span> to my soul, it <i>always </i>makes me a <b>better </b>version of myself! <span style="font-size: large;">I <i>especially </i><b><span style="color: magenta;">love</span></b> blogging and always will!</span> I'm so truly <span style="font-size: large;">grateful</span> to <i>Blogger </i>for hosting such a <span style="font-size: large;">great</span><span style="font-size: large;"> space</span> where I can share myself on the <i>World Wide Web</i>! <i>Thank you, </i>Blogger<i>, from the bottom of my heart!</i> 😘</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here is a quote from Elder Neal A. Maxwell's brilliant talk, "<a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1997/04/enduring-well?lang=eng" target="_blank">Enduring Well</a>," that we can all learn from. His words apply to <i>every </i>experience we have in this life—<span style="font-size: large;">especially when it comes to our families.</span> 😊</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"Part of enduring well consists of being meek enough, amid our suffering, to learn from our relevant experiences. Rather than simply passing through these things, they must pass through us and do so in ways which sanctify these experiences for our good </span>(see <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/122.7?lang=eng#p7" target="_blank">D&C 122:7</a>)<span style="font-size: x-large;">. Thereby, our empathy, too, is enriched and everlasting."</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am <span style="font-size: large;">grateful</span> for Elder Maxwell's wise words and will try my best to remember them when dealing with my childhood family and our ongoing issues.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, I found this fabulous dress (photos below <span style="font-size: large;">↓</span>) at <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.lulus.com/categories/95_254/dresses-on-sale.html?pp=120" target="_blank">Lulus</a></span> for a fantastic price of only $14! Yes, I really did! <i>Believe it!</i> 😄 This dress is no longer available, as Lulus' inventory moves very<i> </i>quickly—especially when it's on sale. But Lulus always has <span style="font-size: large;">amazing</span> dresses and if you watch their website closely, you can frequently get outstanding deals like this one. That said, if you find a dress that you absolutely <i>can't </i>live without, I <span style="font-size: large;">don't</span> recommend waiting for it to go on sale because you might miss out on your size! And I don't want anyone living with dress regrets! 😂</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">*By the by, I'm <b>not </b>being paid or sponsored in <i>any </i>way to share my thoughts about Lulus—they are mine and mine alone without any sort of outside influence whatsoever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh, how I <span style="color: magenta;">love</span> dresses and dressing up! 😍 I'm <i>so </i>grateful that my sweet little family puts up with my dress obsession and takes photos of me wearing said obsessions whenever I ask them! Ha ha. 😆 My darling Gregor took these photos for me after I got home from church yesterday. I love how he snapped a <span style="font-size: large;">bunch</span> of pics while I was trying to keep my hair from blowing all over the place—it's fun to see behind the scenes! <span style="font-size: large;"><i>Thank you, Greg! </i>💙😘</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Bye now! I hope you have a wonderful day! 👋😀</span></div>
Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-2281581556276482412019-05-10T12:29:00.001-06:002020-09-15T15:37:23.989-06:00Just Say "NO!" to Mark Zuckerberg<span style="font-family: inherit;">Guess what?! I finally and thoroughly said "NO!" to Mark Zuckerberg! And just <i>how </i>did I say <span style="font-size: large;">no</span> to the all-powerful Zuck, you ask? Simply by <span style="font-size: large;">deleting</span> my Facebook account! 👏😃 I'm also leaving Instagram, but that process is taking longer to complete than it took for me to delete my Facebook account—more on that to come.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You might wonder why I suddenly decided to delete Facebook after all of these years, and leave my beloved Instagram. Well, it's because <span style="font-size: large;">I read a lot of articles that share just how <i>much</i> Facebook and now Instagram have <b>messed</b> with our society.</span> It's <b>not </b>good news! If you're interested, here are the articles I read that solidified my decision:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/03/21/705588364/facebook-stored-millions-of-user-passwords-in-plain-readable-text" target="_blank">Facebook Stored Millions Of User Passwords In Plain, Readable Text</a>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/03/instagram-is-the-internets-new-home-for-hate/585382/" target="_blank">Instagram Is the Internet’s New Home for Hate</a></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/03/instagram-is-the-internets-new-home-for-hate/585382/" target="_blank">As other social networks wage a very public war against misinformation, it's thriving on Instagram.</a>"</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/13/technology/facebook-data-deals-investigation.html" target="_blank">Facebook’s Data Deals Are Under Criminal Investigation</a>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.thisisinsider.com/instagram-posts-encouraging-eating-disorders-spiralling-out-of-control-psychiatrists-warn-2019-3" target="_blank">Instagram posts encouraging eating disorders are 'spiralling out of control,' psychiatrists warn</a>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/03/facebook-phone-number-look-up/" target="_blank">Facebook won’t let you opt out of its phone number ‘look up’ setting</a>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/330200" target="_blank">Facebook and Instagram Going Dark Should Be a Wake Up Call for Entrepreneurs</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/330200" target="_blank">Social media is a tool you use. Your website and your email list are assets you own.</a></i><span style="font-size: medium;">"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/facebook-crumbles-around-its-lonely-king-2019-03-22" target="_blank">Opinion: Facebook crumbles around its lonely king</a></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/facebook-crumbles-around-its-lonely-king-2019-03-22" target="_blank">Shareholders gave Mark Zuckerberg all the power, and now watch as top executives walk away from his iron-fisted rule</a>"</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<a href="https://mashable.com/article/facebook-millions-of-plain-text-passwords/#TESut4V8csqE" target="_blank">Why Facebook waited 3 months to disclose its latest privacy screw-up</a>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/21/technology/personaltech/facebook-deleted.html" target="_blank">I Deleted Facebook Last Year. Here’s What Changed (and What Didn’t).</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/21/technology/personaltech/facebook-deleted.html" target="_blank">Our personal tech columnist didn’t lose touch with his true friends — but strange things did occur, including Instagram thinking he was a woman.</a></i>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Also, in late 2018, I watched <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/facebook-dilemma/" target="_blank">Frontline's documentary</a>, <span style="font-size: large;">"The Facebook Dilemma,"</span> and it definitely had an influence on my <i>#deleteFacebook!</i> decision. I <span style="font-size: large;">highly</span> recommend watching Frontline's entire presentation! ⭐</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">What's crazy is that those articles are just a sampling of the negative press about Facebook! Instagram didn't used to have much bad press, but since it was bought by Facebook, I've seen IG in the press more and more and it's not good news. Oh, how I <i>wish </i>Instagram had never sold-out to Facebook! 👎 That said, let's continue with my story. 😊</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">On March 23rd, 2019, I logged back into Facebook for the <span style="font-size: large;">first time</span> in four years so I could finally <span style="font-size: large;">delete</span> my account once and for all! (I deactivated my account on March 9th, 2015.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let me tell you, logging back in to Fakebook was the <i>strangest </i>moment I've had in the past four years! It was <i><span style="font-size: large;">so </span></i><span style="font-size: large;">odd</span> seeing very familiar parts of FB, but there were also new things I wasn't familiar with. I read the instructions as to how to download all of my data and permanently delete my Facebook account; it took me a while to figure everything out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">While I waited to get my Facebook account's data download, I looked at several people's pages that I hadn't had contact with since I left that <i>blue and white</i> world. I was surprised to see that a couple of my friends had new babies, and several friends had moved to new homes, but everything else in everyone else's lives pretty much <span style="font-size: large;">fell in line</span> with their posts from four+ years ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It was <b>so </b><span style="font-size: large;">interesting</span> to note that all of my Facebook friends and family (that I don't have continuous/regular contact with) <span style="font-size: large;">basically stayed the same</span>—meaning, <span style="font-size: large;">we <b><i>are </i></b>who we are!</span> Good, bad, or indifferent, we fundamentally <i>don't </i>significantly change over the years! It really was such a <span style="font-size: large;"><i>fascinating</i></span> "experiment" on my end! I'm actually <span style="font-size: large;">really glad</span> I was able to experience my own version of a "social scientist study" by being active on Facebook, then deactivating my account, and later going back on it for a couple of hours!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">What surprised me the most about my adventure of logging back in to Facebook is how much <span style="font-size: large;">time</span> I spent there! 😬 I pulled up <span style="font-size: large;">many</span> pages of people I wanted to check up on, so that took time in and of itself. Yet I never could have predicted my many random clicks—i.e., my <i>wonderings </i>about other people who showed up on my friends/family members pages—and how <span style="font-size: large;">long</span> my "inquiries" took to resolve! 😆</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I really "fell down" the <i>Facebook Rabbit Hole</i> and it was nothing close to a happy <i>Wonderland</i>! Ha ha. <span style="font-size: large;">It was a stark reminder of how Facebook is/was <b>not </b>good for me—it's a <i><span style="font-size: medium;">HUGE</span> </i>time waster!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">*Please let me clarify that the people I care about <i>aren't </i>a waste of time. </span>It's just that the <i>way</i> Facebook is set up is meant to make us waste as much time on there as possible, which is not good for us. If you'd like concrete evidence of that fact, read this statement from <a href="http://mediakit.nymag.com/#_ga=2.126512526.2063655875.1557418304-72817217.1557418304" target="_blank">New York Media</a>'s <i><a href="http://mediakit.nymag.com/intelligencer/" target="_blank">Intelligencer</a> </i>article, <span style="font-size: large;">"<a href="http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/11/facebook-sean-parker-talks-about-psychology-of-hooking-users.html" target="_blank">Sean Parker: We Built Facebook to Exploit You</a>": </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"Parker explained just how he and the other early Facebookers built the platform to 'consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible.'"</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sean's statement makes me <i>cringe </i>and get a <i><span style="font-size: large;">pit</span> </i>in my stomach! It's <span style="font-size: large;">terrible</span> what the Facebook machine has <span style="font-size: large;">purposely</span> and very <span style="font-size: large;">knowingly</span> done—and continues to do—to our society!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you'd like to hear more from Sean Parker's interview, watch this video that also includes an interview with Chamath Palihapitiya, an early senior executive at Facebook</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J54k7WrbfMg" target="_blank">Sean Parker, Chamath Palihapitiya - Facebook is 'Ripping Apart Society'</a></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">*As a warning, be aware that Chamath uses strong language—i.e., swear/cuss words which I can't stand!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When it came down to actually deleting my Facebook account, I double checked everything very carefully. I made sure I had <b>all </b>of my data because those posts/messages/comments were important memories from my family's history! 💖 Once I was certain that my data download was complete, I clicked the blue box that said <span style="font-size: large;">"<span style="background-color: yellow;">⚠</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: #0b5394; color: white;">Delete Account</span>"</span>! It was such an <span style="font-size: large;">amazing</span> feeling to click that button, you have <i>no </i>idea! Wow, talk about an adrenaline rush! 👏😃</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Okay, that might seem like a strange reaction to have, but knowing I still had a Facebook account—even though it was deactivated—was always in the back of my mind, and it <span style="font-size: large;">bothered</span> me! I felt like a hypocrite because I so did <b>not</b> support Facebook and all of the problems it's introduced into our society, yet I still owned my deactivated account! 😬 By continuing to have a deactivated Facebook account, I <i>wasn't </i>living <span style="font-size: large;">congruently</span> to my soul. Thus I was so very <span style="font-size: large;">happy</span> to rectify my incongruous situation by <i>finally </i><b>deleting </b>my Facebook account! <i>Yay yay happy day!</i> 😁</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">*In my estimation, my previous Facebook account has now been deleted from our universe for two-and-a-half weeks! <i>Woohoo! </i>👊</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Deciding to also delete my private Instagram account was a bit more difficult for me. I absolutely <i><span style="font-size: large;">loved</span> </i>my time on Instagram over the past five years—I joined on February 26th, 2014—and I knew I'd deeply miss it. <span style="font-size: large;">😥</span> Yet after reading all of the articles I listed above, and knowing how Instagram has fundamentally changed for the <span style="font-size: large;">worse</span> since Facebook gained control, I <i>knew</i> what I had to do.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When I downloaded my private Instagram account's data, I was <i>extremely </i><b>disappointed </b>to find that Instagram doesn't put your photos and captions in the same files! In fact, I couldn't even <i>find </i>all of my photo captions! They seemed to be hidden away deep within my data download, and the only way I could access them was to download my captions' file folder contents to a <span style="font-size: large;">sketchy</span> online program that converted them into an Excel spreadsheet which I then had to re-download.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I later discovered that that online conversion program downloaded a tracking virus to my computer, too. Boo! 😠 Thankfully, I eradicated the virus from my computer. But even when the sketchy online conversion program separated out my captions into the Excel spreadsheet, some of my captions were <i>still </i>missing—which ticked me off!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After all of the time and effort I spent downloading my Instagram world, I realized that this manipulation of our data is yet <i>another </i><span style="font-size: large;"><b>devious </b>Facebook tactic</span> meant to keep its users hooked and brainwashed every day! But I <b>will not </b>fall for it! <i>No, I will not!</i> #feistyAdrie 😇</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thus, as much as I was <span style="font-size: large;">so giddy</span> to also delete my private Instagram account right away, it will have to wait for a future day hopefully not too far away. For now, I need to work on copying/pasting all of my photo captions into a Word document. Unfortunately, my captions won't match up exactly with my photo files as Instagram's data download just groups them by month 😞, but at least I'll have them!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Greg suggested that I create a private blog to post our photos and captions there, but that would take up entirely too much of my time as I have <span style="font-size: large;">950</span> private Instagram posts and multiple photos on many of them! So yeah, at this point, I'd rather have a journal-type document and keep it in the same computer file as my Instagram photos. It's not a perfect system, but it's better than not having my captions at all!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You see, I absolutely <span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">loved</span> writing photo captions on my Instagram posts! It really helped me remember all of the wonderfulness or frustration of each day or experience that I posted about. Plus, I just love love love words!!! #EnthusiasticFantastic! 😁 So yes, a big part of the reason I loved contributing on Instagram was because of the wordy details I shared there. <i>I love composing captions!</i> 💛</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And yes, I fully know that blogging is the <span style="font-size: large;">best way</span> to share large amounts of words, which is why I'm currently in the process of retraining my brain to come <i><span style="font-size: large;">blog</span> </i>at my computer rather than composing and posting via my smart phone. It's been a <span style="font-size: large;">long process</span> to eradicate the "addictiveness" of Instagram from my daily life, but I'm totally getting there! I <i><span style="font-size: large;">am</span> </i>making progress in my Instagram-free efforts! Yay! A fabulous quote I heard last night (while listening to a <i>wonderful </i>BYU Devotional, <span style="font-size: large;">"<a href="https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/j-b-haws_wrestling-with-comparisons/" target="_blank">Wrestling with Comparisons</a>"</span> by J.B. Haws—go listen to it right now! 😀) really helps me solidify that <span style="font-size: large;">writing on my blog is one of the <b>best</b> things I can do:</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"Writing makes an exact man."</span><br />– Francis Bacon</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I absolutely love that quote and couldn't agree more! Yes, writing makes me an exact woman! <span style="font-size: large;">#<a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2016/01/nine-reasons-everyone-should-write-blog.html" target="_blank">choosetowrite</a>! 😁</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are some of my Instagram side notes: my final post was on April 3rd, 2019; I completely deleted the app from my phone; I no longer scroll my feed; and copying/pasting my many photo captions into a Word doc will be one of my summertime projects of 2019!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Guess what else?!</i> I have even <span style="font-size: large;">more</span> information to share about why we should just say "NO!" to Mark Zuckerberg and get <span style="font-size: large;">off</span> <b>all </b>of the social media platforms Facebook controls. <i>Are you ready for this?!</i> 😃</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A little while after I started my Facebook account deletion process, I saw this incredible new TED Talk given by </span><a href="https://www.ted.com/speakers/carole_cadwalladr" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Carole Cadwalladr</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> at TED's April, 2019 conference—it's an absolute must-watch!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/carole_cadwalladr_facebook_s_role_in_brexit_and_the_threat_to_democracy/transcript" target="_blank">Facebook's role in Brexit — and the threat to democracy</a>"</span></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/carole_cadwalladr_facebook_s_role_in_brexit_and_the_threat_to_democracy" style="height: 100%; left: 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: 0px; width: 100%;" width="854"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Around that same time, I stumbled upon this article that <i>deeply </i>disturbed me 😧:<br /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"</span><a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/inside-the-secret-facebook-war-for-mormon-hearts-and-minds" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">Inside the Secret Facebook War For Mormon Hearts and Minds</a><span style="text-align: center;">"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here is the gist about what one former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints did to his family members and friends, <i>and </i>the other people whose family/friends signed up for his "services" online via personalized Facebook ads—it's utterly <i>appalling </i>to me! I just can't believe that Facebook allows such blatant targeting of its users!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"...The project was called MormonAds, and it was a brief but perhaps unprecedented experiment in targeted religious dissuasion. In four months at the end of 2017, the project targeted more than 5,000 practicing Mormons with messages painstakingly crafted to serve as gentle introductions to the messier elements of LDS history that were glossed over within the church. All the names and email addresses for the campaign came from disillusioned ex-Mormons.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"...Jones had a working knowledge of Facebook's ads tool through his business, and he knew that he could precision target an ad to a custom audience as small as 20 people. All he needed were their email addresses. 'If I target my family with ads, then I’m not the apostate messenger,' he said. 'Maybe they’ll look at it or read it. If they knew what I knew about Mormon history, they’d understand why I left the church.'"</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Based on that article alone, <span style="font-size: large;">it's clear that Facebook is <i>not</i> safe for any of us! Facebook is <b>not </b>our friend in any way, shape, or form!</span> We should run as far and as fast as we can <span style="font-size: large;">away</span> from Facebook's creepy alternate universe!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All of the information I've shared in this post would have <span style="font-size: large;">easily</span> been enough, but yesterday morning, I was introduced to two additional, <i>shocking </i>articles that further support my stance that we should all <b>delete </b>our Facebook and Instagram accounts <i>immediately</i>! I highly recommend reading both of them as they will <i>blow </i>your mind! 💣💥 I hope they will convince you to strongly say "NO!" to Mark Zuckerberg, too! #justdoit! #justsayNO!<br /></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/" target="_blank">The New York Times</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Opinion</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/opinion/sunday/chris-hughes-facebook-zuckerberg.html" target="_blank">It's Time to Break Up Facebook</a>"</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Verge</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/25/18229714/cognizant-facebook-content-moderator-interviews-trauma-working-conditions-arizona" target="_blank">THE TRAUMA FLOOR</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><i><a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/25/18229714/cognizant-facebook-content-moderator-interviews-trauma-working-conditions-arizona" target="_blank">The secret lives of Facebook moderators in America</a></i><span style="font-size: large;">"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">If we want anything to change within our social media atmosphere, we must band together and stand up for what is right and true! You might think I'm overreacting, but I <i>know </i>I'm not. </span><span style="font-size: large;">The future of our society for generations to come </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">depends </i><span style="font-size: large;">on what we all do right now! We can<i>not</i> wait for some government to change our social media climate! Only </span><b style="font-size: x-large;"><i>we</i></b><span style="font-size: large;"><i> </i>can make that positive change that needs to be made!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">With every bit of seriousness I can muster, <i>please </i>understand that </span><span style="font-size: medium;">(from everything I've read, watched, and listened to) </span><span style="font-size: large;">Mark Zuckerberg certainly will </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">NOT</b><span style="font-size: large;"> be the positive and righteous change agent for our world. <b>No</b>, Zuck is fully looking to </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">keep </b><span style="font-size: large;">his world domination and has </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">zero </i><span style="font-size: large;">intentions of </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">ever </i><span style="font-size: large;">stepping down from his data-driven, citizen-powered throne! Furthermore, the many Facebook executives and employees won't step up and make the necessary changes either because they're all enjoying their <i>vast </i>amounts of money entirely too much—money that they've all made from <b>us</b> wasting our precious time on their addictive and destructive apps!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, you might be wondering <span style="font-size: large;">where I will </span><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">go</span> </i></b>in our social media universe, as there aren't too many options outside of Facebook's empire. It's true, I'm definitely <span style="font-size: large;">not</span> going to give up social media all together just because of a few <i>really </i><span style="font-size: large;">bad</span> apples in the basket. Thus, after doing <span style="font-size: large;">a lot</span> of research, I decided to join <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/" target="_blank">Flickr</a></span>! <i>Yay Flickr!</i> 😀</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I really like that Flickr was sold by Yahoo in 2018 to a conscientious, family-owned company named <a href="https://www.smugmug.com/about" target="_blank">SmugMug</a>. Based on what I've researched, Flickr is now <i>all </i>about its users': photographs; experience on Flickr; connection with people they <i>want </i>to be connected to; and <span style="font-size: large;">privacy!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I also <span style="font-size: large;">love</span> the fact that I can pay for <a href="https://www.flickr.com/account/upgrade/pro" target="_blank">Flickr Pro</a>(!) and get the following, "Unlimited storage, ad-free browsing, advanced stats, and more." I am <i>so </i>interested in unlimited storage, and <i>especially </i>in an advertisement-free(!) Flickr experience! Yes, I am totally willing to pay a small fee for social media <span style="font-size: large;">freedom</span> from constant advertisements and <i>insane </i>invasions of my privacy!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you're interested, here's more information about the Flickr/SmugMug partnership:<br /></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://www.smugmug.com/together/faq" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">SmugMug + Flickr Frequently Asked Questions</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/about" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">About Flickr</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://help.flickr.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Flickr Help</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://help.flickr.com/categories/faqs-BkIqwmmlX" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Flickr FAQs</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">*In case you're wondering, <b>no</b>, I have <span style="font-size: large;">not</span> been asked to promote Flickr in <i>any </i>way. I've <b>not </b>been contacted by Flickr to sign up, share my thoughts, nor anything close to that. I'm simply sharing my opinion on what I think is currently the <span style="font-size: large;">best</span> replacement for Instagram and Facebook.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The only problem is, I can't get any of my friends to sign up on Flickr with me because they're all so <i>in love </i>with Instagram and Facebook! (They're probably also "addicted" to IG and FB to some extent.) #sosadface! 😢 My dearest mom and sweet auntie have both signed up on Flickr (Thank you, darling ladies!) and we're now following each other, but we're <i>it</i>! Oh, how I would <span style="font-size: large;">love</span> it if my other family members and friends joined me on Flickr!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are my stats for my other social media accounts:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I don't plan to ever quit Twitter unless something <span style="font-size: large;">really <i>crazy</i></span><i> </i>happens in the future. I haven't used Twitter a lot yet, as I've been <span style="font-size: large;">super busy</span> lately, but that awesome time will come in the future where I'll be sharing my blog post links to Twitter on a regular basis! <i>Yay yay happy Twitter days!</i> 😄 I've researched Twitter's CEO, Jack Dorsey, and while he seems a little extreme in some of his personal views and habits, I feel <span style="font-size: large;">much better</span> about him and his leadership capabilities than I ever did about Mark Zuckerberg. Maybe I'll just refer to Jack as being a little <span style="font-size: large;"><i>eccentric</i></span>...as we all are in our own ways! 😉</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I will totally keep my Pinterest and LinkedIn accounts, too. I share my blog post links on Pinterest, but I also love posting the many additional articles, videos, and podcasts I feel are worth sharing and referring back to. I'm not super active on LinkedIn, but I absolutely understand the <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;">tremendous</span> value</span> of being a member on LinkedIn! It is a <i><span style="font-size: large;">great</span> </i>networking tool!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And <i>of course</i>, I will continue <span style="font-size: large;">sharing</span> here on Enthusiastic Fantastic! It <b>is </b>and will remain my main internet and social media <span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">love</span> <i>forever</i>! 😄 Unless something catastrophic happens to me or the <i>world wide web</i>, I will <span style="font-size: large;">always</span> keep posting here!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, I understand that many of you will choose to stay connected via Facebook and Instagram indefinitely, which is totally your right and privilege. I <i>won't </i>hold your choices against you—I promise! 😘 We are all <span style="font-size: large;">so blessed</span> to have the God-given <span style="font-size: large;">gift</span> of free agency! Each of us gets to choose how we live our marvelous miraculous lives and spend our precious beautiful days. 💗 <i>But </i>we are also subject to the <span style="font-size: large;">consequences</span> of our many actions—be they good, bad, or boring. 😉 Thus, we must be satisfied with the choices we make, for it is <i>terrible </i>to be filled with regret! Yes, I'm so happy that I choose to live my life <i>free</i> of regrets every day!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My sincere <span style="font-size: large;">hope</span> is that each of us as individuals, and our society as a whole, will <span style="font-size: large;">wake up</span> to this <i><span style="font-size: large;">mess</span> </i>Mark Zuckerberg has created and <b><span style="font-size: x-large;">be</span></b> the positive change that makes our world a better place for everyone!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Have a great day making your best choices! 😘</span></span></div>
Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-65302264321425863652019-03-18T00:43:00.004-06:002019-03-18T00:43:43.476-06:00Be One: Being One with the Saints<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hi! 😀 Yesterday morning, I was a speaker in my ward's sacrament meeting! I had several friends ask if they could have a copy of my talk, so I decided to publish it here on my blog! 😃 While I had such a <span style="font-size: large;">great</span> time researching and writing my talk (I would have enjoyed the process even if it was only for me!), <span style="font-size: large;">I'm so very happy others found my words to be helpful! 💛</span> I hope you enjoy them, too! 😘 Have a wonderful day! 😁</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">✯✯✯✯✯</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Be One: Being One with the Saints </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Adrie Peterson</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">03/17/2019 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Good morning! 😀 I’m super excited with the topic I’ve been asked to speak about, which is: <i>Be One: Being One with the Saints. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To begin, let’s discuss what it really means to be considered a saint. We’re not talking about the worldly view of sainthood—you know, the one that engenders the image of perfection with a halo on top—rather, the true, foundational definition of <i>saints</i> contained in the scriptures.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">While summarizing the Book of Acts with my daughter for her World Religions class, I enjoyed knowing that the first disciples of Christ—the believers—were <span style="font-size: large;">always</span> called saints—even though they fumbled their way through everything and frequently made mistakes. In the Bible Dictionary, it clarifies that in the New Testament, saints are all those who entered into the Christian covenant through baptism. In <i>Guide to the Scriptures</i>, a saint is defined as a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ. Mosiah 3:19 explains that we becometh saints through the atonement of Christ the Lord. Romans 1:7 tells us that those who are “beloved of God” are “called to be saints.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">From these examples, it’s evident that if we’ve been given the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we’ve been baptized in His name, and we’re striving our best to be His disciples, and we’re faithfully utilizing His Atonement, and we are obviously “beloved of God,” then we, too, are called to be saints—the latter-day version! 😊</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Okay, so now that we know all current members of the Church of Jesus Christ are called to be <i>Latter-day Saints</i>, why is it important that we continually <b><i>be one</i></b> with the saints?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As you well know, we are currently living in a fallen world where things are definitely less than celestial.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Journalist and author, Sebastian Junger, has written a book that talks about how our modern society—while great for ease, convenience, physical health, safety, affluence, and other positives—is actually causing us significant psychological problems, which include increasing rates of depression, PTSD, and suicide.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He points out our great need for belonging in tight-knit communities that highlight loyalty, meaning, and opportunities to help others. He explains that when humans don’t have those close, interpersonal relationships with opportunities to participate, collaborate, and be involved in others’ lives, we will absolutely <b>not</b> do well. He further states that, “Humans do not survive alone in nature—they don’t survive psychologically, and they don’t survive physically—they die in every sense.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He also writes about how contempt is especially corrosive to the unity we humans are seeking and yearning for because it implies that one group doesn’t deserve society’s benefits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All of that said, Mr. Junger shares this good news: that being embedded in a close community buffers people from their psychological problems. He absolutely believes that the way to save humanity begins at the community level.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I couldn’t help but associate all of that information with the significant benefits of being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It’s amazing to see how our Church—and <b><i>all</i></b> it encompasses—meets every one of his criteria for psychological health and well-being. We just have to be <i>willing</i> to fully participate in the Church—to the best of our abilities! 😊</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To further back up my feelings, I’d like to share a little of what I’ve been learning through my study of positive psychology—which is defined as: the scientific study of the strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Positive psychologists have found that the ancient Greeks were right in their definition of happiness, which is: the joy that we feel in striving for our potential. Researchers have also found that joy is inextricably linked to meaning, and happiness is linked to the way we live our lives. They’ve concluded that real social connection is as predictive of how long we’ll end up living as obesity, high blood pressure, and smoking. Their findings prove just how much we genuinely <i>need</i> each other!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After all I’ve experienced and researched in my life, I can’t think of a better place where people can go to strive toward their potential, find meaning, and experience happiness, than our Church. <i>Truly</i>, living the gospel of Jesus Christ <b>is</b> our Heavenly Father’s great plan of happiness! 😊</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For years, scientific studies have found that when people practice and experience more gratitude, they report feeling happier, healthier, and more connected to others. Grateful people also feel humble and have a larger response in the brain toward charitable giving.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Positive psychology research also shows that when meditation is combined with gratitude, the body relaxes, breathing is regulated, and the brain experiences feelings of safety and love. And those benefits last longer the more a person practices it. In fact, if a person meditates on gratitude for less than two minutes every morning for 21 days, they will become happier and more optimistic!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">While that happy information is fantastic all on its own, neuroscientist Andrew Newberg has found through his research that prayer is much better and more powerful than basic meditation or mindfulness training. He has proof that when athletes—who believe in God—<span style="font-size: large;">pray</span>, something happens in their brains that actually improves their athletic performance!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But let’s take all of that information a spiritual step further. I find it fascinating that in our Church, we know through revelation that the second step of prayer—after lovingly addressing our Father in Heaven—is to express gratitude and thanksgiving. It’s wonderful that, from day one, we are taught the four principles of prayer. Yes, Heavenly Father created His plan so that every one of us will succeed in happiness throughout our entire lives if we will simply pray with gratitude every day! 😊</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Happiness researchers” have also discovered that when people write in their journals about gratitude—including reflecting on all the people and even their ancestors who helped them get where they are in their lives—their brains show a greater neural response to giving, their gratitude increases, and their overall happiness increases, which helps them rise to their challenges of daily living.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">They also found that when people write in their journals about one meaningful experience they’ve had over the past 24 hours, their brain doubles the value of that experience. If they do that journaling exercise for 21 days, they’ll find an upward trajectory of meaning in their lives which results in greater happiness!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">That reminds me of our Church leaders’ continual counsel to keep a journal, and the power that accompanies our writing efforts. It’s not a coincidence that the scriptures contain verses that urge record keeping. And just think about the amazing opportunity we’re given to do temple and family history work because of our Church. The blessings of turning our hearts to our fathers and mothers are legitimate!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I could go on <i><span style="font-size: large;">for days</span></i> about the scientifically-proven physical and emotional benefits of exercising! Every day, our bodies are meant to move at whatever level of ability we’ve been given. When we follow the crucial health principle of physical exercise, our brains understand that our behavior matters—which is optimism—which causes us to create an entire constellation of positive habits around us. And this falls right in line with the scriptural teaching that each of our precious bodies are temples of God, and we must care for them as such.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Positive psychologists have also found that random acts of kindness are <i>happiness multipliers</i>. Not only do random acts of kindness make the receiver happy, but as soon as the giver starts talking about those acts, or thinking back on them, they immediately start to smile. Random acts of kindness also show us how <span style="font-size: large;">powerful</span> we are—that we have the power to change the reality we see around us; that we can improve the lives of others!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Obviously, we can choose to do random acts of kindness for others every day of our lives—it’s exactly what Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to do! But again, we have so many additional opportunities to bless the lives of others <i>because</i> of our membership and dedicated service in the Church.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I enjoy knowing that the science of positive psychology is now validating what many souls have found in religion for thousands of years. Science keeps showing that the things religious traditions have been teaching are actually valid. Oh how I would <b><span style="color: magenta;">love</span></b> to introduce those researchers, psychologists, and scientists to the benefits of membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>But wait! There’s more!</i> 😀</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">While researching stem cells, I came across a study that floored me. Dr. Omar Yilmaz, a gastrointestinal pathologist and professor, has discovered that a single 24-hour fast dramatically improves the function of stem cells and their ability to regenerate—regardless of the age of the patient.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I’ve personally experienced and witnessed the awesome and humbling miracles of following the Lord’s commandment of fasting, but this new information about stem cells was positively thrilling! <i>And</i> just as a side-note reminder from President Joseph F. Smith, “There is such a thing as overdoing. A man may fast and pray till he kills himself; and there isn’t any necessity for it; nor wisdom in it.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last year, I was excited to learn of the scientifically-proven physical and emotional benefits of singing in a choir which include: strengthened feelings of togetherness; regulated heart rates; reductions in stress levels and depression; improved symptoms of Parkinson’s and lung disease; improved feelings of social well-being; and increased life expectancies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I’ve always loved singing in ward choirs because each musical experience <i>fills</i> my soul—so I would have kept participating regardless of what the research shows. But you must admit how <b>fun</b> it is that science is now backing up what D&C 25:15 has taught us for <i>years</i>: “For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a <b>blessing</b> upon their heads.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yet, when we really think about it, should any of this wonderful news I’ve shared today surprise us? Because as we know from Moses 3:5, “...the Lord God created all things…spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth.” <i>Of course</i>, our Heavenly Father knows what is best for us! He has clearly told us that His work and His glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of men and women—He has fully provided our way to happiness! All we have to do is follow His plan!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Three days ago, I was introduced to the amazing conversion story of Dusty Smith on one of my favorite podcasts, “This is the Gospel.” As I listened to his testimony of how he became a member of our beloved Church, was subsequently excommunicated, and ultimately and humbly came back into the fold 26 years later, I was <i>overcome</i> with emotion! His utterly miraculous story shows just how much Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love each and every one of us, and how intimately involved They are in our lives! Brother Smith’s incredible experiences remind us how vitally important it is for each of us to <i><b>be one</b></i> with the saints.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, we are taught in 1st Corinthians 1:10 and Ephesians 2:19–20 that we should strive to have no divisions among us, be perfectly joined together as fellowcitizens with the saints, and be of the household of God who are built upon the cornerstone of Jesus Christ.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">What it all comes down to is that our Heavenly Father <i>dearly</i> loves each of us and wants us to be like Him! He wants us to experience <span style="font-size: large;">true joy</span> through continual learning and personal growth. He wants us to follow the supreme example of Jesus Christ and return home to His eternal family. 💛</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I encourage each of us to follow Elder Quentin L. Cook’s wise words. He said, “As individuals, we would do well to evaluate our effort[s] in pursuing missionary work, temple and family history work, and preparations to meet God.” Yes, <i>truly</i>, this life is <span style="font-size: large;">our</span> time to prepare to meet God! 😊</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have a great love for our Heavenly Parents, our Savior, and His Church. <span style="font-size: large;">I am a true believer in <b>every</b> sense of the word. I am enthusiastically and gratefully <b><i>all in</i></b> the gospel of Jesus Christ.</span> 😊</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. <span style="font-size: large;">💛</span></span>Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-74483616303157242962019-02-07T12:10:00.002-07:002019-02-08T00:34:24.023-07:00Joining the TwitterverseGood morning! So you might have been wondering where I've been these past three months. Well, I've been living! Ha ha. But seriously, life has been a bundle of surprises, changes, and a <i>lot </i>of work. Being a supportive wife, mother of three teenagers, homemaker, part-time piano teacher, occasional substitute teacher, and remaining strongly committed to my fitness regimen is surprisingly time consuming!<br />
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Every day, I think I'm going to have or make time for blogging, but then 11:00 p.m. arrives and I'm like, "Okay! I'll blog tomorrow!" Yeah, that's been one of my repeating phrases in my mind for umpteen weeks now! 😅 Someday, I'll actually <b>be </b>consistent at blogging again! Yet at this stage of my life, blogging as much as I want (my heart wants it <span style="font-size: large;"><i>so </i>much</span>!) is just not going to happen, and I'm okay with that. Right now, I'm <span style="font-size: large;">so happy</span> to help my children, husband, church, and myself with everything that is <span style="font-size: large;">most important!</span> But it would be <span style="font-size: large;">such fun</span> to have three extra hours each day to do more! Oh, yes, it would! 😁 One day, I know I'll have more time and energy to devote to my happiest <span style="font-size: large;"><i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i>!</span> Until then, <i>sporadic blog posts</i> is my holding pattern. 😊<br />
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That said, I made a little progress this morning: <span style="font-size: large;">I joined <a href="https://twitter.com/EnthusiasticAP" target="_blank">Twitter</a>!</span> I know, <i>can you even believe I just wrote that</i>?! I'm shocked, too! Ha ha. The reason I joined Twitter is because Google+ is going away. 😢<br />
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I've shared my blog post links on Google+ for years now, and I always <span style="font-size: large;">loved</span> the way my posts' images showed up on my profile page. So I was totally <span style="font-size: large;">bummed out</span>(!) when I found out that Google+ is being deleted from our Internet world! Seriously, <i>what the heck, Google</i>?! I still have my public Instagram account open, but <span style="font-size: large;">I'm standing <i>Wonder-Woman strong</i> in <a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2018/09/what-to-do-with-instagram-now-that-mike.html" target="_blank">my stance against Facebook</a></span>, so I won't be posting publicly there (on my public Instagram account) anymore. When I looked at our world's social media ways, I determined that Twitter was my <span style="font-size: large;">best</span> option for sharing my blog post links from here on out. <i>Yay me!</i> 👍😁<br />
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While I'm disappointed that Twitter won't show my blog post links as prettily as Google+ did, I'm happy I have a place to share my links at all! It could definitely be worse!<br />
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I struggled with the fact that Twitter wouldn't let me create the user name I really want—@EnthusiasticFantastic—because it's over their character limit. <i>What the what?! Why, Twitter, why?!</i> After trying <span style="font-size: large;">many</span> user names that were either too long, already taken, or too short (<i>seriously, Twitter?!!</i>), I finally settled on <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://twitter.com/EnthusiasticAP" target="_blank">@EnthusiasticAP</a></span>. I'm going to let my handle sit for a while and see if I really like it. If not, I'll change it to something else. *But after searching and thinking deeply for quite a while, I really do think that <i>@EnthusiasticAP</i> is where I'll stay in the Twitterverse! Yay!<br />
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Okay, my happy blogging time is up—I get to go workout now! Catch ya later! 👋Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-54995417147394451842018-11-04T23:02:00.000-07:002018-11-14T17:26:07.746-07:00Updating "Enthusiastic Fantastic"!<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hi, Everyone! I have super happy news! Remember when I recently posted that I <a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2018/09/what-to-do-with-instagram-now-that-mike.html" target="_blank">wanted to buy a Chromebook</a> to help me post to my blog more often? Well, I made my dream come true! <i>Yippee! </i>😁</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A couple of weeks ago, I purchased this <span style="font-size: large;"><i>awesome</i> <a href="https://www.bestbuy.com/site/acer-15-6-chromebook-intel-celeron-4gb-memory-16gb-emmc-flash-memory-granite-gray/6170703.p" target="_blank">Acer 15.6" Chromebook</a></span>(!), and I found this fabulous <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073TXLP3Q" target="_blank">laptop bag</a> to go with it—I love them both <i>sooo</i> much! I did <span style="font-size: large;"><i>a lot</i></span> of research (on Google, of course! 😄) before purchasing my new friend, and let me tell you, I found the <span style="font-size: large;">perfect</span> Chromebook for me and what I want to accomplish!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In other words, even though my Chromebook doesn't have the biggest memory at 16GB, I literally don't need anything more than that because I'm only using it for online content—I won't be saving anything to its hard drive. Its RAM at 4GB is totally perfect for my needs, it's as <i>speedy</i> as can be! And please let me tell you how much I <span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><b>love</b></span> my Chromebook's huge screen and battery life!! They really are <span style="font-size: large;"><i>amazing</i></span>!! And while I didn't initially plan to use my Chromebook's speakers for anything, I've now used them for watching several videos (election research 😄), and they are spot-on <span style="font-size: large;"><i>exactly</i></span> what I didn't know I wanted! <i>Yeah yeah yeah!</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All of that said, the screen resolution could be a <i>tad</i> crisper, but it's nothing I can't handle. I just wanted a <span style="font-size: large;">big</span> screen to make blogging easier on my eyes, and that mission has been totally accomplished with Acer's 15.6" display. If I want better screen resolution for other things, I can use my desktop computer monitor or our HD TVs. And seriously, if screen resolution is my only and very minor complaint, I'm doing <span style="font-size: large;">great</span>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Plus, I've been a huge fan of Google Chrome for many years, so to have a laptop with a Chrome operating system is pretty darn enjoyable for this <i>Googling</i> lady! Ha ha.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Basically, my main goal for my happy new Chromebook is to post to my blog more frequently and pin to Pinterest all of the <i>fascinating</i> finds I've discovered (I'm super behind in that area). And my Acer is already helping me achieve that goal! <i>Woohoo!</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Although, I have to admit...I'm super bummed because I bought my Acer Chromebook at the regular price, not the sale price. #sosadface! I checked to see if I could utilize Best Buy's price-match guarantee and get a $30 refund, but I'm outside of their 15-day purchase window (or whatever it's called). Darn! 😞 Alas, such is life. That said, my laptop bag was on sale when I bought it, and now it's not! So at least I scored in that area! <i>Yay yay happy day!</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, long story short, I'm completely thrilled that my process has begun for <span style="font-size: large;">updating</span> <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i>! For any of you following my blog updates, you'll probably see me posting a lot of stuff from days gone by. I'm sorry it's not current information, but, as I explained in my post about <a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2018/09/what-to-do-with-instagram-now-that-mike.html" target="_blank">Instagram's changes</a>, I'm now transferring my content from my public Instagram account over to my blog. It will be a <i>l o n g</i> process, but I'm excited to make it happen!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh yeah, and I've been having lots of <span style="font-size: large;">fun</span> figuring out all of my Chromebook's tips and tricks! This <i>fabulous</i> machine and its operating system do so many delightful things! And <span style="font-size: large;">I really love typing on my new keyboard!</span> <i>Clickety-typety!</i> 💻</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks for reading, I hope you have a wonderful week! 😀</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">P.S. I created this post because I wanted to share my good news with the world! My opinion was not paid for, nor was I asked by anyone to write this post. 👍</span></span>Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-1647161005527917152018-10-15T12:38:00.002-06:002018-10-15T12:41:08.527-06:00Guest Post by Greg Peterson: "Remember Who You Are"<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hi, Everyone! Today, I have a special treat to share—a guest post by my wonderful husband! Greg wrote his very first bishopric message for our ward's newsletter that was published and delivered to our neighborhood just yesterday! <i>Yay Greg!</i> I love Greg's message so much that I feel it must be shared with the world!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh, and in case anyone is wondering, Greg was called, sustained, and set apart as the second counselor in our ward's bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Sunday, August 5th, 2018. If you'd like to know more about how the Church is led, read this informative outline, <span style="font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormon-lay-ministry" target="_blank">Lay Leadership: Volunteer Ministry of the Church</a>,"</span> found on the Church's <a href="https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/" target="_blank">Newsroom</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the spirit of full disclosure, yes, I edited small grammar issues in Greg's composition, but the message is 100% absolutely his. Oh, how I <span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><i>love</i></span> reading my husband's words!! Remember? Greg and I wrote letters to each other for two+ years while he served in the Japan Fukuoka Mission for the Church! If you'd like to know a little bit about that time in our lives, read my blog post, <span style="font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2014/10/choosing-power.html" target="_blank">Choosing Power</a>."</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">*Disclaimer: My husband and I are <span style="font-size: large;">not</span> official representatives of <a href="https://www.lds.org/?lang=eng" target="_blank">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints</a>. We simply love being members of the Church and greatly enjoy serving our fellow brothers and sisters. 😀</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Without further ado, here are my Gregor's fabulous words!</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Twenty-four years ago on June 30th, 1994, I asked a lovely young lady named Adrie out on a first date. Our plan was to see a new Disney movie that had opened the previous week called <i>The Lion King</i>. Going to see that movie changed the direction of my life—for so many reasons. First, that lovely young lady now shares my last name! Second, there were life lessons within the film that helped me better understand the gospel then and continues to guide my life even today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some people say <i>The Lion King</i> is a blatant rip off of a Japanese comic book series from the 1950's called <i>Kimba the White Lion</i>, (ジャングル大帝 <i>Janguru Taitei</i>, or <i>Jungle Emperor</i>) which tells the story of an orphaned lion who becomes king. What it may lack in originality it makes up for in great voice acting, beautiful animation, and a truly inspirational story line. There is a quote from that movie that I can’t help but share today because I think it is so powerful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Simba has rejected what his legacy says he should be. His role in life—to be the next king—has been usurped by another (his murderous uncle), and instead of fighting for his rightful place, Simba adopts the philosophy of “hakuna matata,” or “no worries.” He now looks at the past this way: <i>Sometimes bad things happen and there’s nothing you can do about it.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Simba is acutely aware of his inadequacy. He knows he is not living up to his potential and that his father, Mufasa, would not be proud of the way he is living his life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What happens next is the turning point of the movie: a visit from a crazy old baboon who claims to be able to show Mufasa to Simba. Simba follows this baboon named Rafiki to a pool, and Rafiki points into the water. “Look down there,” says the baboon. Simba looks down and sees only his reflection. He tries to blame it on his father, shouting at the nighttime sky, “You promised you’d always be there for me. But you’re not!” Rafiki points into the water again, “No, look harder.” Again Simba looks, and now he sees not his own reflection, but a reflection of his father. “You see?” says Rafiki, “He lives in you.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The wind howls, the sky darkens, and in the rumbling thunder, Simba sees his father in the clouds. Mufasa speaks in a low but powerful voice (imagine James Earl Jones), “Simba, you have forgotten me.” The young lion argues, “No! How could I?” But his father is firm, “You have forgotten who you are, and so forgotten me. Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become… Remember who you are… Remember…”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As an eighteen-year-old on a first date, sitting in a cold, dark movie theater, the words brought tears to my eyes as I thought about their power.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How often do we forget who we are? As a child of God, we are the son or daughter of a king. But do we remember? Or do we choose to live our lives believing <i>hakuna matata</i>: no worries for the rest of our days, a problem-free philosophy?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But is it problem-free? We were created to live lives of responsibility and meaning. “No worries” doesn’t exist. Sure, we don’t need to worry about everything that happens in our lives, but choosing to “put your past behind you” and just moving on is no way to live. We all need to see where we’ve come from and learn from our experiences—so we can <i>be </i>what we are meant to be!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How often does Heavenly Father need to say to us, “You are more than what you have become?” Do we sacrifice our identity as children of God for lives of leisure and ease? Our telestial world (similar to Simba's pride land) can be a difficult place where we must battle against an enemy and stand for what is right. That takes work. It's much easier to stay in an easy place of pleasure—entertained and enjoyed—than to fight against an enemy who has robbed us of our identity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mufasa didn’t tell Simba he should have gotten another degree, live in a bigger house, or make more money. He simply said, “You are more than what you have become.” Becoming more is much different than having or doing more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s easier to quantify doing than being.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We can quantify what we <i>do</i>: how many sales we made, how many miles we drove, how many chairs were built, or how many pages were written. It’s also easy to see things that need to be done—dishes need to be washed, beds need to be made, lawns need to be mowed. <i>Being </i>is harder to quantify and measure: a <span style="font-size: large;">great</span> mom; an inspiring spiritual leader; a compassionate friend; an understanding boss; a caring, loving neighbor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Becoming </i>more may require doing less.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Who are you? Who have you become? And is that the person you were created to be? Our loving Heavenly Father has big plans for each of us, and we can’t consider ourselves fully developed now because we are continually learning and growing every day. The fact is that we are all <i>more </i>than we have become, and we need to keep working on ourselves so we can become everything we are intended to be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How we live our lives matters, and not just for ourselves, but for all the people around us whose lives we might also affect in ways we don’t even realize. We never know when we might matter to someone else—when someone else is watching us or learning from our example, or when we are meant to touch someone’s life. And it’s up to us to rise to the potential that God knows we are capable of achieving!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Brothers and Sisters, our loving Heavenly Father continually calls out to each of us and invites us to “Remember who you are.” It is my testimony that through our Savior, Jesus Christ, we can be washed clean of our sins and return to live with Him someday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">P.S. When I copied/pasted Greg's bishopric message to my blog, I was shocked to realize that I missed a few typos! 😬 Hopefully, I fixed the rest of them now, but it was a good reminder for me to get more sleep! Yes, I was <i>very </i>sleep deprived when I edited Greg's message. 😪 <i>Oops!</i> 😄</span>Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-16601960030382056572018-09-26T00:27:00.004-06:002018-09-26T22:45:49.360-06:00What to Do with Instagram Now That Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom Resigned<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday morning, I came across an article that totally <span style="font-size: large;">bummed</span> me out. While reading it, and researching further (before I believe anything I read online, I research and read multiple sources), I came to the <span style="font-size: large;">sad</span> conclusion that Instagram's founders are <span style="font-size: large;">truly</span> leaving Instagram (and Facebook)—for good. Here are the articles I read, in the order I read them:</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/09/with-instagrams-founders-out-welcome-to-facebook-inc/571234/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>With Instagram’s Founders Out, Welcome to Facebook Inc.</i></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://instagram-press.com/blog/2018/09/24/statement-from-kevin-systrom-instagram-co-founder-and-ceo/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>Statement from Kevin Systrom, Instagram Co-Founder and CEO</i></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/instagram-kevin-systrom-mike-krieger-facebook" target="_blank"><i>As Instagram's founders quit, Facebook swallows it whole</i></a></span></div>
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<i><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2018/09/24/instagram-founders-leave/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Why Instagram’s founders are resigning: independence from Facebook weakened</span></a></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's no secret that I'm </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">not</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> a fan of Fakebook (feel free to read my post, "</span><a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2017/03/just-do-it-dump-facebook.html" target="_blank">Just Do It! Dump Facebook! :)</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">"). Thus, when changes began happening to Instagram over the past couple of years that felt <span style="font-size: large;">very</span> </span>Facebook<i>-ey</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> to me, I became <span style="font-size: medium;">concerned</span>. In March, 2018, I even looked to <span style="font-size: large;">quit</span> Instagram altogether and join Vero. Yet after signing up, my brother-in-law shared the information he'd researched about Vero's owners and I immediately <span style="font-size: large;">deleted</span> my newly-created accounts—they were </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">worse</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> than Fakebook!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Since my happy Instagram world was so coldly <span style="font-size: large;">disrupted</span> yesterday morning by Facebook 😢, I've tried to rationalize how I could maintain my Instagram accounts and remain true to who I am and what I believe. While researching other Instagram-related articles, I came across an article (below) that reminded me that Facebook and its leaders are NOT our friends. When it really comes down to it, <span style="font-size: large;">they are <i>all </i>about making money</span>, and that will never change.</span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://gizmodo.com/how-facebook-figures-out-everyone-youve-ever-met-1819822691" target="_blank">How Facebook Figures Out Everyone You've Ever Met</a></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The quote </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"If you're not paying for it, you are the product"</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> fully and completely applies to Facebook and all of its products, which sadly includes Instagram.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Furthermore, the fact that Instagram's founders are willingly <span style="font-size: large;">leaving</span> their high-paying, cushy Instagram/Facebook positions tells me they can't live with themselves under the <i>fake-umbrella-of-happiness</i>, either! Their choice to leave Facebook shows they are remaining true to who they are—regardless of the money—and I <span style="font-size: large;">applaud</span> them for it. </span>(Okay, I'm <i>reaching </i>there, but it's totally plausible they resigned for that reason!) *Yet in the same breath, I counter that with, <span style="font-size: large;">"Why did you sell-out to Fakebook in the first place?! Why would you choose money over your loyal users' beautiful Instagram experiences?!"</span> So sad, <i>right</i>?!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom claim they will keep their Instagram accounts, but I wonder how long they'll <i>actually</i> stay active on it? Instagram was their creation, so maybe they can't bear to part with their baby? I don't blame them if they continue using Instagram, but I'll be surprised if they remain on it long-term.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, what am I to do now with this frustrating information? (I know I may be in the minority with my strong feelings, but I don't care. I can write whatever I want on my blog! 😁) Here are the thoughts I've had over the past several hours—I might change, delete, or update these points as more information about Instagram becomes available:</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unlike many Instagram users, I've never made money because of my participation there. Even though I genuinely <span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">love</span> my Instagram world I've created (<i>so much!</i>), I was also hoping that my IG contributions would translate into readers of my blog—which would then translate into advertising revenue. If you've read my previous blog post, you'll know that advertisements on my blog most definitely <span style="font-size: large;">haven't</span> paid off.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've not received nor retained the amount of Instagram followers I thought possible. I wasn't expecting to gain thousands of followers, by any means, but I topped out at 250 followers, and that number always regressed if I didn't follow back said followers. And I most definitely did <span style="font-size: large;">not</span> follow back people just for the sake of following back. I followed Instagram accounts because I <i>really</i> wanted to see their content, I don't give fake or hollow follows anywhere. Also, if I didn't post at least weekly on IG, I would lose even more followers, which was annoying because I wanted to post whenever I felt like it, not because I needed to retain followers.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now that I've removed advertisements from my blog, the point of gaining new readers for advertising dollars doesn't even matter. While I'm truly <span style="font-size: large;">super happy</span> if people find my blog helpful (I love helping readers!), I blog for myself because I genuinely <span style="font-size: large;"><i>love </i>it!</span> Thus, with these most recent Instagram developments, I don't feel the need to post to my public Instagram account and link it back to my blog anymore. If people find <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i> while searching the Internet, that's <span style="font-size: large;">great!</span> But the <span style="font-size: large;">loss of time</span> I spent posting to my public Instagram account definitely outweighed any benefits of gaining new followers/readers.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm not willing to self-promote and/or collaborate to the lengths needed to succeed monetarily speaking on Instagram. My posts never have been and never will be about making money or jumping on the <i>popular </i>train. The same applies here on my blog.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are <i>way </i>too many advertisements on Instagram!</span> I can't say for sure, but it feels like my public Instagram feed is 40% sponsored posts! This is not how Instagram used to be when I first began using it in 2014 (private account) and 2015 (public account). I honestly remember scrolling through both of my feeds and not seeing <i>one </i>single advertisement for <i>such </i>a <span style="font-size: large;">long</span> time! When advertisements began coming through my public feed, I sort of expected and understood it—as the Instagram algorithm determined I was a "business" account. Yet when advertisements began showing up on my private feed, I was like, "<i>Nooooo!!!</i> You can't do this to me!" But I put up with them because I <i>loved </i>my happy Instaland so very much!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Instagram's new algorithm (created by Facebook) doesn't show posts in the way I enjoy. I want to see <i>every </i>post from <i>every</i> account I follow, in the <span style="font-size: large;">order</span> they were posted! I don't want to see posts and advertisements that the algorithm determines I would rather look at! I mean, <i>why </i>is that so freaking hard for Facebook to understand?! We users chose to stay with Instagram because that's how it started: posts were shown in chronological order, <i>regardless </i>of potential advertising revenue! Yet Fakebook ruined that, too. Rest assured, Facebook's leaders fully know <i>exactly </i>what they're doing. They are consciously choosing to put advertisers' dollars ahead of users' experiences. And I have a <span style="font-size: large;">major</span> problem with that.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've wasted a lot of time on Instagram. About a week-and-a-half ago, I realized that I needed to <span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: medium;">stop</span> leisurely scrolling away my valuable minutes on my public Instagram feed. I finally recognized that Instagram has basically become a digital magazine for me—with fun, helpful, interesting, or beautiful information squeezed in between advertisements. Let me explain: back when I was a newer mom, I subscribed to several life/style/improvement magazines. I not only <span style="color: magenta;">loved</span> reading those magazines, I felt the <i>need</i> to read them cover-to-cover because I paid for them. I didn't want to be throwing away magazines (before we had the option of curbside recycling) without having read them, or it felt like a huge waste of money. But after several months of that behavior, I realized what a <span style="font-size: large;">tremendous waste of time</span> my magazine-reading habit was. I saw that I was missing out on <span style="font-size: large;">precious</span> time with my babies, and I wasn't quite as productive as I could have been for our family's improved happiness and well-being. Thus, I determined that I needed to <span style="font-size: large;">cancel</span> all of my magazine subscriptions, and I did exactly that! Let me tell you, it was a wonderfully freeing feeling and I never looked back! Thus, with this latest Instagram revelation of who will <i>really </i>be controlling the content we consume, i.e., <i><span style="font-size: medium;">The Big Bad Facebook</span></i>, I've decided it's time to <span style="font-size: large;">cancel</span> my public "subscription"!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">I will keep my private Instagram "subscription" and follow <span style="font-size: large;">only</span> my family members, friends, and Church leaders. *This may seem like a cop-out to the points I've just made, but I <i>can't </i>reconcile losing my connection to the most important people in my life—especially since I'm not on Fakebook anymore! Thus, until a better alternative becomes available, I'm stuck with my private Instagram account—stupid advertisements, algorithm, and all. Thankfully, the amount of people I follow privately is relatively small, so it will be easy to keep up on their posts—unlike my public IG account where I follow <span style="font-size: large;">300</span>+ people/organizations. When I just looked at how many public accounts I follow, I'm even <i>more </i>motivated to be done with the commercial side of Instagram!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">I love the posts I created on my public Instagram account and I don't want to lose them! Thus, I will keep my public Instagram account as-is until I transfer all of my non-blog posts over here to <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i>. That will be a labor of love and will take quite a while to finish, but it's totally worth it!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">I will keep my public Instagram account open indefinitely as a way for people to find me and my blog—plus, I don't want to give away my awesome @enthusiasticfantastic username(!) 😆—but I'll <span style="color: #cc0000;">stop</span> my time-consuming habit of posting there and scrolling through that feed <i>asap</i>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eventually, I'll compose a <span style="font-size: medium;">final post</span> on my public Instagram page, detailing where to find me at <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i>! Of course, that's assuming anyone actually <i>wants </i>to find me! Ha ha. It will be such a sad day for my Instaland-happy heart 😢, but I know deep down it's what I really want to do. I'm looking forward to the outcome of this big decision because, overall, I know my life will improve!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm actually really excited about the fact that I don't have to use a photo in order to post here on my blog! Instagram was <span style="font-size: large;">so much fun</span> to be a part of, but sometimes I didn't like that I always had to include a new photo, or a screenshot of text, or a typographic design if I wanted to post anything there. I can't wait to just typety-type-type and click "Publish" to <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i>!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm completely <span style="font-size: large;">thrilled</span> that there are no character limits here on my blog! I can write as many words as I like, and—unlike Instagram—Blogger never tells me to stop writing! 😄 For this wordy girl, that is an unbelievably happy feeling! Yes, that was another way I wasted time on Instagram: I was always trying to figure out ways to compose my posts without going over their 2,200 character limit. With my focus returning to blogging, I won't have that stumbling block to worry about anymore! <i>Praise be and hallelujah!</i></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All of that shared, now I have the <i>ginormous </i>job of <span style="font-size: large;">retraining</span><span style="font-size: large;"> my brain</span> to come to my computer to compose posts on my blog instead of continuing to go to the easy default of my smartphone and posting on Instagram. It will take some time, but I know I can do it! Again, I am just <span style="font-size: large;">not</span> okay with Facebook ruling Instagram! If Instagram's founders would have stayed and continued running <i>Instaland </i>as they saw fit, I most definitely would have remained an Instagrammer <i>forever</i>! But <i>The Big Bad Facebook</i> has trampled Kevin and Mike, and I <span style="font-size: large;">refuse</span> to just <i>fall in line</i>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I round out my thoughts of yesterday's social media news, I've come to the surprising conclusion that I want to buy a Chromebook! I think it will help having another way to post to my blog whenever and <i>wherever </i>I want. 😊</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Wish me luck in my new endeavors!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">*Update: 09/26/18*</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After publishing my post <i>very </i><span style="font-size: large;">early</span> this morning, I've now read two more articles about Instagram and Facebook that I feel are completely worth sharing. They both illustrate that Instagram is now doomed under Facebook's unsupervised/unchallenged rule.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I also read a bombshell of an interview with WhatsApp cofounder, Brian Acton. His experience of dealing with Facebook's executives is <i>mind blowing</i>! And not in a good way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">These three articles reiterate that Facebook can<b>not</b> ever be trusted to put its users first—no matter what kind of image its leaders try to create through feel-good commercials and personal posts. Yes, I am <i>soooo </i>over and <b>done</b> with Facebook and its greedy executives!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-why-the-instagram-cofounders-resignation-is-dangerous-2018-9" target="_blank">The departure of Instagram's cofounders is a bad thing for Facebook — but it could be even worse for the rest of us</a></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/25/17903556/instagram-founders-quit-kevin-systrom-mike-krieger-facebook" target="_blank">The end of Instagram as we know it is here</a></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/25/17903556/instagram-founders-quit-kevin-systrom-mike-krieger-facebook" target="_blank"><i>Facebook used to leave it alone. Not any more</i></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/parmyolson/2018/09/26/exclusive-whatsapp-cofounder-brian-acton-gives-the-inside-story-on-deletefacebook-and-why-he-left-850-million-behind/" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Exclusive: WhatsApp Cofounder Brian Acton Gives The Inside Story On #DeleteFacebook And Why He Left $850 Million Behind</span></i></a></div>
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Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-54719877590052523482018-09-09T22:49:00.001-06:002018-09-09T22:49:10.159-06:00Enthusiastic Fantastic is Now Ad-Free!<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you've visited <i><a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/" target="_blank">Enthusiastic Fantastic</a></i> recently, you may have noticed that <span style="font-size: large;">I no longer show advertisements <i>anywhere </i>on my site!</span> <i>Woohoo! </i>😄 As I wrote in my newly created "<a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/p/donate.html" target="_blank">Donate</a>" page, I've never made any real money through Google's AdSense program, and I was always <span style="font-size: large;">annoyed</span> with the advertisements that were embedded in my blog, so I decided to <b>discontinue</b> allowing ads on my blog! It's so exciting, <i>right</i>?! I've also now included my <a href="https://www.paypal.me/adriepeterson" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">PayPal.Me</span></a> link for anyone who would like to contribute to my happy little blogging endeavor! Yay for PayPal, and yay for me going <span style="font-size: large;">ad-free!</span> 😊</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It was a <span style="font-size: large;">big</span> decision to remove my AdSense ads, but one that was relatively easy to make. After researching and experimenting with my blog for <i>years</i>—<span style="font-size: large;">I put in <i>so </i>much work for such a long time!</span>—I realized that my happy little blog will <i>never </i>be as successful as those blogs that rake in enough dough to support a family and additional employees. You see, I'm simply <i>not</i> willing to <span style="font-size: large;">do</span> what's required to make <i>that </i>kind of <span style="font-size: large;">big</span> blogging money. <span style="font-size: large;">I must and will always stay true to myself and my strong personality/feelings with every blog post I compose!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I've said before, I was never looking to make a living at blogging when I created <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i> five years ago. Yet I absolutely <b>know</b> that my words <span style="font-size: large;">matter</span>, and I'm supposed to be contributing to our society through my blog posts and typographic designs! <i>I know I've dropped the ball with my lack of blog posts these past couple of years; I'm really going to try to be better at writing blog posts from here on out!</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thus, seeing that I spend <span style="font-size: large;">quality</span> time and money creating content and keeping my website up and running (My time is <span style="font-size: large;">precious</span>!), I decided it couldn't hurt to include a donation page where people can say "Thank you!" monetarily speaking. And please let me say right up front that my little family and I seriously, sincerely, and very genuinely <span style="font-size: large;">appreciate</span> any donation amount(s) given!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Because of this momentous change, I'm <span style="font-size: large;">so happy</span> when I visit <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i> and see <b>zero</b> advertisements now! My lovely little <span style="font-size: large;">ad-free</span> spot on the Internet is a <span style="font-size: large;"><i>huge </i>breath of fresh air</span> from the rest of the online <i><span style="font-size: large;">madness</span></i> that's filled with pop-up ads galore. <span style="font-size: large;">I love seeing <i>only </i>things I feel passionate about and have carefully chosen to include on my blog!</span> I'm thrilled <span style="font-size: large;">not</span> to feel the urge to check my AdSense account balance anymore! <i>Yeah yeah yeah!</i> I love knowing that <b>no</b> other company has <i>anything </i>to do with <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i>—it's mine, <span style="font-size: large;">all mine</span>(!)—which is just how it should be. <i>Yes, indeedy!</i> 😀</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Because of my newfound, <i>blissful </i><span style="font-size: large;">clarity</span> (my ad-free blog 😊), I'm hoping that more of us will choose to spend a little more time here—at least I'm really going to try! Wish me luck with refining my time-management skills! 😄</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope you and yours are doing <span style="font-size: large;">well</span> and enjoying every minute of your special lives! Have a great day! 😘</span>Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-7399908685916702202018-06-16T19:28:00.001-06:002018-06-16T19:28:29.034-06:00Strengthening Our Families<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hi, everyone! This morning, I was getting ready to compose an Instagram post on my private account. As I was downloading photos and screenshots to create a visually interesting post, I realized that I needed this post to be public, and that Instagram couldn't really hold all of the <i>wonderfulness </i>that I've found.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Plus, I'm super wordy and I <span style="font-size: large;">struggle</span> with editing my Instagram posts to be the length allowed on that platform. #wordyAdrie! 😄 Sometimes, I've spent <i>way </i>too much time figuring out what words/sentences to omit on Instagram, when I really should have just written a blog post to begin with! Thus, today I'm <i>breaking </i>my time-consuming Instagram-posting habit and writing a time-consuming-but-much-more-fulfilling blog post instead! Ha ha. <i>Yay me!</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you didn't know, <span style="font-size: large;">I'm right smack dab in the middle of raising teenagers!</span> What's amazing to me about this season of life is that when you're pregnant, or just had a baby, no doctor or nurse or parenting book fully prepares you for <span style="font-size: large;">teenagers</span> and <i>all </i>that comes with them! 😅 Even though I took a complete <a href="https://www.loveandlogic.com/" target="_blank">Love and Logic</a> parenting class in Colorado when my firstborn was (I think) seven years old, it still didn't prepare me for these <i>wild </i>teenage years!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, we parents were all teenagers once, but <i>being </i>a teen and <i>raising </i>teens are two very different things! I certainly remember being a teenager and all that entails, but I could go on for <i>days </i>about how surprising it's been to <i>parent </i>my teenagers! It's nearly unbelievable how quickly teen emotions change—my view of my family can go from being "Everything is easy-peasy, super awesome!" to "I'm <b><i>so </i></b>tired! How am I going to make it through one more day of <i>teenagedom</i> without crying my eyes out?!" in nearly an instant!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The good news is, all things considered, <span style="font-size: large;">my sweet little family is doing well!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My oldest son just graduated from high school and I'm <i>sooo </i>happy for him! It was a definite struggle at some points of his high school journey, but we all hung in there and he was successful in his efforts! 🎓👏😁 That said, I will not miss those seemingly never-ending high school nights when he <span style="font-size: large;">refused</span> to go to bed at a decent hour. If I didn't know what I know about teenagers and their sleep cycles, I would have been a complete <i>wreck</i>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thankfully, I know it's not just my teenagers who don't want to go to sleep at night, but a scientifically proven problem for teens the world over. The <a href="https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/teens-and-sleep" target="_blank">National Sleep Foundation</a> points out that, <span style="font-size: large;">"Biological sleep patterns shift toward later times for both sleeping and waking during adolescence—meaning it is natural to not be able to fall asleep before 11:00 pm."</span> Amen to that statement! And yet I wonder <i>why on earth</i> it is that high school is still held at such an early hour! We seriously need to make every high school's start time <b>later </b>in the morning!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sleep aside, my teenagers are doing really well for being teenagers. 😊 I am so grateful for the incredible human beings I've been given and entrusted to raise. My heart is completely filled with love for my growing babies! 💖 That said, I am constantly looking for ways to help my children feel happier, do better, and be the best version of themselves—without me becoming an annoying dictator in the process! Ha ha.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I know that being a good parent starts with me and my positive attitude. That said, even though I'm technically and legally responsible for my darling children and their well-being until the age of 18, in the end, they each need to live their own lives and be in charge of themselves. They need to make their choices and <i>own </i>them—I <b><i>so </i></b>hope they make good ones! In the end, I'm only able to regulate/manage/change <span style="font-size: large;">myself</span>! And that's how it is for <i>every </i>person on this planet!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, as much as I dearly want to help my children every minute of every day of their precious lives, I can only help them to the point that they <i>want </i>me to help. Yes, parenting teenagers is a delicate tightrope-walk that takes <i>loads </i>of careful practice, purposeful dedication, laser-sharp focus, and enthusiastic perseverance! Not to mention, an endless supply of unconditional love, great self confidence, and lots of "strength training"!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But seriously, parents of teenagers need to have <span style="font-size: large;">good</span> support systems and excellent self-care measures in place to feel successful in their callings. I would not do as well as I do in parenting my teenagers without my coping strategies—for example: having a wonderful marriage; exercising five to six days per week; getting enough sleep; eating healthily; having good friends/family members to talk with; and <i>especially </i>my spiritual connection to Heaven.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Speaking of prayer, it's my go-to <span style="font-size: large;">best</span> parenting technique for raising teenagers! I literally can't tell you how many times I've prayed for my teens because I'm <i>always </i>praying for them! 💗 I know our Heavenly Father knows my children much better than I do, and I know He actually sees what their future holds—unlike me who just <i>thinks</i> I know what's best for my children. Thus, my prayers are always first and foremost in my parenting strategies. I have experienced <span style="font-size: large;">miracles</span> through prayer and fasting for my children! I will continue praying for my children every day for the rest of my life and into eternity!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I said before, I'm always<i> </i>seeking out ways to be a better mother. I've shared many helpful motherhood/parenting articles, talks, and videos on my Pinterest account, and I'll continue sharing what I find there, but I've definitely not had the time to pin everything yet. I seriously wish Heavenly Father would give us three additional hours every day! A 27-hour day sounds pretty great to me! So, for today, I'll share here the things I've recently found to be helpful in my efforts of parenting my cherished teenagers:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.lds.org/blog/to-women-doing-better-doesnt-mean-doing-more?lang=eng" target="_blank">To Women: 'Doing Better Doesn’t Mean Doing More'</a>"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">By Sharon Eubank and Reyna Aburto—<a href="https://www.lds.org/blog/?cid=HP16BLOG&lang=eng" target="_blank">blog</a> post on <a href="http://lds.org/">LDS.org</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love the entire blog post, but this paragraph really stood out to me:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"As we seek the Lord’s will and strive to do it, we are assured that every small effort is accepted. All the Lord asks of us is a heart full of love and willingness to share that love. We’ve all made covenants to “mourn with those that mourn … and comfort those that stand in need of comfort” (<a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/18.9?lang=eng#p8" target="_blank">Mosiah 18:9</a>), but that doesn’t mean to run ourselves ragged. Doing better doesn’t always mean doing more. And if you do just one inspired thing each day, you are nevertheless the Lord’s agent."</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Amen, <i>sista</i>, and bravo! 👏😁</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"Love One Another, As I Have Loved You"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">By Jennifer Brinkerhoff Platt—talk presented at <a href="https://womensconference.byu.edu/library" target="_blank">BYU Women's Conference</a>, 2018.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm <i>so </i>excited Jennifer's talk is available to <a href="https://womensconference.byu.edu/sites/womensconference.ce.byu.edu/files/jennifer_brinkerhoff_platt_-_as_i_have_loved_you_love_one_another.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">read</span></a> <i>and</i> <a href="https://www.byutv.org/player/3d845ea0-b80f-4ffa-84f8-f42c65946a06/byu-womens-conference-jennifer-brinkerhoff-platt-5418" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">watch</span></a>! I've listened to her video <i>at least</i> three times already, and I'll be listening to/watching/reading it again very soon! Here are three sections of her talk that I absolutely <span style="color: magenta;">love</span>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"...if we really understand the distinction between doctrine, principles and application, then we will work to focus more on the doctrine—the WHY of our behaviors. Focusing on application or HOW we live is divisive, because I shouldn’t judge you for what the Holy Ghost is telling you to do. I may not understand your approach, but if we are one in doctrine, in the WHY, then it doesn’t matter how we pursue it."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"Continually pointing ourselves to the doctrine helps us to be one in Christ as He is one with the Father. Think of the love we extend to each other when instead of judging HOW another person is living, we assume the very best, that they are pursuing doctrine. Look for and trust the WHY of other’s behaviors. Teach and testify of WHY we do what we do. This gives us entrance into the sacred spaces of one another’s hearts where there is hidden sorrow that the eye can’t see. We also learn to pursue our questions differently and find peace with the ambiguity associated with mortality."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"Now, do you recognize this statement from President Boyd K. Packer? </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">'True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behaviors. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior. Preoccupation with unworthy behavior can lead to unworthy behavior. That is why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel.'"</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So awesome, <i>right</i>?! 😀</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action" target="_blank">How great leaders inspire action</a>"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">By Simon Sinek—TEDxPuget Sound</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It might seem strange to relate this TED Talk to parenting, but it really clicked with me! I've simply applied what he said to parenting and children! 😊 Here's a great quote from Mr. Sinek's wise words:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"Every single person, every single organization on the planet knows what they do, 100 percent. Some know how they do it, ... But very, very few people or organizations know why they do what they do. And by 'why' I don't mean 'to make a profit.' That's a result. It's always a result. By 'why,' I mean: What's your purpose? What's your cause? What's your belief? Why does your organization exist? Why do you get out of bed in the morning? And why should anyone care? As a result, the way we think, we act, the way we communicate is from the outside in, it's obvious. We go from the clearest thing to the fuzziest thing. But the inspired leaders and the inspired organizations—regardless of their size, regardless of their industry—all think, act and communicate from the inside out."</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I also really like Simon's second TED Talk: <span style="font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_why_good_leaders_make_you_feel_safe" target="_blank">Why good leaders make you feel safe</a>,"</span> and applied what he teaches to parenting, as well! Here's one of my favorite quotes from his talk:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"Leadership is a choice. It is not a rank. I know many people at the senior[-]most levels of organizations who are absolutely not leaders. They are authorities, and we do what they say because they have authority over us, but we would not follow them. And I know many people who are at the bottoms of organizations who have no authority and they are absolutely leaders, and this is because they have chosen to look after the person to the left of them, and they have chosen to look after the person to the right of them. This is what a leader is."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"</span><a href="http://the%20idea%20of%20%E2%80%9Cmothers%20in%20zion%E2%80%9D%20made%20me%20mad%E2%80%94until%20i%20learned%20what%20it%20meant%20by%20sharon%20eubank%2C%20first%20counselor%20in%20the%20relief%20society%20general%20presidency%20may%2011%2C%202018/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">The Idea of 'Mothers in Zion' Made Me Mad—Until I Learned What It Meant</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">By Sharon Eubank—<a href="https://www.lds.org/blog/?lang=eng" target="_blank">blog</a> post on <a href="http://lds.org/" target="_blank">LDS.org</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh, how I love her quote! 💛</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"Charity, or the pure love of Christ, is motherhood in a very practical and real way—sacrificing so that others might thrive and seeing beyond present circumstances to the way things really are. This motherhood is part of my covenantal identity. My mother-work will come directly through the whispers of the Holy Spirit."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"</span><a href="https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/language-materials/36612_eng.pdf" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Strengthening the Family: Resource Guide for Parents</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—also <a href="https://store.lds.org/lds/ProductDisplay?top_category5=%5BLjava.lang.String%3B%40a21a5048&top_category4=%5BLjava.lang.String%3B%401ef5a756&top_category3=%5BLjava.lang.String%3B%40f75b688&urlRequestType=Ajax&productId=3074457345616682311&catalogId=3074457345616676768&top_category2=&categoryId=3074457345616678785&errorViewName=ProductDisplayErrorView&urlLangId=-1&langId=-1&top_category=3074457345616678768&parent_category_rn=3074457345616678776&storeId=10151">available for purchase</a> at LDS.org's online store.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the gem of all parenting jewels! I'm so happy I found <i>Strengthening the Family</i>! I'll be reading and referring to it again and again! I only wish it had been available when I was pregnant with my first baby! It was published in 2006, two years after my last baby was born, but I never knew about it until recently. Thus, I'm sharing it with the world now in hopes that it helps some new parent <i>somewhere </i>in this glorious world of ours! While I feel silly that I had access to it all this time with the amazing <a href="https://www.lds.org/pages/mobileapps/gospellibrary?lang=eng" target="_blank">Gospel Library app</a> on my smartphone and didn't previously find it, I'm not going to worry because at least I'll be using it now!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are two great quotes from its pages:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Words and behavior have the power to hurt or to help, to inflict pain and suffering or to soothe painful feelings, to provoke doubt and fear or to instill faith and courage."</span> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"President James E. Faust of the First Presidency taught the importance of love and of recognizing differences in children when disciplining them: 'Child rearing is so individualistic. Every child is different and unique. What works with one may not work with another. I do not know who is wise enough to say what discipline is too harsh or what is too lenient except the parents of the children themselves, who love them most. It is a matter of prayerful discernment for the parents. Certainly the overarching and undergirding principle is that the discipline of children must be motivated more by love than by punishment.'"</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">President Faust's quote can apply to every parenting issue under the sun because we parents know and love our children <i>the most!</i> We have the individual responsibility and joy of parenting our children in the best ways possible for each of them because they are "ours"! 💞</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm so grateful for this <span style="font-size: large;">gift</span> of motherhood I've been given because it's <i>everything </i>to me! 🎁 When I say <i>everything</i>, I mean that I always wanted to be a mother{!}—from my earliest memories—and I'm so grateful my wish/desire has been so richly fulfilled! And I must give <span style="font-size: large;">huge props</span> to my darling Gregor for helping me achieve my dreams of motherhood!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">While I know my time is short in terms of having my children live with me (and Greg 😍) before they move on into the <i>wide wide</i> world, I will <i>always </i>be a mother; I am <i>eternally </i>a mother, inside and out! Regardless of the outcome of my children's lives—whatever path they choose in this world—I will love and care for these amazing souls that our Heavenly Father has blessed me with <b style="font-size: x-large; font-style: italic;">forever!</b> 😇</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You've come to the end of my parenting thoughts/helps for now, but I'll share more as I discover them! I'd love it if something I've shared today is of value to you or someone you know! I sincerely hope we'll all work on <span style="font-size: large;">strengthening our families</span> because relationships with our loved ones are the <span style="font-size: large;">most important!</span> 💛</span><br />
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Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-29656883363339354792018-04-18T10:21:00.000-06:002018-04-18T11:58:14.495-06:00Speedy Answers to My Fast<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Before I begin, I just have to say how much I <span style="font-size: large;">love</span> the title I created for this blog post! #ifeelsoclever! Ha ha. Okay, now we may proceed! </i>😊</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Remember how I <a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2017/12/blogging-for-conflict-resolution.html" target="_blank">posted back in December</a> about my issues with some of my extended family members? Well, those separate relationship issues recently came to a head. One of the issues was extremely worrisome and significant enough to my soul that I made an appointment to speak with my bishop about it—I really wanted to get his ecclesiastical take on the situation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>As a side note, I might write about all of this in greater detail someday, but out of respect for my extended family members, I'm going to stay vague for now.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My bishop kindly listened as I very tearfully explained my story and that of my extended family member. After my bishop and I talked for a long time, and he could see that there was truly nothing else I could do on my end with this extended family member, he suggested that I <span style="font-size: large;">fast</span> for myself to help me through my struggle. My bishop gave a lot of great advice and counsel, but the <span style="font-size: large;"><i>fasting just for me</i> idea</span> stood out the very most. Here are the scriptures my bishop shared with me—I included some additional verses that I like:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/isa/58?lang=eng" target="_blank">Isaiah 58</a>: 6, 8, 11, 14:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?<br />8 ¶ Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward.<br />11 And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.<br />14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth...</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Aren't those verses <i>awesome</i>?! I've heard them before, but I'd forgotten them because there are so many great scripture verses to remember! 😇<i> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Initially, I was surprised at the idea of fasting for myself, but after I thought about it for a few minutes, I decided to try it! I've always had <span style="font-size: large;">great faith</span> in <a href="https://www.lds.org/topics/fasting-and-fast-offerings?lang=eng" target="_blank">the law of the fast</a>. I've consistently fasted throughout my life for everyone else—my fasting list for people that I care about is <i>forever</i> long! 😇 Also, I've fasted for Greg and I as a couple, and for our children, but I've never fasted <i>specifically </i>and <i>only </i><span style="font-size: large;">for myself</span>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">At first, I felt kind of <span style="font-size: large;">squirmy</span> inside at the thought of focusing only on me and not fasting for anyone else this past Fast Sunday, but at the same time I knew it was <b>exactly</b> what I should do. So I did it! 😀 I fasted and prayed for my peace of mind, patience, and <i>especially </i>for resolution to my issues with my extended family members. <i>How </i>those things would be resolved, I had <b>no</b> idea, but I fasted for direction and comfort, and <span style="font-size: large;">I was ready for any answer(s) I would receive!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I say "would receive" because I fully expected Heavenly Father to answer my prayers and fasting through the Holy Ghost. I had patiently endured my issues for a <i>very </i>long time (we're talking months, and years in one instance). I felt like I had done <span style="font-size: large;">my best</span> with what I had been "given." Yes, it was <span style="font-size: large;">time</span> for some <i>divine intervention</i> to help me move past those issues because they were starting to affect me in a negative way. And don't even get me started on the dreams (while sleeping) I was having in relation to my issues with those extended family members! Oh, my issue-related dreams were <i>not </i>my favorite! 😬</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After Greg and I broke our fast together, <span style="font-size: large;">I felt much better.</span> Nothing had been resolved <i>yet</i>, but I <b><span style="color: magenta;">loved</span></b> hearing my wonderful husband's voice praying for me—yes, he specifically fasted for me, too, and I'll love him forever for it!! Of course, Greg and I pray together all the time, and I love him for innumerable reasons, but this (him fasting/praying specifically for me) just adds to my adoration of him! </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Speaking of my husband's wonderful voice, I think Greg should start doing voice-overs! I'm going to see what I can do to get him in that industry!</i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> 😃 #randomthoughtsbyAdrie! 😄</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The <span style="font-size: large;">amazing</span> news is, one of my issues with one of my extended family members was resolved <i>literally</i> <span style="font-size: large;">one day</span> after I fasted!! Said extended-family-member and I had been emailing each other the day before my fast, and cleared up everything by Monday! Yay! </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some might say that emailing isn't a great way to resolve conflict, but in our case, emails were the </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">only </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">thing that would have worked because even after seeing each other in person, it was glaringly obvious that we still had issues with each other. I even had a nightmare about said family member a couple of nights after we saw each other in person! When I awoke, I </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">knew </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">it was </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">time</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> for me to take <span style="font-size: large;">action</span> asap!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I also know that <i>because </i>I fasted that Sunday, I was inspired as to <i>how </i>to respond in my final email. My extended family member might not have particularly <i>liked </i>what I had to say, but, <i>oh my goodness</i>, it felt sooo <b>great</b>(!) to write what I <span style="font-size: large;">hadn't</span> been able to express in any way for seemingly endless months! I tried to show as much <span style="color: magenta;">love</span> and compassion with my words as I possibly could with<b>out</b> being a <i>door mat</i>. <span style="font-size: large;">Yes, it's a tricky balance to show love to others while simultaneously standing our ground</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> and staying true to who we are!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The other issue with my <i>other </i>extended family member—the one I met with my bishop about—didn't go away quite so instantly (a one-day turnaround is pretty exciting, <i>right</i>?!!), and it felt like our situation got even more difficult the day after my fast—which was a little concerning, to say the least.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Interestingly, and <span style="font-size: large;">not coincidentally</span> (As I've always said, everything happens for a reason!), I went walking with two of my dear friends that same Monday morning after completing my fast (on Sunday). As we were walking and talking about each of our issues with our extended family members, my one friend said, "Have you heard about <i>Bold New Mom</i>?" I was like, "What?" because I had never heard of that <i>bold </i>new mom. My friend then explained about the podcast she had recently found and how she thought of me in my situation with my extended family member that I was struggling with. My other friend immediately chimed in and said, "I love <i>Bold New Mom</i>! She has some great stuff!" And that was the end of our discussion about <i>Bold New Mom</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But later that night, my mind <i>wouldn't </i>let go of the podcast that my friend had told me about. <i>I give full thanks and credit to the Holy Ghost for reminding me of what my soul needed to do!</i> 💛 </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">As I pondered if I should look further into the podcast, I reminded myself that my friend who brought up </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Bold New Mom</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> is a very easy-going, go-with-the-flow type of girl. She doesn't usually give out advice, recommendations, or her opinions unless she's specifically asked—which is why it surprised me that she brought up the podcast out of the blue. Thus, I </span><i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">knew</span> </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">it was something I should definitely look into. I texted said friend about the podcast information, </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">and the rest is history!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After Googling <i>Bold New Mom</i>, I discovered <span style="font-size: large;">Jody Moore</span>'s <a href="https://boldnewmom.com/" target="_blank">website</a> <span style="font-size: medium;">and especially her <a href="https://boldnewmom.com/podcast/page/15/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">fabulous podcast</span></a>—</span>I linked you to her first episodes. Here's the link to her podcast, <i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-than-happy/id1021836339?mt=2" target="_blank">Better Than Happy</a></span></i>, in iTunes. I don't know when she changed the name of her podcast, but I really like the new title! 😊</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I <i>never </i>expected any of this to happen(!), but I have spent the last week <i><span style="font-size: large;">cocooning</span> </i>myself in <i>Better Than Happy</i> podcasts, extensive note-taking, analyzing, pondering, praying, and writing! This <i>amazing</i> week of <span style="font-size: large;">self-care</span> has helped me <span style="font-size: large;">more</span> than I <i>ever </i>could have imagined! In my wildest, most <span style="font-size: large;">faith-filled</span> dreams, I could not have envisioned this <span style="font-size: large;"><i>specific</i> result</span> happening! And it was all made possible because of my special <span style="font-size: large;">fast</span> on Sunday, April 8th, 2018!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I mean, I had complete and utter <span style="font-size: large;">faith</span> that I would absolutely <b>get </b>the help that I needed from our Heavenly Father through fasting, I just had no clue as to <i>how </i>that help would manifest itself. I also couldn't have possibly fathomed how completely my soul has been <span style="font-size: large;">healed</span> over this past week! Yet that is <i>exactly </i>what has happened!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In fact, when I was talking with my bishop (two weeks ago), I explained to him how much I <span style="font-size: large;">hoped</span> I could get a significant/direct answer to my fasting and prayers because if I didn't, my situation with my extended family member was getting to the point that I felt I might need a therapist to help me get over it. Yes, it was <i>that</i> much of an issue for me. My bishop assured me that they (<a href="https://www.lds.org/topics/church-organization/how-the-church-is-organized?lang=eng&old=true" target="_blank">my ward</a> in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) would help me with therapy if my insurance wouldn't cover it. I was grateful for his kind thoughts, but I didn't feel like I was to that point <i>just yet</i>. I was definitely waiting for inspiration from the Holy Ghost as to what I should do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So yeah, finding life coach Jody Moore was truly an <span style="font-size: large;">inspired</span> event in my life(!)—one that is <i>not</i> a coincidence and was most definitely <i>meant </i>to happen! Interestingly, that Monday walk-and-talk with my friends was the first time we've gotten together to go walking—and it was my idea! Yay! 😀 Yet when I say "my idea," I totally laugh because I know I was inspired by the Holy Ghost to suggest that my friends and I start walking together! (I texted them in March, and together we set up our walking date for April.) Also, I know my dear friend was <span style="font-size: large;">fully inspired</span> to tell me about <i>Bold New Mom</i>! If she wouldn't have spoken up, I don't know when or <i>if </i>I ever would have found Jody Moore and her fabulous, amazing podcasts!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Also, I feel <span style="font-size: large;">strongly</span> that I <i>wasn't </i>meant to find Jody's podcasts <span style="font-size: large;">until <b>now</b></span>. That seems <i>so </i>silly to say because she's <span style="font-size: large;"><i>so </i>helpful</span>, but up until <i>very </i>recently (we're talking within the last month), I really didn't have any extended-family relationship issues that I couldn't deal with—and I <i>was </i>dealing with them just fine in my own way. <span style="font-size: large;">I am a strong woman. I have confidence. I know who I am. I am spiritually in tune with our Heavenly Father.</span> I study, research, ponder, and pray about <i>everything</i> in my life. I've never felt the need for a therapist or a life coach. I honestly didn't feel there was any issue I've dealt with (or would deal with) that I couldn't find an answer to or work through "on my own."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I say "on my own" because the Holy Ghost has <span style="font-size: large;">always</span> told/shown me everything that's </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">best for me to do—and I've done it! </span>I'm very much in tune with Heavenly Father as to who I am and what I need to do to make my life work in the very <b>best </b>way possible. <span style="font-family: inherit;">Of course, I'm not perfect! That goes without saying! I've definitely had my struggles, but <span style="font-size: large;">I've </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: inherit;">always </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">found my way to sunshine and happiness—</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><i>every </i>time!</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> 🌞😎😁</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">That said, </span>I was also smack dab in the middle of <i>grieving </i>that specific relationship with my one extended family member (the one I spoke with my bishop about) for several months. Our relationship had changed <i>drastically </i>over the past few years and I needed to <span style="font-size: large;">grieve</span> <i>all </i>of it <span style="font-size: large;">first</span> before I could move on in <i>Better Than Happy Land</i>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So even if someone would have told me about Jody previously, I wouldn't have felt a particular need to check out her content. Even when I wrote about my extended family issues back in December, 2017, I was handling everything okay; even when I was struggling, I wasn't truly ready to find Jody's brilliant advice. Yes, I had to get to </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">my </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">personal </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">breaking point</span>—and I arrived there about three weeks ago. Thus, last Monday was literally the perfect time for me to discover </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Better Than Happy</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Do you see how <i>all</i> of this was <b>so</b> <i>meant to be</i>?!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's mind blowing and humbling in the same moment to <span style="font-size: large;">think</span> about everything<i> </i>that has transpired in just the past three weeks(!):</span><br />
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<li>I was inspired to meet with my bishop.</li>
<li>My bishop was inspired to counsel me in the way that he did—and especially in advising me that I should <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">fast and pray for myself.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Greg was inspired when he prayed for me as we ended our fast together.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was inspired as to how to respond to my one extended family member over email.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was inspired to set up my walking date with my friends—far in advance of my important week.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">My walking/talking friends were inspired to take our conversation in the direction it went—about our issues with our extended family members.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">My one friend, in particular, was <b><i>so </i></b>inspired to tell me about </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Bold New Mom</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was inspired to later ask my friend for information about the podcast, research it, listen to 37 episodes, and do the "self" work that needed to be done.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jody Moore was inspired to become a life coach and begin her own podcast series!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Brooke Castillo was inspired to do all of the study and research she did in order to create </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">The Life Coach School</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (with her husband) in the first place!</span></li>
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Not only has this experience helped me tremendously with resolving my extended family relationship issues, it has strengthened (yet again!) my <span style="font-size: large;">unshakable testimony</span> of fasting and prayer.<br />
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I have never doubted nor questioned my relationship with our Heavenly Father—through our Savior, Jesus Christ—but there have been times when I've felt picked on because I didn't receive the <span style="font-size: large;">immediate</span> answers from Him that I so <i>desperately </i>desired—answers that I <b>knew</b> He could freely give me if he wanted to! *And yes, I fully acknowledge that Heavenly Father gives us trials to help us grow and become our best selves! That said, there have been times when I've wished my "trial" path was a <i>smidgen of a bit </i>easier! 😉<br />
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Several weeks ago, this thought entered my mind <i>so </i>strongly:<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Trials are meant to strengthen you and give you compassion for others.</span><br />
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I 100% believe in and agree with that brilliant statement! Again, trials are given to us so that we can truly become our best selves! I've written about trials before in my blog post, "<a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2015/12/receiving-our-trials-with-thankfulness.html" target="_blank">Receiving Our Trials with Thankfulness</a>." So even though we may not <i>want</i> those soul-trying trials at the time, in the end, they are always given to us for our <b>best</b> benefit!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All of that said, I <i>still </i>have some significant work to do in relation to my other extended family member. I'm not out of the woods quite yet, but thanks to this amazing week I've had—of doing the self-care work I know Heavenly Father wants me to do—</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I can </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">actually </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>see</b> a glimmer of the <i>Road to Resolution</i> that I've been searching for! And I will happily hike the remainder of my journey through the thick trees because I <b>know</b> I can do it! 👊😁🌲</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I'm so grateful to Heavenly Father for <i>listening </i>to my prayers, <i>accepting </i>my fasting efforts, and <b>blessing</b> my life in exactly the ways I needed! 💛</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> I'm unbelievably happy (and slightly overwhelmed!) to have received such <i>speedy </i>answers to my fast! </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">It's truly amazing to me!</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, here's a wrap-up about my experience with listening to the <i>Better Than Happy</i> podcast:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Even though I could have listened to <i>Better Than Happy</i> through iTunes, or on my iPod Touch, I chose to access Jody's podcast through <a href="https://boldnewmom.com/podcast/page/15/" target="_blank">her website</a> on my smartphone. (My <a href="http://www.lg.com/us/mobile-phones/v20" target="_blank">LGV20</a> is my absolute <i>favorite</i>!) Instead of listening from Episode 1, I started listening at Episode 5—which was my friend's recommendation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After finishing Episode 5, I knew I wanted to explore <b>more</b> of Jody's <span style="font-size: large;">awesome</span> thoughts! </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thus, I went through the entire </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Better Than Happy</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> podcast list and opened the links to all of the podcast topics that I felt applied to my situation with my extended family member in <i>any </i>way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I initially listened to the following episodes (not in this exact order): 3, 6, 8, 13, 14, 16, 17, 21, 29, 33, 65, 81, 94, 97, and 122. After I finished those episodes, I decided to look at Jody's podcast list again and see if there was anything else that interested me. As you might have guessed, yep(!), I found an additional 17 podcasts to listen to! Here's round two of the </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Better Than Happy</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> podcasts I listened to (not in this exact order): 27, 36, 37, 47, 50, 53, 73, 77, 81, 83, 85, 86, 87, 107, 110, 114, and 126! After I felt satisfied with my <i>podcast learning</i>, I went back and listened to episodes 1, 2, 4, and 141.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you're wondering how and <i>why </i>I kept track of the episodes I listened to, I just opened each episode in a new window of my phone's Chrome browser. When I finished listening to everything I was interested in, I went into my Chrome browser again, wrote down all of the podcast episode numbers I had open, and then I closed all of those tabs. I kept track of those podcasts because I want to know which ones I listened to—in case I want to refer back to them at a later date.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I listened to a bunch of the <i>Better Than Happy</i> podcasts <span style="font-size: large;">out</span> of numerical order, which was fine, but after I take a little break, I'm going to go back and listen to Jody's podcasts from Episode 1 all the way to her most current episode! I can't wait to begin this adventure again! 😊 Her podcasts really are <i><span style="font-size: large;">perfect</span> </i>for listening to while doing household chores—they make the time <span style="font-size: large; font-style: italic;">fly</span> by! And they're simultaneously turning listeners into better humans! <span style="font-size: large;">It's a true <i>win-win</i>!</span></span><br />
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*If you want to start listening to <i>Better Than Happy</i>, I highly recommend starting right at <span style="font-size: large;">Episode 1</span>, as she guides you through everything you need to know from there. Yes, you can understand what she's teaching if you start at a different episode, but based on my experience, I believe it's better to start at the beginning because it's a very good place to start! 😁 #<a href="https://vimeo.com/81408471" target="_blank">DoReMi</a> 🎶<br />
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I seriously wish I could recommend the <i>Better Than Happy</i> podcast to <b>every</b> human on planet earth! 😀 Jody Moore is a living example of the parable of the talents. She knows and understands the talents she's been blessed with, she's practiced and honed her skills in marvelous ways, and she is actively <span style="font-size: large;">blessing</span> humanity by freely sharing her special gifts with us!<br />
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As a fun tidbit, <i>Better Than Happy</i> has received 1,671 reviews (to this date—her reviews keep increasing daily) on iTunes and <i>only </i>four of those reviews (0.0024%!) have been negative! Jody should feel <i><span style="font-size: large;">ecstatic</span> </i>that she continually produces a five-star podcast! <span style="font-size: x-small;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span> Wow! I'm so happy for her success! And I'm grateful she's continuing to create so many helpful podcasts!<br />
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I also researched <i>The Life Coach School</i>, which is where Jody received her life-coaching certification. It looks like a really great program, they've turned out some amazing life coaches! I listened to the first three podcast episodes of <i>The Life Coach School</i>, and they were great, yet I just didn't feel the <i>deep</i> <span style="font-size: large;">connection</span> to Brooke that I instantly felt with Jody. There might come a day when I feel the urge to listen to more of <i>The Life Coach School</i>'s podcasts, but right now isn't the time.<br />
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I greatly enjoy Jody's connection to my <span style="font-size: large;">beloved</span> <a href="https://www.lds.org/?lang=eng" target="_blank">church</a>; I believe it helps that she's a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints because she brings an additional <span style="font-size: large;">spiritual</span> perspective/dimension that I didn't feel/experience (so far) while listening to Brooke. That <i>isn't </i>meant to be anything negative (not in <i>any </i>way!) against <i>The Life Coach School</i>, it's just that I found the important connection I was looking for <span style="font-size: large;">in Jody</span>, and I'm sticking with her for the foreseeable future! 😁<br />
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Thanks for reading, I hope you have a wonderful day! 😘Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-27344571867718987112018-03-22T22:31:00.003-06:002018-03-23T09:58:04.925-06:00Adventures with William Wurlitzer!In March, 2017, I went on a piano adventure and bought a new/used piano! But before I get into my new-to-me piano story, let's take a walk down piano-memory lane...<br />
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I had been using my great grandparent's old Story and Clark piano since 2003—when my Grandpa Charles was so generous to give it to me after my Grandma Ardis died (in 2001). My grandpa's gift was such a <span style="font-size: large;">blessing</span> in my life!<br />
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At the time I received my great-grandparents' piano, my church calling was <a href="https://www.lds.org/callings/primary/leader-resources/music?lang=eng" target="_blank">Primary pianist</a>. Before my grandpa so generously helped me out, I had to go to my church building to practice the assigned Primary songs. Thankfully, my weekly outings to my church building didn't last long. I was thrilled to be able to practice Primary songs in my very own home! I was also excited to refresh older songs I had "perfected" in my youth while taking piano lessons and performing in recitals and <a href="http://www.ufmc-music.org/cgi-bin/site.cgi?action=view_page&page=competition" target="_blank">Federation competitions</a>.<br />
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Because my family's historical piano was moved <span style="font-size: large;">nine times</span> while in my possession, it <i>really </i>started showing wear and tear everywhere. I felt <span style="font-size: large;">so badly</span> about its worn-out condition, but we <span style="font-size: large;">needed</span> our piano, so it always went with us wherever we moved!<br />
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<i>Fast forward 13+ years.</i><br />
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Once I gained many more piano students (I don't remember the exact tally, but it was more than 15), I decided I not only wanted but <span style="font-size: large;">needed</span> a newer piano. I asked Greg what he thought about me buying a new/used piano and he agreed it was a good idea—a smart business decision! Up until that moment, I had never realized that I was a small-business owner, but it's true! 😊<br />
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As I prayed what to do about my piano needs, I received the distinct impression that <span style="font-size: large;">I should go to the <a href="https://www.pianogallery.com/" target="_blank">Piano Gallery</a> in Murray, Utah, and buy the black Wurlitzer piano.</span> That was a <i>very </i><span style="font-size: large;">random</span> thought considering there's a Piano Gallery closer to my house up north, <i>and </i>especially considering the fact that I was being told <i>so </i><span style="font-size: large;">specifically</span> which piano brand and color to buy. Thus, I knew it <i>had</i> to be divine inspiration and decided to follow through on my answer.<br />
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But before we went to the Piano Gallery, I decided to do my due diligence and check KSL.com's <a href="https://www.ksl.com/classifieds/" target="_blank">classifieds</a>. (I always do my part when receiving heavenly answers!) There were so many used pianos and I searched through every single one of them(!), but nothing felt right. Greg and I even looked at purchasing a 30-year-old Yamaha upright in our own little city, but when I saw/played it in person, it was <i>nothing </i>close to what I wanted. I was most definitely not <i>feeling it</i>! To me, the price of that old Yamaha was <span style="font-size: large;">outlandish</span> for a piano in not-great condition!<br />
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As I prayed again—this time to "present my case" and confirm my decision—I had the same impression: <span style="font-size: large;">Piano Gallery, Murray; black Wurlitzer piano.</span><br />
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It was a rainy Saturday when we pulled into the Piano Gallery's Murray parking lot. As cheesy as it sounds, I can truly remember it like it was yesterday! <i>Aww!</i> They were having a sale that day, so I was <span style="font-size: large;">super hopeful</span> at what I'd find...until I walked through their side-front doors! I was <span style="font-size: large;">blown away</span> at the <b>high prices</b> of their pianos! That dinky little used Yamaha upright was looking pretty great at that point! Ha ha.<br />
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After practically drooling over the amazing, gorgeous, lovely, and inspiring grand pianos (Oh, they were so unbelievably <b>great</b>!), I yanked my soul back into reality and forced myself to walk to the smaller used pianos section in the back of the gallery. Yet I was <span style="font-size: large;">pleasantly surprised</span> at what we found: I saw many <span style="font-size: large;">great</span> used pianos! Yay! There were also <span style="font-size: large;">new</span>, <i>beautiful </i>Yamaha spinets and uprights, among other brands that I don't remember. Still, there was nothing in my price point that I wanted to pony up for, so I walked mindlessly toward the section of used medium-grand pianos.<br />
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That's when I <span style="font-size: large;">stopped</span> in my tracks: <span style="font-size: large;">I saw a <i>GORGEOUS</i> black Wurlitzer grand piano!</span> It was sooo shiny and looked absolutely perfect! But once I saw the price tag—which included the on-sale price that was <i>still </i>too much money(!)—a little, tiny piece of me <span style="font-size: large;"><i>died </i>inside</span>. It was waaayyyy over our used-piano budget. 😢<br />
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As I continued walking through the rest of the store, I never saw another black Wurlitzer piano. Add to that, I never saw another Wurlitzer piano <i>at all</i>! Not a one! It was true: <span style="font-size: large;">The only Wurlitzer piano in that entire store was a black, medium-grand <i>beauty</i>!</span><br />
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I was very befuddled in that moment. I had received very <span style="font-size: large;">direct and specific inspiration</span> of what I was supposed to do, yet what I found at the Piano Gallery was <i>not at all</i> what I <span style="font-size: large;">expected</span>. But I had followed through on said inspiration up to that point, so I decided to go back and <i><span style="font-size: large;">play</span> </i>the black Wurlitzer. I was nervous as I walked over to play it because I knew I was entering <i>dangerous </i>territory! <span style="font-size: large;">You laugh, but when you follow inspiration like I do, there's a point of no return and I knew I was nearing it!</span><br />
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When I finally played the lovely, black, medium-grand Wurlitzer, it absolutely <i><b>did</b> </i>something to my soul! I was <i><span style="font-size: large;">overjoyed</span> </i>in that moment of contact! I knew I just <i>HAD </i>to have it! I also didn't know what to tell my husband! Aahh! 😄<br />
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Greg was taken aback when I told him of my <i>gorgeous </i>find, and about the inspiration I had received. The look on his face said he wasn't entirely sure of what to do. He suggested asking if the Piano Gallery was firm on the Wurlitzer's price. They were very firm on their price and pointed out it was on sale, but they also said that we could do in-store financing if we wanted. (It was zero percent interest if the piano loan was paid off within six months.) We asked the store manager, Mike, how long the sale with special financing would be available. I don't remember what he said, but we told him we'd think about it and let him know. I'm pretty sure he envisioned that we wouldn't be back! Ha ha.<br />
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I felt defeated when we left the Piano Gallery. I was <span style="font-size: large;">super bummed</span> we hadn't bought a piano that day like I planned! Frustration set in as I <i>literally </i>could <b>not </b>stop thinking about the black, medium-grand Wurlitzer! It was at the forefront of my mind for <i>endless </i>hours—and especially while I folded laundry!<br />
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At my extended family's party that Sunday night (one day later), I told everyone of our piano adventures. I explained how difficult it was going to be finding a piano we could <span style="font-size: large;">afford</span> that was nice enough <i>and </i>made my soul <i><span style="font-size: large;">sing</span> </i>like the black Wurlitzer medium-grand did!<br />
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Greg and I talked about the beautiful Wurlitzer grand piano again on our drive home. <span style="font-size: large;">I was shocked when Greg said, "Let's buy you your piano!"</span> I argued with him, explaining our tight budget (Greg was still attending Harvard online; our expensive, growing children; etc., etc.), and pointing out everything that was <span style="font-size: large;">wrong</span> about buying the expensive-to-us Wurlitzer. Greg rebutted with the fact that my piano-lessons money could pay for the piano within a year <i>and </i>that it could be written off as a business expense! While both of those were valid points, I still completely worried about what such an <i><span style="font-size: large;">expensive</span> </i>purchase would do to our family's budget and well-being! They were legitimate concerns!<br />
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That very next Monday, March 27th, two days since I first met <i>Mr. Wurlitzer</i>, I went online and searched for "my" piano. I was stunned to see the price of it online was $1,000 less than the sale price in the store! I excitedly told Greg and he said, <span style="font-size: large;">"We are <i><span style="font-size: medium;">buying</span> </i>you your piano!"</span> I squealed and replied, "Really?! We're doing this?!!" He said, "Yes! We'll finance it and pay it off with our savings before the loan starts charging interest." <span style="font-size: large;">My soul <i>soared</i>!</span><br />
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At that point, I had a new worry: that my incredible find would have already been sold out from under me! I immediately called Mike and asked him about the price of "my" piano. He said the online price was correct and the piano was still for sale. I asked him if the price could be lowered any further than that, considering the internet price was lower than the price in the store, but he said that was <span style="font-size: large;"><i>it</i></span>. I told him I wanted to buy it, but I'd have to come later that day. He said he would hold it for me until 4:00 p.m., but after that, it would be available for someone else to purchase. I said okay, thanked him, and told him I would see him soon!<br />
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I was absolutely <span style="font-size: large;">giddy</span> with excitement! <span style="font-size: large;">Not only was I was purchasing the black Wurlitzer that the Holy Ghost specifically told me to buy(!), I was also buying the piano that I fell <i>head-over-heels</i> <b><span style="color: magenta;">in love</span></b> with!</span> Again you laugh, but <span style="font-size: large;"><i>piano love</i></span> is a real thing! People have fallen in love with pianos for centuries! I have nothing to back up my statement, but Google it and you'll see that I'm right! Ha ha. 😍<br />
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I drove myself to Murray (so Greg could pick up our kids from school) <i>asap </i>to buy my piano. I was glad I'd be finished with everything before my piano lessons began that afternoon! I had so much time on my drive to think of ways to shrink our budget for six months—so we could get a head start on our piano loan payments; I knew we could do it!<br />
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When I went into the store and told them which piano I wanted, I could barely contain my excitement! I looked over the black, medium-grand Wurlitzer one last time (to be absolutely <b>certain</b> of my decision), found a piano bench I wanted, and headed over to sign the paperwork. As a funny side note, I took longer deciding what piano bench to buy than I did my piano! 😄<br />
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While sitting across from the store manager, Mike, I looked at his family photos around his desk. I suddenly realized...<span style="font-size: large;">I knew this man!</span> I was 99% certain he had been in our ward (church congregation) 13 years ago! I asked him if he had ever lived in Layton, and he said, "Yes." I then said, "I think you were in my ward in Layton!" We talked and confirmed that we were indeed in the same ward!<br />
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I was utterly <b>amazed</b> when I remembered that Mike was on my list of "substitute pianists" for my calling as Primary pianist! Oh, <i>wow</i>! <span style="font-size: large;">I had suddenly come <i>full circle</i>!</span> I also remembered the <span style="font-size: large;">incredible</span><span style="font-size: large;"> vocal talents</span> of his darling wife, Stacie. Even now, 14 years later, I can <i>still </i>recall their soul-touching performances in our ward's sacrament meetings! I was stunned to learn that his wife had never created an album of her astounding gift! As we talked, I was <i>blown away</i> thinking of the many things that had to fall into place for that moment to happen!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I mean, <span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>comon'!</i></b></span><i> </i>What are the odds that I would choose the <i>very</i> piano store that not only produced my perfect-for-me piano(!), but also included the man who used to be in my previous ward who was on my list of substitute pianists?! Those odds are <i>ridiculous</i>, and most definitely <u>not</u> a coincidence!</span><br />
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Back-in-the-day, I tried to convince Mike's <i>fabulous </i>wife that she needed to create a CD of her vocal talents. As I recently searched the internet for Stacie—to see if she's created a CD like I recommended (😁)—I was disappointed to see she hasn't done anything <i>yet</i>. I remember Mike telling me that Stacie now teaches singing lessons (or something like that), which is truly wonderful for her to pass on her gift!<br />
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<i>Side note</i>: I found a performance of Stacie and Mike (from their family reunion) for you to watch! So yeah, please feel free to say, <span style="font-size: large;">"You're right, Adrie! She's amazing!"</span> Ha ha. Yes, I'm an internet sleuth! #notastalker! 😆 Of course this performance is not professional, and I wish you could see them in a sacrament meeting setting(!), but their talents as a musical couple are <span style="font-size: large;">impressive!</span><br />
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<i><a href="https://youtu.be/CXpNPN9loDs" target="_blank">Stacie and Mike Raddatz Opera Aria</a></i></div>
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The next several days were a blur of getting my house ready for my black, medium-grand Wurlitzer to arrive! I spent a long time researching where I should place my piano and realized I had to switch around my <span style="font-size: large;">entire</span> living room! You see, the bass side of a grand piano needs to be on an inside wall, away from windows with direct sunlight, and away from blowing/direct air. I actually had a great time rearranging everything! It totally reminded me of moving houses/cities/states again, which I was <span style="font-size: large;">so grateful</span> we <i>didn't </i>have to do!<br />
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In my spare time before bed each night, I researched my new piano (the make and model number) to make sure I had made a <span style="font-size: large;">good</span> decision. I know, <i>I know!</i>, that seems like such a backward move—especially considering that I'm <i>such </i><span style="font-size: large;">a researcher</span>! Yes, I should have researched my piano before I bought it! Yet I was <i>so </i>completely <b><span style="font-size: large;">certain</span> </b>of my actions that I didn't feel the need to research any of it beforehand.<br />
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In the hours I spent looking online, I realized that <span style="font-size: large;">I could <span style="font-size: medium;">not</span> have made a more perfect piano purchase if I <i>tried</i>!!</span> Even if I had spent hours upon hours researching pianos and pricing, I <i>still </i>would have absolutely come to the same conclusion: the shiny, black, medium-grand Wurlitzer was <b>the</b> <b><span style="font-size: large;">perfect</span> </b>piano for me and my situation! Even today, knowing <i>all </i>that I know with hindsight being 20/20, I would <span style="font-size: large;">still</span> make the same decision over and over again! And that backed-up/solid/researched <span style="font-size: large;">knowledge</span> feels incredibly <span style="font-size: large;">great!</span><br />
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My new piano was safely delivered and installed (<i>woohoo!</i>), and my great-grandparents' piano was sent to my dad's living room! He was super excited to receive his family heirloom and is looking into getting it restored. <i>Yay! Yay! Happy piano days!</i><br />
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After I had my piano for a few hours, I decided I'd better name my <i>black beauty</i>, I also decided my piano is a boy! I know, <span style="font-size: large;">I'm <i>the silliest</i>!</span> I looked at all the "W" boy names and narrowed it down to like nine or 10. In the end, <span style="font-size: large;"><i>William Wurlitzer</i></span> sounded the best to me and I named "him" exactly that! I'm very happy with my naming choice! 😁 <i>Oh, and I forgot to mention that William was tuned a few weeks after I brought him home!</i><br />
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In an email I sent April 3rd, 2017, I told the family of my birth how much I <span style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>love</b></span> </span>my piano and presented some of the reasons why I have such <i>cheesy piano love</i>:<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">I love it because it sounds <i>so</i> amazing!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">It's so beautiful to look at! 😍</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">It challenges me in my mind, heart, soul, and physical abilities.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">I'm able to create something from inside of me that <i>doesn't </i>exist without my piano.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">It gives me <i>all</i> the feels! 💛</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">My piano connects me to my family in ways that I can't without it.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">It brings an <i>amazing </i>spirit into our home.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">It energizes me as a player, and as a listener. Sometimes I'm like, "Wow! I <i>just </i>played that! That <i>just</i> happened!" 😄 Ha ha.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">My piano makes me feel like I'm contributing something 100% worthwhile to our world—it's an activity that's <i>actually </i>making the world a better place!</span></li>
</ul>
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Nearly one year later (almost exactly 😁), those reasons still totally apply! <span style="font-size: large;">Buying William Wurlitzer was and <i>is</i> one of the <b>best </b>decisions I've <i>ever </i>made!</span> Thankfully, my Gregor agrees with me! My medium-grand piano is literally the <span style="font-size: large;">purchase of my lifetime!</span> It's been a financial struggle, for sure, <span style="font-size: large;">but it's worth <u>every</u> <u>penny</u>.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">The great news is, our bank account has nearly recovered from our life-changing purchase! <i>Yay!</i> I still remember the oh-so-<span style="font-size: large;">happy</span> day I paid off my piano, I was <span style="font-size: large;">so excited</span> and jumped for joy!! There is just something about finally <span style="font-size: large;">owning</span> what you love and have worked so hard for! 😍</span><br />
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*By the way, <span style="font-size: large;"><i>no</i></span>, this blog post is <b>not </b>an advertisement to get you to go buy a piano! Ha ha. <span style="font-size: large;">I'm simply stating the fact that there is almost <i>nothing </i>on Earth so lovely as live music that you or your loved ones create yourselves!</span><br />
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I've also <span style="font-size: large;">thoroughly enjoyed</span> watching my wonderful students <i>fall in love</i> with my piano as well! They're fascinated to watch <span style="font-size: large;">all</span> that goes into making a piano play! They also love playing their own songs they've created on my piano. Wow, I love watching their growing minds work! So yes, buying William Wurlitzer has been <span style="font-size: large;">highly beneficial</span> to my piano students, too! We have such a <span style="font-size: large;">great</span> time playing the piano together! I absolutely <i><span style="font-size: large;">know</span> </i>that having my students play on an "above average" piano truly helps inspire them to play their very best!<br />
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All of that fun aside, last fall, a few of my piano's keys began sticking. #ohno! 😬 I became really concerned when they weren't becoming unstuck! I worriedly thought, "Did I buy a lemon?! Did the Piano Gallery pull the wool over my starry-eyes and take advantage of me?!" I researched everything that could possibly be wrong with William Wurlitzer and came to the conclusion that, <b>no</b>, the Piano Gallery didn't do anything wrong—sticky piano keys are <i>very </i>common, especially in older pianos like mine who've been through big transitions. The only thing I could do was hire a piano tuner/technician. Thus began my search for a piano <i>doctor</i>!</div>
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While I liked the piano tuner I used to <a href="http://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2015/05/piano-practice-perks.html" target="_blank">tune my great-grandparents' piano</a>, I couldn't find a website for him anywhere (and I <i>really </i>searched!), so I didn't know if he did piano repairs, or not. Because William Wurlitzer means<i> the world</i> to me, I decided to go with a piano tuner/technician who has an active, functioning website that clearly states all of his/her services, accomplishments, certificates, and customer reviews! After all of my research, I narrowed it down to one gentleman who has really great piano credentials—and his resume outside of piano tuning/repair is truly amazing!<br />
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I then texted my friend (and wonderful mother of three of my darling piano students!) who recently had her piano tuned, to see if she could share her piano tuner's information with me. I wanted to make sure there wasn't someone better than the guy I chose. Yet after waiting 27 minutes (I checked my sent texts 😄), I felt the Holy Ghost tell me that I'd made a <b>good</b> decision and I should call William Wurlitzer's new piano doctor <i>immediately</i>! 😁<br />
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<i>By the way, "piano doctor" is not our piano tuner's company name—it's just the nickname I gave him! I clarified that because there's a piano doctor website, but he's not the piano guy I chose.</i><br />
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When I called to set up William's appointment, I signed him up for every treatment the piano tuner/technician offered besides an appraisal! It was a pricey list of services, but it was fully worth it—<i>and </i>I can write it off as a business expense for my 2018 taxes!<br />
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It was a super exciting day when William Wurlitzer was taken apart, completely dusted inside and out, cleaned, fully repaired, and perfectly tuned by our new piano doctor! <span style="font-size: large;">I was utterly fascinated by <i>everything</i> our piano technician was doing!</span> He <i>really </i>knew his stuff! And he made my mind completely relax when he told me that William Wurlitzer's sticky keys were 100% fixable! Oh, it was <i>such</i> a <b>relief </b>to my piano-loving soul! I could finally breathe again and boundlessly <span style="font-size: large;">love</span> my piano without any worries! <i>I know my reactions are extreme, but this is how much I truly <span style="color: magenta;">love </span>my piano!</i> 😍<br />
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My favorite part of this whole "Fix William Wurlitzer!" adventure was when our piano doctor began <i><span style="font-size: large;">playing</span> </i>my piano (to see how in tune it was)—he's a <i><span style="font-size: large;">fantastic</span> </i>pianist! I felt like I was an important patron at a five-star hotel restaurant! <span style="font-size: x-small;">⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</span> Greg mentioned how great of a pianist our piano doctor was, too! But the best news (besides the repair of William's sticky keys) came when our piano doctor began tuning the piano. Turns out, William Wurlitzer held his tune pretty well from his initial tuning in 2017—which shows, <i>again</i>, that I bought a high-quality piano! <i>Yay me</i>! 👍<br />
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I was super impressed with our piano doctor because he tuned mainly by ear! Our previous piano tuner used an app on his smart phone to check his work—which is totally fine, don't get me wrong! But I love the fact that our new piano tuner/technician understands pianos and music as a whole to the degree that he knows every note <span style="font-size: large;">by ear!</span> #<i>amazing</i>!<br />
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And it gets even better! There was one octave, or so, in the higher notes of William Wurlitzer that always sounded a little bit "pingy" or "tinny" when played. It's like they were in tune, but just one <i>teensy </i>little degree out of tune. And those notes had been "off" since I bought the piano, so I thought there was just no fixing them. Yet our piano doctor put those babies <span style="font-size: large;">right in tune</span>, and they no longer have that tinny/pingy sound! <i>Hip hip hooray</i>!<br />
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As I was getting ready to pay William's piano doctor, we ended up chatting while he cleaned up everything. It was a nice conversation, but I was <span style="font-size: large;"><i>floored</i></span> when he said he just moved into a house east of my neighborhood! He moved into my <a href="https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/stake" target="_blank">stake</a> (several church congregations grouped together) less than one month earlier! I was <i>beyond </i><span style="font-size: large;">amazed</span> at the new/additional "coincidence" to go along with William Wurlitzer's story! But I know it's <i>not </i>a coincidence!<br />
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I mean, <i>seriously</i>, what are the odds that out of <b>all</b> the internet options available, I would choose a <span style="font-size: large;">master</span> piano tuner/technician that just moved mere <span style="font-size: large;">minutes</span> away from my house?! <span style="font-size: large;">Yeah, <i>slim to none</i> is what I said, too!</span> Ha ha. Yet I know our piano<i> doctor</i> wasn't <i>my</i> discovery: I know the Holy Ghost inspired me with my best possible outcome for fixing William Wurlitzer and putting my mind at ease!<br />
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After experiencing nearly one full <span style="font-size: large;">year</span> with William Wurlitzer, I say <i>yet again</i>: <a href="https://www.lds.org/topics/holy-ghost?lang=eng" target="_blank">the Holy Ghost</a> is a <span style="font-size: large;">legitimate</span> spiritual personage—the third member of the Godhead who tells us the will of our Heavenly Father! The Spirit speaks <span style="font-size: large;">the truth</span><span style="font-size: medium;">, and He told me exactly what was the <span style="font-size: large;">best</span> choice for me at each crossroad of my piano adventure!</span> Any and all who will cultivate a righteous life and continually <i><span style="font-size: large;">listen</span> </i>to the Holy Ghost, and act upon what He says, will be blessed <i>forever</i>! I'm <span style="font-size: large;">so thankful</span> I was given so many opportunities to <span style="font-size: large;">rely</span> on my <span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">faith</span> throughout this past year with my <span style="font-size: large;"><i>beloved</i></span> piano!<br />
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These amazing experiences (among many others) remind me that <span style="font-size: large;">we are known and <i>deeply</i> loved by our Heavenly Father</span>, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Our Heavenly Father gives us exactly what we need, and, many times, He gives us what we want! 😁 The nicest thing is when we, as individuals, align our needs <i>and</i> wants with our Heavenly Father's knowledge of what is <b>best</b> for us!<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We must always remember and <i>never </i>forget just how <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">loved</span></b> we are(!) and that we matter to our Heavenly Father! Our lives are most definitely <i>not </i>small, nor insignificant! Each of us are a <i>vital </i>part of God's very <a href="https://www.lds.org/topics/plan-of-salvation?lang=eng&_r=1&old=true" target="_blank"><i>great </i>plan of happiness</a>!</span><br />
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Lastly, my <i>grand </i>piano adventures with William Wurlitzer show that <span style="font-size: large;"><i>creating </i>beautiful music is <i>very </i>important to our Heavenly Father!</span> We have <span style="font-size: large;">all</span> been given access to inspiring, uplifting, <span style="font-size: medium;"><i>soul-changing</i></span> music through multiple avenues. Our musical options in today's technological society are <i>unmatched</i> by previous generations! We are <span style="font-size: large;">so blessed</span> to have music <i>everywhere</i>! Some people are obviously more talented than others in the music world, but that <i>doesn't </i>mean we shouldn't all still <span style="font-size: large;"><i>try</i></span> to create beautiful music to the best of our abilities! Yes, each of us needs to decide <span style="font-size: large;">now</span> how<i> </i>we will daily incorporate <span style="font-size: large;">essential music</span> into our lives...<span style="font-size: large;">I know what I've chosen! 😀</span><br />
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Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-78378792234568407812017-12-22T19:09:00.003-07:002017-12-22T19:46:28.992-07:00Blogging for Conflict Resolution<div class="tr_bq">
You might have noticed that I've put off blogging for quite a while. As I described in my previous post, I've been very busy. Yet at the same time, I've tried to analyze myself and figure out <i>why </i>I've not been blogging like I truly desire. I finally realized that I haven't made blogging a priority because I've been having some issues with my extended family. It's <span style="font-size: large;">difficult</span> to write that here on my blog—a <i>wonderful</i> public space I've created for myself, but it's true.</div>
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I've struggled <span style="font-size: large;">mightily</span> over the past several months due to feelings of frustration and sadness over a lack of closeness between myself and some extended family members—both in my family and Greg's family, but especially mine. And no matter <i>how </i>much time has gone by, or how <span style="font-size: large;">many</span> efforts of goodwill I've extended, those issues frustratingly remain to some degree, or another.<br />
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I've been <span style="font-size: large;">greatly misjudged</span> on many levels, which tears at my soul! So many times I've found myself tearing up saying, "I <i>can't believe </i>they honestly thought that way about me! I <i>can't believe </i>they didn't think to ask me about the <b><span style="font-size: large;">real</span> </b>story! I can't believe they wouldn't call to talk to me <span style="font-size: large;">in person</span> instead of jumping to such conclusions based on <b>hearsay</b>! —<span style="font-size: large;">because we all know what gossip and judging without actually talking with the person you've been offended by <i>does</i>.</span><br />
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I'm such a happy person—it's true! 😀 I live my life very well—<i>exactly </i>how I desire! 😁 So when you love people as <i><span style="font-size: large;">much</span> </i>as I do and some of the very important people in your life misjudge you and put you into a category that you don't belong, well, it feels <span style="font-size: large;">horrible</span>. Of course, I'm the type who will happily keep going about my life, day in and day out, without letting someone curb my enthusiasm, but that <i>doesn't </i>mean their actions don't affect me—especially when I care <i>deeply</i> about said souls!<br />
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I won't go into the nitty-gritty details because there's no point. Suffice it to say, my heart has squeezed with sadness more than once over the past several months. <span style="font-size: large;">Forgiveness has taken on an <i>entirely </i>new meaning to me! </span><span style="font-size: large;">I've forgiven everyone</span>, but I don't know and can't tell if they've forgiven me, or not—which is a <i>struggle </i>to my soul that I consciously and continually <span style="font-size: large;">push away</span>. I keep striving my best every day to say and do the Christlike <i><span style="font-size: large;">right</span> </i>things, but that doesn't mean my heart doesn't still twinge with tears.<br />
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I don't know if any of you have experienced anything like this before (and I'm sorry I'm not being more specific), but, to me, it feels like no matter <i><span style="font-size: large;">what</span> </i>I say or do (or said or did), those select extended family members have placed me in the new classification of "other," or "no longer welcome," which feels terrible—and it seems as if there's no way for me to be reclassified! 😞<br />
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So. What I've been trying to do is <span style="font-size: large;">learn</span> from these torturous feelings. I've tried <span style="font-size: large;">valiantly</span> to see where other people are coming from—even if their actions/words don't make sense to me. And, I've let my extended family members "go," to the extent possible—which is unbelievably hard for me, <span style="font-size: large;">but I let go because I love them.</span><br />
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I'm hoping that by <i>finally </i>writing about my issues here, <span style="font-size: large;">I will feel better and be able to move on.</span> I love writing <i style="font-size: x-large;">so much(!)</i>—it works wonders for my soul! Thus, it's been difficult when I've felt that I can't speak of my situation (my truth!) here on <i><a href="http://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Enthusiastic Fantastic</span></a></i> because someone might misinterpret my words—which is why I stayed away from blogging for such a long time in the first place. But that <b>ends </b><span style="font-size: large;">right now</span> with <i><span style="font-size: large;">my</span> </i>version of conflict resolution—or, what I like to call <span style="font-size: large;">"Blogging for Conflict Resolution"</span>! I think it should be the <i>hip </i>new <i>call to action</i>, don't you?! Ha ha. 😃<br />
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Now I'm going to share what I'm thankful for...and just know that these thoughts relate somehow to the situations I described previously—meaning the <i>lack </i>of those actions, too. <i>Did any of that make sense?!</i> 😄<br />
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In no particular order, <span style="font-size: large;">I'm truly thankful for</span>:<br />
<ul>
<li>genuine smiles</li>
<li>looking me in the eye</li>
<li>happy hugs</li>
<li>questions asked in a kind and truthful manner</li>
<li>"likes" 💖 and comments on my Instagram posts</li>
<li>continuing to follow my Instagram accounts (I absolutely <b><span style="color: magenta;">love</span> </b>my Instagram world I've created!)</li>
<li>responding to texts and emails I've sent</li>
<li>giving me the benefit of the doubt</li>
<li>not jumping to conclusions</li>
<li>talking to me <span style="font-size: large;">directly</span> instead of gossiping about me</li>
<li>loving me <i>and </i>liking me 😊 (you know, because families must love each other even if they don't like each other very much)</li>
<li>desiring to understand where I'm coming from</li>
<li>sharing time and energy with me</li>
<li>having a willingness to listen to what I have to say</li>
<li>valuing my thoughts and opinions</li>
<li>acknowledging that I have something to contribute</li>
<li>respecting my differing opinions</li>
<li>recognizing boundaries and not overstepping</li>
<li>staying connected to me even though we see things differently</li>
<li>sharing your world with me even though it looks vastly different from mine</li>
<li>not being jealous of my happy life</li>
<li>recognizing that I consistently work <span style="font-size: large;"><i>very </i>hard</span> to have my wonderful life</li>
<li>acknowledging that my happy, wonderful life isn't <i>easy</i>—unlike others who have misjudged it as such</li>
<li>being genuinely happy for the amazing and endlessly-loving eternal marriage that Greg and I have created together</li>
<li>appreciating my <span style="font-size: large;">sincere</span> endeavors to make this world a better place without labeling me as a "show off," or a "bragger"</li>
<li>accepting my true friendship efforts with the intent they were offered</li>
<li>letting go of any resentment or anger directed towards me</li>
</ul>
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Now I'd like to share some <span style="font-size: large;">lovely</span> quotes I've <i>really </i>appreciated over the past few weeks—they've helped me tremendously!</div>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">Remember: "Despite how open, peaceful, and loving you attempt to be, people can only meet you as deeply as they've met themselves."</span> – Matt Kahn </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>That genius quote deserved a typographic design of its very own! I really enjoyed creating this one!</i> 🌲</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">"Being positive in a negative situation is not naive, it's leadership."</span><span style="font-size: large;"> – <a href="https://twitter.com/ralphmarston/status/423816746198634496?lang=en" target="_blank">Ralph Marston</a></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">"There's a common denominator in our human experience... Everybody wants to know: Did you hear me, and did what I say matter?"</span><span style="font-size: large;"> – <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/moiraforbes/2012/09/18/oprah-winfrey-talks-philanthropy-failure-and-what-every-guest-including-beyonce-asks-her/#23d7a5516bc0" target="_blank">Oprah Winfrey</a></span></blockquote>
With that, please enjoy these <span style="font-size: large;">inspiring</span> lyrics from "<a href="https://www.sheetmusicdirect.us/sheetmusic/song/1000302315/ill-begin-again" target="_blank">I'll Begin Again</a>," by Leslie Bricusse, in the movie musical <i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066344/" target="_blank">Scrooge</a></span></i>. Yes, I'm totally applying these wonderful thoughts to myself, but <span style="font-size: large;">I truly believe they should live in <i>all </i>of our hearts every day of our lives!</span> 😇<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">I'll begin again</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I will build my life</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I will live to know</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">That I fulfilled my life</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I'll begin today</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Throw away the past</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">And the future I build</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Will be something that will last </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">I will take the time</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I have left to live</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">And I will give it all</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">That I have left to give</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I will live my days</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">For my fellow men</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">And I'll live in praise</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Of that moment when</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I was able to begin again </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">I will start anew</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I will make amends</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">And I'll make quite certain</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">That the story ends</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">On a note of hope</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">On a strong amen</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">And I'll thank the world</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">And remember when</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I was able to begin again</span></blockquote>
I absolutely <span style="font-size: large;">love</span> this inspired version by the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiAkukrUIRCwaLaFx_MJq7Q" target="_blank">Mormon Tabernacle Choir</a>!<br />
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Lastly, I know this is not one of my most <i>enthusiastic fantastic</i> posts, but it's where I've been for quite a long time, and I felt the need to share. So, <span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>thank you</i></span> for making it this far with me! Your reading efforts are greatly appreciated! I hope you have a wonderful day! 💙💛Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-10709623563747632312017-09-02T17:26:00.001-06:002017-09-02T17:37:17.567-06:00What I've been up to...Happy Saturday afternoon, everyone! Can you believe it's already September?! I can't! Every summer month of 2017 felt like it ended after two weeks—and I didn't like it! Ha ha.<br />
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Before school began, I sincerely wished I had at least 21 more days with my babies at home (when they weren't with their friends), but my wish wasn't granted. #sosadface! My three darlings went back to school 10 days ago, and I've been in denial ever since. I just wish they could stay home with Greg and me <i>forever</i>, but that's not going to happen. That said, I'm utterly grateful for the <span style="font-size: large;">excellent</span> schools they attend—in one of the best school districts in Utah! We are <span style="font-size: large;">so blessed</span> to live where we have access to such great education!<br />
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So, what I've been up to these past few months is varied...yet the same. I'm sure I sound like many other stay-at-home moms during their summer vacations. My little family and I greatly enjoyed our summer break! <span style="font-size: large;">We loved staying up late and sleeping in!</span> We loved not having a schedule that we had to stick to! Well, I was teaching piano every weekday, so I wasn't <i>completely </i>off the hook, but our summer days were pretty darn <span style="font-size: large;">awesome!</span><br />
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We didn't do a whole lot of adventuring, but we did get to go on an extended family vacation (thanks to my <span style="font-size: large;">generous</span> mom) to the incomparable <span style="font-size: large;">Sun Valley, Idaho! 🌞</span> It was a (mostly) marvelous experience, but there were a few instances where I <span style="font-size: large;">struggled</span> with the <i>sometimes</i> lack of communication between my extended family members and me.<br />
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Yet isn't that always how family vacations go?! 😄 Don't we all have these <span style="font-size: large;">grand ideas</span> about how our vacations will be sheer <i>familial bliss</i>? Yet when reality hits, we remember that <span style="font-size: large;">everyone is imperfect</span> with their deeply-held likes, dislikes, and opinions?! Yes, that is <i>exactly </i>how family life is <i>miraculous</i>: we all somehow come together, despite our differences that are as vast as the seven seas!<br />
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I've also been a <span style="font-size: large;">piano-lessons-teaching <i>machine</i>!</span> It shocks me to write that I'm now teaching piano to <span style="font-size: large;">24 students(!)</span>—including my daughter! Yay! My youngest son is taking a break from piano, but he should be back to it shortly. So I guess I'll be teaching <span style="font-size: large;">25 students(!)</span> very soon!<br />
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Yes, <span style="font-size: large;">piano lessons are keeping me <i>very </i>busy.</span> Even though I "only" teach piano for two-and-a-half hours a day, Mondays through Thursdays, one-and-a-half hours on Fridays, and a half-hour on Saturdays, I am totally <span style="font-size: large;">wiped out</span> when I finish teaching! It's definitely a <span style="font-size: large;">tiring</span> endeavour as I have to be on-my-game <span style="font-size: large;">100%</span> of the time! Yesterday when I was so utterly exhausted after a long week, I mistook an "e" half note for a "d" half note and incorrectly told my student what to play! Yeah, I had to <span style="font-size: large;">quickly</span> correct my mistake, and my student probably thought I was nuts! 😆<br />
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I've also been trying my best to keep up with my <span style="font-size: large;">growing children</span>. If I'm not shopping for their food, I'm shopping for their clothes, or shoes, or school supplies, or, or, or...the list goes on and on! Interestingly (and going along with the theme of my growing children), my little family is at the point where Greg and I don't really have to help out very much with homework anymore! We'll still have random projects where our kids will ask us a question, but for the most part (in terms of homework) they're fully self-sufficient! It's a strange feeling, for sure!<br />
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Paying our endless bills seems to take up a good chunk of my time, too. Each time I think, <i>Oh, yay! I don't have any bills to pay!</i>, something unexpected will pop up—<u>every</u> time! Ha ha. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love paying bills, but it's just time consuming to make sure Greg and I are current on everything.<br />
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I'll never stop being grateful for my first fully real/grownup job in a finance department! I learned <span style="font-size: large;">so much</span> from my time there! I learned about creating Excel spreadsheets to keep track of bills and purchase orders, and creating budgets, and allocating money to/from cost centers. There's more, but I won't bore you. 😉<br />
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I'm also grateful to my parents for helping me see that we should try our <span style="font-size: large;">very best</span> not to use credit cards unless we can pay them off immediately that next month when the bill is due. Greg and I don't always perfectly follow that advice because we've had legitimate emergencies in the past where there was truly <span style="font-size: large;"><i>no </i>other option</span> other than to charge our credit card. But we always try our very best to get our credit card balances back to zero as soon as humanly possible. I don't think we've ever carried a credit card balance longer than six or seven months (at the very most), most are paid off the month they're due, or within two months.<br />
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<i>But I digress...</i><br />
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I've posted fairly frequently on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/enthusiasticfantastic/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> this summer, but it's a pretty tiny snapshot of my life compared to everything that goes on. Yes, Instagram is still one of my <span style="font-size: large;">happiest</span> of happy places ever! <span style="font-size: large;">I absolutely love Instagram!</span> I'm sooo grateful for the connections I've made there, and for the beautiful pictures I get to see. <span style="font-size: large;">I get inspired by my Instagram peeps every single day!</span> 😁<br />
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I've also been able to workout <span style="font-size: large;">a lot more</span> lately than I have in the past year! <span style="font-size: large;">Yayayayayayayay!</span> Fankle still gives me <span style="font-size: large;">painful <i>grief</i></span>, but I'm continually working through it. I'm progressing ever-so-slowly every day, and that's what matters!<br />
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I'm <span style="font-size: large;">so excited</span> because I implemented a new laundry system at my house this past week! I'm seriously jumping for joy at my new inspiration! So, for nearly twenty years (next week!), I've been the <i>laundry queen</i> of the Peterson household. You see, not only do <span style="font-size: large;">I love serving my little family</span>, I'm also very picky about the way our laundry is done. I won't settle for anything less than very clean, great smelling, nicely folded clothes! Yet my desires for a well-dressed family has taken a <span style="font-size: large;">huge toll</span> on my free time—i.e., no time for blogging! 😢 I've spent <i>quite </i>a bit of time each week doing laundry.<br />
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With the addition of <span style="font-size: large;">so many</span> new piano students—and still trying to keep up with <i>everything </i>a mother and wife needs/wants to do, I was feeling the <span style="font-size: large;">time crunch</span> worse than I have in <i>years</i>! And yet our family totally <span style="font-size: large;">needs</span> the income I receive from teaching piano lessons—it's truly not an option for me to quit...unless we want to downsize and move again, which will <b>not</b> happen! We are here to stay! (Unless something randomly "hits" us out of the blue...)<br />
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Thus, I decided to <span style="font-size: large;">stop</span> my laundry insanity and quit being such a sweet laundry lady for my family. The good news is, <span style="font-size: large;">I have zero guilt about it</span>, so I know it's the right thing to do! Ha ha. My husband and children aren't thrilled with my new system, but they know they totally hit the <i>jackpot </i>with me doing their laundry for 19+ years, so they didn't complain when I <span style="font-size: large;">gave up</span> my <i>crown</i>! 👑 Hahaha. Greg helped out with our family's laundry many times over the years, but my persnickety-ness mainly kept him away (I don't think he minded!)...until now! 😆<br />
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I bought a few extra square laundry baskets from Walmart to make this system work. I wrote my family members' names on 4x6 blank note cards and taped them with strong packing tape on the laundry baskets—under the handle areas.<br />
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Each of my family members now have two <span style="font-size: large;">big</span> laundry baskets—one for whites and one for lights/darks. I've situated the laundry baskets on and under my laundry table in the basement for easy access.<br />
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I still separate and wash all of my family's laundry because I know the best settings to use on our washer and dryer—plus, we need to wash/dry <span style="font-size: large;">full</span> loads to save energy.<br />
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Once our laundry is dry, I separate it into each of my family member's baskets. If I easily see two socks that match, I'll pair them up, but otherwise, I try to divide/separate our clean laundry as <span style="font-size: large;">quickly</span> as I can into the appropriate baskets!<br />
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Obviously, I fold my own laundry and all the household linens, and put them away. But for the rest of my little family, they're on their own!<br />
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I can't describe how <span style="font-size: large;">liberating(!)</span> it is to not have to worry about folding all of my family's laundry anymore! I've cut my laundry time <i>significantly</i>! <span style="font-size: large;">Yay yay! Happy day!</span><br />
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I've told my family it's <span style="font-size: large;">their choice</span> what they choose to do with their laundry. I make sure everyone's clothes are clean (As long as their clothes are in the hamper they'll get cleaned; if they're on the floor, they'll stay dirty until they're put in the hamper!), but they know they have to put everything away <span style="font-size: large;">themselves</span>.<br />
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It's been interesting to see who decides to fold their laundry and put it away, vs. who likes to keep their laundry in a basket and hastily hunt through it in the morning—or at night when they're ready to take a shower! Ha ha. I just laugh to myself and joyously think, <span style="font-size: large;">"It's not my problem!</span> I've done my job so I can rest easy!"<br />
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<i>Just as a reminder, I very happily chose to fold and put away my family's laundry for all those years—no one forced me to do it. I'm sure I could have implemented a less-time-consuming system years ago, but I chose not to. I'm also very happy with my decision to quit providing that laundry folding/putting-away service!</i><br />
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Lastly, I've been listening to and watching <span style="font-size: large;">so many </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">great</span><span style="font-size: large;"> talks, speeches, articles, and podcasts</span> while working around my house, and I shared them on Pinterest! So if you want to check out the <i><span style="font-size: large;">amazing</span> </i>speakers and uplifting subjects I've enjoyed, check out my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/adriepeterson/" target="_blank">Pinterest page</a>! *And please remember that I don't receive <i>any</i> sort of kickback or payment from you visiting my page—I'm not sending you there for any reason other than I want to <span style="font-size: large;">share</span> all of the goodness I've found! #fulldisclosure! 😀 I spent quite a bit of time pinning today because I felt all of it was <i>soooo </i>important! Thus, it would make me super duper really <span style="font-size: large;">happy</span> if someone out there benefited from my sharing! 😁<br />
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With that, I must end my blogging for today. I hope all of you readers are <span style="font-size: large;">enjoying</span> this <i>glorious </i>weekend! Now, go hug your loved ones and tell them how much you <span style="color: magenta;"><b>love</b> </span>them, and how important they are to you!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">P.S. I'm totally praying for Houston.</span> I have been utterly shocked at the devastation people are enduring there. I can't even imagine how deeply their hearts are hurting! 💔 My heart <i>so </i>goes out to all of them! 💖 That said, I absolutely <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">love</span></b> what my church and its members are doing to help out—we truly love serving and helping our brothers and sisters! <span style="font-size: x-large;">💛</span><br />
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"<a href="http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/latter-day-saints-prepare-hurricane-harvey" target="_blank">UPDATE: Church Encourages People to ‘Just Serve’ Hurricane Harvey Victims</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/latter-day-saints-prepare-hurricane-harvey" target="_blank">First Presidency offers organized ways to volunteer in relief efforts</a>"</div>
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"<a href="https://www.lds.org/church/news/7-ways-you-can-help-with-hurricane-harvey-relief?lang=eng" target="_blank">7 Ways You Can Help with Hurricane Harvey Relief</a>"</div>
Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-61181260054639315792017-08-03T12:15:00.001-06:002017-08-03T12:15:48.654-06:00I Love My Blog!The other night, I clicked on a link inside a <i>Google Domains</i> email I received. Google wanted to confirm and/or update my blog's contact information. While nothing has changed in that area, I wanted to check and see what info they had for me, <i>and </i>I wanted to make sure it was all private. Thankfully, everything is in check—<span style="font-size: large;">my blog looks great and is good to go!</span><br />
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Before I left <i>Google Domains</i>, I looked at how long my <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i> domain is good for—i.e., how long I've paid to keep and run my own website. I was happy to see that my blog is paid up through October, 2020. I thought, "Wow, I still remember when I switched from <i>Go Daddy</i> over to <i>Google Domains</i>, which didn't seem very long ago!" Yet, if I remember right, it's been <span style="font-size: large;">two entire years</span> since I made the switch! I <i>cannot</i> believe how time has flown by!<br />
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I also debated whether to pay to extend my website for a few more years. Yet because my family's budget is tight at the moment, I decided to wait for a while to extend my blog. Oh, who am I kidding? My budget has been tight for the past 19+ years! 😆<br />
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As I thought about <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i> and <span style="font-size: large;">all</span> that it means to me, I realized I've not given it the time and attention it deserves. Not to mention, I really <i>want </i>to spend more time here! <span style="font-size: large;">I love my blog!</span> Yet my lack of posting on a regular basis indicates otherwise.<br />
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So why the procrastination of putting thoughts to keyboard? Well, it's because my life is busy (not a good excuse) and there are a million ways to spend my minutes (a better excuse)! I think my lack of posting also comes from a subconscious worry that I won't have time to create my posts in the <i>way</i> I so deeply desire—so if I don't start them, I won't be frustrated when I literally don't have time to finish them. That personality trait of mine is also why I never joined the scrapbooking craze of the early 2000's. (Which, by the way, I don't regret in the least! I have all the essential photos of my children's lives—they're just not cleverly put together on a scrapbook page!)<br />
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But let's revisit the money it costs to run <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i>. When I <i>really </i>think about all that goes into this website, it's <span style="font-size: large;">not</span> an inexpensive hobby. Yes, I only technically pay $12/year for my spot on the <i>www</i>, but I <b>don't </b>make any money from blogging, either. And in terms of my hours spent writing, creating typographic designs, and posting (here and on other social media sites), well, <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i> is <span style="font-size: large;">definitely</span> an expensive little spot on the web for me! Remember, <span style="font-size: large;">time is money!</span><br />
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All of that said, <i>again</i>, <span style="font-size: large;">I love my blog!</span> I love writing! I love creating! I love leaving my thoughts for my posterity! Whether those wonderful future people will enjoy my thoughts remains to be seen. 😄<br />
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Will everyone in today's technological society be seen as <i>annoying </i>to future technology users—simply due to the fact that there's an <span style="font-size: large;">overwhelming</span> amount of information to sift through? While I like to think that my great-great-great grandchildren would be thrilled to read of their third great grandmother's life and thoughts, the fact is, they just might not! Ha ha.<br />
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But even if no one finds my blog to be helpful or exciting, I still <i>really </i><span style="color: magenta;">love</span> blogging! I <i>want </i>to put more of my time here. I <i><span style="font-size: large;">am</span> </i>going to create more space in my life schedule to contribute to <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i> more frequently!<br />
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And with that, I'm signing off to start writing my next post! Funny thing is, I've been writing it in my head for months now, so it's high time I get crackin'! 😁Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-73351445072576670822017-06-24T21:36:00.003-06:002017-06-28T19:50:44.085-06:00Daughters of God—Be a Force for Good!On March 12th, 2017, I taught my ward's Relief Society lesson, "<a href="https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-gordon-b-hinckley/chapter-5-daughters-of-god?lang=eng" target="_blank">Daughters of God</a>." Unfortunately, I was unable to give my <span style="font-size: large;">entire</span> lesson because our opening exercises—with our ward's darling young women in attendance—ran <i>extremely</i> long.<br />
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Normally, I wouldn't care in the least that I had less time to present my RS lesson, <span style="font-size: large;">but this was a very special lesson that was <i>jam-packed</i> with goodness in every section!</span> Because of our lesson's <span style="font-size: large;">phenomenal</span> nature, and my desire to share all of its <span style="font-size: large;"><i>amazingness</i></span>, I'd spent <span style="font-size: large;">a lot</span> of time preparing it. To say I was <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">seriously bummed</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span>that I wasn't able to share everything I had prepared would be an understatement! 😢<br />
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I find it super interesting that "Daughters of God" is one of the <i>longest </i>RS lessons I've seen in 2017—so I was sort of "doomed" from the beginning 😉. <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In my defense</span>, </span>I didn't realize just <i>how</i> long it truly was until I began preparing my next RS lesson, "<a href="https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-gordon-b-hinckley/chapter-7-the-whispering-of-the-spirit?lang=eng" target="_blank">The Whisperings of the Spirit</a>," that I taught in April!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yet how could I not share such wonderful thoughts and heavenly principles with my dear ward sisters?!</span><span style="font-size: large;"> I had <i>oodles </i>of information to present, and I really wanted to hear what my lovely ward sisters had to say!</span><br />
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Because I was so disheartened that my RS lesson didn't go as planned, <span style="font-size: large;">I decided to turn my heartache into something better! 😀</span> I'm <span style="font-size: large;">so happy</span> to <i>finally </i>be sharing my thoughts about the wonderful <i>Daughters of God</i> lesson right here on my blog! Yay!<br />
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Not only do I feel better in finally sharing everything I prepared for my lesson, but I would absolutely <span style="font-size: large;">love it</span> if someone here in <i>Internetland</i> finds my post helpful! <span style="font-size: large;">💕</span> The funniest thing is, I actually began writing this blog post clear back in March(!), but the months <i>dashed</i> away from me like a scene from "The Incredibles"! Hey, better late than never!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><i>Daughters of God</i></u></span></div>
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Let's start by reading part of the <a href="https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-gordon-b-hinckley/chapter-5-daughters-of-god?lang=eng" target="_blank">introduction on page 95</a>:<br />
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"Throughout his life, Gordon B. Hinckley expressed appreciation for the abilities and contributions of women. He also expressed his strong witness of the importance of women in God’s eternal plan. He delighted in women’s increasing opportunities, as well as in their faith in the Savior and their devotion to their families and the Church."</blockquote>
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I can <span style="font-size: large;">so</span> attest to this wonderful truth about President Hinckley! He was <i>always </i>sincerely praising and honoring women. He made <b>sure </b>all women felt unending and unconditional <span style="font-size: large;">love</span> from Church leadership!</div>
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I loved reading about Gordon B. Hinckley’s sweet mother, Ada (introduction, page 95). She was bright; educated; loved literature, music and art; raised eight of her husband’s children and five of her own(!); learned to manage a large household; had a tremendous influence on Gordon, and was a <span style="font-size: large;">force for good</span> throughout President Hinckley’s life 😊 I'm truly in awe of Ada Hinckley. Certainly her accomplishments are impressive, but what sticks with me <span style="font-size: medium;">most</span> is the <span style="font-size: large;">impact</span> she had on President Hinckley. Because of <span style="font-size: large;">Awesome Ada</span>, millions of people throughout this entire world were and are positively affected for the <span style="font-size: large;">best</span> through her son, Gordon B.!</div>
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Gordon B. Hinckley’s wife, Marjorie (introduction; page 95), was a very strong woman devoted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. She had extraordinary faith and a cheerful disposition. Marjorie loved life, was quick witted, and very wise. She was a voracious reader and an intense seeker of knowledge. Best of all, Marjorie was down-to-earth—she connected well with everyone, yet she was confident, alert and refreshing throughout her life! 😊</div>
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I love these paragraphs from section 1 (pg. 96–97):<br />
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</ul>
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"Each of you is a daughter of God. Reflect on all the wondrous meaning of that one paramount fact. </blockquote>
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"If you live up to your privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates. </blockquote>
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"You are very precious, each of you. ... You occupy a high and sacred place in the eternal plan of God, our Father in Heaven. You are His daughters, precious to Him, loved by Him, and very important to Him. His grand design cannot succeed without you. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Let me say to you sisters that you do not hold a second place in our Father’s plan for the eternal happiness and well-being of His children. You are an absolutely essential part of that plan. Without you the plan could not function. Without you the entire program would be frustrated."</blockquote>
During my RS lesson, I wanted to ask many questions, but I was only able to get to a few of them. I didn't personally answer all of those wonderful questions here in my blog post, but I'm sharing them anyway. I hope we ladies will contemplate these questions to help remind ourselves of our <span style="font-size: large;">great worth</span> and <span style="font-size: large;">importance!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Question</i>:</span> Why is it important for us to understand the "high and sacred place" of women in God’s eternal plan?<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Question</i></span> (section 2; pg. 97): Let’s review the Lord’s advice to Emma Smith found in <a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/25?lang=eng" target="_blank">D&C 25: 1–16</a>. What can we learn from those verses about being an elect lady (ourselves)?<br />
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Here's what I came up with after studying D&C 25. These points are my opinion, not Church doctrine—each of these points are separated out by the corresponding verse:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1.</span> Listen to the Lord; if we receive the Lord’s words, we’ll be sons and daughters in His kingdom.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2.</span> Be faithful and walk in the paths of virtue; if we do those things, we’ll be preserved and receive an inheritance in Zion.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3.</span> Our sins can be forgiven; we can all be elect ladies.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">4.</span> Don’t murmur about the Lord regarding things we haven’t seen or don’t understand; everything will be revealed eventually.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">5.</span> Support our husbands (if we’re married); speak kind words; be humble.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">6.</span> *This wasn’t written in the verse, these are just my thoughts: we should write about our marriages and our family history.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">7.</span> Read/learn from the scriptures; share what we learn at church—as we are inspired by the Holy Ghost.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">8.</span> Utilize the gift of the Holy Ghost; we should spend much of our time writing and learning things of the gospel and about the world.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">9.</span> Don’t <i>ever </i>feel undervalued in The Church; our husbands and other priesthood brethren support us; have faith.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">10.</span> Don’t be hyper-focused on worldly issues; seek the best things in life that enhance our spiritual progression; I believe <a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/luke/10.38-42?lang=eng#p37" target="_blank">Luke 10:38–42</a> goes perfectly with this verse:<br />
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38 ¶Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. </blockquote>
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39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. </blockquote>
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40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. </blockquote>
</blockquote>
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41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: </blockquote>
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42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">11.</span> We don’t have to write hymns, but we should use our musical abilities and share our talents.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">12.</span> We should sing uplifting spiritual music—we’ll be blessed when we do.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">13.</span> Be happy; look at the bright side of life; keep the covenants we’ve made.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">14.</span> Be humble; don’t be prideful; delight in our husbands; be close with our husbands; support our husbands; <i>The following isn’t in the scripture—they’re my thoughts:</i> If you don’t have a husband yet, live your life worthily so you’ll be ready for celestial marriage when the opportunity presents itself—which could be in this life, or in the world to come…<span style="font-size: large;">remember, the Lord keeps his promises!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">15.</span> Keep the Lord’s commandments; if we keep the commandments, we’ll receive a crown of righteousness (We’re daughters of a king!); we’ll also be able to be with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again one day.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">16.</span> The Lord's voice is for <span style="font-size: large;">all</span> sisters, not just Emma.</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Question:</i></span> What aspects of the Lord’s counsel to Emma Smith are especially helpful to you?<br />
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I love <span style="font-size: large;">all</span> of those recommendations—every single one of them are helpful to me! It's like the perfect recipe for a successful, happy life!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Question</i></span> (section 3; pg. 99–101): What are your impressions as you read President Hinckley’s following counsel to mothers? (I totally enlarged all of the text because it deserves to be emphasized! 😊)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"The true strength of any nation, society, or family lies in those qualities of character that have been acquired for the most part by children taught in the quiet, simple everyday manner of mothers. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"It is the home which produces the nursery stock of new generations. I hope that you mothers will realize that when all is said and done, you have no more compelling responsibility, nor any laden with greater rewards, than the nurture you give your children in an environment of security, peace, companionship, love, and motivation to grow and do well. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"I remind mothers everywhere of the sanctity of your calling. No other can adequately take your place. No responsibility is greater, no obligation more binding than that you rear in love and peace and integrity those whom you have brought into the world. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"Rear your children in light and truth. Teach them to pray while they are young. Read to them from the scriptures even though they may not understand all that you read. Teach them to pay their tithes and offerings on the first money they ever receive. Let this practice become a habit in their lives. Teach your sons to honor womanhood. Teach your daughters to walk in virtue. Accept responsibility in the Church, and trust in the Lord to make you equal to any call you may receive. Your example will set a pattern for your children. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"God bless you, mothers! When all the victories and defeats of men’s efforts are tallied, when the dust of life’s battles begins to settle, when all for which we labor so hard in this world of conquest fades before our eyes, you will be there, you must be there, as the strength for a new generation, the ever-improving onward movement of the race. Its quality will depend on you."</span></blockquote>
Isn't President Hinckley's advice <i>amazing</i>?! I love his words so much! He's such a happy, <i><span style="font-size: large;">inspiring</span> </i>guy! 😀<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Question:</i></span> For parents, why is "no obligation more binding" than rearing their children "in love and peace and integrity"?<br />
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For me, the answer is obvious. Parents have been given the <span style="font-size: large;">ultimate</span> responsibility in the creation of the bodies and the raising of Heavenly Father's children! He's literally allowing us to <span style="font-size: large;">act</span> in place of Him! Thus, we must do our <span style="font-size: large;">very best</span> to accomplish His heavenly goals for His children...<i>our</i> children! Oh, how <span style="font-size: large;">grateful</span> I am to have been given the heavenly opportunity of being a mother! Children are a most wonderful gift! 💛💙💚💜<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Question:</i></span> We have all seen marvelous examples of women in the Church with "strength and great capacity." What are some ways that we women can help bring to pass "the immortality and the eternal life of all of the sons and daughters of God"?<br />
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To help answer that, let's read from section 4, page 101:<br />
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"God has given the women of this church a work to do in building his kingdom. That concerns all aspects of our great triad of responsibility—which is, first, to teach the gospel to the world; second, to strengthen the faith and build the happiness of the membership of the Church; and, third, to carry forward the great work of salvation for the dead."</blockquote>
To go along with that, I found this <span style="font-size: large;">great</span> quote while researching Susan Easton Black Durrant. (She spoke at my stake's 2017 Women's Conference, and I wanted to find out more about her.) Susan said,<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"Many people leave the Church because they have so many questions, but we have stayed because we have received so many answers."</span></blockquote>
<i>Amen</i>, sister! I couldn't agree more with you! We must <span style="font-size: large;">stay</span> and help build God's kingdom!<br />
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Continuing on, let's read some more of President Hinckley's fabulous words (section 4; pg. 101): <span style="font-size: large;">{Isn't this fun?! 😁}</span><br />
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"Women in the Church are associates with their brethren in carrying forward this mighty work of the Lord. </blockquote>
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"We expect leadership, and strength, and impressive results from your management of the organizations for which you are responsible. We uphold and sustain you as daughters of God, working in a great partnership to assist him in bringing to pass the immortality and the eternal life of all of the sons and daughters of God."</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Question:</i></span> Why is it important that men and women work together to move the Lord’s work forward?<br />
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As I've said many times before, I believe men and women <span style="font-size: large;">need</span> each other. Men are not better than women! Women are not better than men! We are supposed to work <span style="font-size: large;">side by side</span> with each other because we <i>each </i>bring something important and different to the table. 😊 The Lord needs <b>all</b> of us to help be his "hands" here on Earth!<br />
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I read the other day about a great, new scientific discovery: <a href="http://news.berkeley.edu/2017/06/13/new-evidence-that-all-stars-are-born-in-pairs/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Stars are born in pairs!</span></a> Interestingly, when stars are created they aren't identical to each other, but they're definitely companions! <span style="font-size: large;">Just like each amazing star in the heavens is created with a companion star, </span><span style="font-size: large;">men and women are created to have a companion</span><span style="font-size: medium;">—a</span>nd it all started with <a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/1?lang=eng" target="_blank">Adam and Eve</a>! Heavenly stars and Heavenly Father's children are not meant to be alone! 🌟⭐<br />
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Yes, men and women are <span style="font-size: large;">meant</span> to influence each others' lives for the better!<br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Moving right along,</span> let's read the following (section 5; pg. 101–102):<br />
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"The women of the Relief Society are literally encircled eternally in the arms of our Lord. In my judgment, this is the greatest women’s organization in all the world... </blockquote>
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"Who, even in the wildest stretch of imagination, can fathom the uncountable acts of charity that have been performed, the food that has been put on barren tables, the faith that has been nurtured in desperate hours of illness, the wounds that have been bound up, the pains that have been ameliorated by loving hands and quiet and reassuring words, the comfort that has been extended in times of death and consequent loneliness?"</blockquote>
For those of you who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, ponder to yourselves: What blessings have come to you from the efforts of Relief Society sisters, including those who are serving in Young Women and Primary?<br />
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For those of you who aren't members of the LDS Church, I highly recommend looking into the benefits that Relief Society can bring to your life! 😇<br />
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For me, the Relief Society has been my <span style="font-size: large;">anchor</span><span style="font-size: large;"> ⚓</span> throughout my adult life. Every move my family and I made to a different city was made <span style="font-size: large;">easier</span> by my association with wonderful Relief Society sisters! No one is perfect, but the sisters of the Relief Society <span style="font-size: large;">truly</span> and continually try to help others in Christlike ways! 💛 I am <span style="font-size: large;">grateful</span> for my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and my subsequent access to the Relief Society!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Question:</i></span> How can we each strengthen the Relief Society in our own wards?<br />
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Here are some ideas found in section 6 (pg. 103–104):<br />
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"No one can calculate the tremendous force for good that you can become. </blockquote>
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"I feel to invite women everywhere to rise to the great potential within you. I do not ask that you reach beyond your capacity. I hope you will not nag yourselves with thoughts of failure. I hope you will not try to set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve. I hope you will simply do what you can do in the best way you know. If you do so, you will witness miracles come to pass."</blockquote>
I love how President Hinckley clarifies that we sisters are not supposed to sacrifice ourselves to the point of destruction. Yes, there's a fine line between doing enough and <b>overdoing </b>it. We must be aware of our human limitations, but we be must also be willing to push <i>just a little further</i> to improve in tiny increments! 😀<br />
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In "<a href="https://www.lds.org/manual/preach-my-gospel-a-guide-to-missionary-service/what-is-my-purpose-as-a-missionary?lang=eng" target="_blank">Preach My Gospel</a>," there's a wonderful section that helps us identify if we are doing "enough":<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"You can feel certain that the Lord is pleased when you feel the Spirit working through you."</span> (<i>The Spirit is also called the Holy Ghost</i>.)</blockquote>
Isn't that idea <b>so </b><i>beautiful</i>?! It's the <span style="font-size: large;">perfect</span> way to gauge our efforts! (I didn't include that part in my lesson because I just found it today. Oh, how I <i><span style="color: magenta;">love </span></i>finding new gems of jewels!)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Questions:</i></span> How can we gain a better vision of what God sees our potential to be? How can we progress toward reaching our potential?<br />
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Obviously, those questions will be answered differently by everyone. For me, the way I learn more about myself and what Heavenly Father knows I can become is by searching and seeking. I'm constantly reaching out to our Heavenly Father through prayer, scripture study, endlessly researching gospel topics, going to church every Sunday, serving others, attending the temple, etc.<br />
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The way I progress toward reaching my eternal potential is, first, by having <i>endless </i><span style="font-size: large;">faith</span> that Heavenly Father <span style="color: magenta;">loves</span> me(!), that He <b>will </b><span style="font-size: large;">answer</span> me (eventually!), and that He will <span style="font-size: large;">help</span> me every step of the way!<br />
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Secondly, I never, <i>ever </i>give up! Even when I make mistakes or sin, I <b>never </b>stop striving to become what our Heavenly Father knows I can be/achieve. I always try to think of and <span style="font-size: large;">thank our Savior</span> for the <i>marvelous </i>opportunity He has provided for me to be connected to heaven!<br />
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If I ever start feeling down about myself, I <span style="font-size: large;">pray pray pray!</span> 😀 Then I listen for inspiration/revelation from the Holy Ghost, and I <b><span style="font-size: large;">act</span> </b>on what He tells me.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Now I'd like to share a little homework assignment!</i> 😁</span><br />
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Susan Easton Black Durrant spoke at my stake's Women’s Conference about wonderful, prominent LDS women who did extraordinary things in their lives. It really was amazing to hear of those phenomenal women's contributions. <span style="font-size: large;">While the majority of us will never become "prominent Mormons" in terms of the public spotlight, that doesn’t mean we can’t be prominent to our families, or the people in our communities! 😊</span><br />
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*By the way, I searched on LDS.org about the current membership numbers of the Church. As of March, 2017, MormonNewsroom.org showed that The Church has 15,634,199 members throughout the world. When I did a Google search about the number of prominent Mormons, the biggest website I could find listed 857 members of The Church on it. So, our chances of becoming "prominent Mormons" are a measly <span style="font-size: large;">.00006%!</span> That's <i>quite </i>the statistic! <span style="font-size: large;">The good news is, each of us have <i>at least</i> a 50% chance of being important to our families!</span> <i>Of course</i>, that all depends on what we choose to do with our lives! 😉<br />
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Thus, I want all of us to <span style="font-size: large;">ponder</span> President Hinckley’s statement and think about when we have seen examples of the "marvelous … power of women of faith." What can we learn from those great women that will help us in our own lives?<br />
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Let’s all take the opportunity to write in our journals—or a blog (Yay! #<i>EnthusiasticFantastic</i>! 😄), or some other form of social media—about the kind of women we want to become. Let’s <i>really </i>evaluate ourselves with an honest heart (our strengths and weaknesses) and set <span style="font-size: large;">realistic goals</span> to achieve our desired potential—as well as our heavenly potential!<br />
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At the end of my lesson, I handed out this 3.75 x 3.75 card to all of my ward sisters to help remind us of our <span style="font-size: large;">great</span> potential and capacity! (I created it in black and white because my printer is a basic laser printer, and I wasn't really planning on sharing it here on my blog! Ha ha.) <span style="font-size: large;">It makes me happy every time I read it!</span><br />
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Well, friends, we've finally made it to the end of my lesson! It feels great having shared it with all of you(!)—especially since I was just recently released from being a Relief Society teacher. I was immediately called to be a Sunday school teacher (there are two teachers; we alternate teaching every other Sunday) for the 12–13 year-olds in my ward.<br />
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I'm truly <span style="font-size: large;">excited</span> for this new opportunity(!) as I've never been a Sunday school teacher before! I'm fully prepared and ready to teach my first lesson tomorrow—which feels <span style="font-size: large;">great!</span> Let's just hope my 12-year-old son is okay with me teaching his class! 😂 #sayalittleprayerforme! 😊</div>
Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-73759578976863116462017-05-20T10:12:00.002-06:002017-05-20T10:12:17.146-06:00Just Checking In!<span style="font-size: large;">Hello! 😁 Good morning! How are you?!</span><div>
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No, I didn't die and I didn't have anything tragic happen to me! 😄 Yes, I'm still here! As I've said before—and like most of you—I'm just a super busy lady with not enough hours in my days to blog <span style="font-size: large;">in the way I desire!</span> (Actually, if I really think about it, there <i>are </i>enough hours—I just want <span style="font-size: large;">more</span> of them! Three extra hours a day would be <i>really </i>nice!) I simply have many other things I've been spending my time on.<div>
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Thankfully, I can <b>see</b> the light at the end of my endlessly busy tunnel! Yay! My kids' school year is almost complete and I want to shout <span style="font-size: x-large;">"Hooray!"</span> every single day! I can<i>not</i> wait for summer and all of the <span style="font-size: large;">blogging fun</span> it promises! (At least I dearly <b>hope</b> I'll be able to blog more!)</div>
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And with that, my blogging minutes are over. I hope to be back writing again very soon—I love it <i>soooo </i>much! Wish me luck! 🍀 😀</div>
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Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-77734570919474322902017-03-09T00:39:00.002-07:002017-12-16T15:19:05.778-07:00Just Do It! Dump Facebook! :)<div class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Two days ago, I read Lauren Field's troubling article, <span style="font-size: x-large;">"<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865674598/Should-we-fear-the-future-of-Facebook.html" target="_blank">Should we fear the future of Facebook?</a>"</span>, in the <i><a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/indepth" target="_blank">In Depth</a></i> section of the <i><a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/" target="_blank">Deseret News</a></i>. Even though its subject is worrisome, <span style="font-size: large;">I feel <i>very </i>strongly that <b>everyone </b>should read it and <b>share</b> it with their peeps!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After I finished the article, my mind <span style="font-size: large;">instantly</span> went to the family of my birth (and their spouses)—more than half of them are still active on Facebook. I composed an email to my peeps that included the article listed above and sent it right off.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I won't bore you with my entire email, but this is the first sentence I sent to my beloved Fam, <span style="font-size: large;">"I just read this article about Fakebook and I'm convinced <i>yet again</i> that Facebook is NOT good for any of us!"</span> I strongly encouraged my family members to read the article and delete their Facebook accounts!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thus, I was <span style="font-size: large;">super happy</span> (and genuinely surprised!) to receive an email yesterday morning from my wonderful sister-in-law. She's been wanting delete her Facebook account for a while now, but kept hanging onto it for little reasons. Happily, she said the article I shared is what convinced her to finally "dump Facebook"! <span style="font-size: large;">Yay yay happy day!</span> Now I just need to get the <i>rest </i>of my extended family to <span style="font-size: large;">break up</span> with Facebook, too! Ha ha.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Don't worry, I'm not <i>too </i>pesky about trying to get them off of Facebook. I fully understand that everyone gets to choose how they live their lives. That said, I wonder if I might persuade some of you in the <i>world wide web</i> to <span style="font-size: large;">dump</span> Facebook, too? 😇</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">What really bothers me about Facebook's <i>status </i>these days (ha!) is that the company and its influence has grown much <span style="font-size: large;">bigger</span>, I think, than anyone <i>ever </i>planned on. I believe it's <span style="font-size: large;">so big</span>, in fact, that there are <b>problem </b>accounts/groups on Facebook that aren't being monitored properly. I don't think Facebook has the employee power or resources to handle the <span style="font-size: large;">vastness</span> that it's helped create in our <i>www</i>—not to mention the fallout that happens to its users in real life! And the fake news that engulfed Facebook users during the United States Presidential Election is downright <span style="font-size: large;">scary!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, I worry about a company that has <i>that much</i> access to its customers' personal lives. I totally worry about the <i>tornado vacuums </i>and <i>virtual reality bubbles</i> that Facebook has created in our society. That sounds extreme, but I believe Facebook's "social experiment" is <i style="font-size: x-large;">far</i> from over!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In fact, whenever I think of Mark Zuckerberg, my mind instantly goes to the cartoon, "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112123/" target="_blank">Pinky and the Brain</a>"—and Mr. Zuckerberg is <i>Brain</i>, just waiting to take over the world! Ha ha. For a fun visual, see this YouTube video: <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBkT19uH2RQ" target="_blank">Pinky and the Brain intro</a></i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now I wouldn't necessarily call Mark Zuckerberg a literal genius, but he <span style="font-size: large;">has</span> accomplished what no one else could do—<i>and </i>on such a <span style="font-size: large;">grand</span> scale. So I give him props for that. But his great accomplishment certainly <b>doesn't</b> make me want to sign away my privacy and free time to him, that's for darn sure!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>I realized that it's been <span style="font-size: large;">two years to the day</span> since I quit Facebook! (And I <i>so </i>did <span style="font-size: large;">not</span> plan my post this way! 😁) As I look back over those two years, I'm amazed at how <span style="font-size: large;">ecstatic</span> I truly am—and continually feel(!)—that I dumped Facebook! Leaving Facebook behind really is one of <span style="font-size: large;">the <b>best</b></span><b> </b>social media decisions I've <i>ever </i>made! 😀<br />
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Of course I've found other ways to spend my social media time since leaving Facebook, but overall, I have <span style="font-size: large;">a lot</span> more free time! My brain is absolutely less cluttered—which means I have more time for researching other things I'm interested in or passionate about. My soul is <i>so </i><span style="font-size: large;">much</span> less annoyed! I can honestly say that <span style="font-size: large;">I'm a better person for having shunned Facebook!</span> <i>Yay me!</i> 😄<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you're not yet tired of this subject, feel free to read more of my thoughts about Facebook and why I ended up leaving it—my previous posts are in chronological order:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<a href="http://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2013/11/my-facebook-experiment.html" target="_blank">My Facebook Experiment</a>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<a href="http://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2014/08/unfriending-vs-unfollowing.html" target="_blank">Unfriending vs. Unfollowing</a>"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"<a href="http://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2015/03/farewell-facebook.html" target="_blank">Farewell, Facebook!</a>"</span></div>
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I could go on <i>and on</i> about the dangers I see in Facebook (like I did to Greg yesterday morning!), but I'll refrain. Suffice it to say, <span style="font-size: large;">I'm so happy I use Instagram and my <a href="http://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/" target="_blank">blog</a> to keep up with my friends and family!</span> As I've said many times before, <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2016/01/nine-reasons-everyone-should-write-blog.html" target="_blank">I wish everyone would write a blog!</a> And I still <i>deeply </i>feel that way!</span><br />
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Yesterday, I watched an interesting TED Talk about blogging—clear back from 2006! While our social media society has <span style="font-size: large;">drastically</span> changed since then, the speaker's point—that everyone should be blogging about their lives—is as important today as it was 11 years ago! I totally agree with Mena Trott! Here's her talk if you're interested: "<a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/mena_trott_tours_her_blog_world" target="_blank">Meet the founder of the blog revolution</a>."<br />
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Then, last night after dinner, I started watching the new documentary, "<a href="http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/maya-angelou-film/7533/" target="_blank">Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise</a>" via our Roku's PBS channel. I was only about 15 minutes into it when I felt <span style="font-size: large;">strongly</span> that I needed to finish this creating this post instead.<br />
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But before I started writing again, I looked at the list of literary works Ms. Angelou created over her lifetime. I was impressed—okay, <i>blown away</i>!—to see all of her accomplishments! Yet in that very same moment, <span style="font-size: large;">I felt the fire within me <i>roar </i>even stronger that everyone <b>needs </b>to be writing</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> (i.e., blogging! 😍) </span><span style="font-size: large;">about their lives as much as possible!</span> Obviously, we shouldn't blog to the point of becoming unbalanced in our lives—we need moderation in all things, but each and every single one of us should absolutely be writing about our lives on a consistent basis.<br />
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In the end, I'll let my favorite hashtag of the day have some time in the <i>Enthusiastic Fantastic </i>spotlight. 😊 Yes, I'm <i>all </i>about the <span style="font-size: x-large;">#neverfacebook</span> movement! I thought I created that awesome hashtag, but according to Twitter, it's already been used to complain about Facebook many times! Ha ha. I hope you'll join me in my #neverfacebook "mission" and spread the word!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />P.S. I had a lot of <span style="font-size: large;">fun</span> creating this typographic design!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">*Update: 08/03/17:</span><br />
To further support my ideas in this post, please watch this <i>fascinating </i>TED Talk, <span style="font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/tristan_harris_the_manipulative_tricks_tech_companies_use_to_capture_your_attention" target="_blank">The manipulative tricks tech companies use to capture your attention</a>,"</span> by <a href="https://www.ted.com/speakers/tristan_harris" target="_blank">Tristan Harris</a>. It will <i>blow </i>your mind! And then it will make you decide to <span style="font-size: large;">take back your life</span> and <i><span style="font-size: large;">own</span> </i>your brain's attention! We all must <i><span style="font-size: large;">fight</span> </i>being "controlled" by big tech companies!! #notgonnadoit! 😂<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">*Update: 09/28/17:</span><br />
With all that's going on with Facebook in the news these days, here's another article that raises the alarm bells about Facebook. Fakebook is <b>not </b>good for our world!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/21/technology/facebook-frankenstein-sandberg-ads.html" target="_blank">Facebook’s Frankenstein Moment</a>,"</span>by Kevin Roose of the <i>New York Times</i>.</blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">*Update: 12/16/17:</span><br />
Here are three more important, <span style="font-size: large;">must-read articles</span> that futher support my <i>#neverfacebook!</i> stance! 😊<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/11/the-end-of-the-social-era-twitter-facebook-snapchat" target="_blank">The End of the Social Era Can't Come Soon Enough</a>"</span><br /><i>It seems increasingly likely that our society will one day view our infatuation with Twitter, Facebook, and the like as a passing, often destructive fad.</i>By Nick Bilton</blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/9/16627724/sean-parker-facebook-childrens-brains-feedback-loop" target="_blank">Sean Parker on Facebook: 'God only knows what it's doing to our children's brains'</a>"</span><br /><i>Parker says he’s become a 'conscientious objector' on social media</i>By Thuy Ong</blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"<a href="https://theconversation.com/social-networking-sites-may-be-controlling-your-mind-heres-how-to-take-charge-88516" target="_blank">Social networking sites may be controlling your mind – here’s how to take charge</a>"</span><br />By Simon McCarthy-Jones</blockquote>
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Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-84126018798796699152017-03-06T17:48:00.001-07:002019-03-18T13:22:05.612-06:00Fankle Recovery, Month Seven<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">(This is my seventh post in <a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/p/fankle-series.html" target="_blank">My Fankle Journey</a>.)</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Wow, I can't believe it's actually been <span style="font-size: large;">seven full months</span> since my posterior tibial tendon surgery (<a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2016/08/fanklestein.html" target="_blank">August 3rd, 2016</a>)! When I began my Fankle journey, I honestly <i>never </i>thought my recovery would take <span style="font-size: large;"><i>this long!</i></span> And yet here I am, still <i>quite </i><span style="font-size: large;">in the middle</span> of my ankle-surgery recovery. So, I thought I'd give a little bit of an update as to where Fankle <span style="font-size: large;">stands</span> today! 😉</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I still have stiffness and some degree of pain in my Fankle <span style="font-size: large;">every</span> morning when I wake up. It doesn't seem to matter what I've done the day before, <span style="font-size: large;">I'm still always aware that Fankle exists</span>. I can stretch and <i><span style="font-size: large;">stretch</span> </i>my calf and ankle until I feel I'm going to scream from the tediousness of it all (#mytedioustendon! ha ha), and <i>finally </i>feel better for a little while, but it never lasts long. I'll excitedly think, "Hey! Maybe I <i>am </i>improving! Maybe I'll feel significantly better tomorrow!" But sadly, I wake up the very next morning with my <span style="font-size: large;">familiar</span> ankle stiffness/pain in tow. <span style="font-size: large;">It's very disheartening and <i>beyond </i>frustrating.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I've had a <i>few </i><span style="font-size: large;">blessed</span> days over the past seven months where I didn't have pain (just an awareness that Fankle exists), but they didn't last. 😢 I've tried to figure out <i>any </i>sort of pattern as to what I did differently that made my pain disappear during those minuscule days, but for the life of me, I can't see <i>any </i>regularity in my behavior that constitutes a pain-free, non-tight Fankle.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I wear supportive athletic shoes with good arch supports about 80% of the time; I've stretched Fankle until the cows come home; I've iced my way through untold on-demand TV episodes; I've worn high heels once in a while to give my tendon a break (Because I have high arches, high heels are <span style="font-size: medium;">truly</span> such a <span style="font-size: large;">nice break{!}</span>, which I know sounds a little nutty, but it's true!); I've massaged my ankle for unbelievably <span style="font-size: large;">lengthy</span> periods of time; I've taken super hot showers; <i>I've done and done and <span style="font-size: large;">done</span></i>! But after all of my work and experimenting, nothing makes sense as to what makes my Fankle totally pain-free for longer than one day at a time.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The one thing that <span style="font-size: large;">does</span> make sense is this: I will definitely <span style="font-size: large;">not</span> take any more pain pills during the rest of my recovery unless it's <span style="font-size: large;">absolutely necessary</span>. I've learned that it's <span style="font-size: large;">much better</span> to <i>feel </i>my ankle pain every day so I don't overdo it, than to blissfully not feel any pain at all and <i>definitely </i>overdo it. (I already explained in my post, "<a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2016/09/fanklebaby.html" target="_blank">Fanklebaby</a>" about the negative effects of NSAIDs on tendon healing, which is the main reason I don't take ibuprofen on a regular basis.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Every time I've taken ibuprofen during the day (maybe four times in the past seven months?), I've totally regretted it the next day. My Fankle always seems to take at least three days to recover from my pain-free ibuprofen-induced <span style="font-size: large;">frivolity</span> 😉, and I'll not to do it anymore! In my defense, I took pain meds in the first place because I was enduring <i><span style="color: #cc0000;">Shark Week</span></i>, i.e., it was that <i>not-so-lovely time of the month</i> and I needed some <span style="font-size: large;">real help</span> to survive my day! Thus, after all of my efforts, I'm trying to convince myself that <span style="font-size: large;">it's just a matter of <b>time</b></span><b> </b>for my ankle pain to fully subside.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">From all the research I've done (I've spent <span style="font-size: large;">uncountable hours</span> researching posterior tibial tendon repair surgeries!), I see over and over that <i><span style="font-size: large;">until</span> </i>about nine–12 months, ankle surgery patients are still suffering and feeling some sort of pain on a daily basis. Yeah, that would have been <span style="font-size: large;">great</span> information for my podiatrist to give me <i><span style="font-size: large;">before</span> </i>and <span style="font-size: large;">after</span> my surgery!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My only criticism of my podiatrist is that <span style="font-size: large;">he <i>definitely </i>should have prepared me for a <b>year-long recovery</b>!</span> Yet nothing in our appointments leading up to my surgery <i>ever </i>indicated such a lengthy, complicated, heart-wrenching recovery! But maybe it's just me who's struggling? #<i>idon'tthinkso</i>! 😒 I'm sincerely not trying to <i>diss </i>my podiatrist—I know he's one of the best podiatrists in my area—but <span style="font-size: large;">I honestly wonder <i>what </i>he was thinking when he prepared me for surgery and left out the </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">vitally important</span><span style="font-size: large;"> <i>year-long-recovery</i> bit?!?! #frustration!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">*One of the reasons I continue sharing my experiences with posterior tibial tendon surgery recovery is to help others in the same boat know what to expect. I've been <span style="font-size: large;">greatly helped</span> by people online sharing their experiences with the same surgery I had, so I <i>hope </i>I can <span style="font-size: large;">help</span> someone else navigate this painful process in the future!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I promise, I don't mean to sound so gloomy! I'm just being realistic. Recovering from major ankle surgery is a <u>major</u> <u>deal</u>, plain and simple!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The good news is, <span style="font-size: large;">I <i>am </i>getting stronger!</span> Yay! When I first began my new at-home physical therapy regimen (after I finished my in-office physical therapy—December 27th, 2016), I was <i>ridiculously</i> <b>sore</b> every single day. I almost couldn't even stand to walk around my house! No pun intended! It took <i>everything </i>inside of me to <span style="font-size: large;">keep doing</span> my physical therapy routine on a daily basis. After I completed my first week of at-home physical therapy, I <i>finally</i> began to feel a little less sore. At week two, I thought, <span style="font-size: large;">"I'm going to survive!"</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> 😊</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I've <a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2014/06/obedience-takes-strength.html" target="_blank">said before</a>, <span style="font-size: large;">obedience takes strength!</span> And it took <span style="font-size: large;">a lot</span> of physical, emotional, and spiritual strength for me to <span style="font-size: large;"><i>stick </i>with</span> my entire physical therapy program (in-office and at-home) for <span style="font-size: large;">17</span> full weeks!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thus, there really aren't enough positive words/sayings/descriptions to express how </span><i><span style="font-size: large;">thrilled</span> </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was when I </span><b>completed </b><span style="font-family: inherit;">my </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">entire</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> physical therapy program on February 8th, 2017! Aahh! 😁 I was beyond excited and </span><b>happy</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> to finally be </span><i><span style="font-size: large;">rid</span> </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">of my daily physical therapy routines! I don't know if I've </span><i><span style="font-size: large;">ever</span> </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">been so tired and filled with pain for </span><i>such </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">a long period of time. So yeah, </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">it feels <i>unbelievably </i><b>great </b>knowing I've done my very best! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I've continued recovering, I've been exercising to my PiYo videos occasionally over the past several weeks. PiYo has been really fun(!), but I could tell after completing several videos that Fankle wasn't doing very well with it—even though it's pretty much all non-impact. Near the beginning of doing PiYo, my ankle began swelling again and I took it as a sign that I needed to <span style="font-size: large;">back off</span> the serious exercising for a few more weeks. Lately, Fankle has been much less swollen, and I'm <i>really </i>excited about that improvement! 😀</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">*Side note: One of my physical therapists said it would take about six months for the swelling in my ankle to go completely away, and she was right. It was probably around six-and-a-half months when Fankle finally stopped being swollen consistently every day. As I've begun month seven of my recovery, the swelling is pretty much gone! Hip hip hooray! Occasionally I'll have some swelling right around my surgical site if I've been on my feet for <span style="font-size: large;">many</span> hours without taking a break. But I think it's safe to say that the <span style="font-size: large;">extreme</span> swelling I endured for so many months on end is (hopefully) a thing of the past!</span></span><br />
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My great news happened on February 4th when I <i>s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d</i> my ankle while reading a book in bed. (That sounds lazy, but I literally had no more <i>get up and go</i> juice left inside of me! I was beyond <span style="font-size: large;">exhausted</span> and simply <i>had </i>to take a break. If I hadn't fully rested that day, I honestly think I could have fallen asleep in the middle of my day!) <i>Let me explain...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the things I did while recovering from my longboarding accident—before my surgery—was stretching my ankle by pulling my toes upward. Whenever I did that motion (usually in bed while I was barely waking up) I felt a <i>sickening</i>, prickly, <span style="font-size: large;">stinging</span> sensation in my posterior tibial tendon. Yes, it was very painful, but it was also the <span style="font-size: large;"><i>strangest</i></span> feeling i'd <i>ever </i>experienced. At the time, I couldn't pinpoint what that pain was; what was causing it; what it meant; or how describe it to anyone, <span style="font-size: large;">but now I know better!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">It sounds horrible, but </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I know <i>now </i>that every time I stretched my toes and pulled my foot upward</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (before my surgery)</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">, I was pulling apart <i>any </i>healing that my posterior tibial tendon had accomplished. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">😓</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> I'm guessing I probably made my torn tendon <i>worse </i>with every foot flex!</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> I shudder to think about those </span><i>icky </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">moments!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, four Saturdays ago, when I was stretching my foot like I had many times in the past, I felt something <i>very </i>different. <span style="font-size: large;">I suddenly felt <b>strength </b>in my posterior tibial tendon!</span> Yes, I still have ankle pain (probably from scar tissue), but I no longer feel the same <i>weakness</i>, or experience that intense <span style="font-size: large;">fear/worry</span> that I've endured for so many months. (It's been nine months {tomorrow} since my accident!) I nearly cried tears of joy for feeling that new <b>strong </b>sensation! I only hope that lovely feeling continues!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm sure some of you will laugh at me for sharing this, but <span style="font-size: large;">one of the things that's been </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">sooo </i><span style="font-size: large;">hard for me is not being able to wear </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">every</span><span style="font-size: large;"> pair of my favorite high heels like I want.</span> Yes, I'm able to wear wedges and many versions of high heels, but I haven't been able to wear <b>all</b> of my <span style="font-size: large;">awesome</span> platform high heels just yet—Fankle is simply not ready for them. Even though I have so many <span style="font-size: large;">cute</span> pairs of high heels that I really want to wear to church again (and my church wardrobe is subsequently smaller because some of my dresses are too long for non-platform shoes), I'll have to continue being <span style="font-size: large;">patient</span>. #thestoryofmylife! 😂</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I repeatedly tell myself, "Wait until ____ months, then reevaluate where you are. Maybe after ____ months you can wear those platform high heels again!" It's become <i>quite </i>comical (and frustrating) that I'm <span style="font-size: large;">still</span> telling myself that same bit of advice no matter how many months pass! The good news is, I can see <span style="font-size: large;">real progress</span> in my high-heal-wearing abilities! <span style="font-size: large;">👠</span> I'm getting better and better at wearing them with each passing Sunday! #yayme! I don't want to get overly excited, but I <i>think </i>I might be able to wear all of my shoes (for limited periods of time) within another month or two! #freakin'<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRP8d7hhpoQ" target="_blank">hallelujah</a>!</span> I'll just have to <span style="font-size: large;">patiently</span> wait and see...</span></span><br />
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One area of my recovery that continues to puzzle me is that my posterior tibial muscle itself continues to be <span style="font-size: large;">so darn tight and achy all along/behind my tibia.</span> I keep thinking it will loosen up one of these days, but it's not happening. Yes, I expected my tendon to be tight because it had surgery and the scar tissue has built up—but not my entire muscle!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are days when I just want to take a big soup spoon and push/dig/scrape my posterior tibial muscle until it finally </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">relaxes!</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> That sounds insane, but I can't describe it any other way. <span style="font-size: large;">Plus, the posterior tibial muscle is just super hard to <i>get at</i>.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've watched massage videos to see how they access it, but I've not been very successful at it myself. The good news is, my muscle tightness has improved/relaxed a <i>teeny</i> bit over the past month! It's by no means perfect yet, but I'm </span><i>finally </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">catching this little </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">glimmer of hope</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> that one day I won't want to dig my calf muscle with a soup spoon! Ha ha. 😄</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">I'm also beyond ready to be able to </span><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">run</span> </i><span style="font-size: large;">up and down my stairs again!</span></span> It's <i>crazy </i>to think how much the <span style="font-size: large;">little things</span> bother us when we aren't able to do them anymore. I had years when I was exhausted every day because of my hypothyroidism, and running up/down the stairs was the <i>last </i>thing I wanted to do! <span style="font-size: large;">Yet, <i>oh my</i>, what I wouldn't <i>give </i>to be able to fully bound up and down the stairs any time I want! </span>That said, I've felt a smidgen of improvement on my stairs the past couple of weeks! I tried bounding <i>just a little bit</i>, and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be! Yay! Thus, I'm going to keep trying a little more every day! <i>Within reason, of course...</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One thing that has helped me tremendously over the past several weeks was something President Russell M. Nelson said in his most recent <a href="https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/worldwide-devotionals/2017/01/prophets-leadership-and-divine-law?lang=eng" target=""><i>Worldwide Devotional</i></a>. He said (these are separate paragraphs throughout his talk—emphasis added),</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"When I was a young medical student, my rigorous study of the human body convinced me that God lived. And as I came to know that the body was God’s creation, I became increasingly intrigued with the [divine laws] of God that govern the function of the body." </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Divine law is incontrovertible and irrefutable. Divine law cannot be denied or disputed."</span> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">"...Not even for God’s prophet could the [divine] law relating to the transmission of electricity be ignored."</span> </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">"In a coming day, you will present yourself before the Savior. You will be overwhelmed to the point of tears to be in His holy presence. You will struggle to find words to thank Him for paying for your sins, for forgiving you of any unkindness toward others, </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">for <b>healing </b>you from the <i>injuries </i>and injustices of this life.</span><span style="font-size: large;">"</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">While President Nelson was mainly referring to heart surgery in this example of divine law, <span style="font-size: large;">the Holy Ghost helped me</span> take his words in a completely different direction because I needed that spiritual uplift. 😇</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I thought about my human body in relation to what President Nelson taught, <span style="font-size: large;">I internalized that our Heavenly Father's divine laws also apply to </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">me</span><span style="font-size: large;">.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I thought about the fact that tendons are one of the <i>s.l.o.w.e.s.t.</i> healing tissues in the human body.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I thought about the fact that my ankle's blood supply isn't the greatest right where the posterior tibial tendon is. Yet I know that's <i>exactly </i>how the human body <span style="font-size: large;">had</span> to be formed—because <span style="font-size: large;">what if</span> our ankles had a gushing blood supply like we do in our heads? Can you <i>imagine </i>the amount of blood that would pool/escape if/when we accidentally cut our feet? If we had the same amounts of blood in our feet as we do in our heads, we could <i>bleed out</i> so very quickly because of gravity pulling the blood away from our hearts.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I also thought about the fact that the posterior tibial tendons are two of <b><i>the </i></b><span style="font-size: large;">most </span><span style="font-size: large;">important</span> tendons in the human body! Because of their <span style="font-size: large;">great importance</span> in holding up the arches of our feet, <i>of course</i> the posterior tibial tendons take even <span style="font-size: large;">longer</span> to heal than most other tendons—more of our mobility is <span style="font-size: large;">at risk</span>, so they must be darn well <span style="font-size: large;">strong enough</span> to support our bodies' "suspension bridges"!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I thought about how <span style="font-size: large;">any</span> tissue in the human body won't grow to its full potential <span style="font-size: large;">unless and until</span><span style="font-size: large;"> it is </span><span style="font-size: large;">worked</span> and moderately stressed. Without resistance, human tissues atrophy—which is exactly what happened when I was fully protected by my boot/cast and crutches! My calf muscle shrank an enormous amount. And my thigh and buttock muscles shrank a pretty significantly, too. Yes, I <span style="font-size: large;">had</span> to let my ankle tissues (posterior tibial tendon, tendon sheath, flexor retinaculum, skin) <span style="font-size: large;">heal</span> from the surgery, but they were nowhere near completely healed <i>until </i>the pressure, weight, and stretching happened from putting my full body weight on my foot. Basically (and obviously!), I had to <span style="font-size: large;">work</span> to regain my ankle motion and muscle strength!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In further pondering my ankle's recovery and divine law, I find it fascinating that <a href="https://www.lds.org/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-27-work-and-personal-responsibility?lang=eng" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">we are commanded to work</a>. Our Heavenly Father's divine law dictates that our growth and healing—whether it be physical or spiritual—won't <i>ever </i>be complete <span style="font-size: large;">unless we <b>work</b>.</span> Jesus Christ's work is what created our beautiful Earth, and His work is precisely what will bring us back to our Heavenly Father. He said, "For behold, this is my <span style="font-size: large;">work</span> and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (<a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/moses/1.39?lang=eng#38" target="_blank">Moses 1:39</a>.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus Christ is the <span style="font-size: large;">perfect</span> example of our Heavenly Father's <span style="font-size: large;">divine law</span> in action! Because of His example, I know that the same divine law that required our Savior to atone for our sins (and die for each one of us) applies to me and my Fankle recovery.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">*Before anyone thinks I'm being sacrilegious, please know that I <span style="font-size: large;">fully</span> understand that my ankle surgery and recovery are <i>nowhere </i><span style="font-size: large;">near</span> the Atonement, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. I'm simply stating the fact that divine law applied to Jesus Christ, and divine law applies to me, too.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When I <i><span style="font-size: large;">remember</span> </i>to think of my recovery in terms of <span style="font-size: large;">divine law</span>, I have <span style="font-size: large;">greater patience</span> in my daily ankle pain and the exhaustion of my recovery. Best of all, I have <span style="font-size: large;">true hope</span> for a full recovery one day! #prettyplease?! Thus, I'm <i><b>work</b>ing</i> at keeping the perspective of divine law in my mind at all times. Of course, some days are easier than others, but <span style="font-size: large;">I keep trying! 👍 😎</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, while I've spent an extensive amount of time complaining in this post about my situation, fatigue, and pain, I want it to be known that the <span style="font-size: large;">positive difference</span> between Fankle at six months and seven months (first week of February, 2017–first week of March, 2017) is <b style="font-size: x-large;">significant</b><span style="font-size: large;">. 😀 I</span> <span style="font-size: large;">most definitely see </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">progress</span><span style="font-size: large;"> since I finished my at-home physical therapy! And <i>that </i>is a positive I'm <i>trying </i>to remember every day!</span> #somedaysarebetterthanothers </span><span style="text-align: center;">I simply </span><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">wish</span><span style="text-align: center;"> that my ankle recovery was progressing </span><i style="text-align: center;">faster </i><span style="text-align: center;">than it is!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thus, we see that as much as <i>I've</i> <span style="font-size: large;">felt</span> successful at gaining patience over my lifetime (I've improved a lot, I promise!), I obviously have more work to do! #<i>don'tweall</i>?! I absolutely know that our Heavenly Father <span style="font-size: large;">sees</span> my progress (And my blessed angels are taking notes! 😇 Ha ha.), but <a href="https://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2014/01/he-wants-more-for-us-and-from-us.html" target="_blank">He clearly wants <span style="font-size: large;">more</span> for my soul</a>, thus, here I still find myself, standing in this <span style="font-size: large;">extended</span> Fankle-recovery position.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I will absolutely <span style="font-size: large;">keep going</span> no matter what! <span style="font-size: large;">I won't <i>ever </i>give up!</span> I will continue working <span style="font-size: large;">diligently</span> to regain my ankle function, <i>and </i>I'll get myself back in shape to the very best of my ability! But I know both of those goals will take time, and I'm in it for the long haul. As much as I <span style="font-size: large;"><i>can't wait</i></span> for all of those positive things to happen (I'm so excited to be fully <span style="font-size: large;">healed</span> and physically fit again!), <b>I will wait</b> because I have no other option! 😉</span></span>Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-2549049324461521652017-02-12T23:26:00.000-07:002017-02-12T23:26:01.684-07:00Happiness SoulworkGood evening! Today I taught the lesson in my ward's (congregation) <a href="https://www.lds.org/callings/relief-society?lang=eng" target="_blank">Relief Society</a> meeting. It was such a <i>marvelous </i>lesson(!): <span style="font-size: large;">"<a href="https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-gordon-b-hinckley/chapter-3-cultivating-an-attitude-of-happiness-and-a-spirit-of-optimism?lang=eng" target="_blank">Chapter 3: Cultivating an Attitude of Happiness and a Spirit of Optimism</a>,"</span> <i><a href="https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-gordon-b-hinckley?lang=eng" target="_blank">Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Gordon B. Hinckley</a></i>.<br />
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I had such a <span style="font-size: large;">great</span> time preparing for my lesson—I enjoyed every single minute of it! 😊 I've decided everyone should listen to "Cultivating an Attitude of Happiness and a Spirit of Optimism" (via the Internet {link above} or the <a href="https://www.lds.org/pages/mobileapps/gospellibrary?lang=eng" target="_blank">Gospel Library</a> app on your smartphone) once a quarter! <a href="https://history.lds.org/timeline/gordon-b-hinckley?lang=eng" target="_blank">President Hinckley</a> is such an <span style="font-size: large;">uplifting person</span>, one can't <i>help </i>but become <span style="font-size: large;">better</span> by listening to his inspiring words!<br />
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I created a handout to go with my lesson because I wanted to give a resource to my ward sisters. We all talk about how we should <span style="font-size: large;">choose happiness</span>, but there are definitely times in our lives when things are <span style="font-size: large;"><i>very</i> difficult</span>. Sometimes, grand-scale tragedies happen, but most often, we simply must endure hardships, annoyances, disappointments, setbacks, frustrations, etc. Thus, after researching many articles, talks, books, and videos, I came up with my <i>happiness soulwork</i> handout! (s<i>oulwork </i>meaning soul-homework. 😀) No, I didn't title it as exactly that, but my ward sisters got the gist of what I was presenting.<br />
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We didn't have time to go over my handout in class because our lesson time is only about 35–40 minutes. I truly wish I had <span style="font-size: large;">two hours</span> to go over my Relief Society lessons! You see, my ward is <span style="font-size: large;">filled</span> with <i>amazing </i>women with <span style="font-size: large;">so much wisdom</span> and insight to share about life. <span style="font-size: large;">We could talk for <i>dayz</i>!</span> Ha ha.<br />
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I'm <span style="font-size: large;">so grateful</span> my beloved church has given me the opportunity to teach! Many years ago, when we lived in Colorado, I used to get <span style="font-size: large;"><i>so nervous</i></span> when it came to teaching adults. Yet here I am, 12 years later, where <span style="font-size: large;">teaching anybody and everybody has become <i>profoundly </i>joyful to my soul! 😇</span> I love that I've changed for the <span style="font-size: large;">better</span> during my many varied life experiences, which simultaneously allows me to be a better teacher!<br />
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What thrilled me today was looking out over my ward sisters' faces and seeing them <span style="font-size: large;">connect</span> with what I was presenting. Yay! I loved seeing <span style="font-size: large;">joy</span> brighten their eyes! I loved seeing their "Aha!" light bulbs go on when they received insight to their precious souls!<br />
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Yes, friends, it's in moments like these (my experiences teaching Relief Society) when <span style="font-size: large;">my heart is filled to <i>overflowing </i>with <b><span style="color: magenta;">love</span></b> for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!</span> And when I say, "The Church," it 100% includes the souls that fill its ranks. I honestly, truly and deeply believe that my church is THE <a href="https://www.lds.org/topics/church-organization/the-church-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng&old=true" target="_blank">church of Jesus Christ—restored to the earth</a>!<br />
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The Church's Relief Society program is <span style="font-size: large;">divinely inspired</span> to watch over, love, protect, teach, inspire, care for, and <i><span style="font-size: large;">engage</span> </i>every woman on Earth! 😀 The Relief Society a way for <i>every </i>woman to feel connected with her spiritual sisters and have the opportunity to contribute love and service to others! It really is a <i>perfect </i>program for women to feel happy, united, and better themselves.<br />
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Late last night when Greg asked me how I felt about my lesson (I had been working on it for several hours yesterday, and preparing <i>many </i>days in advance), I told him, "I'm absolutely prepared in <b>every </b>way possible! So it's up to my sisters to utilize what I've prepared for them. It's their own darn fault if they don't take something positive from my lesson!" Ha ha.<br />
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Greg laughingly said, "Well, you <i>have </i>been preparing for this moment your entire life!" Yes, it's a little joke between us about how happy and optimistic I am and have been <a href="http://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/2014/12/a-snippet-from-my-birth.html" target="_blank">since I was a little baby</a>...<i>Enthusiastic Fantastic</i>, anyone?! I totally laughed and said, "Yeah, what if teaching this lesson is the <i>very </i>reason for my existence?! What if I keel over and die after I finish teaching my lesson?!" 😂 Ha ha. Oh, it was <i>so </i>hilarious!<br />
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Anyway, just know that my heart <span style="font-size: large;">swelled with happiness</span> during and after I presented my Relief Socity lesson. I'm so grateful to know that my great efforts were absolutely useful and appreciated by my ward sisters!<br />
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Without further ado, here's my <i>happiness soulwork</i> handout...enjoy!<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">How to Bounce Back from Life’s Letdowns </span></h2>
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<i>Advice from <a href="http://matttownsend.com/" target="_blank">Dr. Matt Townsend</a>—taken from <a href="http://studio5.ksl.com/index.php?nid=54&sid=42162165" target="_blank">KSL’s Studio 5 interview on 11/15/16 </a></i></div>
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<i>Compiled and Edited by Adrie Peterson</i></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Preface</span></h3>
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Identity is defined as “the fact of being who or what a person is;” it is “the concept you develop about yourself that evolves over the course of your life.” I also believe our identities consist of who we <i>choose </i>to be. For example: I am Adrie, and the “pillars” of my identity are: wife; mother; homemaker; fitness enthusiast; writer; pianist; researcher; teacher; fashionista; artist; daughter; sister; granddaughter; aunt; friend; Mormon; Utahn; and a loving, happy, determined lady! 😀<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What are your <i>identity pillars</i>? </span></div>
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1. Uncover Your Identity Story<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
a. Letdowns happen because something rocks your identity.<br />b. Fully examine your identity crisis—everyone has one at some point. Which part of your identity is crumbling?<br />c. We all need to feel that we’re lovable, capable, and secure—we struggle when one of those needs are in question.<br />d. Your subconscious holds onto issues because you feel the need to solve problems. Let go of your issue even if you haven’t solved the problem yet.<br />e. Usually, you don’t have all the information/data to judge every situation properly and have the correct perspective.<br />f. Reframe your identity story: define the most important parts of who you are.</blockquote>
2. Stay in the Now<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
a. You no longer have your past, and your future isn’t here yet—don’t dwell on either.<br />b. Really feel the emotion and pain of your current experience—it will pass eventually, but don’t push through it too quickly.<br />c. Rethink what you’re feeling about life; what part of your identity story is in crisis? How can you positively change your perspective about yourself?</blockquote>
3. Connect to Your Highest Self<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
a. You are not what you’re “made of,” i.e., you are not your house, car, job, bank account, or relationship status.<br />b. Remember that you are deeply connected to Heavenly Father—you are His creation! 😊<br />c. What would you feel and think about if Heavenly Father or Jesus Christ came and talked with you—what would really matter?<br />d. Instead of thinking about what you’ve lost, ponder these questions: What is your greatest contribution to this world? What can you give our universe? What can you share of yourself that matters?</blockquote>
4. Convert Your Pain into Purpose<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
a. There are two ways to look at life: either this life is here to teach you, or this life is here to torture you.<br />b. Decide how you will view your life. Every day, internalize the idea, “I choose to be _________!” 😊<br />c. Ask yourself, “What can I learn from this experience?”</blockquote>
<i>That's the end of Dr. Townsend's advice.</i><br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Additional Happiness Soulwork—read, watch or listen: </span></h3>
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<i>I highly recommend all of these!</i> 😀</div>
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<ul>
<li>“Personality can be changed. A large number of scientific studies are piling up now showing that interventions exist to change personality, and that a change in personality has a direct effect on changes in happiness. What's more, a makeover in happiness can also affect our personality!” – Scott Barry Kaufman, “<a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/beautiful-minds/which-personality-traits-are-most-predictive-of-well-being/" target="_blank">Which Personality Traits Are Most Predictive of Well-Being? The real link between personality and well-being</a>,” <i>Scientific American</i>, January 21, 2017</li>
<li>“<a href="http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2016/12/optistic-women-live-longer-are-healthier/" target="_blank">How power of positive thinking works: Study looks at mechanics of optimism in reducing risk of dying prematurely</a>,” by Karen Feldscher, Harvard Chan School Communications, <i>Harvard Gazette</i>, December 7, 2016</li>
<li>“<a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_waldinger_what_makes_a_good_life_lessons_from_the_longest_study_on_happiness" target="_blank">What Makes a Good Life? Lessons from the Longest Study on Happiness</a>,” by Robert Waldinger, <i>TED Talks</i>, November, 2015</li>
<li>“<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-let-go-and-move-on/" target="_blank">How to Let Go and Move On</a>,” by Psychologist Ellen Hendriksen, <i>Scientific American</i>, September 17, 2016</li>
<li>“<a href="https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/craig-l-manning_power-words/" target="_blank">The Power of Your Words</a>,” by Craig L. Manning, <i>BYU Devotional</i>, January 31, 2017</li>
<li>“<a href="https://www.lds.org/ensign/2017/02/young-adults/finding-peace-in-imperfection?lang=eng" target="_blank">Finding Peace in Imperfection</a>,” by Elizabeth Lloyd Lund, <i>Ensign</i>, February, 2017</li>
<li>“<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Here-Incredible-Triumph-Everyday-ebook/dp/B007FHGJLA/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1" target="_blank">Heaven is Here</a>,” by Stephanie Nielson, Hyperion Books, 2012</li>
<li>“<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rcm5vdiHCHE" target="_blank">Starting Today</a>,” by Radiant, <i>YouTube</i>, April 11, 2014</li>
</ul>
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Okay, I'm completely bushed, I need to go to bed now! I hope you all have a great day and enjoy your <span style="font-size: large;"><i>happiness soulwork</i>!</span></div>
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P.S. Here's the typographic design I created for my previous Relief Society lesson. I know it doesn't exactly match this post about today's RS lesson, but I still <span style="font-size: large;">love</span> President Hinckley's words so much! I think it's safe to say that Gordon B. Hinckley was <i>very </i><span style="font-size: large;">certain</span> that living happily and optimistically is the <b>best </b>thing we can do for ourselves and everyone around us! <span style="font-size: large;">😁 #letsbehappy!</span></div>
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Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2254829798736303196.post-84407407011128622372017-01-30T11:55:00.001-07:002017-01-31T10:20:09.344-07:0040 Years of Fun!I actually have a smidgen of a bit of time to blog today! <span style="font-size: large;">Yay!</span> But because I don't have as much time to blog as I want, we're going to have to keep this short. Sorry, but that's the way my life is going for the next three weeks—and the way my life has been for the past month. Yes, I live in <i>Busytown</i>, USA!<br />
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As you might have guessed from this post's title, I've gone up, over, and I'm heading <span style="font-size: large;">straight down</span> the <i>dreaded </i><span style="font-size: large;">I-40 hill</span>. That's code for "I'm 40 years old now!" 😂 Ha ha. I've never thought I would <i>ever </i>share my age on <i><a href="http://www.enthusiasticfantastic.com/">Enthusiastic Fantastic</a></i>, but now that I'm closer to death than birth (according to who, I don't know—but that's what's been said for years!), I don't really care about my age anymore.<br />
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Anyone who knew me 10 years ago would probably be <span style="font-size: large;">shocked</span> by my previous sentence, but it's true! When I turned 30, I <span style="font-size: large;"><i>really</i></span> <b>struggled</b>. I don't know what it was about turning "The Big 3.0." that freaked me out so much, but I was <i>not </i>happy to see my 30th birthday come. Don't worry, I was so happy to be alive, but I would have been happier to stay <span style="font-size: large;">25</span>-years-young <i>forever</i>! 😀 Yet now that I'm <span style="font-size: large;">40</span>, I'm like, <span style="font-size: large;">"Woohoo! I'm 40 years old! And I don't even care! Life is <i>so </i><b><span style="color: cyan;">awesome</span></b>!" 😁</span><br />
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I've learned so many things in the four decades I've been alive. I feel so much more <span style="font-size: large;">at peace</span> now than I ever did before. Also? The past 10 years of my life have been the hardest years <span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>e.v.e.r.</i>,</span> so the fact that I <span style="font-size: large;">survived</span> them and I'm <i>thriving</i>, well I feel like the <span style="font-size: large;"><i>Champion of Living</i>!</span> #yayme! 😉 In all seriousness, the fact that I endured 2007–2017 so well nearly blows my mind. If I can survive <i>that</i> decade, I can literally do anything! (No, I'm not trying to jinx myself!)<br />
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I didn't have a big blow-out birthday bash this year because I wasn't feeling particularly <i>partyish</i>. In other words, everything I wanted to do for my birthday included being <span style="font-size: large;">physically active</span> and being able to participate in said active activities. Because of Fankle's incomplete healing (I'm in month five+ of my recovery), I decided to keep my birthday simple this year. But have no fear, I was well-cared-for and felt very <span style="color: magenta;">loved</span> by my family and friends! 🎁💐💌<br />
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That said, I'm predicting that <span style="font-size: large;">year 41</span> will be a <i>huge </i>celebration! Of course, that idea is <i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yy7AP7Dh6w" target="_blank">so fun!</a></span> </i>for me because I'm <span style="font-size: large;">assuming</span> that Fankle will be fully healed in less than one year. <span style="font-size: large;">🤞!</span> Yet I'm under <b>no </b>delusions that I'll finish <i>Fankle's Run</i> with a perfect recovery; I'm <span style="font-size: large;">painfully</span> aware that I <i>might </i>not ever be able to physically do everything that I used to do before Fankle joined my life. 😔 But I have <span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">hope</span> that I'll be able to enjoy <span style="font-size: large;">many</span> of the activities (<i>pretty please?!</i>) that I used to before June 7th, 2016.<br />
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What I'm really grateful for (among <span style="font-size: large;">so many</span> things) after 40 years on this precious, beautiful earth, is that I've had so much FUN in my life! Yes, there have been moments of extreme sadness, stark loneliness, a little regret, some wincing, a few grimaces, <i>a lot </i>of eye rolls, multiple face squinches, dreary tears, and frustrations galore, but <span style="font-size: large;">I've spent the vast majority of my life's minutes having fun and being happy! 🎆🎈🎉</span><br />
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As my time for blogging is now up 😞, I'll leave you with these <span style="font-size: large;">fantastic</span> photos that my brother-in-law edited for me. I'm so grateful he shared his artistic time with me! I told him it was the best 40th birthday present he could have given me! He really is <b>so</b> talented!<br />
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I'm so happy my brother-in-law jumped on the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/meitu/?hl=en" target="_blank"><i>Meitu</i> Instagram</a> bandwagon because I wasn't brave enough to do it! Supposedly, the Meitu app is dangerous because China is spying on us through our phones when we download it. As much as I assume and hope China isn't trying to make my life miserable by gathering my data and photos, I'm definitely a <span style="font-size: large;">"Don't spy on me!"</span> kind of girl. I mean, I know my life isn't that interesting, but I still want to keep my privacy on <span style="font-size: large;"><i>my</i></span> terms! 😎 I.e., <span style="font-size: large;">I'll share what <i>I </i>want to share with the world! Don't steal from me!</span><br />
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Actually, I didn't know about Meitu until my brother-in-law told us about it, but it's definitely trending on Insta! If you click on the above link, be aware that there are a few spam hashtaggers who want to ride the Meitu popularity wave. Be sure to page down to see the app's real photos.<br />
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I'm pretty happy with the way my photos turned out! Yes, they're totally "out there" and I look like a cartoon character, but one of the <span style="font-size: large;">greatest</span> things we get to enjoy in this life is having <i><span style="font-size: x-large;">fun!</span></i>, and these photos are a pretty great start to my 41st year! (You know, because I've completed 40 years already. Ha ha.)<br />
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Now, I want all of you to <span style="font-size: large;">promise yourselves</span> that you'll do something FUN <span style="font-size: large;">today</span> because we only live once and we must enjoy every minute! 😊<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>This one makes me laugh because the filter makes everyone chubby!</i></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">P.S. I just realized this is my 150th post published on Enthusiastic Fantastic! That is most definitely a cause for celebration! 😁🎆🎊🎈🎉</span></div>
Adrie Petersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06791711390477027547noreply@blogger.com0