Abundance

This has already been one of those days when I'd kind of like to just go back to bed and start all over tomorrow.  Unfortunately, scout camp outs, groceries, cleaning, spelling bees, and house guests are all calling pretty loudly.  On days like this, when it feels like 24 hours can't possibly be enough, it's always a challenge for me to make the most effective use of my time.  

This morning at 6:30, I started with the cleaning...that's always the low hanging fruit for me, except it's endless and I'm never completely satisfied.  Somehow, cleaning the bathroom leads to cleaning the closet and then organizing my shoes, and then an hour has gone by and I haven't even gotten to the things that matter...like June's bedroom which needs to become the guestroom for the Grs this weekend.  Even though it's lovely to walk into my closet and see my shoes all in neat rows, chances are good that my in laws will spend more time in the guest room than in my closet.  

I moved on to the laundry...clean towels and sheets for the guest room and downstairs bathroom.  As I loaded everything into the washing machine, though, I totally got the distinct impression that I needed to spend my time somewhere else.  So, I had the Scout Master drive the girls to school today and I turned on the Book of Mormon on my laptop.  Three chapters...25 minutes.  But that scattered feeling was still hanging out in my head.

There was no time for a run this morning, so I went upstairs and did a quick leg workout (tons of squats, lunges, jumping jacks and an eternal wall sit!)  And then an hour of Just Dance.  (I only intended to stay there for 30 minutes, but the time just flies with that thing...and I always want to do the song one more time to see if I can beat anyone's high score.)  

By 9:00, I had cleaned (sort of...there's still more to do), read my scriptures, exercised, and drank 4 glasses of water.  But that scattered feeling was still there...ugh!  (It probably didn't help that instead of my spinach smoothie, I opted for two pieces of zucchini bread for breakfast...)

430 calories!!...seriously??

So, instead of jumping in the shower and then plowing forth with the next 20 things on my To Do list...I decided to take a minute and listen to a Conference talk.  I didn't have a specific one in mind, so I just listened to the one on the front page of http://lds.org
It's actually not a Conference talk.  It's the First Presidency message for January called Living the Abundant Life.  It's short...less than 10 minutes to listen to...but totally filled with the perfect things that I needed to hear to get me out of that overworked, oppressed, hopeless feeling I started the day with.  

President Monson challenged all of us to make a significant quest this year for the abundant life.  And then he gave three ways to do that...

Have a positive Attitude.

Believe in yourself.

Face challenges with Courage.

The attitude one stood out for me today.  I had a crappy attitude about my in-laws coming this week.  It's busy here...but when is it not busy here??  The Scout Master will be on a camp out tonight, so I have to pick them up from the airport.  June has to sleep in my closet for the week.  
I had a crappy attitude about going Visiting Teaching...which I don't have to do after all because everyone cancelled...they could probably FEEL my stinky attitude.  :)  
I had a crappy attitude about pretty much everything this morning.


So to hear this quote...was apparently exactly what I needed.

I LOVE President Monson.  I love that his guidance and counsel is appropriate and timely every time I read his talks.  I love that that little message was the first thing I saw on lds.org.  And I LOVE that I listened to it.  


There are so many amazing things about house guests and scout camp outs and callings and the opportunities that we have everyday.  This life that I get to live is abundant and happy...except on the days when I make it miserable and drudgery.  Someone I talked to recently said, "If you're not happy, then it was all for nothing."  That's totally true.  I'm pretty sure the Savior didn't do all that he did so that I could whine and complain about having to wash sheets.

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10


So, I'm deciding to exchange my crappy attitude for a better one today.  I love the Grs.  I love the quiet, calming effect they have on our home.  I love that the weather is beautiful here and that it will feel like spring to them.  I love that we have the room to comfortably fit 8 people in beds and around a dinner table each night.  I love that my visiting teachers and the women I get to visit are people I genuinely enjoy and learn from every single time I'm with them.  And I love that we have a Prophet who is inspired to always say just what I need to hear.