“Be Not Troubled”

 I’ve been thinking a lot about these times and all the chaos that is happening in the world. I felt like I should go to the scriptures to find some peace. 

Interesting what these verses in the Bible say about the last days. These verses state the exact things that are happening in our world today. (See Matthew chapter 24)

The amazing thing is that amidst the chaos, the Lord tells us to “be not troubled”, for He blesses us with peace when we are faithful to Him.

Keep smiling and stay faithful!

-JS

Take a Breath

Today I got home from walking the dog and started to make a smoothie. I was tired, hungry, and T was fussing at me. I turned on my blender and it immediately exploded... all over everything. Normally, I would have thrown in the towel and had a meltdown, but this time I paused, took a deep breath, got the baby to bed, and cleaned up the mess.

Then, I made a smoothie, and enjoyed it.

I was upset for a moment, but instead of allowing this to ruin my day, I chose to stay positive and move on.

Sometimes we have moments in life that make us want to give up and hide until the day is over. What matters is that we pick ourselves up, take a deep breath, and keep moving forward.

Keep smiling,

-JS

Find Rest in the Lord

These past two months have been a big learning experience for me. I recently had a baby, and along with that I ended up with many health complications. After undergoing minor surgery and experiencing more health troubles than I have ever had in my life, I’ve found myself having trouble sleeping (and not just because of caring for my sweet baby).

At first, it was extremely hard for me. I would cry and ask the Lord why this was happening to me. I was exhausted from taking care of my little one and I just wanted to sleep. I desperately needed the rest. But one night, I felt inspired to open my scriptures, so I followed the prompting and found myself led to verses that gave me comfort and guidance.

 I have since found that those quiet nights when I cannot get my mind to rest are times given to me by God. He answers my prayers and makes it possible for me to rest in Him. When the Lord needs me to connect with Him, He gives me these sacred opportunities to pray, reflect, and study. 

Though sleep may flee, I find rest in my God. I am so thankful for these moments of quiet reflection and the peace that they bring.

JS

Guardian Angels

I love this artistic depiction of guardian angels protecting our homes. It was shared in a video by Gary E. Stevenson, and it filled me with peace knowing that I have loved ones who have passed on, who are watching over and helping to protect my family and me. ❤️

“These ministering angels know who you are. They care for you. They love you. They will become a vital part of the fortification of your home.” -Gary E. Stevenson

God bless,

-JS

“It Mattereth Not”

I have always admired the Christlike attitude of Pahoran, a judge in the Book of Mormon that lived during the time of great war among his people. In Alma 60, Captain Moroni sends Pahoran a strongly-worded letter, rebuking him for not sending support to his small troops. Moroni was extremely angry at Pahoran, and called him many names that would have made any individual upset. But in Alma 61, Pahoran’s response is simple, yet profound. He says, “And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart.”
(Alma 61:9)

In the moment that Pahoran received and read the letter, he could have reacted in anger and frustration. He could have sent Moroni an equally rebuking letter, explaining how he was in a similar situation. Instead, he chose to react calmly, and focus on the good in the situation. He chose to see the good in Moroni, and he chose to forgive him.

Let this be an example to us of forgiveness and charity. When we have compassion on others and seek to focus on the good instead of the bad, we will be filled with love for those who could have angered or hurt us. Pahoran’s example of letting go of his anger and choosing to forgive lets us see that forgiveness and charity is possible.

We just need to choose it.

Choose charity.
-J.S.

A Beautiful Day

It's been some time since I recorded anything in this blog, so I figured I'd pick it up again. My most recent thoughts come from the movie, "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood", a story focused on Fred Rogers from the beloved children's TV show, "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood".

My husband and I went to see it together and it brought me to tears. It was such a beautiful and inspiring movie!

Here are some thoughts I shared on Facebook.

“To die is human, and anything human is mentionable. Anything mentionable is manageable.” -Fred Rogers

This quote hit home for me. I have a lot of loved ones who have passed on and it has brought me a lot of deep sadness at the emptiness I feel from missing them in my life. Knowing that our Savior made it possible for us to heal from the grief and sorrow that comes with the death of a loved one makes it “manageable”, as Mr. Rogers puts it. ❤️ There is always hope, and I’m thankful for people like Fred Rogers who #LightTheWorld.

As always, keep smiling, 

-JS

Be A Superhero

We are all superheroes. Share a smile today! :)

Keep smiling!
JS :)