♥Hi Friends!
Wow! It’s getting beautiful outside huh!?! A little bit of snow here and there, but it’s warming up!!! I hope you’re starting to venture out to get your Sun and Earth! And look what I found in my backyard!!!!!! I planted this lilac bush a couple of years after we moved here. About 7 years ago or so. It’s probably just shorter than me by now and I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting for some lilacs to grow. I think this just might the year!
Anyway, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the Adversary’s SPIRITUAL, PHYSICAL and EMOTIONAL toxins, the inflammation they cause, and the subsequent disease they create. Truly, that’s the root of all our problems!
I was created and came to this earth a sensitive soul. With that gift comes great qualities. Sensitivity to the Spirit, people’s feelings, and the Earth are wonderful things. I truly love and care about others. And I like to think that when I keep my mouth shut I’m a good listener. But, it has also created some challenges in my life (SPIRITUAL gifts are like that so we can learn and grow. Smooth out the rough edges really, so they become super powers!) Getting easily offended is one of them. (Oh the drama I have created in my life!) My Sweetheart is my polar opposite in this area and as I’ve learned over the years to become less overly sensitive, he’s learned to become more sensitive (and he’s doing a pretty good job of it!) When I would get my feelings hurt by someone (almost always unintentionally might I add) and talk to him about it, he would say in his “somewhat-insensitive-pride-way” something like this “Sounds like you’ve got some pride you need to let go of.” And in my best “overly-sensitive-pride-way” I would get offended and yes, even pouty. Hmmm…uh yeah…he was right. You see with that pride I could easily blame someone else for hurting me and not taking responsibility for my own feelings. It’s been a process and with a lot of SPRITUAL, PHYSICAL and EMOTIONAL HEALING I’ve improved leaps and bounds!
Guess what? Pride keeps us from humility. And whether we are easily offended, or insensitive, or struggle with any other SPIRITUAL, PHSYICAL or EMOTIONAL toxins (like patience, or judging ourselves or others, or not treating our bodies like a temple, or yelling, or being a “not-very-courteous” driver, or thinking we don’t need to change, etc., etc. ) we have a hard time humbling ourselves and letting go of them. Then these toxins can create inflammation which over time will eventually cause disease. SPIRITUAL, PHYSCIAL and EMOTIONAL disease. And sadly, we keep ourselves from the beautiful blessings and the HEALING power of the Atonement!
Society and our world today moves us further and further away from our SPIRITUAL home awaiting us after this life. The world’s voices are our greatest resources for learning about pride. They yell at us through a ginormous megaphone messages like “Live how you want! Do what you want! Be who you want! Take what you want!” And if we listen to those voices it becomes harder and harder to remember who we are and Whose we are. (By the way, we are pretty awesome so don’t listen!) But Father has given us the gift of His son and his Atonement, who in a peaceful and calm voice invites us to “Come unto me”. And “repent”. So that we may recognize our full potential. What is our reward for listening to the Savior’s voice? In John 5:19 he says “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life.” Now that’s what I want! But we will not have everlasting life or happiness from listening and buying in to the world’s messages (which are Satan’s messages people!) I never have found happiness in what the world says. I did at different points in my life think that I did. But over the years I’ve learned (and continue to learn) it’s not the kind that lasts. I have found that in letting go of my pride and repenting (a painful and continuous process) that there is peace and clarity in my life as I try to align my will with the Father’s. My MIND and thought processes are clearer. My SPIRIT is much more sensitive to Heavenly messages. And my BODY works much more efficiently. It’s awesome!!!
Repentance, or letting go of SPIRITUAL, PHYSICAL and EMOTIONAL toxins is the path to getting rid of the inflammation in our lives. It’s the message of the Atonement! When I was a little girl I would turn the TV on Sunday mornings and could always count on seeing the religious leader Oral Roberts on the screen. There weren’t many viewing options with only 3 channels at the time. (It was the 70’s!). I always felt good vibes coming from him. Kind of a happy grandpa like feeling when I’d watch him. (All this really has nothing to do with anything. Just reminiscing!) Anyway, I ran across this quote from his son Richard Roberts and it says “The key to a successful life with God is not getting it perfect all the time. If it was, none of us would qualify! No, the secret isn’t perfection—it’s being quick to repent and quick to forgive ourselves and others.” Love this! Message? Don’t dawdle! Move forward! And do it quickly!!!
There is so much in our lives that we can let go and repent of quickly. Especially when it comes to pride. And yet sometimes, even often, letting go is a difficult process and HEALING takes time. Especially when the wounds are deep and painful. But it’s Eastertime! And Spring! And Mother Nature is waking up! All around us are signs of hope and HEALING as we turn our hearts to the Savior who died for us and even better, lives again! And through his atoning sacrifice he has made it possible to get rid of the inflammation in our lives and overcome all of our SPIRITUAL, PHYSICAL and EMOTIONAL pain. What are we waiting for!?! After all, there is hope in HEALING!
♥I just really love you my Friends!
PS: Click here for a short video with a wonderful Easter message!
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Here’s a hearty breakfast (or meal for any time of day) I threw together. Quinoa is known as a ‘super food’. It’s full of good fats and is a great source of protein and all essential amino acids. The nutty flavor of the red quinoa makes for a hearty and satisfying meal when served with the potatoes. No need for a breakfast meat or eggs. Serve it with fruit or a refreshing ‘DINNER SMOOTHIE’
RED QUINOA BREAKFAST HASH
- 1 cup red quinoa
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 tsp ‘Real Salt’ or 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 5 large or 10 small red potatoes, washed and cubed with skins on
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 cup chopped red/orange/yellow peppers
- 6 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp ‘Real Salt’ or 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- pinch or two red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp of coriander
- garlic salt to taste
Prepare veggies. Boil quinoa, water and salt. Remove from heat, cover and let sit while cooking the vegetables. In large frying pan sauté potatoes, onions, peppers and garlic in avocado oil until soft, stirring occasionally, scraping bottom with spatula and browning well, adding more oil if needed. It will take around 40 minutes so I just clean the kitchen and load the dishwasher! When finished cooking sprinkle on coriander, add to quinoa and mix together. Season with garlic salt to taste. Yum!
