Order, Balance & Plan for Success

Today, my intentions were to highlight some organization ideas, but as I went to copy and paste from another great website, I instead decided to share where I begin with order in my life.  When I have a plan for each week, it offers me peace.

In order to keep balance in my life, I try to assign different events to each day of the week, so I don't have to be bogged down with so many things coming at me everyday.  Here is a sample of my ideal schedule for each week.  Granted many things come up, and it is always a battle to stick to my schedule, but it gives me direction, a map to follow.  Sometimes, I get off course and have to make efforts to get back on track.

Sundays:  Plan my Week Activities & Menu's, Spiritual Study,  Church Meetings, Enjoy family, Scrapbooking
Mondays:  Organization & Cleaning Projects, Family Night
Tuesdays:  Finances
Wednesdays:  Laundry
Thursday:  Errands, Service, Prof. Meetings
Friday:  Fun Day or Catch Up (unfinished items during the week), Date Night
Saturday:  Yard Work,  Projects, Family Outings, Sunday Prep's
(These are the functional things that have to be done each week aside from my work (piano teaching), kids activities, church assignments, etc)

Each day, I have set a goal to start my day with prayer and at least 30 minutes of excercise, and at least 30 minutes of spiritual study.  This is the most important investment to my well being.  Because life is full of surprises, these goals don't always happen.  But they are present in my mind and probably the most important part of my day.  These items are an investment that in return offer a huge reward.



At one particularly stressful time in my life when things seemed to be upside down, nothing working out as it should, feeling stress financially, and stress with my husbands job security.  It was one of those times in life where really you feel like you want to give up and wonder if this is all there is too this life.  I found myself pouring my heart out to God in prayer, fasting, and attending our temple for answers and peace.  One morning I felt incredibly peaceful and my mind flowed with inspiration for my family and what we could do in our life to bring about balance and peace.  I reluctantly share this, as it is personal, but feel there is great wisdom from this experience and hope that others might benefit from this.

This is what I wrote in my journal:

• #1  In our family, we must have order from everyone---order in our lives, work, school and play.  If everyone cooperates, things in our life will mesh and we will live in harmony.
• #2  We must take care of our own person first in order to provide and serve others (eating healthy, enough sleep, excercise, limited hours of work, etc.)  there must be a balance.
• #3  We must fill our cups spiritually at the beginning of the day, so we will have strength to keep things in order.
• #4  Each person in our family must have a plan for success.  Our family plan involves each person in the family, so individually each must have their own plan for success.  Cooperation from all will keep balance in our home.
• #5  Keep a family plan booklet that has a copy of each individual's plan for success.
• #6  Seek for simplicity - don't complicate things, look for the simple way in all things.  Simplify it is the simple way.
• #7  Respect and honor Family Night and time for Family Counseling, Family Scripture Study, and Family Prayer.  Expect success from honoring these principles.
• #8  Order in each of our days will provide success.  Balance will help us be successful in all things.
• #9 It is not about one day at a time, or one moment.   It is about a big picture, moving forward to build and create our big picture.  Some days we can only think of a moment at a time, but if our actions are organized with a plan to move towards our big picture.  We will be successful.
• #10 Ask myself daily is our family cart balanced or is something in our life causing it to tip over.  We must have balance.

 It seems that the forces in this life continually pull at us to try to upset our carts and turn our lives into chaos.  I feel that we must fight against this if we want peace in our lives.  Best wishes in your daily endeavors.  Please share your ideas and comments.

                                                            Marilyn

Find Simplicity, Harmony & Opportunity

My New Appreciation for Men

Yesterday,  I experienced something that I will never forget!  It was a trip to an Auto Junkyard.  This is the first time for me to ever have such an experience. 

We had recently purchased a Chevy Suburban that we are fixing a few things on it so we can have a party mobile to do fun things with family and friends.  I can't wait!

In thinking if I help my husband locate the parts for this vehicle, then maybe we can't get it in tip top shape before our first trip.  So, somehow I found myself in flip flops following my husband into an Auto Junkyard.

It was an overwhelming experience for  one who doesn't handle a lot of junk and broken things very well.  Actually the fact that it was all junk, didn't really bother me.  Right before my eyes were thousands of cars that had been in bad, bad accidents.  All I could do is think of the people in these cars, and what they experienced.  There were belongs left behind in some of the cars, even a little baby boys boot was on the ground next to one of the cars.

There were many men going about  finding their treasures (car parts for cheap) in these broken down cars.  I only saw 2 women inside the store, not out in the yard.  I think this is not a place for women, because women are sensitive and compassionate, and full of tender feelings.

I kept wondering if my husband had ever had the thoughts that I was thinking, or if to him, these cars were just objects to get parts off.

Soon, of course I needed to make a restroom break.  My husband sent me to find a restroom.  All I could see was a Men's restroom.  Of course, this place was not for women.  On the way out, I was directed to a restroom.  I walked to it and had to turn right around because it was plain scary, and not a good place for a woman.

All through this experience, I thought.  Wow, our men have to go through some pretty nasty stuff, to keep our vehicles running and to take care of us.  I never hear my husband or boys complain if they have to go to the junk yard to salvage a part in hopes of saving money on their vehicles.

I'm so glad that God made men with thicker skins to do some of the dirty, grimy nasty stuff.  My hat goes off to them.

And I am so happy to be a women, and happy that my role in my home is a bit more refined.  I pray I will not have nightmares now of  the scene that I experienced at the junk yard.  This is an experience that will be hard for me to forget.

Lemon Sherbet

2 small pkg lemon jello
2 c. hot water
3 cups sugar
1/2 c. real lemon
2 qts. milk or cream or both

Stir jello with hot water till dissolved.
Stir in everything else & freeze in
icecream freezer.