Greeting Spring with Gratitude

The first day of Spring started this week off with sunshine, warm weather, and a great visit with my old Institute director, who was/is a saving grace in my life, and his family of 10 kids, who make up one of the greatest families I have ever come in contact with.  However, the next day brought rain and snow...figures.  Mr. Weatherman promises mid-50s tomorrow, and we all know that the weatherman NEVER lies.

Geese in the filed outside my apartment

Mr. Green in good to me

Last week was the week of personality tests.  Please, hold the eye rolling until AFTER you read the details.  Monday started it off with a family home evening at which the author of the Color Code, Taylor Hartman, talked to us about the color code.  The color code is a personality test that gives you your color.  You can be red, blue, white, yellow, or a mixture of both.  I was not really into this until I heard him talk about each color and how much knowing what your color is can affect how you go through life.  One of the keypoints I got from his little presentation was that you can be a good version of your color, or a bad version of your color.  It is all a choice.  I'm sure you are all at the edge of your seats wanting to know what I am.  Well, I am blue, with my second color being tied with red and white, which is odd, because red and white are kind-of complete opposites.  What can I say?  Dallin is also blue.  Great match.  Take the test.  It is worth your time!

The next test I took, which actually helped Dallin and I realize a lot about how to improve some aspects of our relationship, is the love language test.  There are five possible love languages: physical touch, gifts, words of affirmation, acts of service, and quality time.  Each preson has a primary love language which is how they express or interpret love.  How did it help Dallin and I?  Turns out, his highest love language, is my lowest, and my highest is his lowest.  This realization has made us more aware of what the other needs which has lead us to try to find the balance in making sure the other feels cared for.  Take the test.  Worth your time!

Such a cutie

On a side note, Dallin and I were bored on Friday night after seeing Alice in Wonderland, which was a typical Tim Burton film, so we decided to head down to the local Wal-Mart to witness the midnight dvd release of Twilight: New Moon. Please keep in mind that as I watched this film the following day, I was befuddled as to how people go crazy over the horrible acting.  The books were interesting, but the movies are a sad, sad story.  Anyway, we arrive at Wal-Mart, spend 10 minutes trying to find parking, and then walk into a screaming crowd of teens, mothers, and some men who are dressed as Edward, crowded in lines behind pallets full of plastic wrapped New Moon dvds.  We could not hold in our laughter as we witnessed this sight.  The best part was when the pallet moved at one point, the line followed like a dog following a treat.  People are odd sometimes; entertaining, but odd.

 This was only one line...

O

Oh dear

After a pretty tough week at work, I relfected back to see how I was able to make it through, which lead me to reflect back on harder times in my life and how I made it through those.  The main thought that kept coming to mind was gratitude; being able to be grateful in rough times.  Therefore, my challenge this week to all who read is to write down, each day, 2 or 3 things you are grateful for that day.  I have been doing this for awhile now and it really is amazing how much better your life is when you focus on what you are grateful for, instead of everything that is making life hard.  It can be simple or more intimate.  For example, I am grateful for Taylor Lautner in New Moon. Because of him in that movie, I do not feel that I completely wasted 2 hours of my life watching it.  Or, I am grateful for heartache I have experienced because it has helped me grow and find out what is really important in life as well as who I am.  Be grateful!  It will help you.  I promise.

“This is a wonderful time to be living here on earth.  Our opportunities are limitless.  While there are some things wrong in the world today, there are many things right, such as teachers who teach, ministers who minister, marriages that make it, parents who sacrifice, and friends who help.

“We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude.  If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues."

Pres. Thomas S. Monson