Go, Fight, Win!

I am in the midst of a battle.

It seems like every time I try and be a little bit better I end up taking 3 steps back.

It's as if Satan is fighting me hard to not make any good changes in my life.

And these aren't big changes.

These are the regular things that I should be doing anyway.

Saying my prayers, studying the scriptures. Stuff I've been doing forever.

But, sometimes the habit dies for a little bit and I have to get back into it.

And just when I think, "ok, I'm making some good progress here", bam! I'm hit with something that makes life seem hard.

And not even really hard stuff.  Just sicknesses, money issues, food not turning out right. (First world problems I know!)

On my mission I was taught that whenever I have a big spiritual experience, I should be prepared for Satan to come right back at me to get me down.

Or that Satan will increase his temptations just before a really big blessing comes.

Now, I'm not tempted by bad things, but time management, (ie, making time to do what is right), or self-worth issues seem to be my temptations.

Here's where the battle comes in.

If I don't do anything, I don't feel great, but its not horrible either.

When I make an effort then Satan hits harder.

There are times that I wonder if its worth the fight.

I'm sure that I could go on with my life, wasting time, overeating, etc. and Satan would just back off.

But then I'm not really progressing or receiving needed blessings by being close to God.

So it's a choice.

Take life easy and never feel fulfilled.

Or fight "like a dragon" to get past this wall that seems to be continually placed before me.

MMD

I have finally found the name of what is wrong with me. (well at least one of the things)

It is called Material Management Disorder.

I know that everything is supposed to have a place and be there, but it just doesn't come naturally to me. There's just too much stuff.

I will hold something in my hand and think, I should put this in a file, but then the disease takes over and I just put it down for later. (I'm totally like Scarlett.)

Or I file too many things with no discrimination of what really should be saved.

Just the other day I created a new file for my coupons. And as I put it in my gigantic file cabinet I had this thought, "yeah, I'm never going to find that folder again." (It took 2 weeks of searching by the way.)

Anyone else feel like they have this?

Are there really people out there that don't have this?

At least now that I know my problem has a name I can face it head on and start curing it.

So c'mon women of MMD - let's unite!




Yeah, who am I kidding - I'm pretty sure it's terminal.

Rings

Just a shout out to my kids new primary teachers (whoever they may be):



WE DO NOT NEED ANY MORE CTR RINGS!



This comes as I am packing and organizing my house. I have found at least 5 rings on the floor in random places. Not to mention the dozen or so rings that are tucked away in various jewelry boxes.

Please do not believe my child when they tell you they don't have one or that they lost theirs.

Not true!

Believe me when I say that I am not against "choosing the right" or kind primary teachers or the joy on my child's face when they show me the shiny new ring with a huge smile on their face.

I am against the dents these rings leave in my feet when I step on them.

And I am against the welt it leaves in my child's finger (not to mention the green stain) from the total 1 & 1/2 hours they may wear it.

And have you heard the sound they make when the vacuum is trying to suck them up? Yikes!

I guess I should just throw them away, but that seems sacrilegious. (Honestly can anyone say they would be comfortable throwing one of these away?)

In these hard economic times, I would think this is an area that we can cut back on.

I guess we could just recycle them back to the primary closet (but then you wouldn't get those lovely plastic bags they come in either).

And while I'm on the subject . . .

. . . of not wanting to make our kids feel bad, can I just say something about winners?

Why is it that we have to make every kid feel good, even when they lose?

Now I'm not saying that I want kids to suffer or feel bad, but I feel like we are short-changing the kids who really try hard at stuff. And we're not teaching our kids how to lose.

Two Examples: Pinewood Derby. Movie Day.

First, in our Cub Scout Pack, they just give out stickers to everyone who races in the Pinewood Derby. No prizes or anything for the fastest car. And then they make up awards for everyone. Stuff like: most colorful, best use of color, etc. They want everyone to be happy. Yea! big warm fuzzies for everyone.

Second, we recently had a Movie Day at our school. They encouraged the kids to bring cars made out of boxes. They talked about how some dads really got into the whole designing thing and what support it shows to the school. And then they said there would be prizes for the best cars. Well, once they saw all of the cars they decided that there were too many good ones to choose between and everyone got a little sticker. Rah Rah!

Think of how the world works. In the real world, you usually get paid money for high quality work. And if you don't produce the way you're supposed to, you lose your job. But that's not what we're teaching our kids.

What are we teaching our kids? "You don't really have to try that hard at stuff because everyone's going to get a prize." Or, "Why bother working at something when there's really no reward."

Well, what about internal motivators? They should just feel "special inside" for a job well done and not worry about the results. Tell your boss that next time he's not happy with your performance.

And you can't tell me the kid whose pinewood derby car barely makes it down the track is going to made happy with stickers or a made up certificate. So why not give the ones who deserve it something anyway.

Now I know there are some arguments about those kids who don't really do much anyway, "its their parents doing all the work". But then you are presented with another teaching opportunity for your own kid. And too bad if that other kid grows up thinking that someone else is responsible for their success.

I think its a cop out on the part of the judges, too. They're too scared to make decisions. "I'm afraid I'll hurt someone's feelings." But they are only thinking about the losers and not the kids who actually deserve recognition. Do they ever think that their feelings may be hurt, too.

I say let's have real contests again with winners and losers!!

You Have 362 Friend Requests!

Facebook. It’s a drug.

It all started because my sister got on it. She got on because our other sister was on it. Then my mom got on and my brother. My niece was already on it, because, well, I guess she's young and cool and that’s what they do. I decided that I would be very selective about it. I’ll only use it with close family. Meanwhile, more and more of my “close” family was getting on: nieces, nephews, in-laws, cousins . . . college roommates. I know they are not close family, but they’re just like family. It won’t be bad if I use it with them. It was getting so much fun.

Then the day came that I got a request to use it with someone I knew in high school. I didn’t know them really well. But I was curious.

Here I am reminded of a poem my mom used to always say to us:

Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,

As, to be hated, needs but to be seen;

Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,

We first endure, then pity, then embrace.

Look what curiosity got me. (see title) I was so selective at first. What happened?

So now what do I do? Is there a way to use it responsibly?

Maybe the placebo could be: “Hey! I remember you. It’s so good to see you! What have you been up to? Oh, remember when . . . Yeah, it’s so great to see you too! We should really keep in touch. OK, Bye!”
No side effects.

Maybe I could just use it as a medication.

I don’t think there’s anyway I could just go cold turkey.

Facebook. I tell you, it’s a drug.

Aaargh!

I'm trying so hard to be a good blogger. 

I'm trying to make my page look not so boring. 

So I'm looking at all the cute backgrounds I could get for my blog and they all have flowers or cute little things on them that look like scrapbooks stuff. 

I am not a scrapbooker. Unless you count putting pictures on a white page and then writing something about it next to it. That's at least a step up from cutting out sayings that I found from magazines and putting them with the pictures. 

Of course, now I don't even print my pictures off of my camera or computer. At least, I try to leave my computer on so we can at least see some of the pictures on the screen saver (for 3 seconds). 

But back to the cute blog thing. I don't really want a cute blog. 

I just want it to look the way I feel, which if there was one with sweatpants and chocolate maybe I'd be all about that one. 

Actually, maybe my problem is that I'm not really sure what I'm doing here!!!! Help. Any tips or comments are appreciated! 

As for now, I will just continue on . . . you know . . . NEVER GIVE UP!