It Is What It Is...

In June 2011, I received a phone call that you never want to get.  As I was busy finishing the frantic "last minute before company arrives" cleaning of my house, the phone rang and it was my mom.  She said, "We've been in a horrible accident."  They were driving across the desert to come and visit us and my mom had fallen asleep at the wheel while my dad was already napping in the passenger seat.  She said they both seemed to be okay but that the emergency vehicles were coming.

My heart sank and I sent my husband off on the 2+ hour drive to get them.  I was so shaken that I feared I would cause another accident so I stayed home with the kids, planning to meet the at the hospital.

The car had been on cruise control and my sleepy mom drove from the slow lane across the lanes of traffic and sped right into the median area.  Luckily the median was wide and they didn't cross into oncoming traffic.  They rolled their car and landed upside down in the middle of the freeway.  My dad was able get out of his seatbelt and crawl out through the trunk which had been blown open.  My mom was hanging there, upside down, until a good samaritan came and helped pry the door open with tools.

I met them at the hospital, insisting that they get medical care.  They went through all sorts of tests and x-rays and were told how lucky they were to be alive and relatively unharmed.  While we were waiting for hours and hours at the hospital, the discussion kept turning to questions such as "Why did this have to happen?", "What could we have done to prevent it?"  There were complaints from my tired parents about the long and slow hospital process.  They were upset that I had to be up all night at the hospital with them and that we were all losing sleep.

Finally I said, "IT IS WHAT IT IS."  There was no use second-guessing what we could have done differently.  There was no use complaining that the care we were getting was not quick enough at the busy hospital.  There was no use worrying about what tomorrow would bring.  We were all in the situation we were in and we just needed to deal with it the best we could in the best way we knew how.

Youth Talk - Strength of Youth

Hello my name is Benny and I have been asked to speak from the Strength of youth Pamphlet. I chose to speak on Physical and Emotional Health. In Doctrine in Covenants Section 89:18-19 it says: All saints who remember to keep and do these sayings shall receive health in the navel and marrow to the bones; and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge. 

As you know I like to play football. If I don’t eat right, get enough sleep, and practice I will not be my best on the field. I get lots of exercise each week with my practices. This is a good way to stay physically fit. If I eat too much it makes me sick to my stomach and I don’t play well. If I don’t get enough sleep and rest I am cranky and I can’t run fast enough or remember the plays.  We should avoid things that are addictive like coffee, tea, alcohol, and drugs. Being under the influence if these things can weaken our judgments and self-control. These addictions harm our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Addictions can damage relationships with family and friends. It is hard to make good choices when we are doing what is wrong.

I can be a good football player if I stay away from addictions, and take care of my body, I need to get plenty of rest, eat good foods and practice. Last but not least I need to pray to my Heavenly Father so he can guide me. I love playing football and I am thankful that my Heavenly Father has given me this gift.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ and Amen.

Thought of the Day - Refinement

Behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.  1 Nephi 20:10

 

Followers of Christ in all dispensations are no strangers to sorrow.  They know pain and are well acquainted with affliction.  The crucible of life gives us opportunities to become better or bitter, refined or rebellious, submissive or stiff-necked.  The tempered steel of faith is forged in the flames of suffering.  Ease does not call forth greatness or strength of commitment.  When the fires of sickness, failure, disappointment, and even tragedy engulf us, if we are spiritually prepared, God’s peace can carry us through safely.  That doesn’t mean we try to ignore the heartache or deny the reality of the pain.  Rather, we take an authentic look at it, enlarging our perspective by believing that some good can come from crucible experiences.  When they come—as they surely will—we can rise above them by setting our hearts on everlasting things.  Isaiah promised, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles: (Isaiah 40:31)

Youth Talk - Physical Health

Thank you to Brandon for this great youth speaker talk!

Hi my name is Brandon and Brother Kingi asked me to speak on a topic from the strength of you. I decided to pick the topic Physical Health. I liked this topic because I love to Sports and baseball.

In D&C 89:18-20 it states, “All saints who remember to keep and do these sayings shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge even hidden treasures and shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.”

The lord has told us to take care of our body. The word of wisdom is found in the D&C 89. So Heavenly Father wants us to eat good foods, exercise and get a good night rest. When you do what your Heavenly Father wants you to do you remain free from addictions and have control over yourself. Heavenly Father will give you blessings of an alert mind, a healthy body and the blessings of the guidance of the Holy Ghost.

If I strive to do what is right by keeping the commandments, and living the word of wisdom then I can receive the blessings that Heavenly Father has in store for me and for all of us. I am glad that I have the strength of youth booklet to help me make good decisions. 

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen

Talk - Gratitude is a Divine Principle

Thank you to my friend Erin who gave this talk at church a few weeks ago.

In President Monson’s talk “The Divine Gift of Gratitude” from the October 2010 conference he states, “Gratitude is a divine principle.” The Lord declared through a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith: “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things…And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things.” Let me read that last part again… “And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things.” That’s a pretty strong statement and one we should truly think about.

I believe that showing gratitude is a choice we make every day. It is an intelligent way to use the gift of agency on this earth that we fought for before this earth existed. When I was a teenager I went to a youth fireside. My Bishop talked about this use of our agency. He said it was not possible for someone to make us angry but that we chose instead to be angry. I really didn’t understand this concept until I realized that someone could choose to act against me but ultimately I chose how I would react. This concept is the same with gratitude. Are we truly remembering the Lord’s hand daily in our lives? Are we aware of the many tender mercies shown to us in our daily life? Are we showing this example to our children despite all of the trials in our lives? Are we showing gratitude in our prayers and in our actions to others?

Report about Smoking

Here is a report that my son wrote for his PE class about SMOKING:

Many people today struggle with a smoking addiction. This is one of the most common and dangerous bad habits that people in our society participate in and although it is very hazardous to one’s health, it is still somewhat socially acceptable. The best way to not be a smoker is to never start.

When cigarettes are made, they contain over 4,000 chemicals. They contain at least 43 carcinogenic compounds and lots of other toxins. Some of the most harmful ingredients in cigarettes include nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, arsenic, and DDT.

Wheat, Oats & Milled Flax Seed Waffles

Ever wonder what to do with the wheat in your food storage? Here's a recipe that uses whole wheat and oats to make a delicious waffle.

I created this recipe on my quest to create a healthy waffle since my kids want to eat waffles several times a week. I took the sugar, white flour and fat out. Even my picky eater loved the waffle.

1.5 cups whole wheat flour (I ground whole white wheat in my Vitamix)
1.5 cups oat flour (I ground whole oats in my Vitamix as well)
1/2 teaspoon stevia (instead of sugar)
6 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
2 whole eggs
3 egg whites
1.5 cups plain almond milk
1.5 cups non-fat milk
12 tablespoons milled flax seed (instead of fat like butter or oil)

Grind the wheat and then measure. Grind the oats separately and then measure. Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Cook in waffle iron as directed. I imagine you could use all non-fat milk or almond milk if you prefer one to the other, but I used half of each (just make sure it equals 3 cups total).

Research linking general anesthesia in children and behavioral problems

I received this email from a friend of mine. I found it very interesting. All of my children have been under general anesthesia as children (broken arm, ear tubes, adenoids, etc.). Wish I would have had this info beforehand.

Many of you know of our struggles with our son and how he has all the classic signs of ADD. I heard interesting research today linking general anesthesia in young children and behavioral problems. Our son underwent general anesthesia when he was 2 years, 10 months to put tubes in his ears. The study on hernia patients under 3 showed the patients were TWICE as likely to develop behavioral disorders (such as ADD) as those that never underwent general anesthesia. You can go to the link to read the story.

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=93553

While I'm not a huge fan of forwards, you might want to forward this link. I think some parents might want to consider the implications before they choose to have their small children undergo unecessary general anesthesia. I have had doctors as recently as today try to push me into having my children undergo general anesthesia. Our younger son has clogged tear ducts and I said, "I would much rather deal with a little goop, then deal with years of struggles in school." A dentist last year tried to have me put our daughter under to have some cavities filled. I am so relieved I listened to my gut feelings instead of the dentist who stormed out of the room after I told him, "I am NOT doing general anesthesia for cavities!"

Of course, I will never know if the general anesthesia caused our son's focusing problems, but it is compelling. Especially when you consider no one in mine or my husband's immediately family (or extended as far as I know), has ADD or any other behavioral problems.

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Cancer, Nutrition, and the Word of Wisdom

This was a great article in the July 2008 Ensign magazine about one doctor's observations about nutrition and the Word of Wisdom.

He talks about how our health and our spirituality are interrelated and offers medical insights into what the scientific world is learning about cancer.

The Lord says, "all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal" (D&C 29:34).

Most people know that Mormons abstain from tobacco, hot drinks (like coffee and tea), caffeine and alcohol. Those are what I call the "no's." What is often overlooked are the things we should do.

Research indicates that a diet following the recommendations outlined in section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants, consisting primarily of grains, fruits, and vegetables, is generally considered the healthiest way to eat.

I know our family could improve our eating habits and eat more veggies, and less meats and processed items. Hope you enjoy the article (see the link below).

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=86c33645a2cba110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1