January 22nd - The Prosperity of Living

I think it is so cool that Sarah was able to spend one year? Two years researching and writing this book. She found some pretty amazing quotes and things.

Today she talks about hard times, and how everyone has them. She found a particularly stirring quote from a depression era issue of Ladies' Home Journal.

"The return of good times is not wholly a matter of money.

There is a prosperity of living which is quite as important as prosperity of the pocketbook.

It is not enough to be willing to make the best of things as they are.

Resignation will get us nowhere.

We must build what amounts to a new country. We must revive the ideals of the founders. We must learn the new values of money. It is a time for pioneering - to create a new security for the home and the family...Where we were specialists in spending, we are becoming specialists in living." 

Sarah asks us if we're ready to become a pioneer? To take the time to "invest your soul with all the creative energy at your disposal". She describes the path of a pioneer, that it's long, but also comforting and nurturing. It can only be taken one day at a time. "Don't be afraid. We are not alone...we will learn to live by our own lights and the stars of heaven...There is no obstacle that true grit and Amazing Grace cannot overcome."

A lot of us have pioneer ancestry, lots of us can remember lessons in school history about the pioneers of the West. There are many touching stories about LDS pioneers. Elder Uchtdorf described modern day pioneers as having faith, perseverance, and sacrifice. Merriam-Webster defined a pioneer as a person or group that helps set up a new line of thought or activity.  

This is kind of cool, being a pioneer in my own life, making my way through the path of simple abundance.

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Gratitude Journal

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1) Creamed eggs. Woke up to my mom making a seriously awesome breakfast. Creamed eggs is saved for Easter, Father's day, and Christmas...and now rainy Sunday mornings.

2) Sacrament meeting. I think one of the reasons God gives us children during church is to help us learn patience and be okay with things like a screaming toddler (whether it's yours or not) when we're trying really hard to listen and feel the spirit.

3) Cuties. My kids just eat up those little orange slices, like manna from heaven. And my kids are cute eating cuties...haha.

4) Blankets and Fires. There is something wonderful about being cold and then warming up with a blanket and a fire.

5) Indy. I always think she'll love the mountains, she'll have so much fun playing and exploring...but instead she has just been standing at the door, pitifully whining, very wet, wanting to come inside. Sorry puppy, not till you get a bath. You reek of wet dog.