Okay, a quick just so you know,

yesterday I had almost 200 page views. 

That's a little crazy, right?

Thank you!

"Do what you love,

and the money will follow."

-Marsha Sinetar 

Sarah says that if you don't believe this,

that Marsha "can make a believer out of you". 

Start Quote

Sinetar is actually not the first to advise us along these lines.

Countless sages, poets, and philosophers have done so,

though each has put it differently...

But still we ask:

Does it really?

Yes. But not the way you're used to getting it.

In the first place, the money usually doesn't come all at once,

especially in the beginning.

In the second place, the money will come from unexpected sources.

But it will come, and here's why.

When you start following your authentic path, 

you're finally using the gifts Spirit expects you to use. 

You're actively searching for the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth.

You're holding up your end of the bargain. 

Spirit's part of the pact is to make sure you have 

everything you need to make you truly happy.

This includes money...

Trust me, doing what you love does eventually lead to the ATM.

But you might have a few detours before you get there. 

Which brings us to the third and final caveat:

We must not tell Spirit how the money should be delivered, 

when it should arrive, or in what denomination.

This is not a ransom.

Spirit's been delivering the goods for a long time now.

Spirit doesn't need our input, 

although it's been my experience that friendly suggestions and reminders every now and then about exactly 

what bills need to be paid doesn't seem out of line.

Essentially what happens when you begin to do what you love

is that you get a new employer: 

Spirit. 

Spirit always pays us in proportion to how hard we work...

Sometimes it can...take years [for the paycheck to arrive, 

but] it does arrive. And the first time you get paid 

for doing what you love to do will be one of the most 

thrilling moments of your life. 

It's worth the wait.

End Quote

The first time we talked about money was at 

the very beginning of the year, January 12th. 

I added some budget talk to what Sarah was talking about. 

Because if you can't spend your money wisely, or save it,

it doesn't matter how much you make.

We have some good anecdotal evidence to prove that

if you do what you love the money will follow.

When Robbie and I decided that after I graduated college 

we would start a family and I would stay home with the kids

while they were young, people laughed at us.

They mocked us saying 

"you'll never be able to live on a single income."

Well, we did. We did and we are. 

Because we're doing what we love,

and so the money is following.

We have another good example of this in our lives.

Robbie had this great job, we were very fortunate to have it. 

He learned so much there, and we will be forever grateful.

He was working 70 plus hours a week, 

and while the pay was good it was tearing our family apart. 

They told him that the world is a dark and scary place

and you don't know what you're getting into with a new company,

basically trying to scare him out of quitting.

But he had to do it. 

Working there was turning him into a not so nice person.

So he found a new job, a job that valued family 

and not selling your soul to the devil to get your paycheck.

The first year was rough, we took a 30% pay cut 

and had to go on WIC just to make it by...

But then the next year we got a raise, and were able to get off WIC.

And now we're living very comfortably.

Even now, Robbie is still trying to make sure

 that he's doing what he loves,

 even if he's had to wait a year doing something 

he isn't particularly enthralled with.

Fingers crossed that he'll get there soon!

Now we can get into a huge debate about money, right?

I mean, what if you love flipping burgers 

and you want to be a millionaire?

It's not going to happen.

Even if you get paid $15 an hour. 

What if you love making art, 

but you can't sell enough to make a living?

What if you love to be a couch potato and 

watch movies and play video games all day and hate working? 

Well that's probably not going to work as is, 

you probably need a better plan.

I'm not saying that you're going to be rollin' in it.

I'm not saying quit your day job like now,

I'm suggesting you think about it.

What do you love to do, 

and how can you make it so that you can 

live off of doing what you love?

It doesn't have to be a product, it could be a skill or your brain...

something that others can't do without.

Think about it. 

It is possible.

***

Gratitude Journal

***

1) Church. Since the kids are still recovering and I didn't want to risk anyone getting sick, Robbie stayed home with them and I got to go to all three hours all by myself. It was heavenly.

2) I'm grateful for the scriptures. 

3) I'm grateful for my Savior.

4) I'm grateful that Robbie did the dishes. 

5) I'm grateful for Fresno State Corn...the most delicious corn you'll ever have.

September 23rd - The Yoke

Well, it's official!

We are out of the hundreds!

There are 99 days left in the year.

I think I'll save the big celebrating for when this is all over,
because I've got a little something I've very happy about
that I'm counting as celebrating.

My daily views used to average around 40, then 60, 

and now it averages over 100 daily!

Not like it matters, because even if no one read my blog 
I'd still be happy that I was doing this, 
but it is really cool.

So over 100 people a day,
passing the 100 day mark,
ta dah!

Thank you to all my readers, 

I appreciate you! 

Good luck with the next 99 days,

we're gonna need it.

Today Sarah talks about some scriptures. 

She starts off with the idea that 

God doesn't give us more than we can handle...

And I don't think that's true.

I think he pushes us to our limits,

I know that he has certainly pushed me past mine...

I think this idea comes from 1 Corinthians 10:13

"There hath no temptation taken you 

but such as is common to man: 

but God is faithful, who will not suffer you

 to be tempted above that ye are able; 

but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, 

that ye may be able to bear it."

I think a lot of people focus on the part that says 
God "will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able"...

Well, yeah, if you take it like that, 

we should be able to withstand anything thrown our way.

But if it were that easy, then why do we still sin?

Why do we still make mistakes?

Why do we still struggle?

I think it's because we forget about the second part.

"But will with the temptation

also make a way to escape,

that ye may be able to bear it."

Jesus gives us a great symbolism in Matthew 11:28-30.

          "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; 
for I am meek and lowly in heart: 
and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

   For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." 

If our yoke was supposed to be bearable, 
why would he tell us to take his yoke upon us?

Elder Bednar gives a great talk about this topic. 





I have felt the unbearable and unendurable pain 
of my sister passing, and of course to top it all off
dealing with depression.

It at times has seemed more than I can bear.

And it was, when I was doing it alone.

I think the whole point is to learn to rely on our Savior. 

So now that we've covered that, 
Sarah talks about Oprah Winfrey and one of her ideas.

Start Quote
The concept of God never giving us more than we can handle
refers to much more than just the stoic bearing of
pain and suffering.
God's giving also includes the goodies
-wealth, worldly success, power.
If you think you're not strong enough to bear the Glory,
rest assured, it will be withheld
until you believe you can and ask for it.
End Quote


I disagree.
As stated above, I think we are quite often 
given more than we can handle,
on both ends of the spectrum.

I don't think that if you ask God for fame and fortune 
that he'll give it to you just because you can handle it.

I don't think God works that way.

I think that if you ask him to help you 
sustain and provide for your family, 
that he will help you do that...
whether that's as a millionaire or middle class I don't know.

I think that if you continue on this authentic path,
and become who you are meant to be,
then you'll be a good person. 

And if you're a good person than you'll know 
that you can handle whatever comes your way,
whether fame and fortune or destitution and despair. 
And you'll also know that you're not alone,
and that God doesn't ask you to do it alone.

Even if you get lost, you can find your way again.

Whether you are so lost that you are the one,
or your just one of the ninety and nine.



Do you know what ended up happening to Sarah?
It's a very sad story, but it has a happy ending.

She had great success, for 119 weeks in fact, 
she was number 1 on the NYT best sellers list.
And I don't know how it all happened or the timeline,
but I think she got divorced twice? 
Once to the father of her child, and second to a Brit?
And she lost everything. Home, family, money...
Everything.
She was given much more than she could handle.

But because Sarah had gone through this authentic journey, 
she eventually remembered who she was, 
and turned her trials into a new book on finance. 
She found her way back to herself.






Just remember that everything is going to be okay,
even if it doesn't feel like it sometimes.

I bear you my testimony that 
as I have come to know my Savior Jesus Christ 
and tried to take his yoke upon me
 instead of carrying my own around, 
my trails have been made bearable. 


And I imagine my successes as well,
I guess I should start paying a little more attention huh.

Chin up, you got this.

***
Gratitude Journal
***

1) I missed conference tonight because the kids are still recovering and they were being little beasts so I stayed home and Robbie and I got them to bed together. I'm so grateful for the technological advances of our day and age! I remember a few years ago when you had to wait a week to stream it, and month until it was available online. But now you can stream it live and then watch it immediately after! I'm so excited! 

2) Chick flicks.

3) Spending time with Robbie. We ate spicy ramen, watched a chick flick, and played candy crush. It's fun to just hang out.

4) Tomorrow is Sunday! One more day of quarantine and we're free! I'm so grateful it's almost over!

5)  Memories.

September 22nd - Learning Curve

"I would like to learn,

or remember,

how to live."

-Annie Dillard 

Start Quote

[God uses many different ways to communicate with us.]

So don't question the validity of what you hear or how you hear it

if the truth resonates within...

Don't cut yourself off from sources of inspiration...

[Have you ever come to] the sudden awareness that you've 

spent your entire life going backward instead of forward[?]

You may have believed that seeking a spiritual path was all about

submission, sacrifice, and suffering 

and that only the worldly path could provide 

freedom, fulfillment, and good fortune.

Then one morning...you [wake up].

And when you do, you realize that you have to unlearn 

practically everything you've taken for granted...

Don't panic.

This really isn't as hard as it sounds.

Has the other path worked?

Have any of the world's gifts given you authentic happiness?

Has the perfect job, relationship, house, money, 

or anything else you thought would do it for you, 

fulfilled you for longer than a week?

So trust your experiences and impulses;

you've had them for a reason.

Real life has a steep learning curve, 

but once you respond from personal knowledge

instead of by rote,

it's easier than you might have thought.

What's more, Real Life actually becomes fun.

Here's what I think happens. 

Just before we come to earth to begin this life, 

we are given a photograph of our futures 

- the Divine Plan - 

to get us excited about the adventure ahead. 

As the photo pops out of the celestial camera, 

we're in such a hurry to get on with it, 

we grab the negative instead of the photograph. 

Now we've got the pattern of a fabulous life, 

but the perspective is reversed. 

What's white looks black. 

What's black appears white. 

We've got the big picture, but it's backward. 

So we cry when we should be laughing, 

are envious when we should feel inspired, 

experience deprivation instead of abundance, 

do it the hard way instead of the easy way, 

pull back instead of reaching out. 

And worst of all, we close our hearts so we won't get hurt, 

when opening them is the only way we'll ever know joy. 

How many times have we waited for Spirit to move for us, 

when in fact, Spirit is waiting to work with us? 

Today, take the negative of your Divine Plan 

and let Love develop it 

so that you can begin living the life 

for which you were created.

It's time to move forward.

End Quote

I don't remember who it was that shared this with me,

maybe they heard it at a Time Out for Women...

But they told me a story they heard about a woman

who had some serious trails in her life, 

and she believed that we were shown in heaven 

the trails we would face in this life,

and we wept for joy and accepted them with much rejoicing...

Can't you feel it?

The winds changing?

Fall is here.

The leaves are going to start changing color,

and start to fall.

It's going to get colder. 

I can feel it.

Can you? 

We're maybe, just maybe, 

getting to the end of that learning curve...

at least until another one is presented to us.

***

Gratitude Journal

***

1) Orson Scott Card. He is one of my favorite authors. I first fell in love with his Ender's Game series, and now I have a new favorite. His women of Genesis series. Oh, my, goodness. SO AMAZING! I can't wait to read every book he's ever written, and everything he keeps writing. He's still adding books to Ender's Game. SO AMAZING!!!

2) The kids are feeling better. You know how we can't have joy without sorrow because there has to be an opposition in all things? I forget every now and then, and get caught up in the sorrow. And then days like today happen. I've been cooped up all week with crying babies who are in pain, not getting enough sleep or self care or anything done except caring for them, today broke me. Well, the good news is that their fevers also broke and their sores have started to heal. They actually ate today, played, drank, made messes, smiled, laughed, told jokes, and yet still wanted to hold my hand. And sleep! They are actually sleeping!!! It's like the past week didn't happen. It's kind of crazy to see first hand how wise and all knowing God is, because when we're in the midst of the sorrow it's hard to see the light...but he knows that the light and the joy is appreciated so much more because we passed through the darkness. And it's true. I saw it on my kids faces today, in every smile, that life is so good and God is good. 

3) Robbie. He brought dinner home because I called him crying. None of my kids cried today, just me. I can't wait till tomorrow, there should be no more crying in this house!

4) God's promises, that this too shall pass.

5) The cool weather.