Finacial diet control more important than body fat!.

In New Years Resolutions- instead of getting control of our eating, isn't our financial health- getting out of debt, saving some each month etc more important?

This is from an article on Meridian Magazine titled "Employing faith to finance by Lyle and Tracy Shamo

"...Brigham Young continued in this cause: “We want you henceforth to be a self-sustaining people. . . .Ye Latter-day Saints, learn to sustain yourselves . . .
If you cannot obtain all you wish for today, learn to do without that which you cannot purchase and pay for; and bring your minds into subjection that you must and will live within your means.” (In John A. Widtsoe, comp., Discourses of Brigham Young [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1954], p. 293)

The Lord said: “Wherefore, verily I say unto you that 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) In that same spirit, let us begin our new year by employing financial discipline which is in harmony with the principles of faith.

Faith and fear cannot coexist. Faith causes action; fear inaction.

Believing we can allows us to survive the most rigorous of circumstances. Remember the lesson of the Sons of Helaman who learned from their mothers that they must not doubt. God has promised he will sustain us; He said nothing about making us wildly rich in the things of the world.

When your own plight becomes desperate and your financial future looks stormy, do all you can do and when that has been done, fall back upon your faith. Do not be ashamed to take your plight to your bishop who is there to assist with your welfare needs. ******* Sell off your valuable assets. Re-prioritize your list of needs so that you focus exclusively on only that which is absolutely essential to survive. Sacrifice and work with all your might, and then, when all other resources have been exhausted and there is nothing left, draw upon your faith and expect the miracle. ****
Perhaps surviving by faith seems unrealistic, but it is only unrealistic to those who have not put it to the test. Unrealistic is the only way to describe the miracle of the ravens who fed Elijah, or the manna which sustained the children of Israel, or the barrel of meal which fed Elisha that never failed. “Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.” (D&C 6: 7)

One young mother recently bore testimony to the principle of faith in finance. Her husband lost his job sometime last summer. Their resources dried up. The bill collectors stood hovering at their door. Instead of giving in to despair, she and her husband and family slipped to their knees. Her testimony of the power of faith was clear as she told the story of the miracle. “I don’t know how it is done,” she said,”but somehow the Lord comes through and always just in the nick of time. When a bill is due I used to lie awake at night in fear and worry. Now I take the matter to the Lord. Somehow, someway, as the due date for each looming bill approaches, a miracle occurs and we receive barely enough income to make the payment: a friend slips us a bit of cash, our parents send us a check in the mail, a neighbor drops by with a bag of groceries, my husband or I find temporary employment. Oh, we never receive enough to have any surplus, but there is always just enough money to cover whatever is our most current need. So we have learned a lot this last year. We learned that it is possible to exist day to day and week to week knowing that when we absolutely need it, the Lord will provide and there will be sufficient for our needs.” Such is the principle of faith in finance.
Whatever the financial prognostication for the world, through faith, your prognostication for 2010 is rosy.
Next month we’ll focus on assessing and prioritizing needs from wants. For this and other good money-saving advice, see our new Deseret Book publication Live Your Life for Half the Price and its companion volume, Debt-Free On Any Income."

2009 Jane and Ray Wadsworth Family Newsletter

Ray & Jane Wadsworth 2009 Newsletter
--- Life has often seemed like a roller coaster ride to me, with some wonderful high times, & some scary swift descents that seem to just barely avoid disaster at the last moment. Right now though, we’re feeling fairly hopeful, & peaceful while we are very active in adventure, as we’ve begun to do vacation rentals of our castle home. Maybe I’m learning to trust our Heavenly Father more from past experiences adding up?
--- Things are not really very settled, as we shuttle back & forth between ID & WA plus in & out of our old 5th wheel RV here. We move into it when we have rental guests. Hopefully the rentals will bring in enough income to convince a bank we can refinance the castle - saving it from foreclosure in Sept 2011. We are blessed to have Eric & Tressa take over the websites & business side. I do much of the housecleaning, restocking, maintance, & thrift castle décor. I’m still having a lot of fun too, as costumes I’ve made over the years are here for the guests to wear for pictures. Lots of new friends to share our castle with for a royal vacation! The castle really feels like it is Heavenly Fathers’, & that we are just the stewards over it.
--- We look forward to returning to our Oakley, Idaho home & friends, after this summer for which Ray is in FULL work mode for. He is building a steel 58’ x 24’ Limit Seiner, out in the weather (wettest & windiest on record!) in Port Townsend, as the boat won’t fit in his shop or on the road to the water. He computer designed it & had it pre cut by computer. He is welding it together as fast as he can- with plans (& prayers) of finding everything used- engines, etc! Our goal is getting it up to AK in time for the fishing season, & tender job he has lined up. He wants me to go too- what a ride! : / . My going mostly depends on the castle rentals getting set up to work ok without me!
--- We feel so blessed with our youngest - Richard & McKenna in Rexburg, ID are expecting their first baby in February. Eric & Tressa in South Jordan, added sweet baby Maylee to their cherished 4 older children this last year. Doug & Heather are in Pasco, WA doing great with their two darlings. Lori & Kevin continue in Tucson, AZ with their fun four little ones. Debbie & Rick live near us with their darling 3, so we get to enjoy some of our grandkids almost as often as we want though work, & weary bodies hinder us. We even occasionally get to see our “guardianed angel” Rochelle with her little boy and also our former foster son, Markus as they live in the area. Rays’ father, Gene, left this earth life in February of this year in his 93rd year. We are blessed by his work & saving ethic to be able to build the boat & and other things. We miss him, but believe he is reunited with his beloved wife Betty, whom he missed so much.
--- Our prayers are that all of our friends, family & the world will have the wisdom, strength & any needed help to progress in learning & loving as the Messiah has shown us the way. “God bless us everyone” with “Peace on Earth-- Goodwill to men”. hugs-- Ray & Jane

link to Love & Logic article on agressive toddlers and preschoolers

http://www.loveandlogic.com/documents/aggressive-toddlers-and-preschoolers.pdf

Some ideas to help us enjoy little children

I believe that a well socialized three year old will ***80 to 90%*** of the time---

1. obey parents/teachers the first time when first asked to do or not do something
-----------not do the opposite-- running when told to come, etc
2. use the best words they can to get what they want/need in an social tone level and modulation
--------- not grabbing, fighting, screaming or crying
3. expect to eat the food provided at meal times & may ask politely for something additional
------ not throw or dump food or demand other food after not eating what they are given
4. handle things carefully, appropriately --- ask politely for things not offered them
------- not run to grab anything left in reach or automatically throw or try to break things
5. stay in bed quietly at bed/nap time for 30 min- (they don’t have to go to sleep though)
------- not screaming or kicking, or throwing things around the room
6. dress themselves with a choice between two outfits, in an appropriate time period
--- not wait for or demand the parent dress them or fight if the parent tries to help them hurry
7. pick up their toys/clothing when asked to by an adult, and do an additional daily chore
-- like dusting, or wipe the table, or set the table etc. --- not to have an “entitlement attitude”.

I believe the way to achieve this is for the parents/caregivers to model correct behavior

a. and have a way to QUICKLY / sadly restrain/contain them without their winning more of our attention to do so (later to expect them to stay in time out mode on their own)
and not allow the TV to model incorrect behaviors
- maybe ONE non violent- teach correct principles program or movie a day
- --- only as a reward (not entitlement or using TV as a baby sitter)
b. Take the time to continually/gently teach the child to comply/obey while programming in the desired behaviors - like at bedtime ---AFTER regular bedtime routines maybe like--family scriptures/prayers, pjs, clean teeth/face, personal prayers, use potty, & choices like- drink of water and or water glass put beside bed, night light?, door open? books to look at ?or audio story? or soothing music ?(which choices get withdrawn one at a time, if they do not stay quietly in bed- if still not compliant- may have other logical consequences—maybe have them “practice” bedtime at a time the other children (who have been obedient) get to watch the reward movie or suggest maybe they don’t need as much sleep so when THEY WANT to sleep, don’t let them or get up earlier in the morning or something else logical
c. - and when disobedience happens (it will sometimes) to gently/sadly say “uh oh”
d. do not to ignore them when they are testing us by misbehaving (put them in time out)
e. do not to give them the more/most attention when they misbehave
f. Watch for “triggers” to negative behaviors - help them learn to obey=win!
g. NOTICE and specifically talk to them about their appropriate behavior OFTEN - something like—“ I noticed you shared, tell them something like “I feel happy inside when I see that, does it make you happy inside too?”
h. Praise their good behavior to others when they can hear you (do not talk of their inappropriate behavior where they can hear you – they listen when we are on the phone!)
i. Parenting and children are supposed to be a joy- not just endured till their bedtime!

Only give them ½ a bite of food to try for the first time-
And expect them to eat what they personally take or the tiny bit you give them with their approval-and if they find that they can’t eat it all right then- to finish it later, or work to pay for the food, or pay with money- or see if another will eat it for them- but not to waste it- and not to carry food around the house.

celebrating Christmas

So-- I have joy in my heart again, and it is because I realized that my stressing over gift giving is not what God wants me to do. President Monson gave a talk and told how to really celebrate Christmas-- by visiting the sick and shutins- by doing good. It is NOT buying more toys or trinkets for others when they already have so much that they do not use that they throw them away or give them to thrift stores (that part is not so bad).

So when we are struggling to make ends meet, and get the work done that needs to be done to be ready for the next guests in our vacation rental-- then I do not need to be worried that I have not bought or made gifts for everyone (try anyone!) that I would like to have a wonderful gift to give.

An article in Meridian Magazine also helped me-- it was titled I think Grandmas Gingerbread Christmas-- I think. It told how one grandmother- Joy Lundberg, got her grandchildren together to make cookies, that they they packaged and took to shut ins along with singing to them. -- THIS I think I can do and feel good about! :)

I have also gotten out the faux Christmas tree and thought I would take the time to decorate it-- but I have not done that yet. Maybe we will have a "Deck the Halls" party and make it a friendship time- but without that it feels so much wasted time. It does not REALLY celebrate the birth of our Savior! How does a decorated tree be a blessing in others lives? If I can somehow work that-- then it might be worth it. :)

I have not yet even written any family newsletter to send to extended family and friends-- and I think that is something that I should take the time to do! :)

Anyway-- these are my thoughts at this time, when we are to consider Goodwill and Peace on Earth to all.

Gramajane

It will be ok-- if we have a Christlike attitude/heart

It seems to me that this is the most important *thing* to get or grow. With this attitude one will;
a. trust in Heavenly Father
b. keep seeking to know/understand His will
c. and do it
which I understand would be to see what is most important
to DO at this moment for Our Father
and he has given us commandments like--to "love one another"
to help others as God does (not take over
- but I understand we are to assist only as really needed
- letting them learn by failures that are not eternal
-- and this is sure a hard call for what is or isn't
-- and actually REALLY I think God does let us fail
-- though he is ALWAYS there ready the second (nano second?) that we seek Him
-- but I believe he will not save (help) us IN continuing to sin
- but from the sins (mistakes) we are willing to turn away from
-- and part of it needs to be on our strength, or after all we can do.
It isn't very fun-- but it feels better when we get it right. :) Gramajane
--

adversity/trials= challenges/opportunites to grow!

I do believe the title I put on here, though sometimes it is difficult to remember it! I need to remember that these are opportunities to practice being Christ like, and not do any "knee jerk" reaction when it feels like others are being purposely awful.

I don't really know what is going on in their lives, nor how they see things. I want to -- if I DO err, always err on the side of being a little too kind. - Not that I want to be stupid or a push over-- but give others the benefit of an doubt.

I remember feeling when my mother would tell me that -- God was just helping me to grow stronger- that maybe I didn't WANT to be THAT strong. (think murmuring here).

Yet, it seems when the peak of a stressful time is past, that I can usually see that *some* good came from it.

It is especially hard when there are several challenges going on at once-- as sometimes I get scared and just want to cover my head and hide till it calms down.

I'm so thankful for prayer-- (better than any cell phone!!) to talk to our Father in Heaven, any where is "perfect reception"-- and I don't have to have any battery or light to see to push the buttons either-- even better than the BEST phone voice recognition! God had this all worked out before the world began. :)

I'm thankful that I KNOW I can trust God that he does perfectly know my challenges and abilities-- though I am to keep praying that I won't be tested above what I can endure. (Maybe that means either smaller tests or God strengthening me-- I don't know).

The song "What a Friend we have in Jesus" just started to play in my head-- words too. Often songs will come into my mind that are a comfort or a reflection of how I am feeling. Sometimes when I am driving at night (which I don't like :(-- I find myself singing in my mind-- "Lead Kindly Light". It is a comfort and we are told that the songs of the righteous are a prayer unto God.

My prayer is for all of us to have courage and go forward, just one step at a time-- to choose the right- and keep praying for guidance as we seek to follow Gods' commandments.

I also try to remember not to take others burdens on myself-- but to just help when I feel prompted by the Holy Spirit to do so. But to not think they can't handle it, and then burden myself MORE than God has for me. It is a fine line between assisting THEM to achieve, and causing them to think they can't do it, which damages them (and me-- as I'm over there trying to do their work-- while mine is undone :(.

I think it will be **such a Glorious** day when I/we have finally finished with all that God has sent me/us here to do-- graduating from this boarding school of life-- and hopefully having a good report card to bring back to Our Father.

I know I can never be good enough alone-- and I rely on Jesus Christ and his atonement to make it up for my lack, but I must do all I can do to add to his "enough for the rest". I'm sooooo thankful for repentance! For the scriptures to guide us and for prophets that God speaks to to help us too. For the Holy Spirit that warns and comforts us-- when we live righteously. It is invaluable!

Jesus Christ, our elder spiritual brother and the second member of the Godhead, having suffered all our sorrows, pains and sins, perfectly knows us and what we can and can't do. I don't want to disappoint Him or God the Father!

I pray for strength and clear minds for all of us to see the traps of Satan, in the media and society all around us-- it is just awful seeing that most *expect* a couple to hit the mattresses before marriage. How far society has fallen!

Well, I need to get going with my work. Have a great spiritual day everyone! Gramajane