Saturday, July 19, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
the simply - grateful story
i have been attending byu women's conference for years. i go by myself and love it. yes it's true - i said byu women's conference. to those of you who know me well this is one of the only times i enter utah county by choice. that, however, is a whole other story.
may 2005. i entered a class titled "the lord's timetable." i'm not sure exactly what i was expecting, but i certainly didn't get it. the class ended up to be a panel of speakers - four women, all single, different ages - 19, 30's, 40's and 60's. i lasted 15 minutes in the class because it was a pity fest and it infuriated me! granted, i didn't stay to the end or even half way through, so i can't tell you if it got better. i can only hope it did. i just knew that i couldn't stomach it for one more second. by this time the other classes i was interested in attending were full, so i just walked into a class in the next building that wasn't full. it ended up to be a class on gratitude.
to make a long story short, i was completely overwhelmed (in a good way). the speakers were insightful, inspiring, full of hope and faith. yet they were REAL. they all led realistic, chaotic, stress filled lives of family, friends, children, relationships, careers, school, cleaning, exercising, accomplishments and disappointments. each of the women who spoke gave examples of their realistic life - all completely different. however, they each had something in common. they had learned the important role that gratitude plays in their lives. they had learned first hand how to incorporate it into all the craziness. they had learned how to use it to be able to allow themselves to see the bigger picture. this class was specifically for me and i am grateful for the pity filled panel of single girls who infuriated me.
i came home with a couple of goals. first, i was going to start a gratitude journal. i was going to start writing down one thing i was grateful for each and every day. yes, i know. this is not a new thing. in fact, it is older than the hills. however, it now had meaning for me and i usually don't get fully behind an idea or cause unless it has some kind of personal meaning and understanding for me. second, i was going to host a "gratitude dinner/lunch" each month. those who know me well know that i love to be the host a thousand times more than being a guest. i was excited.
reality set in amidst my then chaotic life of running the business office for rice-eccles stadium and jon m. huntsman center. with the exception of the first week, my gratitude journal was lucky to get an entry every 3 days or so and my first gratitude dinner didn't happen until july. i haven't been able to do the dinners monthly, due to my decision to resign from the university and start school again. a student budget doesn't lend its self to being the host very often. however, the gratitude journal still sits on my nightstand and the nights i feel i don't have anything to add i simply read through it and am quickly reminded that i am one incredibly lucky girl. there have been many gratitude dinners held - not monthly, but that's ok. they have all been as very different as the people who've attended. nevertheless, they have all been very successful and i have come away from each one full of gratitude for the people that surround me.
note - if i ever say, "to make a long story short..." you probably shouldn't believe me.
may 2005. i entered a class titled "the lord's timetable." i'm not sure exactly what i was expecting, but i certainly didn't get it. the class ended up to be a panel of speakers - four women, all single, different ages - 19, 30's, 40's and 60's. i lasted 15 minutes in the class because it was a pity fest and it infuriated me! granted, i didn't stay to the end or even half way through, so i can't tell you if it got better. i can only hope it did. i just knew that i couldn't stomach it for one more second. by this time the other classes i was interested in attending were full, so i just walked into a class in the next building that wasn't full. it ended up to be a class on gratitude.
to make a long story short, i was completely overwhelmed (in a good way). the speakers were insightful, inspiring, full of hope and faith. yet they were REAL. they all led realistic, chaotic, stress filled lives of family, friends, children, relationships, careers, school, cleaning, exercising, accomplishments and disappointments. each of the women who spoke gave examples of their realistic life - all completely different. however, they each had something in common. they had learned the important role that gratitude plays in their lives. they had learned first hand how to incorporate it into all the craziness. they had learned how to use it to be able to allow themselves to see the bigger picture. this class was specifically for me and i am grateful for the pity filled panel of single girls who infuriated me.
i came home with a couple of goals. first, i was going to start a gratitude journal. i was going to start writing down one thing i was grateful for each and every day. yes, i know. this is not a new thing. in fact, it is older than the hills. however, it now had meaning for me and i usually don't get fully behind an idea or cause unless it has some kind of personal meaning and understanding for me. second, i was going to host a "gratitude dinner/lunch" each month. those who know me well know that i love to be the host a thousand times more than being a guest. i was excited.
reality set in amidst my then chaotic life of running the business office for rice-eccles stadium and jon m. huntsman center. with the exception of the first week, my gratitude journal was lucky to get an entry every 3 days or so and my first gratitude dinner didn't happen until july. i haven't been able to do the dinners monthly, due to my decision to resign from the university and start school again. a student budget doesn't lend its self to being the host very often. however, the gratitude journal still sits on my nightstand and the nights i feel i don't have anything to add i simply read through it and am quickly reminded that i am one incredibly lucky girl. there have been many gratitude dinners held - not monthly, but that's ok. they have all been as very different as the people who've attended. nevertheless, they have all been very successful and i have come away from each one full of gratitude for the people that surround me.
note - if i ever say, "to make a long story short..." you probably shouldn't believe me.
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