Want to learn something about yourself? Read the following quick story and then identify the curse.
There once was a princess who grew up with a curse and she couldn't leave her room in her tower. Her parents had to move, and begged her to come, but she couldn't break the curse so she had to stay while they left. A prince rode up one day and said he heard how beautiful she was and wanted to marry her but she said she couldn't because she was cursed and couldn't leave. However, he came back repeatedly and day after day begged her to break the curse.
Now stop! Before you read any further---name the curse. What was the curse that kept her locked up in the tower?
Once you have named the curse, decide how the story will end. Will she overcome the curse in your story, or will she die alone in the tower?
Are you done? Then—read on!
There is no right or wrong answer, however, whatever curse you named should reveal something to you about yourself. I thought it was fear. She was afraid of the unknown and therefore not willing to venture out into it. My daughter’s friend said it was lack of trust.
I told the story to some friends and their answers were: she was ill, and she was actually ugly and didn’t want anyone to know. Some ended the story in a positive way, others in a negative.
The curse you chose is probably one of your own fears or insecurities. If you end the story in a positive way, you probably are an optimistic person. If you end it in a negative . . . well, you might want to work on that. :-)
My favorite answer came from my daughter Kristen. She asked:
“Who placed the curse on her and how did she know she couldn't leave?" She concluded the princess was just a silly girl who assumed she was cursed because her door was stuck and since she was afraid of heights she didn’t want to use the window. However, with the encouragement of the Prince's frequent visits she investigated her room more thoroughly and was able to find a trap door she had never seen before and explored her way out of the castle.
But she didn't marry the prince.
He gave her a ride to his castle where she fell in love with his brother who liked her for more than just her looks. And of course, they lived happily ever after.
I have been thinking a lot about Kristen’s answer. I wonder how many times we “curse” ourselves, when no curse actually exists except in our own minds.
We say things to ourselves like, “I am not creative therefore I can’t . . .”
“I am overweight, therefore I am not. . . "
“I didn’t graduate from college, therefore I can’t . . . "
"I am not good at memorizing, therefore I can't . . . "
“I didn’t grow up in the church, therefore I don’t . . ."
“I can’t have children, therefore I am not . . . "
I am reminded of the blind man who climbed Mt. Everest and a woman from Phoenix who lost both arms in a car accident. How many of us would assume we could not climb a mountain if we couldn’t see? How many of us would think we could no longer cook dinner if we didn’t have the use of our arms? And yet the man did climb and the woman learned to cook (and many other things) using her feet.
There have been many times in my life when I have limited myself by self-imposed curses. But I have decided that I am going to try and change that. Now instead of saying, “That isn’t me, I can’t do that” I am going to search to see if I can find a way, because I believe if I do, it will bring great . . . joy to my journey.
Editors note: I did not make up the story, it was part of counseling lesson from a student in social work.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Two Great Recipes for the Chocolate and Oatmeal Lover!
Here are two great recipes from my niece Amber's cooking blog. We have sampled them both this past week (extra walking next week) and loved them.
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Bars
1 1/2 C. butter, softened
1 C. sugar
1 C. brown sugar
2 eggs (large)
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 1/2 C. peanut butter
11/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 C. flour
3 C. oats
Frosting:
2 C. semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips.
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13x9x2 inch pan. Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter and beat until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Press mixture evenly into pan and bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned. (Note: Will be underbaked.) While still warm, evenly distribute chocolate chips. When chips have melted spread into a thin layer.DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CUT THIS WHEN IT IS WARM!
Lion House Oatmeal Fudge Bars
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (or old-fashioned)
Fudge
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions
1. Grease a 9x13 baking pan; set aside.
2. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla.
3. In a small bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture. Mix in oats.
4. In a heavy saucepan, mix sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and butter; heat just until melted. Stir in vanilla and nuts if using.
5. Spread 2/3 of the oatmeal dough (will be stiff) into prepared baking pan. Spread with chocolate mixture. Drop remaining 1/3 of dough on top by spoonfuls.
6. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely (if you cut them while they are still warm at all they will be gooey and fall apart), then cut into bars. These also taste better if you wait several hours before eating them.
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Bars
1 1/2 C. butter, softened
1 C. sugar
1 C. brown sugar
2 eggs (large)
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 1/2 C. peanut butter
11/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 C. flour
3 C. oats
Frosting:
2 C. semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips.
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13x9x2 inch pan. Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter and beat until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Press mixture evenly into pan and bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned. (Note: Will be underbaked.) While still warm, evenly distribute chocolate chips. When chips have melted spread into a thin layer.DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CUT THIS WHEN IT IS WARM!
Lion House Oatmeal Fudge Bars
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (or old-fashioned)
Fudge
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions
1. Grease a 9x13 baking pan; set aside.
2. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla.
3. In a small bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture. Mix in oats.
4. In a heavy saucepan, mix sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and butter; heat just until melted. Stir in vanilla and nuts if using.
5. Spread 2/3 of the oatmeal dough (will be stiff) into prepared baking pan. Spread with chocolate mixture. Drop remaining 1/3 of dough on top by spoonfuls.
6. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely (if you cut them while they are still warm at all they will be gooey and fall apart), then cut into bars. These also taste better if you wait several hours before eating them.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Cheating Death on I-15!
They say when having a near death experience your life flashes before your eyes. That may have been the case for us last Friday while driving from Utah to Arizona, if it hadn’t been for the large truck that was blocking our view. In fact, it was coming straight at us!
We left American Fork around 8 a.m. and headed home after spending the week visiting family. Wes had flown up to drive home with me, but he was sick (still is, poor boy) so I drove while he slept. Our plan was to follow our regular route (Panguitch, Kanab, Page and home) but I became so involved in a book on CD that I missed the Panguitch turn off. Deep in thought over who was betraying who, and whether or not the hero and heroine would ever survive the Colombian drug lords and have a future together, I drove right by. However, we quickly applied the “This is better” policy and decided to continue on through Las Vegas, a town my daughter, Michelle, had never before seen. Instead of the normal boring trip home, this was going to be an adventure!
And that “adventure” nearly cost us our lives.
Just north of Las Vegas, on I-15, I looked up and saw a large semi truck heading north on the freeway blow a tire. At this time Wes was driving (he took over after I missed the turn:-) and I am so very thankful! I yelled to him to look as we watched the truck careen out of control, go off the road, cross the median (which was a steep hill covered in gravel) come up another smaller hill and onto our side of the freeway. The truck bounced from side to side, and swerved back and forth as the driver struggled to keep it upright.
Wes hit the brakes thinking the truck would pass across the freeway in front of us, but as the driver took a turn north and headed up the freeway in our direction, he pressed his foot hard on the gas pedal, and swerved off to the shoulder of the road, allowing the renegade truck to pass right where we had been. Barely missing being hit head on, we were pelted with gravel and debris for several seconds.
It is interesting to me that while watching it all unfold, I never felt we would soon be the guests at a closed casket funeral. I was totally calm. However, as soon as it was over, the debris settled and we were safely stopped along side of the road, I started to shake. Even days later we are not quite sure how we avoided being hit.
It truly is a miracle we were not killed. It is even a greater miracle that no one else behind us was hit either. The driver eventually brought the truck to a stop leaving only a trail of gravel and stopped cars with terrified passengers in his wake.
We left American Fork around 8 a.m. and headed home after spending the week visiting family. Wes had flown up to drive home with me, but he was sick (still is, poor boy) so I drove while he slept. Our plan was to follow our regular route (Panguitch, Kanab, Page and home) but I became so involved in a book on CD that I missed the Panguitch turn off. Deep in thought over who was betraying who, and whether or not the hero and heroine would ever survive the Colombian drug lords and have a future together, I drove right by. However, we quickly applied the “This is better” policy and decided to continue on through Las Vegas, a town my daughter, Michelle, had never before seen. Instead of the normal boring trip home, this was going to be an adventure!
And that “adventure” nearly cost us our lives.
Just north of Las Vegas, on I-15, I looked up and saw a large semi truck heading north on the freeway blow a tire. At this time Wes was driving (he took over after I missed the turn:-) and I am so very thankful! I yelled to him to look as we watched the truck careen out of control, go off the road, cross the median (which was a steep hill covered in gravel) come up another smaller hill and onto our side of the freeway. The truck bounced from side to side, and swerved back and forth as the driver struggled to keep it upright.
Wes hit the brakes thinking the truck would pass across the freeway in front of us, but as the driver took a turn north and headed up the freeway in our direction, he pressed his foot hard on the gas pedal, and swerved off to the shoulder of the road, allowing the renegade truck to pass right where we had been. Barely missing being hit head on, we were pelted with gravel and debris for several seconds.
It is interesting to me that while watching it all unfold, I never felt we would soon be the guests at a closed casket funeral. I was totally calm. However, as soon as it was over, the debris settled and we were safely stopped along side of the road, I started to shake. Even days later we are not quite sure how we avoided being hit.
It truly is a miracle we were not killed. It is even a greater miracle that no one else behind us was hit either. The driver eventually brought the truck to a stop leaving only a trail of gravel and stopped cars with terrified passengers in his wake.
But the experience did fill us with gratitude. We were left be grateful for yet one more day of life to be lived, to be with family and friends, to laugh and to love and of course to find . . . joy in our journey.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
The Healing Power of the Atonement
I posted the song used in this video a couple months ago, but liked this version much better so I am posting it again. It really is worth your time to watch it.
And for two beautiful blog entries dealing with trials and difficulties in a positive way please go to Scripture Mom and Momza's House. I loved both of these.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
"This is better!"
These past few days my mind has been on trials. Like everyone else, I am currently facing a few. Some are due to life in general, (people get old, people get sick, economies fail and everyone struggles). Other trials are due to the wrong choices of others. These are the hardest, I believe, as they cause so many innocent people to suffer deep, agonizing pain, where if other choices had been made, the same people could have found joy.
My family is facing both.
Although I do not wish to mitigate the suffering of others, I have been reminded of a man I met several years ago while traveling out of the country--our tour guide, Juan. Whenever something didn’t go as planned, he would always say, “This is better.” And then find a reason why being in a traffic jam for an hour, the hotel not being ready on time, or our bus driver getting lost was really for our benefit. After all, in the traffic jam we were able to see the different license plates used in the country, the hotel not being ready gave us extra shopping time and our bus driver getting lost allowed us to see an area of the city not on our itinerary. So, “This is better” became true.
Since then, my husband and I have often joked to each other, “This is better” when things in our lives have gone wrong. I realize there are some heart aches too deep, and experiences too painful to easily find something “better” in, but I have also discovered that every trial can come with a positive learning experience and in every heart ache there can eventually be found some joy.
This past week is an example. As many of you know, my mother has been very ill. After spending 27 days in the hospital, suffering sepsis, a major surgery and a stroke, she went home only to return to the hospital three days later with a kidney infection. She is now home again and progress is incremental. And so my daughter Michelle and I went to visit her and help out with her care. The fact that we were there because my mother was sick was not a good thing, and we are certainly praying for a speedy and complete recovery, but in this trial, even my mother has been able to find some benefits.
If she hadn’t been ill, I would have been somewhere else during spring break and she enjoyed our visit.
While in Utah, I was able to spend time with my four sisters, something I very much enjoy doing, but am not able to do very often.
During my mother’s illness, a brother who is not active in the church, has come by frequently to visit. He is not very social, and my recent time with him has been more than in the previous twenty years combined.
Mom has been able to feel the tremendous love of her neighbors as so many of them have come by to visit and assist.
My heart has been filled to overflowing as I have seen my father serve my mother so tenderly. He has cared for her personal needs from helping her shower to following her around with a comb in his hand, making sure the back of her hair is “beautiful”. And I believe he is learning a little bit of patience.
My mother loves to serve others and the day we left to return to AZ she got up at 1:30 in the morning to make us muffins for breakfast. Not able to do it on her own meant my father also had to get up and help. When I saw the result of their middle-of-the night cooking adventure the following morning, I exclaimed, “Wow, muffins made with love.” My dad added, “And a little anger.” We all laughed at that.
And so my goal this week is to find the “better” in whatever life brings my way. I am hoping my children and husband are up to the challenge as well, for just now I noticed that dinner is burning. It appears I will very quickly get to test the theory as I try to help my family discover why a burnt offering for dinner is actually “better.” :-)
Wish me luck! And may you always find . . . joy in the journey!
D&C 98: 3 Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good and to my name’s glory, saith the Lord.
My family is facing both.
Although I do not wish to mitigate the suffering of others, I have been reminded of a man I met several years ago while traveling out of the country--our tour guide, Juan. Whenever something didn’t go as planned, he would always say, “This is better.” And then find a reason why being in a traffic jam for an hour, the hotel not being ready on time, or our bus driver getting lost was really for our benefit. After all, in the traffic jam we were able to see the different license plates used in the country, the hotel not being ready gave us extra shopping time and our bus driver getting lost allowed us to see an area of the city not on our itinerary. So, “This is better” became true.
Since then, my husband and I have often joked to each other, “This is better” when things in our lives have gone wrong. I realize there are some heart aches too deep, and experiences too painful to easily find something “better” in, but I have also discovered that every trial can come with a positive learning experience and in every heart ache there can eventually be found some joy.
This past week is an example. As many of you know, my mother has been very ill. After spending 27 days in the hospital, suffering sepsis, a major surgery and a stroke, she went home only to return to the hospital three days later with a kidney infection. She is now home again and progress is incremental. And so my daughter Michelle and I went to visit her and help out with her care. The fact that we were there because my mother was sick was not a good thing, and we are certainly praying for a speedy and complete recovery, but in this trial, even my mother has been able to find some benefits.
If she hadn’t been ill, I would have been somewhere else during spring break and she enjoyed our visit.
While in Utah, I was able to spend time with my four sisters, something I very much enjoy doing, but am not able to do very often.
During my mother’s illness, a brother who is not active in the church, has come by frequently to visit. He is not very social, and my recent time with him has been more than in the previous twenty years combined.
Mom has been able to feel the tremendous love of her neighbors as so many of them have come by to visit and assist.
My heart has been filled to overflowing as I have seen my father serve my mother so tenderly. He has cared for her personal needs from helping her shower to following her around with a comb in his hand, making sure the back of her hair is “beautiful”. And I believe he is learning a little bit of patience.
My mother loves to serve others and the day we left to return to AZ she got up at 1:30 in the morning to make us muffins for breakfast. Not able to do it on her own meant my father also had to get up and help. When I saw the result of their middle-of-the night cooking adventure the following morning, I exclaimed, “Wow, muffins made with love.” My dad added, “And a little anger.” We all laughed at that.
And so my goal this week is to find the “better” in whatever life brings my way. I am hoping my children and husband are up to the challenge as well, for just now I noticed that dinner is burning. It appears I will very quickly get to test the theory as I try to help my family discover why a burnt offering for dinner is actually “better.” :-)
Wish me luck! And may you always find . . . joy in the journey!
D&C 98: 3 Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good and to my name’s glory, saith the Lord.
Thank you! Thank you! For the Awards!
I have been awarded! I was so excited to see I had received the "One Lovely Blog Award" from Kristin at http://www.alpinekleinbunch.blogspot.com/ What an honor that was coming from Kristin who has such a lovely blog herself. It is informative, creative, motivating and filled with beautiful photography! Thanks so much Kristin for thinking of me.
I also received this past week the Sisterhood award from Xazmin at http://www.this-istheyear.blogspot.com/ This award also really touched my heart. Xazmin's blog is so fun, colorful and uplifting. Thank you so very much for thinking of me as well. Both awards came to me at a rather difficult time and were so comforting. Being considered a good "sister" to the women around me is a something I will always cherish.
I look forward to passing both awards on!
Friday, March 20, 2009
Now the baby is escaping too!
When my daughter, Camille, puts her three-month-old baby to bed, she swaddles her tight as shown in the picture below. I admit she does sleep well that way, but I like to tease Camille about putting her poor baby in blanket prison.
Well, this morning I think Carly felt the same way and did her best to orchestrate a prison break. See how proud she looked when her mother discovered her! She not only managed to slip out of the blanket, but she got out of the top of her jammies as well!
Sure can't wait to see them both later tonight! We are going to have so much fun this week!
Well, this morning I think Carly felt the same way and did her best to orchestrate a prison break. See how proud she looked when her mother discovered her! She not only managed to slip out of the blanket, but she got out of the top of her jammies as well!
Sure can't wait to see them both later tonight! We are going to have so much fun this week! AND---HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY TO MY SISTER RUTH!!! I HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.
While in Utah I was able to have lunch with all four of my sisters. Three recently had birthdays so it was a big birthday celebration with a very lively political discussion. Ahhhh, the good things in life!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
