Chapters

Sunday, February 19, 2012

'Make It A Great Day Cafe'

Stake Women's Conference

Stake Women's Conference this year was focused on finding and creating joy. It it so interesting that the Stake would be inspired to focus on 'Joy' at the first of this year and we were inspired to focus on 'Happiness' which is one and the same thing! This is truly a great need we have to reach our full potential here on this Earth. "Men are that they might have joy."  Research shows that happy, joyful people are more altruistic, more productive, more helpful, more likable, more creative, more resilient, are healthier,more interested in others, friendlier and serve more. Happy people make better friends, colleagues, and citizens. These attributes help us to have Charity the Love of Christ, bringing us closer to our Heavenly Father.


MAKE~IT~A~GREAT~DAY~CAFE

Finally!!! A diner that all will enjoy!  Open twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.  Even the most finicky palette will find their favorite dish in this warm and inviting 
Make-It-A-Great-Day -Cafe!
Offering down-home, "feel good" food is the motto for this diner.  Customers seeking joy will find that their appetites will be pleased and satisfied with the vast array of selections available to them.  Don't wait, dine today and create your own plate!

"Life is a fabulous feast of experiences just waiting for you to choose and explore. The best feast is at the table of the Lord. What is on the Lord's table? Love, good fun, uplifting music, peaceful prayer, scriptures, smiles, learning and service to other. That is where eternal joy can be found."
~Michaelene P. Grassli "follow Him." Friend ~



Points shared for finding JOY:

* Keep a "JOY" Journal and declare "A Day of Joy".  
  • Do what makes you feel good, useful, and fulfilled.
  • Make and refer to a list of "simple joys".
  • Save unpleasant tasks, difficult people, and negative thoughts for tomorrow.

When we expect the best, it is amazing how forces are set in motion to create the best in our lives.

*Keep the rough "Moments" in your life in perspective by:
     1) Keeping the spirit close. Memorize a scripture to uplift and encourage yourself in times of need.
     2) Don't blame yourself for perceived shortcomings as a mother - Heavenly Father gives us all strengths and weaknessess. Mothers are not personally responsible for all their children's weaknesses.
     3) Remember we are all in this together: Comparisons (to another person) can destroy our joy. We can't be grateful and envious at the same time. Comparison's ugly sister is judging. We are all "perfectly imperfect".

*Some seek happiness, others create it.
"This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and have joy in it"  Psalms 118:24

     1) Choose joy daily.
     2) Reach out and show love to others.
     3) We can find joy even in times of trouble.
     4) Realize who we are and how Heavenly Father
         feels about us.

* Recognize the tender mercies in our days.
   Choose to receive love and gifts of others.
   Be proactive in finding happiness.
   It's okay to ask for help.
   We need our girlfriends!

President Strong closed the Conference telling us there are 
Three things necessary for true faith, or true joy:

1) To know that Heavenly Father exists.
2) To understand His attributes and purposes.
3) To know that the path you are pursuing is in 
    harmony with His will.

He gave an amazing talk reminding us to stay on the straight and narrow path. 

He said the path is defined broadly for us by our covenants and that Heavenly Father will personalize the steps that each of us take on that path.  These steps are not the same for all of us. We are all on different places along the path, and there are differences in how we go along the path at our own paces. When we compare ourselves to others we take Heavenly Father's personal ministry to each of us out of the equation. The plan of salvation is not a plan of self-deprecation. Respond positively to promptings to make changes in your life. We are meant to learn step upon step precept by precept. Have the flexibility and generosity to allow others to be individually tutored (along the path) by Heavenly Father. 


He shared a touching personal story about his Parents being in a car accident while on their way to the Temple in which his mother lost her life. It involved several vehicles leaving massive destruction. The medic on the scene shared his feelings of finding peace among chaos upon finding President Strong's parents. He said to find them in the midst of all that was going on, there with their Temple bags in back, holding hands was a feeling of peace. They were, as President Strong put it, on the "Straight and narrow path"


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