What I Learned At The Gym

This morning I was having a hard time getting myself to the gym.  I just go to our local rec center and in the couple of weeks that I missed they replaced some of the old dieing equipment with brand new stuff.  I know that sounds like a good thing...I know in my head it is a good thing but my body is not in agreement!  See, the new equipment is giving me a much better workout.  And again, even though I know this to be a good thing a sore body just doesn't want to go to the gym.
My mom watches Maycie on Mondays and Wednesdays for me but I still call and check to make sure that is going to work.  Well, I forgot to call last night and check.  I thought I was going to be able to use this as an excuse to get out of it today.  And then I got a phone call from my mom, "Are you bringing Maycie over this morning?"  So thanks to my mom I was able to get a good workout but I was also able to receive some peace about this election.
I don't really like election time.  I don't like all of the contention and the mud slinging that comes with it.  I believe that we are all entitled to our own opinions and shouldn't be judged for them.  In a perfect world we would be able to put our support behind a candidates based on the issues. And the candidates would be upfront and tell us where they stand so we could make informed decisions.  But, unfortunately that is not how it works.  They make speeches dancing around the issues and, if we are lucky, somewhere hidden in that dancing speech is something about the issues and where they stand.  But no matter who we vote for we are all Americans.  We need to stand united.  I know this and it is what I want and that is why this article helped me so much.
I have started reading the Ensign while I do the elliptical (thanks to my Nook - thank you to my sweet husband!).  Today I read an article that helped me in a way I did not expect.  The article is called "From Longing to Belonging"   I really hope you take the time to read it - it is a wonderful article.  It was an article that was good for me, reminding me that it is my responsibility to make sure I have good experiences.  And as that helped me, what really got to me today is a statement at the end by President Howard W. Hunter from 1976.  It talked about unity and how we must do more to be and stay united.  So, no matter how we feel about the election we must stand united.  We must support one another!  We must support and pray for those who are leading our country, our states and our local government.

My Pit

I have been doing a lot of thinking as of late.  My sweet cousin (in-law technically) has been giving me a few gentle reminders of my lack of blogging.  It made me think about a few things one of which was WHY I have not been blogging.  See, I kept coming up with excuses like, time, nothing of real interest, etc, etc.  But the more I thought about it the more I realized that I am not any busier then I was a year or two ago.  We have the same kinds of things going on as we did a year or two ago.  If any thing things are getting more exciting!  So then I started telling myself I had to do blog entries in an "order"  like a timeline.  I know better then that as well so that one didn't really hold water either.  So as I have kept this mulling around in the back of my mind I finally realized that it all came down to me.  It came down to this pit I have put myself in.  It is one of those pits that you get in that you start to climb out, get almost to the top and fall back down.  Sometimes you don't realize how close to the top you are and give up.  Sometimes someone else comes along and pushes you back in.  Sometimes you just loose your grip and fall.  But it seems that much deeper every time you end up at the bottom.  Sometimes you have a hard time starting the climb all over again.
Well, I have to say I hope I have learned my lesson.  I have a choice.  I the choice to stay in that pit or to get myself out.  I had a whole bunch of tools to help me get out of that pit.  Sometimes I used them and sometimes I left them sitting at the bottom telling myself I didn't need them.  They were too hard to take with me.  I didn't have the time to worry about silly tools.  I even had a sweet husband trying to throw me a rope to help pull me out and I pushed that away at times.  I was so upset about being in my pit that I was ignoring all of the things that I had to help me get out.
Well, I would like to say that I will never be in that pit I was in.  But I can't.  I'm sure I'll end up there again.  I just hope that I remember my tools a little faster next time.  I hope I never forget my blog and how therapeutic it is for me.  I hope I never forget my scriptures and the inspiration that I am able to receive when I read.  I hope I never forget my prayers and the connection to my Father in Heaven that I have when I communicate with Him each day.  I hope I never forget my amazing husband and wonderful children and the joy they bring into my life.  (I'll be honest everyday isn't bliss and it is some of those hard times of my kids making me want to tare my hair out that puts me in that pit in the first place...keeping it real!)  I hope I never forget the gospel and the peace that brings into my life.
So I may not be perfect and I will slip and fall but I will get up again and I will keep trying.