A Gift of the Human Body and LOVE

A new perspective on the gift of the human body was brought to my attention today as I listened to a conversation here.

As I listened to their story and the strengths and trials they've had to endure and are still going through today I became just more grateful for my body. Even my pregnant body which continues to change and change each day.

I was hoping with this pregnancy that I would keep up with my exercise regimen but that hasn't quite panned out the way that I wanted it to and so the last few weeks I have been complaining to my husband who gets the grunt of all my complaints. But each time he reminds me that I have a life inside of me and to be grateful that I am healthy and can carry one full term.


Then I listened to this today and just a wave of emotion set in and each time I sit down on my computer I have this picture set up in front to remind me that I can't do it alone and when I start to feel those awful feelings and start to doubt that I need to rely on him for strength to get me through my day as a wife, mother, and friend.

Stephanie Nielson in her conversation was asked about what she is trying to teach her girls about the importance of beauty and she said something so profound to me. She said that inner beauty was created before their mortal body or shell was created so she tries to teach her girls to find that beauty within themselves and then their outward appearance will shine no matter how it looks to others.

So this Valentine's Day I just felt the need to write about this today to remind me that I am beautiful and loved and that I have a wonderful body that God has created just for me! Thank you Nielson's for sharing that perspective with me today.


Also to my Valentine, Trent, who puts up with way more than he should and loves me more and more despite my weaknesses and short comings. He wants to be sure that I am well taken care of and tells me everyday that I am beautiful.

The one special thing that I love about my Valentine is that each Sunday while sitting in our meeting he will lean over to me, even when the kids are being naughty and laying all over me and coloring on me, and whisper that he loves me. I love that and it melts me each time and I know when to expect it and its just a small simple act that I love about my man.

To Conclude My Retreat

To end a great weekend, I sat in church this morning and the speakers solidified what I had just been through the last two days. It put things into perspective for me and made me re-adjust my patterns and priorities and my time that I use with my spiritual life and my family.

We are easily distracted in our world and I need to think about what is most important in my life and strive to make better choices in regards to what I feel is most important.

Are we in patterns that will lay up treasures in heaven?

Our time is a responsibility and there is a time for EVERYTHING. I enjoyed the fact that Pres. Perkins who is a member of my church said that he uses lists! I love it! He even has a list about his wife and her favorite See's Candies chocolates. Brilliant idea by the way. He came up with an analogy for the word "RECAPS" which is, Read, Exercise, Chores, Appreciation, Prayer and Service. I thought this was brilliant and I want to incorporate into my Mind Organization that I have already started.

He then went into Priorities and asked this question,

"What is the greatest good of the moment?"

Am I using all my moments of time for the greatest good? My priorities are most visible as we use our time. I can name quite a few things to limit to open up more time to have good moments, especially in my children's lives.

As I go into each day preparing my list I need to do it prayerfully. What sets the course of my day? Morning prayer and my reading of the scriptures. That's it!

Time is a gift from God and its easier to use our time wisely if we are doing it on his timetable to have those good moments.

A church hymn "Have I done any Good" is a perfect example of this and the question resonates within me after what I have experienced this whole weekend. I couldn't be more excited and ready to tackle my lists, my priorities and my time!

That evening I had the privilege of going to a devotional at the San Diego Temple for the Receptionists that work there each month. I only go once a month for 6 hours and I love it. I was again filled by the thoughts and messages that were shared there and told that my service there would be accepted and that's what I needed to hear to fill my love language bucket.

I listened to Julie Beck's interview with her and her daughters and she mentioned about priorities and she said if your priorities are in control you will have power otherwise it won't be there.

I am a pretty optimistic person and I know that if I include God into my life all will be made well and I can conquer anything I put my mind too. It was proven to me this weekend and just feel so honored and blessed to be where I am in my stage of life.