The Procrastination That I Call My Life

So, I have been in Texas for almost a year and I am barely getting my registration and licence changed over (long story - don't ask).
I am really happy that it's finally going to be done but I just found out that in Texas you can't just go in and change your licence over you have to do an eye test like when you first get your licence.
So this may seem like no big deal to most people but I dread eye exams. I never end up seeing clearly.
Blah, I hope I pass because I know that I really need new glasses.

The Plan of Happiness is the Same Everywhere

Life's purpose is the same no matter where one lives. It doesn't matter ones nationality, whether one is rich or poor, owns a house or lives on the street.

It is a truth that never changes, not with location and not with time.
It is life's constant.

How You Live

Another song I love the lyrics to:

Point Of Grace - How You Live

Wake up to the sunlight with your windows open
Don't hold in your anger or leave things unspoken
Wear your red dress, use your good dishes
Make a big mess and make lots of wishes

And have what you want, but want what you have
And don't spend your life looking back

Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances and let it all out
'Cause you won't regret it
Looking back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

So go to the ballgames and go to the ballet
And go see your folks more than just on the holidays
Kiss all your children, dance with your wife
Tell your husband you love him every night

Don't run from the truth 'cause you can't get away, no
Face it and you'll be okay

(Chorus)

Oh, wherever you are and wherever you've been
Now is the time to begin
So give to the needy, and pray for the grieving
Even when you don't think that you can
'Cause all that you do is bound to come back to you
So think of your fellow man
And make peace with God, and make peace with yourself
'Cause in the end, there's nobody else

(Chorus)

Prayer

Prayer is not just something we must do to receive blessings, prayer is the blessing.

(my musings on a church email I received on prayer)

Here I Am by Downhere

Tuesday morning, as I was in that point between waking and sleeping, the part of the song Here I Am that reads "Here I am, Lord send me, All of my life, I make an offering", kept going through my head over and over again. So as I think it's a cool song I thought I would post the lyrics.

Here I Am
by Downhere

Sometimes your calling, comes in dream
Sometimes in comes in the Spirit's breeze,
You reach for the deepest part of me,
And call out for the things of eternity.

But I'm a man, of dust and stains,
You move in me, so I can say,

CHORUS:
Here I am, Lord send me,
All of my life, I make an offering,
Here I am, Lord send me,
Somehow my story, Is part of your plan,
Here I am

When setbacks and failures, and upset plans,
Test my faith and leave me with empty hands,
Are you not the closest when it's hardest to stand?
I know that you will finish what you began.

These broken parts you redeem,
Become the song, that I can sing
(chorus)

Overwhelmed by the thought of my weakness,
And the fear that I'll fail you in the end,
In this mess, I'm just one of the pieces,
I can't put this together but you can.

01.	Write a note of appreciation to your mailman
02.	Compliment a stranger sincerelyWrite a thank you note to someoneLook
03.	Look for something around you that can be fixed up, picked up, or attended ie, put shopping carts up, pick up some trash laying around, pick up something that has fallen over
04.	Give a lottery ticket to a stranger
05.	Send handmade cards or a letter to someone you care for
06.	Write a note to management or someone themself who has treated you nice while doing their job (waiter, clerk, sales person...ect)
07.	When you go somewhere to get or do something, ask someone around you if you can pick up, drop off or do something for them while you do
08.	Cut coupons out and leave them at the grocer register for others
09.	Cut an article out of the newspaper that would interest a friend and mail it to them.
10.	Leave have a nice day stickers at a front desk
11.	Put together a writing kit with stationery, envelopes and stamps, pen and give to hospital/nursing home
12.	Put a comment on someone's webpage that you really like...... let them know you enjoy it
13.	Send a card to someone in the military overseas
14.	Start a conversation up with a co-worker that you don't know
15.	Leave something cheery or nice for all your co-workers (in spring bag of seeds, fun post its, fun office supplies
16.	Put change in a row of vending machines
17.	Visit a nursing home. Spend time visiting with someone who doesn't get visitors
18.	Put something you no longer need on Craig's list free spot for your area
19.	Leave something for someone at an area where it most might be used, (lighter near smoking area, book in reading area, umbrella near door on rainy day)
20.	Leave a book you have already finished somewhere for someone else to read.
21.	Drop off a toy or game at a hospital
22.	Drop off a toy or game at a homeless shelter.
23.	At post office leave some extra stamps at the stamp machine.
24.	Send a picture you have taken which includes a friend and send it to them with a note remembering when it was taken
25.	Buy a phone card and give to a homeless shelter for them to give to someone.
26.	Open the phone book, pick a name, and send them something (movie tickets, thank you card, you are appreciated card, book, etc.) anonymously.
27.	Take flowers to a hospital ward and give them to someone who hasn't had any visitors.
28.	Take some cake, chocolates, flowers etc. to the neighbors, or a senior citizen nearby
29.	Send someone a small gift anonymously
30.	Make a cd of your favorite songs and give to a friend
31.	Donate one hour of your time if you offer a service for a living, or one product, or one seminar, or one class, or just one of whatever it is that you do as a gift to someone else.
32.	Invite someone who is alone over for dinner.
33.	Share a comic strip or something funny with someone else.
34.	Write a note, send a e-greeting "just to say hello" to someone who might need a pick me up
35.	Visit hospitals with smiles, treats and friendly conversation for patients.
36.	Send a thank you to the employees at a hospital, or anywhere else that a cheerful thank might add a smile
37.	Put a quarter in a parking meter that has expired
38.	Write a thank-you note to a person from your past who has made a difference in your life.
39.	Drop off a plant, flowers or apple pie at a public service orginization or your neighbors house.
40.	Send someone an animated greeting card on the internet.
41.	Write a note to the boss of someone who has helped you, praising the employee.
42.	Drop off teddy bear to police department to give to traumitized children
43.	Drop a few coins in an area where children play, where they can easily find them.
44.	Copy a favorite recipie and give it to someone
45.	Buy a copy of your favorite book and donate it to your local library or hospital
46.	Write letters of appreciation to groups who are helping the community, the environment, etc.
47.	Send a card to a friend or relative you haven't seen for some time. Include a photo of yourself and/or your family.
48.	Make a point of introducing yourself to someone you see all of the time but never say hello to.
49.	Send an anonymous scratch card, lottery or theatre ticket to someone you know - or a gift voucher, a funny card, a chocolate bar, or whatever you feel they would enjoy
50.	If you know someone who is having a hard time financially, pop a $5, $10 or $20 note in an envelope, disguise your writing or type the envelope, and post it to them.
51.	Offer to baby sit
52.	Donate clothes to The Salvation Army.
53.	Put change in a charity change bottle
54.	Bring cookies or some snack to work for office
55.	Drop off cookies at a random establishment
56.	Tape some change to a payphone with a card saying it is for whoever needs it
57.	Write anonymous, loving post-its for strangers to find.
58.	Buy a meal for a young couple or family sitting next to you at a restaurant. Leave the Kindness card with the waitress to give them after you leave. It is a nice surprise they will never forget. It may even make them consider the mortality of their own children and lessen what time they may take for granted.
59.	Partake in a Christmas Angel Program. Leave the card so they know your motivation of love!
60.	Buy shoes or clothes for a family in need.
61.	Bake cookies for a neighbor or teacher, just because.
62.	Help an elderly person with yard work or grocery shopping. Many elderly people have a story or two to tell about their own baby that died many years ago.
63.	Visit a nursing home and bring cupcakes. Sit and visit with a few of the residents. You'd be amazed at the loving reception you will receive as many residents rarely receive visitors.
64.	Sign up to participate in a program such as Feed the Children. Your Kindness card will tell them the story of why you are doing this.
65.	Donate to your favorite nonprofit group on your child's birthday or death day. Ask family members and friends to do the same.
66.	Volunteer your time at a local homeless shelter or a crisis nursery.
67.	Buy a new calendar for a workmate.
68.	Donate some grief books to the library or a local support group.
69.	Leave an extra large tip for your food server!
70.	Buy the meal for the person behind you at the fast food drive through.
71.	Leave a bouquet of flowers on someone’s front door step.
72.	Bake goodies and take them to the police station, fire station, or hospital.
73.	Pay a local teen to mow an elderly neighbor’s yard.
74.	Crochet a baby’s blanket and take it to the hospital nursery. Premature babies can always use tiny booties and caps.
75.	Buy a balloon bouquet and ask the nurses the children’s hospital to deliver them to a child.
76.	Make a memorial donation to honor your loved one and a friend’s loved one.
77.	Take a box of doughnuts to an elementary school for a classroom.
78.	Plug someone’s parking meter.
79.	Go to the post office in mid December and ask for of the “letters to Santa” that they get every year. Buy and send the gift on Christmas.
80.	Adopt a street or just pick up litter in the neighborhood.
81.	Leave your change in the soda machine for the next person. It's a nice surprise.
82.	Buy coffee for the person standing behind you in line.
83.	Write to management at places where you get especially good service and commend them (specify names!)
84.	Tape a quarter to a pay phone with a note welcoming anyone who needs it to use it.
85.	Adopt a family through a social service agency, not just at Christmas. People go hungry all year.
86.	Plant a tree or some flowers for a local church. Perhaps offer to “build” a Memorial Garden.
87.	Volunteer at a local shelter, crisis nursery or soup kitchen. This will give more to you than you can imagine.
88.	Volunteer to read to children at your nearest library.
89.	Send your child a note in his lunchbox. Remind them how special they are to you.
90.	Organize a large toy, clothing and diaper drive for a crisis nursery.
91.	Pay for a small child's candy at a convenient store.
92.	Pay for someone's toll and/or gas.
93.	Look for opportunities to open the door for someone or give up your seat for someone.
94.	Buy lunch for the couple or family sitting next to you as you pay your own. Be sure to be secretive!
95.	Buy a toy for a child in the store and ask the clerk to deliver it after you’ve gone.
96.	Moms and the elderly find it tough to make it from stores to their cars in the rain. Use huge golf umbrellas to help them to their car with as little wetness as possible.
97.	Give out flower seeds to celebrate Spring. Place flower seed packets on driver side window between rubber and glass. Don't place on the windshield because sometimes the driver doesn't notice it until they begin driving. Some parking garages don't allow this — so curbside parking is the best place to begin.
98.	We came, we saw, we raked!" Several people in a small group can rake an entire neighborhood on a single Saturday morning. Maybe you don't like raking your own yard; but when you're with a group of friends serving in the name of Christ, a chore becomes a joy. Many yards take only fifteen to twenty minutes to polish off.
99.	Screen Cleaning. Screens will have to be removed. Apply a bit of soapy water and use a soft brush. Hose them off and reinstall. Most homeowners never do this, though it is an easy way to improve the view.
100.	Find legitimate shut-ins in your neighborhood. Start a system with interested neighbors for a weekly hot food delivery.

The other day I was talking to one of my friends, who belongs to another faith, about what kind of women the Church teaches us to be. We were talking about how the women don’t hold the priesthood but that we believe that our role of womanhood is just as sacred. I told her, if you think about it, it is the rest of the world who is in fact degrading womanhood. It is the world that says that it is chauvinistic and belittling to teach women that their role is in the home. We recognize the sacredness of it, we put it on a pedestal.

So this all made me think about the above quote. I thought I had heard it in a Young Women’s lesson but when I looked it up on lds.org it came up in an article from 2000. By that time I had been out of Young Women’s for 5 years; so I don’t know where I heard it. Anyway, I am just happy to have finally found it (thank you Google). It is on the difference between who the women of the world think they should be and who Heavenly Father teaches us to be.