Murmuring

"Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord."

Exodus 16:8

He's never trying to hurt me, and doesn't deserve murmuring 

Slow Peace

The key to peace is slowing down.

Normally I'm on edge and in a hurry.

Which doesn't invite peace. It doesn't work.

If what I'm doing doesn't work, I need to try something else. Anything else. Because this isn't working.

I'll try slowing down and see if that works.

Feelings: Keep or Toss

All feelings are telling me something. After I recognize what a feeling means, I can choose to keep it or to focus on something else to bring up a feeling I'd prefer to experience. He will help me if I ask.

Be Present Now; Invite Peace

I feel afraid a lot. I need to check for time travel. Am I projecting future disaster? Am I reliving something unchangeable, agonizing over wanted to go back and change? The answer is always: come back to the present and invite His peace.

There's Really No Other Reason

 The reason I spend time with God is so that I can feel good.

Love God Love Others

I am to love all of reality and existence as it is right now. I can plan to change it, but I can't make my love conditional upon that change coming to pass. 

Love of what is as it is, is loving God.

Kill Fear

"Only attempting more will reduce fear."

- James Clear 

Power of Prayer

"Prayer transforms the quality of our action"

-Lisa Wang

What a Handshake Means

A handshake is how Men of Honor show respect one another.

It should be brief, warm, and dignified.

The grip should be firm, but not painful. The message is "this strong hand would be honored to serve alongside you."

In shaking hands with a woman, the message is "this strong hand would be honored to protect you".

On Peace

Worship means finding peace.

Savior says "just be peaceful like me".

I should act like a man who is feeling His peace.

To Murder Frustration

The hardest part of emotional management is heading off frustration. When something is simple and should be so easy and go off without a single hitch, but hitches arise unexpectedly, and I think "I should be done with this by now, and I am not." 

This feels like a deliberate attack from an enemy. It feels life threatening. I feel anger welling up in response.

I want to train myself to say "Huh..." and slow down.

It's hard 

It's Not Part of Me Until I Make It Part of Me

"You don't have to claim everything you feel."

-James Clear 

Practice Peace and Kindness

Kindness. This is the foundation of all blessings. It is to choose benevolence in all interactions. My goal is to leave every situation better than I found it. But kindness isn't natural. Fear and anger and sadness are. But if I ask for His help, He can replace those with peace, and then I will have the power to choose kindness.

I can't do this alone, but He will always help me if I ask.

The key to peace is to be present where and when I am, to be centered in current reality and to accept it unconditionally. Only then will I have the stability I need to do mental time travel.

Maybe Is the Melting

When I'm completely hardened, so badly  that I don't want to feel better, what starts the thaw is a question of "maybe". Maybe I don't have to stay this way. When I entertain the maybe, that's the first step on the route back.

Purpose of the Gospel

The goal of all this is emotional control. To be able to feel peace at all times. To never be emotionally hijacked by fear or anger or sadness against my will. 

Being kind to others allows me to time travel to the future where I feel their happiness vicariously, and revel in the power of being able to make them feel that way. 

It's a positive way to feel in control of my life

It's a Lifestyle

"Results tend to accumulate to the person who enjoys the lifestyle that precedes the result."

-James Clear

The Real Reason

I am the divine son of heavenly parents, why am I so lousy at being like Him?

Because I haven't chosen anything better.

It takes time and practice to finish the process.

Why is an acorn so lousy at being an oak tree?

Let It Return; Let It Go

Mat 10:13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. 

Mat 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

Sacrifice

The sacrifice He asks of me is to give up my pain, sorrow, and suffering. He will  carry those for me if I ask.

Great Expectations

 "I expect something wonderful to happen today."

-Ingrid Fetell Lee

A good thing to say to myself every morning