Hey Everyone!!
This is such a fun topic. Finances can be stressful and sometimes I wonder why does such a thing even exist? It would make my life so much easier if we didn't have to worry about finances.
On my LDS mission my companion and I began teaching a man named Arsenio, he was a very smart man when it came to finances and about how to be successful in life. One thing he said that will forever stick with me is this, "Your not poor, your broke. Poor is a mindset and being broke is only temporary". He went on to tell my companion and I that we can be whatever we want to be! He said things that just made me want to stand up and cheer. Finances are important in life. They teach us great things such as being disciplined and responsible. We however choose how we accept these teachings. Sometimes we don't accept them very well and have to learn the hard way.
When your single finances aren't so hard because you only have to worry about yourself but when you get married there is now 2 people in the equation. In my head sometimes I wonder "How are we ever going to make things work money-wise?", we have so much to take care of.
One principle that always brings me back down to feeling secure again is the Lords principle of tithing. For those who do not know what this is, It is when you give back to the Lord 1/10th of your income where he uses it to build up his kingdom here on earth. As a kid I found this principle harder to follow because I was selfish and only wanted to spend my money and stuff I didn't need however, the Lord makes us a promise in the Bible. In Malachi 3:10 the Lord teaches this "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
Through this simple financial principle my wife and I have always been able to make ends meet. The Lord knows how hard it is for us to just give up our money that we work so hard for, but is he not the one that has blessed us with everything we have in life? The Lord will never let you go without when you show him you love him by keeping his commandments. I hope some of you found this uplifting:)
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Communication
Hi Everyone!
Have you ever wondered what life would be like if we could not communicate with each other? If we did not know how or understood what it meant? Would it be frustrating to you? What if you were the only one who could not communicate with others? Some of these questions I have found myself wondering about and wondering how well I would do. I came to the conclusion that I would not do so well.
Have you ever wondered what life would be like if we could not communicate with each other? If we did not know how or understood what it meant? Would it be frustrating to you? What if you were the only one who could not communicate with others? Some of these questions I have found myself wondering about and wondering how well I would do. I came to the conclusion that I would not do so well.
Communication is beyond invaluable. However it is a skill and just does not come in perfect package with step by step instructions. There are so many kinds of communication from verbal, body, emotional etc. Now what does communication mean for a marriage and for a family? How well do you think either system would function if members in the marriage or family do not know how to communicate with each other? What would happen in times of crisis? One thing that I have found is communication with my spouse can be difficult but it also brings me peace and makes me feel not lonely. Having to learn how to communicate with my wife has not been easy but it has been a step by step practice that we are both getting the hang of. We now know how we both best communicate in times of stress, happiness, sadness, anger etc.
Another form of communication that I found probably the most important is the communication skill of listening. Learning to listen communicates that you are loving and caring and that what someone has to say is important. Sometimes not saying anything at all is the best thing you can say to someone.
The whole point of this though is that communication does not come over night. Its a process and if you want to get better at it then you need to practice. With that practice you will learn how good you actually are at communicating and can be a great help to others around you who may struggle:)
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Dealing with Family Stress!
Hi Everyone!
Oh man I think any one person can write pages and pages on the stress of life and how much stress they have! I am no different. I could write pages and pages on all the different kinds of stress there are in my life right now.
There are so many kinds of stress in our life, from marriage, kids, school, work etc. But how are the best ways to cope with the stresses of life and is stress good for us? Coming from a family of many stressful events I have seen the situations that have made us stronger and I have seen the stresses that some of us did not deal with so positively. In my own experience I have found that when we cope with stress in a negative way we do not find as much appreciation for the lessons life has to offer. I believe there is a reason for everything in life. There is a lesson in everything. In my Family class we learned that stress is actually good for us. It helps us to push and be motivated. I also know that stress is not desired, its not sought out for and its not wished upon. But as part of life it happens.
Family life is probably one of the most stressful environments! There is always something to compete for or there is always something that will come up in life that will either pull us all together or put drifts between each member of the family. Just depends on how you want to deal with it. My parents raised us to not give up and to not let a stressful situation beat us down or win. So in life I have tried to look at each stressful experience as something that I can conquer and learn from. I have looked at them as something that once I have learned I can place in my toolbox of life and I will have something to draw upon if it happens again or if someone close to me struggles.
I am not perfect in handling my stress, sometimes I do not handle it well and I do not learn much from those times. I learn that I can do better and I try the next time and the next time. But I am grateful for the stress in my life because it keeps me motivated to be a better person for those who are in my life. After learning about the different kinds of coping methods I am excited to implement new ones in my life.
The Birds and the Bees
Hi everyone!
We had very interesting conversations in class last week about sexuality and how it is viewed as well as some of the worldly trends and or issues in involved with this specific topic.
I have been raised in a strong religious background and funny enough in our class discussions evidence showed that those teens who are more religious are less likely to engage in sexual relations prior to marriage. I was raised all my life knowing that sex was something meant for marriage. I give great thanks to my parents and their discretion as well as their concern in teaching me about the sacredness, blessings as well as the consequences in regards to sexuality.
I have strong feelings that if youth were taught about sex by their parents at an appropriate age or as early as they feel it is appropriate then chances are less likely for their to be promiscuous behavior. I knew growing up that it was a big deal and not something to mess around with if I didn't want to take very large chances in having my life spiral out of control. My parents did not raise me with the understanding that sex was horrible, they explained to me the intended purpose of it, and how much great maturity and commitment are important in this specific regards. Along with church leaders and other mentors I was grateful to have been taught that such a beautiful thing did not have to be feared but that it did need to be respected! And with respect especially towards my God, I believe in the sacredness of it and the love that is expressed between husband and wife. I know that we can make a great difference in the lives of our children if we just educate them and teach them from the beginning that this is something that needs to be respected and that the purpose of it comes from a very loving Father in Heaven. The world needs more people who will stand up for their belief in helping teens and adolescents stay abstinent!
We had very interesting conversations in class last week about sexuality and how it is viewed as well as some of the worldly trends and or issues in involved with this specific topic.
I have been raised in a strong religious background and funny enough in our class discussions evidence showed that those teens who are more religious are less likely to engage in sexual relations prior to marriage. I was raised all my life knowing that sex was something meant for marriage. I give great thanks to my parents and their discretion as well as their concern in teaching me about the sacredness, blessings as well as the consequences in regards to sexuality.
I have strong feelings that if youth were taught about sex by their parents at an appropriate age or as early as they feel it is appropriate then chances are less likely for their to be promiscuous behavior. I knew growing up that it was a big deal and not something to mess around with if I didn't want to take very large chances in having my life spiral out of control. My parents did not raise me with the understanding that sex was horrible, they explained to me the intended purpose of it, and how much great maturity and commitment are important in this specific regards. Along with church leaders and other mentors I was grateful to have been taught that such a beautiful thing did not have to be feared but that it did need to be respected! And with respect especially towards my God, I believe in the sacredness of it and the love that is expressed between husband and wife. I know that we can make a great difference in the lives of our children if we just educate them and teach them from the beginning that this is something that needs to be respected and that the purpose of it comes from a very loving Father in Heaven. The world needs more people who will stand up for their belief in helping teens and adolescents stay abstinent!
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