Spiritual
I have been meditating on two phenomenal (and related) quotes all day. The first is from Spencer W. Kimball: "If we looked at mortality as the whole of existence, then pain, sorrow, failure, and short life would be calamity. But if we look upon life as an eternal thing stretching far into the premortal past and on into the eternal post-death future, then all happenings may be put in proper perspective...Are we not exposed to temptations to test our strength, sickness that we might learn patience, death that we might be immortalized and glorified?"
The second comes from Brigham Young: "All intelligent beings who are crowned with crowns of glory, immortality, and eternal lives must pass through every ordeal appointed for intelligent beings to pass through, to gain their glory and exaltation. Every calamity that can come upon mortal beings will be suffered...to prepare them to enjoy the presence of the Lord...Every trial and experience you have passed through is necessary for your salvation."
Life has been relatively good and stable lately, but for some reason these quotes really spoke to me. Keeping an eternal perspective is hard when you are in the thick of things. Believing that "every trial and experience is necessary for your salvation" does not come naturally. And yet, what an incredibly comforting thought - none of the difficult experiences given to you are pointless, or more than you can handle.
The second comes from Brigham Young: "All intelligent beings who are crowned with crowns of glory, immortality, and eternal lives must pass through every ordeal appointed for intelligent beings to pass through, to gain their glory and exaltation. Every calamity that can come upon mortal beings will be suffered...to prepare them to enjoy the presence of the Lord...Every trial and experience you have passed through is necessary for your salvation."
Life has been relatively good and stable lately, but for some reason these quotes really spoke to me. Keeping an eternal perspective is hard when you are in the thick of things. Believing that "every trial and experience is necessary for your salvation" does not come naturally. And yet, what an incredibly comforting thought - none of the difficult experiences given to you are pointless, or more than you can handle.
Occupational
I very much enjoyed not laboring on Labor Day, on school-related things anyway. I was extraordinarily productive nonetheless (see below).
Financial
Finally caught up on bills and organized my financial life, and it feels excellent! Now I just need to finish up my FAFSA so I can get this semester's loans and really square everything away. I have been doing a much better job of food/grocery budgeting (my only weakness, really), and hope to continue even when money isn't so tight.
Physical
I walked 20 minutes to the park, did a 30-minute Couch to 5k workout, and then walked 20 minutes home. I also did a bunch of cleaning and laundry. I have been enjoying tracking food and exercise through the LiveStrong My Plate app and find it really motivating - I've lost 2lb in the past week or two so far. Yay!
Mental
Played Penté with Ryan (and actually beat him once or twice). Read a bunch.
Social
Talked to Dad on the phone. Spent nice time with Ryan watching Netflix, playing games, reading scriptures, and eating a delicious dinner (grilled herb and garlic chicken, grilled veggie skewers, quinoa with feta and basil). Enjoyed a cool conversation about how religious views about the afterlife shape one's attitude toward challenges in this life with Ryan and my roommate.
Environmental
Swept/vacuumed my room and cleaned the litterboxes. Laundered dirty bathroom rugs. Vacuumed the rugs downstairs. Sorted through tons of mail and other crap that had been piling up.
Service/Acts of Kindness
Sent encouraging texts to a bunch of people. Offered to grocery shop for a convalescing friend. Left an encouraging note for my roommate, who begins her high school teaching job tomorrow.
Developing talents
Ran, cleaned(?), cooked, wrote.
FINITO
FINITO
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