Thought For A Lifetime

As I've been cleaning things up and going through piles of 'stuff', I found this tucked away. It thrills me today just as it did years ago when I first discovered it. We need to rehearse this everyday!

Today you are you!

That is truer than true!

There is no one alive that is you-er than you!

Shout loud, "I am Glad to be who I am!

Thank goodness I'm not a clam, or a yam,

Or a dusty old jar of gooseberry jam."

I'm ME, yes it's true, what a great thing to be!

If I say so myself: Happy everyday to me!

Dr. Suess

Your Father in Heaven knows your name and knows your circumstance. He hears your prayers. He knows your hopes and dreams, including your fears and frustrations. And He knows what you can become through faith in Him. Cherish your esteemed place in the sight of God. He needs you. The church needs you. The world needs you.

--Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, October 2005

Italy vs. Holland

Story to remember:

I lived my whole life planning to go to Holland. Since I was a child I dreamed of what it would be like to walk along the dykes and waterways, visit the tulip gardens, the windmills, wooden shoes, the blue and white dishware, the bakeries and pasteries and food of the Netherlands. I cut out pictures from magazines, read books, studied maps, and carved out a very detailed plan for the time there.

The time finally came. My preparations were going as dreamt of and planned. All my studying was paying off. My itinerary was set and I had envisioned it so many times that it would go off without a hitch. I boarded the plane and settled in for the anticipated ride.

As we landed, the pilot came on over the loudspeaker and announced that there had been a change of plans and instead of landing in Holland we had now arrived in Italy as our destination! What?? No! This cannot be! I was not prepared for Italy! I didn't want to be in Italy! I was supposed to be in Holland!

I had no way to get to Holland. I must make the best of my time and money now in Italy. I slowly began to find that there were amazing things in Italy. I learned a lot about a different culture, foods, landscape, scenery, history. As time went by, I started to realize that this detour was just as exciting and exhilarating as my anticipated journey to Holland and I would have totally missed it if I had been in charge.

I found that Italy is just as wonderful as Holland, and who would have known, except the Pilot?