Look for the good

Recently, after a flight home, a tablet was inadvertently left behind on the airplane.
This was not realized until the next morning. Panic ensued and my husband and I quickly sought for answers on how to best track it down.
We were prompted to visit the airlines web page and found a lost and found claim form. We filled it out, adding every detail about the tablet that we could think of. We sent a signal to the tablet, and forced it to lock and set a password to keep personal data safe. And then we waited… each of us expecting different outcomes. A couple of weeks passed and then an unexpected email was received.
The tablet was located! Faith in mankind was restored!

I couldn’t help but wonder, what caused us to expect such contradicting outcomes.
Was it a male/female thing?
Do each of us view the world (and people) differently because of external influences? (Work, media, etc.)
Have our past experiences impacted our way of thinking?

Abraham Lincoln once said…

“If you look for the bad in people expecting to find it, you surely will.”

While that may be true, it stands to reason that the opposite is also true.
If you look for the good in people, expecting to find it, you surely will!

boasting

I work full time. I serve in my church. I live in a neighborhood. I have friends.
I say this, not to boast, but to point out that I am exposed to all sorts of people. Often.
I hear many things.
Mostly interesting, funny, and uplifting.
Sometimes annoying, inappropriate, or  irritating.
On thing that irritates me is the constant boasting that is exhibited by a select few.
You know the – my kid was accepted to Harvard but chose to go to State College – type.

I often wonder, are these individuals even aware of how they come off to others?
Me?I Besides feeling uncomfortable being around these individuals, I feel SAD.
Sad that they are so insecure, so starved for attention, so unaware of others,
or even unaware of what they are doing. I also feel worried.
Worried, that I too, can easily fall into this category.

It seems to me, that if we direct our gratitude upward. If we acknowledge all of our blessings and successes to the Divine Being,
the person from which they came, then – and only then – will we be following the example of our Savior.
This was reinforced in my mind as I stumbled upon a Conference talk from April 1990…

In our conversations and conduct we can be much more effective if we avoid the demeaning effect of that which could be classified as boasting. We should wisely let others become aware of accomplishments by observations rather than to have us appear to flaunt them before the world. Boasting diminishes credibility and too often alienates friends, co-workers, family members, and even those who may observe us from a distance….

Consideration for the feelings of others should always be important to worthy Latter-day Saints. Rightfully we may be happy about the number of children with which we have been blessed, the missionaries who have served, the temple marriages of our offspring, and the accomplishments of family members; but others who are not so fortunate may have feelings of guilt or inadequacy. They may have been praying long and hard for the same blessings about which we are boasting. These people may feel that they are out of favor with God.

For this reason our appreciation should be sincerely felt and gratitude expressed frequently to our Father in Heaven
- but not too vocally to the world.

We would all do well to take a lesson from the Savior, who repeatedly acknowledged and gave credit to the Father in all things.

~Marvin J Ashton (read his full Conference address  HERE)

I am so grateful for such great, faithful men of God that are not afraid to teach us the things that we need to hear,
things that will draw us closer to our  Father in Heaven and our Savior.
I am grateful for this weekend, for General Conference where I will once again be edified and uplifted.
Were I can become renewed in my desire, and my actions, to be obedient and to follow the example of  Jesus Christ.…
You too, can watch it live…HERE…  [Saturday October 4th 10 AM, 2 PM / Sunday October 5th 10 AM, 2 PM]

stewardship

I have a friend that needed help.
She didn’t ask for it. But I knew.
I helped her the best I could, in a small and simple way.
I did not solve all of her problems or address all of her concerns,
but I was able to relieve her of one small worry so she could focus on others.
Stewardship:
the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care
I have been very blessed in my life.
As I ponder all of my blessings, I came to the realization
that I have a stewardship to manage these blessings in a way that allows
me to take care of others in their time in need…
simply because that is what my Heavenly Father wants me to do.
That is why he blesses me.
I need to live within my means so that I can feed and clothe the hungry.
I need to eat right and exercise so that I can lift and carry things that need moving.
I need to keep my mind aware and alert so I can listen and share my insights and experiences.

The Lord’s admonition that we are stewards for those in need contains some of the strongest  language in all of scripture: “If any man shall take of the abundance which I have made, and impart not his portion … unto the poor and the needy, he shall, with the wicked, lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment.”  We are accountable as stewards over earthly blessings, which the Lord has provided.  ~Quentin L Cook [October Conference 2009]