Ed Week 2011 gems: lectures 1-18

2a-"We are created as much from the dust of eternity as we are from the dust of the earth. Every one of us has potential we can scarcely imagine."  Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin "The Abundant Life" May 2006 Ensign


2c-"Every element of creation has its own purpose and performance. its own divine role and mission. If our desires and works are directed toward what our heavenly parents have intended us to be, we will come to feel out part in their plan...and nothing will give us more ultimate peace." Patricia Holland On Earth as It Is in Heaven


2e-"Our adversities can be the means of obtaining blessings unobtainable without them" Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, July 1998, 7, 9


5b-"The Lord seldom repeats confirmations." 


6a-Three things to remember:
            Life is hard...but you can do hard things.
            When life doesn't go as planned, don't get frustrated...make the best of it (it's often when things don't          
                   go right that the best things happen).
            T.T.T.--things take time (develop the virtue of patience).


6b-Five hours alone together during the week is what most marriages need so they can be happy ones.


6c-Keep regular hours: if you go to bed and get up at the same time each day you need 1 hour less of sleep each night.


7c-"It is especially helpful to remember also that the temptations and challenges we face are common to man (see 1 Corinthians 10:13), yet we must respond uncommonly. It is also useful to ponder the fact that, along with even the Savior himself, we are to experience certain things "according to the flesh" (Alma 7:12) and to learn "in process of time" (Moses 7:21). Built, therefore, into the seemingly ordinary experiences of life are opportunities for us to acquire such eternal attributes as love, mercy, meekness, patience, and submissiveness and to develop and sharpen such skills as how to communicate, motivate, delegate, and manage our time and talents and our thoughts in accordance with eternal priorities. These attributes and skills are portable; they are never obsolete and will be much needed in the next world."  Elder Neal A Maxwell "Grounded, Rooted, Established, and Settled" BYU Speeches of the Year 


8c-Never give a lesson where there is no student participation.  Elder Richard G. Scott


9b-"The deep problems individuals have can only be solved by learning about "the deep things of God," by confronting the reality of "things as they really are and things as they really will be." Hard though this process may be, painful though it may be, it is the one true course for human happiness here and everlasting joy in the world to come . Whatever we do in our individual lives and through the influence we have on the lives of others must move us and others to come to terms with these ultimate realities. To move in another direction is folly and misery."   Speech to the Association of Mormon Counselors and Psychotherapists Elder Neal A. Maxwell


10a- personalfinance.byu.edu   has many different personal finance manuals free to download and use as well as other tools


10f-The scriptures make us wise...if we learn to read them and obey the commandments.
The Savior makes us holy...if we repent.
The storms make us strong...if we learn the lessons God wants us to learn.


10f-The storms which He sends us will take us where He wants us to go.


11b-Learn to react to the telestial realities in celestial ways.


13a-The key to making the most of your time, putting your time to the best use, is when you use the gifts God has given you to bless His children. You will feel peace and joy (and energy). The key: organizing your life such that you more frequently use your gifts to bless lives (yours and others). So identify and discover the gifts you have.


14a-If we don't choose to act (freedom), we will be acted upon (bondage).


14b-Article on changing ourselves:
http://www.herrifordconsulting.com/docs/influencing-change.pdf

14c-To make real and permanent changes in your life:
#1 Identify Crucial Moments (when your will power fails)
#2 Create Vital Behaviors (what will you do in those crucial moments that will help you avoid crucial moments or overcome them)
#3 Make a Bad Day Good Data (when you succumb to your temptation, analyze why and then use that to adjust your crucial moments list and your vital behaviors list).

15a- Balancing your blood sugar:
-eat breakfast within 3 hours of waking
-balance carbs/proteins/fats (usually it's protein that's missing)
-eat a meal or snack every 3-5 hours
-stabilize evening blood sugar as needed (eat something at bedtime as needed)

15b-Soft drinks are the cigarettes of the obesity problem.

15c-How many servings of the following does it take to reach the maximum dose by the FDA and AMA:
coffee-2-3 cups
tea-3 cups
monster and rock star-1 can
hot chocolate- 25 cups

15c-"Educate your desires." President Joseph F. Smith (but I don't like drinking water...or eating whole grains...)

16a-Spiritual insecurity is part of the mortal package. We are looking for spiritual comfort (when we sin or transgress we feel it) and sometimes we look for the comfort in physical ways, which can lead to addictions. We need to reach out for real spirituality, instead of fake (physical).

17b-The Middoni Principle (lessons from Alma 20):
1- We should always do what God requires.
2- We should realize that quite often what we want or righteously desire is often what the Lord wants.
3- We should realize that God often has a different way of orchestrating events than what we contemplate initially.
4- This is not "blind obedience." It is, rather, "intelligent obedience" because it's based on prior spiritual witnesses (where you learn to trust the Lord).

18a- When you change the way you look at things, the thing you look at changes.

18 b-Discover your motivation--your dream, which will lead to working hard to attain your motivation, which will lead to adversity while trying to attain your motivation, which should lead to revisiting your motivation.

18c-When you make someone do something, it greatly diminishes motivation. Satan is still after our agency.

BYU's Ed Week

 Last year I never got around to making an index to go in the front of my Ed Week notebook, so I got right on it this year:

Ed Week August 15-19, 2011

Monday August 15th:

1-How to turn your genealogy data into a fascinating family history: turning pedigree chart data into a story  by Dawn Parrett Thurston

2-”Tidy up your life” workshop--part 1: Create a life plan  by Connie Sokol

3-”Tidy up your life” workshop--part 2: Effectively Manage your time  by Connie Sokol

4-Family history--I am doing it online: utilizing the latest tools from Google to Capture and Organize Your Family History  by Devin R. Ashby

5-Moving from childhood into life as a Young Single Adult, especially after a mission (for parents and YSAs) by Garth A. Hanson

Tuesday August 16th:

6-Seeking Harmony: Finding Peace in a Busy Life: Creating Personal Energy  by E. Jeffrey Hill (13)

7-The Skills of a Saint--Developing a Personal Plan for Gospel Growth and Progress: Developing Skills--A Key to Change and Improvement by Andrew S. Gibbons and Pres. Russell T. Southcorp (SS Gen Pres)

8-Campus Devotional: That All May Be Edified  by Elder Jay E. Jensen

9-Sifting the Sacred from the Secular in Psychology and Everyday Life: Sifting by the Spirit and by the Intellect--”Even by Study and Also by Faith"  by Edwin E Gantt

10-Personal Finance: A Christ-Centered Approach: Nine Myths of Family Finance: What Wise Financial Stewards Know  by Bryan L. Sudweeks (35)

11-”Come What May and Love It”--but How? Discerning Truth and Applying It in our Lives  by Sherrie Mills Johnson

12-Marriage: Growing Together in Love: Evaluating your Marriage Relationship  by Don Wilson

*****Wednesday August 17th

13-Seeking Harmony: Finding Peace in a Busy Life: Making the Most of your Time  by E. Jeffrey Hill (6)

14-Change Anything: Principles for Changing Overwhelming Habits in Yourself: Be the Scientist and the Subject (part 1): How Small Changes Can Lead to Big Improvements  by Ron McMillan (23, 32)

15-Stealth Appetities: Satisfying Our Hidden Hungers without Overeating: Ending Carbohydrate Craving: Balancing Blood Sugar  by Beverly Hyatt Neville (24, 33)

16-Matters of the Mind: Emotions and Relationships: Spiritual Roots of Human Problems  by John  P. Livingstone

17-Power in Principles: Timeless Truths and Fresh Perspectives from the Book of Mormon: The Middoni Principle--Blind Obedience vs. Intelligent Obedience  by C. Robert Line

18-Spiritual Peak Performance: “Look unto [the Lord] in Every Thought; Doubt Not, Fear Not” (D & C 6:36) Motivation: the Engine that Drives Your Actions  by Justin L. M. Su’a

19-Placing One’s Will upon the Altar of God: Following Nephi’s Example of Trusting the Lord Completely  by Stephanie Halford Taylor (28)

20-Save More and Spend Less: Living Frugally with Style and Flair: Stretching the Clothing Dollar--More Dash for Less Cash  by Alice Osborn

21-Home Organization: The Better Way to Live (part 2): Food and Home Storage: a Better Way to be Self-Sufficient for those Who Don’t Have Time for Another Trip to the Store  by Marie C. Ricks

*****Thursday August 18th

22-Getting Meaningful Answers for your Life-to Bless You, Your Family, and Others: His Promise with Overwhelming Blessings--”I the Lord am Bound When Ye Do What I Say…”  by Diane Bills Prince (31)

23-Change Anything: Principles for Changing Overwhelming Habits in Yourself: Be the Scientist and the Subject (part 2): How to make Change Almost Inevitable by Joseph Granny (14, 32)

24-Stealth Appetities: Satisfying Our Hidden Hungers without Overeating: Mistaking Loneliness and Boredom for Hunger: Understanding Nutrient Density and Satiety by Beverly Hyatt Neville (15, 33)

25-Isaiah for the Everyday Person: The Law of Blessings and Cursings  by Richard K. Scott

26-Edified Through Understanding: Scriptural Teachings of What’s Between Today and the Second Coming  by Randy L. Bott

27-It’s a Family Affair-Genealogy and Family History: Overcoming Brick Walls by Claire V. Brisson-Banks

28-Placing One’s Will Upon the Altar of God: Lord, I Believe; Help Thou Mine Unbelief (Mark 9:24) Pushing Aside Fear and Weaknesses in Order to Strengthen Faith and Trust in the Lord by Stephanie Halford Taylor (19)

29-The Complete Parent: The Law of the Harvest: The Fundamental Principles of Accountability by H. Wallace Goddard

30-Charity, Tough Love, and Discipleship: “I Know that He Loveth His Children; Nevertheless, I Do Not Know the Meaning of All Things.” (1 Nephi 11:17) by Mark E. Beecher

Friday August 19th

31-Getting Meaningful Answers for your Life-to bless You, Your Family, and Others: He Will Use You--Being and Instrument in His Hands  by Diane Bills Prince (22)

32-Change Anything: Principles for Changing Overwhelming Habits in Yourself: Make a Bad Day Good Data: How to Increase Our Resilience and Effectiveness  by Kerry J. Patterson (14, 23)

33-Stealth Appetities: Satisfying Our Hidden Hungers without Overeating: Distinguishing Between Physical Needs and Cravings: Developing Positive Food Habits by Beverly Hyatt Neville (15, 24)

34-Matters of the Mind: Emotions and Relationships: Helping Teens and Young Single Adults Negotiate Spiritual Minefields  by John P. Livingstone

35-Personal Finance: A Christ-Centered Approach: Preparing for Retirement: What You Can Do Now to Prepare  by Bryan L. Sudweeks (10)

36-The Confident Woman--Outward Appearance: Instant Changes for a Better Appearance  by Barbara Barrington Jones

a place for everything...

"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk while it's still snowing."

Ever since school let out I have been in major cleaning and organizing mode...it's only taken me 10 1/2 years after the birth of my last child to pull everything together. I think I might actually be able to keep it together, too, which is thrilling. Hope springs eternal, at any rate.

The biggest help for getting my house clean (besides spending all day almost every day cleaning) it that I spent time getting rid of stuff. Half the messes were because we didn't have a proper place for things...either they didn't have a place or the place was so crowded it was hard to deal with it, so things weren't put away because it was such a hassle. So, a place for everything and everything in it's place...you can't have order if things don't have a home. I'm still looking for a home for my vacuum cleaner (besides the hallway), but most things are settled. It's wonderful.

I'm doing several things to help me get things in order. The FlyLady.net has been a big help. She divides the house into 5 zones and each week is for a different part of the house. This week's emphasis is the kitchen. Today I scrubbed down the stove top. She has you do most things for only 15 minutes so you don't get overwhelmed. I haven't been stopping at 15 minutes and so am making great progress.

I also do a daily challenge from a facebook group Refuge for the Organizationally Challenged. Today I spent 15 minutes in the game closet (and 15 in the linen closet which was yesterday's assignment).

On a different level, I am currently 2/3s the way through reading the book Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen. It's more geared towards a business person, but can be adapted for home life as well.

The biggest help this has been a little trick that has helped my procrastination habit. The rule is, if it takes less than 2 minutes to accomplish a task, do it right then (barring other constraints, of course). Wow. So simple. But I was forever noticing something needed to be done (cobwebs, spot on the floor, food spilled in the microwave, etc) and moving on without taking care of it.

I set up my "tickler file" today...a way to remind yourself of future things. I adapted it for my less demanding non-business life and instead of having 31 file folder, one for each day of the month, I have only 1--one for each FlyLady cleaning week. We'll see how it goes.

There's still plenty to do, but I so enjoy having my countertops cleaned off and all the shoes in the closet and being able to take things out of cabinets without having avalanches.

craft closet before

one month later and it still looks good!