God Loves You!

Hi, I have a message for you. God. Loves. YOU!

For some reason this has been on my mind so so much the past few days. I am the primary president in my ward and it all started last Sunday as I just looked out at all the beautiful kids in my primary. I thought WOW God loves each one of these children so much. I could feel his love in every corner of that room.

Then I heard a voice say Sara God Loves You Too! I was so touched and could feel the spirit so strong my heart just wanted to burst. It was just what I needed to hear, and I know it is so true.

Heavenly Father does love us. He loves each one of us exactly the same. Dare I say he loves us, me, you just as much as he does President Monson. Just as much as he loves the bishop, as much as the super mom next door, or as much as the homeless man down the street. As much as the drug addict or the adulterer. We are each HIS children and no matter our bad choices or our good choices he loves us just the same. Sometimes he might hurt for us or wish it could be different but that will never take away from his love for us.

It is because of this great love that he has for us that he sent the savior to rescue us. That we can have the atonement and that everyone at some point can come to him on bended knee and say I'm sorry I mad a bad choice and I want to make it right. When Heavenly Father sent us to Earth he knew we would make mistakes, he knew we would mess up. He loved us so much that he knew he had to make a way for us to become whole again. Because I imagine from my own parenting experiences that Heavenly Father could not bear the thought of one of his children not to return back to his presence someday. No matter how bad we have messed up.

I know that love that I can feel for each of my little ones is so incredible and indescribable. But I am not their first parent. No, Heavenly Father is. If I have this much love for these little people who I have only known for 4,3 and 1 years. I can't even begin to imagine how much love Heavenly Father has for them. He has know them for way longer then me, in fact he created them. His love for them, for me, for you is astronomical. It is so much for then we could ever even comprehend.

God. Loves. You!

I hope you can feel his love, & feel his arms wrapped around you!

Instilling Self Confidence in Kids

So lately I have been thinking a TON about how to instill self-confidence in my kids. I want them to grow up and to have a little light in them that shines brighter and for them to know that they are truly amazing.

I don't want them to question if they are good enough or pretty enough. No doubt this will happen; its human nature and we all will get these feeling one time or another. I guess I just want them to be happy and not be afraid to conquer their dreams or live the life they have imagined. I want them to have the courage to do hard things and know that they are better for it.

 So my thoughts have been how can I as their mother help them see this and their true potential.I have thought of a few things and I hope I'm on the right track here because man I feel like this is so important.

First I think the biggest thing here is to lead by example. If my kids see that I am not happy with the person I am then how can I expect them to be happy with themselves. If they see their mom (and dad) being courageous and standing up to do hard things I like to think they will be proud and in turn want to do that for themselves.

Second I struggle with this one. I know it is important to praise your kids and don't get me wrong my kids get plenty of it. I just hope I'm not overdoing. I don't want them to be boastful and think they are better than others. But at the same time I think if you truly tell your child how amazing YOU as her mom thinks she is will believe it. If you are sure to point out how great she is at sharing, or how kind she was to another kid. I think she will want to live up to that expectation that you have for her and always be that way. Does that make sense?

Third is giving your kids the opportunities to really grow. I don't really think it matters how. This is where your kids get to decide for themselves what activities they are interested in. And it is ok if they change often. It could be anything from art, dance, soccer, or singing, whatever they want. I just think it's important to let them have those opportunities to put themselves out there. To sometimes struggle and mess up but in the end work hard and know that they did their very best.

Lastly and probably the most important I believe that if my kids know beyond any doubt that they have a loving Heavenly Father who is there for them no matter what. That they know how much he loves them and can see all the blessing he has given them. They will feel self worth and realize what the truly important things in life are.

I don't know maybe I worry too much about this stuff and I just need to let what is be left alone. But I think parents have such an instrumental role in shaping their kids and instilling that confidence that they will need throughout their lives.

What do you think I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on this topic, I sure could use all the help I can get!

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Oh Lord my Redeemer

This is one of my favorite songs, every time I hear it, it brings me to tears and touches my soul! One of my friends sang this song in sacrament today and it truly touched me, I wanted to share it with everyone. I know that my savior and redeemer LIVES. Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice for each of us, and on the third day was resurrected from the tomb. Because of this we will be able to live again as well. I am so thankful for Easter and the opportunity we have to remember this!

"...one of the greatest consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path, utterly alone, we do not have to do so." Jeffrey R. Holland

P.S. - Easter pictures coming soon! Sharon I promise!

So Thankful!

I am so thankful to my heavenly father for knowing me personally, for knowing exactly what I need and what I can handle. Its amazing how heavenly father knows me better then I even know myself. I truly know I wouldn't have been able to get through everything, from being a mom and wife to getting everything done at school and at clinicals without my heavenly father helping me. I lean on him so much, I know that he knows what's in my heart, he knows my needs. When times get so hard and I don't think I get everything done, I feel like I'm being pulled in a thousand directions, I feel heavenly fathers reassurance that I can handle this and that he is there to help me get through it. My family has always been there to help and support me but I have especially needed them lately. Clay is so wonderful, he does so many things that most husbands wouldn't even think about doing to help out. And he always does them willingly without complaining, I usually and the one who feels guilty, like he shouldn't have to do all that he does. He always tells me he wants to help and not to feel guilty, but I still do. I am so thankful for Clay, and for the wonderful husband and father that he is. My mom has been so great, she watches the girls for me all day on Tuesdays and Thursdays while I'm at my clinical. By the time I get home sometimes I can tell that she is so tired from chasing Mea and taking care of Kaitlyn. I am so thankful for her help, without her I really wouldn't be able to go school. She is always willing and expects nothing in return, I love her so much! I have the best sisters in the whole world, I know whenever I need them they will come to do whatever. Usually its to entertain Mea while I study. I'm so thankful that I got to have them come and stay with us last year that is time that I will always remember with them. Really I am truly blessed!

School Today

So this post is just my random thoughts and probably will be boring to some of you, sorry! Right now I am taking a philosophy class as well as a nutrition class. In philosophy we are talking about God and if he really exists or not today was really interesting and I left philosophy really just laughing at my professor, but also feeling bad for him. Probably there was alot of LDS students in my class and it was so funny because as we were discussing things you could totally tell who was LDS and who was not. So we were talking about arguments for being an atheist. The main argument we talked about was if God is omnipotent (all powerful) omniscient (all knowing) and omnibenevolent (all good) why is there evil in the world. Now we all know why there is evil but my professor was being very antagonistc. He says that if God is omnipotent then he can stop evil, if he is omniscient then he knows how to stop evil, and if God is omnibenevolent then he wants to stop evil. So if God really exists there could not be evil, so I know that god is all those things and that we have to still have evil, but convincing my teacher of that was pointless. He said that you can't say that to know good you have to know evil, and that you can't say we have evil to teach us something. One example that he gave was if a child has a painful disease from birth and suddenly we create a cure for that disease then if God gave that child the disease to teach something then we are undermining God by curing the child of the disease. And about free will he said that God has already restricted our free will because there are lots of things we can't do such as fly. And he says in regards to Christ being perfect, why did God create Christ perfect. We the class said he didn't but Christ had a different understanding then the rest of us do, so he said by giving Christ this understanding that is taking away Christ's free will, and by not giving us the same understanding that he is taking away our free will. Anyways pretty much everything anyone said he just had some stupid argument against it. Then in my nutrition class we watched Supersize Me, disgusting, I left class with a stomach ache! I never want to eat a Mcdonalds again.

Maleah's Blessing

Today was a wonderful day, it was Maleah's baby blessing! Clay did such a good job and gave her a wonderful blessing.  Maleah was so good the whole time, I was trying before sacrament to get her to go to sleep but she wouldn't. So she was awake for her blessing but she didn't cry at all. After the family and friends came to our house for lunch, it was so fun. We had to fit like 30 people into our little house, so it was a tight fit. We had pulled pork sandwiches and lots of salads and then for dessert the most delicious cheesecake. I had never made baked cheesecakes before but they turned out so good. It was a wonderful day. I am so thankful Heavenly Father sent Maleah to be a part of our little family we love her so much!

Yummy Turtle Cheesecake

1 1/2 c. gram cracker crumbs

2 tbsp. sugar

3 tbsp. butter, melted

1 (14 oz.) bag Kraft caramels

1 (5 oz.) can evaporated milk

1 c. chopped pecans, toasted

2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1/2 c. semi sweet chocolate pieces, melted

Combine crumbs, sugar, and butter; press onto bottom and sides of 9" springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. In 1 1/2 quart heavy saucepan, melt caramels with milk over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Pour over crust. Top with pecans. Combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla, mixing at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in chocolate; pour over pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan. Chill. 

Here is the recipe. When I made it I didn't add the chocolate to the cream cheese mixture. I layered it over the crust with they caramel. I first put the caramel layer over the crust and then the chocolate layer and then I leave some to drizzle over the top. You can choose to do it however you want but that is the way I like it. Good Luck!