IN LIFE AS IN BASKETBALL

  In Life      In Basketball

I was looking at some of my college stuff recently and started thinking about friends and roommates during that time, some of whom have already passed away.

There were two cute girls from California in my dorm who lived upstairs from me.  Elaine was blond, Meagan was brunette.  They were inseparable and so fun to be around.  They laughed, they giggled, they were friendly with everyone, and were the "life of the party" whether it was a large group or just a small gaggle of girls.  

One day soon after the school year began, they took one look at my long eye lashes and proceeded to take me in hand to teach me how to use eye makeup-- more than just a brush of mascara I managed while getting ready for the day.  They introduced me to the hippie look that emphasized more color play on the eyes, those soft colors which focused on adding depth coupled with winged eyeliner, along with loads of mascara and blush.  Took the country girl out of me for sure!  And what a difference it made in my looks and my self-esteem.  Who knew?

Meagan was dating a young man who played basketball for UCLA.  This was in the mid 60s when the Bruins were winning championships all over the place.   Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul Jabbar) was one of his teammates, and the storied John Wooden was their coach.  Meagan used to tell us all about the team, plus the motivational highlights her boyfriend said the coach would give the team when they practiced.  So many practical directions that were as helpful on the basketball court as in everyday life.

There was one good piece of tactical advice which Coach Wooden emphasized over and over with the team, which I still think of when I get stumped about how I should take care of some sort of task I'm not sure just exactly how to tackle.  It's elementary, really.  But I have used these wise words over the years, and the injunction works every time.  And I'm not talking about when I play basketball--HAHAHA!

 

Don't let what you DON'T know get in the way of what you DO know."

I've found that if I approach a problem in that way, I often get ideas that help me complete the part I'm not really sure how to manage.  Simple words.  Profound message.

Thanks, Coach Wooden....

GOOD NEIGHBOR STORY

Over the years I have had my share of good neighbors who assisted me with yard work, loaned stuff to me, helped me get into my garage when the spring on the opener was broken, righted my Christmas tree when it fell over, and lots of other little gestures that relieved me immensely at the time I needed some help.  In short, these neighbors were genuinely friendly and willing to lend a hand any time the need arose.  Be they bidden by me or proactive on their own initiative, I have been blessed many, many times.

So, I was particularly interested when I read the experience of a man who wrote about how his neighbor was always there for him.  He recounted some of those experiences, including one where the neighbor helped him with a huge project in his back yard because the man's son wanted to have his wedding reception there.

On the occasion of the story I read, there had been a big snowstorm where the two men lived.  The author thought he would shovel his neighbor's walks and driveway as a kind of reciprocal gesture. However, when he went out of his house, his neighbor had already shoveled his own walks, AND he had shoveled the author's, too!

John P. Rich, the author of that story I read in the April 2023 Liahona Magazine, went back into his house and wrote this little poem.  It's not great poetry, but it conveys a stirring message about the personality of his neighbor, President Russell M. Nelson.

SERMONS

 I’ve seen sermons in stone

And sermons in flowers

Sermons that take minutes

Sermons that take hours

But I’ve just seen a sermon

Delivered in labor

That showed me perfectly

How to be a good neighbor

John P. Rich

REFLECTIONS from a Sunday afternoon....

 I spent the afternoon perusing slender little journals of all sorts that I have written in over the past few years.  I like to do this now and then on Sundays when I choose to do--and read--different kinds of things from what I engage in on the other days of the week.  It is one way I can show my personal sign for honoring the Sabbath day.

One of those journals I reread today is titled "Oh, Happy Day", which my walking buddy Natasha gave me on my 75th birthday.  It is a little book of reminders to write down kindnesses from others, fond memories of varying experiences, an opportunity to express pleasure in simple everyday things, and a myriad of other subjects designed to help the reader/writer look outside the box for just a few minutes and jot a short thought.

Today, in addition to some long-forgotten entries, I found a quote about joy.  President Russel M. Nelson continually reminds us that we can find joy in any circumstance in life.  I know this is true, as I have found joy in singular experiences during some of the toughest times of my life.  In fact, I keep a little silver token on my bathroom counter that says simply, JOY.  A good reminder that there is bound to be something joyful during the course of my day.  And there usually is--when I keep my eyes wide open.

Here is a quote by David Steindl-Rast I particularly liked from this little journal.  It accompanied a suggestion to write something that a loved one had done for me lately--noting who it was and what they did for me.  I attest these are the kinds of things that bring joy.  Gratitude is a powerful attribute to make that happen.

It is not 

JOY 

that makes us

 GRATEFUL;  

it is 

GRATITUDE 

that makes us 

JOYFUL.

LESSON FROM THE ALL--SEEING LENS OF A CAMERA

 

LIFE IS LIKE A camera…

FOCUS ON WHAT IS IMPORTANT

CAPTURE THE GOOD TIMES

DEVELOP FROM THE NEGATIVES

AND IF THINGS DON’T WORK OUT

--TAKE ANOTHER SHOT!

...AND SMILE!  

MOTHERS ARE WOMEN OF STRENGTH

 Today is Mother's Day. 

 I thought this comparison is a good one to reflect on the truth that 

MOTHERS are WOMEN of STRENGTH!

A Strong Woman

vs.

A Woman of Strength

 

                                            A strong woman works out every day                                                                                                           to keep her body in shape…

But a woman of strength kneels in prayer                                                                                                            to keep her soul in shape.

 

A strong woman isn’t afraid of anything…

But a woman of strength shows courage                                                                                                          in the midst of her fear.

                    A strong woman won’t let anyone get the best of her.

But a woman of strength gives the best of herself to everyone.

                                              A strong woman makes mistakes and                                                                                      avoids the same in the future…

  A woman of strength realizes life’s                                                                                                                    mistakes can also be God’s blessings and capitalizes on them.

A strong woman walks sure footedly… 

      But a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls.

 

                                               A strong woman wears the look of                                                                                                           confidence on her face...

But a woman of strength wears grace.

                                             A strong woman has faith that she                                                                                      is strong enough for the journey…

   But a woman of strength has faith that it’s                                                                                                       in the journey that she will become

STRONG!

                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         STRONG! 

THE SEASONS IN OUR LIVES

          Think of life as “seasons”….

I like to listen to "Music and the Spoken Word" while I am walking on Sunday morning.  But I am always a week or two behind the broadcast since I walk long before that program airs at 9:30 Mountain time every week.  

This is MY take-away message which I heard for the March 5, 2023, broadcast.  I thought it was worth repeating.

A wise six-year-old once said that you can have a "NO problem day", but you can't have a "NO problem life".  What a good little observer!

It doesn't do any good to keep a running count of sunny days and rainy days, tallying up good days and bad days.  Happiness doesn't depend on the absence of problems.  Problems are always going to be there.  They are the STUFF of life!

Instead, we would do well to think of SEASONS in our lives.  Seasons of both rain and sunshine. 

When we keep a larger perspective, we know for sure that the cold which accompanies the beautiful winter white will soon turn into the brilliant sun and warmth of summer.  The same is true of stress and pain.  Both are needed since the sweet often comes after the sadness or pain or bitter of bad days.   

It's a cycle--because both are essential.

Embrace problems as a vital part of the cycle instead of seeing them as the enemy of your life.

Good days are temporary. Bad days become better in time.  

Beginnings have endings.  Endings have beginnings. 

BITTER AND SWEET.  That's what makes a good life!

Words of wisdom for us all...EACH SEASON IS ESSENTIAL !

CONNECTION...

I went into JoAnn's Fabric store a few weeks ago to return some wooden beads.  There was a LOOONG line for the cash register that snaked around out into the aisles, and it looked like I was in for a long wait.  There was a woman in front of me, looked like she was from my time, so I just said casually, "Is there something special going on?  This is just a plain old Friday, and I don't know of any holidays."  She said she was surprised at the number of people in the store at that time which was way before noon.

As we stood there together, I started talking about sewing in general and that my daughter had told me recently that the price for patterns was now upwards of $20.  I told this woman I was shocked at that because when I was doing a lot of sewing for my children as they were growing up, I hated it when the price of a pattern creeped up near $3.00.  When I first started sewing as a girl in 4-H, and when my mother purchased patterns to sew clothing for my sisters and me, the Simplicity and McCall's patterns were less than Fifty Cents.  I think Butterick Patterns might have been similar, but VOGUE was too stylish, and the patterns were costly.  Probably $1.99.  She shared her thoughts about patterns, sewing for her kids, and while we were talking slowly advanced forward in that long line.

At one point the group conversation in front of the two of us included a little girl who said she was someone's little sister.  I joked and told her, "Just don't let anyone call you 'Baby Sister'!  One of my older sisters called me that until the day she died, and I was a grown woman with grandchildren."  Everyone laughed.

Shortly after that, the woman in front of me was first in line and was called to a cash register.  I got the next call to the register which was close to hers.

A couple of minutes later, the woman who had been in front of me came over to me as she was leaving the store and handed me a wrapped life saver.  "Thank you for talking to me.  Have a good day!"

"Oh, you're welcome...you have a good day, too!"

I was taken aback.  Was this woman lonely?  Did she often find herself in a group where no one said anything to her?  When she was in line at a store, didn't anyone ever say anything to her?

Whatever the reason, I was glad I had struck up a conversation with her.  It wasn't any big deal for me.  I didn't stand there and think to myself that this woman looked lonely.   I certainly didn't feel compelled to talk to her.  Must be because I am so used to engaging with strangers, I just opened my mouth and started to talk just like I always do.

But for some reason, this woman felt a connection.  And I was glad that I initiated that connection.  You never know who needs a smile, a kind word, an interested comment.  I think that's what ministering is all about--just reaching out to make a

CONNECTION....