Just One

According to Claudine Kuradusenge, a UVU graduate from Riwanda, education has changed her life. As a child, Kuradusenge narrowly escaped that country's 1994 genocide. And indeed, through the emanicipation of education, she has become an amazing asset to international students and managed public education efforts to increase awareness, understanding, and empathy. There is a wonderful article Tragedy & Triumph in the 2013 edition of UVU Magazine. (I will post the link when available)

"We say at home that when you educate a woman, you educate an entire society," Claudine says. Everyone with the opportunity therefore has the duty to do something about it.

Other remarkable people have made decisions to lift, bless, and forgive detractors, thus following the example of Jesus Christ.

He alone can free us from the burden of hate, blame, guilt, and poverty. Mosiah 5:8

And willingly, he offers this freedom to us...and all men.

Trust gives back

While employed with Mediconnect Global, I was fortunate to work often with our remarkable CEO, Amy Rees Anderson. Amy shared advice with employees regularly. When I left the company, that was definitely one of things that I really missed. Fortunately, she has continued her daily blog with Forbes. In a recent post, she writes:

"To be trusted as a person of integrity... is the most valuable quality anyone can have in their life. Profit in dollars or power is temporary, but profit in a network of people who trust you as a person of integrity is forever." Success will come and go but integrity is forever

Those are words well spoken.

My mother taught me the importance of integrity when I was just a child. She would often encourage me that living with integrity meant doing what you said you would do--a most important quality.

Life has proven her words to be true and accurate.

Melanie recently shared a thought with the family and posted it so we can see it daily:

Obedience brings blessings; perfect obedience brings miracles.

Trust in the Lord for we can have confidence in His word.

That's the best advice of all.

The best is yet to come

I reconnected recently with a colleague I hadn't seen for 20+ years, who told me he remembered me telling him about an experience enjoying my children and putting family first.

He said something like he always remembered me telling him that happiness lies in the family, and that it made a difference in his life...and it has made a difference in mine.

But you don't have to just take my word for it, listen to what others are saying:

It's a combination of patience and also just not taking things too seriously about life...

Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy. daddy, daddy... (my personal favorite hahaha)

I didn't realize that there was a whole other part of my heart that would open up.

I think a common misconception with having kids is that life is over. I am an artist, and I somehow am able to get it done just the same as I did before. It's been really cool to see and be part of how the Lord is just making it happen.

If I can take the time to just listen and to see my children then it just makes it worth it. Those moments when you could become frustrated, suddenly you just see the frustration in their eyes and your heart is filled with compassion.

Looking back, we had a great life, but we have a GREAT life now, and I wouldn't give it up for anything.

Heavenly Father is really trying to help us succeed. He has this wonderful plan...and as we faithfully follow that plan and do our part, he will help us.

Home is where the heart is <3

Life is beautiful

You know that God can do all things. I do, too. We have no question that is true. 

I realize now that because he is patient and loves his children, he allows us time to develop and celebrates our effort.

Just as we allow our small children to do things that we could often do better and easier ourselves, the Lord willingly enables us to change and grow.

Can a parent criticize a child for making mistakes while playing the piano? That's the very reason for practice--to learn from mistakes and develop skill.

But it doesn't happen all at once. We celebrate the attempt because effort is all we can expect at this point, and over time we measure progress.

Singing a song - playing the piano - rejoicing in good things - and trying to make the world a better place takes practice.

Gratefully, we have been given time to learn and eternity to reach our potential.

http://www.helpmegiveback.org/1/post/2013/04/sunrise-over-africa.html