Sunday Inspiration: "Joy in the Journey"

^^New hair... Kept the ombre but had her do the blonde further up and brighter. I was very happy with the outcome....^^

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Today I attended church with my sister Jennifer and nephew Preston. It was a wonderful meeting.

 ^^Future Elder Buckley. He just gets more amazing with age.^^

^^Outfit entirely thrifted except for my shoes. They're practically thrifted though. Target-$7

^^This is one of my favorite places in town. It's a street with a few historic buildings...Oldest buildings in town dating back to the 1800's. ^^

I couldn't help but think of "Joy" today. Finding JOY in life. Just in these pictures, I can't help but smile. Preston and I laughed while being creative in how to capture a fun picture... and I love that it brought joy to each of us even just for ten short minutes in our lives. I instantly thought of the talk President Monson gave in a general conference called "Joy in the Journey." It is a beautiful and inspiring talk. I picked out some of my favorite quotes from it to share:

"Throughout our lives, we must deal with change. Some changes are welcome; some are not. There are changes in our lives which are sudden, such as the unexpected passing of a loved one, an unforeseen illness, the loss of a possession we treasure. But most of the changes take place subtly and slowly.

 This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now.

 There is no tomorrow to remember if we don’t do something today.

Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important—and what is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. Wrote William Shakespeare, “They do not love that do not show their love.” We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us.

Send that note to the friend you’ve been neglecting; give your child a hug; give your parents a hug; say “I love you” more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, loved ones pass on. It’s so easy to take others for granted, until that day when they’re gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of “what if” and “if only.” Said author Harriet Beecher Stowe, “The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.”

Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family. One day each of us will run out of tomorrows.

 “Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend … when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.”

 Despite the changes which come into our lives and with gratitude in our hearts, may we fill our days—as much as we can—with those things which matter most. May we cherish those we hold dear and express our love to them in word and in deed."

I wish you all a wonderful week. I hope we can all realize what is important and find "joy in the journey."

Beijos!